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A PARAPHRASE, AND ANNOTATIONS Upon all the Books of the New Testament, Briefly explaining all the difficult places thereof.

The Second Edition corrected and enlarged.

By H. HAMMOND, D. D.

[illustration]

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
S. Luc: 2 14.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
Greg. Nazianz.

LONDON. Printed by J. Flesher for Richard Davis Bookseller in Oxford. MDCLIX.

A necessary Advertisement to the Reader.

T O prepare the Reader to receive the designed benefit of this work, it will be first useful to present him with a scheme, or brief Table of the severals which here are offered to him, and will be reducible to three heads; The first concerning the Original Text, the second concerning the Version or Translation, the third concerning the Exposition of it. In every of these, if all that hath formerly been observed and written by others had here been summarily repeated, it would have given a vast, but unnecessary bulk to this Volume: and therefore for those things which have been already thus largely insisted on, (whether by the Ancients, S. Chrysostom, and the Greek Scholiasts, or, among the many later writers on this subject, by the most judicious and learned Hugo Grotius, in his admirable Comments on the Gospels, as also in the Posthumous Annotations on the other parts of the New Testament, which for a great part bear his signature upon them) the care hath been to leave the Reader from their own hands to receive the account, and reap the benefit of their excellent labors (which are everywhere to be met with,) and not to add one Volume more to the great number of those which are already enriched with the spoils, and swelled by the transcribing of others observations.

In the first place, that concerning the Greek Text, Many learned men, especially Lucas Brugensis and Robertus Stephanus, have used great industry to observe the various readings of the many Manuscript Copies which had been diligently collected and compared. And these are already to be had by those that please to consult them. Yet because this Kingdom of ours hath been enriched with some monuments of Antiquity in this kind, which were probably designed by God for more honorable uses then only to be laid up in Archives, as dead bodies in vaults and charnel-houses, to converse with dust, and worms, and rottenness; some of these I have chosen to advise with, and from them to offer sometimes a various reading; yet not permitting this to supplant or turn out that which hath vulgarly been received, but setting it in the inner margent, that those that have judgment may, as they see cause, make use of it.

The first MS. which I have myself twice compared, I found in the place of my Education, in the Librarie of S ^t Mary Magdalene College in Oxford, a fair and an ancient Copy.

The second is that more known in the King 's Librarie at S ^t James 's, presented to our late Sovereign by Cyril the Patriarch of Constantinople, written in Capital letters by a very ancient hand, of Thecla, as it is thought, and now happily prepared for the press by the great pains and judgment of M ^r Patrick Young, from whose hands the most Reverend Father in God, the Archbishop of Armagh, having long since received a Copy of the various readings, was pleased to communicate them to me.

The third is the Greek and Latin MS. of the four Gospels and the Acts, found ninety years since in a Monastery at Lions in the time of the Civil war in France, and twenty years after presented by Theodore Beza, as a monument of venerable Antiquity, to the University of Cambridge, the variations of which from the vulgar printed Copies I also acknowledge to have received from the favor of the most Reverend Archbishop of Armagh. What hath from any of these appeared useful to be proposed, is in the inner margent of this Book translated, and set over against the Text, with an [or] in the front of it, as the Characteristick note to distinguish it from the changes of the English Translation, which, without that mark, are put in the same margent.

2.

In the next place concerning the Translation, The first part of my task was to prepare a new one out of the Original Greek, such as seemed to me most agreeable, and on which my present understanding of the Text is founded; and to authorize or give confidence to such an undertaking, I had in my prospect not only the two English Translat. the one in the Book of Luurgie, the other in the Bibles, but the examples also of many learned men, as well those that live in the obedience of the Bishop of Rome (whose great, I shall add, just value of the Vulgar, is notwithstanding sufficiently known) as others of the Reformed Churches: Such of both sorts are Cardinal Cajetan, M ^r Calvin, who translate from the Original what they comment upon. So doth Oleaster, and Mercer, and Forerius, and Erasmus, and Malvenda a late Spanish Frier, in his seven Volumes of Comments on the Bible. I need not add Junius, and Tremellius, and Beza, and Castellio, the Authors of the Spanish, the Italian, the French Translations, and many more, who have all made use of that liberty. Yet considering my own great defects, the incompetencie and disproportionableness of my strength and few years consideration to the length and weight of this work, and knowing that as oft and as far as I differed in my sense from other men, so often and in the same distance did other men differ from me; and having before my eyes, from the fate of other men's attempts in this kind, (which I could not induce myself to approve of) great reasons to forecast and foresee mine own hazards, and (though not to discern, yet) to fear and suspect many misadventures therein, and so to pass that more early censure on myself which from others, which saw not with my partial eyes, I had cause to look for; Upon these, I say, and some store of other considerations, I made choice of the course which now is taken, instead of obtruding a new, retaining the known Translation of our Bibles, and (after the manner which was formerly used in our Bibles of the larger impressions, of noting some other renderings in the Margents) annexing, where it seemed useful, another Translation of some words or phrases, with this * or †, or other like marks of reference to the words in our vulgar Text: And this is done also in the inner Margent. And where the matter is of any difficulty or weight, the reasons of the change are more largely offered, and are to be found in the Annotations, referred to by some letter of the Alphabet, a. b. c. &c. set over the top of the word in the Text. But when the matter is more perspicuous, or less weighty, so that the bare affixing of the Greek words is a sufficient reason for the rendering them, then that only course is taken, and the Greek being affixed to the English in the margent, the Reader is left to judge of it, and to make that advantage of the change which he sees cause for, without any prejudice to other renderings.

3.

Thirdly, for the Explication of those difficulties in the phrase, or sense, which this Divine writing is still capable of, two ways have been taken which appeared most profitable, first, by way of Paraphrase, and secondly, of Annotation. The first in compliance with the wants and desires of the most ignorant Reader, for whom it appeared expedient, whensoever any part of the Text seemed capable of clearer words then those wherein the Translation had expressed them, so often to affix to those obscurer words a perspicuous Paraphrase, which is accordingly done in the outer larger margent of every verse, and so much of the verse as is explained is included in one, if it be from the beginning of the verse, or, if not, in two brackets, after this manner [] so that the rest of the Text, which is excluded by the brackets, may coherently be read with the Paraphrase of that which is included, & the sense continue undisturbed by that means. This in the historical parts of this Book is contrived within the bounds of convenient brevity, & sometimes being wholly omitted, is yet supplied by somenote of reference to any parallel place where it had been before explained: But in the Epistles, where the Apostles reasoning is close, or the transitions not very discernible, & in the Revelations, where the obscurities of the Prophetick style require a greater circuit of words to explicate them, there the Paraphrase is more enlarged; and so it is in like manner as oft as the length of that seemed sufficient to remove the difficulty or obscurity of the Text, without any farther trouble to the Reader. Besides this, whensoever any appearance of difficulty still remained, which had not been cleared by the former methods, the only reserve hath been by way of Annotation, affixed in Columns at the end of every Chapter, and referred by some letter to that part of the Text to which it belongs, and there answered by the same letter both in the Text and Margent. These Annotations are generally designed for the satisfaction and use of those who have some understanding of the Original languages of the Bible, and therefore the several words or phrases, so explicated, are in Greek set down in the margent of the Annotations, and all of them collected into an Index at the end of the Book, (and for the use of the English reader, the like Index of every word or phrase so explained is annexed in that language also.) And by comparing of those Original languages, the Hebrew words or phrases with the Greek which are used to render them, by consulting the Glossaries of the best Grammarians, Hesychius and Phavorinus especially (who have a peculiar title to this business of explaining words in the New Testament ) and by taking notice of some customs among the Jews, and Grecians, and Romans, and by adding sometimes the testimonies of the Ancients, when they appeared most useful, and when my slender collections enabled me to annex them, and by some other means which the Reader will discern, (that especially of weighing the Context, and comparing one Scripture with another) and by the blessed assistance and influence of God's grace and providence upon all, this whole work hath been made up, and the difficulties of these Divine writings in some measure explained, with as much brevity as the matter seemed capable of, purposely abstaining from all doctrinal conclusions and deductions and definitions on one side, and from all Postillary observations and accommodations, moral or mystical anagogies, on the other side (both because these latter are infinite, and because every man is allowed (within the bounds of sobriety) thus to apply Scripture for himself, as his several taste and Genius shall suggest to him) and generally contenting myself with the one primary and literal sense of each place, unless when there appeared some uncertainty, and just reason of doubting betwixt two or more senses, which should be preferred. One thing only it will be needful to add here, that the less curious Reader, which desires only to understand and comprehend the plain sense of the Scripture, and without anymore ado to apply it to his souls health, shall not need to tire himself with the larger trouble of the Annotations, which of necessity contain many things above the understandings of the more ignorant. But for those whose curiosity shall demand the reasons of any less obvious interpretations, or suggest to them a willingness of any farther search, it will be necessary that the Annotations be read, as oft as there are any; and if at any time they seem to be wanting (in which particular I am not secure, but that much more may be fitly added in the opinion of other men then to me seemed necessary) I shall desire that resort be made to the known Commentators, especially to the most excellent Hugo Grotius, from whom, as oft as I had nothing to add, I purposely avoided to transcribe anything.

It remains that as I am abundantly convinced of the defects and miscarriages of this work, so I beseech and importune the charity of those who have greater abilities, to contribute everyone his talent toward the discovery of all the recesses of this Sacred writing; that at length (though not yet) this Repositorie and Magazine of all saving knowledge and divine observation, being clearly understood, and rescued from the many unsound resolutions and positions which the glosses of men have obtruded on it, the result may be the composing of all divisions and factions in the Church of Christ, the thinking and minding of the same things, the obliging and engaging of our souls to the pursuit of that One necessary, the performance of an early, cheerful, uniform, sincere, constant obedience, and practice of all that Christ came from heaven to propose to us.

The hope and intuition of which, as it was the main design projected in undertaking of this work, so it will be the Readers only justifiable aim in perusing it, and the only qualification which will render him capable of reaping any fruit by the prayers and ministry of those which attend on this very thing, among them, of

His Servant H. HAMMOND.

In the first place, that concerning the Greek Text, Many learned men, especially Lucas Brugensis and Robertus Stephanus, have used great industry to observe the various readings of the many Manuscript Copies which had been diligently collected and compared. And these are already to be had by those that please to consult them. Yet because this Kingdom of ours hath been enriched with some monuments of Antiquity in this kind, which were probably designed by God for more honorable uses then only to be laid up in Archives, as dead bodies in vaults and charnel-houses, to converse with dust, and worms, and rottenness; some of these I have chosen to advise with, and from them to offer sometimes a various reading; yet not permitting this to supplant or turn out that which hath vulgarly been received, but setting it in the inner margent, that those that have judgment may, as they see cause, make use of it.

The first MS. which I have myself twice compared, I found in the place of my Education, in the Librarie of S ^t Mary Magdalene College in Oxford, a fair and an ancient Copy.

The second is that more known in the King 's Librarie at S ^t James 's, presented to our late Sovereign by Cyril the Patriarch of Constantinople, written in Capital letters by a very ancient hand, of Thecla, as it is thought, and now happily prepared for the press by the great pains and judgment of M ^r Patrick Young, from whose hands the most Reverend Father in God, the Archbishop of Armagh, having long since received a Copy of the various readings, was pleased to communicate them to me.

The third is the Greek and Latin MS. of the four Gospels and the Acts, found ninety years since in a Monastery at Lions in the time of the Civil war in France, and twenty years after presented by Theodore Beza, as a monument of venerable Antiquity, to the University of Cambridge, the variations of which from the vulgar printed Copies I also acknowledge to have received from the favor of the most Reverend Archbishop of Armagh. What hath from any of these appeared useful to be proposed, is in the inner margent of this Book translated, and set over against the Text, with an [or] in the front of it, as the Characteristick note to distinguish it from the changes of the English Translation, which, without that mark, are put in the same margent.

2.

In the next place concerning the Translation, The first part of my task was to prepare a new one out of the Original Greek, such as seemed to me most agreeable, and on which my present understanding of the Text is founded; and to authorize or give confidence to such an undertaking, I had in my prospect not only the two English Translat. the one in the Book of Luurgie, the other in the Bibles, but the examples also of many learned men, as well those that live in the obedience of the Bishop of Rome (whose great, I shall add, just value of the Vulgar, is notwithstanding sufficiently known) as others of the Reformed Churches: Such of both sorts are Cardinal Cajetan, M ^r Calvin, who translate from the Original what they comment upon. So doth Oleaster, and Mercer, and Forerius, and Erasmus, and Malvenda a late Spanish Frier, in his seven Volumes of Comments on the Bible. I need not add Junius, and Tremellius, and Beza, and Castellio, the Authors of the Spanish, the Italian, the French Translations, and many more, who have all made use of that liberty. Yet considering my own great defects, the incompetencie and disproportionableness of my strength and few years consideration to the length and weight of this work, and knowing that as oft and as far as I differed in my sense from other men, so often and in the same distance did other men differ from me; and having before my eyes, from the fate of other men's attempts in this kind, (which I could not induce myself to approve of) great reasons to forecast and foresee mine own hazards, and (though not to discern, yet) to fear and suspect many misadventures therein, and so to pass that more early censure on myself which from others, which saw not with my partial eyes, I had cause to look for; Upon these, I say, and some store of other considerations, I made choice of the course which now is taken, instead of obtruding a new, retaining the known Translation of our Bibles, and (after the manner which was formerly used in our Bibles of the larger impressions, of noting some other renderings in the Margents) annexing, where it seemed useful, another Translation of some words or phrases, with this * or †, or other like marks of reference to the words in our vulgar Text: And this is done also in the inner Margent. And where the matter is of any difficulty or weight, the reasons of the change are more largely offered, and are to be found in the Annotations, referred to by some letter of the Alphabet, a. b. c. &c. set over the top of the word in the Text. But when the matter is more perspicuous, or less weighty, so that the bare affixing of the Greek words is a sufficient reason for the rendering them, then that only course is taken, and the Greek being affixed to the English in the margent, the Reader is left to judge of it, and to make that advantage of the change which he sees cause for, without any prejudice to other renderings.

3.

