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SECT. I. SAGAN.

THE word Sagan is rare in the Scripture, but both the name and the dignity is very commonly known and used in the Hebrew writers. It is undoubted that he was next to the High-priest, or Vicegerent to him, but under what notion he came into this deputation is disputable, and Abraham Zaccuth doth purposely dispute it. One conjecture about this matter is from that Tradition mentioned in Joma. That against the day of expiation, when the High-priest was to go into the most Holy place: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 They appointed another Priest in his stead, who might supply the solemn work of that day, if any uncleanness did befall the High priest himself: And R. Judah also saith, they appointed him another wife lest his own wife should have died, because he was enjoined to atone for himself and for his house, that is, for his wife: Now it is conceived by some, that this Priest that was appointed as a reserve, if anything had befallen the High-priest, to make him unfit for that work, was called the Sagan. Josephus giveth one example, when the work of the day of Expiation was carried on by such a substitute; but this opinion maketh the Sagan useful but for one week in the year, whereas it appeareth by the Jewish records that he was in a continual office all the year thorough. Some therefore again conjecture, that the Sagan was to be he that was to be the next High-priest, and in his Sagan-ship was as a Candidate for that Office. So R. Solomon calleth Eleazar the son of Aaron the Sagan: And the Jerusalem Talmud observes that none was High-priest unless he had been Sagan first; but there are two arguments that oppose this opinion; the first is, because the High-priests, after the time of Herod especially, were so made at the arbitrary disposal of the Governor; that it is not imaginable that they ever regarded whether he had been Sagan before or no. And another is, because in all the Old Testament where the succession of the Highpriesthood was fair and legal, and it was still known who should be High-priest next, yet there is never mention of the word or of the thing Sagan, but only in 2 King. 25. 18. and Jer. 52. 24. where is mention of Zephaniah the second Priest, and the Chaldee Paraphrast calls him Sagan: Now unless he were son to Serajah, which I know not whoever held, he was in no possibility of the High-priesthood, had the Temple scaped the Babylonian fire and desolation.

For the discovering therefore what the Sagan was, and under what notion he came into his Office, it is observable that he is most commonly called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Sagan of the Priests: So the Chaldee in the two places cited, titleth Zephaniah. So the Talmud in two places in the Treatise Shekalim speaketh of Ananias the Sagan of the Priests: and in divers places both in the Talmud and in other Hebrew writers, the phrase is used in this conjuncture 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Sagan of the Priests. By the which it seemeth his Office had relation as much, if not more, to Priests below him, as to the High-priest above him: and I know not what fitter conception to have of him than this, that he was as the High-priests Substitute, in his absence to oversee, or in his presence to assist in the oversight of the affairs of the Temple, and the service of the Priests: For although it is true, that in some particulars his attendance did especially respect the High-priests person, as in three reckoned by the Talmud of Jerusalem, yet did his Office also relate to the Priests below him, and so saith Maimonides 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 That all the Priests were under the disposal or command of the Sagan. For the High-priest having the chief charge and care of the holy things, and that burden and incumbency being of so great a weight, he was forced to get an assistance to help him to bear the burden [nay sometime the silliness and weakness of the High-priest did add to this necessity] and to this his assistant had the inferior Priests a respect and observance as to the High-priest himself. This was called especially the Memunuch or President above all the fifteen that have been named, because upon him lay the great charge of the looking to the service, as the High-priests Deputy; and of this President we shall have occasion to make somewhat frequent mention when we come to speak of the service.

In such a sense it was observed before, that Zadok and Ahimelech are said to be Priests in the days of Abiathar the High-priest, he the chief, and they in the chief care and charge and oversight under him: And whether Annas and Cajaphas may not be said to be High-priests together in this sense, Luke 3. 2. namely Cajaphas High-priest, and Annas his Sagan [the Hananiah the Sagan of the Priests mentioned out of the Talmud before] be it referred to the Learned to determine: I was once of another mind I confess, and supposed Annas to be called High-priest, because a Priest and head of the Sanhedrin, in which I was too credulous to Baronius a man far better skilled in Christian Antiquity than in Jewish; but now I find that never any such man was head of the Sanhedrin at all; and therefore I am now swayed to believe that Annas is called High-priest, as indeed having been so once, but now deposed, and now the Sagan under Cajaphas.

SECT. II. KATHOLIKIN.

EIther Maymony himself, or his Transcriber, hath put a twofold reading upon this word: For in his Jad Hazakah he reads it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Kathikolin but in his comment upon the Talmud Text he reads it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Kathilokin; and with the latter the Jerusalem Talmud, and other Jews agree something near, and utter it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Katholkin Catholici: The Gloss interprets it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Presidents or chief Overseers of the Treasures: And so might the use of the word be shown in other Authors, sometime to signify chief Treasurers, and sometime to signify chief Favorites or Officers. Rabbi Tanchuma compares Moses and Aaron in reference to God, to two Kathlikin [for so he writes it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] in reference to a King: For speaking of God's commanding Moses and Aaron to go up into mount Hor and Nebo and there to die, he utters this Parable: To what is this matter like? It is like to a King that had two Katholici, who did nothing without the will of the King: one of them had some difference with the King, and the King had need of him; the King saith, although this man is in my power, yet will I not differ with him but he shall know it: So also the holy blessed God saith, these two righteous men never did anything but according to my mind, and now I will take them away, yet I will let them know it, &c. In this comparison he takes Katholikin to be chief Favorites or Officers, without designing any peculiar Office that they were in; but other of the Hebrew writers assign them to the Treasuries; as Bamid bar Rabba that saith, Korah was Katholicus to the King of Egypt, and had the keys of his Treasures: nay the same Tanchumah in another Parable putteth that sense upon the word also, for he saith, It is like unto a King that made his friend his Katholicus, and set him over his treasures: Katholiciani in the terms of the Law, of old, signified Rationum Praefecti, the Overseers of Accounts, as is observed by the most Learned Buxtorfius.

We need not to be curious in determining these men to a peculiar Office, they were two men that were in the highest Office and Employment about the Temple, and but only two men above them, The High-priest and the Sagan: and whereas there were three common Treasurers of the Temple stock, [as we shall see by and by] these two were Headtreasurers and Overseers over them; much like the constitution of the Presidents in the Persian State, where 120 Princes were set over the 120 Provinces, and three Presidents were set over all these to take account of them, Dan. 6. 1, 2. Maymony gives this short character of these Katholikin; That 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 They appointed the Kathicolin or Katholikin, to be to the Sagan, as the Sagan was to the High priest: substitutes and assistants, and next in place and in honor. The business of the Temple consisted especially in these two things, its service, and the disposal of its treasury or stock that came by Oblations or otherwise: Now as there were inferior Priests that performed the daily service, and as there were inferior Treasurers or Receivers that received the Offerings and whatsoever was brought in into the common stock, so these four men especially, the High-priest, Sagan and the two Katholikin, were Overseers both of the one and the other: that the Treasury might be disposed fitly for the Temple service, and that the service might be performed as was fitting.

SECT. III. IMMARCALIN 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

WITH these may we join the seven Immarcalin [for that was their number and they might not be less] men whose peculiar Office is as hard to find out, as was theirs before: but only that it is agreed upon, that they carried the keys of the seven gates of the Court, and one could not open them without the rest: some add, That there were seven rooms at the seven gates, for the laying up of the holy vessels, and holy • estments, and these seven men kept the keys of them, and looked to their disposal.

The Chaldce Paraphrase upon the Law, [that goeth under the name of Jonathan ] useth this word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Numb. 1. and Numb. 7. 11. for the Princes or chief heads of the twelve Tribes that stood with Moses to number the people, and that offered their gifts at the dedication of the Altar, and in Levite. 4. 15. he useth it for the Elders of the Tribes who laid their hands on the head of the sin-offering of the Congregation: And so whosoever was the Targumist on the Canticles, he useth it in Cant. 4. 3. for a Prince or Potentate that was near the King: for that verse [ Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely: thy Temples are like a piece of a Pomegranate within thy locks, ] he glosseth thus. The lips of the High-priest were earnest in prayer on the day of Expiation before the Lord, and their fullness turned the sins of Israel which were like a scarlet thread, and made them white as pure wool. And the King which was head over them was full of judgment, like a Pomegranate 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Besides the Nobles and Rulers which were righteous, and there was no evil in them.

And likewise in other places in the Chaldee Paraphrasts, the word is sometimes used to signify only dignity and high place: but sometime again to denote a Function and Office; and so the Chaldee of Jonathan upon the Prophets, renders, the Priests the keepers of the door, in 2 King. 12. 10. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Priests, the Amarcalin; whereupon David Kimchi giveth this Comment, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The keepers of the threshold, meaneth, the keepers of the vessels of the house: For 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is a general name for the vessels of the service: And Jonathan interprets it Amarcalin; now these were chief Treasurers, which had others under them: And so Onkelos renders that passage, Eleazar the son of Aaron shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, Numb. 3. 32. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Amarcal appointed over the chief of the Levites.

It is not much material to look after the various writing and reading of this word; • ow sometimes it is written Marcol [and that especially by the Jerusalem Talmud, which useth now and then to take away the first 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Aleph in certain words, and so it constantly reads Lazar for Eliazar ] and according to this reading Aruch doth Etymologize it to mean 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Lord over all ] sometimes Amarcol, sometimes Immarcol or Immarcal, which by the Gemara of the Talmud is rendered, An appointer of all things, or one by whose appointment the affairs of the Temple were managed; it is the office of the men we are looking after, which the writing or notation of the word little helps us in.

It is agreed on all hands that their number was seven, and that they carried seven keys, according to the seven gates of the Court: But here ariseth a question, were these seven Amarcalin pepetual officers, or did they change every week, as the Courses of the Priests changed? These several arguments might be used for the several assertion of either part: if they were not perpetual officers, why are they reckoned as perpetual? For in the changing Courses the Head of the Course is reckoned as chiefest, and these are reckoned two steps above him: and if they were perpetual officers, and the unlockers and lockers of the Court-gates continually, what shall we answer to that passage in the Treatise Middoth which saith, That the keys of the gates were in the keeping of the seniors of the house of their Fathers in the changed Courses?

Therefore for a temper between these two we are to apprehend that these seven Amarcalin, were perpetual in their office, as well as were the High-priest, Sagan and Katholikin, and that the keys of the Court were at their disposal; but that they committed the opening and shutting of the doors of the Court to Deputies, namely to some of the seniors of every course as it came in; and that they had not only these keys at their disposal, but also the keys of the Temple Wardrobes, and of the rooms of the several vessels, and were Overseers about them, and disposed of them for the use of the Temple.

SECT. IV. GIZBARIN. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

IT was a fixed tradition 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 That the Gizbarin were not to be less than three, and they were as substitutes to the Immarcalin.

The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is used in the Hebrew Text, Ezra 1. 8. and in the Chaldee Text, Ezra 7. 21. in both which places our English hath rendered it Treasurers: the scope and sense of the former place doth evidently enough justify the translation; for, speaking of Cyrus, his restoring the vessels of the Temple, to the Temple again; he saith, He brought them forth by the hand of Mithredath the Gizbar: which the LXX hath rendered Gazbarenus, as if it were some proper name, or a name Patronymick: but the very place showeth that it meaneth that he was the man that kept these vessels or was Treasurer of them: and so Kimchi expounds it, He was Overseer and Treasurer. In the latter place cited, the LXX renders it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , not Treasurers but Treasuries, but the sense of the place showeth that it meaneth the Kings Officers and Receivers, and so Rabbi Solomon glosseth it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The receivers of his Tributes.

Now as for these officers of the Temple that we are speaking of, which were called Gizbarin, Maymony in the place cited a little before, gives them this character, That they were they that demanded all the hallowed things, and redeemed what was to be redeemed: which in his gloss upon the Talmud treatise, Shekalim he speaketh more at large, and saith that the Gizbarin were those that were appointed over the holy stock and all consecrate things: And they redeemed every sanctified thing [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Lev. 27. 14. &c.] And every devoted thing [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Num. 18. 14.] And every estimated person or thing, [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Lev. 27. 2. &c.] And the second ti • h.

And the Talmudic Text itself in that Treatise Shekalim speaketh of the Gizbarin, receiving the half-shekel poll money: and of the Gizbarin opening the Treasury of the dedicate vessels. And in the Treatise Megillah it speaketh of the Gizbarin receiving wood, &c. So that these men that we have in discourse, were the first Receivers and Treasurers of all things due or dedicate to the Temple treasury, as the half shekel money of every Israelite, the vessels that were offered to the service, things that were vowed or devoted, and the thing vowed or devoted, that was to be redeemed with money; these were they that stated the rate of the redemption, and received the money; now these were but as sub-collection and sub-treasurers, for what they received they were accountable for to the seven Immarcalin, and both these and the Immarcalin, to the Katholikin: and all under the oversight of the High-priest and Sagan.

And this was properly the Beth Din or Consistory of the Priests, of which we spake before, which transacted the business of the Sanctuary; not sentencing nor inflicting any penalties, or mulcts, corporal or pecuniary, upon their brethren or any other; but they were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Counselors for the Temple, that took care of the dues, stock, treasury, vessels, vestments, repair and service of the Temple, and of ordering of all things tending to these ends: and these were they, that kept their sitting to consult of these things in the chamber of Parhedrin or Palhedrin of which we have spoken in the survey of that piece of building: And these in the honester times were called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Counselors, because they consulted and contrived really for the good of the Temple, but when they grew corrupt and minded their own ends, they were called but Parhedroi or sitters: Joseph of Aramathea is said to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an honorable Counselor, Mark 15. 43. Probably a Priest of this society, but of more than ordinary integrity and goodness. And so the Talmud speaks of R. Simeon 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Counselor. Jerus. in Taanith. per. 4.

SECT. I. SAGAN.

