The Christian Synagogue, Book 1 · Chapter 6 · Section 4
SECTION IIII.
Of their Ecclesiasticall Politickes.
THeir Politickes, were either mixtly politicke, or meerely politick: Mixtly politick, were either their Ecclesiasticall politicks, or Scholasticall politickes.
PARAGRAPHE I.
Of their Proselytes.
GOD instituted the Common-weale of the Iewes, having alwayes a speciall relation to Religion: for this respect God had a regard vntounto particular persons of the Heathen, who were strangers to his Covenant, that he might make them true Proselytes; as is seene in Iob, Rahab, Naaman, &c.
There were three sorts of strangers amongst the Canon.Iewes.
The stranger, who was a stranger by birth, Religion, Illust. 1.and affection; he was called Nochri, aliemgena, Altogether a stranger.
The strnager, who was a stranger by birth and Religion, but not affection, he was called Teshib, inquilinus, home-bred: and Proselytus Portae, The Proselyte of the gate: Deut. 14. 20. Of him it is meant in the fourth command, (The stranger that is within the gates:) he dwelt peaceably amongst them; he was to abstaine from outward offence, not to labour vponupon the Sabboth; although he was not converted, yet they suffered him to dwell amongst them: they were to take no vsury of him, that so they might draw him to the truth.
Those who were strangers by birth, but neither in affection nor Religion, were cald Ger, or Geretzedeck, advenaeiustitiae, Strangers of Iustice: and the New Testament Proselytes, from the Greeke word foreign: as ye would say, Adscititiae, numbred in; and Levim cohesores, adhaerers, Esay 65. 3. from Leva adhaerere: for as the Levits cleaued to the Priests to helpe the, so the Gentiles did cleaue to the Iewes to make one body with them. Psal. 115. O Israel trust in Iehova, O house of Aaron trust in Iehova, yet that feare the Lord, trust in Iehova. The church is distinguished here in three parts; Israel for the body of the Common-wealth: The house of Aaron, for the Priests and Levits: Those who feare the Lord, for the strangers and Proselytes: so Iethro a Madianite by nature, is 2 Chron. 7. 17.called an Israelite.
A stranger, is first, he, who is not an Israelite. 2. A stranger is he, who is not a Priest or a Levite. 3. A stranger, who is not a Priest in the strictest signification, Numb. 1. 51. The stranger who comes neere it: (that is) he who is not a Priest. Lev. 3. 4. He is stranger, who is neither a Priest nor a Levite; but here stranger is taken for him who is not borne an Israelite.
As the Iewes dealt with the Gentiles, when they were Doctrine. 1 out of the covenant; so should we deale with them now, when they are out of the covenant: when we were out of the covenant, they said, Cant. 8. 8. We hauehave a little sister, what shall we doe for her: so when they are out of the Covenant we should say: We hauehave an elder brother, what shall we doe for him, Luke 15. 52.
Those Iewes who are strangers by birth, religion, and I.Doctrine. 2 affection, who raile against Christ, and hate Christians, are not to be suffered to dwell amongst the Christians: II.Those Iewes who are strangers by birth and Religion, but not in affection, (that is) who would be content to liue amongst the Christians; not giuing any offence, although they be not converted, yet we should suffer them for a time, peaceably to dwell amongst vsus, and lay no hard taxations vponupon them, that they may be drawne III.to the Christian faith But those who are Iewes by birth onelyonly, but neither in affection, nor religion; they should hauehave all the priviledges that any Christian hath, neither should they be counted strangers.
Three things made a Proselyte; first, they were washed; secondly, circumcised; thirdly, they offered their sacrifice. The women were made Proselytes onelyonly by washing and sacrificing of two Pigeons: and they say, hTalm. lib. Muser.the Iew is known by three things; by Circumcision, the Sabboth, and his Phylacterie.
Men Proselytes, were Naaman the Syrian, Arannah the I King Acts 2. 5.Iebusite, Cornelius the Eunuch, & such who were called religious, and many of the Gentiles, who sent gifts to Ierusalem.
Women Proselytes; were Iesephs wife, Zippora, Moses Gen. 43. Exod. 4. Exod. 3. Heb. 11. 31 Iudg. 5. 21.his wife, the two Mid-wiues of Egypt, Rahab, Ruth, Iael.
