Τ was a token of absolution; Α, of ampliation. Others signified condemnation, by giving a black stone; and absolution by giving a white stone.

Mos erat antiquis, niveis atrisque lapillis,

Hos damnare reos, illos absolvere culpa.

Ovid. Metamorph. 15.

To this there seemeth to be allusion, Rev. 2. 17. To him who overcometh I will give a white stone; that is, I will absolve and acquit him in the day of judgement.

Note these three phrases, ἀναστῆναι είς κρίσιν, To rise up to judgment; ἀναστῆναι ἐν κρίσει, To rise up in judgment; ἐξελθεῖν καταδεδικασμένος, To depart guilty. The first is applied to the Judge in the execution of Justice, When God rose up to Judge, Psalm 76. 10. that is, to execute judgement. The second is applied to the party prevailing in judgment. The men of Nineveh shall rise up in judgement with this generation, Mat. 12. 41. that is, shall be justified before this generation. The last is applied to the party condemned, Psal. 109. 7. Let him depart guilty or wicked: the ungodly shall not stand in judgment, Psal. 1. The like phrases were in use among the Romans, Stare in Senatu, to prevail in the Senate; Causa cadere, to be cast in ones suit. But these phrases among the Romans I think to have been taken out of their Fence-Schools, where the set posture of the body, by which a man prepareth himself to fight and grapple with his enemy, is termed Status, or Gradus, as cedere de Statu, to give back; Gradum vel statum servare, to keep one’s standing: and from thence have those elegancies been translated into places of Judgment.

CHAP. IV.
The number of their Civil Courts.

Their Civil Courts were two, ‎‏סנהדרים גדולה‏‎ Sanhedrim gedola, the great Consistory, or Supreme Senate, ‎‏סנהדרים קטנה‏‎ Sanhedrim Ketanna, the lesser and inferiour Court. Thus I find them divided generally by the Rabbins: And although the latter was subdivided, as will after appear; yet in old time there were onely two first branches: which division our Saviour Christ seemeth to have followed, calling the lesser Court κρίσιν, by the name of Judgement: the greater συνέδριον, by the name of a Counsel. Whosoever is angry with his brother unadvisedly, shall be culpable of Judgement. Whosoever saith unto his brother Raca, shall be worthy to be punished by the Counsel: Whosoever shall say Fool, shall be worthy to be punished with the fire of Gehenna, Mat. 5. 22. In which words, as there is a gradation of sin, 1. Anger, a passion of the mind. 2. Raca,[537] scornful, or slighting speech, as Tut, Tush, &c. 3. Fool, reproachful and opprobrious names: so likewise there is a gradation of punishment. 1. Judgement, a lesser Court. 2. Councel, the greater Court. 3. The fire of Gehenna: Now Gehenna was a Valley, terrible for two sorts of fires in it: First, for that wherein men burnt their children unto Moloch.[538] Secondly, for another fire there continually burning, to consume the dead carcasses, and filth of Jerusalem; partly for the terribleness of the first, and partly for the contemptibleness of the place by reason of the second fire, it was a type of hell fire it self. We may resolve that text thus, anger deserved the punishments of the lesser Court; Raca, the punishments of the greater: and Fool deserved punishments beyond all Courts, even the fire of Gehenna.

[537] Raca non grandis alicujus est sermo convitii, sed magis è contemptu natum est, & neglectu dicentis Chrysost. homil. 16. in Mat.