Thirdly, for the Explication of those difficulties in the phrase, or sense, which this Divine writing is still capable of, two ways have been taken which appeared most profitable, first, by way of Paraphrase, and secondly, of Annotation. The first in compliance with the wants and desires of the most ignorant Reader, for whom it appeared expedient, whensoever any part of the Text seemed capable of clearer words then those wherein the Translation had expressed them, so often to affix to those obscurer words a perspicuous Paraphrase, which is accordingly done in the outer larger margent of every verse, and so much of the verse as is explained is included in one, if it be from the beginning of the verse, or, if not, in two brackets, after this manner [] so that the rest of the Text, which is excluded by the brackets, may coherently be read with the Paraphrase of that which is included, & the sense continue undisturbed by that means. This in the historical parts of this Book is contrived within the bounds of convenient brevity, & sometimes being wholly omitted, is yet supplied by somenote of reference to any parallel place where it had been before explained: But in the Epistles, where the Apostles reasoning is close, or the transitions not very discernible, & in the Revelations, where the obscurities of the Prophetick style require a greater circuit of words to explicate them, there the Paraphrase is more enlarged; and so it is in like manner as oft as the length of that seemed sufficient to remove the difficulty or obscurity of the Text, without any farther trouble to the Reader. Besides this, whensoever any appearance of difficulty still remained, which had not been cleared by the former methods, the only reserve hath been by way of Annotation, affixed in Columns at the end of every Chapter, and referred by some letter to that part of the Text to which it belongs, and there answered by the same letter both in the Text and Margent. These Annotations are generally designed for the satisfaction and use of those who have some understanding of the Original languages of the Bible, and therefore the several words or phrases, so explicated, are in Greek set down in the margent of the Annotations, and all of them collected into an Index at the end of the Book, (and for the use of the English reader, the like Index of every word or phrase so explained is annexed in that language also.) And by comparing of those Original languages, the Hebrew words or phrases with the Greek which are used to render them, by consulting the Glossaries of the best Grammarians, Hesychius and Phavorinus especially (who have a peculiar title to this business of explaining words in the New Testament ) and by taking notice of some customs among the Jews, and Grecians, and Romans, and by adding sometimes the testimonies of the Ancients, when they appeared most useful, and when my slender collections enabled me to annex them, and by some other means which the Reader will discern, (that especially of weighing the Context, and comparing one Scripture with another) and by the blessed assistance and influence of God's grace and providence upon all, this whole work hath been made up, and the difficulties of these Divine writings in some measure explained, with as much brevity as the matter seemed capable of, purposely abstaining from all doctrinal conclusions and deductions and definitions on one side, and from all Postillary observations and accommodations, moral or mystical anagogies, on the other side (both because these latter are infinite, and because every man is allowed (within the bounds of sobriety) thus to apply Scripture for himself, as his several taste and Genius shall suggest to him) and generally contenting myself with the one primary and literal sense of each place, unless when there appeared some uncertainty, and just reason of doubting betwixt two or more senses, which should be preferred. One thing only it will be needful to add here, that the less curious Reader, which desires only to understand and comprehend the plain sense of the Scripture, and without anymore ado to apply it to his souls health, shall not need to tire himself with the larger trouble of the Annotations, which of necessity contain many things above the understandings of the more ignorant. But for those whose curiosity shall demand the reasons of any less obvious interpretations, or suggest to them a willingness of any farther search, it will be necessary that the Annotations be read, as oft as there are any; and if at any time they seem to be wanting (in which particular I am not secure, but that much more may be fitly added in the opinion of other men then to me seemed necessary) I shall desire that resort be made to the known Commentators, especially to the most excellent Hugo Grotius, from whom, as oft as I had nothing to add, I purposely avoided to transcribe anything.

It remains that as I am abundantly convinced of the defects and miscarriages of this work, so I beseech and importune the charity of those who have greater abilities, to contribute everyone his talent toward the discovery of all the recesses of this Sacred writing; that at length (though not yet) this Repositorie and Magazine of all saving knowledge and divine observation, being clearly understood, and rescued from the many unsound resolutions and positions which the glosses of men have obtruded on it, the result may be the composing of all divisions and factions in the Church of Christ, the thinking and minding of the same things, the obliging and engaging of our souls to the pursuit of that One necessary, the performance of an early, cheerful, uniform, sincere, constant obedience, and practice of all that Christ came from heaven to propose to us.

The hope and intuition of which, as it was the main design projected in undertaking of this work, so it will be the Readers only justifiable aim in perusing it, and the only qualification which will render him capable of reaping any fruit by the prayers and ministry of those which attend on this very thing, among them, of

A POSTSCRIPT CONCERNING NEW LIGHT, OR, Divine Illumination.

§. 1. T HAT which Jo. Beverovicius, a Physician of Dort, thought necessary to be stated by the votes of the Learned of his age, before he would hope his profession could find any considerable entertainment among men, viz. whether there were a fatal period of every man's life, beyond which it were not in the compass either of art, or sobriety, or good managery to extend it, and as little in the power of disease, or intemperance, or even the plague or sword to shorten it; hath been matter of some consideration to me in this work. For as in the designing of his time and studies it was prudently foreseen by him that one such popular error being imbibed, and improved as far as it would fairly yield, must needs be the defaming of his medicaments, and the blasting of his whole profession, as one great imposture; so after the pains and travail that this work hath cost from the time of the first thought and Designation of it, (at the beginning of my entrance on the study of Divinity) to this present day of the Nativity of it, I cannot look on it without some apprehension, that it may run the same hazard which we read of the child in the Revelation, c. 12. to be devoured as soon as born, if one false pretension, which hath of late been somewhat prosperous in this Nation, and is utterly irreconcilable with the designed benefit of this or any the like work, be not timely discovered and removed.

§ 2. And the Pretension is this, That the understanding or interpreting the Word of God, or the knowing of his Will, is not imputable to the use of ordinary means (such are the assistance of God's Spirit joined with the use of learning, study, meditation, rational inference, collation of places, consulting of the Original languages, and ancient Copies and Expositions of the Fathers of the Church, analogy of received doctrine; together with unbiass'd affections, and sincere desire of finding out the truth, and constant prayer for God's special blessing on, and cooperation with these and the like means) but either to the extraordinary gift of the Spirit in Prophesying, Preaching, and Expounding, or to Illumination, not Prophetical or simply Extraordinary, but such as is thought to be promised to a new life, the work of the Spirit of God in the heart of every Saint of his, which consequently supersedes the use of all external Ordinances to such, even of the written Word of God itself contained in the Canon of the Scripture.

§ 3. Had this Pretension truth in it, I must confess myself, who do not pretend to any such extraordinary gift or inspiration, obliged to acknowledge the great impertinency of all this ensuing work, the perfect vanity of the whole design, and every part of it, and therefore am concerned (as far as the hazard of having labored in vain ) to examine the grounds, and manifest the falseness of this pretension, and that in this method, and by these degrees.

§ 4. First, by surveying the Scripture-grounds or proofs, which are producible in favor of it; Secondly, by setting down the form of sound doctrine in this matter; Thirdly, by showing the great necessity of opposing this, and adhering to the true doctrine. And these are likely to enlarge this Postscript beyond the bounds that would regularly belong to it, but will carry their Apology along with them.

§ 5. The first ground or proof is fetched by the Pretenders from Joel 2. 28. cited and applied by S. Peter Act. 2. to the times of the Gospel; It shall come to pass afterward (or, in the last days ) saith God, that I will pour out my Spirit, (or, of my Spirit ) upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the hand-maids in those days will I pour out my Spirit, (or, of my Spirit ) and they shall prophesy. Whatsoever can be collected from this place to the benefit of the Pretenders, will receive a short and clear answer by considering the time to which this prediction (and the completion of it) belonged, and that is expressly the last days, in the notion wherein the Writers of the New Testament constantly use that phrase; not for these days of ours, so far advanced toward the end of the world (which yet no man knows how far distant it still is) but for the time immediately preceding the destruction of the Jewish polity, their City and Temple. That this is it, appears not only by the mention of Zion, and the destruction approaching it, in the beginning of that Chapter in Joel, which signifies it to belong to Jerusalem that then was; but also by two farther undeceivable evidences: 1. By the mention of the wonders (immediately subjoined) in the heavens, and the earth, &c. as forerunners of the great and terrible day of the Lord, the same that had been before described in Joel v. 2. &c. and applied by Christ, in the very words, to this destruction of Jerusalem, Mat. 24. 29, 30. 2 ^dly , By the occasion for which S. Peter produceth it, Act. 2. 14. the effusion of the holy Ghost upon the Apostles, v. 2, 4. which, saith he, was no effect of drunkenness in them, but the very thing which was foretold by that place of Joel, before that great and notable day of the Lord, that was to fall upon that people to an utter destruction. This being a prediction of what should come before the destruction of Jerusalem, and the completion whereof was so visible and remarkable in that age, to which by the Prophet it was assigned (and this as a peculiar character of those times wherein the Gospel was to be first propagated by this means, & to which it had a propriety, as a last act of God's miraculous and gracious economy for the full conviction of this people's sin, before they were destroyed) it must needs be impertinently and f • llaciously applied to any men or women, old or young, of this age, so distant from that to which it belonged, and so well provided for by the ordinary means, the settled office of Ministry in Christ's Church, as to have no such need of extraordinary.

§ 6. A second proof is taken from 1 Cor. 12. 7. To every man is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal, or, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for the benefit and profit of the Church. But this is soon cleared by the Context, which begins to treat v. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of, or concerning, those that have the Spirit; so 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the spiritual clearly sign • fies c. 14. 37. being joined with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 prophet; and so it is expressed to signify here, v 3. where 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 speaking in, or by, the Spirit is set as an instance of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the spiritual (and 'tis but a mistake to render it spiritual things, the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 belonging as directly to persons as things, being of the Masculine as well as of the Neuter gender.) Now for these 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 spiritual men, or those that have the spirit, 'tis well known that they were those which for the first planting of the Gospel were by the descent of the Spirit indow'd with extraordinary gifts of miracles, of healing, of prophesying, of speaking with strange tongues, which they had never learned; all which and more are here mentioned, v. 8, 9, 10. and when these are exercised or made use of by any, this is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the manifestation of the Spirit, the Spirit of God manifesting it self hereby to be in such a man after an extraordinary manner. And then I need only add that the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to everyone, in the front of the verse, cannot in any reason be interpreted in the full extent of every man, or every Christian; for then the most wicked would have their part in it: nor yet of every Saint; for there is nothing in the Text which can so restrain it, but only of every such man as is spoken of in this discourse, that is, every 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , spiritual man, everyone that is thus endowed with extraordinary gifts of tongues, &c. for of such it is here peculiarly said, that the manifestation of the Spirit, the exercise of those gifts, is given, or designed by God, for the benefit or advantage of the Church. And so this is of no force for the Enthusiast, nor appliable to any but those who were thus extraordinarily endowed by the Spirits descending upon them, which was a privilege of that age, for the planting of the Church, and not to be hoped for (nor without sacrilege pretended to) in any other.

§ 7. A third proof is taken from Joh. 6. 45. out of Isa. 54. 13. where it is foretold of the Christians, that they shall be all taught of God. For the understanding of the full importance of this Text, two frequent known Idiomes of the Sacred style must be observed; 1. That Verbs of knowing or understanding (such is learning or teaching ) do ordinarily include the will or affections also, so as to know God, is to obey and serve him; 2 ^dly , That Verbs Active (see Note on 1 Thess. 3. a.) and Passive (see Note on Mat. 11. b.) but especially Adjectives participial, do frequently include a real passion, or an effect wrought in the subject of the passion. And by the virtue of these two observations (frequently exemplified in the Annotations ) the phrase 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , taught of God, will signify those that by the attractions of his prevenient grace yielded to and made use of by them, are persuaded to be his followers or disciples, and so belongs not at all to the matter to which it is applied by the Advocates of New Light, (see Note on Mat. 15. d.) That this not only may be, (which is sufficient to repel the force of the argument drawn from hence) but certainly is the entire importance of this place, appears by the Context in the Evangelist. 1. By the Antecedents, No man, saith Christ v. 44. can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him, and I will raise him up at the last day: where the Father's drawing, and in the same sense, the Father's giving to Christ v. 39. denotes this effect of the preventing grace of God, received in the humble pliable heart, and that as necessary to the undertaking the faith of Christ, or discipleship. And to this is this testimony out of Isaiah applied, It is written in the Prophets, They shall be all taught of God, that is, all that sincerely come to Christ, that embrace the Christian religion, are such as were formerly spoken of, drawn by God, given to Christ by God, taught of God, by his prevenient grace so fitted and prepared that they follow Christ, become his Proselytes and Disciples when he is proposed to them. 2 ^dly , By the Consequents, Everyone therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father, cometh unto me: where, as the coming unto me is all one with the coming unto me, that is, unto Christ, v. 44. so they had heard and learned of the Father, being all one with the taught of God, must needs be they on whom the effect of that hearing and divine doctrine was wrought, that is, those who were obedient to God's grace, disposing and fitting them with such a temper that they should be ready and willing to be Christ's Disciples (see Note on John 6. d.) 3 ^dly , By the importance of the Prophecy from whence 'tis cited, Isa. 54. 13. where in a Prophecy of the Christian Church, (the flourishing condition thereof described v. 11, 12.) two things are affirmed of the children, that is, members thereof; 1. their obedience to God, they shall be taught of the Lord, they shall be disciples, followers, servants of God; and 2 ^dly , their prosperous state, and great shall be their peace; and those joined in one, v. 14. In righteousness shalt thou be established, where, as establishment (farther expressed by security from oppression) is all one with their great peace, so in all reason is their righteousness equipollent with their being taught of God. And so still according to all the imaginable ways of judging, this which we have given is the importance of that phrase, and not that which is pretended from it. Nay, if the Text be again observed, it would be a foul absurdity that would be consequent to that interpretation of it, that God the Father should be said thus immediately to teach them, who upon being so taught are said to come to Christ: For 'tis certain Christ was set forth by God as the teacher of his will, and that was the end of God's drawing any man to Christ, that he might receive the full knowledge of his will from thence, which it were impertinent and even impossible for him to do, who were first taught by God in this sense. (Of another notion of the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a little varied from this, see 1. Thess. 4. c.)

