PETRUS CUNAEUS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE HEBREWS.  
Translated by C. B.  Nec omnia, nec nihil. 
LONDON, Printed by T. W. for William Lee, and are to be Sold at his Shop at the Sign of the Turks Head in Fleetstreet over against Fetter-Lane. 1653.   

THE AVTHOR'S PREFACE, TO The States of Holland and Westfrisia.  
Most illustrious Lords,  
I Offer to your view a Common-wealth, the most holy, and the most exemplary in the whole World. The Rise and Advance whereof, it well becomes you perfectly to understand, because it had not any mortal man for its Author and Founder, but the immortal God; that God, whose pure veneration and worship, You have undertaken, and do maintain. Here you shall see, what it was that contained the Hebrews so long in an innocent way of life; what raised up their courage, cherished their concord, bridled their desires. Indeed, that people had Rules of Government, excelling the precepts of all wise men that ever were; Which Rules, we have showed, may in good part be collected out of the holy Bible. Only, of their Military Discipline very little is delivered to our memory: Yet must every one, that considers their victories and achievements, confess, that the Hebrews, for military virtue, were inferior to none. For, in the quality of banished men, when they were come out of Egypt, where they had long sat, after a tedious march up and down in the deserts of Arabia for the space of forty years, they encountered with mighty and valiant Nations, expelled them, and possessed their Country, where they built new Towns, and dedicated to God a magnificent Temple. In this most happy soil, where their valour had planted them, their mutual concord made them grow to admiration. The Counsels of all provided for the safety of all; and the Cities, which were many, did not every one aim at their own dominion, but all used their best endeavours to defend the public Liberty. That the Government might be complete and uniform, they had the same Laws, Magistrates, Senators, Judges; and the same weights, measures, money. Wherefore, all Palestin might be accounted as one City, but only that all the Inhabitants were not shut up within the same Walls. Such a Community and Conformity there was between them all. Yet, by the Law, there was one City Privileged above all the rest; not, to have dominion over the rest, but that all, even the remotest dwellers, should every year thrice hold their Religious meetings in it. A thing so far from breeding any difference among them, that it was the strongest bond of union. Thus did the twelve Tribes of Israel, every one being multiplied marvellously into the greatness of a Nation, overspread a very great and fertile Country. The force of enemies, the Tempests of Wars, and other the like evils nothing prevailed against them. They always risen higher by their overthrows, were enriched by their losses, and the keeness of their enemy's sword put the more courage in them. For a long time the Commonwealth of the Hebrews continued in this state: till at last, after Salomons death, having attained the height of prosperity, a great alteration happened. A certain man, Jeroboam, all whose hopes consisted in the discord of the people, stirred up sedition among them, and drawing to his party ten whole Tribes, constituted a kind of Commonwealth a part to himself, the head whereof was Samaria. And now there was no longer one, but two Commonwealths. That of Israel, or the ten Tribes, lasted but a little while, being conquered, and carried away into eternal exile. The other of the Jews, whose imperial City was Jerusalem, although, before the times of Vespasian the Emperor, it was not wholly ruined, yet the power of it was so enfeebled, that it could seldom bear up against the enemy. Certainly, none of all this had come to pass, had not they fallen to pieces by their own dissensions, who whilst they held together, and kept their force united, were victorious over so many Nations. The discords of the people give the greatest advantage to the enemy. This was the cause of the Hebrews ruin, and the same hath destroyed the most flourishing Kingdoms other Nations. Please you to return into the memory of all former times, you shall find scarce any other thing to have given a check to the most high and most mighty States. Fortune (though envious to such as prosper) seldom assisteth any people to the destruction of another, unless the people first create trouble to themselves at home, knowing neither how to moderate their vices, nor govern their own forces. It is clear, That Politic Nation the Romans (who as Tully saith, by defending their confederates made themselves Masters of all the world) understood exceeding well, how the most easy way to subdue confederate people, was by their domestic troubles and dissensions. Thus, while they aided the oppressed party, or became Arbitrators of the difference, they brought all things into their own power, and where they had made a waste, they called it peace. The Achaians were once terrible to all their Neighbours, by means of a confederacy, wherein upon fair conditions the Cities of Peloponnesus were united; Their Commonwealth was of an excellent frame, and very like to yours (most illustrious Lords) strengthened by their united powers, and invincible. How often did that Lordly people of Rome, knowing Greece was inexpugnable so long as confederated, endeavour by art and cunning to dissolve that union? The Proconsul Gallus was put upon the business: and, when he found no success, the Spartans', by a treacherous device were added to the ligue, but upon unequal terms, to be a perpetual cause of difference amongst them. This afterward undid the Achaians. The Annals are full of such examples, but here is no place to make a long relation. Rome, the Lady of all Nations, born for the ruin of the world (as Mithridates said) groaning under the people's discord, and Senators faction, at last gave up her liberty, and submitted her proud neck to the yoke of Caesar. But, to return to the Hebrews, I shall mention that in the last place, which is the chief of all. The formentioned breach, after salomon's death, had been probably made up again in a short time, but that the ambitious Author of it, Jeroboam, by changing the old true Religion into a vain and senseless superstition, obstructed the way of concord, and by a smooth oration having obtruded upon the ten Tribes his new invention, made them very prone to take arms, not so much now for their Estates and Liberty, as for their Altars and Idols. These things, and many more of this sort, we have discoursed of in this Treatise: and we thought it not unfit to see the light. You that are the Fathers of your Country, have always had this truth in mind: That by concord a small Estate is raised, and the greatest is by discord overthrown. Your own experience confirms you in it, since by divine favour, and your own virtue, and the conduct of your Invincible Leader, your Commonwealth, by many degrees, is at last arrived to that height, that your enemies can complain of nothing, but your greatness. As I pray for the perpetuity of this Union, whereby you are so happily advanced; so, when I consider your wisdom, which hath shined forth in the greatest Trials, I am very confident, the same will last, as all good men would have it, and remain for ever. Yet, I confess, we are not so secure, but that sometimes we reflect our thoughts upon the examples of former Ages. Many of your subjects are already gone into sides, and oppose each other with contrary opinions, since here sprung up amongst them some unprofitable controversies about mysteries of Religion, not understood by the most part of the people. The multitude are carried several ways by their affections, and every day the flame increases. Yourselves understand (most illustrious Lords) how much it concerns you to apply (and you do apply) seasonable remedies to this distemper, lest your flourishing affairs receive some detriment by this intestine malady, more pernicious than foreign War, than Famine, than Pestilence. 'Tis vain for me to speak more, when I can propose nothing to you out of my deepest consideration, which is not obvious to your own judgement. Only my Petition to your Highness is, that you would vouchsafe an intentive eye to this Commonwealth, which I have here described, the most sacred, and the best that ever was. Here you shall find some things which Kings and Princes and the Moderators of public affairs may select and lay up for their use. And truly I was the more easily moved to offer these to you, in contemplation of some excellent men sitting in your Senate, whose learning is so exact, that, if I have brought any thing for the illustration of antiquity and of the best Authors, they are able to pass a right judgement on it.   

ERRATA.  
PAge 17. l. 3. for two, r. too. p. 21. l. 7. for their, r. there. p. 122. l. 17. for mystery, r. ministry. p. 137. l. 3. for carried, r. carved. p. 150. l. 6. for good, r. God. p. 136. l. 23. for Susa, ●. Susac. p. 137. l. 13. r. Salmanassar.   

OF THE COMMONWEALTH Of The HEBREWS.  

CHAP. I. The Institution of the Hebrew Commonwealth. Legislation. The Vainglory of the Grecians. The seven Precepts of the Sons of Noah. The design of Moses in his Laws and Ordinances.  
IN this work we shall not be over curious in our method, nor make any accurate search after materials, but lay hold upon such things as freely and familiarly offer themselves to our consideration; and as they come into our mind, set down our discourses upon them all. The Commonwealth of the Hebrews was founded by that excellent Man of God, Moses, the first Man that undertook a business of the greatest consequence in the World: For, amongst all the Actions of old, which Fame hath left upon record, this in my judgement is the most noble, the constitution of Commonwealths, and the ordering of humane Societies by good Laws. Nothing is more acceptable to God, the Almighty Governor of this Universe. As the honour hereof is very great; so, many Nations have laid claim unto it. The Grecians, among the rest of the benefits, wherewith they boast themselves to have obliged other Nations, put Legislation in the Head of the Account. Lycurgus, Draco, Solon, and other Ancients, are names they glory in. Their Glory is but vain: For, all the Brags of this blown and arrogant Nation are silenced by the Jew, Flavius Josephus, whose Apology extant against Apion (an enemy to the Jews, and a Man so famous for his eloquence that he was called Cymbalum Mundi) is full of admirable learning. 
Plin. praf.  There he shows, that the Greek Legislators, compared to Moses, are but of yesterday: for, at what time their Father Homer lived, they knew not the name of Laws, nor is it extant in all his Poems; Only, the people had in their mouth certain common say and sentences, whereby they were governed; to supply the defects whereof, the unwritten Edicts of Princes were upon occasion added. The truth is, which Flavius hath well observed, Moses, Homer's Senior by many ages, is the only Man to whom this honour appertains, which so many afterward were ambitious of. He was the first writer and publisher of Laws, teaching the people, what was right or wrong, just or unjust, and by what Decrees that Commonwealth was to be established, which the most high God had commanded to settle in Palestin. Before the time of Moses, no written Laws were known in the World: for, although mankind lived not altogether without Laws before, yet were not those Laws consecrated and kept in any public records or monuments. Of this sort were those seven Precepts which the Talmudists say were given to the Sons of Noah, concerning certain Rules of righteousness necessary for the life of Man. Wherefore they were of so large extent, that whosoever knew them not, those the Israelites were commanded to destroy by War, and deprive them of all Communion with mankind; And justly: For, they that had received no Law, seemed worse than beasts; and (as Aristotle hath divinely spoken) injustice strengthened with Arms and Power is most cruel and intolerable. Now the Arms wherewith nature hath furnished Man, are Reason and Prudence; things enabling him abundantly for mischief, if they be not restrained and regulated by Laws. But let us return to Moses. In his institution of that Commonwealth, the most holy upon earth, he assigned the Supreme Power to God; and when others find other names (as the matter requires) calling the Government Monarchy, Oligarchy, or Democracy, he conceived none of these appellations suitable to the nature of so great an Empire: Wherefore he ordained such a kind of Government, which Flavius saith may very significantly be styled Theocracy, that is, a Commonwealth whose Ruler and Precedent is God alone; For, he professed all affairs were managed by divine judgement and Authority. And of this he gave an evident demonstration, in as much as although he saw all matters depending upon him, and had all the people at his devotion, yet upon so fair an invitation he sought no power, no wealth, no honour for himself. A thing, whereby he showed himself more than Man: For, in all Men there is implanted a desire of Rule, a desire inveterate, more flagrant and eager than all other affections whatsoever: Which, I believe, Moses had never been able to expectorate and extinguish, had he not seen God himself present and precedent in all affairs; with whom, to seek a Partnership in the Government, had been an extreme degree of madness. Moreover, He ordered that the Magistrates should not be Lords and Masters, but Keepers of the Laws and Ministers. An excellent Constitution: for, seeing even the best Men are sometimes transported by passion, the Laws alone are they that always speak with all persons in one and the same impartial voice; Which I conceive to be the meaning of that fine saying of Aristotle, The Law is a Mind without Affection. Lastly, we consider that which is not the least of all, the eternal stability of Moses Laws: whereto to add, where from to take aught away, was a most high offence. So that, neither old Laws were abolished, nor new brought in, but the observation of the first was exacted of all with rigour, even in the declination of that Commonwealth. Which was not so in other Common wealths, being both founded and overthrown by Law-making: for, as many of the Rulers, affecting to bring in somewhat of their own, have changed things before well ordered; so, many good Orders by desuetude, more (which is worse) abolished by contempt, gave security to vices. This diversity we could never wonder at; seeing the Laws of other Nations, Inventions of humane Wit, are enforced only by penalties that by time, or through the sloth of Governors, lose their terror: but the Jewish Ordinances, being the Decrees of the eternal God not weakened either by continuance of time, or softness of the Judges, they remain still the same; and when the Axe and Scourge are no longer feared men's minds are nevertheless kept in awe by Religion.   

CHAP. II. The prudence of the Lawgiver concerning Assignation of Lands. That they ought not to have been the first Seizer's. The Agrarian Law, and its inestimable Utility. The Redemption of lands. The benefit of the Jubily, and Solemnity thereof.  
FLavius Josephus often citys Hecataeus of Abdera, an Author of great Faith and integrity, one that waited upon Alexander the great in his Wars; Many Countries he viewed, abounding with all kind of fruits, but admired none so much as Palestine; Of this he wrote a singular Book, out of which josephus recites many things in favour of the Jews. To our purpose, he saith the Jews inhabited a very good Country, and most fruitful, containing three hundred thousand Acres; a seat, whereinto as most fit for them, the divine goodness transplanted the Hebrews out of Egypt: For, as formerly they had spent their lives in tillage of the ground, and feeding of ; so here in a bounteous soil they might still enrich themselves, and prosper by the same profession. So soon as the holy people had by force of Arms possessed themselves of the promised Land, the chief Captain josua presently put in execution the commands of Moses. The whole Country he divided into twelve portions, and gave it to be inhabited by the twelve Tribes. Then, he numbered the families in every Tribe, and according to the number of persons gave to every family a certain proportion of Lands, and prescribed their bounds. By this means, all were equally provided for; which is the prime care of good Governors in every Commonwealth; a care, that the most Politic Nations, the Greeks and Romans, in aftertimes were not unmindful of when they carried forth their Colonies. Had every one made that his own, upon which he first set his foot, quarrels and commotions among the people must needs have followed: for so it usually comes to pass; whilst every one seeks to get and appropriate to himself what was common, Peace is lost. Moreover. Moses, as it became a wise Man, not only to order things at present, but for the future ages too, brought in a certain Law providing that the wealth of some might not tend to the oppression of the rest; nor the people change their course, and turn their minds from their innocent labours to any new and strange employment. This was the Agrarian Law; a Law, whereby all possesors of Land were kept from transferring the full right and dominion of it unto any other person, by sale or other contract whatsoever: For, both they that on constraint of poverty had sold their Land, had a right granted them to redeem it at any time; and they that did not redeem it, received it freely again, by this Law, at the solemn feast of Jubily. There is a great writer, Rabbi Moses Ben Maimon, he that in his divine work entitled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath happily collected all the talmudical doctrine except the trifles, an Author above our highest commendation, the only Man of that Nation, who had the good fortune to understand what it is to write seriously and to the purpose; We shall often make use of his Authority, and now it will help us out in the matter we have in Hand. He is much upon the benefit of the Jubily, consisting (saith he) herein, that all Lands returned to their ancient Lords, although they had passed through the Hands of a hundred buyers. Neither are excepted, by this most learned writer, the Lands which came to any one by donation. These could not more than other be retained from the first possessor. It is a point of the talmudical Law, and I make no question but 'tis very right. The same Rabbin from the same fountain declares, that Redemption was permitted only to such as were recovered from their poverty, and enabled by some gain or commodity that had befallen them. The reason's plain; for, to borrow money, or to sell one piece of Land to redeem another, was to frustrate the Law, that appointed the unable, and their Heirs, to wait for the relief of Jubily. Yet might the Kinsmen of the necessitous, in the mean time, buy off for their money, what the poor owner, without borrowing, could not. These Jubily-solemnities returned every fiftieth year, beginning at the seaventh month Tisri. No other time brought with it so much public joy: for, besides the repossession of Lands that had been alienated, liberty was given unto all servants. Yet was nothing done before the tenth of that month, a holy Fast and day of Expiation. The nine preceding days were all spent in public mirth and feasting, like the Roman Saturnalia. Hear how Maimonides relates it. From the beginning of the year, to the day of Expiations, neither were the servants dismissed, nor did they serve their Masters. What then? The servants did eat and drink and make merry, and every one of them set a Crown upon his Head. After, when the day of Expiations was come, the Senators of the Sanhedrin sounded with their trumpets, and forthwith the servants went away free, and the old Lords took a repossession of their Lands.   

