The Christian Synagogue, Book 1 · Chapter 6 · Section 2
SECTION. II.
The places appointed for Gods Worship.
THE places of Gods worship, were holy, Instituto & Canon.exemplo, By institution and example. 2. Exemplo sed non instituto, By example, but not institution.
The Temple of Ierusalem was holy, by the commandement Illust.of God, and by example; because the Prophets Deut. 12. 5.and the Priests worshipped there; and Christ and his Apostles in the second Temple. By example, but not by institution, as their Synagogues; and foreign, their place of Prayer.
PARAGR. I.
Of the Temple of Ierusalem.
THE Temple was divided in three parts; the Court Canon. 1of Israel, the Court of the Priests, and Gods Court.
Ieremy the Prophet, thrise rehearses these words; The Illust.Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Iere. 7. 4.Lord; because the Temple was distinguished into three Courts. bTurnibus in Varonem.So the Heathens Temples were divided into three Courts; the holiest was in the midst, called foreign, or Cella Dei, the Court of God: the fore Court of the Temple was called foreign, or the Porch: the last Court was called foreign, the inward part of the Church.
Within the holiest of all stood the Arke; There was 1 Reg. 8. 9.nothing in the Arke, but the Tables of stone.
Heb. 9. 4. It is said, all these were within the Arke, the Obiect. pot with Manna, the two Tables, and Aarons rod?
foreign, in which, is expounded in the which Tabernacle, and Answ. not, in the which Arke: Secondly, foreign, is Iuxta, neere, as well as within. 2 Cor. 13. as Epiphanius takes it. Thirdly, De mensurie & ponderibus.they say, that in Moses time, all the three were in the Arke, but in Salomons time, onelyonly the Tables were in the Arke: the Apostle there compares Moses and Christ together. The Apostle makes mention of one candlestick, but there were ten in the Temple. 1. Kings 8. 9. The Arke was brought in, and there was nothing in it but the two Tables, which Moses placed there: which the History would not hauehave added, vnlesse to note some change; so that in Salomons time there was nothing in the Arke but the two Tables: but in Moses time, the Tables were there, with the Pot, and Rod of Aaron.
In the holiest of all, the Lord did shew himselfe in Canon. 1.his glory, to the high Priest once in the yeare; this place was called foreign, because it was necessary for him to goe in there, to consult with the Lord, for the people.
When the hight Priest entred into the holiest of all, Canon.he carried sundry things with him. First, dP. Cunaus.Bloud; secondly, Incense; thirdly, Smoake.
He darkened the holiest of all, with the smoake Illust.of the Incense when he went in; for no man shall see the Lord Exo. 33. 20.and liue.
In the corrupt times they tooke an oath of the high Priest, when he entred into the holiest of all, least he should incline to the Sadduces. The forme of the oath was this; We adure thee by him who caused his name to dwell in this house, that thou shalt not change any thing of that we shall say to thee. cP. Cunaus. de rep. lud.There were two who presumed to enter within the holiest of all, who were not Priests: Pompey & Heliodorus. Pompey, when he came out of the holiest of all, being asked what he saw, answered; That the house was full of a cloud, and so it was; for, the Lrod dwels in a cloud, Psal. 18. 11. Therefore they slanderously gaue out of the Iewes, that they were Nubicole, Worshippers of the clouds. Before that, Pompeyes Souldiers beleeved, that either Apis or Iupiter Hammon, was worshipped in the holiest of all. The second, who entred into the holiest of all, not being high Priest, was Heliodorus, who was after … Mac. 3. 37.strucke with madnesse.
In the holy place stood the Golden Altar, the Table Canon.of the Shew-bread, and the Candlesticke.
VponUpon the golden altar they burnt the sweet perfumes, Exo. 37. 25.it was called altare suffitus, The altar of Incense▪ to signifie how acceptable in the nostrels of the Lord is Christs intercession, and our prayers sweetned by it. Contrary to Revel. 8. 4.that, was that idolatrous worship, Et ipsi mittebant ad nasum meum foetorem, they sent a stinke to my nostrels. The Ezek. 8. 17.Lord account all idolatrous worship, but a stinke in his nose, which he abhorres. The Incense altar had hornes, signifying strength, whence answers were made to the prayers of the Saints. Revel. 13. 13.
In the holiest stood the Table with the Shew-bread, Canon II.on which were 12. loaues, representing the 12. Tribes; every loafe had a dish of Frankencense vponupon it, & there lay a paire of Princers by them, to pinch off the mouled from them, and the golden Candlesticke hung hard by.
