Pilgrimage, Book 2 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Of the Hebrew Patriarkes, and their Religion before the Law: also of their Law and Politie.
THe name of Hebrewes some deriue from Abraham, as if they were called Hebraei quaesi Abrahaei. Arias Montanus aMon. de Antiq.lud.Canaan, vel lib.3.cap.9…telleth vsus, that this name of Hebrewes was not appropriate to any family, but common to all such, as hauing passed ouer the riuer Euphrates fixed their tents, and abode betweene that riuer and the great sea. He gathereth this from the Hebrew word, which signifieth to passe ouer. Such an one first of all was Heber, seeking a life answerable to his name: whose example (saith he) Thare imitated: and after, Abram for his twofold transmigration from Chaldea, and from Haran, deserued that name, and left it to his posteritie. But bIos.Antiq.lib.1. cap.6.Iosephus, cAug.De Ciuit. Dci.l.26.c.13.Augustine, and others, more fitly and truely, of Heber the fourth from Shem, the sonne of Noah, with whose family, as we hauehave said, continued the ancient Language of the world, called of his name, Hebrew: his sonne Peleg, or Phaleg, bearing the name of that diuision, which at the time of his birth the rest of the world in their languages sustained. This Peleg was Grand-father to Serug, whom some affirme to hauehave beene the first maker of Idols, which were afterwards worshipped by Nahor his sonne, and Thare his nephew, the father of Abram, who preached openly that there was but dIos.Antiq.lib.1. cap.7.one GOD, Creator and Gouernour of all things; and by this doctrine prouoking he Chaldaeans against him, warned by Oracle, departed towards Canaan.
Bellarmine eBel.de Not. Eccles.l.4.c.9.so eagerly swalloweth this opinion, that he taxeth Caluine of Heresie, or attributing to Abraham the contrarie; namely, that Abraham, before GOD called him out of Vr, was an Idolater: an opinion so much more probable, then the other, as hauing better authoritie. For Ioshua *Ios.24.2.obiecteth to the Israelites their fore-fathers Idolatrie, and nameth Abraham amongst them. And Genebrard fGenebrard. Chron. lib.1.doth so interpret it; and Mazius gMaz. in los.24.in his Commentaries on that place, both zealous and learned Papists: yea Lindanus hLindan. i… Panop.specifieth the Idolatrie, and calleth him a worshipper of Vesta. Suidas iSuidas.saith, that Abraham by the obseruation of the Creatures in his studie of Astronomie, lifted vp his minde aboue the Starres, and by the glorie, and order of them, learned the knowledge of God, neuer ceasing that Diuine search, till God appeared to him. Which opinion may reconcile both the former: that first he was, and after ceased to be, and Idolater, before God appeared in vision to him. Hec alledgeth philo for his Author, that at fourteene yeares Abraham reproued Thara for seducing men vntounto Idolatrie (moued by his priuate lucre) with Images: and seeing the Heauen sometime cleare, sometime clowdie, he gathered, that that could not be God. The like hee concluded of the Sunne, and Moone, by their eclipses (for his father had taught him Astronomie). At last God appeared, and bad him leaue his countrey. Whereupon he tooke his fathers Images, who (as before is said) was an Image-maker, and partly broke, partly burnt them, and then departed. Suidas further thinketh him the first inuenter of Letters, of the Hebrew tongue, and of the interpretation of dreames; which I leaue to the Authors credit. But for the fault of Abraham before his calling, and other blemishes after, in him and the rest of the Patriarkes; what doe they else, but in the abounding of mans sinne, set out the superabounding grace of God? and are prositable, as learned Morton kMort. Ap.p.1. lib.1.cap.30.in answere of this cauill, hath out of one of their owne lSixtus Senens. Bib. lib 7. cap.8.obserued against them, what he had obserued out of Augustine, to these foure purposes: Faith, Instruction, Feare, and Hope: the Faith of the Historie which slattereth, or concealeth the faults of none: Instruction to vertue, by seeing others faults taxed: Feare, for what shall shrubbes doe, if Cedars fall? and Hope, that we imitate their repentance, by seeing their pardon.