CHAP. III. Again of the Agrarian Law. The danger of two ample possessions. The Roman Commonwealth. Stolo 's Law. How the Hebrews maintained themselves. The Legislators providence. Divine Laws of Agriculture and Pasturage.  
BUt we have more to say of the utility intended by Moses in the Agrarian Law. Certainly, it was of great concernment to the Commonwealth, as before we noted, that the avarice of a few should not invade the possessions distributed with so fair equality. It is not unusual with rich men to thrust the poor out of his inheritance, and deprive him of necessaries, whilst they enlarge their own estate superfluously. This produceth often a change of Government: For, the truth is, That Commonwealth is full of enemies, wherein the people, many of them having lost their ancient possessions, with restless desires aspire to a better fortune. These men weary of the present, study alterations, and stay no longer, than they needs must, in an unpleasing condition. Time was, when at Rome the principal men (drawing all unto themselves, insomuch that one Citizen possessed Land enough for three hundred) were confined by Stolo's Law to five hundred Acres a Man. But that good order, by fraud, was quickly broken. Stolo himself was the first to violate his own Sanction, and was found guilty for holding a thousand Acres, making use of his Son's name, whom to that end he had emancipated. And after, by other arts, many others eluded the sentence of the Law, themselves possessing what was purchased by their Agents. This abuse being perceived by the wise Lelius, friend to Scipio Africanus, he endeavoured to reinforce the Law, but overborne by the adverse faction, to prevent contention and discord, he desisted. So the way was open for licence, and possessions were enlarged out of all measure; till at last all Italy and the next provinces fell into a few Hands, as their proper patrimony: whereof, it were very easy to allege testimonies, but here is needless. We touched also another reason of the Agrarian Law, namely, that Moses would not have the people languish and lose their virtue by want of exercise. The most eminent of all their Ancestors having led a pastoral life, and been good Husbands in the Field, their posterity could not be better secured from the vices and incommodities that follow idleness, than by being obliged to the same employments: which are not only the means of getting riches, but were used by the best Men even from the beginning of the World. Indeed, those Country employments would soon have been deserted, had the Law permitted every one to purchase as much as he would, and lay Field to Field; Whereby it comes to pass, that the Lords of so much Land disdain to perform those honest labours with their own Hands, but commit the business of Husbandry to others; such as are, for the most part, strangers hired, or servants bought with money. The inferior people, having no Heart to bestow their labour on Land that is not their own, get out of the Fields into the Cities, and their immure themselves, and are corrupted with an idle kind of life, supported by some soft and illiberal Art. Verily, after that the Roman Senators, and those but few, engrossed to themselves the Fields which formerly belonged to many, not the Citizens alone, but all free men neglected and forgot the art of tillage. The Country that had once seen such brave and gallant men as Curius, Fabricius, Cato, was now filled with the noise of chained labourers and bondmen. The magnanimous offspring of Romulus (as Varro complains) did no longer exercise themselves in the Cornfields and Vineyards, but in the Circ and Theatre: For, they had now thrown away the Hook and Blow, who of old (saith he) had so divided the year, that every ninth day only they visited the City; all the other days they attended their Country-affairs. Thus did they decline from their Ancestors ways, which while they observed, they teaped a double benefit; their Fields did abound with fruits, and their minds with virtue. For prevention of the many public evils that arise from the  neglect, Moses a Man excellent both in divine and humane wisdom providently decreed the privileges of Redemption, and established the Law of Jubily: A Law, that had not the least shadow of injustice, nor contained any incommodity at all to the buyers of Land; for, in the sale, an eye was ever cast upon the Jubily, & with respect unto the nearness or distance of it, the price did either rise or fall. This is that, 
Leu. 25.14, etc.  which is at large set down in Leviticus in these words: If thou sell aught unto thy Neighbour, or buyest aught of thy Neighbour's Hand, ye shall not oppress (or circumvent) one another: According to the number of years after the Jubily, thou shalt buy of thy Neighbour, and according to the number of years of the fruits he shall sell unto thee: According to the multitude of years thou shalt increase the price thereof; and according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of it: for according to the number of the years shall he sell unto thee: Ye shall not therefore oppress (or deceive) one another. Now, if the Seller desired to redeem his Lands, before the Jubily, it was also with great equity ordained, that he should render back the price, only retaining so much of the money, as the buyer had received in profits. By this means, Restitution of Lands was made without any damage at all to either party; and Agriculture, their old honest employment, kept up in esteem and practice amongst all the people. What the nature and condition of that people was, to whom Moses gave his Ordinances, cannot be doubted: for, among so many Laws which he made, as a great number concern Justice and Religion, so the rest which pertain to their estates and matter of profit, run all upon rules of Husbanry. How carefully are the people taught, when to give rest to their Land, and to intermit their seeding? what they must observe at Harvest and Vintage? What years it was allowed to gather fruit of the Vine? Farther, with what severity are they forbidden to sow mingled seed in the same ground; to mix divers kinds of Animals in generation; or put them together under one Yoke? The rest, touching the breed of Cattle, First Fruits, and Tenths, are almost infinite. They are handled at full in the Talmud: where they take up the sixth part of the whole, or more. Maimonides hath comprehended all in his Book, that he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, wherein are admirable secrets.   

CHAP. IU. In what straight every seventh year brought the Jews. The benefit granted to this Nation by Alexander the Great, for a certain prophecy. The Jews had little commerce with other people. The Grecians ignorant of their affairs. Aristotle's opinion of the Jews. Who are the best Commonwealths men. Of Artificers.  
SUch were the Laws given to the Hebrews: all whose wealth lay in the Fields. According to the increase whereof, they were in penury or abundance? Hence it was, that as oft as foreign Kings imposed tribute on them, every seventh year brought them into so great a straight, that they were hardly able to raise the sum. For their Law would not permit them to till the ground that year, and to gather in the fruits thereof, which yielded all their money. Alexander of Macedonia, having learned at Jerusalem out of daniel's Book, that a Grecian should overthrow the Persian Empire, glad with the prophecy, bade the Jews ask of him some royal favour. They answered, no greater benefit could be done them, than the remission of the seventh years tribute. It was granted. The Samaritans, when they said much for themselves to obtain the same indulgence, were not heard. But, of all that can be said in this kind, nothing is more luculent than that which 
* 1 Apol. ad v. Ap.  Flavius gives in answer to Apion, in behalf of his Countrymen: Neither do we live near the Sea, nor delight in trading; nor have we therefore any commerce with other Nations: but our Cities are remote from the Sea, and we ourselves seated in a fruitful Land, which we make more fruitful by good Husbandry. Indeed, whereas several Nations are so associated by Trade, that the Commodities of all Countries are transported and may seem natural to every one, the Jews alone contained themselves within the bounds of their own Land, not applying themselves unto negotiation. For they passed not the Sea, nor visited other people, nor were visited by others. Whence it came to pass, that the Grecians and others have delivered many fabulous reports concerning them. For very few had certain intelligence of their affairs. Hecataeus is the only man that hath written truth; The rest have related what they had by fame and hear-say; Which, how unsafe it is in all History, appears by Eph●rus, a famous Author of old, who said, Iberia, which he never saw, was one City: a ridiculous error; for 'twas not a City, but a great and populous part of the Western World. It is a marvellous ignorant conceit of Aristotle in Clearchus, that the Jews were propagated from the wise men of India, but had changed their name: the Philosophers of India being called Callans, and in Cava Syria Jews. I am ashamed, so great a man should make such a poor conjecture. But that which the same Aristotle there adds, as it is not incredible to us, so is it very glorious for that holy Nation. He saith, when he was in Asia, there came unto him a certain Jew, a man of so much learning and science, that in comparison of him all the Grecians that were present, seemed to be but Blocks. Herein he hath made some amends for that, he had imprudently related concerning their Original: which he had been better to have omitted, as a thing unknown to a stranger. And truly to me Flavius seems to glory in the Jews obscurity, when he saith, They live in mediterranean places, and Merchants and strangers have no access unto them. For so, they long kept their manners uncorrupted, and none of those exotic things pertaining to luxury and riot was imported, whereby most potent nations are undone. The rest of his words are such, that Flavius, you may say, is proud of his Country: We dwell in a fertile Land, and in the culture of it we spend our Labour: as if nothing could be greater or better. Aristotle recites some Edicts, framed by most ancient Lawmakers, coming very nigh unto the Mosaical. Oxylus, King of the Elians, prohibited Lands to be mortgaged for money; and the Locrians were not permitted to sell the Inheritances of their Fathers. Which Ordinances were (as the greatest Author of natural wisdom noteth) to this purpose, that the people might not desert the culture of their Fields. Wherefore he so often iterates it in his Politics, that the best Commonwealth is, where the people live upon Tillage and Pasture. He gives the reason: Because they govern themselves and their affairs according to the Laws: for they maintain themselves by their labour, and cannot have any time to be idle. Other commonweals, filled with a multitude of Opificers and Mechanics, he judgeth in far worse condition, because the life of such men is unactive and sedentary, and their employment of no alliance unto virtue. It appears hence, how vain and frigid that vulgar objection is, (which Flavius mentions) against the Jews: In that Nation there are no inventors of new works, no Artificers: This is no disgrace to the Jews, but the greatest praise; for how can the invention be praise worthy, when the exercise of the things invented is illiberal? All Opificers are conversant in works that foul their hands; and Aristotle saith well, they serve a kind of servitude, but limited, because we use their hands and labour, not as of servants in all, but in some one matter. So little of what is ingenuous can be found in the Shop, wherein, beside the rest, there is also this evil, that it effeminates and weakens both the body and mind. Wherefore in ancient commonweals well established, (as the most judicious Master saith) Opificers were not Freemen, but strangers, and they were a body as it were distinct and separate from the Citizens.   

CHAP. V The Hebrews hated by the Egyptians, and why. The Egyptians given to idle Arts: emasculated by Sesostris. An Egyptian Law of inheriting trades. The Shepherds, a third of the Egyptians, feared by the rest: and why more hated than Husbandmen.  
NOw it will be easy to observe the cause why the Jews were hated always by the Egyptians, not only while they sojourned there, but afterward when they had a proper seat and a Common-weal of their own in the neighbouring Land of Palestine, bounded on the South with Egypt, as Cornelius Tacitus relates. Truly, that hatred sprang from nothing more, than a dissimilitude of life and studies. For all the Plebeians of Egypt, set upon sellulary arts, under the shade of their Cities took their ease within the Walls; Yea some, perverting the offices of the virile sex, handled the spinning wheel. And as they were ever prone by their own disposition unto softness, so afterward were their minds more enervated by the King Sesostris; Whose study it was to soften his people, and as the Egyptians themselves report, learned the skill of Mercury. There was a Law too, that conduced to this end by confining their wit within narrow bounds: for no Opificer might exercise any other Art, but that which descended to him from his Father. Juvenal, when he would smite Crispinus (a man gotten up to high place by evil Arts, and Caesar's favour) with a Satirical jerk, calls him a Plebeian of Nilus, and slave of Canopus. For so it was the opinion, that the Priests were free, and the Opificers, which were the common people, servants. But there was another sort far different from those, a certain third part of the people, which lived at distance in the plains of Egypt, and near the marshes. These were the Shepherds; active and able men, but execrable to all the Egyptians, because they would not suffer them to be secure in their idle course of life. These often made great commotions, and sometimes created Kings for themselves. Wherefore the Romans in after times, when they easily held the rest of Egypt in obedience, placed a stronger Garrison in these parts. When you have taken the most exact view of all things, you will find, this was the only reason that made the Egyptians, even from the first, so illaffected unto Shepherds; because those sedentary men and opificers could not endure their fierce and lively spirits. Pharaoh himself, when he had decreed to abate and depress the growing multitude of the Israelites, speaks to his men on this wise: The Israelites are stronger than we. Come, let us deal wisely, that they increase not, lest when War arises they join themselves unto our enemies, and take arms against us. That opinion I think to be right and true; nor can I assent to them, that impute the cause of this public hatred to their superstition: as if the Hebrews, Keepers of Flocks and Herds, could not be suffered by that Nation, who reverenced, some Sheep, some Goats, some other fourfooted Beasts, and would not slay them, being persuaded, there was in them something of divinity. But this Reason is very improbable; for what will they answer, when either they shall learn out of the Pentateuch, that Pharaoh had innumerable Flocks of Sheep; or when they shall see so many monuments of Histories to be produced, making manifest, that a considerable part of the Egyptians (as we have above said) lived in Pastures, and among Cattle? And yet is that saying notable in the Scripture; All Shepherds are hated by the Egyptians. Of Husbandmen it is not so spoken: nor indeed could their valour (which was none at all) be feared or hated. For the lazy Clowns had all their hopes placed not in the industrious manuring of the ground, but in the River Nilus. The overflowing stream bred and increased their Corn: nor did it bring only fruitfulness to the earth, but earth itself; for being mixed with much mud, it enlarged the Fields, and by an yearly addition stretched out the bounds of their Land. So, the Countryman admired both his soil and Crop newly sprung, which without his labour and care had fallen to him.   

