the law which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month: and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths. So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate of Ephraim. And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness. Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner. Nehem. viii. 9, &c. 14-18. This great day of the feast was that 861 anniversary solemnity wherein our Lord and Saviour, after the revolution of many years (how many I leave to the calculation of chronologers), did make that solemn proclamation unto the people assembled at the feast of tabernacles, John vii. 37-39: In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of running water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.

7. It is very observable which is recorded by

St. John, chap. vii. 14, 15, that about the midst of the feast, Jesus went into the temple and taught: and so taught, that the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, seeing he never learned? But to my apprehension it is more observable, and wanteth not a mystery, (though for the present I cannot sound it,) why our Saviour should begin to teach in the temple in the midst of the feast, not from the first day until the last, as Ezra the priest and scribe had done in the same feast mentioned by Nehemiah. His friends and kinsfolks had advised him to be at Jerusalem to shew himself at the beginning of the feast: Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand. His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judæa, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world, &c. Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is always ready, &c. Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for my time is not yet full When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee. Howbeit, after his teaching three or four days at the least, and his solemn invitation of all men to come unto him in the great day of the feast, he was not publicly acknowledged for the Christ; but so acknowledged by some, and with demur or contradiction of others: Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he? And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people. Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews. John vii. 11, 12, &c. But this verdict of him was

come.

given up before he taught in the temple. After which time their suffrages varied, not only one from another, but from themselves: for upon that part of doctrine which he delivered from the 15th verse to the 25th, some of them of Jerusalem said, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill? But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ? Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is. Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not. But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me. Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come. And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done? John vii. 25-31. But in the great and last day of the feast many of the people, after they had heard his solemn invitation, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed 862 of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? So there was a division among the people because of him. And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him, vv. 40—44. For when the chief priests and Pharisees asked of the officers whom they had employed upon the demur or debatement of the people to attach him, ver. 32, Why have ye not brought him? the only answer they could get was this, Never man spake like this man, vv. 45, 46.

8. But however in this great feast he suffered such JACKSON, VOL. VIII.

E

contradictions of sinful men, open contradictions one to another, and secret contradictions in most individuals to their own consciences--for as he had told them, John vii. 28, that they both knew him, and whence he was, and that he came not of himself, albeit their passions would not permit them so to acknowledge him-yet his entertainment for the present was not so harsh and churlish (at the people's hand especially) as it was at the next solemn feast, in which he again did publish his commission, to wit, in the feast of the encania, or dedication of the temple, immediately ensuing the forementioned feast of tabernacles. There was a division (saith St.John) again among the Jews for these sayings. And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in

the temple in Solomon's porch. Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me, &c. John x. 19, &c. Upon this avouchment that God was his Father, and that he and his Father were one, the Jews took up stones to stone him: Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself a God. vv. 32, 33. But he escaped out of their hand, and went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there

he abode. And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true. And many believed on him there, vv. 39, 40, &c., more than had done at Jerusalem, unto which he did not come till the great and last feast of the passover, albeit he were invited or advised to repair thither rather than to remain in Herod's dominions. Luke xiii. 31, 32: Then came certain Pharisees, (inhabitants of Jerusalem, or their complices,) saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee. And he said unto them, Go, tell that fox, &c. It cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem, ver. 33, &c. He finally resolves them, Ye (to wit) of Jerusalem, behold, your house is left unto you desolate: Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, ver. 35. And after this manner he was saluted by men, women, and children; by all sorts, (unless it were the scribes and Pharisees,) at his coming to this great and last passover whereof I now treat. However, their crucifying of him some few days after, whom they acknowledged for their Lord and Messias, did both deserve and portend that utter desolation of city and temple which he had foretold in the words immediately going before: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, 863 and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thee, &c. Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. But of the full importance of these words I have delivered my opinion elsewhere more at large. That Christ, after the feast of the dedication, mentioned John x, did remain where John at first baptized until some few days before the passover, is clear from that remarkable story concerning the raising of Lazarus from death, John xi. 6—10: