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. X. (Book 10)

VERS. II.

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And were all baptized unto Moses.

THEY had been newly circumcised before their going out of Egypt. For when God accuseth them by the Prophet, that they complied with the customs of the Egyptians, and worshipped their Idols, XX. 7, 8. it is more than probable, that they neglected Circumcision, as also other of Gods appoinments, and yielded them∣selves conformable to the Egyptians in all their irreligious rites. Whence by a peculi∣ar precept God provided, when he instituted the Passover, that before the eating of it, every one should be circumcised: Exod. XII. 48. Which that it was done also, is clear out of Jos. V. 5. All going out of Egypt were circumcised.

To Circumcision is added Baptism in the cloud and in the Sea; and the latter Seal took not away the first, but superinduced a new obligation. They were not circum∣cised into Moses, but they were baptized into Moses. The Jews themselves confess, that they were baptized at mount Sinai, from those words, Exod. XIX. 10. But the Apostle fetcheth the thing higher, that he may shew, that the types of the Gospel Sacraments were both divine, and also miraculous.

VERS. III.

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Of that Spiritual rock that followed them.

NOT that the very rock in Horeb followed them, but that streams of water flow∣ing from that rock followed them, and were gathered together into pools, where∣soever they encamped. Hence that Rhetorical figure very usual in the Prophets, I will give in the Wilderness pools of water, when discourse is of the watering of the Gentiles by the Gospel and the Spirit. a 1.1 During all the forty years they had a Well. And the Tar∣gum of Jonathan concerning another Well: b 1.2 From the time that the well in Mattanab was given them, it was made again to them brooks, that were overflowing, and violent; and again it went up unto the tops of the mountains, and went down with them into the Val∣lies, &c.

VERS. VIII.

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Three and twenty thousand.

BUT in Numb. XXV. it is, Four and twenty thousand. And in the Talmuds; c 1.3 Those four and twenty thousand, that perished by reason of Baal-Peor, &c. And d 1.4 Balaam came to receive his reward for the four and twenty thousand, that had perished. Whence therefore is it in Paul, Three and twenty thousand only?

To omit that, which is not unusual in the holy Scriptures, when the same story is recited in two places, to bring in somewhat different in the reckoning, either of the things, or the men, or the years; and that not without the highest reason. As compare 2 Kings, VIII. 26. with 2 Chron. XXII. 2. And 2 King. XXIV. 8. with 2 Chron. XXXVI. 9. and very many of that nature: Let us see what the Talmudists say of this story.

They discourse of it in divers places of the Tract Sanhedrin, e to this sense: upon those words of God to Moses 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Take all the heads of the people and* 1.5 hang them up before the Sun, they thus comment. Take all the Princes of the people, and make them Judges; that they may stay all those that transgressed with Baal Peor.—If the people sinned, what did the Heads of the people sin? Saith Rabh Judah, Rabh saith, God said to Moses, Divide to them Judgment seats. Wherefore? Because they judge not two in one day. Now Jew find fault with Paul, if you list, and he hath wherewithal to an∣swer you even from your own writers.

I. He saith not, that three and twenty thousand were all, that fell in the case of Baal-Peor; but he saith, that three and thenty thousand fell in one day.

II. It is manifest enough, that God made use of a double vengeance against the sin∣ners, namely, by Judges, and by a Pestilence.

III. But now their own Countrymen say, It is not lawful for one Bench to judge two in one day. Or be it granted (which is granted also by their Country-men) that it is lawful to judge and slay two, so it be by the same kind of death, How many Benches, I pray, were set up? Or how many days were spent in puting to death a thousand men under that provision, Let one Bench put to death only one man, or at most two in one day.

Our Apostle therefore speaks with the vulgar: and saith not definitely three and twenty thousand perished just to a man, but three and twenty thousand at least; when according to that vulgar Canon, it is scarce credible, that a thousand men were put to death by those Benches; when one Bench put to death only one or two at most, in the space of one day.

The Levites being numbred presently after the plague of Baal-Peor, were just so many as the Apostle here numbers, Numb. XXVI. 62. So a number equal to the whole tribe of Levi perished in one day.