CHAP. VI The Jubily not celebrated after the Captivity. That solemnity was kept in the 49. year, which was the 7. sabbatical.  
COncerning the Egyptians, what disposition they were of, and how different from their Neighbours of Judea, we have spoken sufficiently; We return, to say a little more of the Jubily. The Agrarian Law made by Moses touching the restitution of possessions was observed with very great Religion until the desolation of the former sanctuary by the Assyrians. After that, Palestin lay forsaken and incult for the space of 70. years, as the Prophets had foretold. But when at length that fatal time was expired, the Jews indeed returned to their ancient habitations, and the Temple was built anew, but never was the Agrarian Law revived, nor the Jubily solemnities celebrated any more. No more now did every fiftieth year give liberty to servants, nor restore unto the former Lords their lost and sold possessions. Whether justly the fiftieth year or the forty ninth was the year of Jubily, 'tis made a question. We join with those incomparable men of our time that hold the forty ninth: nor can we assent unto Maimonides in this, though for the most, we religiously embrace his judgement. For this Author hath recompensed us, for his few and little errors, with many great virtues, and very choice observations every where. It is observed by the same Maimonides, that as to the intermission of Agriculture, there is the same reason of the Jubily and every seventh year; nor is this a conjecture of the Jews only, or a probable opinion, but certain and undoubted truth, which the Legislators own word confirms, Levit. 25. But now, if the 50, year exactly were the Jubily, two sabbatical years (for the 49. is sabbatical) would without intermission have been celebrated together. A singular, strange and unusual thing. For, whereas providence had so ordained that every sixth year in Palestin, by its exceeding fruitfulness, should prevent the famine of the seventh, being the year of rest to the Fields, there must now be a more miraculous fruitfulness, if two years of rest should come together. In neither was it lawful to Blow or Sow. Therefore, the divine bounty, which is expressed in Levit. (I will send my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth the fruits of three years) must be increased to serve for four years, the 49. and 50. being, upon divers reasons, both sabbatical. No such fruitfulness was ever granted to any other Land or Nation. We confess indeed the Land of Palestin was the favourite of Heaven, and much indebted to the divine influence above other Lands; yea, things went there sometimes contrary to the Laws of Nature. Nevertheless, seeing none of the Prophets have given testimony to so great a miracle, nor any histories have made any record of it, we must not, by too easy a credulity, give occasion to our Reader to charge us with stupidity.   

CHAP. VII. The three consecrations of Palestin and of the Cities; Of City-houses, of Jerusalem and her privileges. Agrippa 's offence, and the Jews embassage upon it to Nero. Of enlarging their territories: and the right of fortifying. The ruin of the Commonwealth. The Cities of refuge.  
THe Talmudists affirm, when Josuah marched into Palestin, he consecrated all the walled Cities. This they called the first entrance. But when the holy people was carried away by the Babylonians, beyond Euphrates, their Country was polluted by the wicked: Wherefore, after the return of the Jews into their seats, Ezra the high Priest, by a solemn act, restored sanctimony to the Cities, and that was the second entrance. At last Caesar Titus, having overthrown the Jews, profaned all again. And here the Talmudists flatter themselves with a pleasing error. For they do yet expect Messiah, who, as they would have it, shall invade the kingdom of Palestin, and consecrate the Cities once more. This, say they, will be the third entrance. Moreover, the same Authors tell us, wherein consists the Religion and sanctimony of Cities; and why the Villages and Country were not consecrated also: Which it would be tedious to relate. When the Towns of Palestin were assigned to the several tribes, the Levites too received Cities for their habitations; but the Country, the Fields and possessions were so divided, that they had no share: For they had the Tenths only, and first fruits, and all the Sacrifices. Of these they lived, and with these they did abound. But we must observe with Maimonides, what is here said hath place only in the Land, which by Covenant was given to Abraham, I saac, and Jacob, and which was held by their children, and divided amongst them. But in other regions, which were subdued by some Kings of Israel, the Priests and Levites had their portion with the rest of the Hebrews. Concerning City-dwellings there was a Law, that he who had sold his House might redeem it within a year: the year being past, it was the buyers; nor had the next of Kin any right to redeem it, nor was the Jubily here of any benefit. If the House were redeemed, the whole price was repaid to the buyer, although the sale and delivery had been made many months before. And the former possessor might redeem his House, even on the last day of the year. In case he was absent, who had bought it, or was gone out of the way on purpose, the Redeemer addressed himself to the Court, and having there in presence of the Senate laid down the price he had received, departed, broke open the doors, and took possession of his House again. Thus the Talmudists. In the Cities of the Levites it was not so but, for their houses, they had the benefit of the same Law which was established by Moses concerning the Fields and rural possessions of all the Hebrews, as hath been said. Wherefore they might redeem them after the year was passed; and what was not before redeemed, the Jubily restored. Amongst all the Cities, most eminent was Jerusalem's sanctity, and (as the Talmud delivers) it remained perpetual, ever since the Dedication by the most glorious King Solomon: That Ezra consecrated it again, was unnecessary, for it was not capable to be profaned, like other Cities, by the hands of the Sacrilegious. Whence it came to pass, (as the Talmud-tradition is, that it was lawful to sacrifice at Jerusalem, and to feast upon the sacrifices, even in the dust and ashes of the destroyed City. But how great was the Religion of the place, appeared by those Jews, whom Hadrian the Emperor permitted once a year to visit the deformed relics of the holy City, and there to lament and deplore the misery of their Nation. This City was not assigned by lot unto any one tribe, but was common to them all: Wherefore the Talmudists free it from that Law, which commands the blood secretly shed in the borders of the Tribes, to be expiated by slaving of a Heifer. This which follows is not from superstition but from the ancient and approved custom of the Nation. Maimonides relates, if any had an upper room so high that it gave them a prospect to the Holy of Holies, they might indeed once a week go up to see all safe, but oftener or for other cause, they might not Verily King Agrippa much offended his people when from a lofty room in his palace he took a frequent view of the Temple & saw from on high what was done within it. The Jews, thinking this to be an unsufferable thing, raised a high wall to cut off the King's prospect, and without delay sent unto Rome ten Legates, with Ishmael the Highpriest, and Eleazar the Treasurer, to Petition Nero for a confirmation of that, which Religion had compelled the people to do. What Hec●taeus of Abdera saith in Flavius, that Jerusalem was of 50. furlongs compass, inhabited by one hundred twenty thousand persons, were not very material for us to know, but that there is something of singular note concerning the enlargement of their pomaeria, which Maimonides hath declared out of the talmudical Books. And this it is. In the enlargement of the City, the great Senate Sanhedrin, and the King▪ and one Prophet, consulted the oracle called Urim and Thummim. After that they had agreed among themselves about the interpretation of the divine answer, the Senators of the Sanhedrin recited two Verses of thanksgiving, and having taken two Loaves of leavened Bread, and departing presently with instruments of Music, made a stand at the turning of every Sticet, and at all Monuments erected in the City, and pronounced these words: I will extol thee O Lord, because thou hast lifted me up. At last, when they were come unto the place designed for consecration, because it was to be the bound of their pomaeria, they all stayed; and there, of the two Loaves taken with them, after the Verses sung, they eat one; the other, they burned in the flames. These things received from their Ancestors, the talmudical writers have thus left upon record. Nor are they improbable, seeing the like and almost the same are exstant in the 12. Chapter of Nehemiahs' commentaries. Yet in after times, the liberty of the Jews being oppressed by the Romans, this prolation of their pomaeria depended not upon the pleasure of the great Council, but of the Roman people. Farther, this is also delivered by Cornelius Tacitus, that the Jews, with a great sum of money purchased leave to fortify. Whence it appears, the Queen of Cities, Jerusalem, was in the same condition with all towns under the Roman power, whose Walls could not be repaired without the Authority of the Prince or Governor, nor any thing joined to them, or set upon them: as 
* L. 9 sect. ff. de rerum divis.  Ulpian the Lawyer saith. And truly, Claudius Caesar, when he had received intelligence that they were enclosing Jerusalem with a mighty Wall, admonished Agrippa of that new attempt; and thereupon the King, in obedience to the Emperor, left off the work he had undertaken. The talmudical writers say, Jerusalem had this privilege, above other Towns of Judaea, that no house in the City, after one year, could be retained by the buyer. They say also, it was not lawful to plant Orchards or gardens there affirming that of the whole City, which Hecataeus hath written of the circuit of the Temple. Dead bodies, which were carried any whither, were not admitted into that City, out of a respect unto the Holiness thereof. Only two Sepulchers were there, of David, and of Olda, built (they say) by the old Prophets. Yet were the Levits bound up with a more strict Religion being prohibited to bury the dead in their Cities and in the Field of their Suburbs too. Wherefore, by divine appointment, they received from the other Tribes a parcel of ground without their own borders, where they might lay the bones of their dead to rest. In other Towns, it was not unlawful to bury, provided seven honest men gave assent thereto; but when once the Corpse was carried forth of the gate, it might not be received again within the walls, although all the people should desire it. Jerusalem, as we said above, was the head city, the seat of Religion and holy rites; Wherefore, that being overthrown, there fell with it the form of the Jewish Common-weal, both Civil and sacred. Truly what Flavius saith of a voice heard out of the Temple, before the destruction of the City, Let us go hence; seemeth unto me to signify nothing else, but that the Common-weal was to be dissolved, and the Sceptre to be taken away, which of old was given to the holy Nation. For within a short time, the orders, and functions, and rites, and almost all their Laws ceased; and there followed great confusion, desolation, and distraction. First of all the most sacred College of the Hasideans, that drew its Original from the Prophets, was now no more; because their custom was, to go every day to the Temple, and to bestow voluntary charges upon Sacrifices, and upon the Porches and Walls of the Sanctuary. And whereas Moses imposed upon strangers that should become Proselytes, the oblation of some certain gift, this upon the dissolution began to be deferred altogether till another time when the third sanctuary, which they yet expect, shall be built. Nor do they any more marry their Brother's Widows, which have no Children. And the solennity of the Passeover, never since that time, hath been rightly celebrated; for the Law commanded it should be kept in that place, wherein. God had chosen the seat of his house. Of so much consequence was the fall of one City it hath changed and perverted all things, and brought to ruin the Commonwealth of the greatest people in the world. Concerning other Towns of Judaea, nothing memorable comes into our mind, but that God appointed some of them for Cities of refuge that such as had unwittingly slain a man might find safety and protection there. There did they endure a gentle banishment till the Highpriest died, whose death set them all at liberty; so that, if happy any had deceased before, yet their bones might then be carried into the Sepulchers of their Fathers. These towns were six; and three more shall be added to them, say the Talmud-writers, when the greatest of Kings, Messiah, shall come upon the earth; to which they refer that of M●ses, not spoken surely in vain, When the Lord your God shall enlarge your borders. Besides the six Cities, the same privilege was granted to the two and forty towns of Levits; but that the same writers deny, those places to have been safe for them, that understood not the benefit of the Law Other things, which may be said of the Right of these Cities, together with what the Jews comment upon some other towns, we will therefore let pass, because we cannot polish nor grace them by our handling.   

CHAP. VIII. What Palestin had above other Countries. The Hebrew Commonwealth could not be translated into other places. Of the Babylonian Jews: and their power. Of the Sceptre, against M●imon. The J●ws Commonwealth bound to Palestin. No Temple to be built elsewhere.  
THe Commonwealth of the Hebrews had it beginning then, when the holy people was brought into the happy land of 〈◊〉. Before which time, though in the Arabian deserts most wholesome Laws, both ceremonial and judicial, were given by Moses the man of God: yet all their force pertained to that Country, wherein as the several Tribes should have several Towns, so there should be one City singularly appointed, to be the Chamber of the Empire, and sent of sacred rites. In the last part of the Pentateuch, the most wise Legislator, repeating what he had given in charge before, hath to our purpose added these express words again and again: These are the precepts, the Statutes and judgements, which ye shall observe in the Land which is given you for an inheritance to possess. Truly, Palestin had this excellency above other Countries, that the holy Nation and Commonwealth was affixed unto it alone. Had any one led that people out of their proper seat, and established the same Commonwealth by the same Laws, neither would the Commonwealth have retained its sanctimony, nor the people their Majesty. Pertinent here and fit to be considered on our way is that saying of 
* Lib. 14. M●sn. in Hal. Mel. cap. 5.  Maimonides: As it is not lawful for the Jews to move their seats out of Palestin, so neither may they pass out of Babylon into other Countries. Without the explication of this, whosoever read the writings of the Hebrew Masters will meet with rubs. The truth is, Maimonides speaks not of all the Jews, but of them only who were carried away by the enemy beyond Euphrates, and dwelled at Babylon and thereabout. Some of these, after 70. years, returned into Palestin: the rest, moved by the beneficence of the Kings, under whom they lived, continued at Babylon, and fixed their colonies there. The multitude of them was very great, and at last grew up into a Nation. 'Tis incredible, what strength these exiles had; for they did almost ofter both the Mitre and the Diadem that is, the Priesthood and the Kingdom, to Hircanus, hastening out of Part●●● unto H●rod; and to them were committed the Arcan● of the Babylonian Empire, which ●n Hebrew Priest kept in a grea● strong Tower at E●b●tan of the M●des. These Jews were joined in a very close alliance with those of Pal●st●●. The same institutions, the same course of life, the same language was common to both sorts: all things were the same. Wherefore, as God permitted them to dwell at Babylon far from their Country, because they were free there from the contagion of any foreign customs; so were they denied to proceed any farther, and to go to any other habitation. This is the meaning of Maimonides where he interprets that of Jeremy; they shall be carried into B●bylon and remain there. There is no more question to be made of this matter. That is very glorious, which some wise men of the higher form approved and followed by M●imon●●i, have conceived of these Babylonians. Their opinion is after the fatal relapse and decay of the affairs and state of Jerusalem, these Babylonian Jews are the only people upon whom was transferred the Imperial dignity, promised in that famous Oracle: 
Gen. 49.10.  The Sceptre shall not departed from Juda, nor a Law giver from between his feet, until Shiloh come. We, who reverence the excellent virtues of Maimonides, make no scruple to reprehend his errors. Certainly, that most considering Author, in this opinion, whilst he too much favours his countrymen's conceits, forsook his own judgement. I am not ignorant, that the Babylonian Jews had a Commonwealth among themselves, and administered Justice to the ●est of their own Nation that were without Palestin. Nor do we forget, that some Peers, descended from the house of David, always held the principality there. Yet therefore follows not, that which Rabbi Ben Maimon would have. For the Sceptre, whereof the Oracle was, is nothing else, but the Jewish Commonwealth, that is, that Priestly Kingdom, whereunto the Religions and Ceremonies were, not an accession or prop, but the very soul and spirit. Besides, the custody of Ceremonies and sacred Rites did not belong to every City, but one, wherein was the sanctuary, the peculiar seat and habitation of the Deity. That City first was Shiloh, afterward Jerusalem in the midst of Pal●stin. If any schismatical Jew built a Temple or Altar in other Lands they offended against the Rights and inviolable Laws of the Commonwealth. There is extant, among the monuments of history, the Epistle of Onias to Ptolemy and Cleopatra; wherein he accuseth his Countrumen because they had built sanctuaries in the Phenician Cities and elsewhere, contrary to the Law: being himself guilty of no less fault having built a Temple at Heliopolis, pretending the Authority of the Prophet Isaiah to countenance his ambition's enterprise. This could not be done without violation of the Ceremonies. It was amongst the decrees of the most ancient Jews, which Rabbi Moses Egyptius delivers thus: 
L. 8. in Hal. Biath. c. ult.  If one hath transgressed the Law, and built an other house beside the sanctuary at Jerusalem, it is not indeed to be accounted a temple of I dolls; but yet the Priest that hath served there, can never sacrifice at the sanctuary of God, which is at Jerusalem. Yea the vessels, which he hath used, no man shall apply to the Ministries of the true sanctuary, but they must be ●id.   