*The children of the Proselytes by abbreviation, were called Bagbag, id est, Ben ger, Ben gera, filius extranti & filius extranea the sonne of the or she that is a stranger.There were some, whose father was a stranger, and their mother a Iew, or contra. Levit. 24. If any of the parents were converted, and themselues not converted, he was called Gneker, radicatus, taken roote amongst the people Lev. 25. 47.of God, but not in Religion; such was that blasphemous Egyptian, who was not of the Iewish religion.Lev. 24.
Paul sayes of him selfe, that he was Hebraeus ex Habraeis, Phil. 3. 5.that is, Both of Father and Mother Hebrewes.
Whether were the children of the Proselytes, Proselytes Quest. or not?
No, but Free-men: Amongst the Romanes, those Answ. who were Libertini Free-men, their children were not Libertini, but Ingenui, in-bred: so these who were Proselytes amongst the Iewes, their children were not Proselytes, but Iewes; foreign, but not foreign, as their Parents.
iScal. in Eus.Those who were of the posteritie of David, by their father, were called Aechmalotarchae, the chiefe of the Captivitie: and those who were of the house of Dauid by their Mothers side, were called Principes, Chiefe. They were distinguished in Babylon: the first was called Rabbana, chiefe on the Mothers side: the second, Rabban, chiefe on the Fathers side.
PARAGRAPHE II.
Of their first fruits.
IN homage, that they held Canaan of the Lord, (therefore Canon.Esay 1. it is called Emmanuels Land) they payed their first fruits, and their tythes.
They payed two sorts of first fruits to the Land: The Illust.first sort, were called Resheth, principium, or first; Numb. 18. 2. They payed but a little quantitie of this at home. Their second sort of first fruits, were called Bikkurim, first fruits: Deut. 18. 4. These they were to offer at Ierurusalem; and therefore were called Tereuma Gedola, their great Tythe. The first fruit which sanctified the whole, was but a handfull of the eares of the corne, which was first ripe; these they carried not.
It was not determined by the Law, how much they should pay, but by the tradition of the Doctors, Ecclus. 37. 7. GiueGive the Lord his honour with a good eye, and diminish not his first fruits. kHieron. Epist. 126. nunquam 60 aliquādo 40Here he alludes to their custome, that he who was of a good eye, payed one of fortie: he who was of a middle sort of eye, payed one of fiftie: but he who was of an evill or covetous eye, payed one of sixtie. In this Opticke, yee may behold the severall degrees.
Shindl. Pentagl.Oculus
| Tobh, Bonus, Good: | payed one of | 40. |
| Benonijon, medius, Meane: | 50. | |
| Rangh, malus, Evill. | 60. |
These, Deut. 15. 17. are called, Manus aperta & clausa, An open and closed hand.
The ground out of which they determined, that they should giuegive no lesse then one of sixtie, was Ezech. 45. 13. …extabitis Epham ex Hhomer. Thou shalt take the sixt part of in Epha out of the Hhomer. The seaventie translates it Corus: the severall degrees of their measures, are set downe in this view.
Hhomer sive Corus continet: A Homes containes:
| Epha. | 10. |
| Sata. | 30. |
| Cabus. | 180. |
| Logg. | 760. |
| Olva. | 5260. |
Sextare Epham ex Hhomer, To take the sixt part of an Epha out of an Hhomer, is to take the sixt part of an Epha: for an Epha containes three Sata. The good eye payed three Cabs, or halfe a Satum out of an Epha: the middle eye payed two Cabs, and an evill eye payed one Cab: according to our measures, an evill eye would hauehave paied out of a Chaulder, foure pecks almost: a middle eye, fiue pecks almost: a good eye, almost sixe pecks.
They vsed great solemnitie, when they carried vp Canon.their first fruits to the Lord.
Esay 30. 29. Ye shall hauehave a song in the night, when an holy Confir.As:s:embly is kept, and gladnesse of heart, as when one commeth vp with a Pipe into the Mountaine of the Lord.
mMaymon. in Bickurim.When they carried vp their first fruits to Ierusalem, Illust.they had a Bull going before them, whose hornes were gilded, and an Oliue Garland vponupon his head, and a pipe playing before them, vntill they came to Ierusalem; Psal. 22. I reioyced when they said, we will goe vp to the Mountaine of the Lord.
PARAGR. III.
Of their Tythes.
THey payed sundry sorts of Tythes to the Lord.Canon.