§ 8. A fourth ground is fetched from the purport of the New Covenant, set down Heb. 8. 11. out of Jer. 31. 34. They shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest. But these words can no way belong to this matter, as will appear if it be but considered that that which is here promised is somewhat wherein the state of the Gospel is opposed to that of the Law, which, if the not teaching be literally understood, it cannot be. For as in the Law Moses taught God's will unto the people, and after him those that sat in Moses chair, so Christ also taught it under the Gospel, and the Apostles after him; which could not be, unless others were taught and instructed by them. And therefore that cannot be the sense of it. The words indeed belong to a matter very distant: They are a description of Christ's plain, easy, and gracious yoke ( Mat. 11. 30.) as that is set out by the opposition to the obscure, imperfect, more burthensome, and less agreeable yoke of the Mosaical performances, v. 8. To the bare plainness and perspicuousness of the Evangelical precepts it is applied by S. Chrysostom, as also is that of being taught of God (see T. v. p. 244. l. 31.) and to that sure it belongs, but withal to these other excellencies thereof, over and above the Mosaical oeconomie. There were in that many 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 beggarly elements for beginners, many things improvable and capable of being heightened, and changed to the better by Christ's reformation; it was not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 faultless, v. 7. and therefore when God designs to reform it, he doth it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , v. 8. complaining of the defects of it, and incompetency toward the end. And then this New Covenant, which was to be introduced instead of it, is set off and illustrated by the opposition to it, But this is the Covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, or in the latter days, that is, at the coming of the Messias, saith the Lord, &c. which as it is evidently a notation of the Second Covenant betwixt God and the whole Christian Church, and so sufficiently removed from this of New Light, so can it not be applied to any peculiar gift of Prophecy, of Preaching, &c. appropriated to some men, but must have such a notation as will be common to the whole house of Israel in the Antitype, that is, to all Christian professors, not only the Saints of God; for with all such is the Covenant made in this gracious manner (though many of them do not perform their parts, the condition of it) for otherwise they could not be said to count the blood of it an unholy thing, Heb. 10. 29. The plain meaning of the words is, that it is a most gracious Covenant that God now meant to make with Christians; and the graciousness of it was to consist not only in the abundant mercy and pardon for sin, which there would be afforded, v. 12. above what the Mosaical purgations and other observances could pretend to, but especially in the agreeableness of the precepts to the mind of man, to the human rational soul: there should be no need of taking such pains (as among the Jews was taken) to instruct men in the multitude of observances required of them, which yet under Moses was absolutely necessary, because the things commanded were such as, unless they had been known to be commanded by a Divine Law-giver, and to that end frequently inculcated to that people, no man would have discerned himself obliged to perform; but the duties now required by God of inward purity (not of external circumcision and purifications) were of their own nature able to approve themselves to a rational creature, as most excellent and most eligible, written as it were in every man's own heart, if he would be patient to consult them there. And then as this can no way be applied to New Light, save as that signifies the light which Christ brought with him when he came into the world to enlighten every man, viz. the constant established duties of Christian life universally revealed by Christ 's preaching and promulgating this Second Covenant; so it belongs not to any extraordinary way of revealing or expounding this Covenant, or any part or branch thereof (there being no need of that after Christ had so plainly revealed it, and commanded his Apostles to preach it over the world ) but only to the agreeableness (to the human soul) of that which was already revealed, the matter of this Covenant. The same also is the importance of the former words, v. 10. I will give my laws into their minds, and I will write them on their hearts, that is, The Laws which shall now be given the Christian Church, as God's Covenant with them, shall be laws of spiritual internal obedience, for the regulating and subduing and mortifying of their affections, impressed and inscribed on their hearts (which must now be kept pure, as the fountain from which all actions spring) whereas the former Mosaical ordinances reached only to the flesh, or outward members, and by that means did not conduce much either to inward or outward purity of the heart or actions.

§ 9. Another sort of places there are which more immediately belong to the second branch of the pretension (and that which is more frequently pressed) the privilege that the Saints have, by being such, of understanding much more of the Will of God then any other can pretend to do. And a first ground is that of Joh. 7. 17. If any man will do his, that is God's, will, he shall know, &c. How little this place doth favor the pretenders of New light, will presently appear, 1. By considering what it is that here it is said that the pious man, or the doer of his Fathers will, shall know, viz. whether the doctrine which Christ preacheth be of God or no. This was not matter of new Revelation, but the doctrine which Christ had already revealed and published to the world, and so could want no New light to make it known; nay for the passing judgment of that doctrine thus revealed by Christ, whether it were agreeable to the Will, and sent by the appointment of the Father, he had given them sufficient means to proceed and conclude regularly, there was no need of any extraordinary discerning Spirit, the Miracles which he did in the presence of all, and the Voice from heaven at his Baptism, gave full authority to all that he said, were matter of abundant conviction to all pious men, that it was the good pleasure of God which he now taught, and there was nothing more wanting to beget belief, but hearts duly qualified with piety and humility, which was necessary to render them a subactum s • lum, a soil in which good seed being skillfully sown might take root and bring forth plentifully. And that is the importance of the former part of the verse, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , if any man will, or take pleasure, (see Mat. 27. Note g.) to do his will; the character of the pious man, of that preparation of the heart which was required of fit men to a cheerful entertainment of Christ's doctrine, when it was already convincingly revealed to them. Which indeed is but proportionable to what Hierocles and the Philosophers were wont to say of the necessity of curing and purging the Eye, before it would be able to behold a bright or illustrious object; meaning the depositing of prejudices, and prepossessions, and passions, and prides, but especially of all habits of sin, which, while they are upon the soul, are the blinding of it, permit not practical truths, (especially those of an higher fourm, such as those of Christ's requiring the purity of the Eye and Heart) to have any admission with them: according to that of Aristotle, that as those which are of raw and unruly affections, when they are taught Moral precepts, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , say them by road, but believe not a word of them; so the habit and custom of any vice is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 corruptive of principles, makes men begin to question, or not to understand those practical dictates which human nature and common notions had furnished them with. This advantage indeed (very considerable) toward the understanding of truths already revealed Humility and Piety hath above Pride and Impiety: but as those that take themselves to be the only Saints of the earth, have but a weak claim to one of these, (and perhaps as weak to the other, which is never seated but in an humble breast;) so if they had the best claim of any men now in the world, it would not raise or entitle them to the gift of Revelation, anymore then of Tongues and Miracles; of New light, then of speaking Arabic, removing mountains, or foretelling things to come.

§ 10. Two other places there are in the next chapter Joh. 8. which sound as much for the interest of the Pretenders, and signify as little, v. 31, 32. If ye continue in my word, &c. ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. But that must be expounded by another id • ome of the Sacred dialect (taken notice of and exemplified Mat. 9. Note d.) when one thing only being designed to be said, another is premised preparative to it. And so here to them that continue in Christ's word, that is, in constant obedience to it, the promise is, that the truth shall make them free, that is, that the doctrine of Christ being thus continued in, shall procure them a most valuable freedom. To which continuing in Christ's word, the receiving the knowledge of the truth being preparative, it is accordingly set down before it, but not as part of the promise, being necessarily presupposed in the condition; Christ's word, v. 31. and the truth being all one, and the knowing it pre-required to continuing in it. However nothing of New light can possibly be intimated by this knowing the truth; but only that which by Christ's preaching was made known unto them.

§ 11. The second place in that chapter is v. 43. Why do you not understand my speech? Even because you cannot hear my word. But that hath no more aspect on this matter then the former had: 'It is only the rendering an account of the reason, why Christ's expressions seemed strange unto them, why they did not acquiesce in & believe all he said unto them, but still disputed against it; viz. the disagreeableness of his doctrine to their carnal humors and fancies, their impatience of such severe precepts as he came to propose to them.

§ 12. Another ground is fetched from 1 Cor. 2. in many verses thereof, (which are sufficiently cleared and vindicated to their proper sense by the several Paraphrases upon them) but especially v. 15. He that is spiritual judgeth all things, &c. But how little that belongs to the justifying this claim, will soon be discerned by inquiring who is the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or spiritual there; without question such an one as is said to have received the Spirit which is of God, v. 12. Such were the Apostles and others of that time, which by the descent of the holy Ghost were taught and instructed in all things which belonged to their office to reveal to the world, to whom they had Commission to preach. And of such an one there is no question but that he 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , discerneth all things, comes to the knowledge of all those parts of God's will which have before been kept close with God, as mysteries which the Angels knew nothing of, but are now by Christ and his Spirit (which, saith he, should teach them all things ) convincingly made known to have been the subject of the ancient prophecies. And the arguments that such an one useth to convince others being not fetched from human reason, or the Artist's Topics of probation, but only from proofs afforded by this Spirit of God, Miracles, gifts of Tongues, Voices from heaven, old Prophecies, &c, it therefore follows, that as he by these means comes to know these mysteries, so no worldly wise man, Philospher or the like, called the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , animal man, before, is qualified to argue or dispute against him. And so this hath no propriety or peculiarity of aspect on these future times, wherein as that which was revealed to those Apostles is sufficiently communicated to us by ordinary means, in the writings of the Scripture, so there can be no necessity or use of extraordinary.

§ 13. Others are pleased to argue from 1 Joh. 3. 24. Hereby know we that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. But that will soon vanish, if we observe the notion of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Spirit, (enlarged on in Note on Luk. 9. e.) in many places of the New Testament, for the temper absolutely, or more strictly a gracious, pious temper, or disposition of mind; and so the Spirit which he hath given us may there very commondiously signify that gracious charitable disposition, which being so eminently in Christ, is by his example and his precepts recommended, and by our continuing in his discipleship communicated to us, and wrought in us. The understanding it so in that place is very agreeable to the former part of the verse, he that keepeth his commandments, dwelleth in him, and he in him, that is, every obedient servant of his continueth in Christ, that is, adhereth to Christ, and Christ continueth in him, and so he receiveth all gracious influences from him, particularly that of charity or loving his fellow-Christians, as Christ gave us Commandment, v. 23. that special piece of Christian temper, so largely exemplified, and so strictly required by Christ of all his Disciples. And so again we see the phrase used, c. 4. 13. By this we know that we abide in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. The ground of that speech is laid v. 12. If we love one another, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us; that is, our charity to others is an evidence of our continuing to receive divine infusions and influences from God (for love or charity is such) and that a proof, that we have transcribed & imitated that love which he hath exemplified to us: for this is meant by his love being perfected in us, as his sufferings are filled up and perfected in us when they are imitated by us, when we suffer for well-doing, as he did; the end of a copy or pattern being this, that we should transcribe it, and so the taking it out, imitating it, as we ought to do, the only way of giving it its due perfection. And so that whole verse is but a Paraphrase on that speech of Christ's, By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another, Christ bringing his scholars and followers up in the practice of this duty beyond all others. And upon this is built that which immediately follows, and so it must be interpreted by it, By this we know that we abide in him, and he in us, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 because, or that, he hath given us of his Spirit; that is, this is a sure 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by which we may conclude our living like disciples of his, our not having forsaken him, as other uncharitable Gnostic heretics appear to have done, and so likewise his continuing to communicate his influences to us, as to disciples he is wont, that we are like him in this special grace of charity, the quality that is so remarkable in him. And so this is very remote from the Enthusiast's pretensions.

§ 14. One especial reserve there is still behind from 1 John 2. 20. Ye have an unction from the holy One, and ye know all things, and v. 27. in words not much varied, and to the same sense, The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: But as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, remain in him still, or, as we read, ye shall abide in him. That the full meaning of the Unction's teaching or having taught them all things, is their having been instructed by those on whom the holy Ghost (which was to teach them all things ) had descended, and confirmed by the gift of miracles, abiding at that time in their Churches, hath been shown at large Note on Act. 10. d. and that takes away all the Pretenders title from this place. But beside this, it is evident by the Context, what it was that this Unction was said to teach them, viz. that Jesus was the Christ, contrary to the Gnostic heretics, v. 18. which denied it, and are therefore called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Antichrists: They, saith he, v. 19. went out from us, these heretics that denied Jesus to be Christ; But ye have an unction, &c. and ye know all things (the all things here being, according to the ordinary Scripture-style, to be interpreted only of all those things which are there spoken of.) Ye have certain and infallible evidences that Jesus is the Christ. From whence he immediately concludes again, that they that have denied this are liars and Antichrists, v. 22. and puts them in mind of that which had first been taught them and sufficiently evidenced unto them from the beginning of the Gospels being preached unto them, v. 24. in opposition to these false doctrines which had since been infused amongst them, v. 26. to whom again he opposeth the unction, v. 27. And so still here is nothing in the least degree favorable to the pretensions of the Enthusiast.

§ 15. Some other places I find to be mentioned, which are yet farther removed from this matter, for which they are pretended, as Gal. 3. 14. that we might receive the promise of the Spirit, through faith. What is meant there by the promise of the Spirit, that is, the Spirit promised his disciples by Christ at his parting from the world, appears at the beginning of that chap. v. 2, 3. viz. the powers of working Miracles, &c. and so 'tis interpreted v. 5. He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, & worketh miracles among you. And this may fitly be said to be received through faith, both as that is opposed to the Mosaical oeconomie, under which there were not then those powers in the Church of the Jews, as it is said v. 2. Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith? and according to Christ's promise to believers, These signs shall follow them that believe; in my name they shall cast out devils, &c. Mar. 16. 17. And so this place belonging to those miraculous operations of the Spirit in those times useful for the erecting of a Church, can no more be applicable to believers in these times, then the speaking of Tongues, and gifts of Healing, &c. which are not imagined by these Pretenders to belong to them by force of this place.

§ 16. Somewhat different from this is that other of Ephes. 1. 17. (and parallel to that Col. 1. 9.) that the Father of glory would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, &c. In this place there is little of difficulty, save that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is not rightly interpreted in the knowledge of him, whereas it should be, to the acknowledgment of him, as the end of the wisdom and revelation, not the matter of it. That it is so, appears by the following words, The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know —Whereas the enlightening of their understandings is answerable to the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so the phrase, that ye may know, is answerable to 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and so renders 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (as it is ordinarily used for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) to, not in the knowing, or acknowledging of him. Which being premised, the plain meaning of the words is, that the Apostle having heard of the Ephesians proficiency in the faith of Christ, prays that they may come to farther growth yet, even to all abundance of all sorts of Christian knowledge, understanding the highest spiritual truths, called wisdom, and interpreting of Prophecies of the Old Testament, called Revelation, and both these as extraordinary ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) gifts at that time, and so called the Spirit of wisdom and revelation; and this for this end, that Christ might be fully discerned, and the truth of his doctrine acknowledged, by this means; in the same manner as ch. 4. 11. it is said of Christ, that he gave some Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, some Pastors and teachers, (each of these furnished with extraordinary gifts, such as here are named) for the building of the body of Christ (that is, his Church) until we come to the unity of the faith and acknowledment of the Son of God—that ye be no more tost, &c. All which shows the high, extraordinary ways that were then afforded by God, by the descent of the Spirit, (for the building of a Church, and confirming the faith of weaklings against the invasion of heretics, which fell off, and denied Christ ) and were here by the Apostle prayed for to the Church of the Ephesians, but cannot be extended as a promise to the Enthusiast now, that such gifts shall be, or are afforded him.