CHAP. IX. Criminal causes judged only in Palestin, not by the Babylonian Jews and others. When the Common-weal was of all the Hebrews, when of the Jews. What the Sceptre was. The plausible opinion of Eusebius confuted. Wherein consists and to whom belongs Imperial Majesty.  
WHat we have now said of the sanctuary is of great moment to the confuting of M●●monides: but we must produce other Arguments to prove, that the Commonwealth of which old Jacob spoke to Juda on his death Bed, was not where seated but in Palestin. We will not go far; but cite M●●monides for a witness against himself. How often doth he tell us, the holy people, without the bounds of the Holy L●nd, was loosed from many of the Mosaical Laws? He hath a notable 
* In Halacha sanhedrin.  d ssertation, wherein he circumscribes with certain limits the power of the Judges, both of Palestin, and Babylon. Certainly, the greatest part of M●ses Law is conversant about criminal causes. The judgement hereof, saith Maim●● could be no where exercised by the Babylonian Jews, no not in Palestin. And the Jews of Palestin, as by the Law they gave judgement to their own people in all causes, within their own Country; so, without it, they gave no sentence upon their Countrymen, unless by the permission of the Babylonian Peers, or other heads of the exiled Jews. Whence we gather, that the Jews of Palesti●● judged of crimes, in their own Country always, by virtue of the Law; sometimes out of their Country, but by permission and leave of others: the Babylonians not where judged of them; not in their own dominion, not in Palestin; not by force of Law, nor by permission. And are these the men, think you, to whom was given the Jewish Sceptre, after the affairs of Palestin were broken and decayed? Surely either the excellent writer knew not what was the dignity of the Sceptre, or he thought too well of some States of straw, that do there boast themselves to be of David's house. But we wonder not at this light mistake of Maimonides, when we consider by what strange interpretations others have laboured for the sense of jacob's divine speech. I remember, I had conference, concerning this, with the honourable Apollonius Scottus assessor of the supreme Senate, at what time in his house at the Hague, I sweetly spent the Vacation, and with great ardour ran over the Luculent commentations of Rabbi Ben Maimon: wherewith I was so taken, that I crossed almost all my former notes concerning the Jewish State. There did this Senator, such is his learning and the exceeding vigour of his wit, signify more than once, that in his judgement no other Text in the sacred Book is more examined by learned men, and less understood. Verily I was glad to find of my opinion a man, whose authority and repute might encourage me to oppose the interpretations of any other whatsoever. Wherefore by his incitement. I think I shall not do amiss if in so great a multitude of conjectures. I shall also publish what my judgement is, about a prophecy so illustrious. The Argument indeed is worthy, wherein the wit of every man may exercise itself, and show its strength. Although in this our Treatise we handle the affairs of Hebrews and Jews in common and without difference, for the most part, yet to secure the Reader from mistake, we will once for all demonstrate, that the sacred Commonwealth constituted by Moses according to God's appointment, was always the same, and founded on the same Laws, but not always of the same persons. A long time it was of the Hebrews, afterward by change of times it was only of the Jews. And so, the oracle of Jacob, which is of Judas Sceptre, pertaineth only to those later times. The ignorance whereof is the cause why this admirable prophecy hath been hitherto misunderstood. I will not mention here the miserable hallucinations of Origen, Austin, Epiphanius and others, who thought the Jews were promised by those words of Jacob, a perpetual succession of Kings of the same tribe and the same lineage, even to the times of Messiah. An opinion which led the followers of it into insuperable difficulties; for they know not what to say, nor whither to turn themselves, when they saw, from the death of Sedechiah to the times of Aristobulus, the Kingdom of the Jews was none; and after that until Herod's tyranny, it was in the hands only of the Hasmonaei of the tribe of Levi. These things of late are discussed well, and with good success, in the exercitations against Baronius, by the most learned man of our age I saack Casaubon, who is pleased with the famous opinion of Eusebius extant in the eighth Book of his Evangelicall demonstrations. We pretermit all things rightly said both by Eusebius and by Casaubon, that we may not do what is done to our hand. And we confess, among all the Interpretations hitherto divulged, that of Eusebius is far the best. But because neither Eusebius, nor that great Scholar that follows him, seem to me to have understood, what that Sceptre is, of which the old Prophet speaks to his Son a little before his death, nor when it was given to the Jews, this is needful now to be cleared, but not without a preface. For it is no pleasure to us to descent, neither from Eusebius, whom we have ever esteemed among the greatest writers; nor from him, whom we have above named, the prime man of our age, the follower of Eusebius; to whom we own so much reverence, that no man is so great with us, as Herald For He it is, by whose conduct these our times have made admirable proficiency toward the perfection of all learning. But we are constrained by our ingenuous love of truth, to lay aside affection, and impartially inquire what is right. The first error of Eùsebius is, that the Sceptre was given to Juda even from the time of Moses, because this Tribe excelled always among the rest, with singular dignity, and held a more honourable place both in the Camps and in the order of them that offered gifts in the Temple. Which Argument moves me no more, tha● if one should say, the Majesty of the Sceptre, at R●●● or Athens, was not in the Roma●●●● Athenian people, but in one 〈◊〉 which was more noble or flourishing For truly it is manifest by the most constant affirmation of ancient Authors, that in Rome and Athens both; were many and divers tribes, some above the rest in dignity, place and order. What is it then? Verily I suppose the Sceptre to be nothing else, but the Majesty of Empire, Majesty I mean pertaining to the Commonwealth itself; Wherefore, whose is the Commonwealth, theirs also is the Sceptre. Now, the Hebrew Commonwealth, from the age of Moses until the reign of Rehoboam, was not of the Jews, but of the twelve tribes. Whence it follows, that the Sceptre, all that space of time, was of all the Israelites. But of this Sceptre, which a long time was common to all the tribes, the divine Patriarch spoke not in that celebrious oracle. He had respect unto the later times and the ages to come, when the tribe of Juda, the people being divided into contrary parts, began to have a Commonwealth of their own, a sunder from the Israelites: a Commonwealth approved and favoured of God, and called Judaical from the name of Juda alone, until he should come, who was designed for the King not of the Jews only, but of all Nations. And this Majesty of the Sceptre, from the time it once began to be the Jews, continued theirs, although the State of the Commonwealth was sometimes altered, and the power was in the hand, one while of the best men and the Priests, other while of the Kings and Princes. It is want of judgement in them that restrain the honour of this Title to Kings alone. For what people soever enjoys a Commonwealth of their own, and Laws of their own, that people may justly glory in their Empire, and in their Sceptre. It is recorded, that in Jerusalem, even at the time when the people were governed not by Princes but by the best, in the midst of the Great Council, which they call Sanhedrin, there hanged a Sceptre. Which was, no question, a certain token of that Majesty, which 
* In part. orat.  Tully expresseth to be a certain greatness of a people, in retaining that power and right, which appears in Empire and all kind of Honour. Not Kings, not Princes, but Consuls and Senators managed the Roman Commonwealth, when that Law of confederation was given to the Etolians (as Livy relates) that they should well and truly conserve the Majesty of the Roman people. And that the same was imposed upon all free people that were confederates (but upon unequal terms) and friends to the Romans, the Lawyer 
* In l. 7. ff. de captiv. & postlim. reversis.  Proculus is a witness. Neither is it material to us, of what family or tribe they were, who governed the Judaical State. For, although the Hasmonaei of the tribe of Levi many years possessed the Kingdom, nevertheless was the Commonwealth of the Jewish people. Nero Caesar's most wise 
* Sen. l. 1. de clementia.  Master told him, The Commonwealth is not the Princes, but the Prince the Commonweal's. And Ulpian the Lawyer was just of the same opinion: The crime of Majesty, 
* L. 1. sect. 1. ff. ad logem Jul. Majest.  or Treason (saith he) is that which is committed against the Roman people, or against the security thereof. Ulpian lived in those times, when neither the commands nor suffrages were in the people, but the Caesars held the Empire and power of all: yet he, that is wont most accurately to define every thing, ascribeth Majesty to the people.   

CHAP. X. The twelve Tribes of the Hebrews was never called by the name of Jews. The ten tribes carried captive by Salmanassar never returned into Palestin. Two tribes served the Romans, and no more, in the time of Josephus.  
EUsebius is not sufficiently confuted, until we have made it plain how imprudently he drew himself into the snare. 
L. 8. Demonst. evan. dem. 1.  In the forecited Book are extant these words: Ever since the time of Moses, the Governors of Israel, if you look upon them in particular, were chosen out of several tribes, but in general the tribe of Juda was over the whole Nation. Hitherto he agrees with himself and falls into no contradiction; but he adds, For example, as in the Roman Empire, the Governors of several Nations, and Camp-masters, and the Kings, greater than all the rest were not all born at Rome, nor descended from Romulus and Remus, but sprung of many other Nations, some of one, some of another; and yet, as well all the Kings, as the succeeding Governors and Leaders, were called Romans, and the power and authority said to be of the Romans, not of any other name: so must we think of the Hebrew State, that one tribe of Juda gave an illustrious name to all the rest, though the Rulers and Kings were created out of the several tribes, all honoured with the common appellation of Jews. See whither incogitancy will bring a man! Eusebius concludes contrary to what himself would have. For, affirming the Sceptre was the Jews from Moses time; he proves it by this reason, because the Commonwealth, the Empire, and the whole people of twelve tribes, had their appellation from the one name of Juda. With this argument twice or thrice in several places he triumpheth; and you shall hardly find any other proof of his opinion in the whole discourse. But, by his leave, all this is nothing. For, neither did the Commonwealth, nor the Empire begin to be called after Judas name, till after the greater part of the Israelites, had made a defection, drawn away by Jeroboam, who shortly at Samaria strengthened his Kingdom by introducing a change of ceremonies and Religion. I will make it good to Eusebius, and to all that have any acquaintance with sacred story, that this is so. Eusebius often and with confidence affirms, all the twelve tribes were called by the name of Jews, and hath obtruded this groundless opinion upon unwary men, nor have there been wanting some writers of greatest eminence to defend it. We cannot yield unto it: whether you respect the times antecedent to the seizure of the Kingdom, or subsequent. And, we may conjecture, that Eusebius, although he doth not plainly express his mind, thought it came to pass at the rise of the Empire when the Commonwealth was first settled in the Land of Canaan, and it was debated by what name to call it. But this hath no colour of truth, wherefore that excellent man, the Defender of Eusebius, makes him think otherwise of the time, and what he believes he thought, himself approves and follows. For, saith he, it was observed by Eusebius, that the twelve tribes of Israel received appellation from the name of Juda; and the appellation began to be used, when the Kingly power, which the tribe of Juda had lost in Sedechiah, was by the High Priests transferred upon themselves. And this, saith he, is a thing most worthy of admiration, and fell out by special providence. For, seeing in Polybius his opinion 'twas not without some great cause that the Acheians, a little people of Greece, once gave name to all the Grecians; surely here also we must conceive some more sublime and weighty reason, when after the return from captivity all the children of Abraham of all the tribes were called Jews. This error we neither can, nor aught to excuse. The truth is this: When the Kingdom of the Israelites was rend and divided, two tribes, Levi and Benjamin, joined themselves with the Jews; which tribes being but few in number, and of mean estate, were accounted but for an addition; the Commonwealth was not named from them, but they even lost their own name, and at length the name of Jews was common to them all. There is no doubt to be made of thus much. But what, or how this can concern the other ten tribes, let them consider that are pleased with the conceit. Certainly, after that those ten tribes of Israel were once carried away by Salmanassar the Assyrian, and dispersed through Colchos, Parthia, India, and Ethiopia, they never came back again into their native soil, nor were again conjoined with the Jews: but even to this day, (if there be any relics of them) under the command of barbarous Nations, they suffer the grievous punishment of their Apostasy. Wherefore, to be in the Commonwealth of the Jews, or to have the honour a name from the Jews, was impossble for them who had no familiarity, nothing to do with the Jews, but were seated in another World far off, and beheld a different Heaven, different Stars. It will be worth our pains, and much to the present dispatch, to examine a memorable place, that is in Flavius Josephus, 
* L. 11. c. 5. Antiquit.  an Author of exquisite and unusual diligence, Flavius had spoken first concerning them, who from every quarter out of the neighbouring places came to Babylon, that they might return with Ezra to Jerusalem. They all were Jews, and their Associates of Levi and Benjamin. And then, concerning the Hebrews of other tribes, he adds: But all the people of Israel remained in their 
* Where they were carried by Salmanassar beyond Euphrates.  seats; wherefore both in Asia and in Europe, two tribes only fell under the dominion of the Romans; the other ten do still continue on the other side of Euphrates, being infinite in number and unknown. Verily, they were under a harder fate, whom Salmanassar led into captivity, than whom afterward Nebuchodonozor carried away. For the Israelites were for ever restrained and kept back by the River Euphrates, which they had once passed over. But the Jews passed the same, and repassed, and came again at last into Palestin: and when Palestin itself became either too narrow for them, or less grateful, they enlarged and spread their habitations through Europe and Asia. This is the reason why Josephus said, only two tribes of the Hebrews were brought into subjection by the Romans. For at that time the people of Rome, although they had almost subdued the World, and the Sun did both rise and set within the compass of their Empire, being Lords of the East and West, they had not yet extended their bounds beyond Euphrates. Therefore, that the ten tribes of Israel, shut up in eternal prison by that River, were not then under the Roman power, was truly said by the most accurate Writer.   