VERS. X.

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Of the Destroyer.

THE Jews call evil Angels 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Angels 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Destroyers: and good Angels 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Angels 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Ministring. But I enquire, whether the Apostle speaks to this sense in this place. For where can we find the people destroyed and slain by an evil Angel? They perished indeed by the Pestilence, and by the plague for Baal-Peor, concerning which the Apostle spake before: but here he distinguisheth the destroying of them by the Destroyer, from that kind of death. Therefore the Apostle seems to me to allude to the notion, very usual among the Jews, concerning the Angel of death, the great destroyer, called by them Samael, concerning whom among very many things which are related, let us produce this only.

f 1.6 A Question is propounded of a Cow delivered to a Keeper hired with a price, care∣fully and faithfully to keep her. She strayes in a Fen, and there dyes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the com∣mon manner; that is, by no violent death; it is demanded, how far the Keeper is guilty? And it is determined, that if she had perished being devoured by Wolves, or drove away by thieves, and slain, then the Keeper were guilty by reason of negligence. But this, they say, was the work 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the Angel of death. For they say 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 If the Angel of death had suffered her, she had lived in a Thiefs house. And the Gloss 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Angel of death ••ight kill her even in the house of him, who hired the Keeper.

You see how they ascribe it to the Angel of death, when any violent, known, and or∣dinary cause, and evident kind of death doth not appear. So the Apostle in this place, mentioneth the known and evident ways of death; serpents, pestilence, ver. 8, 9. and now he speaks of the common kind of death, (and not of some evident plague) whereby the whole multitude of those that murmured perished, Num. XIV. within forty years. He saith, they perished 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, by that great Destroyer, the Angel of Death.

VERS. XI.

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On whom the ends of the World, &c.

HE saith 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, The ends of the Ages, not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The ends of the World. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Age, in the Scripture, very ordinarily is the Jewish age. In which sense, Circumcision, the Passover, and other Mosaic rites, are said to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, For an age. So the Disciples Mat. XXIV. 3. enquire of Christ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 concerning the end of the age; and he answereth concerning the destruction of Jerusalem. In the same sense should I render the words of the A∣postle, Tit. I. 2. To the hope of eternal life, which God hath promised 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 before the times of the Jewish ages: that is, God promised eternal life before the Mosaic Oeconomy: that life therfore is not to be expected by the works of the Law of Moses.

Thus therefore the Apostle speaks in this place; These things which were translated in the beginning of the Jewish ages, are written for an example to you, upon whom the ends of those ages are come. And the beginning is like to the end, and the end to the beginning. Both was forty years, both consisted of temptation and unbelief, and both ending in the destruction of unbelievers: that in the destruction of those that perished in the wilderness, this is the destruction of those that believed not, in the de∣struction of the City and Nation.

VERS. XVI.

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The Cup of Blessing.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Cup of Blessing. So was that Cup in the Passover called, over which thanks were given after meat: and in which our Saviour instituted the Cup of the Eucharist; of which we have spoken largely at Mat. XXVI. 27. When therefore the Apostle marks out the Cup of the Lords Supper with the same name, as the Jews did their Cup, he hath recourse to the first institution of it, and implies that giving of thanks was continued over it by Christians, although new under another notion.

Thus his reasoning proceeds: as we in the eating of bread, and drinking of the Eucharistical Cup, communicate of the body, and blood of Christ: so in eating things offered to Idols, men communicate of and with an Idol. You communicate of the blood of Christ; therefore fly from Idolatry. I speak to wise men; do you judge of the argument. For the very participation of the Eucharist seals you up against Idolatry, and things offered to Idols.

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For we all partake of one bread.

