More compendiously of some others.
Many others there are which we resign unto Divinity, and perhaps
deserve not controversie. Whether _David_ were punished only for pride
of heart in numbring the people, as most do hold, or whether as
_Josephus_ and many maintain, he suffered also for not performing the
Commandment of God concerning capitation; that when the people were
numbred, for every head they should pay unto God a shekell, we shall not
here contend. Surely, if it were not the occasion of this plague, we
must acknowledge the omission thereof was threatned with that
punishment, according to the words of the Law [SN: Exod. 30.]. When thou
takest the sum of the children of _Israel_, then shall they give every
man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord, that there be no plague amongst
them. Now how deeply hereby God was defrauded in the time of _David_,
and opulent State of Israel, will easily appear by the sums of former
lustrations. For in the first [SN: Exod. 38.], the silver of them that
were numbred was an hundred Talents, and a thousand seven hundred
three-score and fifteen shekels; a Bekah for every man, that is, half a
shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary; for every one from twenty
years old and upwards, for six hundred thousand, and three thousand and
five hundred and fifty men. Answerable whereto we read in _Josephus_,
_Vespasian_ ordered that every man of the _Jews_ should bring into the
Capital two dragms; which amounts unto fifteen pence, or a quarter of an
ounce of silver with us: and is equivalent unto a Bekah, or half a
shekel of the Sanctuary. [SN: _What the Attick dragm is. What the
didrachmum and the stater_, Mat. 17. 27.] For an Attick dragm is seven
pence halfpeny or a quarter of a shekel, and a didrachmum or double
dragm, is the word for Tribute money, or half a shekel; and a stater the
money found in the fishes mouth was two Didrachmums, or an whole shekel,
and tribute sufficient for our Saviour and for _Peter_.
We will not question the Metamorphosis of _Lots_ wife, or whether she
were transformed into a real statua of Salt: though some conceive that
expression Metaphorical, and no more thereby then a lasting and durable
column, according to the nature of Salt, which admitteth no corruption:
in which sense the Covenant of God is termed a Covenant of Salt; and it
is also said, God gave the Kingdom unto _David_ for ever, or by a
Covenant of Salt.
That _Absalom_ was hanged by the hair of the head, and not caught up by
the neck, as _Josephus_ conceiveth, and the common argument against long
hair affirmeth, we are not ready to deny. Although I confess a great and
learned party there are of another opinion; although if he had his
Morion or Helmet on, I could not well conceive it; although the
translation of _Jerom_ or _Tremelius_ do not prove it, and our own seems
rather to overthrow it.
[Sidenote: _How_ Judas _might die_.]
That _Judas_ hanged himself, much more, that he perished thereby, we
shall not raise a doubt. Although _Jansenius_ discoursing the point,
produceth the testimony of _Theophylact_ and _Euthimius_, that he died
not by the Gallows, but under a cart wheel, and _Baronius_ also
delivereth, this was the opinion of the _Greeks_, and derived as high as
_Papias_, one of the Disciples of _John_. Although also how hardly the
expression of _Matthew_ is reconcilable unto that of _Peter_, and that
he plainly hanged himself, with that, that falling head-long he burst
asunder in the midst, with many other, the learned _Grotius_ plainly
doth acknowledge. And lastly, Although as he also urgeth, the word
+apênxato+ in _Matthew_, doth not only signifie suspension or
pendulous illaqueation, as the common picture discribeth it, but also
suffocation, strangulation or interception of breath, which may arise
from grief, despair, and deep dejection of spirit [SN: Strangulat
inclusus dolor.], in which sense it is used in the History of _Tobit_
concerning _Sara_, +elypêthê sphodra hôste apanxasthai+. _Ita
tristata est ut strangulatione premeretur_, saith _Junius_; and so might
it happen from the horrour of mind unto _Judas_. So do many of the
_Hebrews_ affirm, that _Achitophel_ was also strangled, that is, not
from the rope, but passion. For the Hebrew and Arabick word in the Text,
not only signifies suspension, but indignation, as _Grotius_ hath also
observed.
Many more there are of indifferent truths, whose dubious expositions
worthy Divines and Preachers do often draw into wholesome and sober uses
whereof we shall not speak; with industry we decline such Paradoxes, and
peaceably submit unto their received acceptions.