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EZRA. CHAP. I. And 2 CHRON. XXXVI. verse. 22. 23.

CYRUS published a Decree for the Jews returning to their own Land again; This Decree was signed at the very instant of Daniel's prayer, Dan. 9. 23.

Darius was yet alive and reigning, as appears by comparing Dan. 9. 1. but the Decree and Proclamation is the Act of Cyrus, not only in regard of a Prophesy that went before concerning him, Isaiah 44. 28. but also because he was the greater Conqueror, and the greater Prince. For 1. He was not only sharer with Darius in the Conquest of Babylon, but was also sharer with him in the Kingdom of Media, as being sole heir to it; but Darius had no claim with him in the Kingdom of Persia. 2. Berosus, not that of Annius, but cited by Josephus, Lib. 1. cont. Apion saith, that Cyrus had conquered even all Asia, before he came to besiege Babel; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Cyrus delivered out to Zerubabel, who by the Chaldeans was called Shesbazzar, all the Vessels of the Temple that Nebuchad-nezzar had captived. In the summing of them there is some obscurity, for there is a particular given only of two thousand four hundred ninety nine, and yet the Text summeth up five thousand four hundred, for it particulareth only those that were of a greater size, but summeth up both the great and little; for 2 Chron. 36. 18. it is said, that the King of Babel brought all the Vessels of the House of God, both great and small to Babel, vid. Joseph. Antiq. 11. 1.

EZRA II.

THIS Chapter reckoneth the number of the Jews that returned out of Captivity, it first nameth the chief Conductors and Princes among the people, and then the several Families and number of Persons; the seventh Chapter of Nehemiah hath this Catalogue over again, but with abundance of difference, some reason whereof shall be given there.

The Commanders and Rulers in chief were twelve:

• 1. Zerubabel the Prince of Judah.
• 2. Jesus the son of Jozedek the High Priest.
• 3. Nehemiah, the builder and repairer of Jerusalem afterward.
• 4. Seraiah, or Azariah as he is called, Neh. 7. 7. probably Ezra, who is called Seraiah after the name of his father.
• 5. Realiah, called Raamiah, Neh. 7. the difference of the name agreeing in the sense, for Realiah signifieth, The Lord's terror, and Raamiah the Lord's thunder.
• 6. Mordecai, the Uncle of Esther, and over-thrower of Haman.
• 7. Nachamani, he is mentioned in the Book of Nehemiah, but omitted here: For he came, not up now, but at some other time before Nehemiah taketh his Catalogue.
• 8. Bilshan.
• 9. Mispar, or Mispeseth.
• 10. Bigudi.
• 11. Rehum, or Nehum.
• 12. Baanah.

The number of the people was 42360 their servants and maids proselyted, 7337.

EZRA III.

IN the seventh month the returned Jews meet at Jerusalem, build up the Altar, keep the Feast of Tabernacles, offer Sacrifices, but yet have no Temple.

[World 3472] [Cyrus 2] In the second year of Cyrus, and of the people's return, in the second month of the year or Ijar, the foundation of the Temple is laid: Divers are present at it that had seen the former Temple, for it was but fifty three years since it was destroyed; and they mourn as fast to see how short that building was like to come of that Temple they had seen, as the others rejoice to see a Temple toward that had seen none before.

EZRA IV.

[World 3473] [Cyrus 3] ARTAXERXES reigneth in the third year of Cyrus, and here let us take up the consideration of the Persian Kings and these times a little, since there is not a little obscurity and difficulty about the reckoning and computing of them.

1. At the conquest of Babylon Cyrus and Darius were Partners, as was observed before; Darius only named in the Scripture at that expedition because the elder, and Cyrus only named in Heathen Authors because the founder of the Persian Monarchy. These two reigned together two years, saith Metasthenes, if we may believe that Author; but whether they did so or no, it is past all doubt that their years, were they two, or more, or less, were reckoned together; for the first year of Darius, when the Decree of the building Jerusalem came out, Dan. 9. 1. 23. was the first of Cyrus also, Ezra 1. 1.

2. Cyrus is generally held by Heathen Writers to have reigned about thirty years

Herodot. Triginta annis. Just. &c. Now the question as to the matter we have now in hand, is not how long Cyrus reigned in all, but how long he reigned after the Persian Monarchy began in him, or after that year that the Scripture calls his first year, namely, when the Lord had given him all the Kingdoms of the Earth, and when he restored the Jews to their own home again. Here profane Writers the most of them say nothing towards a resolution, and those that go about it speak, someone thing, some another.

The Scripture hath given us this satisfaction in this matter, that either Cyrus reigned but three years after, or if he lived longer, yet that his engagement in his wars abroad caused him to leave his son Artaxerxes Viceroy at home, to rule what he had got, whilst he was busy to conquer more. Either of these two supposed doth serve our purpose, to lead on the times that we have in hand.

Now for the concluding of the one of these the Scripture giveth us this argument: It is said in Ezra 4. verse. 5. that the enemies of the Jews hired counsellors against them all the days of Cyrus, even until the reign of Darius King of Persia, to frustrate their purpose of building the Temple, and at last compassed their desire and design by information to Artaxerxes: Cyrus all his days did not plainly or openly revoke, nor cross his own Decree, and if he connived at the crossing of it by his Son, his fatal end by Tomyris was but of just reward; but in the beginning of the reign of his son Artaxerxes the enemy had his desire, and the building ceased. Now this was in the third year of Cyrus, Cyrus being either now dead [as Daniel's vision in Persia, is said to be in the third year of Belshazzar, Dan. 8. Belshazzar being dead a while before, as was observed there] as Artaxerxes governing as Vice-Roy, and the time now reckoned by him, as it is in other places of Scripture the like. For in the third year of Cyrus, Daniel mourned three weeks together, nor did he eat any pleasant bread, nor flesh or wine came into his mouth, nor did he anoint himself at all, Dan. 10. 2, 3. And what was the reason? Because of the hindrance of the building of the Temple, for according to Daniel's fasting and mourning one and twenty days the Angel saith, That the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia had withstood him one and twenty; not that an earthly King hath any power over an Angel, but that this new King of Persia by hindering the Temple had hindered those good tidings which otherwise he should have brought; and that the misery of Daniel's people was the cause of his affliction, is apparent by verse. 15. because that when the Angel had told him, that the vision concerning his people was for many days, he is dumb for sorrow, and his spirit faints within him: so that the stoppage of the Temples building by Artaxerxes was in Cyrus his third year, in some part of that year, and continued so till the second year of Darius.

3. Now how long this space was is more obscure then the matter before, and that upon these two difficulties. 1. Because we cannot readily determine what number of Kings came between: And 2. When we have done that, then are we utterly to seek how long a time those Kings reigned: But for answer to these two doubts, to adhere to Scripture, and not to intricate ourselves with the various and perplexed relations of the Heathen Writers about the Persian Kings, we shall observe two or three particulars as we go along, and as we have occasion to take them up, and for the present this: That as he that set the building of the Temple afoot again after its long stop, is called both Darius and Artaxerxes, verse. 14, 15. so that he that caused that stop is called both Ahasuerus, and Artaxerxes, Ezra 4. verse. 6, 7. for Artaxerxes was a common name of the Kings of Persia, as Pharaoh was of the Kings of Egypt.

DANIEL X, XI, XII.

DANIEL mourning for the hindrance of the Temple, seeth Christ as John did in Patmos: And hath a Revelation of the condition of his own people, under their powerful Enemies, till the madness of Antiochus Epiphanes was over: He should violate the Sanctuary, and cause Religion and Moses Law to lie in the dirt for a time, two Times, and half a time, or three years and an half, or one thousand two hundred and ninety days; But he that waiteth and liveth to see five and forty days more, or till those one thousand two hundred and ninety days be made up one thousand three hundred and thirty five days, he should see an end of Antiochus.

Artaxerxes Ahasuerus.

[World 3474] [Artax. Ahasuerus 1] The building of the Temple lieth forgot and forlorn by the command of Artaxerxes Ahasuerus the present King of Persia: Hereupon divers of the Jews that had gone up to Jerusalem in the first of Cyrus, return back again in this Kings reign, to their old residence in Babylonia or in Persia again.

[Artax. Ahasuerus 2] The building of the Temple lieth still quite forlorn.

ESTHER I.

[World 3476] [Artax. Ahasuerus 3] ARTAXERXES, who was also called Ahasuerus, after his great Grandfather of the Median blood, Dan. 9. 1. is a greater Potentate and Prince by seven Provinces then Cyrus and Darius were; compare verse. 1. with Dan. 6. 1. To show and to see his own glory and pomp, he maketh a Feast half a year together to his Nobles, and seven days more to all Susan, and when all this glory of his great command hath been shown, he cannot command his own wife, &c.

ESTHER II.

[Artax. Ahasuerus 4] THREE whole years and above is Ahasuerus without a Queen: [Artax. Ahasuerus 5] his servants and officers in several Countries are making inquiry after [Artax. Ahasuerus 6] who may be fit for a Queen for him.

[World 3480] [Artax. Ahasuerus 7] Esther taken into the Kings Palace in the seventh year of his reign, in the tenth month, verse. 16. a Daughter of Benjamin, born for the good of her people; Mordecai had been captived with Jeconiah above seventy years ago, and had been at Jerusalem when the Captivity was sent back to their own Country again, and there had helped forward their settlement and prosperity as long as the work of the Temple would go forward: but when not, he returns to Persia, and there doth his people good in that Court, when he could no longer do it in their own City.

[Artax. Ahasuerus 8] Bigthan and Teresh, two of the Kings Porters hanged for Treason: The matter discovered by Mordecai, and revealed to the King.

ESTHER III.

[Artax. Ahasuerus 9] HAMAN promoted by the King to the highest honor in the [Artax. Ahasuerus 10] Kingdom, obtaineth not one bowing or cringe from [Artax. Ahasuerus 11] Mordecai, Mordecai disdaineth to homage or to show reverence to an Amalekite; for so Haman was, of the Seed of Agag, whom Samuel hewed to pieces in Gilgal.

[World 3485] [Artax. Ahasuerus 12] Haman would buy all the Jews in the Persian Monarchy for ten thousand Talents of silver, but they are given him for nothing: He goes not about the destruction of them, but first useth direction by Magical Lots: what day fittest to speed of his request, and the Devil allots him the thirteenth of the first month, and what month fittest for the execution, and the Devils Lot telleth him the month Adar.

On the thirteenth day of the first month, Letters are dispatched through all the Provinces of the Monarchy, for the destruction of the Jews at such a time.

ESTHER IV, V.

ALL the Provinces perplexed at the tidings, the Jews in Shushan keep a Fast of three days and three nights long: this time is measured exactly, as the three days and three nights of our Savior's death; for on the third day Esther puts on the Kingdom 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and obtains the Kings favor.

ESTHER VI, VII.