THE word Sagan is rare in the Scripture, but both the name and the dignity is very commonly known and used in the Hebrew writers. It is undoubted that he was next to the High-priest, or Vicegerent to him, but under what notion he came into this deputation is disputable, and Abraham Zaccuth doth purposely dispute it. One conjecture about this matter is from that Tradition mentioned in Joma. That against the day of expiation, when the High-priest was to go into the most Holy place: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 They appointed another Priest in his stead, who might supply the solemn work of that day, if any uncleanness did befall the High priest himself: And R. Judah also saith, they appointed him another wife lest his own wife should have died, because he was enjoined to atone for himself and for his house, that is, for his wife: Now it is conceived by some, that this Priest that was appointed as a reserve, if anything had befallen the High-priest, to make him unfit for that work, was called the Sagan. Josephus giveth one example, when the work of the day of Expiation was carried on by such a substitute; but this opinion maketh the Sagan useful but for one week in the year, whereas it appeareth by the Jewish records that he was in a continual office all the year thorough. Some therefore again conjecture, that the Sagan was to be he that was to be the next High-priest, and in his Sagan-ship was as a Candidate for that Office. So R. Solomon calleth Eleazar the son of Aaron the Sagan: And the Jerusalem Talmud observes that none was High-priest unless he had been Sagan first; but there are two arguments that oppose this opinion; the first is, because the High-priests, after the time of Herod especially, were so made at the arbitrary disposal of the Governor; that it is not imaginable that they ever regarded whether he had been Sagan before or no. And another is, because in all the Old Testament where the succession of the Highpriesthood was fair and legal, and it was still known who should be High-priest next, yet there is never mention of the word or of the thing Sagan, but only in 2 King. 25. 18. and Jer. 52. 24. where is mention of Zephaniah the second Priest, and the Chaldee Paraphrast calls him Sagan: Now unless he were son to Serajah, which I know not whoever held, he was in no possibility of the High-priesthood, had the Temple scaped the Babylonian fire and desolation.

For the discovering therefore what the Sagan was, and under what notion he came into his Office, it is observable that he is most commonly called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Sagan of the Priests: So the Chaldee in the two places cited, titleth Zephaniah. So the Talmud in two places in the Treatise Shekalim speaketh of Ananias the Sagan of the Priests: and in divers places both in the Talmud and in other Hebrew writers, the phrase is used in this conjuncture 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Sagan of the Priests. By the which it seemeth his Office had relation as much, if not more, to Priests below him, as to the High-priest above him: and I know not what fitter conception to have of him than this, that he was as the High-priests Substitute, in his absence to oversee, or in his presence to assist in the oversight of the affairs of the Temple, and the service of the Priests: For although it is true, that in some particulars his attendance did especially respect the High-priests person, as in three reckoned by the Talmud of Jerusalem, yet did his Office also relate to the Priests below him, and so saith Maimonides 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 That all the Priests were under the disposal or command of the Sagan. For the High-priest having the chief charge and care of the holy things, and that burden and incumbency being of so great a weight, he was forced to get an assistance to help him to bear the burden [nay sometime the silliness and weakness of the High-priest did add to this necessity] and to this his assistant had the inferior Priests a respect and observance as to the High-priest himself. This was called especially the Memunuch or President above all the fifteen that have been named, because upon him lay the great charge of the looking to the service, as the High-priests Deputy; and of this President we shall have occasion to make somewhat frequent mention when we come to speak of the service.

In such a sense it was observed before, that Zadok and Ahimelech are said to be Priests in the days of Abiathar the High-priest, he the chief, and they in the chief care and charge and oversight under him: And whether Annas and Cajaphas may not be said to be High-priests together in this sense, Luke 3. 2. namely Cajaphas High-priest, and Annas his Sagan [the Hananiah the Sagan of the Priests mentioned out of the Talmud before] be it referred to the Learned to determine: I was once of another mind I confess, and supposed Annas to be called High-priest, because a Priest and head of the Sanhedrin, in which I was too credulous to Baronius a man far better skilled in Christian Antiquity than in Jewish; but now I find that never any such man was head of the Sanhedrin at all; and therefore I am now swayed to believe that Annas is called High-priest, as indeed having been so once, but now deposed, and now the Sagan under Cajaphas.

SECT. II. KATHOLIKIN.

EIther Maymony himself, or his Transcriber, hath put a twofold reading upon this word: For in his Jad Hazakah he reads it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Kathikolin but in his comment upon the Talmud Text he reads it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Kathilokin; and with the latter the Jerusalem Talmud, and other Jews agree something near, and utter it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Katholkin Catholici: The Gloss interprets it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Presidents or chief Overseers of the Treasures: And so might the use of the word be shown in other Authors, sometime to signify chief Treasurers, and sometime to signify chief Favorites or Officers. Rabbi Tanchuma compares Moses and Aaron in reference to God, to two Kathlikin [for so he writes it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] in reference to a King: For speaking of God's commanding Moses and Aaron to go up into mount Hor and Nebo and there to die, he utters this Parable: To what is this matter like? It is like to a King that had two Katholici, who did nothing without the will of the King: one of them had some difference with the King, and the King had need of him; the King saith, although this man is in my power, yet will I not differ with him but he shall know it: So also the holy blessed God saith, these two righteous men never did anything but according to my mind, and now I will take them away, yet I will let them know it, &c. In this comparison he takes Katholikin to be chief Favorites or Officers, without designing any peculiar Office that they were in; but other of the Hebrew writers assign them to the Treasuries; as Bamid bar Rabba that saith, Korah was Katholicus to the King of Egypt, and had the keys of his Treasures: nay the same Tanchumah in another Parable putteth that sense upon the word also, for he saith, It is like unto a King that made his friend his Katholicus, and set him over his treasures: Katholiciani in the terms of the Law, of old, signified Rationum Praefecti, the Overseers of Accounts, as is observed by the most Learned Buxtorfius.

We need not to be curious in determining these men to a peculiar Office, they were two men that were in the highest Office and Employment about the Temple, and but only two men above them, The High-priest and the Sagan: and whereas there were three common Treasurers of the Temple stock, [as we shall see by and by] these two were Headtreasurers and Overseers over them; much like the constitution of the Presidents in the Persian State, where 120 Princes were set over the 120 Provinces, and three Presidents were set over all these to take account of them, Dan. 6. 1, 2. Maymony gives this short character of these Katholikin; That 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 They appointed the Kathicolin or Katholikin, to be to the Sagan, as the Sagan was to the High priest: substitutes and assistants, and next in place and in honor. The business of the Temple consisted especially in these two things, its service, and the disposal of its treasury or stock that came by Oblations or otherwise: Now as there were inferior Priests that performed the daily service, and as there were inferior Treasurers or Receivers that received the Offerings and whatsoever was brought in into the common stock, so these four men especially, the High-priest, Sagan and the two Katholikin, were Overseers both of the one and the other: that the Treasury might be disposed fitly for the Temple service, and that the service might be performed as was fitting.

SECT. III. IMMARCALIN 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

WITH these may we join the seven Immarcalin [for that was their number and they might not be less] men whose peculiar Office is as hard to find out, as was theirs before: but only that it is agreed upon, that they carried the keys of the seven gates of the Court, and one could not open them without the rest: some add, That there were seven rooms at the seven gates, for the laying up of the holy vessels, and holy • estments, and these seven men kept the keys of them, and looked to their disposal.

The Chaldce Paraphrase upon the Law, [that goeth under the name of Jonathan ] useth this word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Numb. 1. and Numb. 7. 11. for the Princes or chief heads of the twelve Tribes that stood with Moses to number the people, and that offered their gifts at the dedication of the Altar, and in Levite. 4. 15. he useth it for the Elders of the Tribes who laid their hands on the head of the sin-offering of the Congregation: And so whosoever was the Targumist on the Canticles, he useth it in Cant. 4. 3. for a Prince or Potentate that was near the King: for that verse [ Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely: thy Temples are like a piece of a Pomegranate within thy locks, ] he glosseth thus. The lips of the High-priest were earnest in prayer on the day of Expiation before the Lord, and their fullness turned the sins of Israel which were like a scarlet thread, and made them white as pure wool. And the King which was head over them was full of judgment, like a Pomegranate 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Besides the Nobles and Rulers which were righteous, and there was no evil in them.

And likewise in other places in the Chaldee Paraphrasts, the word is sometimes used to signify only dignity and high place: but sometime again to denote a Function and Office; and so the Chaldee of Jonathan upon the Prophets, renders, the Priests the keepers of the door, in 2 King. 12. 10. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Priests, the Amarcalin; whereupon David Kimchi giveth this Comment, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The keepers of the threshold, meaneth, the keepers of the vessels of the house: For 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is a general name for the vessels of the service: And Jonathan interprets it Amarcalin; now these were chief Treasurers, which had others under them: And so Onkelos renders that passage, Eleazar the son of Aaron shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, Numb. 3. 32. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Amarcal appointed over the chief of the Levites.

It is not much material to look after the various writing and reading of this word; • ow sometimes it is written Marcol [and that especially by the Jerusalem Talmud, which useth now and then to take away the first 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Aleph in certain words, and so it constantly reads Lazar for Eliazar ] and according to this reading Aruch doth Etymologize it to mean 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Lord over all ] sometimes Amarcol, sometimes Immarcol or Immarcal, which by the Gemara of the Talmud is rendered, An appointer of all things, or one by whose appointment the affairs of the Temple were managed; it is the office of the men we are looking after, which the writing or notation of the word little helps us in.

It is agreed on all hands that their number was seven, and that they carried seven keys, according to the seven gates of the Court: But here ariseth a question, were these seven Amarcalin pepetual officers, or did they change every week, as the Courses of the Priests changed? These several arguments might be used for the several assertion of either part: if they were not perpetual officers, why are they reckoned as perpetual? For in the changing Courses the Head of the Course is reckoned as chiefest, and these are reckoned two steps above him: and if they were perpetual officers, and the unlockers and lockers of the Court-gates continually, what shall we answer to that passage in the Treatise Middoth which saith, That the keys of the gates were in the keeping of the seniors of the house of their Fathers in the changed Courses?

Therefore for a temper between these two we are to apprehend that these seven Amarcalin, were perpetual in their office, as well as were the High-priest, Sagan and Katholikin, and that the keys of the Court were at their disposal; but that they committed the opening and shutting of the doors of the Court to Deputies, namely to some of the seniors of every course as it came in; and that they had not only these keys at their disposal, but also the keys of the Temple Wardrobes, and of the rooms of the several vessels, and were Overseers about them, and disposed of them for the use of the Temple.

SECT. IV. GIZBARIN. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

IT was a fixed tradition 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 That the Gizbarin were not to be less than three, and they were as substitutes to the Immarcalin.

The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is used in the Hebrew Text, Ezra 1. 8. and in the Chaldee Text, Ezra 7. 21. in both which places our English hath rendered it Treasurers: the scope and sense of the former place doth evidently enough justify the translation; for, speaking of Cyrus, his restoring the vessels of the Temple, to the Temple again; he saith, He brought them forth by the hand of Mithredath the Gizbar: which the LXX hath rendered Gazbarenus, as if it were some proper name, or a name Patronymick: but the very place showeth that it meaneth that he was the man that kept these vessels or was Treasurer of them: and so Kimchi expounds it, He was Overseer and Treasurer. In the latter place cited, the LXX renders it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , not Treasurers but Treasuries, but the sense of the place showeth that it meaneth the Kings Officers and Receivers, and so Rabbi Solomon glosseth it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The receivers of his Tributes.

Now as for these officers of the Temple that we are speaking of, which were called Gizbarin, Maymony in the place cited a little before, gives them this character, That they were they that demanded all the hallowed things, and redeemed what was to be redeemed: which in his gloss upon the Talmud treatise, Shekalim he speaketh more at large, and saith that the Gizbarin were those that were appointed over the holy stock and all consecrate things: And they redeemed every sanctified thing [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Lev. 27. 14. &c.] And every devoted thing [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Num. 18. 14.] And every estimated person or thing, [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Lev. 27. 2. &c.] And the second ti • h.

And the Talmudic Text itself in that Treatise Shekalim speaketh of the Gizbarin, receiving the half-shekel poll money: and of the Gizbarin opening the Treasury of the dedicate vessels. And in the Treatise Megillah it speaketh of the Gizbarin receiving wood, &c. So that these men that we have in discourse, were the first Receivers and Treasurers of all things due or dedicate to the Temple treasury, as the half shekel money of every Israelite, the vessels that were offered to the service, things that were vowed or devoted, and the thing vowed or devoted, that was to be redeemed with money; these were they that stated the rate of the redemption, and received the money; now these were but as sub-collection and sub-treasurers, for what they received they were accountable for to the seven Immarcalin, and both these and the Immarcalin, to the Katholikin: and all under the oversight of the High-priest and Sagan.

And this was properly the Beth Din or Consistory of the Priests, of which we spake before, which transacted the business of the Sanctuary; not sentencing nor inflicting any penalties, or mulcts, corporal or pecuniary, upon their brethren or any other; but they were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Counselors for the Temple, that took care of the dues, stock, treasury, vessels, vestments, repair and service of the Temple, and of ordering of all things tending to these ends: and these were they, that kept their sitting to consult of these things in the chamber of Parhedrin or Palhedrin of which we have spoken in the survey of that piece of building: And these in the honester times were called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Counselors, because they consulted and contrived really for the good of the Temple, but when they grew corrupt and minded their own ends, they were called but Parhedroi or sitters: Joseph of Aramathea is said to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an honorable Counselor, Mark 15. 43. Probably a Priest of this society, but of more than ordinary integrity and goodness. And so the Talmud speaks of R. Simeon 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Counselor. Jerus. in Taanith. per. 4.

SECT. 1. Of the four and twenty courses of the Priests.

IT is a very received opinion among the Hebrew Doctors, that the courses of the Priests were first ordained by Moses; namely [as some of them say] four of Eleazar, and four of Ithamar; but as others, eight of the one, and eight of the other. They that conceive that Moses ordained but eight in all, hold that Samuel added eight more, and made them sixteen and then came David, and added yet other eight, and made them four and twenty. But those that hold that Moses ordained sixteen, conceive that David and Samuel joined counsels together, in adding the other eight to them. In which intricacy to perplex ourselves to dispute whether it were this way or that way, is both needless and useless, since the first time the Scripture tells us of any Courses, it tells us of the four and twenty, and David the ordainer and distributer of them: he by the spirit of God, giving them their number, and a divine lot appointing their order.

For our better viewing and observing of these Courses, and service of the Priests in them; it may not be amiss to begin with the consideration of their age, when they entered into the service, and their manner of induction to it, and then to see the manner and condition of their courses.

