A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Appendix · Chapter 2
Apocrypha CHAP. II. Luke III.
AS the firſt Means (better than the doubtful Books of the Apocrypha) for demonſtrating the State of the Jewiſh Church in that Interval, betwixt Nehemiah and the Meſſiah, was Daniel's Prophetick Hiſtory of Divine Infallible Inſpiration: As before, all along in Chapter the firſt out of the Old Teſtament: So this ſecond Chapter produceth the like infallible Evidences, concerning the ſame Subject out of the New Teſtament, equally of Divine Authority with the Old. Namely, out of the Genealogy of Chriſt Recorded in Luke Chap. 3. yet with this difference betwixt Daniel and Luke, the Prophet relateth the Things that befel the Jews without the naming of their Perſons, but this Evangeliſt Names only the Perſons that ſucceeded from Time to Time, without any Narrative of the things that befel them.
Remark the Firſt, 'Tis the concurrent Judgment of Learned Men, that Daniel doth not only Prophetically declare the things, which occurred the Jewiſh Church, until the firſt coming of Chriſt, though they did not fall out (as ſome ſay) until three hundred Years after Daniel's Day, but alſo the things that would occurr the Chriſtian Church in the laſt Days, how ſhe ſhould be moſtly afflicted by Antichriſt (as the Jewiſh had been by Antiochus) yet ſhall ſhe be fully delivered by Chriſt's ſecond coming. Thus Cyprian was wont to Comfort his Chriſtian Friends in his Day, with theſe Words [Veniet Antichriſtus, fed ſuperveniet Chriſtus] Antichriſt will come, but then Chriſt will come after him, and overcome him: Thus he Interprets, Dan. 12.1, 2, &c. [At that Time] that is, in the laſt Days, and toward the end of the World, ſhall Michael ſtand up, &c. N.B. Antichriſt was not revealed in Cyprian's Time, which Helvicus computeth the ſecond Century, betwixt two hundred and forty and two hundred and fifty Years after Chriſt, which was long before that Revelation of the Man of Sin: Now when Michael or Chriſt had made this double diſcovery unto Daniel, both concerning the Malady and Remedy of the Jewiſh and of the Chriſtian Church, then giveth He Daniel (to his great Comfort) a fair and favourable Diſmiſſion out of this Life, before the former of thoſe two Confuſions come upon God's Church, Dan. 12.13. telling him, Thou ſhalt Dye, not only without fearing or feeling thoſe troubles, but alſo in a firm Faith, both of the Church's glorious Deliverance, and of his own bleſſed Reſurrection out of the Duſt of Death to an Everlaſting Life [after thy Soul hath reſted in Abraham's Boſom, and thy Body hath got its ſweet ſleep in the Grave as in a Bed of Down, then thou and all the Juſt ſhall have full joys, beginning here (ſome ſay) for 1000 Years, but compleated in Heaven eternally.]
Remark the Second; The Interſpace betwixt the Second Temple and the Birth of Chriſt, (containing about 500 Years) is filled up with Three Dynaſties, ſaith Dr. Prideaux; the Firſt is, The Dukes or Chieftains, in number 14, all Recorded by the Evangeliſt Luke under the Infallible Conduct of the Holy Spirit's Inſpiration, Luke 3.23, 24, 25, 26, 27. This he doth by Aſcent from the Mother of our Lord the Virgin Mary up to Zerubbabel the Builder of the Second Temple. N. B. Matthew's Genealogy of Chriſt, Matth. 1.1, 2, &c. is made by Deſcent from Abraham, and ſo from David, &c. that Joſeph (tho' not Chriſt's Natural but only his Legal Father, as being Marry'd to the Virgin Mary) might appear to be of David's Line, of whom the Meſſiah was to come for the Jews Conviction, tho' he was but his ſuppoſed Father: But Luke runs up Chriſt's Genealogy by his Mothers ſide, even as high as Adam and God, Luke 3.38. to ſhew that he was the Womans Seed which (as God promis'd to Adam) ſhould break the Serpent's Head, Gen. 3.15. not only for ſaving the Jews that deſcended from Abraham, according to Matthew's Genealogy, but alſo for ſaving the Gentiles that deſcended from Adam, according to Luke's Genealogy, and therefore Luke relates, how Chriſt did break the Power of Satan by the word of Truth (who had corrupted Adam, and in him all Mankind by his words of falſhood) immediately after he had ſhewed Chriſt's Deſcent from Adam, Luke 3.38. he ſhews, Luke 4.1. how the Tempter is Maſter'd by Chriſt in three Temptations.