CHAP. XI. Their Conjecture that say the Sceptre of Juda was first given to David. The prophecy concerning the Sceptre not fulfilled till after times. When the Sceptre was taken away.  
I Have ingenuously and freely spoken my opinion, when the Sceptre, whereof jacob's prophecy is extant, was given to the Jews: also, what were the members of that Commonwealth, which had its rise and beginning from the Secession of the common people. These things Eusebius did not understand: yet he alone, among so many Interpreters, hath rightly and almost divinely judged of that oracle. The comments of other men I will not relate. But, what Eusebius affirms to have been done from the beginning of the Hebrew Commonwealth, very many conjecture, came to pass at that time, when the royal power was devolved upon David, descended of the tribe of Juda, as the sacred History doth witness. These men have already received such a solid and happy confutation from Eusebius, that no place is left here for the industry of any other. For he shows, that David's posterity possessed the Kingdom only for a small time, until the Babylonian captivity: and the sundry Scriptures that speak of his eternal throne, he hath well and wisely interpreted in relation to the Messiah. To add more of this after Eusebius, were to labour in vain; for by his pains herein, he hath eased every one. It remains only, that we answer their doubt, who wonder why the event came so far behind the prediction concerning the Jewish Commonwealth. For we have said, it began under Rehoboam, and not before. But we give them to understand, this was very agreeable to the meaning of the prophetic Patriarch. For the old Father, before his death, breathing forth his last words to his children, saith, he would tell them, what should come to pass in the later days. Besides, in prophecies, the times are not curiously to be insisted on: for most of them are to be interpreted with very great latitude. Observe, in this very prophecy, when it is said, The Sceptre shall not be taken away, until Shiloh come; you would think 'twere meant, that presently upon the appearance of Messiah, the Sceptre should be snatched out of the hands of that Nation. Which came not so to pass. For the Jews lost not that honour, till the City being destroyed, and the Temple burned, they ceased to have any Commonwealth, and to govern themselves by their own Laws. Nevertheless, the oracle was infallibly true. For although the Saviour of the World had left the earth long before, yet, for certain, these things happened in the same age: which was presignified by the Messiah himself, where he speaks of the destruction of the City and Temple, in these words: Verily, 
Mat. 24.  this Generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. This is enough for the wise. The rest, that love to raise doubts and scruples every where, we regard not. For my part, seeing men of great name fluctuating among uncertain errors, I applied myself to find out some firm ground to rest on, which henceforth I might without danger constantly maintain. For otherwise this matter would have often hindered our proceeding in this Treatise.   

CHAP. XII. Of Dictator's and Judge's. Of the Senate Sanhedrin. Of the initiation of Senators. The imposition of hands: and the solemn words. Who were chosen into that Council, and what was their jurisdiction. Of the people's assemblies.  
WE have showed, that the Commonwealth, of which we discourse, was of all the Hebrews for a long time, and then only of the Jews. The stating whereof concerned us much. Now, having past the trouble of that dispute, let us declare who they were that ruled over the Holy Nation, and what is to be thought of their judicature, and of their Senate. The Divine goodness granted not leave to Moses, to behold in Palestin the beginnings of that Commonwealth, whose Laws he had published in the wilderness. That Grace was vouchsafed to his Successor Josuah, the Captain General and Sovereign of the people; for both at home, and abroad in the War, his word was a Law. His Successors with equal power were they, who, for going in and out before the people, and commanding them, might well be called Praetors and Dictator's, but in the sacred Annals are, for the like reason, named Judges. Flavius hath styled them Monarches, a name, that the Greek writers gave also to Sylla, Cinna, Marius, and other Roman Dictator's. These Judges, in great commotions, were created by necessity: and experience witnessed, that in War they had always good success, when the Kings very often had their rashness requited with ill fortune. Sometime also the same Judges were employed in civil affairs, and heard causes, but those of the greater moment. For they seldom sat in the judgement seat. Only the commands, and the Empire, and the Soveraingty pertained unto them. The last of their number was Samuel, He, whom the Kings followed. Who not content with power and rule, lifted up themselves above the multitude, in their robes and ornaments and splendour of fortune. Moreover, besides the Sovereign Rulers and Judges of the people, and those that were after called Kings, there were others not a few, who consulted of the Commonwealth, gave judgement, and arbitrated business. For there were certain Synedryes or Councils; wherein, who were the Senators, and what where the matters of their cognizance, we must now inquire. In the first place presents itself the great Council of the Sanhedrin, into which were ascribed seventy Adsessors. That Council, constituted by Moses, continued under the Judges, and Kings, and high Priests, until the last desolation of Judaea; and was holden in that City which was the seat of the Sanctuary, and the head of the Commonwealth. But because the first times, and the next to them, are most part obscure, and the Holy Book hath delivered to us nothing of principal consideration concerning the City Shiloh; We will deliver what the Jews have observed of that Council in the Princess of Cities Jerusalem, after the Temple was built there: and then we shall speak of the other Councils, which were either at Jerusalem, or at particular Cities. The Seat of the great Council was in the very Sanctuary, where the seventy Senators judged both of divine and humane things: Men, not chosen from among the Plebeians, but all most noble, commended by their honourable Parentage, and the ancient ornaments of their family. The place was assigned to them by Moses, who commanded they should meet in the place which God should choose to have his name adored there. From these Judges was no appeal. Whatsoever the other Magistrates and Judges in the towns of Palestin and in Jerusalem itself were not able to decide, belonged unto their jurisdiction. Two of them excelled the rest in honour and authority: one was the head of the Sanedrin, by the Talmudists entitled Prince in every place; the other next in degree, but inferior to him, whom they called the Father of judgement. The rest were equal among themselves. This Senatorious dignity, because it was most honourable, was granted to none without a legitimate act, namely, imposition of hands. So, Moses laid his hand upon Josuah and the seventy Elders: which solemnity being performed, presently a divine spirit from above fell down upon them, and filled their breasts. And these, being thus initiated themselves, admitted others after the same way. Yet could not that rite be used without the Holy Land, because all the virtue thereof was confined by the bounds of Palestin. It is very observable, which Maimonides hath delivered in the fourth Chapter of his Halacha Sanhedrin. For whereas of old this act was celebrated at their pleasure, by all those upon whom hands had been once imposed, that right (saith he) was straightened by the wise men, and a constitution made, that no man should after that time use it, but by grant from Rabbi Hillel, that divine old man. He was Prince of the great Council, and had another vice Precedent, Sameas, a man truculent and ambitious; whose followers, when a little after they had risen up against the Disciples of Hillel, stirred the minds of men with so much passion, that willingly the whole people was drawn into their party. At length this imposition of hands, which had been used long, ceased. And there was only pronounced a certain form of words (according to Ben Maimon) of this sense: Behold, the hand is imposed on thee, and power given thee to judge, in criminal causes also. Besides, the Talmudists have told us of another form; whose words, because the illustrious Joseph Scaliger 
* In elen●ho Trihaeres.  hath mistaken, we shall here restore unto their proper sense. The Talmudists, after they had spoken of Juda the son of Baba, a stout defender of the ancient customs of his Nation, and who, when the jurisdiction in criminals and imposition of hands were almost lost, supported the sinking cause, add thus: That solemn act is not only done by the hand imposed, as Moses did to Josuah; but it is also done by a form of words only, after this manner, I impose my hand upon thee, and be the hand on thee imposed. But the excellent Scaliger collected from the place, that Juda had found out a form different from the most ancient, which is there conceived (when 'tis not so, nor do the Talmudists say so) being deceived by a word which be renders, besides, which in Rabbinism signifies only. But this is a Grammatical note, and aught to be left to others. We are here to consider graver matters. Into the Great Council, not only Citizens of prime Nobility, as we have said, but Levits also and Priests were chosen. And the High Priest (saith Maimonides) was elected too, if he were a considering man, and fit for Counsel. Otherwise, it was lawful to lay him aside. For he came not to the Senate by any right of his own, but he was admitted by suffrages. All the Adsessors were required to be entire and perfect in body. Whosoever had any main or deformity was excluded. Nor were strangers and foreiners received into this order, except the Mother at least were a Jew. The Senators of the Sanhedrin had this charge, to make their progress through all Judea, to take a view of the Assemblies of the people, to appoint them Magistrates in every town. And all the virtue and authority of the Cabbala (a mysterious doctrine delivered from hand to hand even from the beginnings of the Common-wealth) was with them. Their part also it was, to make Statutes in sacred matters, and to devise certain ways to expound the Law. Whereof Maimonides hath spoken with great care. Moreover, the causes of Prophets, who had highly offended, were not where tried but in this great Council. Which our Saviour had respect unto, when he said in Luke, It is not possible, that a Prophet should perish out of Jerusalem. Lastly, which is a point of the greatest power, they did also constitute a King, and deliberat of waging War, and giving battle to the enemy, and enlarging the Empire. But because, in these things the common safety, and public state was so much concerned, consultation was therein had (for the most part) with the people. For meetings were called, wherein alone they had some share in the Government. And truly, otherwise they ought not. Honours and Magistracies are committed to single and select men. Plebeians have not strength and skill to bear them. In their meetings (as Aristotle hath discreetly noted) and in conjuncture, the multitude hath some understanding, and can advance the public good, because the wiser men are present and lead the way; but single and apart they have little judgement. Concerning a King then, and concerning War, as I have said, Decrees were made sometimes the people being Author: all other things the Senators of Sanhedrin dispatched by themselves. The weightiest affairs were not too heavy for them, because they were chosen for their worth, and great abilities; by the divine Moses rightly named Elders, not only for their age, but for their wi●dom and experience.   

CHAP. XIII. Of two other Councils at Jerusalem besides the Sanhedrin. The Senate of 23. in every town. The College of 3. The measure of Cities. The 5. men for expiation of slaughter. The 7. men and 3. men for ordering the Calendar. The times disposed by Rabbi Hillel. The authority of Sanhedrin lessened.  
OF the great Senate we have said, what came to mind: the other Councils will not detain us long. The most learned 
* ●n Hala●●a Sanhedrin. c. 1.  Maimonides relates, that in the City of Jerusalem itself were two Councils more. They are described in the 
* In Misna & in Gemara.  Talmud. In either of them sat three and twenty Judges. And as the Great Council was held in that part of the Temple, which is called Gazith, so one of these at the Courtgate, the other was kept at the Gate opening to the Mount of the Temple. The Dignity of them also was not the same: for the Judges at the Mount-Gate, took it for a preferment to be ascribed into the Senate at the Ourt-gate. And again, it was a new degree of honour to ascend hence into the Sanedrin. The distinction is exactly made by Rabbi Ben Maimon. Farther, beside these Councils at Jerusalem, there was constituted in every town of Palestin, a Senate for jurisdiction and the care of public affairs. It consisted of 23. men, who sat in judgement upon the life and fortunes of the people, and decided all causes, except a few reserved, as is aforesaid, to the great Council. Ben Maimou also describes a certain College of three men, and saith it was in such a City, which had not a hundred and twenty inhabitants. But I am of Aristotle's mind, that this is not a City. For, as it is not a Ship, which is of one handful, or of two furlongs: so is it not a City, which wanteth a just measure; if it be too little, it cannot (as a City should) subsist by itself; and too much greatness turns it from a City to a Nation. But we must not call a Rabbi to so strict account. It was the office of those three, to judge of trespasses of moneys, and goods movable. The Capital offenders were brought (as I have showed) before another Bench. 
●hedrin, c. 5.  Ben Maimon 
* In Halucho Sanhedrin. c. 5.  adds, somethings were of such a kind that they belonged neither to the seventy Elders, nor to the College of twenty three, nor to the three men: but were to be referred to a peculiar Senate. In which number he reckons manslaughter committed by an uncertain hand in the borders of any town. Five men (saith he) must expiate this by the Sacrifice of a Heifer. The same Author hath more of this nature, which I willingly praetermit. For we do not repeat Dictates. That may seem strange, that the ordering of times was commended to certain Judges; for, 
* In eadem Halacha, eod. cap.  concerning the Leap-year, seven, concerning the month, three men determined. But Hillel the Babylonian afterward acquitted all his Countrymen of this care: the prime man of his age, of whom we have this honourable testimony from Rabbi Abraham 
* In libro juchasin.  Zacuth: Rabbi Hillel, precedent of the great Council composed the Intercalation for all Israel till the times of Messiah; and that was done by him, before the Lawful act of imposition of hands was abrogated. Had not this same Hillel maturely prevented so great an evil, certainly the times would have been much confused; for, not long after ceased the solennity of imposing hands, without which those seven men and three men were not appointed overseers and correctors of the Calendar, as Maimonides observeth. But no more of this, lest the Reader think we prepare an accurate and perfect work, whereas we only thrust out our sudden and tumultuary Meditations. And we desire it may be noted, whatsoever we have said of Councils hath relation to the time before Judaea had received the Roman conqueror. For he changed and repealed many things, not for his lust or pleasure, nor out of any cruel design, but that he might secure his Dominion. Gabinius chief, the Proconsul of Syria, seeing the principal pillar of the Commonwealth was the Sanhedrin, thought it good policy to take away the authority thereof in many towns. Wherefore at Gadar, Amath, Hiericho, and Sephor he settled four Synedries, and a fift at Jerusalem (now but a part of what she was) all of equal power. And the Councils placed by Gabinius in the other Cities, as they were not inferior to that in Jerusalem for power, so were they far beyond it in continuance. These are meant, if I mistake not, by 
* In l. 17. c. de Jud. & Cal.  Justinian, when he requires a Canon, from the primates, who rule the Synedries of either Palestin. But we make no excursion into these times. The ancient Commonwealth and primitive Institutions are under our consideration. To inquire into the rest, and set down things that were often changed, were unhappily to place our study, where no certain truth can be delivered.   