HAMAN prepares a Gallows for himself, and bespeaks Honors for Mordecai; his Wife and friends knew the curse upon Amalek because of the Jews, and read his fall.

ESTHER VIII, IX.

ON the twenty third day of the month Sivan, Mordecai and Esther obtain Letters to revoke Haman's bloody purpose; and that the Jews should stand in their own defense against their enemies, which they do at the time appointed for their destruction, and slay 75810 men. The feast of Purim instituted.

ESTHER X.

[Artax. Ahasuerus 13] AFTER this great and wonderful deliverance, and prosperity of the [Artax. Ahasuerus 14] Jews, Artaxerxes, or Ahasuerus, layeth a Tax upon the whole Empire, but in what year of his reign is uncertain, and how long he reigned after this, is not easily determinable: For the Scripture is utterly silent to express the number of the years of his reign, or any of the Kings of of Persia that come after him, in clear expressions. Of this King it saith no more at all, of the next it mentioneth his second year, Ezra 4. 24. his fourth year, Zech. 7. 1. his sixth year, Ezra 6. 15. his seventh, Ezra 27. 8. his twentieth, Neh. 1. 1. his thirty second, Neh. 13. 6. but how long he reigned further there is no account at all neither.

By collection from other places and passages it may be concluded, and upon very good ground, that this King Artaxerxes Ahasuerus reigned but fourteen years in all, the ground is this: Because Zechariah in the second year of Darius, doth then but reckon the time of some captivity seventy years. The Angel of the Lord answered, and said, O Lord of Hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem, and on the Cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these seventy years, Zech. 1. 12. And in Chap. 4. there are some people sent from Babel to Jerusalem, and they have this quaere among the rest of the business they came about to speak to the Priests, which were in the house of the Lord of Hosts, and to ask, Should I weep in the fifth month, as I have done these seventy years. Compare ver. 3. & 5. Now from the beginning of the seventy years, or the fourth of Jehoiakim, to the second of Darius, were many years above seventy; namely, the three years of Cyrus, all the years of Ahasuerus, which were twelve, mentioned in Scripture before his taxing the Empire, and two of Darius himself: eighty seven in all by this account, from the time that the seventy years captivity beginneth to be counted: therefore these seventy years mentioned in Zechariah must be counted from some other date, or else there will be exceeding much hardness and impropriety in the speech. Now this date is, from the destruction of Jerusalem, and firing of the Temple in the nineteenth year of Nebuchad-nezzar, to Darius his second, namely, fifty one years of the seventy of Babel, three of Cyrus, fourteen as we suppose of Ahasuerus, and two of Darius.

For let the Reader but impartially and unbiassed expound those two places in Zechariah alleged, and how can he possibly interpret the seventy years there mentioned, of the seventy years mentioned Jeremy 25. 11, 12. & 29. 10. which were expired seventeen years ago, by plain account of Scripture. Especially let him but weigh well the scope and purpose of the seventh Chapter of Zechariah, and it will make the date and account that we give of those seventy years to be proper and approvable. In the second year of Darius the Temple, after a long hindrance of the building of it, is begun upon to be built again, and it goes happily forward; thereupon the Church at Babel sends to Jerusalem to inquire of the Priests. Now that the Temple is built again shall I fast, and keep solemn days of humiliation, as I have done these seventy years since the Temple was destroyed. If they had fasted but the seventy years of the captivity, then had they laid down their fasts at the least seventeen years, to the second of Darius, nineteen to the fourth, as Zech. 7. 1. And if they had laid them down so long, while the work and building of the Temple lay forlorn, why should they think of taking them up again, now it went well with that work and building? And if they had continued them all the time of the captivity, and all the time since, why is it called but seventy years, whereas it was at the least eighty seven? Therefore to me it is past all peradventure, that the seventy years there spoken of are counted from the firing of the Temple to the re-building of it, in the second of Darius, and that this very account doth necessarily allot fourteen years reign to Artaxerxes Ahasuerus, that hindered it, to make up this sum: As we observed the like necessary allowing of seventeen years to Joshua, upon the result of a gross sum, where all the rest of the sum is cleared by particulars but only those seventeen: And with this computation that we have given, how pregnantly and properly doth agree that reckoning of the Angel Gabriel, of seven times seven years, or forty nine years from Cyrus his decree of building Jerusalem, to the finishing of it; as we shall observe at the thirty second year of Darius? But the Reader will there see it readily enough of himself, without any notice.

[World 3488] [Artaxerxes Ahasuerus 1] After Artaxerxes Ahasuerus the husband of Esther, reigned Artaxerxes Darius, falsely supposed by the Jews to be his son: Probably the same with Darius Hystaspes in Heathen Authors; called the King of Assyria, Ezra 6. 22.

EZRA V. verse. 1. And HAGGAI I.

[World 3489] [Artaxerxes Ahasuerus 2] IN this second year of Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, Haggai beginneth to Prophesy, and checketh the people's not caring to build the Temple; especially those hireling Jews that are spoken of, Ezra 4. 5. that were bribed by the Enemy, to give council against the building, and that were still saying, The time is not yet come that the house should be built.

On the twenty fourth day of the same month, the preparation for the building begins; with the twelfth verse of Hag. 1. read Ezra 5. verse. 2.

HAGGAI II. to verse. 10.

IN the seventh month, on the twenty one day of the month, Haggai foretells the glory of this second Temple; and speaketh this to divers that had seen Solomon's Temple standing.

ZECHARY I. to verse. 7.

IN the eighth month Zechariah begins to prophesy.

HAGGAI II. from verse. 10. to the end.

IN the ninth month, on the twenty fourth day of it, they begin to lay stones in the Temple wall, and to raise the building: For from the twenty fourth day of the sixth Month they had only prepared materials. On this day Haggai hath two Prophesies.

ZECHARY I. from verse. 7. to end. And CHAP. II, III, IV, V, VI.

IN the eleventh month, on the fourteenth day, Zechariah seeth Christ riding on a Horse, and Angels like Horses attending him: He seeth a vision of four horns, that should seek to scatter Judah, Rehum, Shimshai, Tatnai, Shether Bosnai, and four carpenters to break those horns, Zerubbabel, Joshua, Ezra, Nehemiah: He seeth Jerusalem ready to be measured, but let alone because the compass of it should be boundless: He seeth the garments of the High Priesthood tattered and poor, but new ones found out by the Lord, in figure of a glorious Ministry under the Gospel; Christ the corner stone with seven Eyes. The Church, seven golden Candlesticks; and the ministry of the Church of Jews and Gentiles, two Olive Trees, emptying themselves into those Candlesticks; A flying roll of the length and breadth of the porch of the Temple, full of curses; wickedness in an Ephah [the greatest measure in use settled in Babylon, &c.

EZRA V. from verse. 3. to end. And VI. to verse. 14.

[Artaxerxes Darius 3] THE Enemies of the Jews under a pretended officiousness to the King, but upon an intent malice against the Temple, by Letters to Darius, seek to hinder it, but by a special providence it proves occasion of the more advancing of it: Hitherto had the Jews built only upon the encouragement of the Prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, now they have a Commission from the King.

ZECHARY VII, VIII.

[World 3491] [Artaxerxes Darius 4] IN the fourth year of Darius, in the ninth month which is Chisleu, on the fourth day of the month, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , The Congregation in Babel sent to Jerusalem to inquire concerning their Fasts, whether they should continue them, now the Temple was begun, and was so forward in building, or lay them down.

They used these several Fasts:

First, In the fourth month, because then the City broken up, Jerem. 52. 6.

Secondly, In the fifth month, because in that month the Temple was fired, 2 King. 25. 8.

Thirdly, In the seventh month, because in that Gedaliah was slain, and all the Jews with him scattered, Jer. 41. 1.

Fourthly, In the tenth month, Zech. 8. 19. because in that month the siege began about Jerusalem, 2 King. 25. 1.

So that by the intent and occasion of all those solemn Fasts, which referred all of them to the last and final stroke and ruin of Jerusalem by the Babylonian, and nothing at all to the first Captivity of Jehoiakim, or Jeconiah, it is apparent that the seventy years mentioned to have been the length of these solemn days and duties are to be understood and reckoned from the very same time and occasion, as was observed before.

[Artaxerxes Darius 5] The Temple goeth well forward, and the work receiveth no interruption, but prospereth.

EZRA CHAP. VI. from verse. 14. to the end.

[World 3493] [Artax. Darius 6] IN the sixth year of Darius, on the third day of the month Adar, the Temple is finished, and the Dedication of it solemnly kept.

EZRA VII, VIII.

[World 3494] [Artax. Darius 7] ON the first day of this seventh year of Darius, Ezra setteth up from Babylon to go to Jerusalem, Ezra 7. ver. 9.

On the ninth, tenth, and eleventh days he musters his Company, and keeps a Fast at the River Ahava, Ezra 8. ver. 15, 23.

On the twelfth day he beginneth to march, ver. 31.

On the fourteenth day the Passover is solemnly kept at Jerusalem.

Ezra cometh to Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, or the month Ab, and on the fourth day delivereth out upon weight all the Gold and Silver that he had brought with him for an Offering, from the King, from his Princes, and from Israel in Babel.

Ezra was Uncle to Joshua that was now High Priest, Chap. 7. 1. with 1 Chron. 6. 14. His father Seraiah was slain at the sacking of Jerusalem, 2 King. 25. 18. seventy five years ago. Ezra was then very young, if so be he were then born.

EZRA IX, X.

REST and prosperity, which the returned Jews have a little enjoyed, hath bred corruption amongst them, by making mixed Marriages with the Nations amongst whom they lived. This, Ezra reformeth, and causeth them to put away their Wives; which were a great multitude; only four men opposed the business, two Levites, and two others: and to such a sense is verse. 15. of Chap. 10. to be read; Only Jonathan the son of Asahel, and Jahaziah the son of Tiknah, stood against this matter 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and Meshullan and Shabbethai helped them, weigh verse. 16. and it enforceth this translation.

The meeting about this matter was on the twentieth day of the ninth month, and then they chose Elders to see the work carried on: they begin to sit upon it the first day of the tenth month, and have finished the business by the first day of the first month, Chap. 10. 14, 16, 17.

This matter was done in the seventh year of Darius, or Artaxerxes, the same year that Ezra came to Jerusalem, as the Text seemeth to carry it on, unless by the strange writing of the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 verse. 16. the Holy Ghost would hint Darius his tenth. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : Let the learned judge.

ZECHARY IX, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV.

