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of Judea, had the abfolute difpofal of the alms. If the magiftrate hap pened to be a heathen, then the management of them was left, either to the council of the fynagogue, or the chief ruler, who acted for the body.

This may ferve to give us a notion of the manner how alms used at first to be distributed in the Chriftian church. The charity of the pri mitive Chriftians was fo very confpicuous, that Julian the apoftate propofes it as a pattern to his own fubjects. "What a fhame is it, fays he, that we should take no care of our poor, when the Jews fuffer દરે no beggars (i) among them; and the Galileans, (i. e. the Chriftians,) impious as they are, maintain their own poor, and even ours (k).” We may infer from feveral places in St. Paul's epiftles, that he had the management of the alms of feveral churches, and that there were collectors under him for that purpofe. Juftin Martyr gives us pretty near the fame account of this matter in his time, in his fecond apology (1).

Let us now proceed to the other office belonging to the rulers of the Synagogue; which was to teach the people. This they did fometimes by way of difpute and conference; by queflions and anfwers; or elfe by continued difcourfes like fermons. All thefe diderent ways of teaching they called by the general name of fsearching (m); the difcourfe they ftiled. a fearch or inquifition (n); and him that made it a fearcher (0); from a Hebrew word (p), which properly fignifics to dive into the fublime, profound, myftical, allegorical, and prophetical fenfes of holy fcripture. In which fenfe (as we have cbferved on that place, and in the preface of the epiftle to the Hebrews) St. Paul alks the Corinthians (q), where is the PROFOUND SEARCHER of this world? It is evident from the epiles of St. Paul, and efpecially from that to the Hebrews, that the apo tle fometimes followed this mystical method of explaining fcripture. It may also be inferred from feveral paflages of St. John's golper, that our Saviour himfelf feems to give into that way.

There were feveral places fet apart for thefe fearches, or expofitions. Sometimes they were done in private houses. For there was no Jew of any learning or fashion, but what had in the upper part of his houfe (r), one or more rooms, where he was wont, at certain times to retire, either to pray, or to meditate, or to difcourfe upon fome fubject relating to the law. Several inftances of perfons retiring on the boufe top to exercife themselves on works of piety and devotion, are frequently to be met with in the facred writings (s). The windows of

(i) Deut. xv. 7- -II.
(2) Jaft. Mart. apol. 2. p. m. 99.
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(p) Darafcb, already fet down.

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(7) 1 Cor. i. 20. Tnths.

(r) They are called in Latin Canacula. It was in one of them that our Saviour celebrated his laft paffover. And in a like place where the Apostles affembled together, when the Holy Ghoft came down upon them.

(s) 1 Kings xvii. 19. Dan. vi. 10. Acts i. 13. x. 9. xx. 8. Tego, or upper room, is called by the Latins Conaculum. In one of the e our Saviour celebrated the paffover, and the Holy Ghoft defcended on the Apofties.

thefe apartments were to look towards Jerufalem, in imitation of Daniel vi. 10. But generally these exercises and debates were transacted in the fchools, academies, or houses of fearching, which were adjoining to every famous fynagogue, and were fometimes alfo named fynagogues. In thefe were the difciples of the wife brought up and inftructed, in order to be qualified for rabbies, or doctors. Laftly, the explanations of fcripture, and particularly the fermons, were rehearfed in the fynagogue itself, on the fabbath days and other feftivals.

In the ancient fynagogue, as it was firft fettled and established by Ezra, the priests and Levites made those discourses, only with a defign to facilitate the understanding of the text of the facred writings (t). In our Saviour's time, the duty of preaching, and of giving others leave to do fo (u), belonged to the rulers of the fynagogue. This manifeftly appears from the Acts of the Apoftles; wherein we are told, that the rulers of the fynagogue gave the Apostles leave to fpeak (x). It is very probable, that whenever Jesus Christ preached in the fynagogues, it was not without the permiffion of the prefident or chief ruler, though it be not exprefsly faid fo in the gofpel, without doubt, because it was a known cuftom. What indeed may feem ftrange, is that the Jews fhould fuffer Jefus Chrift, or his difciples, to preach in their fynagogues. But our wonder will ceafe, if we do but confider, 1. That they were Jews, and ftrict obfervers of the law. 2. That they were well verfed in the law, and even were Rabbins, or Doctors. That Jefus Christ was fo, is unquestionably certain, fince he is frequently called Rabbi by his difciples, and even by the Jews themselves (y): now it was unlawful for them to give this title to any one, but what had been admitted to that honourable degree by the impofition of hands. The fame thing may be affirmed of St. Paul, and even of fome of the other Apoftles. At least we find Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, and Manaen, stiled Doctors in the Acts (z). The fame is further evident from this one circumftance, recorded in the holy fcriptures, That the Apostles fat down when they came into the fynagogues (a). For feveral learned authors have observed, that the word fit down in thefe places, doth fignify to fit among thofe who were wont to teach or preach. And the rulers of the fynagogue undoubtedly fuppofed, that the Apostles, as they fat in thofe places were come with a defign to teach the people. 3. But fuppofing that they had not been Doctors; yet they might have claimed this privilege, as perfons of gravity, learning, and unblameable converfation, fuch as they were in the judgment even of their very enemies. For we are told, that not only the Doctors, but alfo the fons, or difciples of the wife, that is, the young ftudent, and such as stood candidates for the degree of Rabbi or Doctor; and even fome of the common people, if duly qualified for it, were allowed to teach in the fynagogues. It was but common prudence therefore in the Jews, to let Jefus Chrift,

