I Shall not trouble the Reader with any long discourse to shew how the Scripture abounds with transposition of stories ; how the holy Ghost doth eminently hereby shew , the Majesty of his style and Divine wisdome ; how this is equally used in both Testaments ; what need the student of Scripture hath , carefully to observe those dislocations ; and what profit he may reape , by reducing them to their proper time and order . I shall only in brief give account of what I have done in the ensuing Treatise , which refers to that way of study of the New Testament .

Some years ago I published The Harmony , Chronicle and Order of the Old Testament , observing what transpositions may be observed there , the reason of their dislocating , and where , in Chronicall account , is their proper time and place : and accordingly manifesting the genuine Order of the Books , Chapters , Stories and Prophesies through the whole Book . The New Testament being Written and Composed after the very same manner of texture , requireth the like observation , and having made the Assay upon the one , I could not but do the like by the other . I have therefore first observed the proper Time and Order of the Texts of the Evangelists , and how all the four may be reduced into the current of one Story , and thereby evidences taken out of them themselves . I could willingly have published the Text it self in that Order , for so I have transcribed it from end to end , and so I offered it to the Press , but found its passage difficult : So that I have been forced to give directions for the so reading of it only by naming Chapters and verses . It would have been both more easie and more pleasant to the Reader , had the Text of the four been laid before him in severall Columes , but his examining and ordering it in his own Bible by the intimations given , will cost more labour indeed , but will better confirm memory and understanding .

The Acts of the Apostles , do not much scruple the Reader with dislocations , but the taking up of the times of the Stories , is not of little difficulty , and yet in some particulars , of some necessity : These are observed where most materiall , according to what light and evidence may be had for them , either in the Text it self there , or elswhere . Especially I have indeavoured to observe the times of the writing of The Epistles , both those that fall in , in those times that the Story of The Acts of the Apostles handleth , and those that were written afterward . For the fixing of some there is so plain ground from the Text that the time is determined certainly ; for others , we are put to probability and conjecture , yet such ground to build conjecture on , that I hope there hath not been much roving from the mark . I must stand at the Readers censure .

I was unwilling to have medled with The Revelation , partly because I have no minde to be bold in things of that nature [ I see too much daring with that Book already ] and partly , because I could not go along with the common stating of the times , and matters there : yet being necessitated by the nature of the task , that I had undertaken , I could not but deal with the Times and Order of things spoken of in that Book : and that could not be done neither , without some speaking to the things themselves : which I have conjectured at [ referring all to better Judgements ] by the best propriety of the Language and Dialect used , I could observe : where literally , and where allusively to be understood .

Now because it would have been but a tedious task for the Reader , only to study upon the meer dislocations , and the ordering of them , or only to be pondering how to lay all in their right current , I have not only gone the way before him , but have shewed his way all along with variety of observations ; as not obvious [ for such would have but added one tediousness to another ] so I hope not unprofitable , nor without his delight .

