the world to bee created as they did must acknowledge also that hee hath power to dissolve it SECT 2. Of the diverse wayes how the word Atheist is taken and of the sundrie sort of Atheists FIrst this word Atheist is taken for him who worships not the true God Ephes 2.12 Having no hope How many wayes this word atheist is taken and without God in the world Secondly those who worships the true God and false gods are Atheists as the Samaritans Thirdly those who worships the true God by false meanes are Atheists as the Iewes and Turkes But those properly are Atheists who hath no God at all and there are sundry sorts of them First some Atheists who denyes altogether that there is a God as Diagoras Secondly others doubted whether there was a God or not as Protagoras Who said Si Deus est unde prodeunt mala si non est unde bona That is if there be a God whence commeth evill and if there be not a God whence commeth good things Thirdly those who granted that there was a God but denyed that he had any care of things below here But enjoyed himselfe quietly in the Heavens Such was Epicurus Fourthly Democratus and Leueippus and those who held that all things were ruled by a fatall necessity The contradicting Atheist Those Atheists againe are divided into the contradicting Atheist who denies God and all religion The second is the scepticke Atheist The scepticke atheist The physicall atheist The stupide atheist disputing by way of Probleme whether there be a God or not The third is the Physicall Atheist who measures all things by the law of nature The last is the stupide or blockish Atheist The first sort of Atheist denying God altogether are directly opposite to the Christian and in part onely to the Physicall Atheist The Physicall Atheist and contradicting Atheist are semiantipodes halfe opposite but the Christian is directly opposite to him and they are very antipodes The second Atheist is the disputing Atheist or scepticke he propones whether there be a God or not and while he hanges in aequilibrio betweene the two yet he inclines more to the negative than to the affirmative part and him we call dubitabundum Atheum the doubting Atheist and he is in the middest as it were betwixt the contradicting Atheist and the Physicall Atheist The third is the Physicall Atheist who is so taken up with those things which he perceives by sense that hee never lifts up his minde to those things which savours of metaphysicks and far lesse to those things which savours of divinitie and he is so drowned in natura naturata that he never thinks of natura naturans that is he is so drowned in nature below here that he never lookes up to God who is the God of nature And the common saying may be applied well to him Where there is three Physitians there are two Atheists And as those who are borne in the bordering Country ye can hardly discerne by their language what country men they are So it is hard to tell whether this Physicall Atheist comes neerer to the scepticke or contradicting Atheist The fourth is the stupid Atheist who by stupidity and blockishnesse quenches that light of nature which is inbred in all men And if it fall out at any time which seldome happeneth that he stirre up this inbred light then it befalleth him as it doth those who hath some Lucida intervalla that is some cleare intermissions in the midst of their madnesse but afterward they are more madde then they were before So those Atheists after they have quenched those sparkes of light they are more stupide then ever they were This Atheist is a midst as it were betwixt the disputing Atheist and the Physicall Atheist Men are most discerned by their tongue The atheists are descerned by their language what country men they are and whence they fetch their pedegrees The Christian man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who speakes the language of Canaan who prayses God and worships him and the Atheist is opposite to him who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of a strange language Although the Atheists be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inter se of one language amongst themselves The contradicting Atheist is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who setteth his mouth against the Heavens Psal 73.9 Such as was that beast Diagoras The second is the Physicall Atheist who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive impeditae linguae who lispes sometimes and stammers that there is not a God The third is the scepticke Atheist and he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disputing pro contra on both sides The fourth is the Stupide Atheist who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scarce having a tongue and dumbe when hee should praise God By what arguments atheists are to be reluted onely by reason All these Atheists which we have reckoned up must be refuted by the principles of nature onely for all other arguments they scorne When we dispute against a Turke we may bring the Alkoron against him when we dispute against a Iew we may bring the old Testament and the Thalmud against him when we dispute against a Saducee or a Samaritane wee may bring the five bookes of Moses against them When we dispute against a Pagan we may bring the wise sayings of the heathen against him But nothing will serve against the Atheist but onely to bring him to the barre of Reason and God hath left this reason within him to convince him and make him inexcusable How Atheists denies the first principle that there is a God Object But wee cannot dispute against him who denies the first principles the Atheist denies the first principle that there is a God Therefore we cannot dispute against him Answ The Atheist denies this first principle onely in his Iollity and wantonnesse But when he is put to it in distresse and God beginnes to frowne upon him then he is forced to confesse that there is a God The