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(a) Matth. xxvi. 55. Acts xiii. 14.

1 Cor. xiv.

30.

and his Apostles, preach in thefe aflemblies of theirs, for fear of provoking the people, who had a great refpect and veneration for them, and to reft fatisfied with hindering them, as much as poffible, from fpreading and publishing their doctrine in other places. It is evident from the New Teftament and ecclefiaftical hiftery, that the fermons and difcourfes fpoken by the primitive Chriflians in their affemblies, were regulated much after the fame manner, as those that were delivered in the ancient Synagogue of the Jews. There were alfo in every synagogue feveral minifters, who had different employments affigned them: 1. One called fheliach zibbor, or the messenger or angel of the fynagogue, ftanding before the ark or cheft wherein the fcriptures were kept, repeated the prayer cadifch before and after the reading of the law. This was to be a perfon very eminent for his learning and virtue. Sometimes indeed the chief ruler, or one of the elders of the fynagogue, repeated this prayer, but most commonly the fbeliach zibbor did it. And hence it is, that the bishops of the feven churches of Afia, are in the Revelations called the angels of thofe churches, because what the heliach zibbor did in the fynagogue, that the bishop did in the church of Chrift. 2. Another officer, who was called the minister of the fynagogue, from the pulpit gave the Levites notice when they were to found the trumpet (b). This minifter read fometimes the law; though at first there was no particular person set apart for the doing it; for, excepting women, any one that was but qualified for it, and pitched upon by the ruler of the fynagogue, might do it. It is commonly fuppofed that the deacons, appointed among the primitive Chriftians, of whom mention is made in the epiftles of St. Paul, were in imitation of these minifiers of the fynagogue. But it is to be obferved, that these deacons are very different from those of whom we have an account in the 6th chapter of the Acts, and which answered to the collectors of the alms, fpoken of before. Besides these two minifters, there was another of an inferior degree, called Chafan, that is, the guardian, or keeper. His bufinefs was to take the book of the law out of the cheft wherein it was kept; to give it the peifon that was appointed to read; to take it of him after he had done, and to lay it up in the cheft again. He was likewife to call out him that was pitched upon by the ruler of the fynagogue to read the leffen out of the law, or the prophets, to ftand by and overlook him whilst he did it, and to set him right, when he read amifs. He blowed alfo the trumpet upon fome particular occafions, as to give notice of the fabbath, of the beginning of the new year, to publish an excommunication, and the like. ninifter was moreover to let the people know when they should say amen, after the prayer which the angel of the fynagogue repeated before and after the reading of the law. Laftly, his bufinefs was to take care of the fynagogue, to fhut and open the doors of it, to fweep and keep it clean: he had the charge of the utenfils belonging to it, faftened the vail before the ark or cheft wherein the law was kept, and took it off, when there was occafion. This office was very much like that of a church-warden (or rather church-clerk) among us.

(6) See above, p. 160, note (o).

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Several

Several learned men are of opinion, and it is indeed very probable, that the government and fervice in the Chriftian church were first taken from thofe of the fynagogue. Several inftances of this agreement between them are to be met with in the New Teftament. But we must not expect to find an exact refemblance between them, either for want of ancient monuments, or because the fame officers both of the church and Synagogue, had more than one name, which often occafions a great deal of perplexity and obfcurity in thefe matters; or elfe, because they were confounded, when their offices or employments had any relation one to another.

The times of the fynagogue fervice were three times a day; viz. in the morning, in the afternoon, and at night (c). But though this service was performed every day, yet there were three days in the week that were more folemn than the reft, and on which they thought themselves more indifpenfably obliged to appear in the fynagogue; namely, Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, the most folemn of all. As more facrifices than ordinary were offered on the fabbath day, and other feftivals, they were wont to have prayers four times upon thofe days. We fhall give an account only of the morning fervice of the fynagogue, without entering into the particulars of that which was performed in the evening; because they were both pretty much alike, and befides, the latter was attended with lefs folemnity than the former.