[Artax. Darius 8] FROM this action of Ezra, of reforming their mixed Marriages, which [Artax. Darius 9] most likely was in Darius his seventh, there is a silence of anything [Artax. Darius 10] done till Darius his twentieth, and then Nehemiah begins to stir. In this [Artax. Darius 11] time therefore, which was the space of twelve years, we may very well conceive [Artax. Darius 12] that Zacharias was prophe • ying among the people, and helping forward the [Artax. Darius 13] Reformation: and since there is no date to direct us otherwise we may [Artax. Darius 14] very well take up his 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. Chapters, in which he Prophesieth [Artax. Darius 15] very plainly and fully of many things concerning Christ, and the [Artax. Darius 16] time of his coming: as of the Conversion of Paul, and the Gospel beginning [Artax. Darius 17] at Hadrach and Damascus, and of Antioch in Hamath, entertaining the [Artax. Darius 18] Gospel of Christ riding into Jerusalem upon an Ass, Chap. 9. 1, 9. of his [Artax. Darius 19] confounding the three Shepherds the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Esseans: his being • old for thirty pieces of Silver, Chap. 11. 8. 12. his Disciples scattered, Chap. 13. 7. divers of Jerusalem mourning over him whom they pierced, Chap. 12. and the rest, and their City and Temple perishing through unbelief, Chap. 11. 1. &c.

NEHEMIAH all the Book, Chap. 13. verse. 7.

[World 3507] [Artax. Darius 20] IN the twentieth year of Artaxerxes Darius, in the month Chisleu, Nehemiah understandeth the miserable case of Jerusalem, and in the month Nisan following he obtaineth leave of the King to go to Jerusalem, and a Commission and a Convoy. Here observe, that Chisleu the ninth month, and Nisan following which was the first month, are both in the twentieth year of Darius, Chap. 1. 1. and Chap. 2. 1.

[Artax. Darius 21] Nehemiah is twelve years governor of Judea, before he return again to [Artax. Darius 22] Persia to the King, in that time he builds the wall of Jerusalem, fills it, [Artax. Darius 23] and settles it with Inhabitants; brings the people into order, and into a [Artax. Darius 24] Covenant, and Jerusalem into habitableness in safety: And having finished [Artax. Darius 25] all that was needful for the constituting of the City, and the people in [Artax. Darius 26] peace and piety, he returneth at the end of twelve years, or in the two [Artax. Darius 27] and thirtieth year of the King, according as he had appointed, Chap. 13. [Artax. Darius 28] 6. and from that year if we count backward to the first of Cyrus, you [Artax. Darius 29] have the sum of seven times seven, or forty nine years, the term that the [Artax. Darius 30] Angel had pointed out for the building of Jerusalem, City and wall, Dan. [Artax. Darius 31] 9. 25. viz. of Cyrus three years, of Ahasuerus fourteen years, and of this Darius thirty two. And thus far goeth the Old Testament in telling the years of the Story as it goeth along; and further then this thirty two of Darius it counteth not by named sums. And this very consideration doth confirm me in this reckoning of the years of these Persian Kings; for I cannot but conclude, that the Holy Ghost naming the several years of these Kings hitherto, intendeth to continue the Chronicle till this time of Jerusalem's completing, and there to end the Annals.

In the seventh Chapter of this Book, which giveth account of the number, and the families of the people that planted Judea after the Captivity, you will find exceeding much difference from the Catalogue in Ezra 2. though this is said by the Text to be the same: for the fifth verse saith thus, I found a Book of the Genealogy of them that came up at the first, and found written therein, &c. but the matter is to be conceived and apprehended thus: That Nehemiah found that List and Catalogue of those that came up in the first of Cyrus, as it was taken then; and that he called over the names of the Families as they lay in order there: He observed the order of that List in calling and listing them, but he took the number of them as they were now when he numbered them: Some Families were now more in number then they were when that first List was made, and some were less, and some that were in that List were not to be found now; for some had more of the same Stock come out of Babel since the first numbering, and some that had come up at first and were then numbered were now gone back, and so he observeth by comparing that List, and the present number, how the Plantation in Judea had gone forward or backward, increased or decayed since the first return.

[World 3519] [Artax. Darius 32] Nehemiah returneth to the King again, Chap. 13. 6. and here the Chronicle of the Old Testament ends.

NEHEM. XIII. from verse. 7. to the end.

NEHEMIAH, after his absence from Jerusalem [which how long it was is uncertain] when he returneth thither again, findeth things exceedingly out of order, which he seeketh to reform: He lived after this to the times of Darius the last King of Persia, for he speaks of him, Chap. 12. 22. and of Jaddua the High Priest, who met Alexander the Great when he came to Jerusalem, and to whom Alexander shown so great respect as Josephus reporteth, Antiq. Lib. 11. Caput. ult.

Ezra liveth also near towards the times of Jaddua, for he wrote the Book of Chronicles in the time of Johanan, Jaddua's father, Nehem. 12. 23. and so he lived well towards the expiration of the Persian Monarchy: He was born at the least fifty years before Cyrus first; and from thence to Darius his thirty second, were forty nine years, an hundred in all within one: And after that he weareth out the time of one High Priest, namely, Joiada, and writeth in the time of Johanan or Jonathan, the next High Priest after him: This consideration also helpeth to confirm that account of the times and Kings that we have given from Cyrus hither.

SECTION I.

IN compiling the four Evangelists into one continued Current and Story, this Preface that Luke prefixeth to his Gospel, may very fitly be set before them all, as a general Proem to the whole.

If he wrote his Gospel, near about that time, when he wrote his Acts of the Apostles, it was not till Paul had now worn out his two years imprisonment in Rome, or thereabout, Acts 28. 30. which was twenty seven years after Christ's Ascension: by which time the Gospel had been carried by the Apostles who were Eye-witnesses of Christ's Actions, and by the Disciples, who were Ministers of the Word, through the most parts of the World.

From these men's Sermons and Relations, many undertook to write Gospels, partly for their own use, and partly for the benefit of others,: which thing, though they did lawfully and with a good intent, yet because they did it not by Inspiration, nor by Divine Warrant; albeit, what they had written were according to Truth, yet was the Authority of their Writings but human, and not to be admitted into the Divine Canon. But Luke had his intelligence and instructions from above, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ver. 3.

SECTION II.

AFter the Preface, this portion doth justly challenge to be ranked first: for it not only treatech of Christ's Divinity, which is first to be looked after in his story, but it also showeth, how proper it was for him the Second Person in the Trinity to be incarnate, rather than either of the other Persons: 1. He being the Word by whom the world was created, and therefore fittest by whom it should be redeemed. 2. The Word in whom the Promise of Life was given, ver. 4. and so most fit by whom life should be brought. 3. The substance of that word of Promise, that s • one as a light throughout all the Old Testament, in the darkness of the Types, Figures, Prophesies and Mysteries there, and the darkness of those obscure dispensations comprehended it not, but that it gave light and shone in that obscurity: and they could not comprehend it, it being a light to break out in a far greater luster than they afforded.

SECTION III.

HEROD the Great, by descent an Edomite, and placed by the Romans King of Judea [compare Gen. 27. 40.] among divers other passages, in his uneven, and rugged Reign, had slain the Sanhedrin, Joseph. Ant. l. 14. c. 17. and to plaster the business again, by the Counsel of Bava ben Bota repaired the Temple, and made it incomparably more sumptuous than it was before, Jucas fol. 19. He began this Work in the 18th Year of his Reign, and it cost him eight years to finish it, Jos. Ant. lib. 15. c. 14. So that this new Fabric was but eight or nine years old at this year that we are upon.

In this Temple Zacharias, a Priest of the course of Abia, was offering Incense in the Holy Place, as was used daily; and hath tidings brought him of a Son, that should be fore-runner to the Messias. Although Zacharias be said to have been of the course of Abia, yet can it hardly be thought that he was of his Seed and Posterity: for we find mention but of four of the Courses that returned out of Babylon, and Abias was none of them, Ezra 2. 36, 37, 38, 39. But the whole number of those Priests that did return of those four Courses, being about 4290, were cast by lot into 24 Courses, according to the Primitive Institution, and Zacharias was of the eighth, as Abias Course had been before the Captivity, and which yet bare his Name, as the other did their Names, who had denominated the Courses from their first original. Of this ordering of the Courses after the Captivity, both Talmuds speak largely, in the Treatise Taanith cap. 4.

Whether Zacharias were of the Seed of Abia or no, it is apparent by his serving in Abias Course, that he was not High Priest, but one of the ordinary Priests, that served by course as their turn came, and that had their particular employment in the service by lot. The manner of their lottery for this purpose, is mentioned at large in Tamid cap. 3. in Joma cap. 2.

The Angel Gabriel, who about 456 years ago had given account to Daniel of the time of Messias his sufferings, doth now when that time is drawing near, first bring tidings of his fore-runners birth, and then of his own.

The Jerusalem Gemara in Joma fol. 42. col. 3. relates a story very parallel to this of Zacharias, both of his seeing an Angel in the Temple, and of his stay there longer than was used at offering Incense. Simeon the Just, say they, served Israel in the High-Priesthood forty years: And on the last year he saith unto them, This year I must die. They say to him, How knowest thou that? He answered. Every year hitherto, when I went into the most Holy Place, [on the day of expiation] one like an old man clothed in white, and veiled in white, went in with me, and came out with me. Now this year he went in with me, but came not out with me. And instantly after, The High Priest might not stay praying in the most Holy Place long, lest he should put the people into a fear. One once staid long, and they were about to go in after him. Some say it was Simeon the Just. They said to him, Why didst thou stay so long? He answered, I was praying for the Sanctuary of your God, that it should not be destroyed. They say to him, Though thou didest so, yet shouldest not thou have stayed so long.

If this Relation carry any truth with it, it might be looked upon as the expiring of Vision (as Prophesy had also ceased not long before that time:) for Simeon the Just is said to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the remnant of the men of Ezra' s great Synagogue. Aboth R. Nathan cap. 4. and upon the death of Zacharias and Malachi, who were of that Synagogue, the spirit of Prophesy departed: And here Vision and Prophesy is dawning again.

Zacharias for not believing the words of the Angel is struck 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Deaf and Dumb: and doth fore-signify the silencing of the Levitical Priesthood e're long to be. In the Jews Canons 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is one of the five sorts of Persons that they commonly exclude from all employments and matters of honor, trust or import; and it means 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 one that can neither hear nor speak, Jerus. in chagigah. fol. 75. col. 4.

His Wife Elizabeth conceiving with child, retires as a recluse for five months space, that she might keep herself from all defilement, she carrying as choice a Nazarite in her Womb as she did, ver. 1. 5.

Five months were not the whole time of her retiring, for that that urged her to keep close so long, had the same tie upon her all the time she went with child; but five months are only named, by way of introduction to the story, and occurrence in the sixth month mentioned instantly after.

In the sixth month the same Angel appeareth to the Virgin Mary, and telleth her of the Birth of the Messios; to be of her: which she believing, though by the course of Nature so impossible, she presently goeth to her Cousin Elizabeth into the Hill-country of Judea [to Hebron, see Josh. 21. 11.] not only to visit her and to rejoice with her, nor only to see the proof of those things that the Angel had told of her, but very probably, acted by the Holy Ghost, that she might conceive the Messias in Hebron, where so many choice and eminent Types of him, and references to him had been in ancient time.

