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who minded the Shew, more than the Subftance of Religion. 357 not ye after their Works: and do accordingly; but practise not by any means Sect. 157. for they fay, and do not. according to their Works: For they say well in Mat.XXIII. many Instances, but do not themselves practife ac

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MARK XII. — 38. Beware of the Scribes. (LUKE XX. 46.—]

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MAT. XXIII. 4. For they bind heavy Burdens, and grievous to be born, and lay them on Men's Shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their Fingers.

cording to what they teach.

3.

I therefore repeat it again, Beware of imitat- Mark XII. ing the Hypocrify, and following the Example of 38. the Scribes (c); For by Virtue of the Tradi- Mat.XXIII. tions which they have added to the Law, they 4 bind together grievous and infupportable Burthens, and without the leaft Remorfe lay them on Men's Shoulders, urging them by the heaviest Penalties to conform to all their Injunctions; but they difpense with [themselves] in the Neglect of many of them, and are not willing even fo much as to move them with a Finger of theirs. (Compare Luke xi. 46. pag. 110.)

5 But all their Works And even when they do conform to their own 5 they do for to be seen of Rules, it is generally from a bad Principle; for Men they make broad their Phylacteries, and enthere is none of all their Works, but what they large chiefly do with a Design to be viewed and taken Notice of by Men, as Examples of extraordinary Piety. For this Purpose, in particular, they make their Phylacteries remarkably broad (d), that it may be thought they write more of the Law on thofe Scrolls of Parchment than others do, or defire to be more frequently reminded of Divine Things

(c) Beware of the Scribes.] The Word Scribe in general fignifies any one converfant about Books and Writings; and is fometimes put for a Civil Officer, whose Business probably resembled that of a Secretary of State; (2 Sam. viii. 17. 1 Kings iv. 3. 2 Kings xix. 2.) at other Times it is ufed at large for a Man of Learning and Ability: (1 Chron. xxvii. 32. Jer. xxxvi. 26. Ezra vii. 6. Mat. xxiii. 34. 1 Cor. i. 20.) But as Biblical Learning was moft esteemed among the Jews, the Word in the New Teftament feems to be chiefly appropriated to those that applied themselves to the Study of the Law; (perhaps including thofe, whofe Business it was to tranfcribe it.) Of these the publick Profeffors, who read Lectures. upon it, were called Doctors, or Lawyers; and probably, they, who were invefted with fome publick Offices in the Sanhedrim, or other Courts, Scribes of the People. (Mat. ii. 4.)But that the Scribes, as Trigland labours to prove, (de Secta Karaor. pag. 68.) were Karaites, or Textuaries, who rejected thofe Traditions, which the Pharifees inculcated, feems,. from this Text efpecially, utterly improbable. Our Lord commonly joins them with the Pharifees, and probably moft of them were of that Sect.

(d) They make their Phylacteries remarkably broad.] I doubt not, but moft of my Readers. very well know, that the Jews, (underftanding Exod. xiii. 9, 16. and Deut. vi. 8. xi. 18. which commanded them to bind the Law on their Heads, and to let it be as Frontlets between their Eyes, in a literal Senfe,) ufed to wear little Scrolls of Parchment, on which those Pasfages were written, bound to their Foreheads and Wrifts. It is generally fuppofed, they were called Phylacteries in Greek, as being looked upon as a Kind of Amulet to keep them from Danger. See Serrar. Trihar. pag. 38. and Druf. de tribus Sectis, pag. 263, 266.

(a) The

358

Mat. XXIII.

5.

He openly reproves them for their Pride;

Garments.

Sect. 157. Things by the Size of them. And for the fame large the Borders of their Reafon likewife, they make the Fringes and Taffels, which the Law requires them to wear on the Borders of their Garments, as large as may be, that they may feem peculiarly defirous to remember the Divine Commandments whenever they look upon them. (Compare Numb. xv. 38,-40.) These are the felf-conceited and vain-glorious Men, who affect to walk in long Garments, that they may appear with an Air of diftinguished And love the upper

Luke XX. 46.

Mat.XXIII. Gravity and Stateliness ;

6.

moft Places at Feafts, where Guests of the firft Quality are used to fit; and are concerned to fecure the highest Seats even in the very Synagogues (e), where they should meet to proftrate themselves in the Divine Prefence with the lowest Abafe7 ment of Soul: And on the fame Principle of Vain-glory and Oftentation, they defire to receive Salutations in the Markets, and other Places of common Concourfe, (compare Luke xi. 43. pag. 101.) and to be called by Men, Rabbi, Rabbi (f); a Title of Honour, which they are fond of having repeated in every Sentence, and almost at every Word.