Remark the Third; This Firſt Line after the Captivity of fourteen Generations,) for which there is no Record elſewhere in the Canonical Scripture) 'tis taken for granted (ſaith Dr. Lightfoot) that both Matthew and Luke took from ſome Records then extant among the Nations, and were look'd upon as Authentick, as appeareth by the Septuagint Bible, which was commonly currant in the time of the Evangeliſts, and which certainly Luke doth generally follow in his Quotations out of the Old Testament, and the Septuagint hath this Genealogy juſt as Luke here hath it. As the Jews were ever in their worſt of Times very careful to keep their Books of all their Genealogies, Ezra 2.62, &c. ſo more eſpecially they could not but be moſt careful of keeping the Records of the Royal Line of the Family of David, becauſe they had raiſed Expectations 0536 of the Meſſiah from it; for the Jews generally received theſe two Remarkable Maxims; 1. That there was to be no King for Iſrael but of the Houſe of David, whoſe Son their Meſſiah muſt be by Deſcent: And 2. That the Family of a Mother is not called a Family: Hereupon hath Matthew moſt pertinently brought Chriſt's Pedigree through the Houſe of David and Solomon, and ended it in Joſeph a Male, whom the Jews look'd upon as the Father of Jeſus, Mar. 6.3, &c. to ſhew him the Son God promis'd to David, as Luke ſhews him the Seed of the Woman God promis'd to Adam.
Remark the Fourth: Tho' we meet with ſome ſtronge Stories both in Joſephus and in the Maccabees Books concerning ſome of thoſe firſt fourteen Generations after Zerubbabel of David's Line, the Truth whereof is doubted by ſome Learned Men: Yet ſo far as ſuch Succeſſors are expreſly named by the Holy Evangeliſts, it muſt be believed they were ſo, becauſe the whole word of God is infallibly true, John 17.17. 2 Tim. 3.16. and not one jor or tittle thereof in matter of Subſtance hath paſſed away, or ever ſhall until all be fulfilled, Matth. 5.18. Luke 16.17. And tho' thoſe two Genealogies of Matthew and Luke ſeem hard to be Reconciled, yet the Apoſtle hath caution'd us againſt giving too much heed to endleſs Genealogies, which adminiſter Queſtions rather than Godly edifying in the Faith, 1 Tim. 1.4. and Tit. 3.9. And ſeeing many Men in Scripture had two Names, (as Eſau was call'd Edom, Gen. 25.30. and 36.1, 8. Jethro call'd Raguel; Gideon Jerubbaal; Ʋzziah Azariah, &c. ſo Simon call'd Peter, John 1.42. Joſes Barſabas and Juſtus, Acts 1.23, &c.) Some do ſuppoſe that thoſe Men of this firſt Dynaſty had two Names, one of thoſe Evangeliſts reciteth one, and the other another of theſe Names, and ſo might well accord in their Record of the ſame Perſon.
Remark the Fifth: Tho' all thoſe Pagan Kings of that time were inveterate Adverſaries to the Jewiſh Church, and kept the Jews in grievous Subjection, more eſpecially to ſuppreſs (as much as might be) the Poſterity of David's Family, and at leaſt to hold them in a low Condition, becauſe it was a certain and received Truth among that People, that Meſſiah the Prince (Dan. 9.26) ſhould ſhortly come out of that Family; therefore thoſe Perſons named by the Evangeliſts might moſtly be private Perſons (as Joſeph and Mary were, when Chriſt came into the World: Wherefore Dr. Prideaux doth well make it one of his Inquiries, Whether thoſe fourteen Chieftains (whom Dan. Paraeus calls Dukes or Captains) all of the Line of David, had any Authority of Magiſtrates among their Countrymen? This is the more doubtful becauſe they all lived in thoſe Calamitous Times of the Jewiſh Church after the Captivity.
