A compleat history and mystery of the Old and New Testament logically discust and theologically improved : in four volumes ... the like undertaking (in such a manner and method) being never by any author attempted before : yet this is now approved and commended by grave divines, &c. / by Christopher Ness ...

CHAP. XIII.

NEXT follows the Miracle of Christ's Healing the Man with a Withered Hand, which is Introduced with the Disciples plucking Ears of Corn, both these were done on the Sabbath-Day, Luke 6.1, to 12. Mark 2.23, to the end. & Chap. 3, to 7. & Mat. 12.1, to 15. Luke calls it the Second Sabbath after the First great Passover Sab∣bath, and so the Jews did reckon the Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Sabbath, till they came to the Seventh-Sabbath, which was their Pentecost according to the Law, Lev. 23.7, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17. which was their solemn Thanksgiving Feast, for Inning their Barly-Harvest.

The Remarks hereupon are these. First, That no Corn, no nor Ears of Corn must be eaten till the First-Fruits-Sheaf was offered and waved before the Lord to express their Thankfulness to God for the precious Fruit of the Earth, Jam. 5.7.

The Second Remark is, This Sheaf-shaking Day was the Morrow after the Paschal Sabbath, Lev. 23.11. which plainly Prefigured our Christian-Sabbath, or Lords-Day, upon which day Christ Rose as the First Fruits from the Dead, and in the Earth∣quake was waved before the Lord. 'Tis therefore Prescribed and Instituted of God.

The Third Remark is, The very next Sabbath after this Shake-Sheaf-Day the Dis∣ciples Pluck'd the Ears of Corn, for which the Jews did severely censure them and their Master, as if they knew better than He how the Sabbath was to be Sanctified. Here the Sow would Teach Minerva, (as the Proverb is) The Blind Pharisees Christ.

The Fourth Remark is, Christ's Disciples must not only meet with Hard-fare on the Sabbath-Day, but (as if that were not enough) they meet with hard censures too, and that from those who had fared far better that day. It was a special part of the Jews Religion to feed upon better Meat on their Sabbath days than on the Week-days Thinking themselves bound to Eat three Meals (and that of the best) upon that day, alledging Isa. 58.13. to make their Sabbath a delight, and to honour it as the Queen of Days. Spending much of it (save some little in slight Synagogue-Prayers and Divinity-Lectures) in Eating and Drinking, while the poor Disciples of Christ (who were Jews too) were hungry and had no better Provision for a Sabbath-day dinner, but a few Barley Corn Ears which they must pluck, rub and eat, yet must be censured for so doing, &c. may not we be glad of mean fare any day, when our Betters fared so hardly on an High-day.

The Fifth Remark is, Christ confutes their malicious cavils with clear Syllogism•• one upon the Neck of another. Though Christ commanded the Cripple to bear th•• burthen of his Bed (which was servile work for a Sabbath-day) John 5.8. yet Christ commends it not, or commands it as a Servile work, but as it was a convinci•••• ••••••∣dence to demonstrate the truth of the Cure, like as at another time, he com•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them to give Meat to the Damosel, whom he raised to life, Mark 5.43. no•••••• any necessity the Damosel had of Meat, but to Insure to them her miraculous Cur••. So here, He defendeth by both Arguments and Instances, that works of necessity, of Mercy and of Piety are all equally proper works for the Sabbath-day. Our Saviour grants indeed that it had been unlawful, but only in case of hard hunger, and those Cavillers who made their Bellies their Gods, Phil. 3.19. (as is abovesaid) were not competent Judges of his Disciples necessitating Hunger, nor was it David's Dignity, but his Necessity that excused him from Sin, which no man can do by humane Autho∣rity, God regards it not in point of Sin, yet in cases of necessity God will have Mercy and not Sacrifice, the marrow and substance of the second Table is to be preferr'd before the Ceremony of the first. Beside, the Sabbath was made for Man's safety, in danger whereof it is not to be observed. But above all I am the Lord of it, Mat. 12, 1••. so can dispense with it, May not I do what I will with my own? &c. Mat. 20.15.

The Sixth Remark is, Then Christ went into the Pharisees Synagogue upon the Sabbath-Day, taking all occasions of doing good. Those Jewish Synagogues were Chappels of Ease to the Temple, as (the Cathedrals) of Antient use, Acts 15.21. and (it seems) of Divine Authority, Psal. 74.8. Where they are call'd the Synagogues of God, the Hebrew word is [Kol Mognedim] which Mountanus reads [all the Conven∣ticles] This is call'd the Pharisee's Synagogue, because they did [Dominari in concio∣nibus] Domineer as Doctors, Dictators, and Infallible Oracles out of Moses Chair's

(where the Priests and Levites should (by the Law) have sat and taught) whose bare word the People must take without further proof or pawn, Rom. 2.19, 20. Mat. 23.2, 6, 8, &c. Christ was not so morose, but he would occasionally go into these Pharisees Sy∣nagogues, and he cautions the People, that though they should decline their Traditions, Superstitions and Corrupt Glosses upon the Law, yet not to despise such Doctrines as were sound, sincere, without Leaver and Agreeable to the Truth, saying, so long as they sit close to Moses Chair and keep it warm (as it were) so far ye may hearken and hear them, Mat. 23.3.