These Tidings come to the Virgin at the very latter end of the year that we are upon, or the beginning of the next, and her Journey to Hebron is in the middle of Winter.

SECTION IV.

WHether it were that Mary conceived with child at the instant of the Angels telling her of her Conception, as hath been held most generally, or at the instant that she came to her Cousin Elizabeth in Hebron, by the time that she had stayed with her three months, she might easily be discovered to be with child, as Tamar was after the same space of time, Gen. 38. 24. Whose case and danger of death in that story, compare with the Virgins case and danger of divorce in this. The Talmudic Decretals do allot three months for such a discovery. Every woman (say they) that is divorced or become a widow, behold she may not be married, nor espoused, till she have stayed 90 days, that it may be known whether she be with child or no; and that there may be distinguishing betwixt the Seed of the first Husband, and the Seed of the second. Likewise a stranger and his Wife which are Proselytes, they keep them asunder 90 days, that there may be a discerning between the Seed sown in holiness [that is when they are come into the true Religion out of Heathenism. Compare 1 Cor. 7. 14.] and the Seed not sown in holiness. Talm. in Jebamoth cap. 4. & in Chetuboth cap. 5. Maym. in Gerushin cap. 11.

This space of time considered, in the present story, it showeth how fitly the last Verse of the preceding Section, viz. Luke 1. 56. and the 18th Verse of this, do join together. The Genealogy interposed doth not interrupt, but illustrate the story intended: And it is not only properly, but even necessarily, set in the Front of the Evangelical History, that satisfaction might be given by it, in that main Point concerning Christ, which the Scriptures do so often inculcate, and which the Jews would first of all look after, namely to prove Jesus of Nazareth, how ever so meanly born, yet to be The Son of David. There were two remarkable Maxims among the Jewish Nation. 1. That there was to be no King of Israel, but of the House of David and Line of Solomon. Talm. in Sanhedr. cap. 10. And consequently they looked for King Messias from that Line. 2. That the Family of the Mother is not called a Family. Juchasin. fol 55. Hereupon hath Matthew most pertinently brought this Pedigree through the House of Solomon, and ended it in Joseph a Male, whom the Jews looked upon as the Father of Jesus.

The last Verse of this Chapter, as it referreth to the demeanour of Joseph and Mary in their mutual society till the Birth of Christ, lieth properly in the Harmonizing of the Evangelists, in the place where it doth: But as it referreth to the Birth of Christ, it is coincident with Luke 2. 7. The Reader in his thoughts will place it as he seeth cause in these several Relations.

SECTION V.

WHen Mary's three months stay with her Cousin Elizabeth was expired, it is easily guessed, that if Elizabeth by that time were not delivered of her child, yet she was very near it: and that consideration doth clear the subsequence of this Section to the preceding.

John the Baptist born in Hebron, the place of the residence of Abraham, and of the first Royalty of David. Here Circumcision was first ordained, and here is he born that was to bring in Baptism instead of Circumcision. The Priests at the Temple, as they looked for break of day, used oft to say, The face of all the Sky is bright even unto Hebron. Talm. in Joma. cap. 3. &. in Tamid. cap. 3. Compare the dawning of the Gospel now rising there, in the Birth of the Baptist: and compare the words of Zacharias a Priest, ver. 78.

The time of the Baptists Birth will be found [by setting that Clock from our Savior's] to have been in the Spring, much about the time of the Passover, about which time of the year Isaac was born.

SECTION VI.

LUKE maketh the coherence clear, when he interposeth nothing betwixt the Birth of the Baptist and the Birth of Christ: and indeed there is nothing to be found in any of the Evangelists that can interpose.

The four Monarchies which Daniel had told should be, and should expire, before the coming of Christ, have now run their course, and a fifth is risen far more potent and fully as cruel as all the four put together, and therefore it is pictured with the badges of all the four, Rev. 13. 2. compared with Dan. 7. 4, 5, &c.

A Decree of Augustus given out at Rome, becomes an occasion of accomplishing a Decree of the Lord's, namely of the Birth of the Messias at Bethlehem. He is born under a Roman taxation, and now that Prophesy of Chittim or Italy afflicting Heber, Numb. 24. 24. beginneth livelily to take place.

The time of his Birth was in the Month Tisri [which answereth to part of our September ] and about the Feast of Tabernacles, as may be concluded upon by observing that he lived just two and thirty years old and an half, and died at Easter. That Month was remarkable for very many things. In it the World was created, the Tabernacle begun, and the Temple consecrated: and as the Jerusalem Gemarists well observe, In it were the Fathers [before the Flood] born: In Rosh hashanah fol. 56. cap. col. 4.

His Birth was in the night, and attended with the Song of a whole Choir of Angels, [as Heb. 1. 6. and compare Job 38. 7.] and with a glorious Light about Bethlehem Shepherds, to whom this great Shepherd is first revealed.

At eight days old he is Circumcised, and made a Member of the Church of Israel: At forty days old, he is presented in the Temple in the East Gate of the Court of Israel, called the Gate of Nicanor; and Mary's poverty is shown by her Offering, (compare ver. 24. with Lev. 12. 6, 8.) yet her Child is owned as the consolation and expectation of Israel.

The first year of his Age and Infancy Christ spent at Bethlehem: for whereas the Lord by the Prophet had appointed his Birth there, Mich. 5. 2. his Parents had no warrant for his Education in any place but there, till the Lord should give them an express for it, which he did by an Angel, Mat. 2. 22. Therefore how the words of Luke in chap. 2. ver. 39. are to be understood, we shall observe upon the next Section.

SECTION VII.

THE order of this Section and Story is cleared by ver. 7. and ver. 16. by which it appeareth that Christ was two years old when the Wise Men came to him: For Herod had inquired diligently of them the time when the Star appeared, and according to the time that they had told him, he slew the Male Children from two years old and under. From two years old, because they had told him it was so long since the Star appeared; And under two years old, because he would make sure work, as to that scruple that might arise, namely, whether the Star were a fore-runner, or a concomitant of the Birth of that King of the Jews that they spake of.

Now that the Star appeared at the instant of his Birth, cannot but be concluded upon this consideration, if there were no more; That otherwise it left the Wise Men so uncertain of the time when he should be born, as that they could not tell whether he were born or no, no not when they were come to Jerusalem.

The appearance of the Star therefore was on the night when he was born, and they having told Herod how long it was since it appeared, he accordingly slayeth all the Children of two years old; for so old according to their information did he account the Child to be for whom he sought, and yet withal he slew all the Children under that age, that he might be sure to hit and not fail of his design. This considered, it showeth that Christ was in his second year at the Wise Men's coming, and withal it proveth the order of this Section to be proper, and that this Story is to be laid after the Story of Mary's Purification and not before, as many have laid it.

It may be objected indeed, that Luke having given the Story of his presenting in the Temple, concludeth, When they had performed all things according to the Law, they returned into Galilee: Now if they returned into Galilee when Christ was 40 days old, how was he found at Bethlehem at two years old? Answ. Luke is to be understood in that passage according to the current of his own Story. He had nothing to say about this matter of the Wise Men, nor of Christ's Journey into Egypt [because Matthew had handled that to the full before,] and the next thing that he hath to relate, is his coming out of Galilee to Jerusalem, to one of the Festivals: having nothing therefore to insert between his presenting in the Temple at forty days old, and his coming again to the Temple at twelve years old, he maketh this brief transition between when they had performed all things according to the Law they returned into Galilee, that he might thereby bring Christ to Galilee, from whence he came when he shown his wisdom at twelve years old.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Scripture is always taken in the worst sense for men practicing Magical and unlawful Arts; and if it be to be understood so in this place, it magnifieth the power and grace of Christ the more, when men that had been of such a profession become the first Professors of Christ, of any among the Gentiles: They seeing a new and uncouth Star in the Heavens, [it may be the light that shone about Bethlehem -Shepherds seemed to them at distance a new strange Star hanging over Judea ] are informed by God two years after what it signified; and are wrought upon by his Spirit to come and homage Christ whom it pointed out.

Herod at the report of the King of the Jews born, and that with the attendance of such a glorious Star, looks upon him as the Messiah, yet endeavors to murder him. He is sent by the direction of an Angel with his Mother into Egypt, where there was at this time an infinite number of the Jewish Nation. Succah cap. 5. At Alexandria there was a great Cathedral, double cloistered, and sometime there were there double the number of Israel, that came out of Egypt, and there were 71 Golden Chairs, according to the 71 Elders of the great Sanhedrin; And there was a Pulpit of wood in the middle, where the Minister of the Congregation stood, &c. The Babylon Talmud saith, Alexander the Great slew these multitudes, but the Jerusalem saith Trajanus did. And the Author of Juchasin will show you a truth in both. For, In the days of Simeon the Just (saith he) Alexandria which was Amon Min No, was full of Israelites, double the number of those that came out of Egypt, &c. But they were all slain by Alexander. But after this it was re-peopled again from the time of Onias, who built there a great Temple, and an Altar, and all the men of Egypt went thither, &c. And there was a great Congregation there, double to the number of those that came out of Egypt. Fol. 14. Of this Temple built by Onias in Egypt, Josephus maketh mention, Antiq. lib. 13. cap. 6. And the Talmud in Menachoth, cap. 13. So that Christ being sent into Egypt was sent among his own Nation, who had filled that Country.

The time that he was in Egypt was not above three or four months, so soon the Lord smote Herod for his butchery of the Innocent Children, and murderous intent against the Lord of Life. Joseph and Mary being called out of Egypt after Herod's death, intend for Judea again, thinking to go to Bethlehem, but the fear of Archelaus, and the warning of an Angel directs them into Galilee; They knew not but that Christ was to be educated in Bethlehem as he was to be born there; therefore they kept him there till he was two years old, and durst not take him thence, till fear and the warrant of an Angel dismisseth them into Egypt; And when they come again from thence, they can think of no other place but Bethlehem again, till the like fear and warrant send them into Galilee.

There is none of the Evangelists that recordeth anything concerning Christ, [CHRIST. III] from the time of his return out of Egypt, till he come to be twelve years [CHRIST. IV] old, which was for the space of these years; For the better understanding [CHRIST. V] of which times let us take up some few passages in Josephus.

[CHRIST. VI] Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 10. Herod (saith he) reigned 34 years, from the time that [CHRIST. VII] Antigonus was taken away, and 37 years from the time that he was first declared [CHRIST. VIII] King by the Romans.

[CHRIST. IX] And again in the same Book cap. 15. In the tenth year of the reign of Archelaus, [CHRIST. X] the People not enduring his cruelty and tyranny, they accused Archelaus to [CHRIST. XI] Caesar, and he banished him to Vienna: And a little after Cyrenius was sent by Caesar to tax Syria, and to confiscate Archelaus his Goods.

And lib. 18. cap. 1. Coponius was also sent with Cyrenius to be Governor of Judea.