Here is God stipulating with his people from the Doctrine. Arke; the twelue loaues represents the twelue Tribes standing before him continually; they hauehave the Candlesticke Exod. 25. 29. 30. 31.for the word to direct them; they hauehave the Incense dishes, signifying Christs intercession, particularly applyed to every one of them; the Pincers signifie the censures of the Church.
In this place hung the golden Candlestick, but in the Exo 25. 31.Court of the Priests, were Candlesticks of Silver, 1 Chro. 28. 14 In the holy place were Candlesticks of Gold, but in the holiest of all, there was no Candlestick: The word of God is like fined Silver vntounto his Saints; but when they hauehave more and more experience of it, it is like fine Gold Psal. 19. 10.to them: but in heaven there shall be no teaching of the word there; For Christ shall giuegive vp the kingdome, (as Mediator) to the Father, 1 Cor. 15.
In the Court of the Priests stood the brazen Altar Canon. III.An Altar & a Pillar differeth: a Pillar vvas of one stone, but an Altar of moe. 2. VponUpon a Pillar they powred oyle onelyonly, but on an Altar they sacrificed.and the Laver.
The brazen Altar was called Ariel: that is, The Lyon Exod. 38. 1. Esay. 19. 1.of God; for even as the Lyon devoureth the flesh, so the Altar of God consumed the sacrifices. This Altar was called Gods Table: vponupon this brazen altar, God had the Mal. 1. 2.burnt offering for himselfe, as it were, to dine and sup vponupon. Psal. 50. If I be hungry I will not tell thee: the Chaldie Paraphrast, paraphraseth it thus; My sacrifices and burnt offerings I will not seeke of thee to dine and sup vponupon. Wee see, Iudges 9. That the Wine is said to cheere God in the drinke offering: so may the sacrifices be said, to be meate to him.
The fire which burnt the sacrifices vponupon this Altar, Canon.came from heaven, both when the Tabernacle was erected, 2 Chron. 7. 1.and when the Temple was built: so the fire came downe from heaven vponupon Elias his sacrifice.
God lookes vponupon Abel and his sacrifice. Aquila translates Illust.it, He set it on fire. Ths fire which was in the Tabernacle, 1 King. 18. 38. Gen. 4. 4.the Iewes hold, that it was taken vp to the heaven againe, when the second fire came downe into the Temple.
This fire was not in the second Temple: wherefore it is but a fable of the Iewes, that Ieremie hid it in the ground, and that after the Captivitie it was found againe.2 Mac. 1. 19.
The fire in the first Temple, was Divine divinus, altogether holy: the fire in the second Temple, was Divino humanus, humane-holy. For although it was kindled as our fire, (and came not from heaven) yet the Lord accepted of the sacrifices burnt by it, and it was still kept in, as the fire of the first Temple was: but the third fire which Nadab and Abihu offered, was humanus, humane. The first fire, the Hebrewes cals Gneljona coelestis, heavenly: but this last fire, they call Zar, alienus, a strange fire.
They instituted in the daies of Nehemiah by lot, a time Nehe. 10. 4.when the people should goe forth to bring wood for fore to this Altar: This feast, Iosephus calls foreign, the Ioseph. de antiq. Iud.feast of wood carrying: these who offered their sacrifice here, had the wood and the salt for nothing.
The Heathen were Gods Apes, in keeping in their vestall fire, which they say came from heaven: If it were put out, as it happened at Delphos, (the Temple being burnt by the Medes) it was not lawfull to kindle it with any fire below, but the drew fire from heaven with a Glasse, and so kindled it againe, as the Poet testigfieth.
Adde quod arcana fieri novus ignis in aedeOvid in lib. fast.
Dicitue, & vires flamma refect a capit. That is;
Adde, How tis said, that in the privie Romes
New fire is made, and strong the flame becomes.
When the Kings of Persia died, the holy fire was put Doctrine. out; but when our King, the Lord Iesus Christ dyed, the Sunne in the Firmanent was blacke, and put out as it were.
The Priests, after they had offered the sacrifices vponupon the brazen Altar, then they offered Incense vponupon the golden Altar; And the people stood without, praying and Luk. 1. 21.waiting, in the meane time, when he should come forth.
So Iesus Christ our great high Priest, hath offered Doct. himselfe once a sacrifice for vsus vponupon the brazen Altar, the Crosse; and is now at the Golden Altar, interceding for vsus: he cannot then be sacrificed againe (as the Papists would) therefore we that are standing without, let vsus looke shortly for his comming againe. The faithfull hauehave waited for three sorts, of Christs his comming; First, for his comming in the flesh: secondly, for the Mar. 15. 43. Acts 1. 4. Rev. 22. 20.comming of his Spirit: and thirdly, for his comming to glory.