CHAP. XIV. The creation of a King. A bad one first chosen, why. What qualities the Prophet had respect unto. The Book of the Kingdom laid up. The power of the Hebrew Kings. Their honour above Priests and Prophets. Kings and Priests at first the same. The anointing of Kings made them sacred. The Holy Ointment hid by Josia, and lost with other things.  
RAbbi Ben Maimon 
* In part. post. Misnae.  saith, the Israelites received three commands from God, to be fulfilled in Palestin; the first whereof was, to make themselves a King; another to blot out the memory of the Amalekites; the third concerning the building of a Temple. The performance whereof (saith he) was at several times and long distant, but in the same order wherein they were commanded. For a King was created before the War with Amalek, and the building of the Temple was not begun, until that most odious Nation was brought to an end, and quite destroyed. The testimonies illustrious, which are related by the same Author, need not be transcribed hither. In the 17 of Deuteronomy the most high God, saying the Israelites would desire a King, adds the truest reason of it, because all the neighbouring Nations lived under the royal Government. For such is the nature and disposition of men, inhabiting that part of the world: few prefer liberty before subjection unto just Lords. And Claudius Civilis in Tacitus truly saith to his Batavians, that Syria and Asia serve, and the East is accustomed to the yoke of Kings. This being so, many have admired, why God took it ill, that the Sovereign power was transferred from Samuel to a King, since he had approved it before, and said it should be according to the inclination of the holy people. Maimonides answers learnedly, that the divine Indignation arose from hence, Because they desired a King by unfaithful complaints and seditious murmur, not that they might comply with God's design in the Law, but out of a distaste of the most holy Prophet Samuel: to whom it was spoken by the voice of God. They have not rejected thee, but me. Verily I am of this opinion, and I doubt not to assert it, that the Kingdom was given to Saul, not out of God's love and care of the Commonwealth, but because he perceived his arrogance and cruelty, he meant to glorify Samuel by this unequal comparison, and by such a successor make his virtue the more desirable. The qualities seem but light and superficial, but they are of great moment, which (as the Holy Book in several places hath it) were considered by Samuel in the King's election: a graceful look, talness of body, and such like, which affect and draw the eyes and minds of all. These are the things, which the great Prophet, in the midst of the Assembly, commended, when he spoke these words: 
1 Sam. 10.24.  Behold, whom God hath chosen: that there is none equal to him in all the people. Wherefore, it is not the property of Barbarians only, but of the most civil men, to think them capable of great achievements, whom nature hath graced with a goodly form and stately countenance. No less a man than Aristotle hath pronounced thus: If any personages are by nature framed so much more excellent than others, as the images of Gods excel the images of men, it seemeth meet, that the rest should be servants unto such. If this be true in the body, much more in the soul: but the souls form and beauty cannot be so easily discerned. To leave this: In the Holy Bible is mentioned a certain volume, 
1 Sam. 10.25.  wherein Samuel wrote the sacred rights of the Kingdom, and laid it up in the Tabernacle. A text not well understood by Josephus; who imagined all the evils, which God foretold the people they should fear from an unjust King were comprehended in that volume. We on the contrary believe, there were in that Book the Laws, which commanded the King to follow justice and equity, and to govern the Commonwealth wisely for the people's good: also, not to play the Prince in lusts and riots: lastly, to retain modesty in the greatness of his fortune, a virtue well becoming the best of men, and very pleasing unto God. The matter is delivered in Deuteronomy thus: 
Deut. 17.15, etc.  Thou shalt set him King over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose: One from among thy Brethren shalt thou set King over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy Brother. But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt. For as much as the Lord hath said unto you, ye shall henceforth return no more that way. Neither shall he multiply Wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. And it shall be when he sitteth upon the throne of his Kingdom, that he shall write him a Copy of this Law in a Book, out of that which is before the Priests the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this Law, and these Statutes to do them: That his heart be not lifted up above his Brethren. These words of the Law are not obscure, and they seem to contain the sum of that volume, which the great Prophet laid up in the Sanctuary. We said 
* Cap. 8.  above, the Jews had such a Commonwealth, which in the Scripture is called a Priestly Kingdom. Whence it follows, that their Kings did not only govern in civil affairs, and military, but were Precedents of Religion and holy Ceremonies. For they were sacred persons, to whom God's Commission and the voice of a Prophet gave Empire, honour and authority. Yet as the Oversight of Sacred things, the Sovereign power and judgement pertained unto them, so the mystery and charge of the same things was of right claimed by the Levites, that is, the High Priest, the rest of the Priests, and their assistants. It was their office, to slay the Sacrifices, to make expiations, to rehearse the divine Laws before the people, and to perform other services in the Temple. The talmudical writers well observe how much the King excelled all, both Priests and Prophets: which we will relate out of 
* In Halucha Melachim, cap. 2.  Maimonides. The words are to this effect: It was a Statute, that the chief Priest should reverence the King, and yield him his place to sit in, and himself stand, when the King came to him. But, the King standeth not in the presence of the Priest, unless when he consults the Urim after the solemn manner. And, such is the dignity of the King, that even the Prophet himself, as oft as he comes into his presence, bows himself down to the earth: as it is written, Nathan the Prophet came before the King, and, to honour him, fell upon his face to the ground. Yet more, David himself, whom the Prophet formerly had anointed King, so little feared to take upon him the honour of the High Priest, that he put upon himself the Ephod, and enquired of the Lord, whether he should pursue the enemy. The place is eminent in the Book of Samuel, 
Cap. 30. v. 7.  perverted by the late Interpreters, men very learned, but here they seem indiligent. Let all men judge that have any skill in the original, whether the words translated by them, Applicavit sibi Abiathar amiculum, Davidis causa, signify not the same I have said, that David, having put on the Ephod of Abiathar, consulted the Oracle [The English Bible reads it, And Abiathar brought thither the Ephod to David. Grotius de Imperio c. 6. reads it in this sense, Abiathar made the Ephod to come near to David, that as he stood before the high Priest (which the King only did when he consulted Urim) he might see whether the sparkling of the prectous stones would promise him good success. Abiathar then had the Ephod upon him, not David. The Urim answered. i e. God by the Urim. vide locum.] But let us give you some more of our Collections from the Rabbins. Herein also consisted an high point of honour, 
Maim. c. 2. in Hal. M●l. & c. 7. Hal. Beth. Habb.  that the King only, and no man else, might sit in the Court of the Temple, in any place; only the King who was of David's family. That Court was divided by certain spaces, one part for the Priests, another assigned for the people; Yet the Priests cuuld not sit down, though within their own prescribed bounds. The Senators of Sanhedrin had right to sit: 
Maimon ib.  but, in the midst of that place which the profane common people had. Never did the more sacred spaces of the Court behold any man sitting, but the King: this being his Prerogative, as if he were nearer to God than the Priests themselves, and a greater Precedent of Religion. And, if we go to other Nations, Aristotle saith, in the first times the same person, for the most part, was both King and Priest. This was not depraved custom, being in use, while people followed nature more incorruptly, and saw what was right, so much better, by how much nearer they were to the divine original. But, to speak of the Hebrew Kings, their sacredness depended much upon their being anointed. This was proper to them and the high Priests, as the Talmud saith, That anointing added a divine Majesty to the Kings, and made them sacred, and allied unto God. The reason, why in those times they ordered or restored Religion, was not because they were Prophets: (that's a groundless and erroneous opinion, for except David, and perhaps Saul, no one of the rest prophesied of things to come:) but Salonion and Jehoshaphat and Ezechiah and Josiah, and others exercised power and authority over things divine, because the virtue of the sacred Ointment had been communicated to them. This Ointment Moses was directed to make of those aromatic ingredients which 
* In Hal. Cele Hammik. c. 1.  Maimonides describes. And the Talmud saith, it was used for initiation and consecration until the times of J●siah, who hide it under ground in the Temple, in a secret place prepared carefully long before by Solomon, upon notice of the prophecies, that the Temple should at last be thrown down by the Assyrians. In the same secret place (as the Tradition also is) the Ark of the Covenant, and Aaron's red, and the stones Urim and Thummim, with the residue of Manna, were laid up by Josiah: and none of them all was restored to the Jews, when upon their return from Babylon into their native seat, they built the second Temple. Wherefore, since that time the Kings and Priests received not the same Majesty from the mysterious initiation. Nor was the Deity so propitious to their ceremonies and sacred rites, as before The Jews have a proverb among them, related by 
* In libro Juchasia.  Rabbi Zacuth: The fire lay upon the Altar, as a Dog, because the virtue of it was extinct, after the five things were wanting in the later temple: but in the former, that fire was like a Lyon. The learned writer plainly saith, the five things were wanting, which even now we said were so hidden by Josiah, that posterity never found them.   

CHAP. XV. Jeroboams policy to get the Kingdom. The declination and change of Commonwealths. Scipio 's moderation. The disposition of common people. Samaria an imperial City. Change of Religion a secret of State. The division of the ten tribes, and the miserable effects of it. The Captivity of the I sraelites, and of the Jews. Babylon enlarged by the spoils of Jerusalem. The return of the Jews, and the Dominion of the Levites.  
THe unity of the Hebrew nation, and the frame of that goodly Empire was cleft in two by Jeroboams policy, a man no less ambitious than valiant. Being commander of the Tribe of Joseph in the War, and put in hope of the Kingdom by the Prophet, rightly conceiving Princes are made by Providence, He applied his vast and climbing spirit to obtain the Dominion. First he attempted the Soldier's faith, endeavouring to draw away their affections from Solomon to himself: but the Plot being discovered, to avoid punishment he left his Country, and hid his head in Egypt. After the death of Solomon he returned and met with a conjuncture of affairs very favourable to his great designs. The heavy tributes, the unjust exactions were a fair pretence, which he gladly laid hold on to stir up the common people: and so brought all into a combustion, and became the Author of very great calamities, that quickly invaded Palestin. Verily, so it usually comes to pass, that no great Commonwealth hath a fortune long continuing at one stay. The Hebrews were now come to the height of their prosperity. All was safe and quiet, incredible was the increase of riches, the Kings and Princes near and far off were friends, and no room now was left for their greatness to extend itself. Wherefore, being uncapable of any farther increase, what remained, but that it should according to the Law of fate, decrease, and (which is the most miserable condition of humane affairs) decline to the worse. Scipio Africanus, when he purged the City by Sacrifice, being Censor, and the Scribe rehearsed to him the solemn prayer, that the Gods would advance the Commonwealth of Rome, said, it was great enough already, and desired the Gods only to preserve it: commanding the prayer, in the public record, should be thus corrected. The most prudent Roman well knowing, that the celestial bounty doth not so favour its own gifts, as to make them always peculiar to any people, feared a vicissitude and change of fortune, proceeding (as he doubtless had in his thoughts) not only from a foreign Invader, but from domestic causes; every State breeding, within her own bowels, diseases to consume and destroy itself. Jerusalem is an example. The most flourishing City in the world, where David and Solomon, two most potent and most wise Kings, had made a deep and secure peace, could not long continue quiet. For, Solomon being dead, although she had no enemy abroad, she found one at home. Jeroboam, of whom I spoke, a man of a most turbulent spirit, arose; who in short time with better success effected the rebellious design he had before unprosperously attempted. An Assembly being called, he accused the public State, and the condition of the times, and the Princes do, in the presence of the people: whose ears (he knew) are ever open, and glad to hear ill reports of their Superiors. Liberty and other specious names he pretended, when his secret thoughts were, how to enslave others, and get Dominion to himself. The people, inflamed by his violent words, fell presently into seditious ways, whereby the most ancient Kingdoms and the greatest Commonwealths usually go to ruin, or at least are changed. Forthwith, the Captain of the Rebellion drew off the ten Tribes, whom he had prevailed with, from the territories of Jerusalem; and, to secure his dominion, and settle it, chose Samaria for his Imperial City. That his Government might be more firm, he altered many customs of the Nation, and devised another worship of the deity, a new Religion. For, setting up calves to be adored, he renewed the old superstition, and made Religion, (the cement of Commonwealths) a tye upon the people, to keep them in his obedience, when he could not oblige them by the goodness of his cause. After which time, the twelve Tribes of Israel, drunk with their sweet abominations, reeled more and more from Jerusalem, and refused (as upon their God's command) to have any Communion with the Inhabitants thereof. And now, whatsoever cause of hostility there happened else, the greatest reason always seemed that, which was taken from their different Religions. Thus began the Kingdom of Israel, divers from that of the Jews, the seat whereof was at Jerusalem. And here is the spring of all the calamities that came upon the Hebrews. For, being weakened by themselves, and having drawn much blood from one another, they were made a prey to foreign Nations, who before were invincible against all the world. Now Susac the Egyptian spoiled the holy City and the Temple, and by way of disgrace set Pillars in several places, upon which were carved ('tis a shame to speak) the secrets of Women. A fact, which Herodotus, ascribes unto Sesostris, by mistake of the name, as Flavius hath rightly judged. A bitter calamity, this: but the things which a long time after were suffered both by the Jews and Israelites, were far more grievous. And first by Salmanassar the Assyrian, was quite destroyed and overthrown, the Empire of the ten Tribes. The whole Nation, being carried into Media and Persia, gave place to the profane Hittites, whom Esarhaddon soon after sent out of Persia into Palestin to inhabit the Land of Israel. So do Kings, according to their pleasure, use to translate Nations, like Cattle, which Shepherds drive sometimes into their Winter, sometimes into their Summer pasture. For by this means people are tamed and softened, and they that dare any thing at home, are held under quiet subjection in a strange Land. Never had the Israelites, after that time, the happiness to return into their own Country, or to repair the ruins of their Commonwealth. They had so highly offended God by their impious Idolatry, that no length of time, nor revolution of ages, could pacify his wrath. The Israelites being thus gone into their eternal exile, the Jews remained to receive their due punishment likewise. Which was inflicted on them as surely, though more slowly. In the reign of Zedekiah, Nebuchodonozor with a mighty army subdued Egypt and Syria: and burnt to ashes the City of Jerusalem, and the Temple, a place of infinite opulency. In which time, Himself, upon news of Nabolassars death, hastening home to take possession of the Kingdom, left Commission with his Commanders, to bring away the Jews to Babylon and the places thereabout. There he assigned them their seats, and Fields, in the culture whereof this new Colony might spend their time and get their living. Venerable monuments of antiquity remain of Berosus Annals, wherein 'tis written, that Nebuchodonozor, out of the spoils brought thence, built a Temple to Belus, enlarged Babylon according to the Majesty of his Empire, and girt it with Walls of Brick: Moreover, made Gardens in the Air, and pendent Woods in favour of his Wife, who having been bred in the mountainous parts of Media, delighted in the prospect of Woods growing in high places. Whence appears the vanity of that which the Grecians have delivered with great consent, that Semiramis raised those admired works. For they are confuted by an Author in Flavius beyond all exception; namely Berosus the Chaldean, who (as all men have believed) is most ancient, and with very great Religion and truth hath consecrated the affairs of his own Nation to eternal memory. But the Jews were not punish● so grievously by the hand of God, nor so long as the Israelites. They lived in a gentle and easy exile, as in a Country of their own: and, after seventy years were gone about, they were restored to Palestin, rebuilt their City and Temple, and established their Commonwealth again. Here now was the state of things much different from what it was before. For, the Empire which before was in the House of David, was now usurped by the Levits, after a various manner. These men, having gotten into their hands the Supreme Power, advanced the Commonwealth indeed to the height of riches and greatness; but, while they contend among themselves for power and honour, they trod under foot both divine and humane things. So little of piety and modesty did the most sacred name of Religion give to them, whom God had selected for himself, out of all the rest, and separated so long ago, that among the holy offices and ceremonies, they should lead their lives, far from ambition and vain glory.   

