I48 The Tromifed Mefiah long ¡nee come. intended in that expreflion but that it was a M,rgniftck,Stately Place, or building, fuch a$ ufually are made of tìoncs hewed and carved. And they tell us that this place was built nigh the 'lamp, part of it being on the HolyGround, and part on that which was prophane and common. Whence a1íù it had two doors, one on the lured fide, by which the Prince and the 21(kffirs entered, the other on the prophane, by which criminal per- ions were brought in before them by their 'Officers. So Talmud in Joma. And this force take tobe the place where our Lord Christ was judged, John 19. r 3. They (.-ate 'down in the Judgement Seat in the place that.-is called mo;7e..6)- 5 that is null Mutt, theplace built and railed up withhewed or fquared bones. kor' that uao'ssp-d& Both not lignitìe meetly thepavement , as we tranflate it, or thefloor ofthe place, the Apoftle nranifefts by adding that in the Hebrew it is-called Galbatha, N1111, in the/fibrin., ; for although the word havea Syriack termination according to the corrupt pronunciation of the Hebrew in thofe dayes amo g thé people; yet the Original of it is Hebrew; and the Syriac renders it here, Nrt913, and reads not NrVI, now this lignifies an High -Place, or a place built upon all fides andexalted, Gull as the Roman 134...ala, or Judgement Seats were placed in.. But this might be an alike place to the other; for I much queftiou whether theRoman Governour fate in Judgement in the meeting place of the Sanhedrim. 5f, ré. Thirdly, The Jetts treat muchof the Qualification of the perfnns, who were to be of the number of the Affrfrs of this Court. For Firlt, Thcy were to be of the Prìeffx, Levites, or Nobles of/fired ; that is principal men in the Common- wealth : yet none were admitted into their number meetly on the account of their Dignity or Of- fices ; not the King, tot the High Prieft, malefs they were chbfen with refpeft un- to their other qualifications.. For they, Secondly, Were to be ntt¡3 +tÿ3, men of ihr- Cure, and ri rt' 5191, mew of cruntenanee, or good Appearance to keep up, asthey fay, a Reverence unto their Office : and they were alfo to be nn7tt 1teÿ1, men ofWifdom, and 1j1 +7171 menof Age, according to the fill! inilitution ; and this carried the common Appellation, Elders ofthePeople. Ihey add in Dine Mamoneth , that they were to be =nun men skilled in the Art ofIncantations and Charms to find out Lich , radices; which theTalmudiji thought good' to add, to countenance themfelves,many of whom wereprofelfed Magicians. Andhilly, they were to be 71wy í'ÿ1w1' pp rr sigl- led in LXX..` Tongues, that they might not need an Interpreter ; but fewer I fup- pofè ferved their turn. They treat alto in general! that they ought. to be men fearingGod, bating Covetonfnefl, frost and courageous to oppofe Kings and Tyrants if need were. From this number they exclude exprelly perfons over old, deformd, and En«urbs whom-they conclude to becruel and unmerciful, as Claudian doth, Adele quad Eunucbus,nulla pietate movetur Nec generi natifve caver, dementia cunA'is Infimiles, animofque ligant confortia damn. Mercy from. Eunuchs is remov'd away, ,No care of Race or ChildrenBoth them foray ; This only renders men companionate, When mifery is known their common fate. 4. 17. The power of this Court was great, yea, fupream many times in all things among the people ; and at all timesin molt things of concernment. All great Perfons and weighty Casks were judgedby them. When a whole Tribe offended, oran High Priefi, or a King of the Houfe of David,by thefé were their Caufes heard and detertfiined. They had power allb to determine. about Lawful War. They had two farts of War , MVO r'I011e70, Commanded War. Suchthey efteemed War againlf the Nations ofCa- naan, againffAmakck, againlf any Nation that oppreffed Ifrael in theirownLand ; and this kindofWar, the King atany time ofhis own accord might engage in. And they had r11IUlr1 moth Warpermitted only ; as War forficurity and enlargement of Terri- tories, which could not be engaged in at any time, but by confent, and upon the judgement of this Court. The Enlargement of the Cityof Jeruflem, the reparation of the Temple, and the Coullitutions of Courtsof Judicature in other Cities,belonged alfo unto them: In a word they were to judge in all hard Cafes upon theLaw of God. This
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