None might goe to the golden altar to offer Incense, but he who might goe to the brazen altar to offer sacrifice; therefore none may be a Mediator of intercession, but he who is a Mediator of redemption: if Vzzia had beene a Papist, he might hauehave had good shift for himselfe, that he was a Mediator of intercession at the golden altar, but not of redemption at the brazen altar.
There were soure, who dishonoured this brazen altar most. First, Ahaz, who caused to remoute it out of the 2 King. 16. 10.owne place, and set the altar of Damaseus in place thereof the second, were those who killed Zachary, not farre Luk. 11. 51.from the altar. The third was hP. Canaus.Iannes, the predecessor of Iaddus, the high Priest, who slew his brother Iosuah, and sprinkled his blood vponupon the altar. The fourth was pilat, who mingled the blood of the Gal…aeans, with Luk 13. 11.their sacrifice vponupon this altar.
In this Court of the Priests flood the brazen Laver, which was made of the womens brazen Lookin-glasses: Exod. 38. Iohn (Rev. 4. 6.) alludes to this, when he sayes; I saw a Sea of Glasse before the Throne. When the Priests 1 Kin 7. 38 2 Chron. 4. 26.and the people were multiplied, Salomon made ten Lavers, to wash the sacrifices, and another great vessel to wash the Priests: so in the Tabernacle, there was but one Candlesticke; but in the Temple there were tenne because it was much moe spacious, it behooved to hauehave moe lights. In the dayes of Moses, the yeares of the Levites, when they entred top their office, were reckoned from twentie fiue to thirtie. but in the dayes of David, the people increasing, the Levits would not hauehave 1 Chro. 23 6.sufficed; therefore David changes the time of their entry, into twentie yeares. So, there were but two Silver Trumpets in the Tabernacle, but there were an hundred and twenty Priests sounding with Trumpets in the Temple.
In the outward Court, (where the women worshipped) Canon. III.stood Gazophylacium, or Corban, the Treasury, which Luke 31. 4. is called foreign, The giftes of God, because it contained the gifts offered to God. The Iewes called it Kupha schel tzedaka, area iustitia, the chest of almes (for they called their almes their iustice, Math. 6.) *Talm. lib Tehilin.and the Hebrewes say, that it had written about it, this Proverb of Salomon, (The gift which is given in secret, pacifieth wrath:) teaching them, that they should not Pro. …1. 14. Math. 6. 2.blow a Trumpet as the Pharisies did when they gaue their almes, but secretly convey it into Corban, or the Treasurie.
The second Temple in outward glory, was farre inferior Canon.to the first Temple.
The gift of prophecie, and Vrim and Thummin were in the first Temple; but in the second Temple, nothing for a long time, but Bathcol, fisia vocis, an Echo was heard.
In the first Temple they had the holy Oyle, which annointed the high Priest: but in the second Temple they wanted it, and the high Priest was called, Vir multarum vestium, The man with the many cloathes.
In the first Temple was the holy fre, but not in the second.
The first Temple was but once polluted; but the second Temple was thrise: first, by Antiochus; secondly by Pompey; thirdly, by Cassius, and yet, The glorie of the second Temple, was greater then the glory of the first. Hagg. 2. 10.
The first Temple was destroyed fore three sinnes (iBuxtorf. de abbrev. say the Iewes) for Idolatry, Incest, and shedding of Innocent blood. But the second Temple, they say, was destroyed, Propter shinnath chinnam, odium immeritum, vndeserved hatred; and because this sinne is not yet expiat, therefore they say the building of the second Temple is deferred; but they forget the crucifying of our Lord, which was the cause why there was, not a stone left vponupon Luke 21. 6a stone in it.
How differed the Temple of Ierusalem from other Quaest.Temples?
Locus, a place, is considered two manner of wayes: Answ. kScotus1. Locus vt locus, a place that isd only a place, & locus vt sic, a place in such a respect, (as the Schoolemen speak.) The Temple of Ierusalem was Locus vt sic, that is, it was Medium divini cultus, A meane of Gods worship: it was a part of their ceremoniall worship, and a type of the body of Christ, as he sayes himselfe; Destory this Temple: Iohn 2. 19.therefore they were bound to set their faces towards it when they prayed. Our Temjples are but Loci vt Loci, 1 Kin. 8. 48. Dan. 6. 10.they are not a part of the worship of God, nor types of the body of Christ, neither are we bound when we pray to set our faces towards them. they are called places of Prayer onelyonly, because the Saints meete there, and if the Saints meeting were not in them, they were but like other common places. The Temple of Ierusalem sanctifie dthe meeting of the Saints, but the meeting of the Saints sanctifies our Temples; they might not buy nor sell in the Temple of Ierusalem, because it was the house of Prayer: the Morall reason obliges vsus now, no man may buy nor sell in our Temples, because they are houses of Prayer.