CHAP. XVI. The Priests have the Government. Their evil behaviour. Of the sons of Elisab. The temple of Garizin built. The wickedness of Onias. The virtue of Mathias, and of Judas Maccabaeus. Alcimus his outrage. Judea again under Kings. Of Herod, his cruelty, and iniquity.  
OF the Tribe of Levi, after the restauration of the City and Temple, first the High Priests ruled all, without assuming the Title of Prince or King. These enjoyed themselves, or disposed of to others, all favour, wealth and power: the rest were Plebeians, without honour, without authority. Therefore, they that were but Levites were competitors, for so great a preferment; and used all endeavour, some by force, some by fraud and fallacies, few by the true way, to attain unto it. Nothing can be imagined more dishonourable, than what the two Sons of the high Priest Elisab committed after their Father's death. For both Jesus, by the help of a barbarous Captain, went about wickedly to deprive his Brother Jannes of the high Priesthood, which he had received according to the Law: and Jannes, to retain his right, became guilty of a greater wickedness; for he slew the same Jesus with his own hand, in the temple of God, and sprinkled the altars with his Brothers Blood. Jannes not long after had for his successor Jaddus; Whose Pontificate likewise his Brother Manasses devoured in his hopes: but having married, against the Law, a strange Woman, the Daughter of Sanballet, whence arose a tumult amongst the people, he quickly perceived a necessity lying upon him, either to lose his affinity with so potent a Father-law, or else relinquish his hopes of the Priesthood. Here, upon long deliberatioa with himself, at last, having communicated his Counsels to his Father-in-Law, he conceived a notable enterprise, which all posterity talks of, none approves. For he resolved to erect a Temple in Garizin, the highest mountain of Samaria, and shortly received power to do so, from Alexander, by the mediation of Sanballet. Thus he, that was not capable of the most honourable office at Jerusalem, because he had violated the Law, became Highpriest, as he could, in another place, and in the possession of it thought himself in Heaven. See the heart of a most wicked man, in whom you may doubt whether his ambition or impiety were the greater. Yet was this but a small thing, in comparison of what Onias the fourth did, out of a desire of domination. Being made Highpriest, and seeing himself too weak for Jason's faction, to get the favour of Antiochus Epiphanes, whose protection he needed, he forswore the Mosaic Laws, and instead of them admitted the Religions and rites of the Grecians. And more, that he might not bear in his Body the marks of Circumcision, he renewed his foreskin by Physical Art, and persuaded all his people to do the like. Afterward, Antiochus Epiphanes, the Highpriest being his Minister, impiously perverted all the institutions of the Jews. And now nothing of the sound and the ancient customs remained when Mathias the Hasm●naean, the great restorer of the State, having taken up Arms, rendered to the Jews their Laws, and received the Commonwealth under his Rule, with the title of Prince. Being deceased, to him succeeded Judas in the Principality, the same that is called Maccabaeus. Yet was there great power and authority in the Highpriest. Wherefore Antiochus Eupator after that time, cunningly having got entrance into Jerusalem, when he disinherited Onias, upon whom he saw the people and the State affairs depended much, placed Alcimus in his room. But he, being gotten into the holy chair, was more depraved than his Predecessor; for he went over to King Demetrius the Son of Seleucus, with criminations against Judas, whose principality he could not away with. Impiety can be never quiet, nor content with a single transgression. Wherefore he brought against his own Country the King's Lieutenant Bacohides, with an Army; and after his return to the King without effecting the work, he increased the Companies left by Bacchides, by the concourse of wicked men. From every place were gathered unto Alcimus, Murderers, Sacrilegious Persons, Adulterers; whom their guilty consciences would not suffer to rest at home: and he engaged them all to do him service, by fair words and bountiful pay. At the last, this gallant Priest, to add more unto his glorious impiety, prepared to throw down the Walls of the Sanctuary raised by the Prophets and the Hasidaeans; But in the midst of his design death cut him off, and in his place the people constituted, in the most sacred office, their Prince Judas; the first of all the Jews that joined the Mitre and the Crown together, and was both Prince and Priest. The same was done, after him, by Jonathan, Simon and Jannes: until Aristobulus, the name of Prince being laid aside, took upon him the title of King. And so, in the end, long after the death of Zedekiah, Kings again ruled over Judaea, but they were of the Tribe of Levi; the last of whom was Antigonus. Antigonus being expelled and slain, Herod held the Sceptre, which he had before received from the Romans: a man, not indeed descended of the Royal family, no nor of the Sacerdotal, but one of Idumaea, an insititious Jew or Proselyte; for the Idumaeans were not truly Jews, but only accounted and called so, since the time that Hircanus forced them to submit to the rites and ceremonies of the true God, when before they worshipped, I know not what good, Gosan, whose rites were kept by the Costobari, a noble family in that Country. Famous was that prophecy of Sameas, who had long since foretold, that Herod should be given the Jews for a King, but to be a Plague unto them. Even so it came to pass. This Idumaean presently put to death Aristobulus the Highpriest, being very young; and after him Hircanus, alured out of Parthia; and after him, whatsoever remained of the Hasmonaean blood, he extinguished, and left not any branch of the old stock. Nor did the seventy Elders, the Assessors of the Great Council Sannedrin, speed better. Thus all being removed out of the way, who might create him either fear or danger, Herod grew up to his height, and the greatness of his power gave him boldness to break forth into great licence; for he altered the old customs of the Jews, and brought in new, and did many things contrary to the Laws. Whereof let us hear Josephus speaking thus: The ancient discipline, untainted before, he weakened with Innovations: whence, in our following times, we have had no small harm; for all those things, whereby the multitude was heretofore led unto piety, are now neglected and despised.   

CHAP. XVII. Of Messiah, King of the Jews and all Nations. The everlasting throne is his. A word in Esay written mystically. Balaams' prophecy in the sense of the Jews. The singular nature of Messiah's Kingdom. The reprehender of Maimonides censured. Ezekiel's obscure vision, not to be curiously searched.  
ANd in this manner, after the Jews return out of Babylon, they were in possession of the Empire that had no right unto it; first the High-Priests, than the Hasmonaean Princes, being also Levites, than Kings of the same tribe, and lastly Herod the Idumaean; He, under whom was born Messiah, the King of Kings, a branch of David's family. To him alone must be referred that promise God made to David, that his throne should be everlasting, and his seed should sit therein. Certainly, it is not spoken of Solomon, nor of any other of his race; for, the kingdom once lost, they never recovered after the Babylonian exile. Wherefore, unless we will (which were great impiety) make the promise of God vain and false, we must understand that Son of David to be the Messiah, our Redeemer, of whom the Angel hath pronounced that which is written in St. Luke: Of his Kingdom there shall be no end. The words are taken out of the ninth of Esaiah, where Rabbi Jarchi notes: It was subtly disputed by the Scribes, why in the midst of a word, contrary to custom, the letter Man is closed. A doubt not to be contemned. Thereby is signified (as the Talmudists are of opinion) some great mystery, not opened promiscuously unto all, but close and reserved. Amongst all the Oracles in Scripture, concerning the greatest King Messiah, the Jews think none so worthy of admiration, as that which Balaam uttered by divine instinct. Num. 24. But the same Interpreters, looking narrowly into the Prophet's meaning, sagely found, the words are not all spoken of one King: but the oracle is so to be divided, that part may belong to David, who first of Judas race possessed the Kingdom, the rest to the Messiah, the last King indeed of the same race, but greater and more potent than all the other. Maimonides in the end of his Misna hath handled this exactly. And the same excellent Master there refutes those, that expect in the Kingdom of Messiah another face of nature, and a new course of things going on perpetually. For, saith he, they understood not the words of Esaiah in the 12. Chapter. The dark say whereof do signify, that all pious and good men shall have such quietness in the midst of the wicked, that they need not fear. Nor hath Rabbi Abraham the Son of David any just reason to reprehend Maimonides for this: whose other reprehensions too, for the most part, are more sharp than solid, they make a show of reason, but, when they are examined, come to nothing. As oft as I survey the sacred places, the rites and Religious solemnities, described by the most holy Prophet Ezekiel in the last part of his Book, I consider with myself, what they mean, or whither they are to be referred. So different are they from Moses precepts, and the Jewish customs, as themselves confess. What opinion is to be had of them, the 
* In tract. Menachoth.  Talmud hath resolved, and 
* In Misna, l. 8. c. 2.  Maimonides hath in brief expressed: All manner of offerings, spoken of in Ezekiel, and whatsoever is there written of the number of Sacrifices, and of the order of divine worship, are nothing else but the pacific oblations, which have not been used in former ages by the people; but the Prophet shows, how they shall be performed at the dedication of the new Altar, in the times of Messiah, when the third Temple shall be built. This is no Jewish dream, nor talmudical conceit, but a certain Truth. The Prophet hath described another Temple, which should be in Messiah's reign, and other sacred rites: and hath measured the structure of the Temple, the Courts, the Gates, and the rest, by an accurate rule of the work. The form of it, say the Jews, is not fully understood, but Ezra, when he built the second Temple after the pattern of salomon's, followed also the description of ezekiel's third Temple, so far as the capacity of the most holy man could reach, in so obscure and perplexed a matter. This we learn from the Prince of Rabbins in 
* In Hal. Beth. Hab. c. 1.  another place. Nevertheless, it is no little blindness in the Jews, that they hope for such a Temple to be built by the Messiah, which may be seen with the eyes, and approached with the feet. We that are born in Messiah's Kingdom know full well, 'tis otherwise. All the Prophet's words, of the measure of the buildings, and the parts, have another more secret sense; but what that sense is, and how the words are to be explained, is hard to say. For my part, with Xenophane in Varro, I would have every man to set down what he thinketh, not what he will assert; for man may have an opinion of such things, God alone knows them certainly. Truly the Jews when they mention some pieces of the Bible, the reading whereof is interdicted youth, put the end of Ezekiel's prophecy in that rank. And not without cause. For the whole discourse is more obscure than Plato's number. Let them all, who would seem the greatest proficients in divine wisdom, call hither their industry: they will sweat enough, before they open the least of the things laid up in those leaves. The best interpreter can but give a handsome conjecture at the utmost, and when all is done we must remain unresolved. This is certain, that these, and some other things of like kind, are such, as the most high God hath set above the reach of humane wit; for, though in this light of the Gospel, great progress hath been made into science, yet somewhat is still left for admiration. Wherefore to go farther into these secrets, than the bounds prescribed to us by the Holy Spirit, would be a very unwise adventure.   