1. We read in the Jewish writers exceeding frequent mention of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The springals of the Priesthood; for so I may well render it; or buds of the Priesthood; for so the word signifies in propriety: as in the Treatise Joma it is said, That on the might that preceded the day of Expiation, if the High-priest began to slumber, the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Springals of the Priesthood filliped with their fingers to waken him: where the Gloss expounds it▪ That they were young men, the hair of whose beards began to bud. And in the Treatise Tamid, it is said, that the Ancients of the House of their father, lay upon benches, but the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Springals of the Priest-hood lay on the ground, there the Gloss giveth the very same exposition of the phrase that it did before: But R. Nathan expounds it, The sons of the Priests that were now fit for the service: and some others do also expound it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 such as were new come to the service; which in the same place in the Mishueh are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Youths.

2. Now the ages of the Priests at their entrance into the service, we find to be threefold, or held out in the Scripture in a threefold variety: for the first law about the age of the Priests at their entrance into the service, was at thirty years of age, Numb. 4. 3. and so the Levites, verse. 23. & 30. & 35. But another Text speaketh of the Levites going in to wait from twenty five years old and upward, Numb. 8. 25. And a third Text speaketh of the sons of Levi, doing the service from twenty years old and upward, 1 Chron. 23. 24, 27. In which variety there is not contradiction, but alteration in reference to several respects: The fixed and consistent time was thirty years old initiant [and so our Savior answered the type at his entrance into his Ministry, Luke 3.] but at five and twenty they were Probationers, and might do some services, saith A • en Ezra, but they might not do all: for they might wait upon the Tabernacle, but they might not bear the Ark. And therefore when the Ark was now settled in the Temple and no more to be born up and down; David by divine warrant, warrants their entrance to their function at twenty years old: And then were they but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Springals of the Priesthood, the down of their cheeks but now breaking out. The attendance of Samuel at the Tabernacle at Shiloh from a very child was a case extraordinary, and his work there was but a Candidate and Probationer, to learn the manner of the service and the song.

3. The manner of their instalment and admission to the service was thus; The great Sanhedrin sat daily in the room Gazith, to judge concerning the Priests that came to age, to enter into the service, to see whether they were of the Priests line rightly descended or no; and if they proved so, then to see whether they were without blemish: if they proved not truly and completely Priests born, they were clothed in black, and veiled in black, and so turned away, and no more to do with them: but if he proved of the Priests line rightly begotten, and there were any blemish in him of the 140 blemishes, for so many they number, then he was set to the worming of the wood, of which we have spoken in the description of the Court of the women. But if he proved rightly descended, and without any blemish, then was he clothed in white, and enrolled among the rest of the Priests, and he went in and served at the Altar as the others did: and to these customs that speech alludeth, in Rev. 3. 5. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life.

And here a story mentioned by Soudas may not be unworthy to be related, though it be not so worthy to be believed, and that is this.

One Theodosius a Jew in the time of Justinian the Emperor related to one Philip a Christian [who persuaded him to become a Christian also] as a great secret among the Jewish Nation, and known but to few neither; That in the time of the Temple standing, even while Jesus Christ lived as a private person, a certain Priest died at Jerusalem, and the heads of the Priests met together to choose another in his stead: And while one named one, and another another, a certain Priest stood up and named Jesus the son of Joseph the Carpenter, as one known to them for a man of most singular wisdom and integrity: But when some objected that Joseph was not of the Tribe of Levi, but of Judah, and so Jesus his son was not capable of the Priesthood; and it was answered again, that he was come of a stock that had so mixed with the Tribe of Levi that he might be admitted, he was generally approved of, as one fit to succeed in the room of the Priest deceased. Now because it was the custom to inrol the names of those that were admitted to be Priests, and the names of their parents, they called the mother of Jesus to give them account of his parentage, [for Joseph was now dead] and when she had told them that he had no earthly Father, but was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and that she bare him, as divers could witness which were pesent at her Travail, but that she was yet a Virgin: and when they had taken the witness of some that were with her at her Child-birth, and had received testimony from other women whom they set to search her, that she was still a Virgin, they entered the name and Parentage of Jesus into their Register; in these words, Such a day such a Priest died, the son of such a man, and such a woman; and by the common suffrage there was chosen in his stead, Jesus the son of the living God, and of the Virgin Mary. And this Register Book [saith this relater] at the sacking and destruction of Jerusalem, was preserved by the care and industry of some of the chief of the Jews, and is now laid up privately at Tiberias: and this story [saith Soudas ] I had from some that heard it from Philip; to whom it was related.

Not to insist upon the examination of this story, but to leave it as we found it, and to return to the Courses that we are about; It is held by the Jews, and that not without some ground, that of all the four and twenty Courses that served under the first Temple, four only returned out of the captivity of Babel; namely Jedajah, Harim, Pashur, Immer. Thus the Jerusalem Talmud, and Tosaphoth ad Taanith reckon them, from Ezra 3. 36, 37, 38, 39. But the Babylon Talmud instead of Harim nameth Jojarib; and the Gloss upon it doth justly scruple, how Pashur is now become one of the Courses, who was none of them before.

But how shall these four families do, to make four and twenty Courses, as was the Primitive and Original distribution, and that by Prophetick and Divine appointment? The Prophets therefore that were amongst the children of the Captivity [say the same Authors] found out a way to cast them into so many Courses, and their way was this.

They made four and twenty lots, and they wrote the names of the heads of the four and twenty Courses upon them, and put them into the lottery box. Jedajah took out five, and himself one, there is six. Harim took out five, and himself one, their is six. Pashur took out five, and himself one, there is six. Immer took out five, and himself one, there is six. And the Prophets that were among them conditioned with them, that though Jojarib came out of captivity, yet should he not drive out the Course that was before him.

Now the meaning of this Tradition is this: That in drawing these lots with the names of the heads of the old Courses upon them, they only intended to find out, what Courses of the old names must be made out of everyone of these four families, and they did not intend to alter the order of the Courses, but to let them run as they did in the ancient round: only the Course of Jojarib which of old was the first, is now put to give place to Jedajah. And the reason of this was because Jedajah was of the High-priests family, of the house of Joshua the son of Jozedek, and so they allotted him the preeminence, Ezra 2. 36. The Gloss indeed upon the Babylon Talmud, gives the reason to be, because in this their new molding, everyone was to take his Course as his lot was drawn, and that in the order that the lot came up in the drawers hand they served their weeks. But if this were a reason, why should not Jojarih be a drawer of the lots as well as Jedajah, since the record saith he was present? And if they were so indifferent for the altering of the order of the Courses, why should they be so punctual for their number, since the one in the Primitive institution was appointed by divine direction as well as the other? When the Evangelist Luke saith that Zacharias the father of John the Baptist was of the Course of Abia, Luke 1. 5. he undoubtedly referreth to the order of Abia's Course as it is ranked in 1 Chron. 24. For the family of Abia was not now extant among the Courses, for there is no mention at all of him among the Priests that returned out of Captivity, and therefore the Evangelist saith, not that Zacharias was of his family but of his Course, that is, of a Course that bare his name; but as for the Order of the Course, he either referreth to the Text mentioned, as to a place to be found in Scripture, and so his words to be construed and understood by it, or else there is no order of his Course to be found at all.

The Courses being thus divided after the Captivity anew, but ordered and ranked as of old, and in time increased and grown numerous 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Every Course [saith the Mishneh in the place aforecited] had a station in Jerusalem; which the Jerusalem Gemara expoundeth thus, It is a tradition that 2400 were the station at Jerusalem, and half a station was at Jericho. And Jericho also was able to have produced a whole station, but because it would give the honor to Jerusalem it yielded but half: And wen any Course was to go up to Jerusalem, half the Course went up to Jerusalem out of the Land of Israel, and half the Course went up out of Jericho; which the Babylonian Gemara wordeth thus, There were four and twenty Courses in the Land of Israel, and twelve at Jericho.

Not that there are six and thirty Courses to be supposed, but that the four and twenty were thus divided; that half or more of every Course were continually resident in Jerusalem, and about it; that they might unfailingly be ready for the Service when the time of their Course came: and the other part, or half of every Course was up and down dispersed through the Land: only at and about Jericho, there was a great number constantly of every Course residing there, as the others did at Jerusalem; who when the Week of their Course came, went up, either to assist their Brethren of the course in their Service, or to help to cater provisions for them, while they served 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : They ordered for their Brethren, saith one gloss upon the place, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 That their brethren might have sufficient of Water and Provision, saith another: And as for the rest of that Course that were neither at Jerusalem nor at Jericho, but dispersed up and down the Country, they and the Levites and the Stationary men, that were appertaining to that Course, met together in their Synagogues, according as they were near together, and fasted, and prayed, and read the Law, and made supplications that their Brethren's Service now in hand at Jerusalem, might be accepted 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Israel that was of that Course, saith the Mishneh even now cited, gathered themselves into their Cities and fasted, &c. Where by the word Israel is not meant the Israelites or Stationary men of that Course, as they stood in opposition and distinct to Priests and Levites, but it meaneth all the Priests and Levites, and Stationary men that were of that Course, who were dispersed through the Land of Israel, in distinction to those that were then at Jerusalem at the Service.

As the Courses were everyone of them thus divided, in regard of place and attendance, so was everyone of them also distinguished into degrees.

1. There was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The head of the Course, who was President over them all, and who resembled that eminent person from whom the Course took its name: the most of these Heads no doubt were of the great Sanhedrim, and though in the affairs of the Temple the Sagan, Katholikin, Immercalin and Gizbarin, of whom hath been spoken already, were above them; yet in this great Council they were all equal, and these altogether are those that are so frequently mentioned by the Gospels, as Members of that Judicatory, by the name of Chief-priests.

2. There was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The heads of the houses of their fathers: for the President of the Course, divided the Course so among the Houses of the Fathers, that every House or Family might serve its day. And those that were in these several Families under the Head of the House of their Father, were called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , private or ordinary Priests.

These Courses entered on the Sabbath, and on the next Sabbath they went out, 2 King 11. 7. 2 Chron. 23. 4. serving only a Week at a time; and so their attendance was required twice in the year.

The serving of every Course, was thus divided.

The Course that had five houses of Fathers in it, three served three days, and two served four days.

The Course that had six houses of Fathers in it, five served five days, and one served two days.

The Course that had seven houses of Fathers in it, they served everyone their day.

The Course that had eight houses of Fathers in it, six served six days, and two one day.

And the Course that had nine houses of Fathers in it, five served five days, and four served two days.

In their attendance, the men of the Course were permitted to drink Wine in the night, but not in the day; because it might be, that the service of their brethren might be too heavy for the house of the Father that was to serve, and they might be necessitated to come in and help, which they might not do having drunk Wine. But the men of the house of the Father that were to serve, might not drink Wine either by day, or by night. Whosoever knew his course and the house of his Father, he was forbidden Wine only for that day that his Fathers house served; He that knew his course, but not his fathers house (the knowledge of which in long continuance might be lost) he was forbidden Wine all that Week.

In some exigence the Priests might serve though they were unclean. Every Offering either of the Congregation, or of a particular person, the time for the offering of which is fixed, (as all the offerings time of the Congregations be) they dispence with the Sabbath, and with uncleanness, but that is with uncleanness, or defiling by the dead only: As for example, the time fixed for such a Sacrifice is come, and the most of the Congregation that should offer it, are defiled by the dead; as 2 Chro. 30. 17. or the Congregation is clean, but the Priests that should offer it, are defiled by the dead; or both of them are clean, and the Vessels of the Service are so defiled, yet must it be offered in this uncleanness, and the clean, and unclean may be employed about it alike, and they may all go into the Court. But those that are unclean with any other uncleanness, as by fluxes, issues, touching of creeping things, any carcass, or the like, may not be employed about the Service, nor may they go into the Court.

SECT. 1. Of the four and twenty courses of the Priests.

IT is a very received opinion among the Hebrew Doctors, that the courses of the Priests were first ordained by Moses; namely [as some of them say] four of Eleazar, and four of Ithamar; but as others, eight of the one, and eight of the other. They that conceive that Moses ordained but eight in all, hold that Samuel added eight more, and made them sixteen and then came David, and added yet other eight, and made them four and twenty. But those that hold that Moses ordained sixteen, conceive that David and Samuel joined counsels together, in adding the other eight to them. In which intricacy to perplex ourselves to dispute whether it were this way or that way, is both needless and useless, since the first time the Scripture tells us of any Courses, it tells us of the four and twenty, and David the ordainer and distributer of them: he by the spirit of God, giving them their number, and a divine lot appointing their order.

For our better viewing and observing of these Courses, and service of the Priests in them; it may not be amiss to begin with the consideration of their age, when they entered into the service, and their manner of induction to it, and then to see the manner and condition of their courses.

1. We read in the Jewish writers exceeding frequent mention of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The springals of the Priesthood; for so I may well render it; or buds of the Priesthood; for so the word signifies in propriety: as in the Treatise Joma it is said, That on the might that preceded the day of Expiation, if the High-priest began to slumber, the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Springals of the Priesthood filliped with their fingers to waken him: where the Gloss expounds it▪ That they were young men, the hair of whose beards began to bud. And in the Treatise Tamid, it is said, that the Ancients of the House of their father, lay upon benches, but the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Springals of the Priest-hood lay on the ground, there the Gloss giveth the very same exposition of the phrase that it did before: But R. Nathan expounds it, The sons of the Priests that were now fit for the service: and some others do also expound it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 such as were new come to the service; which in the same place in the Mishueh are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Youths.

2. Now the ages of the Priests at their entrance into the service, we find to be threefold, or held out in the Scripture in a threefold variety: for the first law about the age of the Priests at their entrance into the service, was at thirty years of age, Numb. 4. 3. and so the Levites, verse. 23. & 30. & 35. But another Text speaketh of the Levites going in to wait from twenty five years old and upward, Numb. 8. 25. And a third Text speaketh of the sons of Levi, doing the service from twenty years old and upward, 1 Chron. 23. 24, 27. In which variety there is not contradiction, but alteration in reference to several respects: The fixed and consistent time was thirty years old initiant [and so our Savior answered the type at his entrance into his Ministry, Luke 3.] but at five and twenty they were Probationers, and might do some services, saith A • en Ezra, but they might not do all: for they might wait upon the Tabernacle, but they might not bear the Ark. And therefore when the Ark was now settled in the Temple and no more to be born up and down; David by divine warrant, warrants their entrance to their function at twenty years old: And then were they but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Springals of the Priesthood, the down of their cheeks but now breaking out. The attendance of Samuel at the Tabernacle at Shiloh from a very child was a case extraordinary, and his work there was but a Candidate and Probationer, to learn the manner of the service and the song.