I have not set my self to Comment , but in a tra●sient way to hint the clearing of some of the most conspicuous difficulties , and that partly from the Text it self , and partly from Talmudicall collections . Of which later I have alleadged very many , and the most of them I hope not impertinently , but for usefull illustration . For though it is true indeed that there are no greater enemies to Christ , nor greater deniers of the Doctrine of the Gospel , then the Hebrew Writers ; yet as Cerah's Censers , and the spoils of David's enemies , were dedicated to the Sanctuary service , so may the Records , to be met with in these men , be of most excellent use and improvement to the explication of a world of passages in the New Testament : Nay multitudes of passages not possibly to be explained , but from these Records . For since the scene of the most actings in it , was among the Jews , the speeches of Christ and his Apostles were to the Jews , and they Jews by birth and education that wrote the Gospels and Epistles , it is no wonder if it speak the Jews Dialect throughout , and glanceth at their Traditions , Opinions and Customs at every step . What Author in the world but he is best to be understood from the Writers and Dialect of his own Nation ? What one Roman Writer can a man understandingly reade , unless he be well acquainted with their History , Customs , Propriety of phrases and common speech ? So doth the New Testament , loquitur cum vulgo : Though it be penned in Greek , it speaks in the phrase of the Jewish Nation among whom it was penned all along , and there are multitudes of expressions in it which are not to be found but there and in the Jews Writings in all the world . They are very much deceived that think the New Testament so very easie to be understood , because of the familiar doctrine it containeth , Faith and Repentance . It is true indeed , it is plainer as to the matter it handleth , then the Old , because it is an unfolding of the Old : but for the attaining of the understanding of the expressions that it useth in these explications , you must go two steps further then you do about the Old , namely to observe where and how it useth the Septuagints Greek , as it doth very commonly , and when it useth the Jews Idiome , or reference thereunto , which indeed it doth continually : A Student well versed in their Language and Writings would finde it no great difficulty to translate the New Testament into Talmudick language , almost from verse to verse , so close doth it speak all along to their common speech . The allegations that I have produced of this nature in this present Tract , I have done but cursorily , as not writing a Comment , but a running Survey of the Times , Order and History of the whole New Testament : So that it may be many of them may not speak to every Reader that full intent for which they are produced , and which , would I have spent time to have been their Interpreter [ but I was willing to avoid prolixity ] I could have made them to have spoken plainly . What I might have done in this kinde I shall shew but by one instance [ which let not the Reader think tedious here , since I have avoided tediousness in this kinde all along hereafter ] and this is by a Comment in the way we have been speaking of but upon one verse , and that is the 22d verse of the 5th Chapter of Matthew , which I have picked out the rather , to make an exercitation upon , because it is generally held by all Expositors , that in it there is a plain reference to something in the Jewish Customs , which is the thing we have been mentioning .

The sense which is ordinarily given of this verse in the construction of many Expositors , is made to referre unto the three sorts of Judicatories among the Jews : the lowest consisting of three Judges , the middle of twenty three , and the supream of seventy one . With which allusion and explication I cannot close , upon these three Reasons : 1. Because the lowest Judicatory to which they apply the word The Iudgement , had nothing to do in capitall matters : and so the conclusion of the verse before cannot be understood in this verse , The murderer shall be in danger of being judged by the Iudicatory of three , for they judged no such thing ; and answerably the first clause in this verse , where the same word The Iudgement is reserved , cannot have the same application . 2. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used only in the second clause , and it will be hard to give a reason why the middle Sanhedrin should only be so called [ as that interpretation makes it to be ] when all the three , and most eminently the highest , did bear that name . 3. To apply Gehenna ignis to penalty inflicted by the highest Sanhedrins , as divers do , doth cause so hard straining [ as may be observed in the severall allusions that are framed of it ] that it is very farre from an easily digested and current sense . I deny not indeed that Christ in the verse alluded to something of the Jews practises , in some point of Judicature , but unto what , I shall defer to conjecture , till its course come , in the method , in which it seemeth most genuine to take the unfolding of the verse up , and that is 1. To consider of three words in it ; which also are to be met in other places , and so carry a more generall concernment with them , then to be confined unto this verse , and those are , Brother , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and Gehenna . 2. To consider of the three degrees of offences that are spoken of , namely causeless anger , saying Raka , and calling Thou fool . And 3. to consider of the three penalties denounced upon these offences , viz. Iudgement , The Councill , and Hell fire .