Before the beginning of the public prayers by the angel of the fynagogue, the people repeated feveral private ones which were of a confiderable length. Thefe confifted of 19 prayers; the first of which contained praises to God; in the fecond, they confeffed their fins, and begged párdon for them; the third contained thanksgivings and petitions, for all the wants and neceflities of this life, as well fpiritual as temporal, &c. (d). Thefe nineteen prayers were not however said ali at length on the fab bath day, and other feftivals; and even on common days, feveral repeated only a fummary of them. When these prayers were ended, the minifter ftanding up, began the public prayers, the people likewife ftanding and bowing the knee and bod (as did alfo the minifier,) from time to time, at the rehearfing of fome particular paflages. They had alfo then their heads covered with a vail. Their fervice began and ended with the prayer Cadijch, which the Jews generally joined at the end of all their prayers; it was compofed in thefe terms, which come very near thofe of the Lord's Prayer: Hallowed be his great Name in the world, which he has created according to his good pleafure, and may his Kingdom be established. May we behold his redemption spring up and flourish. May his Meffiab fuddenly appear in our days, and in the days of all the house of Ifrael, to deliver his people. Prayers being ended, the minifter or Chafan, before mentioned, took cut of the cleft the book of the law; whereupon

(c) In the morning, at the time of the morning facrifice, in the evening, at the time of the evening facrifice, and at the beginning of the night, becaufe till then the evening facrifi e was ill left burning upon the altar. Dr. Prideaux Conu. P. I. B. VI. under the year 444. Sect. 3. concerning the time of the fynagogue fervice.

(d) You may lee all these prayers at length in Dr. Prideaux, ubi fupra.

whereupon the whole congregation fhouted, and expreffed a great deal of joy and fatisfaction. This book confifted of feveral large volumes, or rolls of vellum, ftitched or glued very neatly together, and faftened at one end to flicks very nicely turned (). As the whole Pentateuch, that is, the five books of Mofes, could not poffibly be read over at once in one of their affemblies, the Jews divided it into feveral large fections, which they called Parafchahs; one of which being read every fabbath day, the whole Pentateuch was by this means read over once every year (ƒ). They began it on the fabbath next after the feast of tabernacles. It was divided into fifty-three or fifty-four fections (g), and each fection was again fubdivided into feven parts for fo many readers. The book being opened, or rather unfolded, he that was to read, rehearsed fome fhort prayers over it, which the people joined in, by way of refponfes. After which he that was appointed to read firft, began the fection for that day. There were commonly feven readers each fabbath. Every Ifraelite had the privilege of reading, except women, flaves, and others that were deemed unfit for it. They commonly however pitched upon a Prieft, a Levite, a Doctor, or perfon of diftinction among the people, fooner than on any of the vulgar, who were not permitted to read till the others had done (h). When the laft reader had made an end of reading, he folded the book, and gave it the Chafan, or Minifter, who put it again into the cheft. After which followed some thanksgiving or doxologies, which ended with the prayer Cadifch. The perfon that read, did it ftanding; but the audience either ftood up, or fat down, as they thought fit.

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After the reading of the law, followed that of the prophets, before

(e) As all books formerly were.

which

"The whole

(ƒ) Their manner of reading the law, was as followeth. "law, or five books of Mofes, being divided into as many fections, or lessons, "as there are weeks in the year, (as hath been fhewn) on Monday they began "with that which was proper for that week, and read it half way through, " and on Thursday proceeded to read the remainder; and on Saturday, which was their folemu fabbath, they did read all over again, from the beginning "to the end of the faid leffon or fection; and this both morning and even"ing. On the week days they did read it only in the morning, but on the "fabbath they did read it in the evening, as well as in the morning, for the "fake of labourers and artificers, who could not leave their work to attend "the fynagogues on the week days, that fo all might hear, twice every week, "the whole fection or leflon of that week read unto them. Dr. Prideaux, "Connect. P. I. B. VI. under the year 444.

(g) The Jewish year being lunar, they had near 54 weeks in it. See Leuiden's Preface to his Hebrew Bible. Sect. 1.

(b) A Prieft was called out first, and next a Levite, if any of these orders were prefent in the congregation, and after that any other Ifraclite, till they' made up in all the number of feven. And hence it was anciently, that every fection of the law was divided into seven leffer fections, for the fake of these feven readers. And in fome Hebrew bibles thefe lefler fections are marked in the margin; the first with the word Choen, i. e. the Prieft; the fecond with the word Levi, i. e. the Levite; the third with the word Shelifhi, i. e. the third, &c. Dr. Prideaux, ubi fupra.

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