The Heathen people are called Proselytes, when they were call'd to the Church of the Jews, and embraced their Religion, as if he should say, Adventitij, as the Eunuch, Act. 8.
There were two sorts of Proselytes or converted Gentiles.
1. Proselytes of the Covenant; these were such as were circumcised, and submitted to the whole Mosaicall paedagogy: these were counted as Jewes, and conversed with as freely as those which were so borne.
2. Proselytes of the Gate; these were inferiour to the former, they were not cir∣cumcised, nor conformed themselves to the Mosaicall Rites and Ordinances. Such a Proselite was Naaman the Syrian, and Cornelius. Mr Mede on Act. 10.4. Vide Drus. de tribus Sectis Judaeorum. lib. 2.
The child of hell] As Iudas, Iohn 17.1. is called the Son of perdition by a most elegant Hebraisme, one ordained to destruction.
Vers. 16. Is a debtor ] The Arabicke turnes it, hath sinned, purus putus Chaldaismus, hence sinnes are called debtes, and sinners debters. Drusius. whence that kind of speaking arose, forgive us our debts. Beza.
Vers. 18. He is guilty] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, is a debter. Sometimes it signifies (after the Scrip∣ture phrase) to sin; but here it seemes rather to note after the usuall and proper sig∣nification to be bound to pay, Rom. 13.7, 8.
Vers. 19. The Altar sanctifieth the gift] That is, consecrates it unto God, and appro∣priates it to his use.
Vers. 23. Ye pay tith of minte, and annise, and cummin] The Pharisees did tithe the least things, they payed tithes of all the things they possest. Luk. 18.12.
Iudgement] That is, equity or upright dealing. Calv. In respect of our selves. Iun. Mercy] That is, charity towards our brethren. Faith] That is, piety to∣ward God. Iunius. Tit. 2.12. Rather truth and constancy in promises. Christ here (saith Calvin) doth try their holiness by their love toward their brethren, therefore he toucheth not the first Table at all.
Vers. 24. Wine in hotter Countries is wont to have many gnats, so that it is necessa∣ry for them which will drinke, first to straine the wine that they may take away the Gnats, hence the speech is taken. Maldonate.
Vers. 26. Build the tombes of the Prophets] Hypocrites honour the holy Ministers of God after their death, whom they could not abide in their life.
Virtutem incolumen odimus,
Sublatam ex oculis quaerimus invidi.
Vers. 32. Fill ye up then the measure of your Fathers] An ironicall speech. Beza. Pro∣ceed ye also to imitate your Ancestors, that at length your wickednesse may come to some degree.
Vers. 34. That is, God hath spoken of you before in the Spirit of prophesie what shall come to passe.
Vers. 35. Here is mention made specially of Abell and Zachary, because we read that Abels bloud cryed to the Lord. Gen. 4.10. And Zacharie when he was ready to dye said, Let the Lord see and judge. 2 Chron. 24.22.
The bloud of Abell shed by Cain is called blouds, but of all righteous persons here is called but one bloud, because it is the bloud of one common body the Church, and one common cause for Christs sake. Mr. Rainolds.
Because their cruelty argued approbation of the like sin in their bloudy Progeni∣tors. The pronoune you doth generally comprehend the whole nation from the begin∣ing. Christ imputeth Abels death unto the Jews, because there was a certaine kindred of ungodliness between them and Cain.
Some understand Zachary the Father of John Baptist, of whom, Luk. 1.5. S•• Ori∣gen, Basil, Theophylact, Baronius and Tolet, Hoc quia de scripturis non habet autoritatem, eadem facilitate contemnitur qua probatur, saith Jerome.
Others say, that Zachary the last save one amongst the twelve lesser Prophets is here understood by Christ. So Chrysostome, Tertullian, Ordinary Glosse, Gualther, Sanctius, but this opinion besides the neareness of name hath no shelter, and therefore Ierome gives it the same censure that the former.