An explication of the iudiciall lawes of Moses. Plainely discovering divers of their ancient rites and customes. As in their governours, government, synedrion, punishments, civill accompts, contracts, marriages, warres, and burialls. Also their oeconomicks, (vizt.) their dwellings, feasting, clothing, and husbandrie. Together with two treatises, the one shewing the different estate of the godly and wicked in this life, and in the life to come. The other, declaring how the wicked may be inlightned by the preaching of the gospel, and yet become worse after they be illuminated. All which are cleered out of the originall languages, and doe serue as a speciall helpe for the true understanding of divers difficult texts of scriptures. ... / By Iohn Weemse, of Lathocker in Scotland, preacher of Gods word.

CHAPTER XI. Whether the Iewes might chuse Herod for their King or not?

DEVT. 17. 15. Thou mayst not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.

THe Iewes distinguish those who were Gentiles both by father and mother, from those who were borne Iewes. Those who were strangers both by father and mother, they called them Bagbag, by a contraction, for Ben ger, and Ben gerah, that is, fili∣us proselyti & proselytae, and they were called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; but those who were Iewes both by father and mother, were called Hebraei ex Hebreaes, Phil. 3. 5. an Hebrew of an Hebrew, that is, both by father and mother they were Hebrewes, and they were called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

The Proselytes that were converted from Gentilisme to Iudaisme, were of two sorts; if they were newly con∣verted, they were called Gerim, which the Seventie translate 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; if they had dwelt long amongst them, then they were called Toshibhim, inquilini, and the Seventie translate them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as yee would say, Pari∣shioners; such a stranger was Achir, Iudith 14. who be∣leeved in God and was circumcised.

Those Proselytes who were converted to the faith, and continued in the faith of their Pa••••nts, they were called [Goi gnikkere] Gentiles fundamentales, that is, Gen∣tiles who embraced the grounds o•• Religion, and these became [Ezrahhim] Indigenae.

These Proselytes although they were converted, yet they might not enter into the Congregation untill the

third generation, that is, they might beare no publicke charge untill that time.

God himselfe distinguished the Edomite and the E∣gyptian from other strangers, Deut. 23. 7. He will not haue his people to account them as other strangers, Thou shalt not abhorre an Edomite, because he is thy brother; and hence we may see, why the Iewes might choose Herod for their King: First, because he was an Idumean their brother; secondly, because he was the sonne of Parents who were Proselytes, Antipar & Antipas both Proselytes: Thirdly, he himselfe was a Iew by profes∣sion, and standing in the third generation, therefore he might enter into the Congregation, and they might choose him for their King. Herodiani certaine wicked Iewes tooke Herod for their Messias, now if Herod had not beene accounted a Iew, they would never haue ac∣knowledged him for their Messias.

The name of a Iew is taken sometimes largely, and sometimes strictly; when it is taken largely, it compre∣hendeth all which were Iewes by profession, Esth. 8. 17. many became Iewes.

Sometimes againe it is taken more strictly for those Iewes who dwelt on the west side of Iordan, and they were called Iudaei Hierosolymitani, the Iewes that dwelt about Ierusalem, Luk. 3. 1. Pilate was governour of Iuda, and Herod of Galilie; Iuda here is strictly taken; but sometimes Herod is called King of the Iewes, here it is largely taken, Mat. 2. 1.

So the name [Gentile] is taken sometime strictly, as Paul applieth it to the converted Gentiles, Galat. 2. 12. but when Christ said, Goe not into the way of the Gentiles, Mat. 10. 5. Here it is taken largely, for all the Gentiles.

But Iosephus calleth Herod but a private man, [Object.] there fore it may seeme that the Iewes never acknowledged Herod for their King, and the Iewes said of Herod, Quòd non est rex, ne{que} filius regis.

The reason why he was called a private man was this, [Answ.] because he was not descended of the Priests; for at that time the posteritie of David carried no sway amongst the people, but onely the posteritie of the Priests, and whosoever were not Priests, were called [Gnim haaretz] populus terrae, see Iosephus lib. 14. cap. 12.

If yee will respect Herods first descent, then he may be called Alienigena, and not Iudaeus; in his first descent he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and transcriptus, and his Kingdome may be called Malcoth Hagerim, the reigne of a stranger, but because Herods father, and grandfather were not alto∣gether strangers from the people of God (for they were Edomites and Proselytes) therefore he was not recko∣ned as a stranger: but it fell out amongst the Iewes, as it did amongst the Romanes and Athenians, that those who were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and adscriptitij, were alwayes hated of those who were naturall and inbred Citizens: So the Iewes hated those who were Proselytes, because of the old hatred that was betwixt the Iewes and the Gentiles; and they made a Canon amongst them, Vt caverent sibi in decimam generationem a Proselytis.

We may conclude this point then, that the Iewes [Conclusion.] might safely choose Herod for their King now, being a Iew by profession, and descended of Parents who were Iewes by profession: and the latter Iewes distinguished not well betwixt Ger and Goi, who reckoned Herod ever to be a stranger.

Notes

• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Filius Proselyti et Prose∣lytae.
• Two sorts of Prose∣lytes.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Extraneus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Inhabita••••. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Inquilinus.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Gentilis fun∣damentalis. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Iudigenae.
• When the Proselytes might enter into the Congregation.
• Edomites and Egyptians distinguished from o∣ther strangers.
• The reasons why Herod might be King.
• The name [Iew] taken strictly or largely.
• The name (Gentile) ta∣ken strictly or largely.
• Lib. 14 cap. 11. &c. 17
• Why Herod was called a private man.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Populus terrae.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