§ 17. Beside these of the New Testament, other places are produced out of the Old, as from Psal. 25. 9. The meek will he teach his way, and v. 12. What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose, and v. 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will show them his covenant. But all these belong to a matter very distant from what the Enthusiast pretends, viz. the benefit and advantage that accrues to all those that sincerely and diligently observe the laws of God. The meek v. 9. are certainly the obedient, and so the man that feareth the Lord, v. 12, 14. and for the promises that belong to such, they are all to the same purpose, under several expressions, God will teach them his way, and teach them in the way that he shall choose, that is, direct and assist them in doing that which shall be acceptable in his sight (not make known his laws of life by way of Revelation to them, for they were certainly made known to them already, and so here 'tis supposed, for otherwise how can they be said to keep them, v. 10?) and then show them his covenant, and communicate his secret to them, that is, afford them (in the practice of peity and virtue) those tastes of the sweetness of it beyond all other courses, that they shall by experience find how excellent and (for itself, abstracted from the eternal reward) how desirable a thing it is to follow God's ways, and not our own corrupt appetites. This must needs be the meaning of showing them his covenant, that covenant whereby he promiseth all good things to them upon their obedience; which Covenant was already made known to them, and could no otherwise now be shown them, but by their discerning the graciousness of it. And for the secret of the Lord, that is this sweetness which results from the obeying his precepts, like that of Manna from heaven (called hidden Manna ) agreeable to every man's taste, favourie to every rational soul. That this is the full meaning of it, appears by v. 10. where all the paths of the Lord (those wherein he is said to guide and teach the meek, v. 9.) are said to be mercy and truth, that is made up of goodness in the highest degree (so saith Kimchi of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 mercy, that it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the abundance, or excellence, of goodness ) and of agreeableness to the understanding or upper Soul of a man (to the common impressions that are in him) to such as keep his Covenant and his testimonies, that is, observe and practice them, and thereby have that excellency experimented to them, which wicked men, which never come to practice and try what it is to do as God directs, never apprehend to be in it. To this purpose there are infinite testimonies in this book of the Psalms, Psal. 19. 9, 10. The judgments of the Lord are more to be desired then Gold, yea then much fine Gold, sweeter also then honey and the honey-comb: moreover by them is thy servant taught, and in keeping of them there is great reward. Where 'tis manifest what the judgments are, the commands and rules of life, such as are to be kept or obseerved; and all benefits and pleasures and advantages, present and future, are the constant result and reward of that observance. So again v. 7. The law of the Lord is perfect (hath all kind of goodness in it, so the Hebrew signifies, and the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) converting or restoring the soul, bringing the man to himself again, from that degenerous condition of the sinner (so unworthy of the rational creature, that it renders him a very fool and unreasonable) to that honorable state of piety and virtue, and so making wise the simple, changing the Sinner-fool into the Scripture-wise, that is, pious, virtuous man. To which purpose see the 13. part of Psal. 119. And to the confirming this interpretation of this and the like places, I shall use one argument taken ab absurdo, from the absurdity which would follow from making them instrumental to the Enthusiasts claims: For it is well known that God revealed his Will in those days by Prophets particularly called, and designed, and commissionated to that purpose; and if anything was to be done, which had not been sufficiently declared by the standing known Laws, or when those had been remarkably despised and neglected, a man of God was chosen and sent from heaven with such new Revelations. Which was no way agreeable to, or reconcilable with this other method, of God's revealing all his secrets to every pious, obedient servant of his; for then there would have been no need of any other.

§ 18. Of the same nature with these are those others that are produced out of the Psalmist, Psal. 111. 10. A good understanding have all they that do his commandments (where yet our margent reads far otherwise, and so as takes away all appearance of force from it, Good success have they, &c.) Psal. 119. 18. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law; and so Prov. 2. 7. God layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous, and ch. 3. 32. God's secret is with the righteous; all perfectly agreeable to the former Texts, and vindicated from the Enthusiasts misprisions by the interpretations that have been affixed to them. As for that of Prov. 28. 5. They that seek the Lord understand all things, it must be explained by the Context, not to belong to all things indefinitely, but, as hath been said, and as it is ordinary in the Scripture-style (see 1 Cor. 13. 7) to all the things that are there spoken of, that is, the judgments of God in the former part of the verse, his wise and just proceedings against the wicked, and his rewarding of piety, so that no man shall have any reason (to call the proud happy) to praise the wicked, v. 4. And so the plain meaning of the place is, that whatever the Atheistical sinner thinks of God's neglecting the government of the world, from whence he takes courage and confidence to sin, yet the truly pious man is able to contend with, v. 4. and confute him, he finds experimentally the reward of the righteous, and knows that which the Atheist will not acknowledge, that there is a God that judgeth the earth: and so that is nothing to the purpose to which it is produced by the Pretenders.

§ 19. And as little that of the Prophet, Isa. 35. 8. of the high way, the way of holiness, and the wayfaring men, though folls, shall not err therein. For (besides that that Prophecy might have a completion in Israel, and must not needs be extended any farther then to what it primarily belonged) this meaning of it, as figuratively it is applicable to the Christian Church, is most obvious, that the duties by God required of us are so plain and evident, that he that sets himself to the practice of them, be he of never so slow an understanding, cannot choose but know them: Or else that the condition of the Covenant now required of us under Christ, is not such, as that any man through weakness, or ignorance, or involuntary error, should ever miscarry, or lose his part of the promise of that Covenant; only deliberate sins against Grace and against Knowledge are imputed to any man to his ruin.

§ 20. So for the promise of putting a new Spirit in them, Ezech. 11. 19. that is interpreted evidently by the latter end of the verse, I will give them an heart of flesh, that is, give them that measure of my grace which shall work a reformation in them, that they walk in my statutes and keep my ordinances, as it follows v. 20.

§ 21. Lastly, for that of Hag. 2. 5. My Spirit remaineth with you, 'tis evident that God's power, and mighty work of deliverance, such as had been shewn in rescuing the Israelites out of Egypt, is the thing there meant by my Spirit; for thus the words are introduced (being spoken of the re-edifying of the Temple) According to the word that I convenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my Spirit remaineth among you: and therefore as an effect of confidence in that power, it follows, Fear ye not; which can no way pertain to the pretensions of the Enthusiast.

§ 22. Having taken this view of the chiefest of those places which have been deemed favorable to the pretenders of New light, and discovered the mistakes of them, I proceed to the second branch of my method, the setting down the form of sound doctrine in this matter, and that will be most fitly done by these steps and degrees.

§ 23. 1. That all knowledge of God's will is confessedly (as every good gift ) from God; communicated by those means and degrees which God hath been pleased to choose, the light of Nature, the Revelations, and Oracles and Voices from heaven to the Fathers, and at last by his own Son Jesus Christ, and his Apostles commissionated by him; which being the last method or way of Revelation which we have reason to expect, our whole duty is hereby resolved to be contained and set down in those laws of the Old, but especially of the New Testament, which make up the Christian Canon or Rule.

§ 24. 2 ^dly , That any farther light, then that which is thus afforded us, cannot in any reason be pretended to by any, or so as may satisfy himself or others, unless it may appear by means sufficient to convince a rational man, 1. in general, that it is agreeable to the oeconomie under the Gospel, that any one, after Christ and his Apostles, and others of that first age extraordinarily endowed, should to the end of the world be called to the office of a Prophet, as that signifies one that is sent to make known de novo, to publish God's truth or will unto men: and 2. that he particularly is such a Prophet, and so sent, and by authentic testification of Divine miracles, or of mighty works, which neither man nor devil can work without the assistance of an omnipotent power, demonstrated and evidenced to be so.

§ 25. 3 ^dly , That if it should now be affirmed, that any man is, or since the Apostles age hath been, thus endowed, it would be under a very strong prejudice from the contrary opinion of the whole Church of God for 15. Centuries, who having received the Books of the Old and New Testament for the one constant durable Canon of Faith, must be supposed to resolve, that nothing else shall ever be added to that Canon, that is, no new Revelations shall ever be made, (for if they should, our Faith must be regulated by them as well as by any part of God's word already received:) and therefore in all reason this affirmation must be testified by arguments or proofs fit to out-balance so great an authority, which cannot be by any one man's affirmation of himself, whose testimony in this matter is of no validity, and yet 'tis evident that there are no other.

§ 26. 4 ^thly , That the understanding the word of God contained in the Scripture, is no work of extraordinary illumination, but must be attained by the same means, or the like, by which other writings of men are expounded, and no otherwise. In other writings some things are so plain, that by the strength of common reason any man that is master of that, and understands the language wherein they are written, may understand them; others have such difficulties in them, arising either from the conciseness or length of style, or sublimity of the matter of the discourse, or intermixture of old forgotten customs, &c. that there will be need of proper helps in each of these to overcome the several difficulties. And so it is in the understanding of Scripture; those places that are plain want no farther illuminating either of the medium or of the eye, to discern or understand the meaning of them: and for the searching to the bottom of the greater depths, 'tis as certain that the use of human means doth ordinarily assist and conduct us successfully (as observation of the usage of the word or phrase in other places, considering the customs of the people, the scope of the writer, and many the like;) and when it doth not so, 'tis visible that it is from my want of such assistances, which when I after come to meet with, I get through the difficulty, and by growth in knowledge and observation do come as perfectly to understand the more abstruse passage today, as I did the more perspicuous yesterday. And indeed if extraordinary illumination were required to understand the more difficult places of Scripture, it could not be denied to be necessary to all the most easy also (It being evident that the plainest precept in the original language, which alone is the word of God, is as inexplicable by him that understands not Greek or Hebrew, as the closest subtilest arguings in S. Paul's Epistle ) and so no man should be acknowledged to understand any part of God's will, but the Saint that knows all of it: a supposition most evidently contrary to those many Texts of Scripture, which suppose men to know the will of God, which they do not practice.

§ 27. 5 ^thly , It is most true that there is need of the concurrence of God's assistance and blessing, his grace and his providence to the use of all ordinary means to render, them successful to us, and so there is need of God's illuminating Spirit to assist our weak eyes, our dark faculties. But then this Illumination is but that which is annexed to the use of the means, and not that which works without them; and this act of his providence is a suggesting of means which had not otherwise been thought of, had not God by his good hand directed to them, which he doth not by any inspiration, but by offering of occasions, which human industry is left to improve, and if it do not, receives no benefit by them. And so still this is the old light which hath commonly been afforded the diligent, no new illumination for the Enthusiast. And of this sort of illumination three things are observable; 1. That it is not discermble to be such in the principle, but only in the fruits of it: 'tis not (nor can it without miracle be) known by any, that it is divine illumination, nor consequently that it is true (the suggestions of my own fancy, nay of the devil, may be mistaken for it;) but only by the agreeableness of it with those truths which are already revealed from God, and that are by other evidences then that of the private Spirit known to be so revealed: nay that agreeableness with Divine is not always sufficient to define it an Illumination; for my fancy may and doth sometimes suggest truth, and the devil that knows much truth may, when 'tis not his interest to lie, help men to the knowledge of truth, and so in the Oracle he often did. However that truth is again to be examined by human, rational means, not by the Spirit; for if it were, that second sentence or judgment of the Spirit would again want other means to discern whether that were a true Spirit or no. 2 ^dly , That those Illuminations come not so irresistibly, but that they may be opposed by human interpositions, prejudices, prepossessions, pride, opinionating, &c. and so still it will be at every turn uncertain, whether they be thus resisted or no, and till that be revealed by some new light also, it will still be unevident which is the truth of God, to which the Illumination or the Providence assists or directs any. And 3 ^dly , that the Illuminations ordinarily afforded by God are proportioned not to his all-seeing knowledge, but to our capacities, and our real wants, and so, as his Sanctifying grace is not given in such a degree, or manner, as to preserve us impeccable, so neitheir his Illuminations, as to render us inerrable or infallible. But it being certain in both, that God is not wanting to us in necessaries, (as he doth not bind himself to abound to us in superfluities) the only conclusion from thence will be, that where God affords not his grace, he requires not of us those performances to which that grace was necessary, and so that he will supply by his pardon what was wanting in our strength (and sure he will pardon errors of weakness as well as sins of weakness, human nesciencies, as well as human frailties;) and not that he will give all light, when, by not exacting all knowledge, that light was rendered unnecessary for us.

§ 28. 6 ^thly , That God's Illuminations being proportioned to our wants, and not to our ambitions or wantonnesses, it will be sufficient that they be afforded to those who are by him regularly called and sent to some office in his Church of instructing and teaching others, those others being left to such more moderate degrees, which are agreeable to their more private condition, and the supplies which are allowed them from the Pastor, whose lips are to preserve knowledge, and they to seek the law at his mouth. And as this advantage belongs not to the Ahimaaz, who runs, or assumes authority to himself, when he is not so sent, but only to him that can show the regularity of his mission; so neither to him unlimitedly, but only so far as may competently fit him for the discharging his office, which is, the calling sinners to repentance, and directing and confirming them in Christian practice (and a moderate proportion of Knowledge may be as competent for that as a greater measure of Illumination: he that hears not plain duty from Moses and the Prophets, neither will he repent though one were sent from the dead ) nor to him without use of the ordinary means, study, &c. nor to him without possibility of error, through his human weakness; nor of heresy, and even Apostasy, through the vicious habits in his own heart, which this light doth not dissolve or dispel, but leaves to be mortified by other means.

§ 29. 7 ^thly , The sanctifying Spirit of God being received and employed effectually to the mortifying of carnal sins, and all filthiness of the spirit also, pride, obstinacy, faction, singularity, ambition, vain-glory, sluggishness, and all irregular passions and interests, &c. is an excellent preparative to the receiving benefit from God's illuminations, and the truly humble pious man is, caeteris paribus, more likely to be led into all profitable or practical truths, then he who hath all or any of those clouds of darkness in him: But this again not so that the pious man shall be able to acquire knowledge without human means, to understand the Bible in the original without many years studying of those languages wherein it was written, or to divine the meaning of Scripture without the assistance of those that have searched into the depth of it, nor so as to be infallible in what he doth use means to search, when those means are perhaps imperfect (and will always be so till he comes to the state of Vision) and so incompetent to find out the truth, or else his parts incompetent for the judging or fathoming of it, it being evident in the most pious man, what S. Paul personates in himself, 1 Cor. 13. that we now see as in a glass darkly, and know but in part, v. 12.

