Thomas Goodwin - Moses and Aaron

3. For all the whole body of Israel 11 11 Euseb. demon. lib. 8. cap. 1. Montacut. in Analect. p. 72. Casaub. contra Baron. pag. 16. , consisting of Twelve Tribes; all which (in the judgment of these men) were afterwards by the singular providence of God, called Jews from Judah .

Some take Scepter ,

1. For legal power 12 12 Patres plerique omnes. , and soveraign authority, residing in one man principally.

2. For the form of government 13 13 Casaubon advers. Baron. p. 19. It. p. 23. Justinus Mart. in Dialog. cum Tryphone. Cunæus lib. 1. de rep. Heb. c. 9. p. 82. , and face of a Common-wealth, governed and ruled by its own laws, customes, and rites: signifying as well the rule and authority of inferiour Magistrates , yea of Priests also, as of Kings and Princes .

From these different acceptions of these two words, flow four different acceptions of Jacobs Prophecy.

Some are of opinion 14 14 Cunæus lib. 1. de rep. Heb. cap. 11. pag. 96. , that the Scepter taken in the second acception, began to be given to Judah , that is, to the Two Tribes cleaving to Rehoboam , at the time of that division of the People: and that their Scepter was not taken from them until the destruction of Jerusalem ; because, that after Herods time until then, their Laws remained in force, their Priesthood continued, and their Common-wealth, though it were much defaced, yet not quite overthrown.

Some are of opinion 15 15 Joseph. Scal. ex quo Casaub. advers. Baron. p. 19. It. p. 39. , that the Scepter taken in the second acception, began to be given to Judah , that is, to the Twelve Tribes , from the time of Moses ; and that this Scepter was not taken from them until the Destruction of Jerusalem : not in Herod , because he was a Jew (in that he was a Proselyte ) for a Jew is a name, say they, of Profession , not of Countrey or Nation .

Some are of opinion 16 16 Montacut. in Analect. p. 74. , that the Scepter taken in the second acception, began to be given to Judah , that is to the Twelve Tribes , from the time of Moses , and that it was taken from them in Herods time: yet so, that in Herods time, this was but begun, and inchoate, and at the destruction of Jerusalem it was fulfilled and consummate.

Some are of opinion 17 17 Augustin. contra Manich. lib. 12. cap. 47. Euseb. demonst. l. 8 Carion. Chron. pag. 143. , that the Scepter taken in the first acceptation, began to be given to Judah , that is to the Twelve Tribes , from the time of Moses , and that it was taken from them fully in Herods time. The former opinions make the coming of the Messias to be a fore-runner of the departure of the Scepter : this, makes the departure of the Scepter to be a fore-runner or token of the Messiah his coming, which I take to be the principal thing aimed at in the prophecy. This opinion, as it is more generally received than the others, so upon juster grounds. Now the Scepter was departed and given to a Proselyte , never so before, 18 18 P. Galatin. l. 4. cap. 6. p. 203. ex. Talmud. Jerusol. yea now also the Law-giver was departed from between Judahs feet, and now the Messiah born.

Wee having seen the most remarkable changes in the Common-wealth of the Hebrews; we will note the chief Observations concerning the persons there inhabiting: and first concerning the Publicans , who were, in the latter times, an heterogeneous Member of that Common-wealth. After that the Jews became Tributary to Rome , (which 19 19 Joseph Locutus de Pompeio l. 1. de bello Jud. c. 5. p. 720. was effected by Pompey threescore years before the Birth of our Saviour) certain Offices were appointed by the Senate of Rome , unto whom it belonged, as well among the Jews as in other Provinces, to collect, and gather up such custome-money or tribute, as was exacted by the Senate. Those that gathered up these publique payments, were termed Publicani , Publicans ; and by reason of their covetous exactions, they commonly were hated by the People of the Provinces: 20 20 Harum societatum frequens mentio facta est apud Ciceron. in orat. pro. Sex. Ros. Muræna, in Cn. Plancio. Every Province had his several Societie , or company of Publicanes : Every Society his distinct Governour : in which respect it is, that Zacheus is called by the Evangelists , ἀρχιτελώνης princeps Publicanorum , the chief Receiver of the tribute , or chief Publican , Luke 12. 2. And all the Provincial Governours in these several Societies, had one chief 21 21 Sigon. de Antiq. jure civium Rom. lib. 2. c. 4. Master residing at Rome , unto whom the other subordinate Governours gave up their accounts. These Publicans were hated in all Provinces, because of their exactions; but chiefly in the Commonwealth of the Jews , because though it were chiefly maintained by the Galileans , yet it was generally inclined unto by the Jews , That tribute ought not to be payed by them: this hatred is confirmed by that Rabbinical proverb, 22 22 Is. Casaubon exercit. 13. 37. Take not a Wife out of that family wherein there is a Publican, for such are all Publicans . Yea a faithful Publican was so rare at Rome it self, that one Sabinus for his honest managing of that Office, in an honourable remembrance thereof, had certain images erected with this superscription 23 23 Suet. in Flav. Vespas. cap. 1. ; Καλῶς τελωνήσαντι, For the Faithful Publican . And therefore no marvel, if in the Gospel, Publicans and sinners go hand in hand.

It is now generally received as a truth undoubted, that not only Heathen people, but sometimes Jews themselves became Publicanes . Tertullian was of another opinion, 24 24 Tertul. de pudic. c. 9. and thought that all the Publicans were Heathens ; but he hath been in that long since confuted by Jerome 25 25 Jeronym. epist. ad Damasum. , and reason it self perswadeth the contrary. First, Matthew who was a Publican , was afterwards an Apostle , and therefore unlikely to have been an Heathen. Secondly, Zacheus his name was a pure Hebrew name having no affinity with Roman names. Thirdly, the ground or principal argument on which Tertullian built, was meerly 26 26 Fraudi fuit acutissimo Pœno Hebraicæ linguæ ignoratio, nusquam enim occurrit in fonte spurius ille textus, quo Tertullianus potissimum nititur, non erit vectigal, pendens ex filiis Israel. Deut. 23. erroneous.

The whole Common-wealth of Israel consisted of two sorts of men, Hebrews and Prosylites ; he that was born an Hebrew , either by Fathers or Mothers side, was an Hebrew ; but he that was born so of both, was an Hebrew of the Hebrews ; such a one was Saint Paul , Phil. 3. 5. He that was born a Prosylite either by Fathers or Mothers side, was termed Ben-gar , the son of an he-Prosylite ; or Ben gara , The son of a she-prosylite ; but he that was by Fathers and Mothers side a Prosylite , was termed 27 27 Magni quidam nominis Rabbi apud Judæos fuit, quem ex Paganismo ad Judaismum conversum ‎‏בגבג‏‎ per sigla appellarunt. i. filiis Proselyti, filius proselytæ, Pirk. Aboth. cap. 5. Bagbag , that is, the son of he and she Prosylites .