Remark the Sixth: 'Tis therefore not improbable but ſome of the… might be only private Perſons, and not be betruſted by their Oppreſſors with any publick Authority, yet by the conſent of their own People they might be Law-givers to them as Principal Men amongſt them; and this is the more probable, becauſe the Patriarch Jacob Propheſy'd that the Scepter ſhall not depart from Judah until Shilo come, Gen. 49.10. N.B. However, this Genealogy (Recorded by two Evangeliſts, and both by Divine Inſpiration) may well ſerve to ſhew forth the ſhining Truth of God's Promiſe, compleatly Accompliſh'd in the Incarnation of Chriſt; and is likewiſe no leſs a Demonſtration of God's ſpecial Providence over his Church to preſerve her in the worſt of Times; therein declaring in what Line (to wit, the Line of David) the Church was preſerved; the Evangeliſts Recorded it, that we may believe it and ever live, John 20.31.
The Second Dynaſty or Government over the Jews (according to Paraeus, Prideaux, Alſted, &c.) was that of the Aſmoneites or Maccabees, Men extraordinarily raiſed up by God to Defend the True Religion. Theſe were call'd Aſmonei from the firſt of that Rank, Mattathias Aſmoneus, and Maccabees from the four firſt Hebrew Letters in that Sentence [Lord, who is like unto thee? &c.] which Initial Letters put together make up the word Maccabee, &c. Exod. 15.11. And Judas Maccabeus (the Second of this ſort of Governors) carry'd theſe four Capital Letters, [M. C. B. J.] in his Standard, the whole words ru… ning thus, [Mi Chimka Beelohim Jehovah?] Who among the Gods is like unto thee, Jehovah?
N. B. I ſhall in this Diſcourſe ſtill ſtick ſo cloſe to the Scripture of Truth as the nature of the Subject will admit; leaving the large Stories of thoſe Maccabees to the various Eccleſiaſtical Writers upon them; as the Apocrypha, Joſephus, Paraeus, Prideaux, Clark, &c.
Remark the Firſt: Mattathias Aſmoneus (the Father of thoſe Maccabean Governors) was but of the Order of the Prieſthood, and ſo of the Poſterity of Levi and not of J… dah, which ſeems to ſound ſome prejudice to God's Promiſe and to Jacob's Prophecy, [That the Scepter ſhall not depart from Judah, &c.] Gen. 49.10. But it muſt be conſider'd, that 1. The Tribe of Levi and of Benjamin were now (in the failure and falling away of the Ten Tribes) Incorporated into this of Judah, from whence the whole Country was called Judea, and the whole People (of whatever Tribe they were) generally now were called Jews. 2ly. Notwithſtanding the many Viciſſitudes that attended the Jews after their Return from Babylon, wherein they had various Governors, ſome Conſtituted by the Kings of Perſia (as well as of Babylon during the Seventy Years Captivity) and ſome choſen their Captain-Generals by the People as thoſe Maccabees; yet the Chief Government was principally Seated in their Sanhedrim (commonly ſo call'd) or Synedrium, or Senate, (as Joſephus and other Jewiſh Writers teſtifie) in which tho' ſome of the Tribe of Levi, &c. were mixed with the Tribe of Judah, yet that Council had their whole power to Sit and Act from Judah's Tribe, and ſo the Scepter did not depart from it, but ſtill remain'd in it.
Remark the Second: Learned Diodate ſaith, That ſeeing this Name Aſmoneus (which was Mattathias's Name) ſignifies [Baron or Great Lord] in Hebrew; therefore 'tis probable, He and thoſe Maccabees his Sons might look upon it as ſome ſign of a modeſt Honour and Domination, tho' through Corruption it grew up to the height of Soveraignty in Simon (one of the Sons) in his Time, and afterwards to Abſolute Royalty, joined with the High Prieſthood in Ariſtobulus and his Succeſſors, but more of that in its proper Place. Paraeus tells us, that this Mattathias was but a Prieſt and a private Perſon, yet when he ſaw all the Villanies acted by Antiochus in the Holy City, he was ſtirred up to take up juſt Arms againſt him, and was the firſt Man that gave a ſtop to his overflowing Fury in defence of his Country's Laws, and when dying in a good Old Age, he left and laid God's Charge upon his five Sons to proſecute with their utmoſt vigour the good Work he had begun; but Prideaux makes it an Inquiry, Whether Mattathias might himſelf execute an Apoſtate Jew by the Altar out of his zeal, ſeeing he was no Magiſtrate? N.B. No doubt but he did better in informing the Jews that they might lawfully defend themſelves upon the Sabbath-day, after many of them had been Murther'd by the neglect of it when Aſſaulted by the Enemy.