But to returne to our History. Many of the Ethnike histories mention him: Berosus commendeth him for his iustice, and skill in Astronomie. Nic. 'Damascenus saith, that he reigned at Damascus, & that in his time, his house continued in Damascus, & was still called by his name: Hecataeus wrote a booke of him: and Alexander Polyhistor telleth that he was borne in the tenth generation after the Floud in Camarine (or Vrien) a Citie of Babylon. Iosephus mAntiq lib. 1. cap.3.addeth, that when famine draue him into Egypt, Gen. 12. he disputed with the Priests, and most learned Egyptians, in questions of Diuinity; and in their diuided sects, hauing confuted one by another, he communicated to them the truth, both in this, and in Arithmetike and Astronomie, whereof before the Egyptians were ignorant. Abram (saith M. Broughton in his Concent) was borne sixtie yeares later then the common account; as appeareth nSee the Chronologie, chap 11.by computation of Terahs age, who died at two hundred and fiue yeares, and after his death oGen. 12.4.Abram went from Charan into Cannan, the threescore and fifteenth yeare of his owne life; and therefore was borne in the hundred and thirtieth, and not in the seuentieth yeare of his father, in the 352. yeare after the Floud; whereas the common opinion reckoneth the 292. To Abram God had giuen commandement, saying: Go from thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy fathers house into the Land which I shall shew thee, and I will make of thee a great nation, &c.
His history is fully related by Moses, and his progenie also, whereof Ismael his son by Agar, and other his sons which he had by Ketura his second wife, he sent to inhabit. the East country (Arabia) in his life-time: but Isaac was made his heire, both Temporall and Spirituall: to whom Iacob succeeded in the promised blessing: who with his sons and family went downe into Egypt, where his posterity multiplied exceedingly, and were called sometime Ebrewes of their ancient pedegree; sometime Israelites, of the name Israel, giuen to Iacob by the Angell, Gen. 32. 28. Their whole historie so largely and plainly in holy Writ recorded, I feare to make Mine, by euill reciting: Those Fountaines are more open to all, then that any should need ours, or others Brook…, mixed with some mirie earth (at least) in the passage: (and my intent is to be largest in relation of those things which are not in the Scriptures; touching the same briefely for order sake). Their religion, meane while, was the best amongst the best, though stained in some, as Rachel, which stale her father Labans Idols; and Iacob was forced after to reforme his family in this respect; and after in Egypt they were corrupted with the Egyptian superstition, as Ezechiel in his twentieth Chapter protesteth against them. The manner of Diuine worship was not so straitly limited, as after, to persons and places. By reuelation and tradition they receiued the religious worship, wherein they instructed their posteritie: vntill that in their extreamest thraldome God sent Moses and Aaron to deliuer them: vnderunder whose conduct they passed thorow the sea and wildernesse to the brinkes of Iordan, receiuing in the way that Law; which as a Tutour, or Schoole-master was in that their nonage to traine them vp, vntill that full and ripe age; when pGalath.4.4.God sent his Sonne made of a woman, made vnderunder the Law, that he might redeeme them that were vnderunder the Law, that we might receiue the adoption of sonnes. Of this Law, although Moses hath giuen vsus an absolute relation in the Scripture, whereof he was the first pen-man (of that at least which remaineth vntounto vsus) yet if we shall out of him, bring them into their order, and ranke them vnderunder their seuerall heads, as Sigonius qCar. Sigon.de rep. Hebr.and others hauehave done; it shall not be, I thinke, ouer-tedious to the Reader.
The Law is diuided vsually, into the Morall, Ceremoniall, and Iudiciall, as parts of the same: the first deliuered on the Mount Sinai, by the dreadfull voice of the Almightie GOD, and by the finger of GOD, written after in Tables of stone, called ten words, summarily abridged into two Commandements, by the Law-giuer himselfe; mMat.22.38.The first and great Commandement enioyning the louelove of GOD, the second, of our neighbours, that GOD, who himselfe is Charitie, imposing nothing but the louely yoke of LoueLove and Charitie vntounto his seruants. This Law is Eternall, written first in the hearts of our first parents, which being defaced, it was written againe in the stony Tables of the Law, where it was but a killing letter, till Grace and Truth by IESVS CHRIST indited and indented it in the fleshie Tables of the Gospell, as nIo.13.34CHRISTS new Commandement written in renewed hearts, and shall for euer bee then grauen in those spirituall Tables, when we that heere are o1.Cor.15.44.naturall men, shall rise againe spirituall men; and shall be the law of that holy Citie, the new Ierusalem; this being then perfected, when p1.Cor.13.Faith, and Hope, and this World shall be finished. The other parts Ceremonial and Iudicial, were (for the particulars) proper vntounto that nation; the one respecting the manner of Diuine seruice, the other of Ciuill gouernment: not giuen (as the other) immediately to the Israelites by God himselfe, but communicated in the Mount to Moses, that he might acquaint the people