3. The manner of their instalment and admission to the service was thus; The great Sanhedrin sat daily in the room Gazith, to judge concerning the Priests that came to age, to enter into the service, to see whether they were of the Priests line rightly descended or no; and if they proved so, then to see whether they were without blemish: if they proved not truly and completely Priests born, they were clothed in black, and veiled in black, and so turned away, and no more to do with them: but if he proved of the Priests line rightly begotten, and there were any blemish in him of the 140 blemishes, for so many they number, then he was set to the worming of the wood, of which we have spoken in the description of the Court of the women. But if he proved rightly descended, and without any blemish, then was he clothed in white, and enrolled among the rest of the Priests, and he went in and served at the Altar as the others did: and to these customs that speech alludeth, in Rev. 3. 5. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life.

And here a story mentioned by Soudas may not be unworthy to be related, though it be not so worthy to be believed, and that is this.

One Theodosius a Jew in the time of Justinian the Emperor related to one Philip a Christian [who persuaded him to become a Christian also] as a great secret among the Jewish Nation, and known but to few neither; That in the time of the Temple standing, even while Jesus Christ lived as a private person, a certain Priest died at Jerusalem, and the heads of the Priests met together to choose another in his stead: And while one named one, and another another, a certain Priest stood up and named Jesus the son of Joseph the Carpenter, as one known to them for a man of most singular wisdom and integrity: But when some objected that Joseph was not of the Tribe of Levi, but of Judah, and so Jesus his son was not capable of the Priesthood; and it was answered again, that he was come of a stock that had so mixed with the Tribe of Levi that he might be admitted, he was generally approved of, as one fit to succeed in the room of the Priest deceased. Now because it was the custom to inrol the names of those that were admitted to be Priests, and the names of their parents, they called the mother of Jesus to give them account of his parentage, [for Joseph was now dead] and when she had told them that he had no earthly Father, but was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and that she bare him, as divers could witness which were pesent at her Travail, but that she was yet a Virgin: and when they had taken the witness of some that were with her at her Child-birth, and had received testimony from other women whom they set to search her, that she was still a Virgin, they entered the name and Parentage of Jesus into their Register; in these words, Such a day such a Priest died, the son of such a man, and such a woman; and by the common suffrage there was chosen in his stead, Jesus the son of the living God, and of the Virgin Mary. And this Register Book [saith this relater] at the sacking and destruction of Jerusalem, was preserved by the care and industry of some of the chief of the Jews, and is now laid up privately at Tiberias: and this story [saith Soudas ] I had from some that heard it from Philip; to whom it was related.

Not to insist upon the examination of this story, but to leave it as we found it, and to return to the Courses that we are about; It is held by the Jews, and that not without some ground, that of all the four and twenty Courses that served under the first Temple, four only returned out of the captivity of Babel; namely Jedajah, Harim, Pashur, Immer. Thus the Jerusalem Talmud, and Tosaphoth ad Taanith reckon them, from Ezra 3. 36, 37, 38, 39. But the Babylon Talmud instead of Harim nameth Jojarib; and the Gloss upon it doth justly scruple, how Pashur is now become one of the Courses, who was none of them before.

But how shall these four families do, to make four and twenty Courses, as was the Primitive and Original distribution, and that by Prophetick and Divine appointment? The Prophets therefore that were amongst the children of the Captivity [say the same Authors] found out a way to cast them into so many Courses, and their way was this.

They made four and twenty lots, and they wrote the names of the heads of the four and twenty Courses upon them, and put them into the lottery box. Jedajah took out five, and himself one, there is six. Harim took out five, and himself one, their is six. Pashur took out five, and himself one, there is six. Immer took out five, and himself one, there is six. And the Prophets that were among them conditioned with them, that though Jojarib came out of captivity, yet should he not drive out the Course that was before him.

Now the meaning of this Tradition is this: That in drawing these lots with the names of the heads of the old Courses upon them, they only intended to find out, what Courses of the old names must be made out of everyone of these four families, and they did not intend to alter the order of the Courses, but to let them run as they did in the ancient round: only the Course of Jojarib which of old was the first, is now put to give place to Jedajah. And the reason of this was because Jedajah was of the High-priests family, of the house of Joshua the son of Jozedek, and so they allotted him the preeminence, Ezra 2. 36. The Gloss indeed upon the Babylon Talmud, gives the reason to be, because in this their new molding, everyone was to take his Course as his lot was drawn, and that in the order that the lot came up in the drawers hand they served their weeks. But if this were a reason, why should not Jojarih be a drawer of the lots as well as Jedajah, since the record saith he was present? And if they were so indifferent for the altering of the order of the Courses, why should they be so punctual for their number, since the one in the Primitive institution was appointed by divine direction as well as the other? When the Evangelist Luke saith that Zacharias the father of John the Baptist was of the Course of Abia, Luke 1. 5. he undoubtedly referreth to the order of Abia's Course as it is ranked in 1 Chron. 24. For the family of Abia was not now extant among the Courses, for there is no mention at all of him among the Priests that returned out of Captivity, and therefore the Evangelist saith, not that Zacharias was of his family but of his Course, that is, of a Course that bare his name; but as for the Order of the Course, he either referreth to the Text mentioned, as to a place to be found in Scripture, and so his words to be construed and understood by it, or else there is no order of his Course to be found at all.

The Courses being thus divided after the Captivity anew, but ordered and ranked as of old, and in time increased and grown numerous 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Every Course [saith the Mishneh in the place aforecited] had a station in Jerusalem; which the Jerusalem Gemara expoundeth thus, It is a tradition that 2400 were the station at Jerusalem, and half a station was at Jericho. And Jericho also was able to have produced a whole station, but because it would give the honor to Jerusalem it yielded but half: And wen any Course was to go up to Jerusalem, half the Course went up to Jerusalem out of the Land of Israel, and half the Course went up out of Jericho; which the Babylonian Gemara wordeth thus, There were four and twenty Courses in the Land of Israel, and twelve at Jericho.

Not that there are six and thirty Courses to be supposed, but that the four and twenty were thus divided; that half or more of every Course were continually resident in Jerusalem, and about it; that they might unfailingly be ready for the Service when the time of their Course came: and the other part, or half of every Course was up and down dispersed through the Land: only at and about Jericho, there was a great number constantly of every Course residing there, as the others did at Jerusalem; who when the Week of their Course came, went up, either to assist their Brethren of the course in their Service, or to help to cater provisions for them, while they served 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : They ordered for their Brethren, saith one gloss upon the place, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 That their brethren might have sufficient of Water and Provision, saith another: And as for the rest of that Course that were neither at Jerusalem nor at Jericho, but dispersed up and down the Country, they and the Levites and the Stationary men, that were appertaining to that Course, met together in their Synagogues, according as they were near together, and fasted, and prayed, and read the Law, and made supplications that their Brethren's Service now in hand at Jerusalem, might be accepted 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Israel that was of that Course, saith the Mishneh even now cited, gathered themselves into their Cities and fasted, &c. Where by the word Israel is not meant the Israelites or Stationary men of that Course, as they stood in opposition and distinct to Priests and Levites, but it meaneth all the Priests and Levites, and Stationary men that were of that Course, who were dispersed through the Land of Israel, in distinction to those that were then at Jerusalem at the Service.

As the Courses were everyone of them thus divided, in regard of place and attendance, so was everyone of them also distinguished into degrees.

1. There was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The head of the Course, who was President over them all, and who resembled that eminent person from whom the Course took its name: the most of these Heads no doubt were of the great Sanhedrim, and though in the affairs of the Temple the Sagan, Katholikin, Immercalin and Gizbarin, of whom hath been spoken already, were above them; yet in this great Council they were all equal, and these altogether are those that are so frequently mentioned by the Gospels, as Members of that Judicatory, by the name of Chief-priests.

2. There was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The heads of the houses of their fathers: for the President of the Course, divided the Course so among the Houses of the Fathers, that every House or Family might serve its day. And those that were in these several Families under the Head of the House of their Father, were called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , private or ordinary Priests.

These Courses entered on the Sabbath, and on the next Sabbath they went out, 2 King 11. 7. 2 Chron. 23. 4. serving only a Week at a time; and so their attendance was required twice in the year.

The serving of every Course, was thus divided.

The Course that had five houses of Fathers in it, three served three days, and two served four days.

The Course that had six houses of Fathers in it, five served five days, and one served two days.

The Course that had seven houses of Fathers in it, they served everyone their day.

The Course that had eight houses of Fathers in it, six served six days, and two one day.

And the Course that had nine houses of Fathers in it, five served five days, and four served two days.

In their attendance, the men of the Course were permitted to drink Wine in the night, but not in the day; because it might be, that the service of their brethren might be too heavy for the house of the Father that was to serve, and they might be necessitated to come in and help, which they might not do having drunk Wine. But the men of the house of the Father that were to serve, might not drink Wine either by day, or by night. Whosoever knew his course and the house of his Father, he was forbidden Wine only for that day that his Fathers house served; He that knew his course, but not his fathers house (the knowledge of which in long continuance might be lost) he was forbidden Wine all that Week.

In some exigence the Priests might serve though they were unclean. Every Offering either of the Congregation, or of a particular person, the time for the offering of which is fixed, (as all the offerings time of the Congregations be) they dispence with the Sabbath, and with uncleanness, but that is with uncleanness, or defiling by the dead only: As for example, the time fixed for such a Sacrifice is come, and the most of the Congregation that should offer it, are defiled by the dead; as 2 Chro. 30. 17. or the Congregation is clean, but the Priests that should offer it, are defiled by the dead; or both of them are clean, and the Vessels of the Service are so defiled, yet must it be offered in this uncleanness, and the clean, and unclean may be employed about it alike, and they may all go into the Court. But those that are unclean with any other uncleanness, as by fluxes, issues, touching of creeping things, any carcass, or the like, may not be employed about the Service, nor may they go into the Court.

SECT. I. Of the Porters and Guards of the Temple.

THE Levites were divided into Porters and Signers; fixed Offices which they might not change, one to intrude into another's Office, and neither of them into the Priests.

The distribution of Porters into four and twenty Courses, is not so clearly legible in the Scripture, as is such a distribution of the Priests and Singers; for the Courses of both those are both numbered and named, and so are not these. And yet do these two Texts, 2 Chron. 3. 14. and 1 Chron. 26. 17, 18. hold out so fair a propability of such a thing, that it may almost as readily be concluded upon, as may the other. For in the former, the Porters go in the very same Equipage, as to the matter of division into Courses, with the Priests and Singers. He appointed the Courses of the Priests according to the order of David his Father, and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the Lord, as the duty of every day required; the Porters also by their Courses at every Gate. And in the latter, the first Fathers of the Porters are summed up to the very same number that the first Fathers of the other Courses were, namely, to four and twenty: Amongst all the Porters [saith David Kimchi] there were four and twenty according to the rest of the courses; six on the East side, four on the North, four on the South: at Asuppim two and two, four in all; four on the West, and two at Parhar; behold four and twenty. And our Rabbins have distributed them into four and twenty places, &c.

The Office of the Porters was first to open and shut the Doors of the Mountain of the House, and of the Court of the Women; (for we have observed elsewhere, that the Priests took care for opening and shutting the Gates of the other Court) and to attend in those Gates all the day for prevention of any inconvenience that might come: to the prejudice of the purity, safety, or peace of the place or service. Secondly, the Scripture puts some Treasureship upon the Porters, as that they had some Treasures and Treasuries at the Gates where they attended; of which is spoken at large in our Treating concerning the Gates and Treasuries elsewhere. As for that part of their office and employment which the Rabbins do sometimes make mention of, (under the phrase of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) whether it were the brushing of the Gates, and keeping of the gilding bright, or their being the Turn-keys at the Wickets, or little doors within the great Gates when the Gates were shut; it was a work so coincident with their attendance at the Gates continually, that it is but a piece of that employment, and needs not to be taken for an Office by itself.

Now besides this care of the Porters at the Gates by day, there was as much or more both at the Gates and other places by night in the Guards which were set to watch the Temple, which were four and twenty in all. The guards of the Sanctuary (saith Maimonides) was an affirmative command; although there were not fear either of enemies or thieves: and the command concerning this guarding, was that it should be by night. And they that warded were the Priests and the Levites, as it is said, thou and thy sons with thee, before the Tabernacle of the Congregation, &c. Now whether the Levites that were of these Guards were the Porters only, and not the Singers also of every Course as it came in, might very well be questioned, if it were worth the labor to examine it; ( e ) but were they, or were they not, the guards were in number four and twenty, and were kept in four and twenty places every night, three of Priests, and one and twenty of Levites. 1. There was a guard at everyone of these Gates of the Mountain of the House, one at the East Gate Shusha; one at the North Gate Tedi; two at the two South Gates Huldab; and one at the West Gate Coponius: And there was a Guard within everyone of the four corners of that great Square: so that there were nine in that boundary Wall that encompassed the Holy Ground. The three other Gates on the West quarter, namely, one of Parbar, and two of Asuppim, had not Night-guards at them as the rest had, though they had Porters by day, either because the steep descent from them did help their security, or because they found some security for them some other way. 2. About the Wall that enclosed the Courts, there were two Guards at the two East corners, and at the West, and both of them without the Wall of the Court; and there were five at five of the seven Gates. The two Gates that had not the Levites Guards upon them, were the Water-Gate, over which there was a Guard of Priests in the Chamber of A • tines and the upper Gate of Corban, by which there was a Guard of Priests in the room Beth Mokadh. And there was one Guard more of Levites on the North side, in the Chamber of Corban, over against the Holy Place, and another on the South side over against the Vail, and another just behind the most Holy Place. The Gate Nitsets had a Guard of Priests and Levites both at it, very near together; All which places will be easier understood upon sight of them in the Map that we have drawn of the Temple, and building about it, if it could once find the hap to come to sight.