Remark the Third; His Son Judas (call'd Maccabeus) ſucceeded him, from whence ſprang the Maccabean Principality (ſaith Paraeus) Annexed to the High-Prieſthood, which laſted unto Herod's Time. This Prieſt's Son (that began the Principality of the Maccabees) was compared to a Lion for Strength, to a Giant for Fight, and to a Devouring Flame for driving all down before him, and who always went to Praying before he began any one Battel, and by the power of Prayer annexed to his Spirit of Courage, He diſcomfited many vaſt Armies of his Adverſaries: As 1. Apollonius; 2. Seron; 3. Ptolomy; 4. Nicanor; 5. Gorgias; and 6. Lyſias, 2 Macc. 4.57. and 6.46, &c. Then having obtain'd all theſe wonderful Victories, without the loſs of one Man on his ſide, or even to a Miracle (ſaith Paraeus) not ſo much as one of his Soldiers Wounded, he purgeth the Temple of that Idol Jupiter Olympius and all other Abominations that Antiochus had polluted it with; then having purified it according to the Law, in Memory thereof he appointed the Feaſt of Dedication, which our bleſſed Saviour (ſaith Dr. Prideaux) did afterward honour with his Preſence, John 10.22. N.B. As Chriſt did ſo then, when the Temple was purged from the Pollutions of Antiochus, (that little Antichriſt) Oh how Glorious will Chriſt's Preſence be in his Temple when it ſhall be throughly purged from all the Abominations of the grand Antichriſt, &c.
Remark the Fourth; Valiant and Victorious Judas (being baſely Deſerted by his own Men, when he with 800 gave Battel to Bacchides's with his 20000 Foot and 2000 Horſe, yet had almoſt (ſaith Cluverius) won the Field, and had wholly Routed the Right Wing, &c.) was himſelf (without his Run-away Men) ſoon incloſed, overpower'd, and ſlain by the Left Wing: Then his Brother Jonathan ſucceeds him, who with an handful of Men breaks through Bacchides's great Army, endangers the General himſelf in his Eruption, and ſlays 1000 Enemies in his paſſage, ſwam over Jordan with his Company and ſo quitted himſelf, 2 Macc. 9.18, 37. Joſephus lib. 13. cap. 1. Cluverius, Paraeus, &c. but he and his Sons being ſlain by Treachery, his Brother Simon Prieſt) was ſtruck with a Dead Palſie by an Hand from Heaven as he was Demoliſhing the Sepulchres of God's Prophets in the Temple, and after Tryphon the Ʋſurper had cheated him of 100 Talents, and after he had Ruled in Peace by making Peace with the Romans to over-awe the Syrians, he at laſt was baſely betray'd at a Banquet in Jericho by Potolomy his Son-in-law, whom he had made Governour of that City: Then the third Brother Johannes Hircanus ſucceeded, and Reveng'd the Murther, in whoſe Principality and Prieſthood Antiochus beſieg'd him in Jeruſalem in that Sabbatical or ſeventh Year, wherein the Land reſted from Tillage, ſo that there was a ſore Famine in the City; but Hircanus buys off the Siege with a ſumm of Money wherewith he was ſupply'd out of David's Sepulchre, Joſephus Antiq. 2 Macc. 13. and 14. and 15.16. after which he Demoliſhed that Mock-Temple of the Samaritans upon Mount Gerezim (after it had ſtood 200 Years) and utterly razed Samaria for its fighting againſt the Jews, and in his Time (ſaith Paraeus) aroſe thoſe three famous Sects of the Phariſees, Sadduces, and Eſſenes: N.B. The laſt of which (from Aſa, Hebr. to conſider) were a ſort of Monks, pretending all for Contemplation, &c. and had all things in common amongſt them. This was that Hircanus who beſieg'd Treacherous Ptolomy in the Caſtle of Dagon, but left the Siege at the woful ſight of the Tortures of his Mother, who notwithſtanding did animate him to purſue his purpoſe, Joſ. Antiq. lib. 13. cap. 14, 15, 16.