1. The word Brother , which doth so constantly wrap up all professors of the Name of Christ , in the signification of it , in the New Testament , may not unfitly be looked upon , by reflexion upon the sense of the word Neighbour in the Old Testament , as that was commonly interpreted and understood by the Jews : By using the word Neighbour [ saith Rabbi Nathan ] he excludeth all the Heathen , Aruch . in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . And let this passage of Maymony be well weighed : It is all one [ saith he ] to slay an Israelite and to slay a Canaanite servant : he that doth either must be put to death for it : An Israelite that slayeth a stranger sojourner is not put to death by the Sanhedrin for it , because it is said , If a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour [ Exod. 21.14 . ] and it is needless to say , he is not to be put to death for a Heathen . And it is all one for a man to kill another mans servant , or to kill his own servant , for he must die for either , because a servant hath taken upon him the Commandments , and is added to the possession of the Lord . In Rotseahh , &c. per. 2. By which it is apparent that they accounted all of their own Religion , and them only , to come under the title Neighbour ; to which opinion how our Saviour speaketh you may observe in Luke 10.29 , 30. &c. So that in the Jewish Church there were those that went under the notion of Brethren , that is , Israelites , who were all of one blood ; and those that went under the name of Neighbours , and those were they that came in from other Nations to their Religion : They shall no more teach every man his neighbour , and every man his brother , Jer. 31.34 , &c. Now under the Gospel , where there is no distinction of Tribes and kinreds , the word Brother is ordinarily used to signifie in the same latitude that Neighbour had done : namely all that come into the profession of the Gospel , and it is so taken also , as that had been , in contradistinction to a Heathen : Any man that is called a Brother , 1 Cor. 5.11 . If thy brother offend thee , &c. Let him be as a Heathen , Mat. 18.15 , 17.

2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which our English rendereth , Is in danger of , translates the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which are as ordinarily used among the Jewish Writers , as any words whatsoever : as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Guilty of death . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Guilty of cutting off , &c. Every page almost in either Talmud will give you examples of this nature .

3. Gehenna : It is well known that this expression is taken from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The valley of Hinnom , of which , and of the filthiness and abominableness of which place , there is so much spoken in Scripture . There was the horrid Idol Molech to which they burnt their children in the fire : And thither , as D. Kimchi saith , was cast out all the filth and unburied carcases , and there was a continuall fire to burn the filth and the bones . In Psal. 27.

From hence the Jews borrowed the word , and used it in their ordinary language , to betoken Hell : And the Text from which they especially translated the construction , seemeth to have been the last verse of the Prophesie of Isaiah , which by some of them is glossed thus , And they shall go forth out of Ierusalem into the valley of Hinnom , and there they shall see the carcases of those that rebelled against me , &c. Vid. Kimch . & Ab. Ezr. in loc.

It were endlesse to shew the frequency of the word in their Writers : let these few examples suffice . Chald. Paraph. in Isa. 26.15 . Lord thou wilt drive all the wicked to Gehinnom . And on Isa. 33.14 . The wicked shall be judged and delivered to Gehinnom the everlasting burning . And on ver. 17. Thou shalt see those that go down to the Land of Gehinnom . R. Sol. on Isa. 24.22 . They shall be gathered together , as prisoners are gathered in the pit , and shall be shut up in prison 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , They that guilty of Ge●innom into Gehinnom . Targ. in Ruth 1.12 . Be thou delivered from the Iudgement of Gehinnom . Midras Mishle fol. 69. Do you think to be delivered from the Iudgement of Gehinnom ? Baal Tur. in Gen. 1.1 . Because of the Law , they are delivered from the Iudgement of Gehennah , &c. See the phrase , Matth. 23.33 .

And now we have done with words , let us come to sentences , and consider the offences that are prohibited , which are easily acknowledged to be graduall , or one above another . About the first , viz. Causelesse anger , there needeth no explanation , the words and matter are plain enough .

The second is , Whosoever shall say to his brother Racha . A nickname or scornfull title usuall which they disdainfully put one upon another , and very commonly : and therefore our Saviour hath specified in this word , the rather because it was of so common use among them , and they made no bones at it . Take these few examples , A certain man sought to betake himself to repentance [ and restitution . ] His wife said to him Rekah if thou make restitution , even thy girdle about thee is not thine own , &c. Tanchum fol. 5. Rabbi Iochanan was teaching concerning the building of Ierusalem with Saphires and Diamonds , &c. One of his scholars laughed him to scorn . But afterward being convinced of the truth of the thing , he saith to him , Rabbi , Do thou expound , for it is fit for thee to expound : as thou saidest so have I seen it : He saith to him Rekah , Hadst thou not seen thou wouldest not have beleeved , &c. Midras Tillin . fol. 38. col . 4. To what is the thing like ? To a King of flesh and blood who took to wife a Kings daughter : he saith to her , Wait and fill me a cup , but she would not : whereupon he was angry and put her away : She went and was married to a sordid fellow : and he saith to her , Wait and fill me a cup : She said unto him , Rekah , I am a Kings daughter , &c. Idem in Psal. 137. A Gentile saith to an Israelite , I have a dainty dish , for thee to eat of . He saith What is it ? He answers Swines flesh . He saith to him , Rekah , even what you kill of clean beasts is forbidden us , much more this . Tanch . fol. 18. col. 4.

