CHAPTER XI

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.