There was one that walked the Round through all these Guards every night, and him they called, The Man of the Mountain of the House: And if he found any one not standing on his feet, he said unto him, Peace be unto thee; but if he found any one asleep, he struck him, and had liberty to set fire on his Garments: so that they would say, what noise is yonder in the Court? why it is the noise of a Levite beaten, and his Coat burnt because he slept upon the Guard. Rabbi Eliezer the son of Jacob saith, one time they found my Mothers Brother sleeping, and they burnt his Garments. Now whether this Man of the Mountain of the House were the Sagan [as some have thought, but very unlikely,] or one man of the Course that then waited, appointed for this purpose; as is the Opinion of Maimonides and Bartenora, or whosoever he was, methinks his action in burning the sleepers Garments, giveth light to that place, Rev. 16. 15. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garments.

SECT. II. Of the Singers and Temple Music.

NOt to insist upon the ordaining and division of the Singers and their Courses, of which there is large description, 1 Chron. 25. nor to search the ground of the Temple Music from the Law; about which the Gemarists are copiously inquisitive in the Treatise Erachin; let us take up a little consideration first of the persons of the singers themselves, and then of their Song and Music.

Maimonides tells us, that the Singers were Levites and Israelites together 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 He had spoken immediately before, that the Song of the Temple was properly with Voices, and not with Instruments, because the ground of that Song which was the Service, was the Voice. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which is a Maxim that the Talmud speaketh of exceeding oft; yet he concludeth that others stood with the Voices, with Instruments. And some of them (saith he) were Levites, and some of them were Israelites of note, that had married with the Priesthood; for none might go up into the desks of the Song men, but men of note.

The Mishnah in the Treatise Erachin cited above, doth make the like division in this point, and it doth it so, as that the Israelites our Rabbin speaketh of, appear to have their part in the instrumental Music only, and not in the Vocal. For having made mention of the sounding of the Trumpets, and the Music of other Instruments, and how, when they were used, it concludeth thus: Now these (that played upon such and such instruments, for that was the discourse in the next words before) were the servants of the Priests. The words of Rabbi Mier: Rabbi Jose saith, it was the Family of Pegarim, and the Family of Tsippariah of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Emmaus which were taken to the Priesthood. Rabbi Haninah the son of Antigonus, saith they were Levites. The Gloss upon the place, saith these were Families of Israelites of note, whose Daughters the Priests had married. The Treatise Succah, speaketh of these very Families, and saith they were of Ai and Emmaus (it is written 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 there) and the Gloss there, saith they were Israelites of worth, whose daughters and widows were sit to be married to the Priests.

So that it is a disputed case whether any were employed in the Music but the Levites only; but if any other, they were to be as near the Priesthood as possible, both for alliance and qualifications, and when they were come to the highest they could, they were not admitted to join Voices with the Vocal Music, which was the proper Song, and the proper Service, but only to join with the Instrumental: which was but thus much, that if any man of worth and piety, or in near affinity with the Priesthood, had addicted himself to Musical Devotions, and to pour out his Praises to God that way, (as that was then greatly in use) if he came to offer to join his Skill and Devotion to the Temple Chorus, they refused him not, but let him put in with his Instrument among the Instruments, but among the Voices he might not join, for that belonged only to the Levites. So it is said in the 2 Sam. 6. 5. And David and all the House of Israel played on all manner of Instruments made of fine wood, even on Harps, and on Psalteries, and on Timbrels, and on Cornets, and Cymbals.

As for the number of the Singers, that is the Voices, they were never to be under twelve, for so was the number of every Course when they were divided into their Courses, 1 Chron. 25. But as many above twelve as might be, and so their Tradition is express; There must not be less than twelve Levites in the desks, but they add to the number ever. And whereas the Levites Children might never come within the Court, upon any other occasion, nor at any other time whatsoever: yet might they come in when the Levites were singing, and might sing with them, not going up into the Desks, and looking over as the Levites did, but standing upon the ground, between their Fathers Legs. And the Warrant for this they take from those words in Ezr. 3. 9. Then stood Jeshua with his sons, Kadmiel and his sons, &c. And they sang together by course, &c. And they back it also with this reason, &c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Because the voice of those was small, and the others big, those trebled, and the other sang more base: And so by this means they made the more full, and the more sweet Music.

The Instruments that they used, were either wind Instruments, or Instruments with strings. The first of their wind Instruments to be looked after, were their Trumpets, of whose Attendance on the Altar service we find mention, 2 Chron. 7. 6. and 29. 26. and in divers other places, where the use of them is ascribed to the Priests, and not to the Levites; for indeed they were none of the Consort, but a Music when the Consort stopped, as we shall see anon.

The number of the Trumpets was to be not under two, nor above an hundred and twenty, the reason why not under two, was because of that command, Num. 10. 2. Make thee two Trumpets: and why not above 120. was because of that example at the beginning of the Temple Service, 2 Chron. 5. 12.

The Lord enjoined in Numb. 10. 10. That in the day of their rejoicing, and in their so-Lemn Feasts, and in the New Moons, they should blow with Trumpets: This was the warrant and engagement of this Trumpet Music, and the manner of it was thus:

Those that blew with Trumpets were the Priests, for so was the original institution, that the Priests the sons of Aaron should blow with them, Numb. 10. 18. 1 Chron. 15. 24. And their standing, when they were about this piece of service, was not where the Levites stood in the desks, or near them, but it was clean on the other side of the Altar, and they stood looking down the Court when they blew the Trumpets, as the Levites stood looking up the Court when they sang and plaid, but both looking on the Altar: Two Priests stood by the Table of the Fat 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 with two silver Trumpets in their hand, &c. as saith the Mishnah of the Talmud in the place cited in the Margine: Now it speaketh of two Priests, because that was the lowest number of Trumpets that might be used, and if there were more, they stood in the same place in more compass, namely on the West side of the rise of the Altar, for there as is observed in the place, the Table of the fat was placed.

The manner of their blowing with their Trumpets was first a long plain blast, then a blast with breakings and quaverings, and then a long, plain blast again; this the Jews call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and in their short writings they express it thus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The Mishnah last cited, saith, thas the Priests standing in the place there mentioned, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , sounded, blew alarm, sounded, for so let me English it till further discourse do more fully show its meaning.

The Priests did never blow, but these three blasts went together, and hereupon arose that dispute which occurs more than once or twice in the Talmud, about how many times the Trumpets sounded before the Altar every day.

The general Tradition ran thus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : They never sounded less than one and twenty soundings in the Sanctuary, and never more than eight and forty: But there were some that express it thus, That they never sounded less than seven soundings, nor more than sixteen: Now the reason of this difference, which indeed was no difference at all, was this because the one party held the three distinct blowings to be but one sounding, and the other held them to be three soundings distinct.

The Jews do express these three several soundings, that they made at one blowing, by these words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 an Alarm in the midst [for so our English renders 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Num. 10. 5, 6. Vatablus, vox infracta, a broken or quavering sounding ] and a plain note before it and after it: which our Christian Writers do most commonly express by Taratantara; though that word seem to put the quavering sound before and after, and the plain in the midst, contrary to the Jewish description of it.

A second wind Instrument that they used, was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Chalil, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Abbubh, a Pipe, or Hoboy, or Cornet, or some such loud Wind Music [which of these I will not much question:] the Jews in this story give us some Character of it. Our Rabbins have delivered [say they] that there was an Abbubh or Pipe in the Sanctuary; [the Gemara and the Gloss intimate Chalil and Abbubh were all one] It was smooth, it was thin, it was of reed, and it was from the days of Moses. The King commanded, and they gilt it all over with gold, but then the sound of it was not so sweet as before. They took off the gilding, and the sound was as sweet as ever.

Now this Pipe or Hoboy, or call it what you will, was not a constant Music at the Altar every day, as the Trumpets were, and the other instruments that we are to speak of, but it was used only twelve days in all the year, There were not to be less than two Chalils or Pipes [saith the Talmudic Tradition] and there were not to be more than twelve. And on twelve days of the year did they play on the Chalil, before the Altar, namely at the killing of the first Passover [or the Passover in the first month:] and at the killing of the second Passover; [in the second month] on the first Holiday of the Passover Week, on the Holiday of Pentecost, [Lev. 23. 21.] and on the eight days of the feast of Tabernacles: And they played not on a Pipe of brass but of reed, because the sound of that is sweet: And the close was made with one Pipe or Hoboy alone, because such a close is most delightsome: For one Pipe [ saith the Gloss] drew out the close after the other had done: for this is a better way than if they should have closed all together. And this Music of the Chalil was at the time of the Offering: and the Levites sung the Hallell with their voices, all the twelve days mentioned, but on the other days the other instruments were used, and they sung the ordinary song.

Those other instruments therefore, that were the constant Music, and never failed from attendance were these three, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Nebhel, Kinnor and Tseltsel, and these were severally distributed to the sons of the three Master Musicians, Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun, 1 Chron. 15. 19, 20, 21. See these three Instruments named together [save that instead of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is used, which maketh no difference] 1 Chr. 16. 5. and 25. 1. Neh. 12. 27. &c. 2 Chron. 29. 25.

In going about to determine punctually and exactly, what kind of Instruments these three were; we might spend a great deal of time in showing what this and that, and the other Author saith of them: and when we have done all, we must sit down with a conjecture, that it may be one of them was of this fashion, and another was of that, for it will be very hard and daring to be positive in them; and therefore we will only take up with Josephus his Character and description of them, who himself was often present no doubt at the Temple Music, and whose describing of them will give satisfaction enough to those that look rather after the time, order, and managing of the Music, than at the very consort of the Music itself.

• 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 He renders 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and desines it thus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .
• 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 He expresseth by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and gives it this character; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .
• 3. And 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he translateth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and saith of that kind of instrument, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

Upon which words we may take up these Observations:

• 1. That 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which our English constantly translates Harps and Psalteries, were strong instruments, and not wind instruments, as those were that we have spoken of before.
• 2. That though both these were instruments with strings, yet there was this difference between them. 1. That the one was struck with a quillor a bow, as are our Citterns and Viols; and the other with the singers, as the Pandura and the Lute. And 2. that the notes of the one was made and differenced by stops and frets, and of the other by the several strings, for so are the words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to be understood and distinguished. 3. That the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Nebhel had twelve strings, which made twelve several Notes; [as it is with our Harps and Virginals, where the several Notes are not made by stops, as they are on Lutes, but every several string is a several Note] And the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Kinnor had ten strings, but the Notes were made with frets and stops. I should therefore according to Josephus his character, if that be current, translate Nebhel a Harp, for the several strings made the several notes, and it was struck with the fingers, in both which things our Harps agree. And 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Kinnor I should liken to our Citterns or Viols, stopped on the frets, and played on with a quill or bow, and should translate it a Viol. Rabbi Judah said, The 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Kinnor of the Sanctuary had seven strings: but in the days of Messias it shall have eighth, as it is said, To him that excelleth upon Sheminith, or upon the eight string of the world to come.
• 3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which both our English, the LXX. [in Psal. 150.] and Josephus [in his words cited] do render Cymballs, seemeth to have been neither wind instrument, nor string instrument, but some broad instrument of brass, whereon their music was made by heating on it as on a Taber. They were great and broad Cymbals of brass, saith Josephus. And the Talmudicks tell this story of one of their Cymbals; There was a Cymbal 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the Sanctuary, and it was made of brass, and the sound of it was sweet. It became cracked, and the wisemen sent and fetched workmen from Alexandria, who mended it, but then the sound was not so sweet as before. They took off the mending, and the sound was as sweet as it used to be. There might not be above one Cymbal in the Choir at once, and this seemeth to have born the Base, as being deepest and loudest: to this the Apostle alludes in his expression, 1 Cor. 13. 1.

We shall not be further curious, nor inquisitive about this matter, concerning the form or nature of the music-instruments: since our inquiry is after the song itself, I shall only add this, that of the Nebhels or Harps, there might not be less than two in the Choir, nor above six: and of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Kinnor or Viols not under nine, but as many above as possible: and so the least Choir that could be, was nine Viols, two Harps and one Cymbal. And now let us hear the Music itself.

1. The Trumpets sounded their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Taratantara [for so for company will we call it,] every morning at the opening at the Court Gates, particularly at the opening of the East gate, or the gate of Nicanor: Now though this practice had not any express and literal Command, yet was it grounded upon this necessity and reason, because that the Levites and Stationary men might have notice to come to attend their Desks and Service: and that the People of Jerusalem might hear and take notice, and those that would come to the Temple: so that this sounding was as it were the Bells to ring them into the Service: And after this the Trumpets sounded not till the very time of the morning Sacrifice.

2. The Song and Music began not to sound, till the pouring out of the Drink-offering. This is a Traditionary Maxim, exceeding common, and received among the Rabbins, and they descant upon it thus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 They utter not the song but over the Wine of the Drink-offering: for a man singeth not but for gladness of heart. Therefore they utter not the song at the very time of the Offering, but over the Wine which cheereth God and Man, as Jud. 9. 13. And so the Treatise Tamid describing the manner of the daily service, relateth that when the High-priest was minded to offer the Sacrifice, He went up the rise or bridge of the Altar, and the Sagan on his right hand: when he came to the midst of the rise, the Sagan took him by the right hand and lift him up: then the first man that was to bring up the pieces of the sacrifice, reached him up the head and the feet, and the second reached him the two shoulders, and so the rest reached him the rest of the parts, and he disposed of them, &c. And when he was to go about the Altar, to sprinkle the blood upon the horns of it, he began at the South-east corner, and from thence to the North-east, and so to the North-west, and concluded at the South-west. They give him the wine of the drink-offering to pour it out: the Sagn stood by the horn of the Altar, and a napkin in his hand: and two Priests stood by the Table of the fat, and two silver Trumpets in their hand to sound. They came and stood by Ben Arza, the one on his right hand, and the other on his left: He [the High-priest] stooped down to pour out the drink-offering, and the Sagan waved with his napkin, and Ben Arza struck up his Cymbal, and the Levites began the song. And so may we understand that passage, 2 Chron. 29. 27. And when the burnt-offering began, the song of the Lord began with the Trumpets and with the Instruments; namely, when the drink-offering was poured out, for till then the Offering was not perfect because every burnt offering was bound to have a meat offering, and a drink offering, or else it was not right, Num. 15. 5. And this may be the proper cause, whatsoever the Jews descant, why the Music began not till the drink-offering: namely, they stayed till the offering was complete, and then began.