The third offence is to say to a brother , Thou fool , which how to distinguish from Racha , which signifies an empty fellow , were some difficulty , but that Solomon is a good Dictionary here for us , who takes the term continually for a wicked wretch and reprobate , and in opposition to spirituall wisdom : So that in the first clause is condemned causelesse anger ; in the second , scornfull taunting and reproaching of a brother : and in the last , calling him a reprobate and wicked , or uncharitably censuring his spirituall and eternall estate . And this last doth more especially hit the Scribes and Pharisees , who arrogated to themselves only to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisemen , but of all others had this scornfull and uncharitable opinion , This people that knoweth not the Law is cursed , Ioh. 7.49 .

And now for the penalties denounced upon these offences , let us look upon them , taking notice of these two traditions of the Jews , which our Saviour seemeth to face and to contradict . 1. That they accounted the command Thou shalt not kill , to aim only at actuall murder . So in their collecting of the 613 precepts out of the Law , they understand that command to mean but this , That one should not kill an Israelite : Vid. trip . Targ. ibid. Sepher Chinnuch ibid. Maym. in Rotseah : per. 1. And accordingly they allotted this only violation of it to judgement . Against this wilde glosse and practise he speaketh in the first clause : Ye have heard it said , Thou shalt not kill , and he that killeth or committeth actuall murder , is liable to judgement , and ye extend the violation of that Command no further ; but I say to you , that causelesse anger against thy brother is a violation of that Command , and even that maketh a man liable to judgement . 2. They allotted only that murder to be judged by the Councill or Sanhedrin , that was committed by a man in propriâ personâ . Let them speak their own sense : A murderer is he that kils his neighbour with a stone , or with Iron : or that thrusts him into water or fire out of which it is not possible to get out again , if the man die he is guilty , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ] But if he thrust him into fire or water , out of which it is possible to get out again , though he die , yet he is quit . He sets on him a dog or a serpent , he is quit : He intended to kill a stranger and kils an Israelite ; To kill a little one , and kils one of stature : To hit him on the loins , and such a blow on the loins could not kill him , but it misses the loins and hits him on the heart and kils him : he is quit . He intended to hit him on the heart , and such a blow on the heart was enough to kill him , but it lights on the loins , and such a blow on the loins was not enough to kill him , yet he dies : he is quit . He intended to strike one of stature , and the blow was not enough to have killed one of stature , but it lights on a little one , and there was enough in the blow to have killed a little one , and he dies , yet he is quit , He intended to hit a little one , and there was enough in the blow to kill a little one , but it lights on one of stature , and there was not enough in the blow to kill one of stature , yet he dies : he is quit . R. Simeon saith , Though he intended to kill one , and kils another , he is quit , &c. Talm. in Sanhedr . per. 9.