§ 30. 8 ^thly , That after all this the common illuminations of God's Spirit are imparted, as God's sun and rain, to the unthankful and unjust and wicked, as well as to the Saints and holy ones (we know the Devils science acquired by natural means is great beyond any man's, and could not be so, unless either those natural means were able to carry him as far as common illuminations do others, or else the illuminations afforded one be also communicated to the other.) The chief differences are 1. in the use of their knowledge: The one useth it to the benefit of himself and others; the other useth it not at all to his own advantage, but abuseth it to the destruction of others. 2 ^dly , The one through humility and many other virtues is kept from assuming knowledge where he hath none, or of boasting it where he hath, and so is preserved from many errors and foul misadventures, which the arrogance of another betrays him to; but still these differences and others arise from the qualifications of the recipient, not from the degrees of the illuminations. If illuminations of themselves were competent to purge the heart, and prepare them for that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord, it might then be reasonable to extend God's promise of more grace to the Humble, by way of reward for their humility, to the more illuminated. But the use of illuminations being to fit some men to instruct others (and that being reconcilable with the eternal perishing of the instructors, 1 Cor. 9. 27.) there appears not any reason of extending that promise from sanctifying grace to that which is so distant from it, the increase of light and knowledge being so frequently, what the Apostle affirms in his time, the betraying and ruining of humility, 1 Cor. 8. 2. that it cannot regularly be looked on as the reward of it.

§ 31. It now remains, that in the last place I proceed in few words to demonstrate the great necessity of opposing and rejecting the Enthusiasts pretensions, and adhering to the true doctrine. And that will be done by considering the dangers consequent to those pretensions.

§ 32. First, that of diminishing or increasing the Scripture or Canon of the written word, whensoever the Enthusiast (who by his trusting on a broken reed is of all men the most likely to fall often) shall mistake in interpreting any part of it. For the new light, if it be from heaven, being as certain to discover truth, as it is certain that God cannot lie, whatsoever is taught by it must necessarily be as true as that holy Scripture itself; and if it be the interpretation of any particular parcel of Scripture, and yet vary from the true sense of it, it must consequently (to everyone that believes it) take out so much of God's word out of the Canon as that parcel did truly contain, and add as much to it also as that false interpretation amounts to: which being as often iterable as there be places of Scripture explicable, or mistakable by the Enthusiast, these substractions and additions may also be infinite, and as many different new Canons of Scripture every year made, as there be, or may be, assuming pretenders to interpretation, and those are infinite also. And this is one competent danger.

§ 33. A second danger is, that by the possessing of men's minds with this opinion of new light, or the voice of God's Spirit within them, the authority of the whole written word of God in effect is superseded and evacuated. This we see already to be the fruit of this pretension in many, who calling the Scripture the Letter, and the voice within them the Spirit, apply to these two that place of 2 Cor, 3. 6. the Letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life; the conclusion from whence is naturally and inevitably this, that the Scripture, when it differs from the Enthusiasts fancy, is pernicious and mortiferous, and no antidote sufficient against it, but the following the dictates, be they never so corrupt and carnal, (as when they are contrary to God's written word it must be expected they should be) of a man's own heart. And then, as when there was no King in Israel, it was an easy deduction, that every one should do that which was right in his own, not in God's, eyes; so it is to be expected that when this Theocraty ( God's governing men's lives by the written word) is cast off, all villainies and abominations should straight possess those hearts which have betaken themselves to this riotous liberty. And so we find it affirmed of the Gnostics by S. Peter and S. Jude, (as the general observation of the Apostles) that they scoffed and derided the revealed promises of God, walking after their own ungodly lusts, every man following his own inordinate appetite; and these very men, when they did all this, calling themselves the spiritual, and the knowing (so 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signified, and that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 knowledge was the interpreting the mysteries in the Scripture after their own fancy, miscalled the Spirit, directly the New light which now we speak of.) A consequent whereof it was, that they separated from all the Orthodox Christians, and joined with the Jews to persecute them.

§ 34. A third danger, most immediately consequent to this pretension, is the making God opposite and contrary to himself, as he must be, if he be thought to own all the gleams of New Light that shine in their several hearts that pretend to it; for these are most frequently different, and often contrary the one to the other, (as appears by the multitude of opinions and contrariety of practices which this one fruitful mother of monsters hath brought forth, all equally pretending to the wisdom that cometh from above ) and that not only in several men, but in the same men, at several times seeing and unseeing the same things; which how injurious it is to God, who can no more change then lie, need not be here manifested.

§ 35. A fourth danger is confusion among men, continual disturbance of Kingdoms or States; the Governors whereof having no other authority then what is founded on or agreeable to the word and will of God, it will still be in the power of each pretender to deliver oracles out of his own breast, as immediate dictates of God, quite contrary to the safety and interest of that government, whatsoever it is, which is at any time anywhere established. And so the peace of kingdoms must be as uncertain and mutable as the fancies of men, and the laws as ambulatory as Testaments while the Testator lives; every illuminate breast pretending to come, like Moses from God in Sinai, with new tables of Divine commandments, which in all reason must supersede the old, be they never so firmly established.

§ 36. The sum of this matter is, that it being evidently consequent to this pretension, that the voice of the Devil may be mistaken for the dictate of the Spirit of God, there is nothing so vile or monstrous, earthy, sensual, devilish, but may pass for Divinely inspired by these means; and if it be regular to worship him as God, whom we own as such, it may by immediate consequence bring in among the Christians the same worship of Devils, which had long possession of the heathen Temples, those being by the worshippers believed and adored as the true God, because they gave responses out of the cave, delivered Oracles, &c. unto them.

§ 37. How far the sober attempt and endeavor of interpreting obscure places of Scripture, by the assistance of God's Spirit cooperating with human means, is removed from all these dangers, I shall not need to show in more words then these, that what is here offered to the Reader in this ensuing volume, pretends no otherwise to challenge his belief, then it shall satisfy his understanding, that it probably is what it pretends to be; and then if he receive damage by us in anything, it is by his own rashness and over-great easiness of belief, which he must in reason endeavor to put off, in exchange for some prudence and diligence of search, before he enter into this temptation.

THE NEW [note a] TESTAMENT OF Our Lord, and Savior JESUS CHRIST.

Annotation.

[ a] T HE Title of this whole Book [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the New Testament or Covenant ] which is prefixed in some Copies, (in others with this addition [ of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ] in others with some variation of the form, [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 All the books of the New Covenant ]) by whomsoever it was affixed to these books or writings following, doth refer to the consent of the Catholic Church of God, and that Tradition, which giveth testimony to these Books, as those, and those only, which complete and make up the new Canon; And the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] signifies, as in the Titles of other Authors, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , all the Books or Writings, that have been written, and by God's providence derived to the Church, so as by it to be received in canonem, i. e. into the number of those writings, which are unquestionably acknowledged to be the writings of the Apostles and Disciples of Christ; All others as Apocryphal (of dubious and uncertain Authority) being excluded out of this Catalogue. Now for the word [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] here, how it is to be rendered, and what is the peculiar notion of it, is a matter of some difficulty. Two things especially it signifies in this Book, a Covenant, and a Will, or Testament; a Covenant, Mat. 26. 28. Mar. 14. 24. Lu. 22. 20. as may appear by the adjunct [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 new, ] which notes the opposition of this to the Old, and so that this is, what the Old was, i. e. not a Testament, but a Pact or Covenant; Not a Testament (to which Death is supposed necessary, Heb. 9. 16. but could there have no proper place) but a stipulation betwixt God, and his people the Jews, promising mercies, and requiring duties of them. And so the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which is rendered by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , signfies a Covenant, but never a Testament. So again 2 Cor. 3. 6. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is opposed to 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 v. 14. which Old was written in Tables of Stone, v. 3. and so appears to be the Law given to the Jews, and that was clearly a Covenant not a Will, or Testament. So again Jer. 31. 31. (from whence the Writers of the Gospels, and S. Paul 〈◊〉 to have derived the word) there is mention of a New Covenant, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; That must be a New Covenant, because it is opposed to a former, v. 32. which former, being that of God the Father with the Jews, is a Covenant still, and not a Testament, for the reason forementioned, and so is there described to be a kind of Marriage-Covenant, as between an Husband and Spouse, not a Testament between a Testa • or and Executor. And the truth is clear that Baptism, and the Lord's Supper being the Sacraments of this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , this New Covenant, as Circumcision was of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Old or former, these are Federal rites, or Ceremonies, Stipulations and promises, which again refer to a Covenant, and not to a Will or Testament. So Gal. 4. 24. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . I conceive, are two Covenants (though the relation which the Apostles discourse there hath to the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 inheritance v. 7. and 30. may seem to look toward a Testament ) for the main drift of that place is, to represent to us the Law and the Gospel, the Law as a Codex of Servile tasks, the Gospel of Gracious promises, the latter out-dating the former, but yet 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and answerable to it: and consequently the Law being a Covenant, not a Testament, such also must be the notion of the Gospel in that place, and the very inheritance itself being part of the promise made to Abraham, is agreeable enough to the word under the notion of a Covenant, and not of a Testament, part of the Evangelical Covenant being God's promise in Christ to receive us by adoption as Sons, and ( if sons, then heirs ) to bestow the inheritance upon us. One place indeed there is in these Books, where 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 infallibly signifies a Will or Testament, Heb. 9. 16, 17. as appears by the Death of the Testator mentioned v. 16. But of those two verses it is observable, that the notion of [ Testament ] is there taken in by way of Accommodation, as a second sense of the word, superadded to the former of a [ Covenant ] in which it is used v. 15, 18, 20. it being said of Christ, v. 15. that he is the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mediator, or Sponsor of this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 new Covenant, not Testament, that of Mediator being far from this of a Testator. And besides, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the New ] there, is opposite to the [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , first ] in the end of the verse, and so must be in the notion of a Covenant still, because the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , first ] was only a Covenant, and not a Testament, the Author of it there being clearly God the Father, in whom Death, the ratification of Testaments, could have no place. This again further appears by what is said of it v. 18, & 19. For there the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which was said to be consecrated with blood, was the Tables of the law, the Commandments, v. 19. and will fitly be rendered there [ Covenant ] not [ Testament ] v. 20. It being the constant custom and practice of the Eastern Nations to use Blood in the striking of any Pact or Covenant, but not in making every Will or Testament, and to that the express testimony of Exod. 24. 6. which is there cited, doth belong, the sprinkling of blood being the ceremony following Moses 's rehearsing the Commandments to the people, Exod. 20, & 21, & 22, & 23. as the sanction of a Covenant, So that although it be evident, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 v. 16, 17. do • signify Testament yet it is as clear, that, as in all the other forementioned Texts, so also in the verses antecedent, and consequent to these, it signifies Covenant also, and even in these not Testament, exclusively to Covenant, but Covenant and Testament superadded to it; Covenant in the other verses, and then, by extending the use of the word to its full latitude, Covenant and Testament both. Upon this consideration, and in reverence to the usage of the Latin and Western Churches, who generally have used Testamentum in this place, (though some have used Instrumentum to contain both, and others Foedus, Covenant only) and that by retaining the word Testament, I may be sure also to retain that comfortable intimation, viz. that in the Gospel unspeakable gifts are given or delegated to us antecedently to all conditions required of us (such are Christ's giving himself for us, Calling us, and giving us Sufficient grace to come unto him) Upon these grounds, I say, it is not amiss to take in both the words in the rendering of this Title, that of Covenant, as being most agreeable to the use of the words in the Sacred Dialect, and most agreeable to the nature of the Gospel, which is, (as all Covenants made with inferiors are Laws) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the law of Christ, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the law of faith, a New Law, requiring a condition of Faith and Obedience in us without which the Gospel is not the savor of life, a Gospel of mercy to any; and withal that of Testament also wherein the Christians inheritance is sealed to him as to a Son and Heir of God's, and wherein the death of Christ as of a Testator, (Heb. 9. 16, 17.) is set down at large by way of story, and as it is appliable to our benefit.

Annotation.

[ a] T HE Title of this whole Book [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the New Testament or Covenant ] which is prefixed in some Copies, (in others with this addition [ of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ] in others with some variation of the form, [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 All the books of the New Covenant ]) by whomsoever it was affixed to these books or writings following, doth refer to the consent of the Catholic Church of God, and that Tradition, which giveth testimony to these Books, as those, and those only, which complete and make up the new Canon; And the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] signifies, as in the Titles of other Authors, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , all the Books or Writings, that have been written, and by God's providence derived to the Church, so as by it to be received in canonem, i. e. into the number of those writings, which are unquestionably acknowledged to be the writings of the Apostles and Disciples of Christ; All others as Apocryphal (of dubious and uncertain Authority) being excluded out of this Catalogue. Now for the word [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] here, how it is to be rendered, and what is the peculiar notion of it, is a matter of some difficulty. Two things especially it signifies in this Book, a Covenant, and a Will, or Testament; a Covenant, Mat. 26. 28. Mar. 14. 24. Lu. 22. 20. as may appear by the adjunct [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 new, ] which notes the opposition of this to the Old, and so that this is, what the Old was, i. e. not a Testament, but a Pact or Covenant; Not a Testament (to which Death is supposed necessary, Heb. 9. 16. but could there have no proper place) but a stipulation betwixt God, and his people the Jews, promising mercies, and requiring duties of them. And so the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which is rendered by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , signfies a Covenant, but never a Testament. So again 2 Cor. 3. 6. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is opposed to 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 v. 14. which Old was written in Tables of Stone, v. 3. and so appears to be the Law given to the Jews, and that was clearly a Covenant not a Will, or Testament. So again Jer. 31. 31. (from whence the Writers of the Gospels, and S. Paul 〈◊〉 to have derived the word) there is mention of a New Covenant, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; That must be a New Covenant, because it is opposed to a former, v. 32. which former, being that of God the Father with the Jews, is a Covenant still, and not a Testament, for the reason forementioned, and so is there described to be a kind of Marriage-Covenant, as between an Husband and Spouse, not a Testament between a Testa • or and Executor. And the truth is clear that Baptism, and the Lord's Supper being the Sacraments of this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , this New Covenant, as Circumcision was of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Old or former, these are Federal rites, or Ceremonies, Stipulations and promises, which again refer to a Covenant, and not to a Will or Testament. So Gal. 4. 24. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . I conceive, are two Covenants (though the relation which the Apostles discourse there hath to the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 inheritance v. 7. and 30. may seem to look toward a Testament ) for the main drift of that place is, to represent to us the Law and the Gospel, the Law as a Codex of Servile tasks, the Gospel of Gracious promises, the latter out-dating the former, but yet 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and answerable to it: and consequently the Law being a Covenant, not a Testament, such also must be the notion of the Gospel in that place, and the very inheritance itself being part of the promise made to Abraham, is agreeable enough to the word under the notion of a Covenant, and not of a Testament, part of the Evangelical Covenant being God's promise in Christ to receive us by adoption as Sons, and ( if sons, then heirs ) to bestow the inheritance upon us. One place indeed there is in these Books, where 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 infallibly signifies a Will or Testament, Heb. 9. 16, 17. as appears by the Death of the Testator mentioned v. 16. But of those two verses it is observable, that the notion of [ Testament ] is there taken in by way of Accommodation, as a second sense of the word, superadded to the former of a [ Covenant ] in which it is used v. 15, 18, 20. it being said of Christ, v. 15. that he is the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mediator, or Sponsor of this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 new Covenant, not Testament, that of Mediator being far from this of a Testator. And besides, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the New ] there, is opposite to the [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , first ] in the end of the verse, and so must be in the notion of a Covenant still, because the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , first ] was only a Covenant, and not a Testament, the Author of it there being clearly God the Father, in whom Death, the ratification of Testaments, could have no place. This again further appears by what is said of it v. 18, & 19. For there the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which was said to be consecrated with blood, was the Tables of the law, the Commandments, v. 19. and will fitly be rendered there [ Covenant ] not [ Testament ] v. 20. It being the constant custom and practice of the Eastern Nations to use Blood in the striking of any Pact or Covenant, but not in making every Will or Testament, and to that the express testimony of Exod. 24. 6. which is there cited, doth belong, the sprinkling of blood being the ceremony following Moses 's rehearsing the Commandments to the people, Exod. 20, & 21, & 22, & 23. as the sanction of a Covenant, So that although it be evident, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 v. 16, 17. do • signify Testament yet it is as clear, that, as in all the other forementioned Texts, so also in the verses antecedent, and consequent to these, it signifies Covenant also, and even in these not Testament, exclusively to Covenant, but Covenant and Testament superadded to it; Covenant in the other verses, and then, by extending the use of the word to its full latitude, Covenant and Testament both. Upon this consideration, and in reverence to the usage of the Latin and Western Churches, who generally have used Testamentum in this place, (though some have used Instrumentum to contain both, and others Foedus, Covenant only) and that by retaining the word Testament, I may be sure also to retain that comfortable intimation, viz. that in the Gospel unspeakable gifts are given or delegated to us antecedently to all conditions required of us (such are Christ's giving himself for us, Calling us, and giving us Sufficient grace to come unto him) Upon these grounds, I say, it is not amiss to take in both the words in the rendering of this Title, that of Covenant, as being most agreeable to the use of the words in the Sacred Dialect, and most agreeable to the nature of the Gospel, which is, (as all Covenants made with inferiors are Laws) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the law of Christ, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the law of faith, a New Law, requiring a condition of Faith and Obedience in us without which the Gospel is not the savor of life, a Gospel of mercy to any; and withal that of Testament also wherein the Christians inheritance is sealed to him as to a Son and Heir of God's, and wherein the death of Christ as of a Testator, (Heb. 9. 16, 17.) is set down at large by way of story, and as it is appliable to our benefit.