PARAGRAPHE II.
Of their Synagogues.
THeir Synagogues were holy places by example, but Canon.not by command.
They are called Mognade El, Psal. 74. 8. which Aquila Obiect. translates SDynagogae potentis, the Synagogues of God; then it may seeme, that they were commanded by God?
It is generally held, That the Synagogues were not Answ. in Ierusalem, till after the Captivitie. 2. If the Psalmist speakes there of the SDynagogues, then they may be called Gods Synagogues, because the Lord approoved them, although he copmmanded them not.
The Synagogues were ordered in most things, after Canon.the manner of the Temple.
In their situation; for, as the Temple stood vponupon a Illust. 1.hill, so they set their Synagogues in the highe?st place of the Towne and for this they alledged Pro. 8. 2. Wisedome hath built her Palaces vponupon high places.
In the Temple there was the high Priest, and his Sagan, or second high Priest: so in their Synagogues they had foreign Sosthenes; and somtimes a second Ioseph. de antiq. Iud.Ruler, as Crispus, answering to the second Priest, Sagan: They had Scribes who taught in their Synagogues, as the Priests taught in the Temple. They had in their Synagogue, Scheliah tzibbor Minister Synagogae, The Clerke Luk. 4.of the Synagogue: as he who delivered the Booke to Christ; these answered to the Porters in the Temple.
In the Temple, the Court of the Priests was distinguished from the Court of Israel. The Court of Israel was distinguished againe, into the Court of the men, and the Court of the women. So in their Synagogues, the teachers sat by themselues; the men sat by themselues in rankes, one aboue another: And Iames seemes to allude to this forme; If there come a rich man, yee bid Iam. 2. 23.him sit vp higher: if a poore man, ye bid him sit downe lower: the wome sat by themselues. Zac. 12. 12.the women sat by themselues.
As in the Temple, the peoples faces were towardes the Arke, so in the Synagogue they had an Arke, wherein they keepe the booke of God, and the peoples faces were towards it.
As no man might carry through the Temple any vessell or burden. Mark. 11. 16. So no man might carry through the Synagogue a burden or vessell.
There was great devotion required of them, who entred Canon.into the Synagogue to worship.
They wrote aboue the doores of their Synagogues, Illust.Psal. 118. 20. lBuxtorf de abbren.Haec est porta Domini, iusti intrabunt eam, This is the gate of God, the iust shall enter in thereat. And againe, Precatio sine intentione, est sicut corpus sine anima: Prayer without intention, is as a body without a soule.
PARAGRAPHE III.
Of their place of Prayer.
THey had a place wherein they prayed onelyonly.Canon. 3.
mEpiph. tom. 2. lib. 3. c. 80It was a place, different from their Synagogues and Confir. 1.the Temple. In it they prayed onelyonly; in their Synagogues they prayed, and interpreted the Scriptures; in the Temple they prayed, interpreted the Scriptures, in the Temple they prayed, interpreted the Scriptures, and sacrificed. This might properly bee called an Oratorie.
Their Synagogues were onelyonly within the Citties, but these places of Prayer were without the Citties, Acts 16. 13.
The Synagogue was reckoned a more holy place by the Iewes, then the place of Prayer: for in their Synagogues they might doe no servile worke, they might make no reckonings in them: nEpiphaom. 2. l. 3.but in their house of Prayer, after the Prayer was ended, they might doe any civill worke. He to whom the foreign, or house of Prayer belonged, was called oDrus. in prat.Pomarius, a seller of Apples; and his inscription, was this, Pomarius à foreign, the Apple-seller over-seer to the Oratorie. The learned thinke, that he was called Pomarius, because the sold Apples in it. pAde. Turn. advers. l. c. 19.The Iewes vsed to giuegive almes, and the poore vsing to come there to receiue their almes, (because they were hated of other people) they dwelt there as in Hospitals: therefore this name Proseuche degenerate, and they thought basely of it. In which sense Iuvenal takes it, when the saith, Satyr 5.
In qua te peto Proseucha.
The *Oratorie.hospitall wherein I seeke you.