8

But as for you my Difciples, be not you called Rabbi, nor value yourselves on the Name, if it should ever happen to be given you; for one is

your

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LUKE XX. — 46. —

Which defire to walk in
XII-38.-1
long Robes; [MARK

MAT. XXIII. 6. And

love the uppermoft Rooms at Feafts, and the [LUK. gogues; [MARK XII. 39. higheft] Seats in the SynaLUKE XX.-46.]

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(e) The highest Seats in the Synagogues.] The Doctors had Seats by themselves, with their Backs towards the Pulpit in which the Law was read, and their Faces towards the People. These were accounted the moft honourable; and therefore thefe ambitious Pharifees contended for them. See Reland, Antiq. Heb. pag. 61. Vitring. de Synag. Vet. pag. 191, & feq. and Wolf. in loc.

(f) To be called by Men, Rabbi, Rabbi.] Many learned Men have obferved, that an extravagant Notion of Refpect went along with this Title, which was derived from п, a Word which fignifies both Magnitude and Multitude, and feems intended very emphatically to exprefs, both the Greatness, and the Variety of that Learning, which they who bore it were supposed to be poffeffed of. (L'Enfant's Introd. pag. 98.) (Hor. Heb. in loc.) that the Words of the Scribes are declared to be more amiable and weighty Dr. Lightfoot tells us, han thofe of the Prophets, and equal to thofe of the Law: So that Gamaliel advised to get a Rabbi, that one might no longer doubt of any Thing. More Paffages to this Purpofe may be feen in Dr. Gale's Sermons, Vol. i. pag. 80. and in Whitby and Elfner, in loc. They fully fhew the Neceffity there was for fuch repeated Cautions, as our Lord gives, and are an abundant Answer to what Orobio objects to our Lord's Conduct in this Refpect; (fee Limborch. Collat. pag. 119.) for confidering their inveterate Prejudices against Christ, it could never be fuppofed, that the common People would receive the Gospel, till fuch corrupt Teachers as thefe were brought into a juft Difgrace.

and exhorts his Difciples to Humility.

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all

10

359 your Mafter, [even] Chrift; and ye are all Bre-Sect. 157. thren (g), and as fuch should treat each other with a loving Freedom and Familiarity. And call Mat. XXIII. not [any one] on Earth your Father (b), nor be 9. fond of receiving this Title from Men, who may be ready to speak of themselves as but Children in Comparison of you, and implicitely to follow your Dictates Dictates; for one is ; for one is your Father, and that of the whole Family, [even] he who dwells in the highest Heaven, and before whom all the most distinguished Honours of the Children of Men disappear, as less than nothing and Vanity. Neither be ye called Mafters and Guides; for one is your great Mafter and Inftructor, [even] Chrift (i), whofe Dictates you are ever to receive, and in whose Name and Authority alone you are to teach others. But on the contrary, he that is, I and would appear in the Eyes of GOD to be the greatest among you, fhall be moft eminent for Condefcenfion and Humility, and will be ready to wait on the reft, and to behave himself on all Occafions as your Servant. (Compare Mat. xx. 26, 27. pag. 268.) And what I have often 12 told you, will affuredly be found to be a certain Truth, that whosoever shall attempt in an ambitious Way to exalt himself, shall fooner or later, by one Method or another, be abafed; and whoJoever, on the other Hand, fhall humble himself, hall be exalted to the highest Honour (k).

And

(g) Ye are all Brethren.] It is obfervable, that not one Word is faid of Peter's Authority over the reft, either here, or on the Application made by Zebedee's Children; tho' had fuch an Authority been intended, nothing could have been more natural, or neceffary, than to have mentioned and adjusted it. Compare Note (f) on Mat. xx. 26. pag. 268.

(h) Call not [any one on Earth your Father.] The Pharifees, no doubt, had this Title given them; and Bishop Wilkins obferves, that it is a Title, which affuming Priests of all Religions have greatly affected.

(i) One is your Mafter, &c.] It is remarkable, that this occurs twice in the very fame Words; (here, and in ver. 8.) Our Lord knew, how requifite it would be to attend to it, and how ready even his Minifters would be to forget it.

(k) Whofsever shall exalt himself, &c.] Chrift feems by the frequent Repetition of this Maxim to intimate, that he intended it, not only for those who were to be Teachers of others, but for all his Difciples without Exception. And it is well worthy of our Obfervation, that no one Sentence of our Lord's is fo frequently repeated as this; which occurs at leaft ten Times in the Evangelifts. Compare Mat. xviii. 4. xx. 26, 27. xxiii. 10, 11. Mark ix. 35. x. 43, 44. Luke xiv. 11. xviii. 14. xxii. 26. and John xiii, 14.

(1) Hypo

360

Sect. 157. Mat. XXIII. 13.