3. The constant and ordinary Psalms that they sang were these:

On the first day of the week, the four and twentieth Psalm, The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof, &c.

On the second day of the week, the forty eight Psalm. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the City of God. &c.

On the third day, the eighty second Psal. God standeth in the Congregation of the mighty, and judgeth among the God's, &c.

On the fourth day, the ninety fourth Psal. O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth, &c.

On the fifth day, the eighty first Psal. Sing aloud unto God our strength, make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob, &c.

On the sixth day of the week, the ninety third Psal. The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with Majesty, &c.

On the Sabbath day they sang the ninety second Psal. which bears the Title of A Psalm or Song for the Sabbath day.

These were the known, and constant, and fixed Psalms, that the singers sang, and the music plaid to, on the several days of the week: And the reason of the choice of these several Psalms for the several days; the Gemara on the Treatise Rosh hashanah, and the Gloss upon the Treatise Tamid, do give to this purpose.

On the first day of the week they sang the Psalm, The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof, &c. Because on the first day of the week of the Creation, God possessed the world, and gave it in possession, and ruled in it.

On the second day of the Week they sang the Psalm, Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, &c. For on that day the Lord divided his works, the waters, and reigned over them.

On the third day they sang the Psalm, God standeth in the Congregation of the mighty, &c. Because on that day the earth appeared, on which is Judging and Judges; and by his Wisdom he discovered the Earth, and established the World by his Understanding.

On the fourth day they sang the Psalm, O Lord God to whom Vengeance belongeth, &c. Because on the fourth day he made the Sun, Moon and Stars, and will be avenged on them that worship them.

On the fifth day the Psalm, Sing aloud unto God our strength, &c. Because of the variety of Creatures that were made that day to praise his name.

On the Sixth day the Psalm, The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with Majesty, &c. Because on the sixth day God finished his works, made man, who understands the glory of the Creator, and the Lord ruled over all his works. Thus they descant.

4. Now the singers, in singing of these Psalms, divided everyone of them into three parts, making three large pauses or rests in them; and ceased their Music and Singing for a while; these parts and pauses the Talmudicks call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and they say thus of them, that they were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Pausings or intermissions in the vocal music, and when the voices ceased, the instruments ceased also, and so in every Psalm the music made three intermissions.

5. At these intermissions the Trumpets sounded, and the People worshipped 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 For at every pause [saith the Talmud] there was a souning with the Trumpets, and at every sounding there was a worshipping, their sounding with the Trumpets, was, as hath been spoken before, a Taratantara, [as we have chosen to call it,] and they never sounded otherwise than so, when they sounded, namely, three strains, a plain, a quavering, and a plain again: and thus did the Trumpets sound one and twenty blasts every day; three at the opening of the Court gate, nine at the morning sacrifice, and nine at the evening sacrifice: namely, three soundings at the three pausings of the Music, and the three strains named, at every sounding: and so we see that the Trumpets were never joined with the Choir in Consort, but sounded only when the Choir was silent.

Thus was the Song, and these were the Psalms sung ordinarily throughout all the year: but at some certain days there were other Psalms and Songs used, and the Trumpets also sounded extraordinary soundings, besides that number now mentioned.

As 1. On the Eve of the Sabbath, the Trumpets sounded two soundings more than they used to do at other days; namely one [which consisted of the three strains] to cause the People to cease from work, and another to distinguish between the common day, and the holy day that was now come in.

2. On the Sabbaths themselves, there was an additional sacrifice, besides the daily sacrifice, according to the appointment, Num. 28. 9, 10. And at the time of this additional sacrifice, the Levites sang Moses his Song, in Deut. 32. Hear O Heavens, and I will speak, &c. but they sang it not all at one time, but divided into six parts, and sang one part of it every Sabbath, and so in six Sabbath days they finished it, and then began again. Thus did they at the additional morning sacrifice: and at the evening sacrifice they sang Moses song in Exod. 15. And the consideration of this [that on the Sabbaths they sang both the songs of Moses ] helpeth to illustrate that passage in Rev. 15. 3. where the Saints are said to sing the Song of Moses the servant of God: because they were now come to their everlasting Sabbath, having gotten the Victory over the Beast, and over his Image, and over his Mark, and over the number of his Name, and having the Harps of God in their hands: Now at the additional sacrifice, and song of the Sabbath, the Priests sounded their Trumpets three times more, as they did at the ordinary songs, the singers making their pauses and stops in those songs, as well as in the other.

3. At the Additional sacrifices which were appointed for the first day of the year, Num. 29. 1, 2, &c. [which was called the feast of Trumpets, because the Trumpets then sounded to give notice of the years beginning] the Levites sang the eighty first Psalm, Sing aloud unto the God our strength, &c. And if the first day of the year fell upon the fifth day of the week, [for which day this Psalm was appointed in the ordinary course] then they said it twice over, once at the daily sacrifice, and once at the additional sacrifice, but beginning at one of the times at the sixth verse, I removed his shoulder from the burden, &c.

4. At the evening Sacrifice of the first day of the year, they sang the nine and twentieth Psalm, The voice of the Lord shaketh the Wilderness, &c. And if the first day of the year chanced to light upon the Sabbath, the Psalms of the first day of the year were sung, and took place of the Psalms for the Sabbath.

5. At the Passover, and at some other times, as hath been related, they sang the Hallel, which to describe we will refer till we come to take up the Celebration of the Passover in its due place.

SECT. III. Of the Stationary men, or Israelites of the Station.

AS there were four and twenty Courses of the Priests, and as many of the Porters and Singers, so also were there four and twenty Courses of Israelites for the station. This indeed, is a title that is a stranger to the Scripture, and not mentioned there, and yet the thing itself seemeth not to want its ground, nor the men themselves their warrant from thence.

There were two Maxims in reference to their Sacrifices, which were as premises, out of which was necessarily deduced the conclusion for Stationary men, and those were these. 1. A man's Sacrifice could not be offered up, unless he himself were present at it, and standing by it, and so is the undoubted Tenet in both Talmuds 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 A man's Sacrifice may not possibly be offered up, if he himself be not present at it. And hence it was that although Women were at all other times, forbidden coming into the Court of Israel, yet when any Woman had a Sacrifice to be offered up for her, she had admission into the Court, and there was a kind of necessity that she should be there, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 A Woman might not be seen in the Court, but only at the time of her Offering: and then she might be, nay then she must be present there. And the reason of this was, because of that command, that whosoever had a burnt Sacrifice to offer up, he must bring it to the Sanctuary himself, and if Bullock or Lamb, he must put his hand upon the head of it, Levite. 1. 3. and 3. 2. 8.

2. There were some Sacrifices, that were the Sacrifices of all Israel, or of the whole Congregation: and particularly 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the continual daily Sacrifice was the Offering for all Israel: And accordingly the Lambs for the daily Sacrifice, and other Sacrifices which were offered up for the whole Congregation were provided, at the Public Charge, out of the Temple Treasury.

Now it was impossible that all Israel should be present at the Sacrifices that were to be offered up for all Israel, and therefore it was needful that some representatives should be chosen, who instead, and behalf of all the People, should be present at every Sacrifice that should be offered up for the whole Congregation: And because this attendance would be continual, in regard of the daily Sacrifice, which was a Sacrifice of this Nature, and so the Service would be very heavy for any one company of Men to attend continually; therefore they appointed four and twenty Courses of these Stationary men, as well as of the Priests and Levites, that their attendance in these vicissitudes might be the more easy and portable, even as the others were also divided into the like Courses for the same ease. The Jews hold that these stations were first ordained by the former Prophets. For the former Prophets appointed [saith Maymony] that they should choose out of Israel, men upright and religious, and that these should be as the Messengers of all Israel, to stand by the Sacrifices, and these are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Men of the station, and they divided them into four and twenty Courses, according to the number of the Courses of the Priests and Levites, and over every station there was one made Chief or President, and him they called, the President of the station.

These men of the Station in every Course, did as the Priests and Levites did in their Courses, those that were in Jerusalem and near it, when their week came, went and attended upon their station: but those that were at distance and further off, gathered together into their several Synagogues, and there fasted and prayed, and read some part of the Law: because though at distance, yet would they join in service with, and for their brethren of their Course, who were now in their attendance at Jerusalem: They fasted on the second, third, fourth and fifth days of that week, and read over the story of the creation, in Gen. 1. & 2. in the six days, every day a portion of it. They would not fast on the first day of the week, because they would not slip out of the joy and delight of a Sabbath into a Fast, and they would not fast on the last day of the week, because they would not preface the joy and delight of the Sabbath, with a Fast neither. But the four days between, they spent in that solemn duty, for the prosperity of their brethren that were at Jerusalem, and of the work that they were about.

The Stationary men that were at Jerusalem, were to attend constantly upon the Temple Service, whilst it was in hand, except at some particular times, when they had a dispensation, of which anon: and their attendance referred especially to two ends:

First, They stood to be a representative Congregation, in behalf of all the people, at the offering up of the daily sacrifice, which was the sacrifice of all the people; and at the use and administration of the public Ordinances and Service. The Jews were so precise and punctual about this point, of having a competent congregation present, when the public Ordinances were administered; that in their Synagogues they would not have public Prayers, nor reading of the Law, unless ten men were there; much more was there a fitting Congregation of the people required to be at the Temple-service, which concerned all the people, to be administered unto, besides the Priests which were to administer: There was sacrificing there, twice a day, and reading of the Law at the least twice, and Prayers four times, and it had becomed and behooved [if it had been possible] all the people to have been there present and attending; which because it could not possibly be done, that all the people should be constant there, they ordained and provided these Courses of Stationary men, to be as the Deputies of all the people, and a representative Congregation in their behalf. It had been a visible contempt of those ordinances, to have had them administered daily, and none of the people to have been attending on them: and it would have been a hazard, that in time they would have been neglected by the people, if they had been only left to their own liberty, to come, or not to come to them, as they saw good; therefore to prevent this visible contempt that might have accrued, and to provide that there might be always a Congregation of the people, these stationary Courses were ordained, that if devotion brought no other of the people to the service, yet these their representatives might be sure to be attending 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 And this their standing there, at prayers, supplications and oraisons, and at the reading of the Law, was called the station.

A second employment that they, or at least, some of them had, was to take care [as representatives of the people] that those of the people that had been under any uncleanness, and being now cleansed were come to have their atonement made, might be dispatched, and the business done for which they came. And so it is intimated by the treaty Tamid, when it relateth that upon the ringing of the Migrephah, [of which hereafter] by those that went into the holy place to offer incense, the head or chief man of the station, brought such persons up into the gate of Nicanor, to have their atonement made.

There have been some who have conceived that these Stationary men, as representatives of the whole Congregation, were to lay their hands upon the head of the daily sacrifice, which was an offering for all the people; I did once go along also with this opinion, but now I find the Jews on the contrary, asserting That there was no laying on of hands upon the sacrifices of the whole Congregation, but only in two cases. The one was upon the scapegoat, and the other was upon the bullock that was offered for the whole Congregation, when it sinned of ignorance, and the thing was hid from the eyes of the Assembly: And that it was a Tradition delivered even by Moses himself: that for the whole Congregation, hands were laid but upon these two sacrifices. And accordingly there were divers sacrifice times, when the Stationary men were excused from attendance; though the sacrifice were a sacrifice for the whole Congregation; As they never made a station at the morning sacrifice all the eight days of the feast of Dedication, nor at the evening sacrifice on those days, when there was an additional sacrifice, added to the daily.

These Stationary men in the week of their attendance, might neither be trimmed by the Barber, nor might they wash their clothes in all that time: And the reason of this was, because they were to do these things before they entered their attendance, and to come neat to it, and not to have these things to do, when they were entered.

SECT. I. Of the Porters and Guards of the Temple.

THE Levites were divided into Porters and Signers; fixed Offices which they might not change, one to intrude into another's Office, and neither of them into the Priests.

The distribution of Porters into four and twenty Courses, is not so clearly legible in the Scripture, as is such a distribution of the Priests and Singers; for the Courses of both those are both numbered and named, and so are not these. And yet do these two Texts, 2 Chron. 3. 14. and 1 Chron. 26. 17, 18. hold out so fair a propability of such a thing, that it may almost as readily be concluded upon, as may the other. For in the former, the Porters go in the very same Equipage, as to the matter of division into Courses, with the Priests and Singers. He appointed the Courses of the Priests according to the order of David his Father, and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the Lord, as the duty of every day required; the Porters also by their Courses at every Gate. And in the latter, the first Fathers of the Porters are summed up to the very same number that the first Fathers of the other Courses were, namely, to four and twenty: Amongst all the Porters [saith David Kimchi] there were four and twenty according to the rest of the courses; six on the East side, four on the North, four on the South: at Asuppim two and two, four in all; four on the West, and two at Parhar; behold four and twenty. And our Rabbins have distributed them into four and twenty places, &c.

The Office of the Porters was first to open and shut the Doors of the Mountain of the House, and of the Court of the Women; (for we have observed elsewhere, that the Priests took care for opening and shutting the Gates of the other Court) and to attend in those Gates all the day for prevention of any inconvenience that might come: to the prejudice of the purity, safety, or peace of the place or service. Secondly, the Scripture puts some Treasureship upon the Porters, as that they had some Treasures and Treasuries at the Gates where they attended; of which is spoken at large in our Treating concerning the Gates and Treasuries elsewhere. As for that part of their office and employment which the Rabbins do sometimes make mention of, (under the phrase of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) whether it were the brushing of the Gates, and keeping of the gilding bright, or their being the Turn-keys at the Wickets, or little doors within the great Gates when the Gates were shut; it was a work so coincident with their attendance at the Gates continually, that it is but a piece of that employment, and needs not to be taken for an Office by itself.