And ibid. cap. 5. Coponius returning to Rome, Marcus Ambibuchus becometh his Successor in that Government. And after him succeeded Annius Rufus, in whose time died Caesar Augustus the second Emperor of the Romans.

Now when Augustus died Christ was fourteen years old, as appeareth from this, that he was 29 years old complete, and beginning to be thirty, in the fifteenth year of Tiberius the Emperor next succeeding, Luke 3. 1, 2. Reckon then these times that Josephus hath mentioned between the death of Herod and the death of Augustus, namely, the ten years of Archelaus, and after them the Government of Coponius, and after him Ambibuchus, and after him Rufus, and it will necessarily follow that when Herod slew Bethlehem Children, Christ being then two years old, it was the very last year of his Reign.

SECTION VIII.

IT is very easy to see the subsequence of this Section to that preceeding: since there is nothing recorded by any of the Evangelists concerning Christ from his infancy till he began to be thirty years old, but only this Story of his showing his Wisdom at twelve years old among the Doctors of some of the three Sanhedrins that sat at the Temple; for there sat one of 23 Judges in the East Gate of the Mountain of the House called the Gate Shushan; Another of 23 in the Gate of Nicanor, or the East Gate of the Court of Israel. And the great Sanhedrin of 71 Judges, that sat in the Room Gazith, not far from the Altar.

Though Herod had slain the Sanhedrin, as is related by Josephus and divers others, yet was not that Court, nor the judiciary thereof utterly extinguished, but revived again, and continued till many years after the destruction of the City.

His Story about this matter is briefly thus given by the Babylon Talmud, in Bava Bathra fol. 3. facie 2. Herod was a servant of the Asmonean Family; he set his Eyes upon a Girl of it. One day the man heard a voice from Heaven [Bath Kol] which said, Any servant that rebelleth this year shall prosper. He riseth up, and slayeth all his Masters: but left that Girl, &c. And whereas it is said, Thou shalt set a King over thee from among thy brethren, [which as the gloss there tells us, their Rabbies understood, of the chiefest of thy brethren] he rose up and slew all the great ones, only he left Baba ben Bota to take counsel of him. The gloss upon this again tells us, That he slew not utterly all the great ones, for he left Hillel and the Sons of Betirah remaining; and Josephus relateth also, that he spared Shammai: to which Abraham Zaccuth addeth, that Menahem and 80 gallant Men of the chief of the Nation were gone over to his service and to attend upon him. So that these of themselves, and by ordination of others, did soon repair that breach that his Sword had made in the Sanhedrin, he not resisting its erection again, when he had now taken away the Men of his displeasure.

Hillel was President, and sat so forty years, and died [by the Jews computation applied to the Christian account] much about this twelfth year of Christ. For they say that he lived an hundred and twenty years, the last forty of which he spent in the Presidency of the Sanhedrin, entering upon that dignity an hundred years before the destruction of the City.

Menahem was at first Vicepresident with him, but upon his going away to Herod's service, Shammai came in his room: and now two as eminent and learned men sat in those two Chairs, as ever had done since the first birth of traditions. Hillel himself was so deserving a man, that whereas in the vacancy of the Presidentship, by the death of Shemaiah and Abtalion, R. Judah and R. Jeshua the Sons of Betirah might have taken the Chairs, they preferred Hillel as the worthier person, Talm. Jerus. in Pessachin. fol. 33. col. 1. He bred many eminent Scholars, to the number of fourscore, the most renowned of which by name were, Jonathan ben Uzziel the Chaldee Paraphrast, and Rabban Jocanan ben Zaccai: both probably alive at this year of Christ, and a good while after. The latter was undoubtedly so, for he lived to see the destruction of the City and Temple, and sat President in the Sanhedrin at Jabneh afterwards. And till that time also lived the Sons of Betirah mentioned before.

Shammai was little inferior to Hillel in learning or in breeding learned men: and their equal learning and Schools bred differences between them in point of learning, and determination about some things in their traditions. The two Masters controverting about a few Articles, but their Scholars about very many, and their differences very high.

This contention of the Scholars grew so very high even in the Masters time, that it is recorded that the Scholars of Shammai affronted and bandied against Hillel himself, in the Temple Court. Jerus. in Jom. Tobh. fol. 61. col. 3. And the quarrelings of these Schools were so bitter, that as the same Talmud relateth, it came to effusion of blood and murdering one another, Shabb. fol. 3. col. 3. These are some of the Traditions that were made or settled in the Chamber of Hananiah the Son of Ezekia, the Son of Garon. The persons were numbered, and the Scholars of Shammai were more than the Scholars of Hillel. That day was a grievous day to Israel, as was the day of the making of the Golden Calf. The Scholars of Shammai stood below and slew the Scholars of Hillel. Nor did these animosities cease, but they were ever crossing and jarring, till at the last the Schools of Hillel carried it, by the determination of a Divine Voice from Heaven, as was pretended [for to such fictions they were glad to betake themselves.]

Till the Divine Voice [Bath Kol] came forth, it was lawful for any one to practice according to the weighty or light things of the School of Shammai, or according to the weighty or light things of the School of Hillel. There came forth a Divine Voice at Jabneh, and said, The words of the one and of the other are the words of the Living God, but the certain determination of the thing is according to the School of Hillel. And whosoever transgresseth against the words of the School of Hillel, deserveth death. Ibid. in Beracoth fol. 3. col. 2.

At these times then that we are upon, their School-Learning was come to the very height, Hillel and Shammai having promoted it to a pitch incomparably transcendent above what it had been before; and accordingly now began the Titles of Rabban and Rabbi; Rabban Simeon the Son of Hillel being the first President of the Sanhedrin that bare a Title, for till these times their great and Learned Men had been called only by their bare proper names. So that now in a double seasonableness doth Christ the Divine Wisdom of God appear and set in among them, at twelve years old beginning, and all the time of his Ministry after, going on to show them their wisdom folly, and his own Word and Doctrine the Divine Oracles of Wisdom. In a double seasonableness I say, when their Learning was now come to the height, and when their Traditions had to the utmost made the Word of God of no effect.

This twelfth year of Christ was the last year of the Reign of Archelaus the Son of Herod, of whom is mention, Matth. 2. 22. He is accused to Augustus for Male-administration, and thereupon banished by him to Vienna, as was mentioned before. And Coponius comes Governor of Judoea in his stead.

[CHRIST. XIII] AUGUSTUS Caesar dieth this fourteenth year of Christ, on the nineteenth [CHRIST. XIV] day of August: duobus Sextis, Pompeio & Apuleio. Coss. Suet. in Augusto cap. 10. He was 75 years, 10 months and 26 days old, having been Monarch since his victory at Actium 44 years, wanting 13 days. Dion. Cass. lib. 56. TIBERIUS Caesar reigneth in his stead.

[CHRIST. XV] All this space of Christ's Life, from his twelfth year of age, to his twenty [CHRIST. XVI] ninth, is passed over by all the Evangelists in silence, because they were not [CHRIST. XVII] so much to treat of his private life and employment, as of his public Ministry. [CHRIST. XVIII] And here they follow the same course that the Angel Gabriel had done, [CHRIST. XIX] in his foretelling of the time of his appearing, Dan. 9. 24, 25, &c. where speaking [CHRIST. XX] of the years that should pass, from his own time unto Messiah the Prince, [CHRIST. XXI] he beginneth the Story of Messiah, from the time of his Ministry only, or [CHRIST. XXII] from the latter half of the last seven years there mentioned, the time when [CHRIST. XXIII] he should confirm the Covenant with the many, &c.

[CHRIST. XXIV] These years he spent with his Parents at Nazareth, Luk. 2. 51. following his [CHRIST. XXV] Fathers Trade of Carpentry, Matth. 13. 55. with Mark 6. 3. And these two [CHRIST. XXVI] things were they especially that did so mainly cloud him from the eyes of the Jews, [CHRIST. XXVII] that they could not own him for the Messias, namely, because he was [CHRIST. XXVIII] of so poor condition and education, and they looked for the Messias in a pompous garb, and because his first appearing in his Ministry was out from Nazareth: his Birth at Bethlehem so many years ago, either having been not at all taken notice of when it was, or if it were, by this time worn out of notice and remembrance.

SECTION IX.

THe order of this Section is confirmed by all the three. Mark hath made this the beginning of his Gospel, because the preceding occurrences of Christ's Birth and Minority, were committed by the Holy Ghost who held his pen, to the pens of others: He calls the Ministry and Baptism of John, the beginning of the Gospel, and that deservedly, both in regard of Johns preaching and proclaiming Christ's appearing to be so near, as also in regard of the great change that his Ministry introduced, both in doctrine and practice: He preaching and administering the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, whereas baptism till that time had been used and taken up as an obligation to the performance of the Law: And he baptizing Jews into another Religion than their own, whereas till then, baptizing had been used, to admit Heathens into the Religion of the Jews.

Here is the standard of time that the Holy Ghost hath set up in the New Testament; unto which, as unto the fullness of time, he hath drawn up a chronical Chain from the Creation: and from which as from a standing mark, we are to measure all the times of the New Testament if we would fix them to a certain date.

There are two main stories that Luke layeth down in his third Chapter; the one is Johns baptizing, and the other is, Christ baptized by him, and he hath dated the former in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, and how to date the latter we are taught and helped by these Collections. 1. He intimateth to us that Christ when he was baptized by John, was but entering on his Thirtieth year, as the words that he hath used do plainly evidence 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , He was beginning to be about thirty years of age, or after a manner, and in such a way of reckoning, as the Scripture ordinarily useth, accounting the very first day of a year, as that year. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : One day of the year is reputed that year. Tal. Bab. Rosh hashanah fol. 2. 2. John baptized half a year before Jesus came to be baptized of him, for he was half a year younger than John, Luk. 1. 26. and as Christ was baptized and entered his Ministry, just when he was beginning to enter upon his thirtieth year, so John had begun his Ministry at the same age, and both according to the Law, Numb. 4. 3. Christ was baptized in September, at what time of the year he had been born: For the phrase of Luke mentioned before, doth plainly confirm, that his Baptism was close to that time of the year, that had been the time of his Birth. 4. For the synchronizing therefore of the year of Christ with the year of Tiberius, we must lay Tiberius his fifteenth collateral in Annal, accounting with Christ's nine and twentieth; whether you reckon Tiberius his year from the very time of the year that he began to reign, which was the 20th of August, [and then in September when Christ was baptized, his sixteenth year was begun, and Christ's thirtieth ] or whether you reckon according to the common accounting of the Roman Fasti, from January to January, and then though Christ indeed spent three months of his thirtieth year in Tiberius his fifteenth so accounted, yet he spent three times three months of it in his sixteenth.

The fifteenth year of Tiberius then, and the nine and twentieth of our Savior, was the great year of the beginning of the Gospel, in the preaching and baptizing of John, who began this work about Passover time, or in the month Abib, otherwise called Nisan. The time of the year that Abraham had received the Promise, Isaac was born, Israel was redeemed out of Egypt, and the Tabernacle was erected in the Wilderness. The Jews speak more than they are aware of, when they say, that As in Nisan there had been redemption, so in Nisan there should be redemption. Tal. Bab. ubi supr. fol. 11. The Gospel began, and Christ died in that month.