foole saith in his heart that there is not a God Psal 14.1 The heart is taken three wayes in the Scriptures first for the reasonable faculty of the soule The Lord is said to give Salamon a heart like the sand of the sea 1 King 4.29 that is a heart that could understand and apprehend all things the foole labours to obscure this principle in his understanding Secondly the heart is taken for the will and affections Psal 119.36 Incline mine heart to thy law and not to covetousnesse that is my will and affections So 2 Cor. 6.11 My heart is enlarged to you Corinthians that is my will and affections And in this sense the foole wishes in his heart that there were not a God to punish him and to take order with him for his offences Thirdly the heart is taken for the conscience Davids heart is said to smite him 1 Sam. 24.5 that is his conscience smote him The foole can never get this principle
with the beastes than to be a beast To be borne a beast is no fault but to be matched with them when wee make our selves like beasts or worse than beasts that is our great shame The unreasonable creatures by instinct knowes their times and seasons and man will not know the time of grace by the gracious light of the Gospell The â—ewes were worse than the sillie Crane or Swallow when they knew not the time when Iesus Christ their Messias came into the world Wee who are Christians reckon our times from the Lords birth and from his death but the Iewes abhorre this When Alexander came to besiege Ierusalem in the dayes of Iaddus the highpriest to save Ierusalem not to be sacked they were content to reckon their dates from Alexander his comming to besiege Ierusalem anno creationis 4260. And this was called afterward Aera Alexandri and after that Selucidarum Alexandri but now they will no wayes reckon from the comming of Christ for when they count the yeares of the world they omit the thousands and reckon by the hundrethes by liphrath caton as they call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they will not subscribe their bonds and contracts by this date the yeare of Christ How Cornelius his prayer was accepted he not knowing that Christ was come Quest How could Cornelius his prayers be accepted before God seeing Christ was come and hee knew not that Answ Cornelius the centurion before hee heard Peter he beleeved in the Messias and this hee had learned from the Iewes but he knew not that Iesus the Sonne of Mary was the Messias and if he had died in that estate he might have beene saved but after that hee heard Peter preach that Iesus was the Messias if he had not beleeved in Christ then his ignorance had beene an affected ignorance and damnable such was the ignorance of the Pharisees Ioh. 10.24 Three sorts of Iewes who differed concerning Christs comming There were three sorts of the Iewes who differed concerning Christs comming The first were those who say that Christ was come as Aquiba the Armour-bearer of Ben Cohebha who said Omnia tempora Messiae preterierunt he held that Ben kohebha was the Messias and that hee was come already there were others of them who said Thalmud in Sanedrim Cap. 11. fol. 98. that he was come although not yet revealed but that he is amongst the â—epers of Rome And there are some of them who expect yet their Gnolam haba saeculum futurum this time they call the time of their Messias and seeing themselves so often deceived waiting for their Messias they doe say that times are not to be reckoned Thalmud in Sanedrim Cap. 11. fol. 97. So Rembam sub finem Misnaioth and they lay a curse upon him who presumes to reckon the times of his comming Displodetur spiritus eorum qui sunt scrupulosi in momentis temporum sed praestoletur credat universitati verborum that is let him perish miserablie who is scrupulous in the searching the moments of time and content thy selfe with this that he hath promised that he will come and he that beleeves will not make haste Hab. 2.3 There was a general fast indicted to all the Iewes in Europe because their Messias delayed his comming so long as Helvicus testifies lib. 2. SECT 4 Reasons proving against the Jewes that Christ is come TO stoppe the mouthes of these miscreants Reasons proving that Christ is come wee will bring some reasons out of the old testament and their owne writers against them when wee dispute against an adversarie wee must bring the principalles and grounds which they acknowledge themselves or else they will not serve to confute them Christ disputing against the Saduces who denied the resurrection Mat. 22.32 he brought his proofes out of the five bookes of Moses because they admitted no other scripture but those five bookes of Moses but when hee disputed against the Pharisees Mat. 12.3 hee brought his testimony out of the Psalmes because they admitted all the old testament so Iohn writing against Ebion and Cerinthus a Iew calles Christ still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sermo because that is the phrase of the Caldees when they speake of Christ this he did to convince the Iew the more A Christian disputing once with a Iew hee alleaged the testimonie of Paul but what replyed the Iew Quid mihi cum tuo Paulo lex canonica emendavit Paulum what have I to do with your Paul the canoÌ„ law corrected him What testimonies wee must use when we dispute with the Iewes In disputing against them wee must use their owne testimonies that their owne children may bee their judges Paul used the heathens testimonie against the people who were heathenish in manners as of Aratus Epimides and Menander so must we use their writings against themselves But here we must take heede when we bring in their testimonies against them that they agree all in those testimonies for if they doe not agree they make not faith against them but onely they show this much that they agree not amongst themselves But when they agree among themselves then their