Now besides this care of the Porters at the Gates by day, there was as much or more both at the Gates and other places by night in the Guards which were set to watch the Temple, which were four and twenty in all. The guards of the Sanctuary (saith Maimonides) was an affirmative command; although there were not fear either of enemies or thieves: and the command concerning this guarding, was that it should be by night. And they that warded were the Priests and the Levites, as it is said, thou and thy sons with thee, before the Tabernacle of the Congregation, &c. Now whether the Levites that were of these Guards were the Porters only, and not the Singers also of every Course as it came in, might very well be questioned, if it were worth the labor to examine it; ( e ) but were they, or were they not, the guards were in number four and twenty, and were kept in four and twenty places every night, three of Priests, and one and twenty of Levites. 1. There was a guard at everyone of these Gates of the Mountain of the House, one at the East Gate Shusha; one at the North Gate Tedi; two at the two South Gates Huldab; and one at the West Gate Coponius: And there was a Guard within everyone of the four corners of that great Square: so that there were nine in that boundary Wall that encompassed the Holy Ground. The three other Gates on the West quarter, namely, one of Parbar, and two of Asuppim, had not Night-guards at them as the rest had, though they had Porters by day, either because the steep descent from them did help their security, or because they found some security for them some other way. 2. About the Wall that enclosed the Courts, there were two Guards at the two East corners, and at the West, and both of them without the Wall of the Court; and there were five at five of the seven Gates. The two Gates that had not the Levites Guards upon them, were the Water-Gate, over which there was a Guard of Priests in the Chamber of A • tines and the upper Gate of Corban, by which there was a Guard of Priests in the room Beth Mokadh. And there was one Guard more of Levites on the North side, in the Chamber of Corban, over against the Holy Place, and another on the South side over against the Vail, and another just behind the most Holy Place. The Gate Nitsets had a Guard of Priests and Levites both at it, very near together; All which places will be easier understood upon sight of them in the Map that we have drawn of the Temple, and building about it, if it could once find the hap to come to sight.

There was one that walked the Round through all these Guards every night, and him they called, The Man of the Mountain of the House: And if he found any one not standing on his feet, he said unto him, Peace be unto thee; but if he found any one asleep, he struck him, and had liberty to set fire on his Garments: so that they would say, what noise is yonder in the Court? why it is the noise of a Levite beaten, and his Coat burnt because he slept upon the Guard. Rabbi Eliezer the son of Jacob saith, one time they found my Mothers Brother sleeping, and they burnt his Garments. Now whether this Man of the Mountain of the House were the Sagan [as some have thought, but very unlikely,] or one man of the Course that then waited, appointed for this purpose; as is the Opinion of Maimonides and Bartenora, or whosoever he was, methinks his action in burning the sleepers Garments, giveth light to that place, Rev. 16. 15. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garments.

SECT. II. Of the Singers and Temple Music.

NOt to insist upon the ordaining and division of the Singers and their Courses, of which there is large description, 1 Chron. 25. nor to search the ground of the Temple Music from the Law; about which the Gemarists are copiously inquisitive in the Treatise Erachin; let us take up a little consideration first of the persons of the singers themselves, and then of their Song and Music.

Maimonides tells us, that the Singers were Levites and Israelites together 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 He had spoken immediately before, that the Song of the Temple was properly with Voices, and not with Instruments, because the ground of that Song which was the Service, was the Voice. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which is a Maxim that the Talmud speaketh of exceeding oft; yet he concludeth that others stood with the Voices, with Instruments. And some of them (saith he) were Levites, and some of them were Israelites of note, that had married with the Priesthood; for none might go up into the desks of the Song men, but men of note.

The Mishnah in the Treatise Erachin cited above, doth make the like division in this point, and it doth it so, as that the Israelites our Rabbin speaketh of, appear to have their part in the instrumental Music only, and not in the Vocal. For having made mention of the sounding of the Trumpets, and the Music of other Instruments, and how, when they were used, it concludeth thus: Now these (that played upon such and such instruments, for that was the discourse in the next words before) were the servants of the Priests. The words of Rabbi Mier: Rabbi Jose saith, it was the Family of Pegarim, and the Family of Tsippariah of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Emmaus which were taken to the Priesthood. Rabbi Haninah the son of Antigonus, saith they were Levites. The Gloss upon the place, saith these were Families of Israelites of note, whose Daughters the Priests had married. The Treatise Succah, speaketh of these very Families, and saith they were of Ai and Emmaus (it is written 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 there) and the Gloss there, saith they were Israelites of worth, whose daughters and widows were sit to be married to the Priests.

So that it is a disputed case whether any were employed in the Music but the Levites only; but if any other, they were to be as near the Priesthood as possible, both for alliance and qualifications, and when they were come to the highest they could, they were not admitted to join Voices with the Vocal Music, which was the proper Song, and the proper Service, but only to join with the Instrumental: which was but thus much, that if any man of worth and piety, or in near affinity with the Priesthood, had addicted himself to Musical Devotions, and to pour out his Praises to God that way, (as that was then greatly in use) if he came to offer to join his Skill and Devotion to the Temple Chorus, they refused him not, but let him put in with his Instrument among the Instruments, but among the Voices he might not join, for that belonged only to the Levites. So it is said in the 2 Sam. 6. 5. And David and all the House of Israel played on all manner of Instruments made of fine wood, even on Harps, and on Psalteries, and on Timbrels, and on Cornets, and Cymbals.

As for the number of the Singers, that is the Voices, they were never to be under twelve, for so was the number of every Course when they were divided into their Courses, 1 Chron. 25. But as many above twelve as might be, and so their Tradition is express; There must not be less than twelve Levites in the desks, but they add to the number ever. And whereas the Levites Children might never come within the Court, upon any other occasion, nor at any other time whatsoever: yet might they come in when the Levites were singing, and might sing with them, not going up into the Desks, and looking over as the Levites did, but standing upon the ground, between their Fathers Legs. And the Warrant for this they take from those words in Ezr. 3. 9. Then stood Jeshua with his sons, Kadmiel and his sons, &c. And they sang together by course, &c. And they back it also with this reason, &c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Because the voice of those was small, and the others big, those trebled, and the other sang more base: And so by this means they made the more full, and the more sweet Music.

The Instruments that they used, were either wind Instruments, or Instruments with strings. The first of their wind Instruments to be looked after, were their Trumpets, of whose Attendance on the Altar service we find mention, 2 Chron. 7. 6. and 29. 26. and in divers other places, where the use of them is ascribed to the Priests, and not to the Levites; for indeed they were none of the Consort, but a Music when the Consort stopped, as we shall see anon.

The number of the Trumpets was to be not under two, nor above an hundred and twenty, the reason why not under two, was because of that command, Num. 10. 2. Make thee two Trumpets: and why not above 120. was because of that example at the beginning of the Temple Service, 2 Chron. 5. 12.

The Lord enjoined in Numb. 10. 10. That in the day of their rejoicing, and in their so-Lemn Feasts, and in the New Moons, they should blow with Trumpets: This was the warrant and engagement of this Trumpet Music, and the manner of it was thus:

Those that blew with Trumpets were the Priests, for so was the original institution, that the Priests the sons of Aaron should blow with them, Numb. 10. 18. 1 Chron. 15. 24. And their standing, when they were about this piece of service, was not where the Levites stood in the desks, or near them, but it was clean on the other side of the Altar, and they stood looking down the Court when they blew the Trumpets, as the Levites stood looking up the Court when they sang and plaid, but both looking on the Altar: Two Priests stood by the Table of the Fat 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 with two silver Trumpets in their hand, &c. as saith the Mishnah of the Talmud in the place cited in the Margine: Now it speaketh of two Priests, because that was the lowest number of Trumpets that might be used, and if there were more, they stood in the same place in more compass, namely on the West side of the rise of the Altar, for there as is observed in the place, the Table of the fat was placed.

The manner of their blowing with their Trumpets was first a long plain blast, then a blast with breakings and quaverings, and then a long, plain blast again; this the Jews call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and in their short writings they express it thus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The Mishnah last cited, saith, thas the Priests standing in the place there mentioned, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , sounded, blew alarm, sounded, for so let me English it till further discourse do more fully show its meaning.

The Priests did never blow, but these three blasts went together, and hereupon arose that dispute which occurs more than once or twice in the Talmud, about how many times the Trumpets sounded before the Altar every day.

The general Tradition ran thus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : They never sounded less than one and twenty soundings in the Sanctuary, and never more than eight and forty: But there were some that express it thus, That they never sounded less than seven soundings, nor more than sixteen: Now the reason of this difference, which indeed was no difference at all, was this because the one party held the three distinct blowings to be but one sounding, and the other held them to be three soundings distinct.

The Jews do express these three several soundings, that they made at one blowing, by these words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 an Alarm in the midst [for so our English renders 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Num. 10. 5, 6. Vatablus, vox infracta, a broken or quavering sounding ] and a plain note before it and after it: which our Christian Writers do most commonly express by Taratantara; though that word seem to put the quavering sound before and after, and the plain in the midst, contrary to the Jewish description of it.

A second wind Instrument that they used, was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Chalil, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Abbubh, a Pipe, or Hoboy, or Cornet, or some such loud Wind Music [which of these I will not much question:] the Jews in this story give us some Character of it. Our Rabbins have delivered [say they] that there was an Abbubh or Pipe in the Sanctuary; [the Gemara and the Gloss intimate Chalil and Abbubh were all one] It was smooth, it was thin, it was of reed, and it was from the days of Moses. The King commanded, and they gilt it all over with gold, but then the sound of it was not so sweet as before. They took off the gilding, and the sound was as sweet as ever.

Now this Pipe or Hoboy, or call it what you will, was not a constant Music at the Altar every day, as the Trumpets were, and the other instruments that we are to speak of, but it was used only twelve days in all the year, There were not to be less than two Chalils or Pipes [saith the Talmudic Tradition] and there were not to be more than twelve. And on twelve days of the year did they play on the Chalil, before the Altar, namely at the killing of the first Passover [or the Passover in the first month:] and at the killing of the second Passover; [in the second month] on the first Holiday of the Passover Week, on the Holiday of Pentecost, [Lev. 23. 21.] and on the eight days of the feast of Tabernacles: And they played not on a Pipe of brass but of reed, because the sound of that is sweet: And the close was made with one Pipe or Hoboy alone, because such a close is most delightsome: For one Pipe [ saith the Gloss] drew out the close after the other had done: for this is a better way than if they should have closed all together. And this Music of the Chalil was at the time of the Offering: and the Levites sung the Hallell with their voices, all the twelve days mentioned, but on the other days the other instruments were used, and they sung the ordinary song.

Those other instruments therefore, that were the constant Music, and never failed from attendance were these three, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Nebhel, Kinnor and Tseltsel, and these were severally distributed to the sons of the three Master Musicians, Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun, 1 Chron. 15. 19, 20, 21. See these three Instruments named together [save that instead of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is used, which maketh no difference] 1 Chr. 16. 5. and 25. 1. Neh. 12. 27. &c. 2 Chron. 29. 25.

In going about to determine punctually and exactly, what kind of Instruments these three were; we might spend a great deal of time in showing what this and that, and the other Author saith of them: and when we have done all, we must sit down with a conjecture, that it may be one of them was of this fashion, and another was of that, for it will be very hard and daring to be positive in them; and therefore we will only take up with Josephus his Character and description of them, who himself was often present no doubt at the Temple Music, and whose describing of them will give satisfaction enough to those that look rather after the time, order, and managing of the Music, than at the very consort of the Music itself.

• 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 He renders 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and desines it thus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .
• 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 He expresseth by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and gives it this character; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .
• 3. And 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he translateth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and saith of that kind of instrument, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

Upon which words we may take up these Observations:

• 1. That 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which our English constantly translates Harps and Psalteries, were strong instruments, and not wind instruments, as those were that we have spoken of before.
• 2. That though both these were instruments with strings, yet there was this difference between them. 1. That the one was struck with a quillor a bow, as are our Citterns and Viols; and the other with the singers, as the Pandura and the Lute. And 2. that the notes of the one was made and differenced by stops and frets, and of the other by the several strings, for so are the words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to be understood and distinguished. 3. That the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Nebhel had twelve strings, which made twelve several Notes; [as it is with our Harps and Virginals, where the several Notes are not made by stops, as they are on Lutes, but every several string is a several Note] And the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Kinnor had ten strings, but the Notes were made with frets and stops. I should therefore according to Josephus his character, if that be current, translate Nebhel a Harp, for the several strings made the several notes, and it was struck with the fingers, in both which things our Harps agree. And 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Kinnor I should liken to our Citterns or Viols, stopped on the frets, and played on with a quill or bow, and should translate it a Viol. Rabbi Judah said, The 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Kinnor of the Sanctuary had seven strings: but in the days of Messias it shall have eighth, as it is said, To him that excelleth upon Sheminith, or upon the eight string of the world to come.
• 3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which both our English, the LXX. [in Psal. 150.] and Josephus [in his words cited] do render Cymballs, seemeth to have been neither wind instrument, nor string instrument, but some broad instrument of brass, whereon their music was made by heating on it as on a Taber. They were great and broad Cymbals of brass, saith Josephus. And the Talmudicks tell this story of one of their Cymbals; There was a Cymbal 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the Sanctuary, and it was made of brass, and the sound of it was sweet. It became cracked, and the wisemen sent and fetched workmen from Alexandria, who mended it, but then the sound was not so sweet as before. They took off the mending, and the sound was as sweet as it used to be. There might not be above one Cymbal in the Choir at once, and this seemeth to have born the Base, as being deepest and loudest: to this the Apostle alludes in his expression, 1 Cor. 13. 1.

We shall not be further curious, nor inquisitive about this matter, concerning the form or nature of the music-instruments: since our inquiry is after the song itself, I shall only add this, that of the Nebhels or Harps, there might not be less than two in the Choir, nor above six: and of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Kinnor or Viols not under nine, but as many above as possible: and so the least Choir that could be, was nine Viols, two Harps and one Cymbal. And now let us hear the Music itself.

1. The Trumpets sounded their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Taratantara [for so for company will we call it,] every morning at the opening at the Court Gates, particularly at the opening of the East gate, or the gate of Nicanor: Now though this practice had not any express and literal Command, yet was it grounded upon this necessity and reason, because that the Levites and Stationary men might have notice to come to attend their Desks and Service: and that the People of Jerusalem might hear and take notice, and those that would come to the Temple: so that this sounding was as it were the Bells to ring them into the Service: And after this the Trumpets sounded not till the very time of the morning Sacrifice.