Now whereas it may seem strange, that upon Johns beginning to baptize, he introducing so strange a practice and doctrine among them, yet the People should flock to him in so great multitudes, as the Evangelists show they did, and receive his Baptism with so much readiness: [besides that general satisfaction that may be given to this, from the consideration of God's special hand and work, providing entertainment for his Gospel, now setting forth,] these four things also may be pertinently observed.

1. This was the time that the Nation expected that the Messia should appear: See Luke 19. 11. Gabriel's seventy in Dan. 9. had so plainly and exactly pointed to this very time, that not only the pious and the studious among the Nation, could not but observe it, but it had even raised an expectation through a great part of the World, of some great Potency to arise among the Jewish Nation about these times, which should subdue and be Ruler of all the World. Percrebuerat oriente toto vetus & constans opinio, esse in fatis ut eo tempore Judea profecti rerum potirentur. Suetonius. in Vesp. cap. 4. An old and a constant opinion had grown through the whole East, that some coming out of the East should be Master of all.

Nay so evident was the time and truth in Daniel, that the Jerusalem Gemarists that could be well content to deny that Messias was already come, as the rest of their Nation do, yet they cannot but confess it in Beracoth. fol. 1. col. 1. in this Story. Our Doctors say, the Name of King Messias is David: R. Joshua ben Levi saith, His Name is The branch. [Zech. 3. 8.] R. Judah the Son of R. Ibhu saith, His Name is Menahem, [the Comforter.] And this helps to prove that which R. Judah saith, namely this example of a certain Jew: who as he was plowing, his Ox lowed: A certain Arabian passing by and observing his Ox low, said, O Jew, O Jew, loose thine Oxen, and lay by this Plow, for behold your Sanctuary is destroyed. The Ox lowed a second time. He saith to him again, O Jew, O Jew, yoke thine Oxen, and tie on thy Plow, for behold King Messias is born. He saith to him, What is his Name? the other answered Menahem [the Comforter:] And what is his Fathers Name? He answered, Hezekiah [the strong God.] He saith to him, Whence is he? He answered, from the Royal Palace of Bethlehem Judah. He went and sold his Oxen, and sold his Plow and Gears, and went about from City to City selling swaddling-clothes for babes. When he came to that City, all the Women bought of him, but the Mother of Menahem bought not. He heard the voice of the Women saying, O Mother of Menahem, thou Mother of Menahem, Bring some things sold here to thy Child. She answered, Now I pray, that all Israel's enemies may be hanged, for on the day that he was born the house of the Sanctuary was destroyed. He saith to her, We hope as it is destroyed at his feet, so it will be built at his feet. She saith to him, I have no money. And why, saith he, doth he suffer for that? If thou have no money now, I will come again after two days and receive it. After the days he came to the City, and saith to her, How does the Child? She answered him, Since the time that thou sawest me, there came winds and storms and took him out of my hands. A clear confession of Christ's being already come, and of the poverty of his Mother.

2. They expected a great change of things when Messias should come: That Promise in the Prophet of new Heavens and a new Earth, to be created, raised this expectation. Hence have they this saying, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The holy blessed God will renew the World for a thousand years. Aruch in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 [ John speaks their own Language, when he speaks of reigning with Christ a thousand years, Rev. 20. 4. which is no more to be understood of the time yet to come, then Messias is yet to be expected as not come.] Hereupon they call the days of the Messias 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 A new Creation, as 2 Cor. 5. 17. In Midras Tillin. fol. 4. col. 3. R. Houne speaketh of three Ages, and the last that he mentioneth is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the age of the Messias: And when that comes, saith he, the holy blessed God saith, Now it lies upon me to Create a new Creation. They likewise call that time 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the World to come, because of the change of things that they expected then, as if a new World were created. Tanchum. fol. 77. col. 3. In the world to come I will send my messenger speedily, and he shall prepare the way before me. Paul taketh the world to come in this sense, Heb. 2. 5.

3. Baptism had been in long and common use among them many generations before John the Baptist came, they using this for admission of Proselytes into the Church, and baptizing Men, Women and Children for that end.

Talm. in Jebamoth cap. 4. and Maym. in Issure biah, cap. 13. A person is not a Proselyte till he be both circumcised and baptized.

Id. in Chettuboth cap. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . A little one they baptize, by the appointment of the Consistory. And Maym. in Avadim. cap. 8. An Israelite that takes a little Heathen Child, or that finds an Heathen Infant, and baptizeth him for a Proselyte, behold he is a Proselyte.

Hence a ready reason may be given, why there is so little mention of baptizing Infants in the New Testament, that there is neither plain Precept nor Example for it, as some ordinarily plead: The reason is, because there needed no such mention, baptizing of Infants having been as ordinarily used in the Church of the Jews as ever it hath been in the Christian Church: It was enough to mention that Christ established Baptism for an Ordinance under the Gospel; and then, who should be baptized, was well enough known, by the use of this Ordinance of old. Therefore it is good plea, Because there is no clear forbidding of the baptizing of Infants in the Gospel, ergo, they are to be baptized: for that having been in common use among the Jews, that Infants should be baptized as well as Men and Women, our Savior would have given some special prohibition if he intended that they should have been excluded: so that silence in this case doth necessarily conclude approbation to have the practice continued which had been used of old before.

Johns Baptism differed from that before, only in this; that whereas that admitted Proselytes to the Jewish Religion, this admitted and translated Jews into the Gospel Religion: that was a Baptism binding them over to the performance of the Law, as their Circumcision did, but this was a Baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, as was observed before.

4. Though some of the Nation expected that the Messias would come and redeem them, though they were impenitent, as some of the Gentiles plead in Talm. Bab. Sanhedr. cap. 10. & R. Samuel in articulis fidei Judaicae: yet was it more generally held, and with good reason, that the Messias would look for a repenting Generation: and thereupon others of the Gemarists in the place alleged say: If Israel repent but one day, presently the Messias cometh.

Upon the consideration of these things, it will appear the less strange, that the People flowed in to Johns Baptism in so great a conflux, this being the time about which the Nation expected the appearing of Messias, Baptism being a thing most commonly known and used among them, and this Baptism of repentance administered preparatively toward the entertainment of Christ now ready to come, being suitable to their own apprehensions of the necessity of repentance, against his coming.

Baptism was [besides other tendencies of it] as a badge whereby those that received it and stuck to it, were marked out for safety and preservation against that destruction that was to come upon the Nation for unbelief. Therefore John construes their coming to be baptized, their fleeing from the wrath to come: and Peter in the same sense, doth say, that Baptism doth now save, 1 Pet. 3. 21. as the Ark had done in the destruction of the old World, so this from the destruction now coming. And Acts 2. 40. to his admonition to Repent and be baptized, he addeth, Save yourselves from this untoward Generation.

SECTION X.

MATTHEWS Genealogy, and this, as they run by a different Line, so they are brought in upon different ends. Matthew intends to show, that Jesus Christ was the Son promised to David. Luke shows him the seed of the woman promised to Adam. Gen. 3. 15. who in the next following Section begins to break the head of the Serpent. Therefore when that promise to Adam beginneth to take place in Christ's entering upon his Ministry, and in his being sealed for the Messias by the Holy Ghost, this Genealogy is divinely woven in.

Matthew derives his Line by the Pedigree of Joseph his supposed Father, and draws it from Solomon: Luke by the Pedigree of Mary his Mother, and draws it from Nathan: For as the Jews looked on him as the Son of David, they would regard the Masculine Line and the Line Royal, therefore Matthew giveth it at his birth. But looked on, as the seed promised to Adam, the seed of the woman, he was to be looked after by the Line of his Mother. And whereas this seed of the woman was to destroy the power of Satan by the word of truth, as Satan had destroyed men by words of falsehood, Luke doth properly draw up his Line to Adam, now when he is to begin to preach the Word.

The Line on this side the Captivity, for which there is no record elsewhere in Scripture, Matthew and Luke took from some known Records then extant among the Nation. R. Levi saith, There was found a Book of Genealogies at Jerusalem, in which it was written, Hillel was of the Family of David. Ben Jatsaph of the Family of Asap, &c. Tal. Jerus. in Taanith, fol 68. col. 1. They kept the Records of Pedigrees, and of all other they would be sure to keep those of the Family of David, because of the expectation of the Messiah from it.

SECTION XI.

MARK and LUKE by these words, immediately the Spirit driveth him, and Jesus returned from Jordan, do make the order necessary: so that as for the subsequence of this to what preceded there can be no scruple. Only there is some difference 'twixt Matthew and Luke in relating the order of the temptations: which Matthew having laid down in their proper rank [as appeareth by these particles then, ver. 15. and again ver. 8.] Luke in the rehearsing of them, is not so much observant of the order [that being fixed by Matthew before,] as he is careful to give the full story, and so to give it, as might redound to the fullest information.

As our Mother Eve was tempted by Satan to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, as 1 Joh. 2. 16. [for she saw it was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and to be desired to make one wise, Gen. 3. 6.] so by these, had it been possible, would the same tempter have overthrown the seed of the woman: For he tempted him to turn stones into bread, as to satisfy the longing of the flesh; to fall down and worship him upon the sight of a bewitching object to his eyes, and to fly in the air in pride, and to get glory among men. Luke for our better observing of this parallel, hath laid the order of these temptations answerable to the order of those.

Jesus being baptized about the Feast of Tabernacles, toward the latter end of our September, is presently carried into the Wilderness of Judea, by the acting of the Holy Spirit, to enter that combat with the Serpent which was designed, Gen. 3. 15. Forty days and forty nights [He being all the while in watching, fasting and solitude, and among the wild beasts, but sat as Adam among them in innocence] the Devil tempteth him invisibly as he doth other men, namely, striving to inject sinful suggestions into him, but he could find nothing in him to work upon, as Joh. 14. 30. therefore at forty days end he taketh another course, and appeareth to him visibly in the shape of an Angel of Light [and so had Eve been deceived by him, mistaking him for a good Angel] and trieth him by persuasion, by Scripture, and by power, but in all is foiled, mastered and banished by a word.

SECTION XII.

COnceive the continuance of the Story thus: Christ newly baptized, goeth immediately into the Wilderness, and leaveth John at Jordan on Judea side: In the time of the forty days temptation, John having now gathered his Harvest of Disciples on that side the River, goeth over into the Country beyond Jordan, and baptizeth in Bethabara. Thither came some Pharisees by commission of the Sanhedrin, to question him about the Authority whereby he baptized, making no strangeness at baptizing, which had been so long in use among them, but questioning his Authority to baptize in that tenor that he did.

The next day after their questioning of him, Christ cometh into sight, is pointed out by John, and followed by some of his Disciples.