The Seventh Remark is. In this Synagogue on the Sabbath day our Saviour found the man with the Withered Hand. This man standing before Christ, was a fit ob∣ject for his Compassion, this was sufficient to move him to Mercy, who himself (by Sympathy) took upon him our Infirmities and bare our Sicknesses, Mat. 8.17. especially be∣ing a Mason, who could not work in his Calling as Jerom saith; this Lame Mason pray'd Christ to heal him, that he might work on his Trade for his Living, and not be forced to live by begging. Thus when right and fit objects of pity are before us, this should be enough to excite, exert and elicit, or draw forth our bowels of bounty toward them; where God sets up an Altar, we should be ready with our Sacrifice; for with such Sacrifices, God is well pleased, Heb. 13.16. Drawing out thy Soul to them, Isa. 58.7, 10.

The Eighth Remark is, How many covetous caitiffs may Christ find in our Congre∣gations, such as have (in the midst of all their hoards) no currant Coin, no Quick-Silver to run out for relieving the necessities of others. No they have withered Hands, and worse withered Hearts, alas, they come not to Christ, that he might say to them as he said to this man [stretch forth ••o•• thy hand] therefore are they holdfasts, and will as easily part with their Blood, as with their Goods to the Poor. All their strife is, who (like the Toad) shall fall asleep with most Earth in his Paw.

The Ninth Remark is▪ They question'd Christ before his healing this man, whe∣ther it was lawful to Heal on the Sabbath Day, whereas their own Decretal allow'd it in some cases, saying, [The Danger of Life Dispenseth with the Sabbath] and Christ argues, It is not only lawful but needful to do well on that day, seeing not to do well, is to do ill, and not to save life, is to destroy it. Not to do good when there is an oppor∣tunity, is to do evil, Mark 3.4. There is a Passive as well as an Active wickedness, not Robbing only, but not Relieving the Poor was the Rich Glutton's Ruine, Luke 16.19, 20. &c. If a Sheep flip into a Slough ye pull it out, &c.

The Tenth Remark is, They watched him, that they might have whereof they might ac∣cuse him, thinking this Miracle might as well be wrought upon any other Day. Christ had run them down with dint of Arguments which they could neither Answer nor Abide, therefore they sought to destroy him, Mat. 12.24. This question had anger'd them [Have ye never read, &c.] yes, many and many a time; but so stupify'd and stubborn they were, as not to understand it for malice, &c. N.B. Note well, As these peevish Pharisees watched Christ here▪ so do Wicked Men still Watch and Pry into Pro∣fessors and their Conversations, 1 P••••. 3.2. they over curiously and critically obser∣ving what they car•••• and car•• at but it is a brave and blessed priviledge to suffocate envy, by Jeading blameless and convincing lives as Christ did, and not only to stop evil mouths by preventing them all occasions of ••laspheming, but also to force them open (in Just and Due commendations) by the lustre of a Righteous and Holy Life, &c.

The Eleventh Remark is, All Divine Precepts from God commanding man, doth not presuppose a power in man to obey those commands▪ as in this instance is plain; Christ commands this man to stretch forth his Hand, This was impracticable and Im∣possible for him to do, because his Hand was withered, Indeed Christ bids him stand forth, that the Miracle might be the better notified, and that the Lord (by whose power it was wrought) might be the more glorified. This he might perform seeing his legs were not withered ••oo as his hand was, so could not be stretched out, until the power commanding was the power performing▪ when Christ gave out this command, [stretch forth thy Hand] he gave the man (at the same time) power to obey. Toge∣ther with his commands there goeth o•••• a power, as Luke 5.17. Christ's words were operative, as they were in the Creation, and are so still in our regeneration, Dei dicere est efficere, both the Creature and the New Creature are passive at the first.

The Twelfth Remark is, 'Tis labour in vain, yea lost labour to seek any quelling of Christ, or any subduing of his Gospel▪ and subverting of his Kingdom. The Psalmist asks the outragious of his day, saying, [What, are ye all mad]? To attempt any such vain thing, whereof ye cannot render any good reason, nor ever hope of any good

success, Psal. 2.1, 2, to the end. The Kingdom of Christ will irresistibly break through all oppositions, maugre the malice-both of Angry Men, and of Inraged De∣vils. Irriti ergo sunt omnium hostium conatus, in vain are all the wicked's Indeavours Therefore let Earth and Hell conspire together against the little stone, 'twill grow into a great Kingdom in despight of them all, Dan 2.44, 45. Here the envious Pha∣risees lay catching and carping at the growth of the Gospel, and they enter into a con∣federacy with the Herodians (whom yet they hated in their Hearts for their being of Herod's Religion, to wit, that of the Cursed Edomites) yet these two parties could easily enough comport, comply, and complot to do Christ a mischief, which they might the better accomplish, because it pertained to Herod's Jurisdiction to take cog∣nizance of the actings of Jesus of Nazareth, which lay in Galilee, twice did those two contrary parties join together against Christ, Mark. 3.6. & Mat. 22.16. Luke 20 20, 21. yet both these Catch-Poles were baffl'd and befool'd, great multitudes still follow'd Christ, who healed all that came to him, Mat. 12.15. & Mark 3.7, 10▪ 11. N. B. Note well, Alas how many Herodians or Melchites (a kind of Mongrel-Christians in the East so called of Melech the King) have we, that will be of the King's Religion what ever it is, a potch'd one as Herod's, these shew'd their Malice against-Christ now, but the consults of these Emissaries shall be confounded, as they were then.