2. The Song and Music began not to sound, till the pouring out of the Drink-offering. This is a Traditionary Maxim, exceeding common, and received among the Rabbins, and they descant upon it thus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 They utter not the song but over the Wine of the Drink-offering: for a man singeth not but for gladness of heart. Therefore they utter not the song at the very time of the Offering, but over the Wine which cheereth God and Man, as Jud. 9. 13. And so the Treatise Tamid describing the manner of the daily service, relateth that when the High-priest was minded to offer the Sacrifice, He went up the rise or bridge of the Altar, and the Sagan on his right hand: when he came to the midst of the rise, the Sagan took him by the right hand and lift him up: then the first man that was to bring up the pieces of the sacrifice, reached him up the head and the feet, and the second reached him the two shoulders, and so the rest reached him the rest of the parts, and he disposed of them, &c. And when he was to go about the Altar, to sprinkle the blood upon the horns of it, he began at the South-east corner, and from thence to the North-east, and so to the North-west, and concluded at the South-west. They give him the wine of the drink-offering to pour it out: the Sagn stood by the horn of the Altar, and a napkin in his hand: and two Priests stood by the Table of the fat, and two silver Trumpets in their hand to sound. They came and stood by Ben Arza, the one on his right hand, and the other on his left: He [the High-priest] stooped down to pour out the drink-offering, and the Sagan waved with his napkin, and Ben Arza struck up his Cymbal, and the Levites began the song. And so may we understand that passage, 2 Chron. 29. 27. And when the burnt-offering began, the song of the Lord began with the Trumpets and with the Instruments; namely, when the drink-offering was poured out, for till then the Offering was not perfect because every burnt offering was bound to have a meat offering, and a drink offering, or else it was not right, Num. 15. 5. And this may be the proper cause, whatsoever the Jews descant, why the Music began not till the drink-offering: namely, they stayed till the offering was complete, and then began.

3. The constant and ordinary Psalms that they sang were these:

On the first day of the week, the four and twentieth Psalm, The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof, &c.

On the second day of the week, the forty eight Psalm. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the City of God. &c.

On the third day, the eighty second Psal. God standeth in the Congregation of the mighty, and judgeth among the God's, &c.

On the fourth day, the ninety fourth Psal. O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth, &c.

On the fifth day, the eighty first Psal. Sing aloud unto God our strength, make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob, &c.

On the sixth day of the week, the ninety third Psal. The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with Majesty, &c.

On the Sabbath day they sang the ninety second Psal. which bears the Title of A Psalm or Song for the Sabbath day.

These were the known, and constant, and fixed Psalms, that the singers sang, and the music plaid to, on the several days of the week: And the reason of the choice of these several Psalms for the several days; the Gemara on the Treatise Rosh hashanah, and the Gloss upon the Treatise Tamid, do give to this purpose.

On the first day of the week they sang the Psalm, The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof, &c. Because on the first day of the week of the Creation, God possessed the world, and gave it in possession, and ruled in it.

On the second day of the Week they sang the Psalm, Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, &c. For on that day the Lord divided his works, the waters, and reigned over them.

On the third day they sang the Psalm, God standeth in the Congregation of the mighty, &c. Because on that day the earth appeared, on which is Judging and Judges; and by his Wisdom he discovered the Earth, and established the World by his Understanding.

On the fourth day they sang the Psalm, O Lord God to whom Vengeance belongeth, &c. Because on the fourth day he made the Sun, Moon and Stars, and will be avenged on them that worship them.

On the fifth day the Psalm, Sing aloud unto God our strength, &c. Because of the variety of Creatures that were made that day to praise his name.

On the Sixth day the Psalm, The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with Majesty, &c. Because on the sixth day God finished his works, made man, who understands the glory of the Creator, and the Lord ruled over all his works. Thus they descant.

4. Now the singers, in singing of these Psalms, divided everyone of them into three parts, making three large pauses or rests in them; and ceased their Music and Singing for a while; these parts and pauses the Talmudicks call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and they say thus of them, that they were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Pausings or intermissions in the vocal music, and when the voices ceased, the instruments ceased also, and so in every Psalm the music made three intermissions.

5. At these intermissions the Trumpets sounded, and the People worshipped 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 For at every pause [saith the Talmud] there was a souning with the Trumpets, and at every sounding there was a worshipping, their sounding with the Trumpets, was, as hath been spoken before, a Taratantara, [as we have chosen to call it,] and they never sounded otherwise than so, when they sounded, namely, three strains, a plain, a quavering, and a plain again: and thus did the Trumpets sound one and twenty blasts every day; three at the opening of the Court gate, nine at the morning sacrifice, and nine at the evening sacrifice: namely, three soundings at the three pausings of the Music, and the three strains named, at every sounding: and so we see that the Trumpets were never joined with the Choir in Consort, but sounded only when the Choir was silent.

Thus was the Song, and these were the Psalms sung ordinarily throughout all the year: but at some certain days there were other Psalms and Songs used, and the Trumpets also sounded extraordinary soundings, besides that number now mentioned.

As 1. On the Eve of the Sabbath, the Trumpets sounded two soundings more than they used to do at other days; namely one [which consisted of the three strains] to cause the People to cease from work, and another to distinguish between the common day, and the holy day that was now come in.

2. On the Sabbaths themselves, there was an additional sacrifice, besides the daily sacrifice, according to the appointment, Num. 28. 9, 10. And at the time of this additional sacrifice, the Levites sang Moses his Song, in Deut. 32. Hear O Heavens, and I will speak, &c. but they sang it not all at one time, but divided into six parts, and sang one part of it every Sabbath, and so in six Sabbath days they finished it, and then began again. Thus did they at the additional morning sacrifice: and at the evening sacrifice they sang Moses song in Exod. 15. And the consideration of this [that on the Sabbaths they sang both the songs of Moses ] helpeth to illustrate that passage in Rev. 15. 3. where the Saints are said to sing the Song of Moses the servant of God: because they were now come to their everlasting Sabbath, having gotten the Victory over the Beast, and over his Image, and over his Mark, and over the number of his Name, and having the Harps of God in their hands: Now at the additional sacrifice, and song of the Sabbath, the Priests sounded their Trumpets three times more, as they did at the ordinary songs, the singers making their pauses and stops in those songs, as well as in the other.

3. At the Additional sacrifices which were appointed for the first day of the year, Num. 29. 1, 2, &c. [which was called the feast of Trumpets, because the Trumpets then sounded to give notice of the years beginning] the Levites sang the eighty first Psalm, Sing aloud unto the God our strength, &c. And if the first day of the year fell upon the fifth day of the week, [for which day this Psalm was appointed in the ordinary course] then they said it twice over, once at the daily sacrifice, and once at the additional sacrifice, but beginning at one of the times at the sixth verse, I removed his shoulder from the burden, &c.

4. At the evening Sacrifice of the first day of the year, they sang the nine and twentieth Psalm, The voice of the Lord shaketh the Wilderness, &c. And if the first day of the year chanced to light upon the Sabbath, the Psalms of the first day of the year were sung, and took place of the Psalms for the Sabbath.

5. At the Passover, and at some other times, as hath been related, they sang the Hallel, which to describe we will refer till we come to take up the Celebration of the Passover in its due place.

SECT. III. Of the Stationary men, or Israelites of the Station.

AS there were four and twenty Courses of the Priests, and as many of the Porters and Singers, so also were there four and twenty Courses of Israelites for the station. This indeed, is a title that is a stranger to the Scripture, and not mentioned there, and yet the thing itself seemeth not to want its ground, nor the men themselves their warrant from thence.

There were two Maxims in reference to their Sacrifices, which were as premises, out of which was necessarily deduced the conclusion for Stationary men, and those were these. 1. A man's Sacrifice could not be offered up, unless he himself were present at it, and standing by it, and so is the undoubted Tenet in both Talmuds 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 A man's Sacrifice may not possibly be offered up, if he himself be not present at it. And hence it was that although Women were at all other times, forbidden coming into the Court of Israel, yet when any Woman had a Sacrifice to be offered up for her, she had admission into the Court, and there was a kind of necessity that she should be there, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 A Woman might not be seen in the Court, but only at the time of her Offering: and then she might be, nay then she must be present there. And the reason of this was, because of that command, that whosoever had a burnt Sacrifice to offer up, he must bring it to the Sanctuary himself, and if Bullock or Lamb, he must put his hand upon the head of it, Levite. 1. 3. and 3. 2. 8.

2. There were some Sacrifices, that were the Sacrifices of all Israel, or of the whole Congregation: and particularly 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the continual daily Sacrifice was the Offering for all Israel: And accordingly the Lambs for the daily Sacrifice, and other Sacrifices which were offered up for the whole Congregation were provided, at the Public Charge, out of the Temple Treasury.

Now it was impossible that all Israel should be present at the Sacrifices that were to be offered up for all Israel, and therefore it was needful that some representatives should be chosen, who instead, and behalf of all the People, should be present at every Sacrifice that should be offered up for the whole Congregation: And because this attendance would be continual, in regard of the daily Sacrifice, which was a Sacrifice of this Nature, and so the Service would be very heavy for any one company of Men to attend continually; therefore they appointed four and twenty Courses of these Stationary men, as well as of the Priests and Levites, that their attendance in these vicissitudes might be the more easy and portable, even as the others were also divided into the like Courses for the same ease. The Jews hold that these stations were first ordained by the former Prophets. For the former Prophets appointed [saith Maymony] that they should choose out of Israel, men upright and religious, and that these should be as the Messengers of all Israel, to stand by the Sacrifices, and these are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Men of the station, and they divided them into four and twenty Courses, according to the number of the Courses of the Priests and Levites, and over every station there was one made Chief or President, and him they called, the President of the station.

These men of the Station in every Course, did as the Priests and Levites did in their Courses, those that were in Jerusalem and near it, when their week came, went and attended upon their station: but those that were at distance and further off, gathered together into their several Synagogues, and there fasted and prayed, and read some part of the Law: because though at distance, yet would they join in service with, and for their brethren of their Course, who were now in their attendance at Jerusalem: They fasted on the second, third, fourth and fifth days of that week, and read over the story of the creation, in Gen. 1. & 2. in the six days, every day a portion of it. They would not fast on the first day of the week, because they would not slip out of the joy and delight of a Sabbath into a Fast, and they would not fast on the last day of the week, because they would not preface the joy and delight of the Sabbath, with a Fast neither. But the four days between, they spent in that solemn duty, for the prosperity of their brethren that were at Jerusalem, and of the work that they were about.

The Stationary men that were at Jerusalem, were to attend constantly upon the Temple Service, whilst it was in hand, except at some particular times, when they had a dispensation, of which anon: and their attendance referred especially to two ends:

First, They stood to be a representative Congregation, in behalf of all the people, at the offering up of the daily sacrifice, which was the sacrifice of all the people; and at the use and administration of the public Ordinances and Service. The Jews were so precise and punctual about this point, of having a competent congregation present, when the public Ordinances were administered; that in their Synagogues they would not have public Prayers, nor reading of the Law, unless ten men were there; much more was there a fitting Congregation of the people required to be at the Temple-service, which concerned all the people, to be administered unto, besides the Priests which were to administer: There was sacrificing there, twice a day, and reading of the Law at the least twice, and Prayers four times, and it had becomed and behooved [if it had been possible] all the people to have been there present and attending; which because it could not possibly be done, that all the people should be constant there, they ordained and provided these Courses of Stationary men, to be as the Deputies of all the people, and a representative Congregation in their behalf. It had been a visible contempt of those ordinances, to have had them administered daily, and none of the people to have been attending on them: and it would have been a hazard, that in time they would have been neglected by the people, if they had been only left to their own liberty, to come, or not to come to them, as they saw good; therefore to prevent this visible contempt that might have accrued, and to provide that there might be always a Congregation of the people, these stationary Courses were ordained, that if devotion brought no other of the people to the service, yet these their representatives might be sure to be attending 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 And this their standing there, at prayers, supplications and oraisons, and at the reading of the Law, was called the station.

A second employment that they, or at least, some of them had, was to take care [as representatives of the people] that those of the people that had been under any uncleanness, and being now cleansed were come to have their atonement made, might be dispatched, and the business done for which they came. And so it is intimated by the treaty Tamid, when it relateth that upon the ringing of the Migrephah, [of which hereafter] by those that went into the holy place to offer incense, the head or chief man of the station, brought such persons up into the gate of Nicanor, to have their atonement made.

There have been some who have conceived that these Stationary men, as representatives of the whole Congregation, were to lay their hands upon the head of the daily sacrifice, which was an offering for all the people; I did once go along also with this opinion, but now I find the Jews on the contrary, asserting That there was no laying on of hands upon the sacrifices of the whole Congregation, but only in two cases. The one was upon the scapegoat, and the other was upon the bullock that was offered for the whole Congregation, when it sinned of ignorance, and the thing was hid from the eyes of the Assembly: And that it was a Tradition delivered even by Moses himself: that for the whole Congregation, hands were laid but upon these two sacrifices. And accordingly there were divers sacrifice times, when the Stationary men were excused from attendance; though the sacrifice were a sacrifice for the whole Congregation; As they never made a station at the morning sacrifice all the eight days of the feast of Dedication, nor at the evening sacrifice on those days, when there was an additional sacrifice, added to the daily.

These Stationary men in the week of their attendance, might neither be trimmed by the Barber, nor might they wash their clothes in all that time: And the reason of this was, because they were to do these things before they entered their attendance, and to come neat to it, and not to have these things to do, when they were entered.

SECT. I. Burnt-offerings. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

IT is disputed among the learned of the Jews, what should be the occasion of burntofferings, and whereupon they became due. And I find the debate concluding in this resolution, that either they were to expiate for the evil thoughts of the heart, as sin-offerings, and trespass-offerings were to do for evil actions: or to expiate for the breach of affirmative precepts, as those did for negative. Rabbi Akibah questioned, For what doth a burnt-offering expiate? For matters whereupon there is a penalty, &c. or concerning affirmative precepts, and concerning negative precepts, whereunto some affirmative precept doth refer. And the body of the Beast (saith Ibn Ezra) that is offered to expiate for that that comes up into the heart, is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as the offering for a sin, or a trespass, is called