THE [note a] GOSPEL according to S ^t . [note b] MATTHEW.

Annotations.

[ a] THe Gospel ] What the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Greek, (which we render Gospel ) signifies among Authors, is ordinarily known, viz. from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , good news or good tidings. Thus the Angel speaks of the birth of Christ, in relation to all that should follow after it, Luke 2. 10. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 I bring you good tidings of great joy, i. e. very joyful good tidings. Only in this sacred use of it, there seems to be a Metonymy, or figure very ordinary, whereby the word that signifies good news, is set to denote the history of that good news, the birth and life, and resurrection of Christ, which all put together is that joyful good news or tidings. As for our English word Gospel, which the Saxon read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is compounded of God, and spel; the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 among the Saxons signifying good as well a, God, & no difference being discernible in the writing of those two words among them, unless that when 'tis taken for God it hath an • e after it. So in the Treatise De veteri Testame to, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , aelc 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . God is all good, and all good cometh of him, According to the notion of most Nations, the Heathens calling God, Optimus, the best, and Christ according to the Jewish notion telling the young man, that there was none good, save God only. As for the other part of it [ spel ] it seems to signify [ word ] among the Saxons, as when 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Deut. 28. 37. & Psal. 79. 14. signifies a by-word or Proverb, or as it is still used in the North by-spell. So in the Treatise De Vet. Test. Among Solomon 's writings, an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 boc, One is Proverbs, i. e. by-spell book, and again, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by-spell of wisdom. Some remains of the use of this word are still among us, as when a charm, carmen, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , indifferently a verse or a word, one or more lines of Scripture or otherwise, either spoken or writ • and hung about ones neck, on design to drive away a disease (according to the superstitious belief, and practice of our Ancestors) is still among us called a Spell, from the ancient use of it, as in the Poet,

Sunt verba & voces, quibus hunc lenire dolorem

Possis—words signify charms.

And so this word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or by euphony, Gospel, in Wicleifs translation, and ever since, notes these good tidings delivered, as first by an Angel, and after by the Apostles by word of mouth, so here in writing by way of History also; and in brief signifies that blessed story of the birth, life, actions, precepts, and promises, death, and resurrection of Christ, which of all other stories in the world we Christians ought to look on with most joy, as an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or good word, i. e. a. Gospel.

[ b] According to Matthew ] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , is no more than this, That story of Christ, which Matthew, one of Christ 's disciples, and Apo • tles, (who had associated himself to Christ, as a disciple of his, ever since he began to reveal himself, or to preach) compiled, and set down. This he is said to have written eight vears after the resurrection of Christ, and that in the Hebrew tongue. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , saith an ancient MS. The holy Gospel according to Matthew was set down by him for those of the Jews at Jerusalem in Hebrew, and therefore as writing to the Hebrews, he proceeds no farther in the Genealogy of Christ, then that he was from Abraham and David; Now this was set out by him eight years after the assumption of Christ. So another ancient MS. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , It was set out at, or delivered and sent to Jerusalem in the Hebrew language. And though that which we now have be only in Greek, yet being translated into that language either by himself, or some Apostolical person (that it might be of farther use, then only to those of Jerusalem, the Jews, for whom it was first designed) and, as such, universally without all contradiction or question received into the Canon of the New Testament by the whole Primitive Church, it is with the same reverence to be received by us, as if it had been first written in Greek, or as if we had the Hebrew still remaining to us.

Having said this of the first it will not be amiss in this place, by the way, briefly to consider, Who were the Authors of all the four Gospels, and What is generally observable of each of their writings. For the first it much tends to the advancing the authority of these books, to consider, that two of them, the first and the last were compiled by two Disciples, and Apostles of Christ, who were perpetually present with him, and saw, and heard all the particular words and actions, which they relate, viz. Matthew and John. And for the other two, Mark and Luke, though they were not such Disciples, and Apostles, immediately retaining to Christ, and continually attending on him, yet they were familiar and constant attendants, the former of Peter, one of these Apostles also, (who wrote his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . saith that ancient MS. ten years after the ascension of Christ ) the latter of Paul, who being called by Christ miraculously from heaven, was at that time by Christ put into a course of coming to an exact knowledge of the truth of this whole matter, (as appears by the story of the Acts ) and long after, when he was at Rome, say the Ancients, Luke being by him instructed, wrote this Gospel, which therefore, saith the MS. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , hath the Italic character, or manner of writing discernible in it. To this may be added what the Ecclesiastic Historians say of Mark, that Peter did deliver, and, as it were, dictare this Gospel to him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , saith an ancient MS. It is to be observed, that the Gospel according to Mark was dictated by Peter at Rome, according to those verses anciently written on his Gospel,

           〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
          
           〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
          
          ,
         
           〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
          
          ,
         
           〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
          
           〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
          
          .

Mark being instructed by S. Peters preaching in the doctrine of the exinanition, or descent of Christ to our human nature, wherein be was twofold, God-man by nature, set this down accordingly, and now hath the second place in the writings of holy Scripture, i. e. of the New Testament. And of this there be some characters discernible in the writing itself, As that setting down the story of Peter 's denying of Christ, with the same enumeration of circumstances, and aggravations of the fault, that Matthew doth, when he comes to mention his repentance, and tears consequent to it, he doth it (as became the true Penitent) more coldly than Matthew had done, only 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he wept, whereas Matthew hath 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he wept bitterly. And for Luke, his profession is, that he had made diligent enquiry, c. 1. 3. and received his advertisements not only from S. Paul, but also from those who were both eye-witnesses of what he writes, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 officers, instruments employed by Christ in the particulars of the story, and therefore is as creditable a witness as their authority, from whom he had his instructions, can render him.

That which is generally observable of these four writings is this, that the three first of them write the whole story from the Birth of Christ till after his Resurrection, but two of them more largely, Matthew and Luke, the third ( Mark ) more succinctly, setting down the series of the actions rather than the sermons, and passages delivered by him. And again though none of them agree throughout in observing the Order and Succession of the actions by them related (see note on Mar. 5. a.) yet two of them do agree in it one with the other, much more constantly, than the third with either of them, viz. Matthew an Apostle, and eye-witness, and Mark, from Peter, who was such also, but the third, Luke, which wrote his story out of collections, which he had from others, and compiled it himself, hath not so exactly observed the order, wherein the things were done, but only set down the things themselves; and when, beside that of the order, he hath sometimes varied from the others in some words, or circumstances (as, when others say 'twas a Maid that spake to Peter, and occasioned his second denying of Christ, Mat. 26. 71. Mar. 14. 69. he reads 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the masculine, Lu. 22. 57. and some other the like) these are generally so inconsiderable, and of so noimportance to the main matters of Faith, the doctrines of the Gospel, that they are rather arguments to demonstrate that these writings were not contrived by any compact, or agreement of one with the other, but each of them apart, without consulting, or knowing, what the other had done, which is a circumstance that was necessary to make their testimonies several, and so to give them the greater authority from the number of them. As for the fourth, John, his writing seems to have been designed to these two ends, 1. To demonstrate, and declare the Divinity of Christ ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , saith an anti • nt MS. copy, he describes the first and glorious age, or generation of Christ with the Father ) as the other three had set down his Humanity, and cleared the matter of his Conception, and Birth, of the Virgin, and 2 ^d lie, to add out of his own knowledge some remarkable things (especially those which most tended to the former design) which had been omitted by the other three, to which purpose he saw it necessary to set down the story of Christ 's Passion, and Resurrection, as the rest had done, that so he might affix those other circumstances, which he designed to add unto them. This is all that I think necessary to premise in this place of this matter.

S. MATTHEW. CHAP. I.

1 T HE book of the [note a] generation of Jesus Christ, the son of [note b] David, the son of Abraham,]

[Paraphrase] 1 An history of what concerned, or narration of the passages of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who according to the prophecies foregoing of the Messias, sprang from the line of David, and Abraham, to both whom he was particularly promised.

2 Abraham begat Isaac, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren.

3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Tamar, and Pharez begat Esrom, and Esrom begat Aram,

4 And Aram begat Aminadab, and Aminadab begat Naasson, and Naasson begat • almon,

5. And Salmon begat Booz of [note c] Rachab, and Booz begat Obed of Ruth, and Obed begat Jesse,

6. And Jesse begat David the King, and David the King begat Solomon [of her that had been the wife of Urias.]

[Paraphrase] 6. Of her that had been defiled by David, while she was the wife of Uriah, but was now after Uriah’s death taken to be David's wife, and of her in that matrimony Solomon was born.

7. And Solomon begat Roboam, and Roboam begat Abia, and Abia begat Asa,

8. And Asa begat Josaphat, and Josaphat begat Joram, [and Joram begat Ozias,]

[Paraphrase] 8. And Jehoram begat Ahaziah, Ahaziah begat Joas, Joas begat Amaziah, Amaziah begat Ozias, called also Azarias. See 1 Chron. 3. 11.

9. And Ozias begat Joatham, and Joatham begat Ahaz, and Ahaz begat Hezekiah.

10. And Hezekiah begat Manasseh, and Manasseh begat Amon, and Amon begat Josiah,

11. And Josiah begat Jechonias and his brethren, [ about the time they were carried away to Babylon,

[Paraphrase] 11. Immediately before the time (see note on Mar. 2. b.) that Jeconiah king of Judah, Jer. 24. 1. and the Jews with him, were, at divers times, carried captive by the king of Babylon to his country.

12. And after they were brought to Babylon] Jechonias [note d] begat Salathiel, and Salathiel begat Zerubbabel,

[Paraphrase] 12. And after the time of their being carried or removed thither.

13. And Zerubbabel begat Abiud, and Abiud begat Eliakim, and Eliakim begat [note e] Azor,

14. And Azor begat Sadoc, and Sadoc begat Achim, and Achim begat Eliud,

15. And Eliud begat Eleazar, and Eleazar begat Matthan, and Matthan begat Jacob,

16. And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

17. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the carrying aay into Babylon unto Christ, are fourteen generations.]

[Paraphrase] 17. So that the Genealogy here set down (not by enumeration of all the severals which succeeded one another from Abraham to Christ, see v. 8. but) in that manner as is sufficient to deduce his pedigree from Abraham, and David, may, for memory sake, be divided into three fourteens, one of those from Abraham to David, before they were Kings; a second from David to the captivity, whilst they enjoyed the Regal power entire; the third from the captivity to Christ, when there were only some weak remainders of the Regal power among the Jews.

18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wife: [ When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, (before they [note f] came together) she was found with child of the holy Ghost.]

[Paraphrase] 18. His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, but was not yet married to him and in this space he discerned her to be with child, but knew not by whom it was, it being indeed conceived in her by a wonderful miraculous manner, by the operation of the holy Spirit of God.

19. Then her husband Joseph Being [note g] a just man, and not willing [note h] to make her a public example, was minded [note i] to put her away privily]

[Paraphrase] 19. Then her husband Joseph being a merciful pious man, and not willing to expose or subject her to that public and shameful punishment, which belonged among the Jews to those women, whom the husbands when they first came in to them, found not to be virgins, was willing secretly to dismiss her, that being not known to be betrothed to him, she might only be liable to the punishment of fornication viz. infamy, not death.

20. But while he thought on these things, behold, the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph thou son of David, fear not to take Mary to thee thy wife; for that which is conceived in her [is of the holy Ghost.]

[Paraphrase] 20. Proceeds from the powerful work of the holy Ghost over-shadowing her, Luke 1. 35. and omnipotently working in her this conception.

21. And she shall bring forth a son, and [thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins,]

[Paraphrase] 21. Whether by thee (as here) or by Mary, Luke 1. 31. or by both together (by the common right of parents) his name shall be called Jesus, i. e. Savior, the title of leaders or generals, and governors among the Jews, Obad. 21. to denote his spiritual kingdom, and conduct of all that believe and obey him, against their ghostly enemies, sin, &c.