Here follows the Third Dynaſty in Judea; Hitherto the Maccabean Family the Aſmonites had contented themſelves with the Title of Chief Princes and of High Prieſts, but now they affected the Crown-Royal.
Remark the Firſt: Ariſtobulus (the Eldeſt of Hircanus) aſpir'd at his Fathers Death to be Adorned with the Royal Diadem; in order hereunto, he firſt ſlew his Innocent Brethren, at the inſtigation of his Ambitious Wife Salome, and then ſtarved to death his own Mother, pretending ſhe aimed at the Kingdom; for which unnatural Acts, (ſaith Cluverius) his own Conſcience did ſo Torture and Torment him, that he ſoon died moſt miſerably, after he had Uſurped the Kingdom but one Year, verifying that Saying in Job, [The Triumph of the Wicked ſhall be ſhort] Job 20.5. This Hypocrite was the firſt Prieſt or Levite that preſumed (ſaith Dr. Willet) to wear a Crown, tho' never any of the Tribe of Judah Uſurped the Mitre or preſumed to the Priesthood, as ſaith the Apoſtle, Heb. 7.14. yet this Prieſt changed both the Priesthood and the Principality into a Royal Kingdom. N.B. He made himſelf the next King to Zedekiah after the Captivity; no wonder if he ſo ſoon vomited out his bloody Soul, yet this Succeſſion of Kingſhip continued in his Line until Herod when Chriſt came.
Remark the Second; Paraeus and Cluverius give this Account of the following Royal Succeſſors: 1. Alexander Jannias ſucceeds his Brother Aristobulus in the Throne, when his Siſter-in law Salome had releaſed him out of Priſon, for which he Marry'd the Widow and made himſelf the ſecond King of the Jews; but the Phariſees (ſo call'd from their Separation, and then being a prevailing Faction with their Traditions) Reproached him as unworthy of the Royal Diadem, becauſe he was born of a Captive Mother; for which high Affront he ſlew 50000 of them and their Partakers: Notwithſtanding this Revenge, he (obſerving how that Sect led the Vulgar by the Noſe) perſuades his Wife Salome to ſtrike in with them, and to be Ruled altogether by them, and to deliver his Body (now ſeiz'd upon with an incurable quartan Ague of three Years continuance whereof he died) to them to be uſed at their pleaſure; this being done by Salome, it ſo oblig'd the Phariſees whom he had ſo notoriouſly Diſoblig'd, that they not only Interr'd him Honourably, but alſo made his Widow Queen, calling her Alexandra, under whom the Phariſees were ſo powerful, that they Ruled all, and put many good Men to Death for not favouring their Faction. This Queen made Hircanus (her Eldest Son) High-Prieſt, who drove his younger Brother Aristobulus out of all Command; but becauſe Hircanus was look'd upon as half-witted, a Diſpute aroſe who ſhould be King before Pompey the Great; He determines it for Hircanus to be their (third King) marches to Jeruſalem to ſuppreſs the Oppoſers, Sacks the Temple, and lays open the Holy of Holies, then haſting to Rome carries Aristobulus along his Priſoner; but being Releas'd there by Julius Caeſar, he being more Active and Accompliſh'd, a Compoſition was made, that he ſhould be their fourth King, and Hircanus content with his High-Priesthood. This Ariſtobulus the Second poſſeſſed two and twenty Caſtles with the Kingdom, tho' Antipaeter (Herod's Father) attempted to reſtore Hircanus (the Elder Brother) to the Crown, yet ſiding with Julius Caeſar in the Civil Wars againſt Pompey the Great, he was afterward poyſon'd by the Pompeian Party, leaving his Son Alexander to Reign in his ſtead, who made the fifth King of the Jews, and who making many Motions in Rebelling againſt the Roman Conquerours, and endeavouring to caſt off the Roman Yoke, was at laſt Conquer'd, catch'd and beheaded by Pompey at Antioch.
