that was required about it, or that conduced to the promoting of the service of it, and their power extended not beyond that virge. Any other Concessus or Consistory of Priests alone, then this, I believe cannot be shewed in any records of that Nation, and this is far from the power and constitution of a Sanhedrin. The Talmud indeed in Chetuboth per. 1. Halac. 5. speaketh of a Beth din, or Consistory of the Priests which required four hundred zuzims in dower or joynture for a virgin: Which seemeth to assert this as a peculiar Court, invested with distinct power from the other. But the Gemarists, especially the Babylonian do make it plain, that no such thing can be inferred from this action: for they tell us that the Priests determined this business of four hundred zuzims dower to their own daugh∣ters, only for the honour of their Tribe and blood: So that this was not any act of judi∣cial power binding others, but an act of consent among themselves to keep up the credit of their Function and Families. But here is not time and place to discuss this point [a matter of no small Controversie] further then what may give illustration to the subject before us.
How to understand therefore this judicial activity of the chief Priests throughout this book, the Evangelist hath given us a rule betime in the story, Chap. 4. ver. 5. Where he shews that the whole Sanhedrin is to be understood, of which the Priests were a great, if not the greatest part, and were in this cause the busiest men. In case of necessity, there might be a Sanhedrin, though never a Priest or Levite was of it, for so is their own Ca∣non, namely if fit men of either rank were not to be found; but in common carriage, and experience they were the greatest and most potent number, as whose profession and Function bespake studiousness and pleaded honour. In all the New Testament we meet but with these men by name, of all the Sanhedrin. Annas, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, Gamaliel, Nicodemus, and Joseph of Arimathea. And how many of these were not Priests? Gamaliel indeed was of the Tribe of Judah, and of the Progeny of David, being grandchild of Hillel. But as for all the rest, some of them were undoubtedly of the Priesthood, and the others more probably so too, then of any other Tribe: Of Annas and Caiaphas there is no question: And if John, Acts 4. 6. be the eminentest John that was then among them, it means Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai, who was now Vicepresident of the Council, and he was a Priest as Juchasin tells us. And if Nicodemus be the same with the eminentest Nicodemus of those times of whom Avoth R. Nathan per. 6. and Talm. bab. in Cetubboth fol. 66. make mention [as we have no cause to think otherwise] then was he by their plain description a Priest likewise. And so was Joseph of Arimathea, if his stile and title 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 be to be understood according to the common speech of the Nation, as there can be no reason why it should not be so understood. And as for Alexander, of whom is least evidence, it is not worth spending so much time upon as to discuss, since these already mentioned may be witness enough.
In all the busie stirring therefore of the Priests in this story of the Acts of Apostles, as Chap. 7. 1. & 23. 2. and about this Commission of Saul, we are not to take them as a di∣stinct and separate power from the Sanhedrin, but as a part of it, and such as whose Functi∣on and interest, as they thought, did most of all the other urge them to look to the pre∣vention of this growing evil of the Gospel, as they did, as heartily, as erroneously repute it: and therefore the story doth more especially pitch upon them as the most stirring men. And so Paul himself doth help to interpret Lukes relation. For whereas Chap. 9. 1, 2. it is said, Saul went to the high Priest and desired of him letters to Damascus, he who best could tell how this should be understood, explains it thus, Chap. 22. 5. Of the High Priest, and of all the estate of the Elders I received letters to the brethren, &c. The words of all the estate of the Elders determine the point we have in hand, and the other words to the brethren, call us to the consideration of another: and that is, how far the Sanhedrins de∣crees and injunctions had power and command over the Jews in forrain Lands. By produ∣cing the words of one of their Acts we shall better judge of this matter and understand the words to the brethren, both at once.
In Talm. Jerus. Sanhedr. fol. 18. col. 4. they say thus, For the three Countries they inter∣calated the year for Judea, and beyond Jordan and Galilee. For two of them together they did it, for one alone they did it not. There is a story of Rabban Gamaliel and the Elders, that they sate at the going up to the Temple, and Jochanan the Scribe sate before them: Rabban Gamaliel saith to him, Write. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 To our Brethren that dwell in the upper South Country 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 And to our Brethren that dwell in the lower South Country, Peace be multiplied to you. We give you to understand that the time of setting forth your tithes is come, &c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 And to our Brethren of Galilee the upper, and Galilee the lower, Peace be multiplied unto you. We give you to understand that the time of setting forth your tithes is come, &c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 And to our Brethren of the captivity of Babel, of Media, of Greece, and the whole captivity of Israel, Peace be multiplied unto you: We give you to understand, that since the Lambs are yet little, and young Pigeons small, and the time of the first ripe ears is not yet come, that it seemeth good to me and to my fellows to add thirty days