The first Tythe, they payed it at home to the Levites Illust. 1.Scaliger in Opostul.in kind; and this was called Magnashar rishon, decimae prima, The first Tythe.
The Levites payed out to the Priests a Tythe, and this was called Magnashar min hāmagnashar, decima ex decima, The Tythe of a Tythe.
Then they payed a second Tythe, which they were not bound to pay in kinde, but to carry money with them to Ierusalem, and there to buy more againe: which they offered to the Levites there: this was called Magnashar hasheni, the second Tythe; and foreign, A-thankesgiuing.
Then the thing which was left, the Husband-man might vse as his owne; this the Heathen called Pollucta, de sacro eximere, & populo exponere, To exeme from holy things, and giuegive it to the people.
Then they paied the Tythe of the third yeare, called Magnashar hashelisha, decima tertia, The third Tythe: or Magnashar Gnani, foreign, The poore folkes Tythes. This yeare was called, Annus decimae, The yeare of the Tythes, Deut. 26. 12. Deut. 14. 28. Amos 4. 4. After three daies bring your sacrifices, (that is) after three yeares; as Levit. 25. 29. These were called, Decimae triennales, The third yeares Tythe▪ Tobia 1. 8. But the third yeares Tythe I gaue it to w… it was due.
When they paied this third yeares Tythe, they paid not the second Tythe: this Tythe they paid at home to the poore; but the second Tythe, they paid it at Ierusalem to the Levites.
The first and second yeare, they paid the first and second Tythe: the third yeare, they paid the first and third Tythe: the fourth and fift yeare, they paid the first and the second Tythe: the sixt yeare, they paid the first and third Tythe: the seaventh yeare the Land rested.
A Table of the Israelites Tythes.
| A husband-man had growing | 6000 | Bushels in one year. |
| 100 | Tereuma Gedola, or heaue-offering, to be given to the Priests by the Husband-man, out of this.Scal. Opusc. | |
| 5900 | Rest of the Increase twise to be Tythed. | |
| 590 | First Tythe which belonged to the Levites. | |
| 59 | The tenth of the tythes which the Levites paid to the Priests. | |
| 531 | The remnant of the first Tythe, after that the Levite hath paied to the Priest his Tythe. | |
| 5310 | Rests to the Husband-man of his Increase. | |
| 531 | Second tythe taken out of the husband-mans Increase. | |
| 4779 | Remnant to the Husband-man after all is paid. |
They paid Tythe also of their goods to the Lord, Canon.&c.
Whatsoever passeth vnderunder the Rod, the tenth shall be the Confir.Lords.Lev. 17. 32.
It was the custome, when they tythed their flockes or Illust.heards, that they shut vp their young within, and set the dammes without; and the Levite stood without, with a rod in his hand, marking the tenth: then he said; This tenth is the Lords.
Marke the great liberalitie of God to the Levites and Priests, where he sayes in Malachy; Did any kindle fire, or Mal. 1. 10.shut the doores of my Temple for nought, saith the Lord: for as they liued vnderunder the Law by the Altar, 1 Cor. So. should Preachers now liue by the Gospell: but in some places, many hath scarse the allowance of Michaes Levite, Iudg. 17. 10. Ten Shekles of silver, a suit of apparell, meat and drinke.
The Levite got one of ten from the Tribes: they considered not the Tribes here, but their Increase; but the Priests got from the Levites one of twelue; here they respected the number of the Tribes: The first was a politicall sort of Tythe, the other Ecclesiasticall.
When Christ sayes to the Pharises, Math. 10. Woe be to Quest. you which Tythe: whither meanes he paying Tythes, or gathering Tythes.
This word Gnashar, decimare, To Tythe: sometimes it Answ. signifieth to gather Tythes, Heb. 7. and sometimes to pay Tythes, as here: for the Pharises thought it a worke of merite to pay Tythes, even of the smallest things which grew, but they passed over the weightier things of the Law: what sort of glorying had beene in this to gather their Tythes?
But were there any Pharises, but teaching Pharises?Quaest.
oEpiphan. tom. 1. lib. 1. cap. 16.Yes, there was of both sorts, both teaching and not Answ. teaching; they were a Sect, of the which there was some Laicke Pharises, (as we call them) therefore pDrus. in Prat.the learned marke well, that they were not called Porushim, docentes, Teaching; but Parushim, foreign separati, Seprate: a sect of people, who thought themselues separate by holinesse from others.