CHAP. XVIII. The State of the Jews after Messiah's coming. Of their restitution yet expected. The dignity of that Nation even at this day. How much our Religion owes to the Jews. The Scripture not corrupted by them. The Masorites diligence and fidelity.  
IT was the pleasure of the immortal God, that the Jews should be called a Royal Priesthood, and a chosen Generation, and that his sacred rites and ceremonies should be embraced by them alone, until the day shined forth, that shown the Messiah to the world. From that time, the Son of God ordained, that the celestial benefits, long confined unto one Nation, should be common to all; the Tidings whereof, sent abroad far and wide, profited believers only. Here we must admire at the strange conversion of things. For the great Author of Salvation, who had left his heavenly throne to relieve the miseries of men, was entertained by profane Nations with joy and veneration: but the Jews, to whom more than one Prophet had signified both the place and time of his coming, knew him not, when he was come and presented himself amongst them. So great a dulness had seized on them. Their eyes were blind, when their thoughts were on other matters and refused to behold what was set before them in the midst. Hereupon they were abdicated and cast off by God, and even to this day they eat Pottage, and deplore their lost birthright. Their crime is engraven in the Hardest Adamant, saith Jeremy the Prophet. Nor did they deprecate their punishment, but called it to themselves saying. His blood be upon us, and upon our Children. Very memorable is that which S. Paul writeth to the Romans: 
Rom. 11. v. 25.  I would not have you ignorant of this mystery, that hardness, in part, hath happened unto Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. Certainly there will come a time, when the Jews shall be reduced into the right path, who do now wander miserably through ignorance of the way. The Suns of all days are not yet gone down: their light shall once again break forth unto them: and though they are fallen, they are not fallen away for ever. Ezekiel also hath published some prophecies in favour of them. Ch. 36. The Prophet faith, a new heart shall be given them from Heaven, and a better understanding shall dwell in their breast. Then shall the veil be taken off, which Moses put upon his face; for they shall convert themselves unto God, who suffered them to live in darkness, and in ignorance of the greatest matters, that at last he might take occasion to show his old loving kindness. And on this wise do we commodiously interpret these words of Paul: 
2 Cor. 3.16.  When Israel shall be turned to the Lord; the veil shall be taken away: a very obscure place to many, and wherein some have taken much pains. The thing of which we speak, is of such consequence, that justly we cannot henceforth be altogether averse from the Jews, as if they were given up to public hatred, when as yet so great hopes are remaining for them. And truly S. Paul doth them reverence, and extols them with high praise, even while they are in error. 
Rom. 9.4.5.  To whom (saith he) pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the Covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the service of God, and the promises: Whose are the Fathers, and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came. What Nobility could be greater? So many Patriarches, and Prophets, and Kings, they number among their forefathers; and so many brave men, and men of divine virtue, whose names are consecrated in Heaven. I confess, all the Jews at this day are of a base and illiberal disposition; and, if you look upon their course of life, you can hardly find any thing worthy of noble and erected spirits: Neither do we marvel at the cause hereof. For these things go in a round, and as the times are turned, so are men's manners. Verily, the same day that deprived them of the fair light of liberty, and struck the Sceptre out of their hands, did also so abate the edge of their ingenuous spirits, that they have no more vigour now, nor keeness in them. Servitude dwarves the mind, and enchains the spirit, and chokes all the seeds of generosity. What high thoughts can they possibly have, who, for so many years, through the whole world, have been wearied out with so great scorn and contumely? whom Children, in contempt, have pulled by the sleeve, and men by the beard? lastly, upon whom the fury of all the Caesars spent itself. Tiberius' distributed their young men, sending them as it were for Soldiers, into the Provinces of unwholesome air. The air of Sardinea was very pestilent, Thither are four thousand commanded away, to meet an untimely death. Titus cast almost as many to the beasts, when he set forth shows at Berytum and Caesarea. Trajan himself, the mildest of all the Princes, decreed they should not read the Law; so did other Emperors after him at several times. This was the greatest of afflictions, and by Rabbi Zacuth is numbered among the persecutions: They decreed (saith he) a persecution, that the Jews should not read the Law. But these things were done by Pagans: Let us, who are joined to them with a closer bond, show them more favour, having this communion with them, to hear the commands of one and the same God. Truly S. Paul desires to lay down his life for them, so fervent is his charity to the Nation. And it is his saying, 
Rom. 11.16.  If the first fruits be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. I will not now ambitiously celebrate their praises: for we abhor from nothing more; than such Vanity. Yet, as to these later times, the truth is, if we cast up the account rightly, out Religion is much indebted to that people. For who are they but the Jews, that have preserved for us the sacred volumes of the Bible safe and sound? How many Erratas had stolen into the Holy Scriptures, had the custody thereof been committed only to such as Lactantius, Austin, Gregory, Chrysostom, most holy men indeed, but unskilful of the Hebrew tongue? Amongst all the Greek and Latin Fathers that governed the ancient Church, Origen, and (to speak the most) Jerom were the only Hebricians: the rest had not learned so much as the very Letters; Wherefore if the carelessness of Transcribers had made default, they were not the men that could make amends. But this was all the Jews only study, and their sole care, to vindicate the Books of Moses, and the Prophets, and the other holy writings, from the injuries of time. This is their proper praise: wherein no other Nation claimeth any share. There is an eminent place in Rabbi Abraham 
* In libre Juchasin:  of Salmantica, whence we learn. That all the Copies of the Bible were amended according to a certain Book of venerable antiquity, written long before by the hand of Rabbi Hillel, Highpriest of the Jews, who came from Babylon into Syria sixty years before the Nativity of our Lord God Jesus Christ. In the Kingdom of Leon (saith he) they found the Bible written by Rabbi Hillel, and by it corrected all their Copies; part of it I saw, which was sold in Afric, and was written 900. years before my time. Kimhi in his Grammar saith, the Pentateuch was at the City of Toledo. At that time therefore the Jews were the only Correctors to keep the context of the Bible pure. Indeed, it had been easy for them, to alter and corrupt those places, which seemed to condemn their follies, when the Christians understood scarce three words of Hebrew: but piety withstood, and Religion would not permit them to change what was sacred. Nevertheless, some have charged them with unfaithfulness in describing much of the text; but these men have already had sufficient answer from learned 
* 8. Explan. Esaiae.  Origen. As for me, when I consider the unwearyed diligence and infinite pains of the Masorites, I do even stand amazed; for, having revised accurately, and compared all the parts of the Hebrew Bible, they signed them with certain notes. This was done after the destruction of the second Temple, about the year 436. It was observed by them, not only how many Verses and words, but also how many Letters every Book contained. Wherefore, that afterward, when extreme barbatism oppressed the world, no tittle of that most excellent Book was lost, is a benefit we owe to them. Not without cause have the Rabbins said, The Masora is as it were the wall and the hedge of the Law. In Rabbi Zacuth above cited, are Judaical trifles, whereby forsooth it is concluded, that the Accents and the Points were extant in the time of Ezra; which I therefore mention, that it may be added to the rest of those vain arguments alleged by some, who in our time deny them to be the invention of the Masorites. And in the same Rabbis Book, by the same proof is the Targum of Onkelos referred to Ezra's age. Which, although it be false, and easily discovers how little worth the other is, yet will find some to defend it, the rather, that the other may not fall. Many are so obstinately given, they care not what they say, if it may but serve to maintain the opinion they have once embraced. That the reading of the holy Scripture is not uncertain, and subject to any more variation, we thankfully acknowledge the care and pains of the Jews, who lived in the later times, after the destruction of the second Temple: For, when they were fallen from their great and wealthy State, they made it their business, amidst their extreme calamity, to save out of the common Shipwreck this one Chest of inestimable value. And this is that we love them for; the rest deserve our compassion: For they read the Tittles, and Letters, and Books, but they read them only, not regarding nor seeking the true and sacred sense. So that, the saying of their own well agrees unto themselves: They make that which is fundamental, a lesser matter; and the lesser matter, fundamental. And, which is worst of all, they are not sensible of their Childishness and folly; for, whereas all their infelicity consisteth in their ignorance of the divine Law, they complain of the loss of their Country, and of the Kingdom taken from them, and of the like things: whose possession makes no man happy, and whose loss makes no man miserable. Seneca tells us of his Wife's fool, Harpaste, that having on the sudden lost her sight, she knew not she was blind, and often requested her keeper to bring her to another house, for her own was dark. The Jews are in the same case. They carry about in their own breast the cause of all their misery: and suppose, by some divine favour, they should recover Canaan, they would change their climate, not their mind. Whithersoever they turn themselves, their night goes along too, and overshadows them: nor shall it be dispelled, before they have throughly smarted for their ingratitude, and their obstinacy, and the hardness of their hearts.   
FINIS.   

Imprimatur  
Edm. Calamy.   

THE Table Alphabetical.  

A.  
R. ABraham. 155  
Acheians. 85  
Agrarian Law. 13 17, 40  
Agriculture. 20, 24  
Agrippa's offence. 50  
Alcimus Highpriest. 147  
His impiety. 148  
Alexander M. his favour to the Jews. 27  
Alterations whence. 18  
Ambition. 141  
Anointing of Kings. 127  
Antigonns King. 149  
Antiochus Epiphanes. 146  
Apion cymbalum mundi. 3  
Apollonius Scotus praised. 70  
Aristobulus King. 149  
Aristotle 's opinion of the Jews. 29, 30  
Arist. cited 5, 8, 31, 119  
Arms of nature. 15  
Artificers, none among the Jews. 32  
Avarice, the hurt of it. 17  
Author. 1, 70, 74, 112, 114   

B.  
BAbylon enlarged by Nebuch. 139  
Babylonian Jews. 62. Had not the Sceptre. 69  
Balaam's prophecy expounded. 154  
Beginning of the Heb. Com. 59  
Benefit of the Jubily. 14  
Berosus Annals. 139  
Bible, some parts not to be read by Youth. 159. Forbidden the Jews by Trajan. 167 Not corrupted by the Jews 168  
Burial of the dead. 55   

C.  
CAbala. 105  
Capital offenders. 110  
casaubon's exercit. 73. His praise. 74. His error. 85  
Calendar corrected. 112  
Captiutty. 137  
Change of Laws. 58  
City-life. 21  
Cities of refuge. 58  
City, what. 110  
Colonies. 12  
Commands, three to be fulfilled in Palestin. 115  
ommon-wealth founded by Moses. 2. When full of enemies. 18. The best. 31. Affixed to Palestin. 61  
Consecration of Cities. 44  
Councils of the Jews. 98, 108  
Country bred gollant men. 21  
Court of the Temple. 125   

D.  
Davids' Sceptre. 91. Everlasting throne. 153  
Day of expiation. 16  
Defection of the ten Tribes. 136  
Deformity. 104  
Desolation of Jerusalem. 56, 93  
Dominion secured by change. 113   

E.  
EGyptians, their, idle life. 35  
Elders. 107  
Elisab's Sons. 142  
Ephod. 124  
Ephorus his error. 29  
Equality. 12  
Eusebius confuted. 74, 82  
Ezekiels obscure prophecy. 156  
Ezra. 157   

F.  
Father's error. 72. Unskilful in the Hebrew text. 168  
Field laid to field. 20  
Fire on the Altaer. 129  
Fortification. 53   

G.  
GAbinius abates the power of Sanhedrin. 113  
Gardons and Woods in Babylon. 140  
God, the ruler of the Heb. Com. 6. Why angry at the desire of a King. 117  
Gospel common to all Nations. 161  
Grecians Lawgivers. Their ignorance of the Jews. 29   

H.  
HAsmoneans. 79  
Hebrews, why hated by the Egyptians 34  
Hecateus praised. 10  
Herod King. 149. His cruelty. 150  
Herodotus error. 137  
High Priest. 104  
Hillel. 101, 111.  
Hircanus. 150  
Holy of Holies. 50  
Holy ointment hid and lost with other things. 128  
Homer hath not the name of Laws. 3  
Houses in Cities redeemed. 47  
Husbandmen of Egypt lazy 38  
Husbandry praised. 22   

I.  
Jacobs' prophecy. 64  
Jarchi. 153  
Jeroboam. 83. His policy. 130. Turbulent. 134.  
Idolatry punished. 138  
Idumaeans. 150  
Jerusalem's sarstity. 48. Privilege. 54. The head City. 55 Her fall. 56  
Jews had no commerce with other Nations. 28. Spread abroad. 88 Knew not their Messiah. 161. Cast off. 162 Not without hope. 163. Their dignity. 164. Their baseness. 165. Our relation to them. 167. Our debt to them. 168  
Imperial dignity. 64  
Impiety never quiet. 147  
Imposition of hands. 100  
Josephus against Apion praised. 3. Jos. cited. 27, 50, 87, 151. His error. 120  
Joshua Captain General. 96  
Jubily, the benefit of it 14. the 49 year. 41. not kept after the captivity. 41  
Judas Maccabaeus. 147 Prince and Priest. 149  
Juda 's Sceptre. 77  
Judges of Palestin and Babylon. 68  
Juvenal cited. 36   

K.  
Keeper's of the Laws. 7  
Kings. 97  
King created. 116. Qualities of a King. 118. Rules for him. 120. Precedents of Religion. 122. Dignity. 123 King and Priest. 126. Anointed. 127  
Kingdom of the Levites. 149  
Of the Messiah. 155   

L.  
LAelius his wisdom. 19  
Law of Jubily. 23  
Laws, none written before Moses. 4. Impartial. 8. Stolo 's Law. 18  
Lawgivers, their honour. 2 The Grecian. 3  
Levi and Benjamin called Jews. 85  
Levites portion. 46. Office. 122 Reign. 141  
Liberty pretended, to enslave, 134   

M.  
MAgistrates: 106  
Majesty of the Empire. 76. In the people of Rome. 79  
Maimonides praised. 13. Cited. 16, 25, 41, 49, 61, 64, 68, 101, 102, 108, 115, 155  
Manslanghter expiated. 111  
Manasses Highpriest. 144  
Mathias the Hasmonean. 146  
Masorites diligence and fidelity. 169  
Man clausum. 154  
Merchants. 30  
Messiah. 93, 153. Reign. 157  
Modesty in opinion. 158  
Monarches, the Judges and Dictator's so styled. 96  
Moses, the first Lawgiver. 2 More than man. 7. The stability of his Law. 8   

N.  
NEbuchadonozor. 139  
Nero petitioned by the Jews. 50  
Nilus fruitful. 39  
Noah's seven precepts. 5   

O.  
ORdinances of the Jews. 9  
Opificers illiberal. 33  
Onias Highpriest. 145. Renewed his foreskin. 146   

P.  
PAlestin. 9 Fruitfulness thereof. 11, 43. Divided by Joshua. 16  
Pastoral life. 20  
Paul interpreted. 164. His charity to the Jews. 168  
Peace of Jerusalem. 133  
Peace lost by appropriating what was common. 12  
Personage goodly. 119  
Persecution of the Jews. 167  
Pharaohs policy. 37  
Plebeians single and in conjunction. 106  
People's Majesty. 78. Jealous of Superiors. 134  
Possessions too ample. 17  
Priestly kingdom. 122  
Princes made by providence. 131  
Progress into science. 160  
Prophecies. 92  
Prophets not perish out of Jerusalem. 105   

Q.  
QUestion of Juda 's sceptre discussed. 71  
Quiet of Commonwealths. 132   

R.  
REason and prudence. 5  
Redemption of Land. 15 Of houses. 47  
Refuge. 57  
Religion keeps in awe. 9 The soul of the Commonwealth. 65. The cement. 135. Politicly changed. 136  
Return of the Jews. 141  
Roman Commonwealth. 21 Power. 89  
Royal Priesthood. 160  
Rule, the flagrant desire of it. 7   

S.  
SAmaria an imperial seat 135  
Sameas. 101, 150  
Samuel. 97, 118  
Sanballets enterprise. 144  
Sanhedrin. 51, 78, 98  
Saul. 118  
Scaliger mistaken. 102  
Sceptre of Juda. 64  
Schismatical Jews. 65  
Scipio African. 132  
Secrets to be admired. 159  
Sedition brings ruin. 135  
Semiramis. 140  
Senators. 98, 126  
Sepulchers. 54  
Servants released. 16  
Servitude dwarves the mind. 166  
Sesostris. 35  
Seventh year. 26  
Shepherds active. 36  
Solemnity of Jubily. 16  
Sovereignty. 97  
State, every state breeds diseases. 133  
Stolo violates his own Law. 18  
Subjection preferred before Liberty. 116  
Successoy. 118   

T.  
TAlmud quoted. 14, 25, 48, 102, 154  
Temple, the voice there. 55 Only at Jerusalem. 66  
Temple in Garizin 145  
Ten tribes captive. 86, 137  
Theocracy. 6  
Territories enlarged. 57  
Tiberius. 166  
Times ordered. 111  
Titus. 167  
Trade. 28. Inherited. 35  
Translation of Nations. 137  
Tribute heavy, an occasion of rebellion. 131  
Truth before affection. 75   

V.  
VArro cited. 21  
Virtue lost by want of exercise. 20  
Vicissitude. 133  
Urim and Thummim. 51, 124   

W.  
War. 105  
Wealth without oppression. 13   

X.  
XEnophanes his saying. 158   

Y.  
YEar of rest. 42. The sixth years fruitfulness. 43  
Leap-year. 111   

Z.  
R. ZAcuth. 112, 129, 167   
FINIS.