LE V ITICUS XX V I. 171 The deíol:ïtion of there is bewailed in Lam.2.7. And this judgement is oppoCed to that blelfng in verle r i. /will fit my Tabernacle ammgf you. The Hebrewes referre this word Saniluarits , to their Synagogues allo, which they had in all their cities for the people to meet in on the Sabbathes,Luk.4. r 6. the ruinating of them,is complained of in Pfa. 743. they have burned all the Synagogues of God he the land.They had alto Schooles or Acádemtes,for trayning up their youth in the learning of the Law: a:eh fcholárs of old were called Sonnes of the Prophets, 2King.z.3. and 4.38. and 5.22. in ages following , they were named Difelpki, Mtr . z.1 S. The rites and orders of there, are in the Hebrew canons defcribed thus.Sclaoolemaffers were to be appointed in every province,& in every citie,Aud the malter fate and taught them all the day long, and fomè part of the ni ght;to train them up for to learnt both day and night. Fiveand twentie fcholars,did learne by one Teacher: if there were moe, from five and twentyunto fortie, then they let another with him,to helpe him to teach them: if they were mot, then fortie, they fee them up two fchoolemalters. They might not teach the Law , Cave to a Disciple of honefl and good con - vcriation: but if he walked in a way not good, they first converted him unto goodneffe, end gui- ded hiss into the right way, and made triall of him, and afterhards they received him into the Academie, (which they called in, their tongue Beth hammid raft that is, an Houle of expofitian, or lludie,) and did teach him. The mater fate in the ch'ele place,and the disciples were in a round before him like a c rowne ; that they might all fee the molter and heare his words. And the Matter fate not on a teat, & the Difciples on the ground: but either all on the ground, or all on feats. If when the Matter taught,the Difciples understood him not: he might not bee angry with them, but molt againe repeat the thing, though it were Many tintes , untill they understood the matter. Allo the Difciple might not fay, he did under - lland , when he understood not : but was to aske againe, though it weremany times. Two might not ask together,nor aske the mailer daisy other thing then that wherein they studied. They might not Ileepe in the fchoole , nor talke there of arty other matter, then of(Gods) Law only: for the hölineffe of the fchoole, was greater than the holineffe of the Synagogue. Thefe and other like orders, are (hewed byMaimony, r1'yy7halmud 7harah, chapter z.and 4. Now to:thing the Synagogues, they write, that every place where- in there were tenne men of Ifrael, it was necelfa- ry that they fhould prepare there an houfe,wher- in to aft mble for prayer, at all time of prayer. And this place they called Beth baenefth, An haute of AjPmb!ie, (in the Greeke a Synagogue.) And the citizens were to bee compelled to build then: a Synagogue, and to bay them à Booke of the L we, Prophets, and (other holy) Scrip- tures. When they built a Synagogue, it was on the h ighe.'t place of the citie , andbuilded high - er then all other houles, (as they gather from Proverbes 8, r;z.) And they sèt a pulpit in the houle, for him to god up into, that did read the Law , or was to fpeake unto the people. They had all() in the Synagogue an Arke ( or Coffer,) wherein the Booke of the Law ( the Bilde) was kept. The Elders fate firft, with their faces to- wards the people; and all the people fate , one rew before another, and the faces of the one rew, towards the backes of the rew that was before them: fo the faces °fall the people,were towards the Elders , and towards the Arke. And when Sheliach tftbbur (that is , the Mejjenger, or Mi- nitler, of the congregation,) flood at prayer, hee flood one the ground before the Arke, as the reit of the people. In the land of Canaan , and thofe parts , they ufed to laymattes on the o, to ht upon : but in the cities of Edom, (fo they call the Romane Empire, ) they fate in their fyna- gooues upon bankes or feats. In the Synagogues and Schooles,theymight ufe no lightnef e,laugh- ing, playing , vaine talking , eating , drinking, walking, or the like : neither in hot weather, might they goe into themfront the heat, nor in rainy wheather from the raine ; nor calf up any accounts or reckonings in them; except they were fuch reckonings as were commanded, as the coffers for aimes to the poore , ánd redemp- tion ofprifoners, and the like. If the Synagogue or Schoole had two doores ; they might not goe in at the one doore and out at the other, to (horten their way : for it was not lawtìtll to goe into them, fave for the things commas- ded : Butwho fo went into pray , or to.reade, might goe out at the doore over again(( him, the neereft way. Synagoguesand Schooles, though they were ruined, yet they remained (as they fay) in their bolineffe, as it is written in Leviticus 25. 31. I vvill meek deflate your Sant caries though they bee defolate, yet they continue in their holipeffe. They might not pull dowse a Synagogue, to build another in the fame or in an other place : but fiat they builded another, and afterward pulled downe theformer;left any vi- olence fhould befall them , and it fhould not bee builded. It was lawfldl to stake a Schoole of a Synagogue , but net a Synagogue of a Schoole : becaufe the holinesfe of a Schoole, was above the holineffe of a Synagogue; and they were to attend in holiuesfe, but not to defcend. And if the citizens fold a Synagogue,they might buy an Arke with the money, ora Bible: But if they fold a Bible, they might buy nothing, with the money fave another Bible ; for there is no holinef ( fay they) aboze the holinefe of the Boo/te of the Law,(or Bible.) As theymight fell a Synagogue, fo they might give it for a Gìft: but they might not let it out to hire, nor morgage it, &c. Maimony in Mifneb treatifè of Práyer,chap.r r. Of theft Synagogues, though there bee no expreffe mention in Mofes ; yet the Apoftle Iimes teflifi- eth,that Motes of old time had in every Citie them that preached biro , being read in the Synagogues ezery Sob: bath day, AA.15. 2r. And IeCus in the Synagogue. ofNazareth,( oodtep far to reae4andthere war delivered Ppp a unto
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