The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

CHAP. XX. (Book 20)

VERS. I.

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

Who went out early in the morning to hire labourers.

YOU have such a Parable as this, but madly applied, in the Talmud; we will pro∣duce it here for sake of some Phrases. a 1.1 To what was R. Bon bar Chaija like? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 To a King who hired many labourers; among which there was one hired who per∣form'd his work extraordinar•• well. What did the King? He took him aside and walkt with him to and fro. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, When even was come, those labourers came, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that they might receive their hire, and he gave him a compleat hire with the rest. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, And the labourers murmured, saying, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 We have laboured hard all the day, and this man only two hours, yet he hath received as much wages as we: The King saith to them, He hath laboured more in those two hours than you in the whole day. So R. Bon plied the Law more in eight and twenty years than another in a hundred years.

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

Early in the morning.

b 1.2 The time of working is from Sun-rising to the appearing of the Stars, and not from break of day: And this is prov'd (from the Chapter 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the President of the Priests saith to them) c 1.3 where they say, 'Tis light all in the East, and men go out to hire labourers: whence it is argued that they do not begin their work before the Sun riseth. It is also proved from the Tract Pesachin, where it is said, that it is prohibited on the day of the Passover to do any servile work after the Sun is up; intimating this, that that was the time when labourers should begin their work, &c.

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

To hire Labourers.

Read here, if you please, the Tract Bava Mezia, Chap. VII. which begins thus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 He that hireth Labourers: and Maimonides 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a Tract intitled d 1.4 Hiring.

VERS. II.

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

Agreed for a penny a day.

A Penny of silver, which one of gold exceeded twenty four times; for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 A penny of gold is worth five and twenty of silver e 1.5. The Ca∣nons of the Hebrews concerning hiring of labourers, distinguish as reason requires, be∣tween 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 being hired by the day, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 being hired (only) for some hours: which may be observ'd also in this Parable; for in the morning they are hired for all the day, and for a penny, but afterwards for certain hours; and have a part of a penny allotted them, in proportion to the time they wrought.

VERS. VIII.

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

Call the Labourers.

FOR it is one of the Affirmative precepts of the Law, that a hired labourer should have his wages paid him when they are due; as it is said, You shall pay him his wages in his day; and if they be detain'd longer, it is a breach of a negative precept; as it is said, The Sun shall not go down upon him f 1.6, &c.

VERS. XIII.

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

Didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

IN hiring of labourers the custom of the place most prevail'd; hence came that Axiom, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Observe the custom of the City f 1.7, speaking of this very thing. There is also an example g 1.8, Those of Tiberias that went up to Bethmeon to be hired for labourers, were hired according to the custom of Bethmeon, &c. By the by also we may observe that which is said by the Babylonians in the place last cited, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is, as the Gloss renders it, Notice must be taken whether they come from several places; for at some places they go to work sooner, and at some later.

Hence two things may be clear'd in the Parable before us. 1. Why they are said to be hired at such different hours; namely therefore, because they are supposed to have come together from several places. 2. Why there was no certain agreement made with those that were hired at the third, sixth, and ninth hour, as with those that were hired early in the morning; but that he should only say, Whatsoever is right I will give you: that is, supposing that they would submit to the custom of the place. But indeed when their wages were to be paid them, there is by the favour of the Lord of the vineyard, an equa∣lity made between those that were hired for some hours, and those that were hired for the whole day; and when these last murmured, they are answer'd from their own agree∣ment, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, You agree'd with me. Note here the Canon h 1.9, The master of the family saith to his servant, Go, hire me labourers for four pence; he goes and hires them for three pence; although their labour deserves four pence, they shall not receive but three, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 because they bound themselves by agreement, and their complaint (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, murmuring, in the 11th verse) is against the servant.

VERS. XXII.

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

The baptism that I am baptized with.

THE phrase that goes before this, concerning the cup, is taken from divers places of Scripture, where sad and grievous things are compared to draughts of a bitter cup. You may think that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The cup of vengeance, of which there is mention in Bab. Beracoth i 1.10, means the same thing, but it is far otherwise; give me leave to quote it, though it be somewhat out of our bounds: Let them not talk, say they, over their cup of blessing, and let them not bless over their cup of vengeance. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 What is the cup of vengeance? The second cup, saith R. Nachman bar Isaac. Rabbena Asher and Piske are more clear: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 If he shall drink off two cups, let him not bless over the third. The Gloss, He that drinks off double cups is punisht by Devils. But to the matter before us.

So cruel a thing was the Baptism of the Jews, being a plunging of the whole body into water when it was never so much chilled with Ice and snow, that not without cause, part∣ly by reason of the burying as I may call it, under water, and partly by reason of the cold, it us'd to signifie the most cruel kind of death. The Hierusalem Talmudists relate, That in the days of Joshua ben Levi, some endeavoured quite to take away the washings (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Bap∣tisms) of women, because the women of Galilee grew barren by reason of the coldness of the waters k 1.11, which we noted before at the sixth verse of the third Chapter.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Hierof. Berac. fol. 5. 3.
• b 1.2

  Gloss. in Bab. Bava Mezia, fol. 83. 2.
• c 1.3

  Joma, Chap. 3. & Tamid. Chap. 3.
• d 1.4

  Chap. 9. & 11.
• e 1.5

  Gloss. on Cherithuth. Chap. 2.
• f 1.6

  Maimon. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Chap. 11.
• f 1.7

  Beb. Bava Mezia, fol. 83. 2.
• g 1.8

  Hierof. Mezia, fol. 11. 2.
• h 1.9

  Maimon. as before Chap. 9.
• i 1.10

  Fol. 51. 2.
• k 1.11

  Berac. 6. 3.