Moses and Aaron. Ciuil and ecclesiastical rites, vsed by the ancient Hebrewes; obserued, and at large opened, for the clearing of many obscure texts thorowout the whole Scripture. Herein likevvise is shewed what customes the Hebrewes borrowed from heathen people: and that many heathenish customes, originally haue beene vnwarrantable imitations of the Hebrewes. By Thomas Godwyn, B.D.

CHAP. VI.

Ceremonies common in all capitall iudgements.

IN their greater punishments which depri∣ued of life, some ceremonies were common to them all.

First, the Iudges were to vse deliberation in all causes, but especially in matters capitall. There were foure causes, saitha Ionathan in his Tar∣gum, that came before Moses (he nameth none in particular, but what they were, we shall pre∣sently learne out of other records) two of these were not waightie: in these he hastened; two more materiall, concerning life and death; in these he delaied.b Caeterum tàm de his, quàm de illis dicebat, Non audiui. Of both the lighter, and waigh∣tier causes, Moses said, I haue not heard, to wit, from the Lord: to shew, that a deliberation and consultation as it were with God, ought to be in all iudgements, before sentence bee pro∣nounced, these foure causes are named inc o∣ther Records. The two lightest are. 1. The matter of vncleanenesse, debarring the people from the Passeouer, Numb. 9. 9. Secondly, the case of Zelo∣phehads daughters, Numb. 36. 10. The two weigh∣tier are. 1. The cause of the blasphemer, Leu. 24. 13. Secondly, the case of him that gathered stickes on the Sabboth, Numb. 15. 35. In all these iudge∣ments there is, The Lord spake vnto Moses. And in the first, which was counted among the lighter causes (because it was not on life and death) euen there doth Moses in a solemne manner bespeake the people to stand still, Et ego audiam, And I will heare what the Lord will command. Notwithstanding wilfull delaies in iustice maketh the Iudge vnrighteous. In that vnrighteous Iudge, from whom the Widdow wrested sentence by importunity, wee read not

of any other fault in him, but delay, Luk. 18. 6.

Secondly, the party accused was placed on some high place, from whence hee might be seene and heard of all the people: Set Naboth, In capite populi, on high among the people, 1 Kings 21. 9.

Thirdly,d the Iudges and the Witnesses did (when sentence was pronounced) put their hands vpon the condemned persons head, and said, Sanguis tuus super caput tuum, Thy bloud be vpon thine owne head: vnto this the people had reference, saying; His bloud be on vs, and our children, Mat. 27. 25.

Fourthly, the place of execution was without the gates, the malefactors were had thither by two executioners termed by thee Rabbins, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 chazani hacceneseth, Spectators of the congregation, which is a periphrasis of those, whom Saint Marke calleth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Marke 6. 27. which word, though it be vsed by the Greekes andf Chaldee Paraphrasts, yet it is a meere Latine, deriued à speculando; because in the Court the Executioners were onely spectators, to behold and attend what the Iudges would command them.

Fiftly, when the malefactor was led to exe∣cution, ag publique cryer went before, saying, such a one is going to be punisht with such a death, because he hath committed such, or such an offence, at such a time, in such a place, and these N. N. are witnesses thereof: If any therefore knoweth any thing which may doe him good, let him come and

make it knowne. For this purpose one was ap∣pointed to stand at the doore of the Consisto∣ry, with an handkerchiefe or linnen cloth in his hand, that if any person should come for his defence, hee at the doore swinged about his handkerchiefe; vpon the sight whereof, an∣other standing in readinesse a pretie distance off with an horse, hastened and called backe the condemned person: yea, if the malefactor had any farther plea for his owne purgation, he might come backe foure or fiue times, ex∣cept he spake vainly, for the discerning where∣of, two of those, whom they termed Schollers of the wise men, were sent with him to obserue his speech on the way.

Sixthly, he was exhorted to confesse, that he might haue his portion in the world to come. Thus Ioshua exhorted Achan, Iosh. 7. 19. My sonne giue, I pray thee, glory vnto the Lord God of Israel, and make confession vnto him: vnto whom Achan answered Verse 20. Indeed I haue sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus haue I done.

Seuenthly, in the time of execution, they gaue the malefactor,h Granum thuris in calyce vini, A graine of frankincense in a cup of wine: this they did giue to cause a giddinesse in the condemned persons head, that thereby hee might bee lesse sensible of the paine. Saint Marke calleth this cup 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, wine mingled with myrrhe, Marke 15. 23. This was done after the manner of the Iewes, but the soul∣diers in mockerie mingled Vinegar and Gall

with it, Mat. 27. 34. As likewise they gaue him a second cup in derision, when they tooke a Sponge, and filled it with Vineger, and put it on a reed, Mat. 27. 48. Saint Marke in the first cup, mentioneth the custome of the Iewes, which in it selfe had some shew of compassion; for the ground of this custome was taken from that, Prou. 31. 6. Giue strong drinke vnto him that is ready to perish. Saint Matthew mentioneth onely their wicked mixture, contrary to the receiued custome, so that one Euangelist must expound the other. This first cup was so vsual∣ly giuen before execution, that the word Ca∣lyx, a Cup, is sometimes in Scripture put for death it selfe. Father, if it may bee, let this Cup passe from me.

Lastly,i the tree whereon a man was hang∣ed, and the stone wherewith he was stoned, and the sword wherewith hee was beheaded, and the napkin wherewith hee was strangled, they were all buried, that there might bee no euill memoriall of such a one, to say: This is the tree, this is the sword, this the stone, this the nap∣kin, whereon, or wherewith such a one was exe∣cuted.

Notes

• a

  Targum Ionath. Num. 9. 8.
• b

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ionath.
• c

  Targum Hierosol. Num. 9. 8.
• d

  Drus. praeterit. Mat. 27.
• e

  Moses Kotsens. in Sanhedrin. It. Talmud lib. Mac∣coth, cap. 3. in Mischna.
• f

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Vzielid. et Targū Hierosolym. Gen. 37. 36.
• g

  Moses Kotsens. in loco superius ci∣tato.
• h

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Korat lebona beco•• schel iaijn. Mai∣mon. in Sanhedrim. cap. 13. It. Moses Kotsen. in Sanhedr.
• i

  Casaubon. exercit. pag. 654. ex Mai∣monid.