22. (Now all this was done [note k] that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,]

[Paraphrase] 22. (And hereby that prophecy, Isa. 7. 14. had a notable completion, when the prophet said to Ahaz,

23. Behold a Virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, [and [note l] they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.)]

[Paraphrase] 23. And as there the child in the prophet was called Emmanuel to signify the presence and protection of God to Ahaz, so shall the birth of this child be the coming of God among us.)

24. Then Joseph being raised from sleep, did as the Angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife,

25. And knew her not, till she had brought forth her first born son, and he called his name Jesus.]

[Paraphrase] 25. And she brought forth this Jesus, her first born (and in all probability, her only) son (the word [till] being of no force to the contrary, as may appear, 1 Sam. 15. 35. without ever being known by her husband, either before, or after the conception of him, (and, as tis piously believed, though not affirmed in Scripture, remained a virgin all her life after) and on the eighth day, the day of circumcision, and of imposition of names, his name was called Jesus by the appointment of his parents, according to the Angels direction.

Annotations on Chapter I.

[ a] The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 doth not here signify peculiarly or precisely the birth of Christ, for that is expressed by another word differing somewhat from this, v. 18. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to beget (so used v. 2. and so on, in every verse after) whereas 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which signifies in a wider sense, not only to be born, but also to be done, or come to pass. It is here answerable to the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which though it come from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifying to beget, (and so often signifies that peculiarly) yet the verb signifying also any inanimate production, any event, that time brings forth (as Prov. 27. 1.) thou knowest not what a day 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 will bring forth, and Eccl. 4. 14. and even in his kingdom 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he is made, or becometh poor (not as we render it, he that is born in his Kingdom, and Job. 11 12. and man 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 shall become a wild Asses colt ) proportionably the noun 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies event, accident, anything that is done, or come to pass, and so likewise any such event, or passage set down, or related, the history, or relation of it. So Gen. 2. 4. These are the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the things that came to pass, the story, relation of the heavens and the earth, &c. i. e. not only the creation of them, but other passages following it. So Gen. 5. 1. the book of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the book of the story of Adam, his creation, and following life, as here 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the birth, and life of the second Adam. So Gen. 37. 2. These are the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the story of Jacob, where tis clear, that his own birth or the procreation of his children is not the peculiar matter in hand at that time, that being past c. 35. and Esau 's genealogy set after it, c. 36. but v. 1. his dwelling in Canaan, v. 2, 3. his love to Joseph, and the passages consequent to that. And accordingly Ibn Ezra there observes, that the word noteth any event, anything that befell Jacob, and so saith that excellent * P. Fagius, Non statuit hic texere genealogiam stirpis Jacob, sed potiùs miserabiles casus, & eventa, quae ipsi acciderant; He meant not to set down Jacob's genealogy, but the sad events, that befell him. So Num, 3. 1. These are the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the story of the passages of Aaron and Moses, &c. and so here not only of the birth of Christ (for that is but a very small part of this book,) nor yet only the genealogy of Christ; for though that here follow immediately, yet makes it not up any considerable part of this whole book, but the book of the story of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ, of all the events that belong to that matter recorded by that Evangelist, as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is all that befell the Apostles after.

[ b] The reason of the special mention of David and Abraham here, without any between, is the special promises which had been made to those two, to the one of continuing the Kingdom to his posterity; to the other of a numerous seed.

[ c] That Rahab was the wife of Salmon and mother of Booz, is not set down in the Old Testament, nor mentioned in the genealogy in Saint Luke, but recited by this Evangelist either out of the Cabala or tradition, or else from some other written Authors of sufficient credit among the Jews; as the names of Jannes and Jambres, 2 Tim. 3. 8. appear to have been, and some others which shall be noted in their place.

[ d] Of Jeconiah 'tis pronounced [ Write this man childless, Jer. 22. 30. which seems to infer that Salathiel was not his son, but his • eir only. An thus hath the learned Grotius set it, Lu. 3. 23. that Josiah begat Jeconiah, i. e. Jehoiakim, Jehoiakim another Jechonias, that died childless, Zedekias (his uncle) succeeding him, and Assir succeeding Zedekias, and then Salathiel the son of Neri was Assir's heir, and so is here said to be begotten by Jeconiah. For that of leaving one heir or successor, is a kind of civil begetting, and which the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 will bear, as God is said to have begotten sons, whom he hath only adopted. And therefore when Ier. 22. 28. there is mention of Jechoniahs seed cast into a land, &c. i. e. carried captive with him, and 1 Chron. 3. 17. when in his genealogy we read, The sons of Iechoniah, Assir, and Salathiel his son, this may be the meaning of it, that these were his heirs, or successors. Although others interpret it otherwise, either that his children should be cut off, or at least that none of his seed should sit upon the throne of David, which is there rendered as the reason of Jeremiah's speech, For no man of his seed shall prosper, v. 30.

[ c] In a very ancient Hebrew copy of this Gospel, this verse is somewhat varied, thus, And Eliakim begat Abner, and Abner begat Azor, &c. by which interposition of Abner the fourteen generations are completed, in which otherwise there will seem to be defect, Salathiel probably being the first of this third fourteen, and not Jeconiah (as Solomon was the first of the second, and not David ) from whom to Christ there will then be but thirteen, if Abner be not thus added to supply. Another way there is of making up the fourteens by putting in Jachim v. 11. (as Rob. Steph. finds and sets down in his Var. lect. ) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Josiah begat Jachim and Jachim begat Jeconiah, and to this the gen • alogy agrees, 1 Chron. 3. 15. and if this be taken, then Jeconiah must be first of the last fourteen, so that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 v. 17. shall signify from the beginning of, or from the [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] v. 11. from that time, about or before the transportation; Of these and other the like questions both in the Genealogy here and in S. Luke, and especially for the according, and reconciling them with one another, I shall purposely abstain to speak more largely, both because, although they have great difficulties in them, yet the profit consequent to the resolving of them is not proportionably great, and especially because this is a subject wherein very many learned men have already taken very excellent pains, (to whom I refer the Reader) especially the most excellent Hugo Grotius, in his annotations on the Gospels.

[ f] What is meant here by the [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or coming together ] of Joseph and Mary, may be best determined by consideration of several passages of the context, all which seem to fix it on his actual marrying of her, which is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 conjunction of two together, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the joining of man and woman, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , joining of all that belongs to them, their whole estate, &c. and not relate to the conjunction of bed, as the sound of the word might import. For first it seems to be that which was next in order of time to betrothing ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 having been betrothed before they came together ) This of her being with child, falling out in that space, which was betwixt the betrothing and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Now after betrothing, marriage was the next, and therefore betrothing is called by Isidore, primae nuptiae, the first marriage; and by S. Basil, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the beginnings of marriage, being (according to the definition of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a wooing and promise of the future marriage (in the notion of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ambio, procor, to woo ) and that marriage was to intervene, before the use of the bed was imaginable. And betwixt betrothing and marriage there was wont to be a set space, Deut. 20. 7. in which that which is here related, might well fall out, her being or appearing to be with child. Secondly, that which is meant by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , taking to thee Mary to wife ] v. 20. seems to be the importance of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for thus the story lies, she is with child between the betrothing, and the [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] thereupon he is afraid 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to take her to him, till the Angel appears and dispels that fear. Now 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to take to him, especially, as 'tis here 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to take her to him to wife, v. 20, & 24. signifies to marry, and is relative to 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to give, which belongs to the father of the spouse, Tob. 7. 11, 13. (after the example of God in paradise Gen. 2. 22.) because he delivers her into the bridegrooms hand, who was therefore called Petitor (despondet puellam qui petit, spondet petitoris Pater saith Donatus in Andr. Terent. ) the suitor, and so 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he that takes her, in Strabo, is used for the husband, and so [ to take a wife ] signifies Deut. 20. 7. and simply to take, Tob. 7. 12. Take her and lead her away to her Father; This, upon the Angels warning, he presently doth, being only betrothed before, and though he be called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , her husband, v. 19. yet that implies no more, then betrothing a wife, Deut. 20. 7. and so 'tis here used immediately after mention of the betrothing, v. 18. One other possible notion there is of the [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] his taking her into family with him; so in the Gospel for the Sunday after Christmas it is rendered [ before they came to dwell together ] This is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , among the Greeks, to bring home the Bride, which being joined so closely closely with marriage, (Tob. 7. 12.) Ducere uxôrem (which denotes that) doth among the Latins, signify marriage also. As for that of the bed, not so much as a thought of that is meddled with, yea or no, till the order of things require it, i. e. till after the marriage completed; and then under the phrase, so usual in Scripture, of knowing, 'tis denied, v. 25. He knew her not, &c.

[ g] The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 answerable to the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , signifies ordinarily works of mercy, charity; of which when Maimonides sets down seven sorts or degrees, the seventh is distinctly 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 righteousness: so Deut. 24. 13. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 both according to the context, and the Septuagint's rendering, is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , mercy. So when the Rabbin's say, there are two thrones, one of judgment, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the other of mercy, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the latter is so styled by the Author to the Hebrews, c. 4. 16. the throne of mercy: so Psal. 112. 9. He hath given to the poor, and his righteousness, &c. that is, his bounty to the poor, precedent. So Prov. 11. 18. where He that soweth righteousness ] appears to signify the merciful, who soweth, i. e. scattereth, v. 24. and disperseth abroad his alms, and, as the sower, receives this back again with the greatest usury, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , saith S. Chrysostom, he seems to scatter, but really he gathers together, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as the sower lends his seed to the earth upon interest, and accordingly there it follows, to him shall be a sure reward. So Isa. 58. 7, 8. and Mat. 6. 1. where we now read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 'tis apparent (by the vulgar reading Justitiam ) that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 was an ancient reading, and that for alms in that place. Thus even in Heathen Authors. As when Jarchas the Indian and chief of the Brachmans in Philostratus, doth scoff at Apollonius Tyanaeus, and the Grecians, that they apply the word, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , righteousness, to any who do not wrong others, when (saith he) among the chief offices of righteousness, and importances of that word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , goodness and bounty are to be reckoned, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , humanity. Proportionably to these acceptions of the word, the righteousness of Joseph here shall signify not legal justice, but peculiarly goodness and clemency, of which this was an eminent expression in Joseph, which here follows.

[ h] The Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies literally to defame or disgrace, to publicate or show openly, as an example or spectacle, and by consequence (in Polybius and other good Authors ) to inflict the punishment of death on any, because those that are so punished, do as Christ saith John 12. 32. (though accommodating it to a diviner sense) draw all men unto them, i. e. attract the eyes of all spectators to behold them, by which phrase he there notes that he was to die a condemned person, according to that of Isai. 53. 8. (see note on Acts 8. h.) according to this double notion of the word we find the process, Deut. 22. against a Damosel taken to wife, and suspected by him to be desloured before his coming in to her. For in this case he is first said to give occasions of speech against her, and to bring an evil name upon her, i. e. to accuse and publicate her, to make a public business of it, and that before the Elders of the city in the gate, i. e. the Judges, v. 15. saying plainly v. 14. I found her not a maid; and if this prove true, she is then to be stoned, v. 21. Both these together make up the full importance of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here, and so here it must belong to the capital punishment of such a one who being taken to wife appears to be • o virgin, before the husbands accompanying with her, which sure was Josephs opinion of Mary at this time, till the Angel had told him otherwise, v. 20.

[ i] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , To put away ] here must be taken not as an act of divorce, but so as without taking notice of the betrothing, which being ordinarily performed at home, might be kept from public knowledge, and so her being with child needed not bring the punishment of one found by the husband to be no maid (Deut. 22. 21.) upon her, but only that which belonged to the unmarried.

[ k] It must be here noted once for all, that the particle [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that ] doth frequently denote the consequent, or event only, and not the end. This is a difference of some weight, and very often worthy, and necessary to be observed. For example Rom. 5. 20. The Law came in betwixt, (i. e. between Adam, and Christ ) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that sin might increase, not that that was the end, for which the Law was designed to be given, but because this was the consequent, or event, of giving the Law, that men's offenses, being now committed against a promulgate Law, received aggravation thereby. To the same sense is [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] to be taken in many places, as Rom. 1. 20. the invisible power, and Godhead is discerned [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] not [ that they may be ] as if that were the designed end, but [ so that they are ] (by way of effect or consequent ) become without excuse. And so here in this place, if it denoted the end. then the sense of it would be, that all these actions of God, and dispositions of infinite mercy in the birth of Christ, &c. were all designed by God to this end, that what was by one of his Prophets foretold, might be fulfilled; whereas indeed the great end designed by God in these actions, was the benefit and salvation of mankind, and so this is the principal effect wrought by it. But because by the way, a prophecy was fulfilled, which being delivered upon another occasion, had yet covertly foretold this glorious work of mercy, therefore 'tis also consequent to this (though not the aim and design, unless very remote and secondary) that this prophecy was fulfilled, and this is all that is meant by the phrase [ Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken, &c.] i. e. by the doing of all this, (not yet to recite those grand signs, and many gracious effects of it, after to be declared) it fell our, that an ancient prophecy was eminently fulfilled; and this indeed in a high improved sense, over and above that other vulgar sense, which belonged to those words, when they were delivered to Ahaz by God, and wherein they had then been performed to him ( viz. as a sign, that within the space of time, wherein a virgin might marry and conceive and bring forth, and the child come to the age of distinguishing good and evil, Isai. 7. 14, 15, 16. that is, within very few years, Rezin and Pekah his two great enemies should be brought low.) This observation of the importance of [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] will often be made use of in the ensuing paraphrase, without farther troubling the Reader with the account of the reason of it, having here once done it. This the Grammarians have expressed by [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , [ That] causal and [ That] consequential, the latter many times best rendered by [ so that ] though here the precedent words permit it not: See note on c. 4. 14. d.