For half a year John had baptized in the Name of Christ, and knew him not, ver. 31, 33. Only as all the Nation expected the Messias to come in time, and John had it revealed to him that he was now ready to appear, so John baptized, and the People came to him upon this account: He professed to all that came to him to be baptized, and so he did to the Jews Commissioners now, that he baptized only in the Name of him that was to come after him, whose shoos latchet he was not worthy to unloose, ver. 27. Let a passage in Tosaphtoth comment upon these words: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 What is the token of a Servant? He ties his Masters shoos, or looses his shoos, and bears his things after him to the bath, In Kiddushin cap. 1. And the like saith Maymony in Mekerah cap. 2. A Canaanite Servant is like Land as to buying: and he is bought by Money, or by Script, or by service in way of earnest: And what is the earnest in buying Servants? Namely that a man use them as they use Servants before a Master. As to loose his shoe, or to tie his shoe, or to carry his things after him to the bath, &c.

So that those that were baptized in this time, of whom there was a very great number, knew not of Jesus of Nazareth his being the Christ, nor knew they more of Christ than they had known before, but only that he was ready to come: only they were baptized into faith in him, and to repentance.

But when Christ himself came to be baptized, John had discovery of him, and so is able now upon the sight of him to point him out to his Disciples: whereupon Peter [and probably John ] and Andrew, and Philip, and Nathanael follow him.

SECTION XIII.

THe words The third day in ver. 1. mean either the third day from Christ's coming into Galilee, Joh. 1. 43. or the third day from his conference with Nathanael, or the third day from the Disciples first following him, they give demonstration enough of the series, and connection of this Chapter to the former.

It was about the middle of our November when Christ came out of the Wilderness to John at Bethabara, and then there were about four months to the Passover, which time he spent in going up and down Galilee, and at last comes to his own home at Capernaum. Those two passages being laid together, The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, Joh. 1. 43. And After this he went down to Capernaum, and continued there not many days, and the Jews Passover was at hand, Joh. 2. 12. do make it evident that Jesus had now a perambulation of Galilee, which took up a good space of time. So that this first Miracle of turning Water into Wine, was about the middle of our November, or little further.

The Jews marriages were fixed to certain days of the week: For a Virgin was to be married on the fourth day of the week, and a widow on the fifth, Talm. in chetub. cap. 1. [The reason why, is not pertinent to produce here.] Now if this marriage at Cana, were of a Virgin, and on the fourth day of the week, or our Wednesday, then Christ's first showing himself to John and his Disciples at Jordan, was on the first day of the week, afterward the Christian Sabbath.

These Marriage Feasts they held to be commanded, and thereupon they have this Maxim, It is not fit for the Scholars of the wise to eat at Feasts, but only at the Feasts commanded, as those of espousals and of marriages, Maym. in Deah. cap. 5.

At the Passover, it is half a year since Christ was baptized; and thenceforward he hath three years to live, which John reckoneth by three Passovers more, viz. Joh. 5. 1. & 6. 4. & 18. 28. In this first half year he had gone through his forty days temptation, had gathered some disciples, and had perambulated Galilee.

At Jerusalem at the Passover, in the face of all the People, he acted in the evidence of the great Prophet, and purgeth his own Temple, as Mal. 3. 1, 3. doth many Miracles, knoweth the false hearts of many, and trusteth not himself with them.

He found in the Temple those that sold Oxen and Sheep, ver. 14. For some illustration to this passage, take a Story in Tal. Jerus. in Jom. tobh. fol. 61. col. 3. One day Baba ben Bota came into the Temple Court and found it solitary or destitute [that is, not having any beasts there for sacrifice.] He saith, Desolate be their houses who have desolated the house of our God. What did he? He sent and fetched in three thousand sheep of the sheep of Kedar, and searched them whether they were without blemish, and brought them into the mountain of the house, [or the utmost Court, the place where Christ found Sheep and Oxen at this time] and saith, My brethren, the house of Israel, whosoever will bring a burnt-offering let him bring it, whosoever will bring a peace-offering let him bring it.

Among other things that Jesus did for the purging of his Temple, it is said, He poured out the changers money, and overthrew the Tables, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and so again, Matth. 21. 12. Maym. in Shekalim. cap. 1. It is an affirmative Precept of the Law, that every Israelite pay yearly half a sheckel; yea even the poor, that lives on alms, is bound to this, either begging so much money that he may give it, or selling his coat to get so much.

Talm. in Shekalim. cap. 1, &c. On the first day of the month Adar, proclamation was made about this half shekel, that they should get it ready. On the fifteenth day of that month, the Collectors sat in every City for the receiving of it; and as yet they forced none to pay. But on the five and twentieth day they began to sit in the Temple, [this was some eighteen or nineteen days before the Passover] and then they forced men to pay, and if any refused they distrained. They sat with two Chests before them, into the one of which they put the money of the present year, and into the other the money that should have been paid the year before. Everyone must have half a shekel to pay for himself. Therefore when he brought a shekel to change for two half shekels, he was to pay 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , some profit to the changer. And when a shekel was brought for two, there was a double profit to be paid for the change.

SECTION XIV.

BEfore our Savior's departure from Jerusalem, Nicodemus one of the Judges of the great Sanhedrin cometh to him, and becometh his Disciple: for we cannot so properly look for a Member of that great Council in any place as at Jerusalem. He had observed in his Miracles, the dawning of the days of Messias, or the Kingdom of Heaven, but having but gross and erroneous apprehensions concerning the Kingdom of Heaven, or of the state of those days [as was the general mistake of the Nation,] he is rectified about that matter, and is taught the great Doctrines of regeneration and believing in Christ: Christ teaching regeneration by the Spirit and Water, exalteth Baptism, and closely calleth to Nicodemus to be baptized. The Talmudic Records make mention of a Nicodemus in these times, who had to do about waters, to provide sufficient for the People to drink at the Festivals.

He is taught, [against the great misprision of the Nation] that Messias should be a redeemer of the Gentiles as well as the Jews. The Jews in their common language, did title the Gentiles 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , The Nations of the World. The Earth they divided into 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , The Land of Israel, and out of the Land: and the People they parted into 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Israel and the Nations of the World: The New Testament which follows their common Language exceeding much, useth both these expressions very often; whereby to signify the Gentiles: sometimes calling them those that are without, and sometimes the world. Nicodemus very readily understood the word in this common sense, when Christ says, God so loved the world, that he gave his Son. And he very well perceived that Christ contradicted in these his words, their common and uncharitable error, which held, that the Messias should be a redeemer only to Israel [and those Gentiles only, that should be proselyted to their Judaism,] but as for the rest of the Heathen he should confound and destroy them: Examples of this their proud and uncharitableness might be produced by multitudes: let these two or three suffice. The Jerus. Talm. in Taanith fol. 64. col. 1. speaking of the coming of Messias saith, and produceth these words, Isa. 21. 12. The morning cometh and also the night, It shall be the morning to Israel, but night to the Nations of the world. Midr. Till. on Psal. 2. The threshing is come, the straw they cast into the fire, the chaff into the wind, but preserve the wheat in the floor; and everyone that sees it, takes it and kisses it: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 So the Nations of the world say, the world was made for our sakes, but Israel say to them, Is it not written, But the people shall be as the burning of the Lime-kilne, but Israel in the time to come [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 an expression whereby they commonly mean the times of the Messias ] shall be left only, as it is said, The Lord shall lead him alone, and there shall be with him no strange god. Baal turim on Num 24. 8. on those words, He shall eat up the Nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, observeth the letter 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in one of the words to have a special mark upon it, signifying, saith he, that he should root out the seven Nations [of the Canaanites ] and in time to come [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] the other sixty three Nations, that is all the seventy Nations of the world. No, saith our Savior, God loved the world or the Gentiles, and God sent not his Son Messias to condemn the world or the Gentiles, but that the world through him should be saved.

After this transaction with Nicodemus, Jesus departeth from Jerusalem into Judea, and there he setteth his Disciples to baptize in his Name: that whereas John had only baptized in the name of Christ, and his baptized ones did not know who Christ was, now the Disciples baptize in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, to evidence him to be the Christ into whose Name John had baptized.

John himself was baptizing still in Aenon in Galilee, having traversed Judea upon the coasts of Jordan; and Peraea or beyond Jordan; and now come thither where presently his sun is to set.

This Chapter contains the story of half a year and somewhat more, namely from the Passover [if the conference with Nicodemus were at that time] till after the feast of Tabarnacles: at which time it was a whole year since Christ was baptized, and a year and an half since John began to baptize.

SECTION XV.

FRom the last verse of the preceeding Section and forward, we hear no more of John in any of the four Evangelists, till you find him in prison. Therefore this portion in Luke, which giveth the story of his imprisonment, is very fitly and properly to be subjoined to what preceedeth: observe how aptly the first verse of this and the last of that do join together. Luke indeed hath used an anticipation here, laying down the story of Johns imprisonment, before the story of Christ's being baptized, because he would show the effects of Johns doctrine altogether. With Pharisees, Sadducees, Publicans, Soldiers, and the rest of the people, he found entertainment of his doctrine when he told them their faults, and taught them their duty; but when he reproved Herod, he would not be so compliant, but imprisoned him. The time of his commitment may be guessed, by what time it was that Christ slipped aside for his own safety upon the hearing how the case went with John, which will appear to be about the middle of our November, and John had begun to preach and baptize at spring was twelvemonth before, about some eighteen or nineteen months ago.

SECTION XVI.

CHRIST was in Judea when John was apprehended by Herod in Galilee. His pretended quarrel was the multitude of Johns disciples, as dangerous for innovation: but the very true cause indeed was, his and Herodias spleen for Johns plainness with them about their incest. The Pharisees at Jerusalem would soon hear what was become of John their eye-sore, and what Herod laid to his charge, namely the dangerousness of his gathering so many disciples. Now our Savior understanding that they looked upon him, as one that had more Disciples then John, and so was in equal danger from them upon that account, he getteth out of Judea out of their reach and goeth to Galilee. But was not Galilee within their reach too?

From ver. 35. may be computed the time of this journey into Galilee, namely when it was now four months to harvest; that is, to the Passover, for from the second day in the Pass-over week their Harvest began, Lev. 23. 11, &c. And from this, there may be some reasonable conjecture concerning the time when John was cast into prison. Christ was in Sychar field about the latter end of our November, when it was now four months to the Passover, and he took that journey as soon as he understood of Johns imprisonment, Matth. 4. 12. He was now entered upon his one and thirtieth year of age.

When he cometh up into Galilee, he avoideth his own City Nazareth, ver. 44. because he knew he should find no respect there in regard of the mean education that he had among them: but he goeth to Cana where he had done his first miracle; and from thence with a word of his mouth he healeth one sick at Capernaum. It was the son 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of one of the Kings party, namely of old Herod's, to whom divers of the eminent and learned of the Jews had gone to be his servants, to the distaste of others, and probably in a reluctancy to their own principles, but overcome with court interests, Juchasin fol. 19.