withall. This nation was diuided, as is said alreadie, into Tribes, according to the number of Iacobs sons, amongst whom Leui had no portion (but the Lord was their portion, they seruing at the Altar, & liuing of the Altar) but 48. cities with their suburbs assigned for their habitation, amongst other Tribes, that being so dispersed, they might disperse also, and preach the Law to the rest: and were reckoned qIud.17.7.to that Tribe with which they dwelled: and whereas others might not marry, for feare of alienation of their inheritances; into another Tribe, this of Leui either had, or tooke libertie herein, as Indg. 19. and 2.Chro. 22. Ioiada married the Kings sister; and thus Elizabeth, wife of Zachary the Priest, might be cousin to Mary the mother of our Lord. The number of twelue remained yet entire, in reckoning of these Tribes, because that Ioseph had a double portion, and his sonnes, Ephraim and Manasses, made two Tribes. Neither were they alone reckoned Israelites, that naturally descended from some one of these twelue sons of Israel, but such also of other nations as embraced their Ceremonies and Religion, being for distinctiō sake called Proselytes. The Hebrew rAr.Montan. in Mattb.23.word which is interpreted a Proselyte, signifieth extracted, or drawne forth, because they esteemed such, drawn forth of hel: whom yet they made the childrē of hel, more then themselues, in burthening their consciences, not only with those Ceremonies whereunto the Law and their tradition tied them, but with diuers others also. The name Proselyte, as Drusius affirmeth, sDrus.de 3.sect. lib.2.is either taken largely for any stranger, or strictly for a conuert to their religion. A Proselyte was made with obseruation of three things, Circumcision, Baptisme or washing, and Oblation. The first was a signe of the Couenant, in which they were receiued: the second, as a badge of their cleannes; (for all the Gentiles were vncleane) the third, for the attonement with God. This was while the Temple stood, and now is not in force: but whether Baptisme be still vsed, I know not. He ought to be circumcised in the presence of three. A woman Proselite was admitted by Baptisme only, and the offering of two Turtles, or two Pigeons. Serarius saith, Baptisme and circumcision are still required: the like is written by tMunster in l. Praecept. Mos. cum expos.Rab. Et in Euangel. Matth. Hebr: Anot.cap.22.Munster, who addeth, that when any desireth to become a Proselite, they propound to him the hardest things of the law: with the promises of future happines: and if he continue his purpose, they circumcise him, & when he is whole, Baptise him; & then account him an Israelite. The same Author elswhere handleth the same their ceremonies more at large: he saith that they propound to him their strictest obseruations, as of the Sabbath, not eating fat, &c. with some penances, that he should not after say, had I wist; and they would seeme to be willing by these meanes, to driue them from their religion, as being corrupted by such new commers: but CHRIST affirmeth otherwise. Matth. 23.
The gouernment of this state was after Moses & Ioshua managed by Iudges of diuers Tribes, not by election nor inheritance succeeding in that office, but by appointment of God, till they desired a King, whereas before God was their King, and by his law partly, partly by oracleruled, the State, being as some think an Aristocratie. There were besides these Iudges, Princes of each Tribe, and the heads of families: there was also a gouernmēt in each City by the Elders or Senate, exercised in the gates therof. They had accordingly their Coūcels or assemblies, either of the whole nation, or of a whole Tribe, or of some one city: they had their Elders or Senators in like maner, hauing authority, some for the whole nation, some uCar. Sigmi.de rep. Heb.lib.6. &7.(if we follow some mens cōiectures) for their own tribe; some in their proper city. The first of these was the Sāhedrin or 70. Elders appointed by GOD, Num. 15. & continued vntounto the destructiō of that natiō, & their court was kept in the seat Royal, or mother-City of the Kingdome: to which, appeale was made from the inferiour Courts in obscure & difficult cases. They had Iudges also appointed, and Magistrates, hauing iurisdiction ouer a thousand, a hundred, fiftie, or ten. They had besides, their Officers in time of warre, & Officers of the Temple: which I hauehave but named to the Reader, who, if he desire fully to bee informed, concerning their politie, and State-affaires: Carolus Sigonius (not to mention others) in his sixt and seuenth booke. De Repub. Hebraica, will reasonably satisfie him.
Yet I hold it not impertinent to mention (somewhat more largely) what Petrus Galatinus x…. Galat.de A…ca…s. lib.4. cap. …. &6.hath written of this Iudiciary power of the Israelites, by the ceasing wherof, he proueth, that the Messias is alreadie come, according to Iacobs prophecie, Gen. 49. He sheweth therefore that the Sanhedrin were the successors of those seuentie Elders, which were appointed assistants to Moses, Num.11.18. to whom belonged the determination of all difficulties and hardest questions of the Law; as appeareth, Den. 17 from whom was no appeale. They were called Sanhedrin, whom we may call ordinarie Iudges, and Mehokekim, that is, Scribes, or Law-giuers, because whatsoeuer they deliuered or writ, was receiued as a Law.