Seeing there be other two Miracles of Christ wrought upon the Jews Sabbath, at which they took the like offence as at the former, to wit, his healing of the crooked Woman, Luke 13▪ 11. and of the Dropsie-Man, Luke 14.2. &c. Though these two Miraculous Deeds were done in Christ's thirty third year, under his third Passover, yet because of their congruity with that of healing the withered Hand, it may not be amiss to make some few Remarks upon them in this place, leaving that of his healing the Man that was born blind, John 9.14. to a larger discourse afterwards in its proper and more convenient Place and Time.

The First Remark is, Where Christ met with the same Malicious Cavils and Mis∣constructions of his Miracles from those Catch pole Pharisees, He always most justly return'd them the same Answer, pleading the lawfulness of his own miraculous 〈◊〉〈◊〉 from their own common Compassion to their Beasts, in pulling them out of a Pit on t•••• Sabbath-Day, Arguing thus, If a Sheep (slip'd into a Slough of Water) must be re∣lieved by you, how much more my Rational Sheep (all which bear Golden Fleece••, and every thing about whom is good either ad Esum or ad Ʋsum, their Flesh is food and their Fleece is clothing, &c.) must necessarily be succour'd by me on the Sabbath-Day, Mat. 12.11, 12.

The Second Remark is, Though the Jews Tradition did allow of drawing an Ox 〈◊〉〈◊〉 an Ass out of the Pit, or of loosing them from the Stall, and leading them to the Water Luke 13.15. & 14 5. yet their superstition was such and so sottish, as they wou•••• not defend themselves from Assaults upon their Sabbath, which advantage Pompey 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Great Improving, made all his Batteries on that Day against Jerusalem, and Storming took it without resistance. Afterwards they grew more rigid in this point, so that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Sabbath, they would not Spit, Ease-Nature, or get out of the Jakes if by mishap they had faln into it, as that Jew of Tewksbury, who faln into a Privy, cry'd [……ata Sancta colo, de stercore surgere nolo.] Whereunto the Earl of Glocester reply'd [Sabbath nostra quidem (Solomon) celebrabis Ibidem.]

Sir, Reverence of the Sabbath keeps me here. And you Sir, Reverence shall our Sabbath there.

Thus the Wretch deservedly pe∣rished by lying two Sabbaths (Theirs and Ours) there.

The Third Remark is, Such as are more for the Ceremony than for the Substance of God's Worship are Hypocrites. Thus Christ brands the Ruler of the Synagogue for this, Luke 13.15. The Syriack [Naseb baphe] is render'd [Assumens Vultum] one that sets a good Face upon a bad cause, and personates a better man than he was, a mere Picture of Piety; the Latin is Histrio, an Actor upon a Stage, a Prince in shew, but a Peasant in truth. The Devil is double handed in this, that he blackens the Holy Actions of good Men (as of Christ here) but whitens the wicked Actions of the bad, representing Holy Jesus black as one having a Devil, and a Fiend of Hell glorious as an Angel of Light, 2 Cor. 11.14.

The Fourth Remark is, 'Tis Christ's touch with his hand upon us, that cures us of our crookedness, and makes us straight to glorifie God, Lu. 13.13. [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] she stood bolt-upright, Christ's Spirit is called Digitus Dei the Finger of God, Luke 11.20. a

touch herewith set Ezekiel upon his Feet, Ezek 2.1, 2. and raises Daniel from his groveling upon the ground into an upright standing posture, yet this required three times touching. Dan. 10.9, 10 16, 18. N.B. Note well, We need frequent touches from the hand of Christ to cure our crooked paths and spirits, even every Lord's day, &c.

The Fifth Remark is, 'Tis a comfort in suffering, that though it may be long even twelve years, Mat. 9.20. or eighteen years, Luke 13.11. or thirty eight years, John 5.5, 6. yet our compassionate Saviour doth Judge, that the Sons and Daughters of Abraham ought at length to be loosed from their long lasting sufferings, Luke 13.16. N. B. Note well, Oh that every Sabbath some Soul may be loosed from Satan, to heal them of the Dropsie, or drought after worldly Vanities and Villanies, with a draught of the Water of Life, Luke 14.2, 4. and oh that the Church may be loosed to go forth, Mal. 4.2. then shall all Adversaries of Christ and his Church be silenced, and be ashamed, Luke 13.4. & 4.4.