PARAGRAPHE IIII.
Of the Temples built without Ierusalem, neithe holy by example nor institution.
GOD expresly commanded, that there should be no Canon.Temple built for his Worship, but in the place Deut. 12.which he should chuse.
There were two Temples built without Ierusalem, contrary to Gods ordinance; the Temple of Samaria, and the Temple of Heliopolis, in Egypt.
The occasion of the building of the Temple of Samaria, was this: qP. Cunaus. de rep. Iud. & Scal. in Eusch.Manasses, the Sonne in law of San-Ballat, affecting to be high Priest in Ierusalem, and being refused, his father in Law built a Temple vponupon Mount Garizim, and made him the high Priest of it: there they erected a false worship, and separated themselues from the Church of the Iewes.
Hence it was, that the Iewes so hated them, and they the Iewes. Syrach. 50. 25. There be two manner of people Syrac. 50. …5.that mine heart abhorreth, and the third is no people; they that sit vponupon the Mountaine of Samaria, the Philistims, and the foolish people that dwell in Sichem.
These that sat vponupon the Mountaine of Samaria, were the Cutthaeans, a people that were brought out of Assyria into Iudaea, by Salman-assar, they worshipped God, and the Idols of the land.
The seond, were the Philistims, who were meere Pagans.
The third, were the Sichemites, who fled away with Manasses, out of Ierusalem into Samaria.
The Samaritans hates the Iewes also: for Iosephus Ioseph. l. 1. c. 1.testfies of them, when matters went prosperously with the Iewes, they said then, they were come of Abraham. But when the Iewes were vnderunder the Crosse, then they vsed to deriue their pedegrees from Babell, and other Nations.
rIoseph. l. 11. cap. vlt.In the daies of Ptolomaeus Philomater; Sabbaeus and Theododstus, two Samaritanes, kept a disputation at Alexandria, against Andronicus, and other of the Iewes, for Graizim, and they for the Temple of God, which stood vponupon Mount Moriah: both parties swearing by God, to bring proofes of their assertion out of the Law.
The Iewes brought for them; first, the Law of God; secondly, the continuall succession of their Priests; thirdly, the Kings of Asia sent gifts to it, and acknowledged it to be the Temple of God.
The Samaritanes could alledge for themselues nothing, (and what marvell; For they worshipped they knew Iohn 4.not what:) Therefore the King adiudged them to die, as *De bello. Iudacie….Iosephus testifies.
sTom. 1. ad annum Christi, 31.Baronius laboureth to proue out of this Story, that succession is the mark of the Church, against Hereticks and Schismatickes; because they proved the Church of Ierusalem to be the true Church by succession onelyonly: but Iosephus sets downe the distinct arguments, wherby they proved their Church to be the true Church. Hee leaues out the principal argument (the Law) and argues onelyonly succession: locall sucession without the truth, is nothing.
Christ (Iohn 4) ends this controversie, telling the woman of Samaria, That neither in this Mountaine, nor at Ierusalem, men should worship, &c.
PARAGRAPHE V.
Of the Temple of Heliopolis.
THE occasion of the building of this Temple, was See before in foreign.this: Onias the fouth, being put from the high Priest-hood by Antiochus, comes to Egypt, and there built a Temple in Heliopolis, misconstruing the place of the Prophet Esay, taking Cheres the Sunne, for Heres Esa. 19. 17.Destruction.
It was not lawfull for them to build a Temple in Egypt, for God expresly forbad them, to goe backe againe Exod. 13.to Egypt.
Of these two Temples, the Samaritane was the worst: for it as hereticall altogether; it acknowledged not Ierusalem at all, and the Iewes held them execrable: but the Temple of Heliopolis was not idolatrous, nor hereticall, they kept the substance of the true worship with the Iewes; they sent gifts to Ierusalem yearely, but they were schismaticall. Ierusalem was holy, Et materialiter, materially; & formaliter, formally: Helio polis was holy Materialiter, sed non formaliter: their sacrifice was not acceptable, because it was in the wrong place; but then it was not to a false God. But the Temple of Samaria, was neither holy materialiter, nor formaliter: the substance of the worship in it, was idolatrous.
The Church of the Iewes worshipped God, intirely, and in vnitie. They worshipped God; this distinguished them from the Pagans, who are not of the Church. They worshipped God intirely: this distinguished them from the Samaitane hereticall Church. They worshipped God in vnity: this distinguished them from the Samaritane hereticall Church. They worshipped God in vnity: this distinguished them from the schismaticall Church of Heliopolis.