Any one that kils his neighbour with his hand , as if he strike him with a sword , or with a stone that kils him , or strangles him till he die , or burns him in the fire , seeing that he kils him any how in his own person , lo such a one must be put to death by the Sanhedrin : But he that hires another to kill his neighbour , or that sends his servants and they kill him , or that violently thrusts him before a Lion , or the like , and the beast kils him : Any one of these is a shedder of blood , and the guilt of shedding of blood is upon him , and he is liable to death by the hand of heaven , but he is not to be put to death by the Sanhedrin . And whence is the proof that it must be thus ? Because it is said , He that sheds mans blood , by man shall his blood be shed . This is he that slays a man himself , and not by the hand of another . Your blood of your lives will I require : This is he that slays himself . At the hand of every beast will I require it : This is he that delivers up his neighbour before a beast to be rent in pieces . At the hand of man , even at the hand of every mans brother will I require the life of man : This is he that hires others to kill his neighbour : In this interpretation requiring is spoken of all the three , behold their judgement is delivered over to heaven [ or God . ] And all these manslayers and the like , who are not liable to death by the Sanhedrin ; if the King of Israel will slay them by the Iudgement of the Kingdom and the Law of Nations , he may , &c. Maym. ubi supr . per. 2.

You may observe in these wretched traditions a twofold killing , and a twofold judgement : a mans killing another in his own person and with his own hand , and such a one liable to the judgement of the Sanhedrin , to be put to death by them as a murderer : And a man that killed another by proxy ; not with his own hand , but hiring another to kill him , or turning a beast or serpent upon him to kill him . This man not to be judged and executed by the Sanhedrin , but referred and reserved only to the judgement of God . So that from hence we see plainly , in what sense the word Iudgement is used in the later end of the preceding verse , and the first clause of this , namely not for the Judgement of any of the Sanhedrins , as it is commonly understood , but for the Iudgement of God . In the former verse Christ speaks their sense , and in the first clause of this , his own , in application to it . Ye have heard it said , that any man that kils is liable to the Judgement of God ; But I say in you that he that is but angry with his brother without a cause , is liable to the Judgement of God . You have heard it said , That he only that commits murder with his own hand , is to be judged by the Councill or Sanhedrin as a murderer ; But I say to you , that he that but cals his brother Racha , as common a word as ye make it , and a thing of nothing , he is liable to be judged by the Sanhedrin .

Lastly , He that saith to his brother , Thou fool , wicked one , or cast-away , shall be in danger of hell fire . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . There are two observable things in the words . The first is the change of case from what was before : there it was said , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . And hereupon S. Petit in his variae Lectiones lib. 1. cap. 1. professeth that he cannot wonder enough , that Expositors should not observe this variation : and what he himself maketh of the observation of it I shall not insist upon , but referre the Reader to his own words . Surely he little mindes the Greek Text that sees not this in it , and there needs not any farre fetched Exposition to satisfie about it : It is but an Emphaticall raising of the sense , to make it the more feeling and to speak home : He that saith to his brother Raka shall be in danger of the Councill , but he that saies Thou fool , he shall be in danger of a penalty even to hell fire . And thus our Saviour doth equall the sin and penalty in a very just parallel . Injust anger , with Gods just anger and judgement : Publick reproach ; with publick correction by the Councill : And censuring for a childe of hell , to the fire of hell . 2. It is no said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , To the fire of hell , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , To a hell of fire : in which expression he doth still set the Emphasis higher : And besides the reference to the valley of Hinnom , he seemeth to referre to that penalty used by the Sanhedrin , of burning : the most bitter death that they used to put men unto : the manner of which was thus : They set the malefactor in a dunghill up to the knees : and they put a towell about his neck , and one pul'd one way , and another another , till by thus strangling him they forced him to open his mouth . Then did they pour scalding lead into his mouth , which went down into his belly and so burnt his bowels . Talm. in Sanhed . per. 7. Now having spoken in the clause before of being judged by the Sanhedrin , whose terriblest penalty was this burning , he doth in this clause raise the penalty higher , namely of burning , but in hell : not a little scalding lead , but even with a Hell of fire , &c.

The greatest part of the New Testament might be observed to speak in such reference to something or other commonly known , or used or spoken among the Jews , and even the difficultest passages in it might be brought to farre more facility then they be , if these references were well observed . There ●re divers places where Commentators , not able to clear the sense for want of this , have been bold to say the Text is corrupt , and to frame a Text of their own heads ; whereas the matter skilfully handled in this way , might have been made plain : As we have given experiment in this kinde in some as we have gone along , and divers others might have been instanced , but our work was not now to write a Comment.