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He denounces Woes against the Scribes And then turning himself from his Difciples, to whom he had hitherto been speaking, he addreffed himself boldly to thofe crafty Enemies who stood around him, waiting for nothing but an Opportunity of Mischief, and faid, Woe unto you, ye Scribes and Pharifees, Hypocrites (1); for by the Prejudices you are so zealous to propagate among the People, you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against Men; for ye neither go in yourfelves, nor permit them that are defirous of entering to go in; and thus you make yourselves in fome degree chargeable with their Destruction, as well as with your own, by the falfe Notions you inftil into their Minds, and the Prejudices you raise against me and my Doctrine. (Compare Luke xi. 52. pag. 104.)

you

Woe unto you, ye Scribes and Pharifees, Hypocrites, that impofe upon Men by fpecious Forms of Devotion; but thefe Forms cannot impofe upon Go D, nor prevent his Vengeance from falling heavy upon you: For by your cruel Extortions devour the Houfes of Widows and Orphans, whofe helpless Circumstances, if you had any Remains of Humanity and Generofity, might rather engage you to protect and vindicate them; and it is only for a Pretence, to cover thefe crying Immoralities, that you make fuch long and feemingly earnest Prayers, hoping thereby to engage the Efteem and Confidence of others, that you may have the greater Opportunity to injure and defraud them: But this complicated Wickedness shall coft you dear; for therefore fhall you receive greater and more dreadful Damnation, than if you had never prayed at all, nor made any Pretences to Religion.

Woe unto you, ye Scribes and Pharifees, Hypocrites as you are; for with indefatigable Industry you do, as it were, compass the Sea and the Land, to make one Profelyte to your own particular Sect

and

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(1) Hypocrites.] Dr. More with great Propriety obferves, that the Word Hypocrites [Toxpilar] in its moft exact Application, fignifies Players, who, according to the unnatural Cuftom of the Antients, acted a Part under a Malk. More's Theolog. Works, pag. 293.

(m) Who

and fhews their Blindness with respect to Oaths.

when he is made, ye make him twofold more the Child of Hell than yourselves.

16 Wo unto you, ye blind Guides, which fay, Whofaever shall swear by the Temple, it is nothing: but whofoever fhall fwear by the Gold of the Temple, he is

Debtor..

17 Ye Fools, and blind: for whether is greater, the Gold, or the Temple that fanctifieth the Gold?

Mat. XXIII

361 and Party; and when he is become [fo,] you often Sect. 157. make him even doubly more a Child of Hell than you yourfelves are; while in order to approve the Sincerity of his Converfion to you, he is obliged to vie with you in all the Exceffes of your Superftition and Bigotry.

15.

Woe unto you, ye blind Guides, who have in- 16 vented fo many nice Diftinctions, to make Men eafy in their Sins, and fubfervient to your fecular Interefts; who fay, for Inftance, Whosoever shall a fwear only by the Temple, it is nothing (m); but whoever shall fwear by the Gold of the Temple, whether by that with which a Part of it is overlaid, or by that which is laid up in its Treafures, he is obliged by it. Ye foolish and blind [Creatures,] is not 17 the ftupid Sophiftry of this Diftinction apparent to the weakest Understanding? for which of these is greater, the Gold, or the Temple that fanctifies the Gold, which without its Relation to the Temple would have nothing in it more facred than any 18 And whofoever fhall common Metal? And ye alfo fay, just with 18 fwear by the Altar, it is no- the fame Senfe and Piety, Whosoever shall fwear thing: but whofoever sweareth by the Gift that is upon only by the Altar of GOD, it is nothing; but whofoit, he is guilty. ever fhall fwear by the Gift which is upon it, he is obliged to the Performance of his Oath. Ye fool- 19 ifh and blind [Wretches,] what an idle and senselefs Diftinction is this? for which, can you fuppofe, is greater, the Gift, or the Altar that fanctifies the Gift, which before it was brought thither, was only a common Thing, and might be used to any of the ordinary Purposes of human Life? The Truth 20 of the Cafe is therefore plain and obvious: He that fwears by the Altar, fwears in effect by it, and by all the Things that are offered upon it: And be 21 that fwears by the Temple, fwears by it, and by him alfo that dwells in it, even the Eternal and Ever

19 Ye Fools, and blind: for whether is greater, the Gift, or the Altar that fanc

tifieth the Gift?

thereon.

20 Whofo therefore fhall fwear by the Altar, fweareth by it, and by all Things 21 And whofofhall fwear by the Temple, fweareth by it, and by him that dwell

eth therein.

bleffed

(m) Whosoever shall fwear by the Temple, it is nothing.] It seems the Pharifees taught, that Oaths by the Creatures might be used on trifling Occafions, and violated without any great Guilt: (See Note (b) on Mat. v. 34. Vol. i. pag. 236.) But they excepted Oaths by the Corban, and by Sacrifices; in which it is plain, that without any Regard to common Sense or Decency, they were influenced merely by a View to their own Intereft; and therefore reprefented thefe to the People, as Things of more eminent Sanctity, than even the Temple or Altar itlelf.

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