SECTION XVII.

THus is CHRIST come up to Galilee again from Jerusalem, and out of Judea where he had staid a good space. The Reader may observe here what a chasma [if I may so call it] there is in the story of Luke, who hath stepped from the story of Christ's temptation in the wilderness, to this his coming to Galilee, and hath laid nothing between, whereas there was a whole years history intercurrent; and so we observed such another Chap. 2. 39.

At his first coming up into Galilee in this voyage, he avoideth his own Town Nazareth, because he knew a Prophet hath no honor in his own Country, but now having gone up and down the country some space, and a renown being gone of him all over those parts, he cometh at last to see what entertainment he can find in his own Town. There he is admitted [as a member of that Synagogue] to be Maphtir, or public reader of the second Lesson in the Prophets for that day. But preaching upon what he had read, and hinting the calling of the Gentiles, from the dealing of Elias and Elisha with some Heathens, and withal pinching close upon the wickedness of Nazareth by that comparison, he is in danger of his life, but delivers himself in some miraculous manner.

He preacheth thus in the Synagogue, in the authority and demonstration of a Prophet, and as he evidenced that authority elsewhere by his miracles, so doth he here in Nazareth, by reading of the Lesson in the Prophet, which being to be red in the original Hebrew, which Language was now lost among them and only attained to by study, he showeth his Prophetical spirit in this skill in the language, having had no education to such a purpose. The reader in the Law and Prophets both, had an Interpreter, that rendered what was read out of the Hebrew text into the vulgar language, and the Interpreter sometime took liberty to paraphrase upon the Text [as the Chaldee Paraphrast had done, especially upon the Prophets,] and kept not always verbatim to it. The Jerusalem Gemarists give an instance of such a thing, in Sanhedr. fol. 20. col. 3. Joseph the Maonite interpreted in the Synagogue in Tiberias these words, Hear ye this all ye people, Why do not ye labor in the Law? have not I given the Sanhedrin to you for a gift? And hearken O house of Israel. Why do you not give the Sanhedrin the gift I appointed you at Sinai? And hearken O house of the King, for the judgment is to you; I speak it to you, but the judgment is to the Priests: I will come and sit with them in judgment, and end and destroy them out of this world. So Christ in reading the Lesson out of the Prophet, becomes his own Interpreter and Paraphrast both.

SECTION XVIII.

WHereas Matthew in the beginning of this Section, telleth that Christ left Nazareth, Luke in the end of the preceeding, shows the reason why, namely because he was in hazard of his life there, and so the connection is made plain.

In the coasts of Zebulon and Naphtali captivity had first begun, 2 King. 15. 29. and there Christ first beginneth, more publicly and evidently to preach the near approach of the Kingdom of Heaven and redemption. In the first plantation of the Land after the captivity, Galilee escaped from being Samaritan, and was reserved for this happy privilege, of being the first scene of Christ's preaching the Gospel. And as that country was inhabited by a good part of the ten Tribes before their captivity, so upon the return out of Babel in the ten tribes of Zerubbabel and Ezra, it may well be held to have been planted with some of the ten Tribes again. For 1. Observe in Ezra 1. that there is a Proclamation from Cyrus, that any of the blood of the Jews wheresoever within his dominions, should have liberty to go up to Jerusalem, ver. 3, 4, 5, Now undoubtedly the ten Tribes were then residing within his dominions, and it is harsh to conceive that they had all so far utterly forgot God and their country, as none of them to desire to go to their own Land again when permitted. 2. There is a summa totalis in Ezra 2. of forty two thousand, three hundred and threescore, ver. 64. that returned out of captivity upon that Proclamation, and there are the number of several families reckoned, as making up that sum: whereas if the total of these particulars be summed up, it reacheth not, by sixteen thousand or thereabout, to that number of forty two thousand, three hundred and threescore. Where then must we find those sixteen thousand, since they arise not in the number of the families there named? The families there named are of Judah and Benjamin and then certainly those sixteen thousand can hardly be imagined any other then of the ten Tribes. And 3. Whereas it is apparent that the returned of Judea and Benjamin, planted Judea, whom can we imagine, but some of the ten Tribes to have planted Galilee? And hence their difference in language from the Jews of Judea, and in several customs. And hence the reducing of some after the captivity, to the line of some of the ten Tribes: as Hannah to the Tribe of Asher, Luk. 2. 36. Ben Cobisin of the line of Ahab. Talm. Jerus. in Taanith fol. 68. col. 1.

And here is the first returning of the ten Tribes, to be supposed, and it carrieth fair probability, that the most of the twelve Apostles, and many of the rest of the Disciples that were of Christ's most constant retinue, were of the progeny of some of the ten Tribes returned.

SECTION XIX.

THe method and series is confirmed by the transition of Matthew and Mark: but in the order of Luke there is some difficulty. 1. He relateth the calling of these Disciples differently from the relation given by the other: for they say Christ called Peter and Andrew as he walked by the sea side, but he storieth their call when Christ was with them in the ship: they say he called James and John at some distance beyond Peter and Andrew, but he carrieth it as if he called them all together. But this is not contrariety, but for the more illustration; they all speak the same truth, but one helps to explain another. The story at full in them all is thus: As Jesus walked by the sea of Genezareth, he saw two ships standing there, the one whereof belonged to Peter and Andrew, and the other to James and John. All these men, being partners, had been fishing all night, but had caught nothing, and were now stepped down out of their ships to wash their nets. Christ pressed with multitude on the shore, entereth into Peters ship and thence teacheth the people. And thence putting off a little into the main, he helpeth Peter to a miraculous draught of fishes, which was so unwieldy that he was glad to beckon up James and John from the shore to come and help them. The draught of fishes was got up and boated, and then James and John return to the shore again, and fall to mending their net which was rent at the helping at so great a draught. Peter seeing what was done, adoreth Christ, and he and Andrew being yet at sea, are called by him for fishers of men, and bringing their ship to shore, they leave all and follow him. Christ and they coasting a little further along the shore, came to James and John, and he calleth them. And thus lieth the story at the full.

2. A second scruple in the order of Luke is this, that he hath laid the two miracles of casting out a Devil in Capernaum Synagogue, and the healing of Peters mother in law, before the calling of these Disciples, which apparently by this Evangelist were after. But the reason hereof may be conceived to be, especially this. In Chap. 4. ver. 30, 31. he had related that Jesus escaping from Nazareth, came down to Capernaum, and being now in the mention of his being there, he recordeth these two miracles that he did there [though not at that very time he hath brought them in] having an eye in that his relation, rather to the place then to the time. And so we shall observe elsewhere, that the very mention of a place, doth sometimes occasion these holy penmen, to produce stories out of their proper time, to affix them to that their proper place.

These Disciples hitherto, were only as private men, following Christ, and here is the first time that they are but mentioned to the Ministerial function, to be fishers of men: How then did they baptize before? John 3. 22. with John 4. 2. And the starting of this question, calleth to remembrance that saying of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 1. 17. Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel: Is baptism administrable by private men, and is there any inconsistency betwixt baptizing and preaching? Answ. As baptism was in use among the Jews for admission of proselytes under the Law, these two things were required to it, 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 He that was baptized must be baptized before three: 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The thing required a concessus, or to be done by the allowing of some eldership. And because it required this [saith Maymony, whose words the former are also] therefore they baptized not on the Sabbath, nor on the holy days, nor in the night. A man that baptized himself, and proselyted himself, although it were before two witnesses; or that came and said I was proselyted in such a man's concessus and they baptized me, he is not permitted to come into the Congregation, till he bring witness. Maym, in Issure. biah. per. 13. The reason of this strictness was, because of their strict niceness about conversing or matching with a Heathen, till they were sure he was fully Israelited.

Christ and the Apostles in the administration of baptism, followed or forsook their custom as they saw cause. In the case alleged, he follows it, he preacheth and calleth in Disciples, and they are baptized by these Disciples, but Christ chief in the action: and therefore one text tells us that he baptized, though we are taught by another text, that he baptized not. Now the Disciples are not to be looked upon as private men, since they were men of such privacy with the Messias, and not only converted by him, but called to be with him, and intended by him to be solemnly inducted into the ministerial function when he should see time.

And answerably in that saying of the Apostle, I came not to baptize, but to preach, he setteth not an inconsistency between these two, which were joined by Christ in Paul's and all Ministers Commission, Matth. 28. 19. but he speaketh according to this custom that we have mentioned, which the Apostles followed when disciples came in to be baptized, by multitudes, they themselves preaching and bringing in disciples to be baptized, and others baptizing them, and they not private men neither, but fellow-laborers with them in the Gospel, and Ministers of it.

Fishers of men ] Maym. in Talm. Torah. per 7. speaks of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Fishers of the Law.

SECTION XX.

IF the transition of Mark from the preceding story to this, be observed, it cleareth the order: For having declared there how Christ had called his Disciples; And they, saith he, that is Christ and his new called Disciples went into Capernaum; his own City.

There on the Sabbath day he casteth out a devil, in the Synagogue, who by confessing Christ for the Messias, would have terrified the people with the dread of him, that they might not dare to entertain him. From the Synagouge they go to dinner to Peters house, and there he raiseth his wives Mother in law from a Fever: And after Sun-set when the Sabbath was done; many more are brought to him and are healed. They began their Sabbath from Sun-set, and at the same time of the day they ended it. Talm. Hierosolm. in Sheviith. fol. 33. col. 1. And their manner of observing it, briefly was thus: for the consideration of such a thing may be of some use, in some places of the Gospel as we go along, since there is so frequent mention there about their Sabbath.

The Eve of the Sabbath, or the day before, was called the day of the preparation for the Sabbath, Luk. 23. 54. and from the time of the evening sacrifice and forward, they began to fit themselves for the Sabbath, and to cease from their works, so as not to go to the barber, not to sit in Judgment, &c. nay not to eat thenceforward till the Sabbath came in. Nay thenceforward they would not set things on working, which being set awork would complete their business of themselves, unless it would be completed before the Sabbath came. As, they would not put Galls and Coperas to steep to make Ink, unless they would be steeped while it was yet day, before the evening of the Sabbath was entered. Nor put wool to dying, unless it would take color whilst it was yet day: Nor put Flax into the oven, unless it would be dried whilst it was yet day, &c. Talm. in Sab. per. 1.

They washed there face, and hands, and feet in warm water, to make them neat against they met the Sabbath, and the ancient wise men used to gather their scholars together and to say, Come let us go meet King Sabbath, Maym. in Sab. per. 36.

Towards Sun-setting, when the Sabbath was now approaching, they lighted up their Sabbath candle. Men and Women were bound to have a candle lighted up in their Houses on the Sabbath, though they were never so poor, nay though they were forced to go a begging for Oil for this purpose: and the lighting up of this candle was a part of making the Sabbath a delight: and women were especially commanded to look to this business,