N. B. 1. That Anna the Propheteſs of whom we read Luke 2.36. became a Widow much about this Time, being 84 Years old, &c. ver. 37.
N. B. 2. This fifth King of the Jews Alexander had born to him by Alexandra (Hircanus his Uncle's Daughter) the two Paragons of that Time for Beauty, Ariſtobulus and Mariamne, both Murder'd by Herod afterward.
N. B. 3. The Principality and Kingdom of the Maccabees or Aſmoneans of the Line of David, here ended in Alexander, after they had (out of their own Ambitious Humour) Advanced themſelves from the Prieſthood to the Throne, and quarrelling one with another, they open'd a way for the Romans to Invade and Subdue them, and to ſet up Herod an Edomite a King over them.
Remark the Third: The ſixth King of the Jews was Herod, call'd the Great, an Idumean, and of a baſe Stock (faith Joſephus) but grew up into a very great Grandeur by the benign Influence and warm Sunſhine of the Roman Soveraignty upon this Muſhroom, inſomuch as he was called Herodes Magnus: Paraeus and Cluverius, &c. give this Narrative of Herod's Life; 1. That his Father was Antipater an Idumean (whom they alſo call an Aſcalonite, from whom this grand Raſcal proceeded:) However, his Original was ſo far out of a foreign Extract, that Joſephus and the Domeſtick Jews look'd upon Jacob's Prophecy (of the Departing of the Scepter from Judah) to be fulfilled in Herod's Ʋſurpation. 2ly. Antipater Herod's Father being a Crafty Fox, firſt ſided with Pompey againſt Caeſar while he ſeemed to be the ſtrongeſt ſide, but afterwards he wheel'd about to aſſiſt Caeſar in his Alexandrian War, and being ſucceſsful, Caeſar made him Governour over all Judea, who Repaired the Walls of Jeruſalem that Pompey had Demoliſh'd, ſetting his Eldeſt Son Phaſelus over Jeruſalem, and Herod his Younger Son over Galilee; but Antipater being poiſon'd by one Malichus, and Phaſelus daſhing out his own Brains (ſaith Joſephus) Herod, by the help of the Roman Senate, becomes King of Judah. 3ly. As Herod (while young) did Patrizare, being a Crafty Fox like his Father, and Marry'd Mariamne, matchleſs for Beauty, and one of the Blood-Royal, to fit him for wearing the Crown-Royal, &c. ſo he exceeded his Father in becoming alſo a Cruel Tyger; for perceiving the Jews uneaſie to have a Stranger King over them, by Mark Anthony's means (whom he had well bribed) he Murders all the Blood-Royal that might queſtion his Title to the Throne; amongſt which were 1. Hircanus at 80 Years old, returning from Baniſhment when Herod had Marry'd Alexander's fair Daughter Mariamne: 2. Beautiful Ariſtobulus (his Wife's Brother, whom he invited to a Feaſt at Jericho, and there in Sport was Duck'd to death by his fellow-Swimmers whom Herod had Suborned for that end; and this was done without any cauſe, but only becauſe Herod had made him the High-Prieſt, and perceiving that he became a dear Darling to the Jewiſh People; this was enough to make him the Object of that Crafty and Cruel King Herod's Hatred. Nor 3ly did he ſpare his deareſt Wife Mariamne, that Paragon of Beauty, but Executed her, together with her Mother Alexandra; for pretended Treaſon. 4ly. This Herod cauſed Ezekias an Highway-man, with many of his Aſſociates, to be ſlain, tho' not Condemned by due courſe of Law; this ſo incenſed the Sanhedrim, that they ſent out their Warrants to bring him to Juſtice for medling with their Authority: But he was grown now too ſtiff-neck'd for ſuch a Curb, for he came with a ſtrong Guard to over-awe them▪ for which Old Simeon (call'd the Juſt) told him to his Teeth, that he deſerved Death for ſo doing, &c. This ſo enraged Haughty Herod againſt them, that he could never be at quiet until he had kill'd all that Grand Council, except Old Simeon, who eſcaped, being preſerved by God's Providence to embrace Chriſt (that beautiful Babe of Bethlehem) and to Propheſie of his Salvation, Luke 2. 25, to 31. N. B. Herod this bloody Raskalonite, ſtands Stigmatiz'd upon Record in all Histories, for his being 1. a Cruel King, in killing his own Subjects of all ſizes, gentle and ſimple: 2. A Crueler Son-in-law, for Murdering Alexandra his Mother-in-law, and Hircanus his Queen's Grand-father: And 3ly. the Grueleſt Husband, in Murdering Mariamne his own fair Wife and Queen. 4ly. That he might become Ʋnparellel'd, he ſteps one Degree higher than the Superlative (the higheſt Degree) in murdering three of his own Sons by Mariamne, who was his principal Queen among his nine Wives, &c. Hereupon Augustus Caeſar broke this Jeſt upon Herod, [Praeſtare Herodis Porcum eſſe quam filium] 'Tis better to be Herod's Hog than his Son: So he was more than the crueleſt Father to his own Natural Sons.