Their Colledge represented that Scepter, by the holy Ghost in Iacob promised to Iuda: and therefore not only vnderunder the Kings and Iudges did exercise iudgements, but also when there was no King, or Iudge in Israel. Of their qualitie it is thus written in the booke Sanhedrin. They appointed none (said R.Iohanan) but men of wisdome, stature, and of goodly *Apparentie.presence, and of old age, and cunning in exorcismes, and vnderstanding the seuentie tongues, that they might not need interpreters. Their stature and comelines, Rabbi Selomoh saith, was required, to acquire thē reuerence; & skill in enchantment, to conuince such wisards. Of their power in Sanhedrin Babilonice, is thus written: Foure kindes of Death was in their power, Stoning, Burning, killing with the Sword, & strangling. R. Akiba affirmed, that they fasted all that day in which they adiudged any to death. Mony-matters were ordered by three Iudges, as were all moueable goods: iudgement of life by 22. of these 70. vnderunder which number they could not condemne any to death. But in cases of a Tribe, or Scepter, or false prophet, or high Priest, were required the whole number of seuenty and one: the like was in going to war, in adding to a city, or the reuenewes of the Temple, or in conuenting the ordinary Iudges of the Tribes, To cōstitute one of this nūber they vsed imposition of hands; R.Iudas saith of fiue. A wolfe, lion, beare, leopard, & serp̄et, were to be slain by the 23.
The great Colledge called Sanhedre ghedola, consisted of 71. the lesse of 23. That odde number aboue 70. was to supply the roome of Moses, which was ouer those first 70. Thus far the Talmud. Whereby Galatinus gathereth, that in the Councel that condemned CHRIST, there was the whole number of 71. which is true, if Herod had not before disanulled that societie. The greater Sanhedrin ordained the lesse; for those 70. ordained all the Sessīos of Iudges, which in other cities & places ruled the people: and to this Court of the 70. in Ierusalem they were all subiect. The place where they sate was called Gazith, that is, Carued, whereof this Court had the name (as the Starchamber with vsus.) Other Courts or houses of Iudgement, they had diuers, of the 23. One of thē sate in the gate of the mountain of the Temple: another in the gate of the Court: others in eueryevery city. And when there was a cōtrouersie, it was first brought to that city or towne, & so to the rest, if occasion required (in order) to that in the gate of the Mount, after to that in the Court-gate, & last to the Gazith consistory, in which they sate frō morning till night. But on Sabbaths & solemn daies they sate on the wal.
But when Herod obtained the Scepter, he slew Hircanus and his son Antigonus, which had been King and Priest, and also all of the seed royall, and burnt the Genealogies of their Kings: and further to stablish his throne in bloud, hee killed the Scribes and Doctors of the Law, and caused all the Sanhedrin to bee done to death. Because the Rabbanan (they are the words of the Talmud) had said according to Deut.17. From among thy brethren thoushalt set a King ouer thee: he slew the Rabbanan or Masters, reseruing onelyonly Baba, the son of Bota, whose eyes he after put out. And therefore the Sanhedrin perished: for, as is said, fiue, or at least after R. Ismael, three were necessary to the ordination by the imposition of hands. But there were by Herods permission other Iudges instituted to be vnderunder the King, like the former Colledge, but had no authoritie of sentence in waightie and criminall causes: and therefore they said to Pilate, it is not lawfull for vsus to put any man to death. And then for salfe sentence pronounced against CHRIST, they were expelled from the Consistorie Gazith, fortie yeares before the destruction of the Temple, and afterwards, by the commandement of the Romans, were all flaine. They being expelled Gazith, held their Consistorie at Hamith, another place in Ierusalem but, saith R. Abdimi, with the place they lost their power in criminall iudgements; which might not be giuen but in Gazith. So do the Rabbines interprete the words; Deut.17.10. According to the words which they of that place shew thee, thou shalt do. Thus much out of Galatinus.
The word Sanhedrin, saith Drusius, yQuaest. Heb. lib 2.signifieth not the iudgements (as some mistake) but the Iudges, the seuentie Senators of the great Court at Ierusalem, called in the new Testament, Elders, Match. 16 21.
Now concerning the Iewish Excommunications, the same Author zQuaest.Heb.lib.1. &2.hath obserued, that the Iewes had three kinds and degrees of Excommunications, Niddui, Herem, Samatha the first signifieth a Remouing; the second, Anathema; the third, the same which the Apostle calleth Maran-atha: By the first they are made foreign (of which is an example, Genes.4.4) excommunicated from the Ecclesiasticall assemblies: and if they did not amend, they were excommunicated with a greater curse, or Anathema: and if they persisted obstinate, they did Samatize them. The word Anathema is sometimes taken generally, but heere, for a particular kind. Maran-atha, signifieth the LORD commeth; and so doth Sem-atha. For by Sem, and more emphatically, Hassem they vsed to signifie the name, meaning that Tetragrammaton and ineffable name of God, Iehoua. It may also be compounded of Sama, after the Chaldee forme; or of Sam and mitha, which signifieth, There is death. Some Authors ascribe this to the institution of Henoch: which they gather out of Iude 14.