[ l] These words in Isaiah had there a literal sense (whither really to be then performed, or only in vision, it is not certain) which is thus to be interpreted, that the child given for a sign to Ahaz, was to have this name imposed upon him, Emmanuel, which signifies God with us; Not that that child then born in Isaiah's time, should be God, but (as Gen. 22. 14. the place where God provided the Ram instead of Isaac, is called Jehovah jireh, God will see or provide, which concludes not that the place was God, or that the place should see, but only that that was to be a memorative of God's seeing and providing so here) that the imposition of this name upon the child should signify (as a sign given Ahaz to that purpose) that God would afford him his peculiar presence, and assistance against his enemies. And so all is plain in the place of Isaiah (as for the accommodation of it to this of the birth of Christ see note, k. ) Only it must be added, that if [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] be the right reading of the place, then there is ae scheme of the sacred dialect discernible in it, whereby [ they shall call ] is but a phrase, for [ he shall be, called ] as, Thou fool, this night shall they require thy soul, i. e. thy soul shall be required, and as of making friends of Mammon, 'tis added, that when ye fail, they may receive you, i. e. that you may be received into everlasting habitations. And accordingly v. 21. for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 thou shalt call, spoken to Joseph, some copies have 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they shall call, i. e. he shall be called. But the ancient copy which Beza sent to the University of Cambridge, reads [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , thou shalt call ] in both places, & so in Isaiah, from whence this place is taken, it is certainly [ thou shalt call ] whereupon though our Bibles read, a virgin shall conceive, and shall call, yet in the margent 'twas thought necessary to set it, thou, O virgin, shalt call. And so in the Epistle appointed by the Church for the Annuntiation of Mary, 'tis rendered And thou his mother shalt call. And in the Gospel for the Sunday after Christmas, the 25 v. of this chap. which stands ambiguously in the Greek, is there determined to the mother, [till she had brought forth her first begotten son, and called his name Jesus.

CHAP. II.

1 NOW when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold there came [note a] wise men from the east to Jerusalem]

[Paraphrase] 1. The birth of Christ, and the circumstances belonging to that, being set down in the former Chapter, here now succeed in this some passages pertaining to his childhood, and the first passage is, That after some time, not immediately after his birth, but whilst Mary and her son remained yet at Bethlehem, certainly after the time of Mary's purification at Jerusalem (mentioned by S. Luke) and return to Bethlehem again, the Chaldeans or Arabian Astronomers came to Jerusalem.

2. Saying, [where is he that is born [note b] king of the Jews? for we have seen his [note c] star [note d] in the east, and are come to worship him.]

[Paraphrase] 2 When we were in our country we saw a strange extraordinary star rise in the heavens, which we never saw before, and discerning that it signified the birth of the Messias of the Jews (and of all other true sons of Abraham) foretold by Jewish prophets that he should be born (and that all kings should worship him, Psal. 72. 11.) we are come to bring presents to him, and worship him, and therefore we desire to be informed, where is the place of his Birth, and where is he.

3. When Herod the king had heard these things he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

4: And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.]

[Paraphrase] 4. And calling the Rulers of the Sanhedrin to him, (see note on Mar. 5. 22. a) he proposed this question to them, What place do your books assign for the birth of your expected Messias? see note on Act. 15. c)

5. And they said unto him, in Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the [prophet]

[Paraphrase] 5. Prophet Micah, c. 5. 2.

6. And thou Bethlehem in the [note e] land of Judah, art [note f] not the least among the [note g] princes of Judah, for out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel.]

[Paraphrase] 6. And thou Bethlehem which art part of the portion of land assigned to the tribe of Judah in the division, known by the name of Betheem Ephratah for its affinity to Ephrath, Gen. 35. 16. though thou wert in precinct, and worldly account, one of the least cities of Judah, yet art thou not now by any means the vilest, but the most honorable; for from thee shall proceed, or, in thee shall be born a Ruler, who shall govern my people Israel.

7. Then Herod when he had privily called the wise-men, [note h] inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

8. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child, and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

9. When they had heard the king, they departed, and loe the star which they saw in the east, [ went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was]

[Paraphrase] 9. Moved before them in the heavens as a guide to lead them to the place where the child was, and when it came to the point of the heavens which was just over the house, it stood still.

10. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.]

[Paraphrase] 10. And discerning that the star, which they had not seen so long, appeared again to them, in an horizon so far distant from that, where they first saw it, and that it conducted them, and at last stood still, and pointed out the house to them, they rejoiced very exceedingly.

11. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshipped him, and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts [ [note i] gold,] and frankincense, and myrrh.

[Paraphrase] 11. Gold as an acknowledgement of a King: which also fell out opportunely, to fit the parents for the charge of their journey into Egypt, v. 13.

12. And being warned of God in a dream, that they should not return to Herod, [they departed into their own country another way]

[Paraphrase] 12. They went home a nearer and more private way (not that way which they came, through Jerusalem, which was about,) and so were out of Herod's reach before he missed them,

13. And when they were departed, behold, the Angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother and flee into Egypt, and be thou there, until I bring thee word, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

14. And when he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt.]

[Paraphrase] 14. And upon, the Angels warning, after the departure of the Magi, or Astronomers, immediately he took the child and his mother in the night time, and went a private way into Egypt.

15. And was there until the death of Herod, [that it might be fulfilled that was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.]

[Paraphrase] 15. And so that speech of Hos. 11. 1. which had one accomplishment in the people of Israel's being carried into, and fetched out of Egypt, was now again fulfilled in this true promised seed of Abraham, i. in Christ, (of whom Israel, called God's first-born, was a type) and in him, now that he was a child, as it was said in Hoses.

16. Then Herod when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men was exceeding wroth, and sent forth and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, [according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.]

[Paraphrase] 16. According to the time of Christ's birth, or according to the age which he had by conference with the Magi, calculated Christ to be of, viz. not two years old.

17. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet,] saying,

[Paraphrase] 17. Then had that prophecy of Jeremy, c. 31. 15. (which was delivered first to express the captivity of Babylon and slaughter of Jerusalem) another more eminent completion.

18. In Ramah was there a voice heard, lamentation and weeping, and great mourning, [note k] Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

19. But when Herod was dead, behold an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

20. Saying, Arise and take the young child, and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for they are dead which sought the young child's life.

21. And he arose and took the young child, and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

22. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judah, in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither, notwithstanding being warned of God in a dream, he [turned aside into the parts of Galilee:]

[Paraphrase] 22. Went into Galilee, where another of Herod's sons Herodes Antipas that contended with Archelaus for the whole kingdom had seated himself, having gotten that from him. He probably would not be inquisitive or jealous against any, that should be likely to dethrone Archelaus, and so there was not from him any apprehension of danger. Besides he was not such a tyrant as Archelaus had discovered himself to be.

23. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, [that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a [note l] Nazarene:]

[Paraphrase] 23. And so by residing and dwelling in Nazareth, he was made capable of that title which is used of the Messias in the prophets, that he should be Natser, the branch of the rxoot of Jesse, (or, as the word may bear, a Savior) so often promised to that people.

Annotation on St. MATTHEW Chap. II.

[ a] V. 1. Wise men ] The Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies not only those which in our ordinary dialect we call Magicians, i. e. Sorcerers, but also 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in Hesychius, generally learned men, Students, & Professors of liberal sciences, especially of Astronomy, without any ill character upon them. These were then famous among the Persians, and were both their Kings and their Priests, and so among other nations also, but especially the Eastern, and were at that time honored and known for the study of good learning, and so the [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of, or from the east ] is perhaps to be joined with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the wise, or learned men of, or from the East ] (as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Jews of, or from Thessalonica, Act. 17. 13.) not to the word [ came ] as if they came from the East of Jerusalem thither. These are by an Antient Commentator on Plato mentioned under the name of Chaldeans, those so much famed for skill in Astronomy. Now the Time of their coming to Bethlehem when it was, is not distinctly known, but may be concluded not to be the twelfth day from his birth, not only by the distance of Bethlehem from their homes, but especially by one circumstance which is recorded. 'It is here said that immediately after these wise men's departure, the Angel appeared to Joseph, v. 13. and dispatched them into Egypt, which could not be before the time of Mary's purification, for then saith S. Luke, they went up to Jerusalem, Luk. 2. 22. which cannot be supposed to be after their going into Egypt, nor betwixt the departure of the Magi, and their going thither, for that had been to throw themselves into Herod's hands at Jerusalem, which they were commanded to avoid, by going into Egypt. From Jerusalem it seems they returned to Bethlehem, and there dwelt in an hired house, till after the coming and departing of the Magi, and therefore the tradition which makes the Epiphany, the twelf day from the day of the Nativity, may mean it of that time twelve-month (according to which it is, that upon exact enquiring the time of the stars appearing, Herod v. 16. appoints the killing of all children from two years old and under, which probably he would not have done, if they had told him that the star appeared but few days since.) Or else secondly, the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifying appearance, may denote the time of the first appearing of the star to them in their countries, v. 2. differing from that other appearance, v. 9. and that might well come to be exactly known by the Church, from the intelligence that was given by the Magi, v. 7. and that might be the very twelfe day after Christ's nativity. But then thirdly, the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is the word to signify Christ's appearance in the world, the Nativity, which is mong the Ancients commonly so styled; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the appearing simply, or the appearing of God; and the feast of the Nativity being celebrated twelve days, of which the first and the last, according to the custom of the Jews in their feasts were high, or chief days of solemnity, each of these might fitly be called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Epiphany, in that sense, and not only referring to the star, though not excluding but containing it also, as a special circumstance belonging to the nativity.

[ b] V. 2. King of the Jews ] Whether the Angel of God had appeared to those Magi, & told them that such a person was born, who was, or, should be king of the Jews (and that in an extraordinary manner, the Messias whom that Nation did according to Prophecies fully expect about this time) is utterly uncertain, being neither here, nor anywhere else distinctly affirmed. Yet some way of revelation may probably be conjectured, or supposed, by their calling him the King of the Jews, which they could not read in the star, unless either the prophecy of Balaam, or some other of Daniel, &c. had directed them thus to apprehend, or unless the Angel had appeared to them, as he did to the Shepherds, Lu. 2. 11. saying, There is born to you this day a Savior, which is the anointed Lord (i. e. Prince, or, King here) in the city of David, i. e. (in another phrase, the same with this here) the King of the Jews, with an emphasis on [ the] The expected King, or, Messias. These Magi then having some way apprehended and believed thus much already, that this so honorable person, the desire of all nations, the expectation of the very Gentiles, was born, came to Jerusalem, and inquired for him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; where is this King, which is born?

[ c] Ib. His star] His star signifies an extraordinary star appearing in the heaven, observed by those Magi in the field to differ from the ordinary stars of heaven, & some, way interpreted to them to be the Index or finger to point out this miraculous Birth, the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to light him into the world. Concerning this it is observable which we find in Chalcidius in his Comment upon Plato 's Timaeus, who relating some portentous significancies of stars, adds, Est quoque alia venerabilior & sanctior historia, quae perhibet ortu stellae cujusdam insolitae non morbos, moresque praenunciatos, sed descensum Dei venerabilis ad humanae servationis rerúmque mortalium gratiam, quam à Chaldaeis observatam fuisse testantur, qui Deum nuper natum muneribus venerati sunt. There is also a more venerable and sacred history (the Gospel, no doubt) which mentions the rising of one extraordinary star, by which was foretold, not the diseases and (tempers, or,) manners of men, but the descent of a venerable God (or of a God, who is to be revernced) in favor to the preservation of men (or, salvation, as it seems he collected out of the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in S. Luke 2. 7.) and the benefit of mortals here below, which star they testify the Gospel again) to have been observed by the Chaldeans, (the Magi, v. 1.) who came to this God which was newly born and worshipped and presented him.

[ d] Ib. In the East ] These observers learned in Astronomy & curious in their daily beholding the rising and setting of the stars, saw at this time a Star rise, which they never had seen before, and were amazed at it, as at a new prodigious sight, which did certainly presage something of great consideration. This rising of the star may possibly be signified by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here, and [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] be rendered not [ in the East ] either here, or v. 9. but [ at the rising of it ] or [ when it arose ] and that it should be so rendered, may be guessed by the ortu stellae, &c. in Chalcidius out of the sanctior historia, i. e. out of this Gospel, and tis observable to this purpose that among the Greek Astronomers, the rising of stars is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , (as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the rising of the sun, Apoc. 7. 2.) and the setting of them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but the East is commonly expressed in the plural number 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as tis here distinctly, v. 1. and the West 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and so they are used Mat. 8. 11. they shall come 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and so Lu 13. 29. and Mat. 24. 27. All this put together would make that of [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , at the rising of the star both here, and v. 9. a probable rendering, but because 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the singular doth once signify the East. Rev. 21. 13. and because the 9 ^th verse seems to set down the several places of the Stars appearance, now just vertical to the house where Christ was, as before 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which seems to denote the place, where they first saw it, and whence they came, v. 1. It may therefore be rendered [ in the East ] in both places.

[ e] V. 6. In the Land ] The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is the nominative case, and here signifies that portion (i. e. a part of it) which belonged to the Regal tribe, (as c 4. 15. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , is the portion of Zebulon and Nephthalim ) and though it were a town or city, yet it is capable enough of that appellation, as the city of the Sodomites, and of those of Gomorrhah, is called by the same word, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. c. 10. 15. and is vulgarly rendered the land, clearly the city of Sodom.

[ f] Ib. Not the least ] Some doubt hath been of the agreement of this phrase [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , thou art by no means the least ] with the Hebrew Mich. v. 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which the Septuagint render 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and the Vulgar, Parvulus es, thou art little. But M. Edward Pocock, a great Master of the Oriental languages, hath evidenced out of many learned Grammarians that this word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , little ) signifies also the quite contrary, and is used for Primaria, Judex, Princeps, Magistratus, all great ones: So Jer. 48. 4. Rabbi Tanchum renders 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 his Princes and Governors; And so the Chaldee Paraphrast there, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 his Sultans, or Rulers: So Ebn Jannahium a learned Grammarian, affirms of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that it is one of the words, that signify contraries and cites Zach. 13. 7. where 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , saith he, signifies Nobles and Princes. And so the Author of the Hebrew-Arabic Glossary sets 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Sultan, Ruler, or Prince, for one of the significations of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

Annotations on the New Testament

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A POSTSCRIPT CONCERNING NEW LIGHT, OR, Divine Illumination.

THE NEW [note a] TESTAMENT OF Our Lord, and Savior JESUS CHRIST.

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THE [note a] GOSPEL according to S ^t . [note b] MATTHEW.

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S. MATTHEW. CHAP. I.

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CHAP. II.

Annotation on St. MATTHEW Chap. II.

Annotations on the New Testament

Project Note

A necessary Advertisement to the Reader.

2.

3.

2.

3.

A POSTSCRIPT CONCERNING NEW LIGHT, OR, Divine Illumination.

THE NEW [note a] TESTAMENT OF Our Lord, and Savior JESUS CHRIST.

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THE [note a] GOSPEL according to S t . [note b] MATTHEW.

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S. MATTHEW. CHAP. I.

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CHAP. II.

Annotation on St. MATTHEW Chap. II.

THE [note a] GOSPEL according to S ^t . [note b] MATTHEW.