Remark the Fourth: While Herod was thus wallowing in the blood of his own Relations (ſaith Cluverius) and in the blood of the Jews in general, principally projecting to keep the Jews in Subjection, and if poſſible, to Suppreſs the Poſterity of David, or at leaſt to keep them low, foraſmuch as it was a certain and believed Truth among the Jews, that Meſſiah the Prince, Dan. 9.26. ſhould ſhortly come out of that Royal Family: Even at that time the Great God, commiſerating the miſerable Jews, yea and all the whole Univerſe of mankind, ſent that bright and Morning Star his Son Chriſt into the World; namely, in the very Time when Herod the King was ſtrutting about in his moſt Ruffling Grandeur, Matth. 2.1. Dying Red his Royal Robes with the blood of his own People, and when the Scepter was departed from Judah, according to Jacob's Prophecy, Gen. 49.10. and when the Church of the Jews was at the loweſt ebb, ſcarce four or fewer were found waiting for the Conſolation of Iſrael, Luke 2.25. yea, and when among the poor Gentiles a plentiful Harveſt of the Elect was now ready Ripe, Matth. 9.37. Luke 10.2. John 4.35. even then came the Prince of Peace into the World, when all was at peace through the World.
Remark the Fifth; The fulfilling of Jacob's Prophecy, Gen. 49.10. at this Time doth confirm our Chriſtian Faith that Chriſt is come 1600 Years ago; and it doth confute the Cavils of the Jews, pretending ſtill to have Princes of David's Line; but theſe Pretences are meer Impoſtures, ſeeing their Genealogies are periſhed, their Tribes confounded, and themſelves holding no Scepter-like Sway in any Land where they lay ſcatter'd as Slaves, in a manner Hated of all Mankind ever ſince their City and Temple was Deſtroy'd by Titus Veſpaſian, which was an infallible Evidence that Chriſt was come; and becauſe they had Crucify'd him, therefore an utter Deſolation came upon them. N. B. Theſe are plain Truths; 1. That Jacob foretold, when once the Scepter came to Judah (prevailing over his Brethren, 1 Chron. 5.2) it ſhould not depart from it till Shilo came, as it had done from Levi in Moſes, from Benjamin in Saul, and before that from other Tribes in the Judges, &c. 2. That David (of Judah's Tribe) began not to Reign till 656 Years after Jacob's Day, but when once begun, it ſhould continue in David's Line till Chriſt came, David's Son and the Lion of that Tribe, Rev. 5.5. 3ly. Tho' in this Interval there was ſome Interruption of the Succeſſion, as in the 70 Years Captivity (which was rather a Sleep than a Death of that Government) yet after this Interregnum it awak'd and was Reviv'd in Zerubbabel of that Line, as it had (before him) ſome Revivings in Jehoakin, 2 Kings 25.27. and in Daniel of David's Seed, Dan. 1.3. and 2.25. and 5.13. and in Nehemiah, whom Euſebius affirms to be of Judah's Tribe. 4ly. From Zerubbabel it continued in Judah 270 Years, until the Maccabees (of Levi) took upon them the Government as High-Prieſts, and at laſt as Kings, who might be (ſaith Bouldac) of Judah by their Mothers, &c. 5ly. Theſe Reigned till the Roman Senate thruſt in Herod the Askalonite, whom Menochius calls not a King but a Tyrant. 6ly. The Sanhedrim (conſiſting chiefly of Judah laſted long after Herod, retaining ſome Power till the Temple, &c. were Deſtroyed, as appeareth from Matth. 23.34. John 18.31. and 19.7. Acts 5.17. and 7.59. and 9.1, 2. and 23.5. See River, Mede, Helvicus, &c.