The manner of reasoning, We all are one body, because we partake of one bread, recals that to mind which among the Jews was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mixing or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Communion. The manner and sense of which learn out of Maimonides. g 1.7 By the words of the Scribes, saith he, it is forbid neighbours to go (on the Sabbath day) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in a place ap∣propriated to one, where there is a division into divers habitations, unless all the neighbours one the Sabbath Eve 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 enter into communion.—Therefore (Solomon; for they make him the author of this Tradition and Custom) appoynted, that each place be appropria∣ted to one man, there where there is a division into divers Habitations, and each of the Inhabitans receive there a place proper to himself, and some place also is left there common to all, so that all have an equal right in it, as a Court belonging to many houses, which is reckoned a place by right common to all. And every place which each hath proper to himself, is reckoned 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a proper place. And it is forbid, that a man carry any thing from a place proper to himself into the place common to all (that is, on the Sabbath) but let every one use the place appropriate to himself alone 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 until all enter into communion.

: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 But how is that Communion made? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 They associate together in one food which they prepare on the Eve of the Sabbath: as though they would say. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 We all associate together, and we have all one food: nor does any of us separate a propriety from our neighbour, but as we all have an equal right in this place which is left common to us, so we have all an equal right in the place, which every one takes to himself for his own.

And 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The consorting together, which those, that dwel among themselves in the same Court, make, is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, The Communions of Courts. And that con∣sorting together which they make, that dwell among themselves in the same Walk or Entry, or which Citizens of the same City make among themselves, is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Participating together.

They do not consort together in Courts 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 but with a whole loaf. Although the bread of the bach be a whole Seah, if it be not a whole loaf, they do not en∣ter into consortship with it. But if it be whole, if it be no more than an Assarius only, they enter into consortship with it.

How do they enter into 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Communion, in the Courts? They demand of every house which is in the Court, one whole cake or loaf which they lay up in one vessel, and in some house which is in the Court, although it be a barn, or a stabl••, &c. And one of the company blesseth, and so all eat together, &c.

Compare these things with the words of the Apostle, and they do not only illustrate his argumentation, but confirm it also. If it were customary among the Israelites to joyn together in one Political or Oeconomical body by the eating of many loaves col∣lected together from this, and that, and the other man; we are much more associated together into one body by eating one and the same bread appointed us by one Saviour.

VERS. XIX.

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What say I then?

: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 But what say I? A Phrase very usual in the Schools, that is, This I will, or this I conclude. Be an Idol something or not; or be a thing offered to an Idol something or not; yet certainly those things which the Gentiles offer to Idols, they offer to Devils.

VERS. XXI.

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The Table of the Lord.

: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Table of the most High, a phrase not unusual in the Talmudists, for The Altar.

VERS. XXV.

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In the shambles.

THE h Gemarists treat of a question not much different from this, which the Apo∣stle* 1.8 here treats of: namely, how far it is lawful to buy flesh in the shambles, and that from a Heathen, where there may be a suspicion concerning 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 its being torn: and a story is brought in of one buying such torn flesh of a Heathen. Upon which case saith Rabbi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 For this fool, who did that which was not decent 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Shall we forbid all shambles? See the place, if you list, and be at leisure to read it.

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Asking no question for conscience sake.

The Jews were vexed with innumerable scruples in their Feasts, as to the eating of the thing, as also to the company, with which they ate, and of the manner of eating. Of fruits and herbs set on the Table, they were to enquire, whether they were tithed accor∣ding to custom, whether they were consecrated by the Truma, or some other way, or whether they were prophane: whether they were clean, or touched with some pollution or uncleanness, &c. And concerning flesh, that was set on the Table, whether it was of that which had been offered to Idols, whether it were of that which was torn, or of that which was strangled, or not killed according to the Canonical rule, &c. All which doubts the liberty of the Gospel abolished, as to ones own conscience, with this Proviso, that no scandal or offence be cast before another mans weak and staggering Conscience.

Notes

• a 1.1

  R. Sol. in Num. XX. 2.
• b 1.2

  Num. XXI. 19
• c 1.3

  Hieros. Sotah, fol. 21. 4.
• d 1.4

  Hab. Sanhedr. fol. 106. 1.
• * 1.5

  •• Fol. 33. 1. & 64. 1. & 82. 2. & 106. 1. and elsewhere.
• f 1.6

  Bava Mezia, fol. 36. 1.
• g 1.7

  In 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 cap. 1.
• * 1.8

  g In Cholin, fol. 95. 1.