Remark the Sixth, Concerning this bloody Butcher (Herod the Great) Paraeus, Claverius, &c. give this Narrative of his Tragical Cataſtrophe; tho' this Tyger-like Tyrant was Magnificent in Buildings, eſpecially in Enlarging the Court of the Gentiles belonging to the Temple: The Outward Work was eight Years in building, 100 Cubits Long and 120 High, with large Porches and Marble Pillars; and the Inward Work was a Year and five Months more in Adorning it with Stately Ornaments within, finiſhing it in the 28th. Year of his Reign, and nine Years before Chriſt Aſſumed the Temple of his Body in the Virgins Womb, John 2.19, 21. This ſhew of Piety the Hypocrite Herod made in the midſt of his Matchleſs Impieties, deſigning his good Deeds might expiate and outweigh his bad ones; yet Divine Vengeance purſu'd him like a Blood-hound, and at laſt did ſeize upon him, Stigmatizing him with a black Brand of a moſt miſerable Death, the end of his moſt monstrous and matchleſs Life in all manner of Villanies: For after he had been the Butcher of Hircanus his Father-in-law, of Alexandra his Mother-in-law, of Mariamne his own Wife, as above, and of his two Sons Aristobulus and Alexander, being falſly Accuſed by Salome his Siſter, and Antipater their Brother, whom within five Days before his Death he Strangl'd for preparing Poiſon for his own Father: And while Herod was thus raging againſt his own Bowels, he hears of Chriſt's Birth, which did ſo diſturb him, that in a Rage he mercileſly Butcher'd the Infants of Bethlehem, &c. this fill'd up his Ephah: Tho' before he had eſcaped many Conſpiracies, yet now the heavy Hand of God ſmote him with a Ph…enzy and with an horrible and loathſome Diſeaſe, even of a complication of Maladies: As 1. An Intolerable burning within his Breaſt, that nothing could quench, ſo that he was in Hell-fire before hand. 2. A Dog-like Appetite, which no Food could ſuffice. 3. A moſt grievous Griping of the Guts. 4. His Privy Parts ſo putrify'd, that abundance of Worms were engendred and came crawling-forth from the lower part of his rotten Belly. 5. Beſide, a moſt grievous Tormenting Flux at his Fundament. 6. A moſt Violent Cramp over all the parts of his Body, intolerable to Humane Nature. 7. A ſhort and ſtinking Breath, loathſome to all about him: He ſent for Phyſicians from all Parts, who preſcrib'd Hot Baths of Calliroe for his Cure, but finding no Eaſe thereby, he ſought to lay violent hands upon himſelf (as he had done at that time upon his Wicked Son Antipater) feeling his Torments ſtill encreaſing, but at laſt his Rotten Body after a long Torture, breathed out his bloody Soul in inſufferable Extreamity, leaving his Kingdom to his Son Archelaus, Matth. 2.20, 22. who ſhortly after was Accuſed by the Jews to Augustus for his Tyranny and miſplacing the Mitre of the Pontificate upon worthleſs Priests, for which he was Baniſh'd to Vienna. Sic exit Tyrannus & Tyranni filius, & ſix incipt Chriſtus Dei Omnipotentis filius; Herod goes off the Stage in a Stink, and the ſweet Saviour of the World comes upon it, whoſe moſt Illuſtrious Life follows next to be Related in the New Testament Times. Here End the Times of the Old Testament.
Laus ſoli Deo.
FINIS.