testimonies are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mar. 14.59 The first reason to prove that Christ is come is taken Reason 1 from Gen. 49. The scepter shall not bee taken from Iudah till Shilo come When the scepter was taken from Iudah then Christ came That is the power of judging shall not be taken from the great Synedrion therfore a scepter hang over their head in the great Synedrion as Petrus Euneus witnesseth But when the Romans subdued the Iewes great Synedrion was removed from Ierusalem Zam David pag. 36. b. to Iabneth this which was in the confines of Dan neere to the sea cost and there it stayed for a while after the destruction of the temple after that they had changed their station nine times at last they went to Tiberius the tenth station and their the Syhedrion tooke an end and they hope that the Synedrion shall be restored againe first at Tiberias and then shall goe backe againe by degrees to Ierusalem the scepter here was taken from Iudah by the Romans when Shilo came and they say the sonne of David the Messias shall not come done cregnum illud malignum extendetur super Israel they call the Roman Empire regnum malignum but this fell out in the time of Christ when all the world went to bee taxed under Augustus Luk. 2.1 And the stories tell us after that Aristobolus and Hircanus with their continuall warres had almost destroyed all the posteritie of the Machabees Vide Iosephum lib. 1. debello Iudaiâ—â— cap. 5. 15. lib. 15. cap. 9 10. the Romans having subdued the Iewes they set Antipater an Idumean and a stranger over them to bee their King and he that he might the more easily come by the Kingdome marries the daughter of Hircanus who was then a fugitive
they lay upon the skins of the beasts which they had sacrificed and sleeped there Sathan blasted them to belch forth their oracles Therefore Virgil saith Pellibus incubuit stratis somnosque petivit God himself is said to speak by Vrim and Thummim and yet it was the Priests who gave the answers so Gen. 41.16 God shall give Pharoah an answer how gave he him an answer by Ioseph so 1 Tim. 1.17 false doctrine is called the doctrine of devils when as the devil himselfe speake not but onely the false apostles by the devill Thirdly he appeared to his confederates when he spake out of the bellies of the Pithonies and Witches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly he appeares to his confederates per inexistentiam as when hee spake to Eva out of the serpent These in the Scripture are called obhoth Levit. 20. as you would say bottles or bladders because their bellies were extended like bladders and the seventy translate them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ventriloqui because the devil spak out of their bellies and in the Syriack spiritus tumoris Act. 16.16 because hee gave his answer out of the bellies of those Pythones which were swelled up Here let us marke a difference betwixt these who were blasted by the devill A difference betwixt the Prophets of God when they prophesied and those who were blasted by the devill when they prophesied and the Prophets of God when they prophesied the Prophets of God when they prophesied fuerunt in spiritu Rev. they were altogether taken up by the spirit neither were they any wayes distracted or out of their wits when they prophesied they were sometimes weakened in body at the sight of the vision as Daniel and Ezechiel were but still they were setled in minde and free from these passions which might perturbe the minde at that time but when the devil blasted his prophets as Bar Iesus Syriace Bar Shuma-filius inflamationis they were mad and distracted they foamed at the mouth Hos invasit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their neckes wried about and oftentimes they gave their answers out of those parts of the body which modestie wills us to conceale Therfore the Hebrewes saith that spiritus ascendebat per zacuro per necebhah per zacuro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oraculum delphicum edidit responsa per pudenda puellae They differed from the true Prophets in the manner of their speech by that part which shewes us to be men per nekebhah by that part which shewes a woman to be a woman Secondly they differed from the true Prophets in forma vocis in the forme of their voyce for the unclean spirit when he gave his answers hee peeped out of the earth Esay 8.19 and whispered out of the earth whereas the Prophets of God lifted up their voyce like a trumpet Esay 58.1 and spake distinctly when they prophesied Qu. How are true apparitions distinguished from false Answ Gershon in his booke intituled De probatione spirituum of the triall of the spirits saith How are true apparitions distinguished from false that no transfiguration is to be admitted but where Moses and Elias are present where he alludes to the transfiguration of Christ upon the mount where Moses and Elias were present When the disciples saw Christ walking upon the sea they tooke him to be a spirit Matth. 14.26 but when hee spake to them and said I am he then they were no more afraid It is the word that distinguishes the true apparitions from the false Man is very ready to be deceived by these revelations When the Lord spake to Samuel and called him once twise he tooke it to be the voyce of Eli and not of God 1 Sam. 3.5 So 1 King 13. the young Prophet was deceived by the old Prophet What marvell is it then if these impure spirits deceive When Satan by his suggestions would have perswaded Augustine to seeke some signe from God Aug. lib. 2. confessionum de vera religione because he saw many deluded that way by false apparitions therefore he often warned us that we should not trust such follies or delusions And Gershon in his Booke De probatione spirituum of the triall of spirits tells how Satan upon a time appeared to a holy man in a most glorious manner professing himselfe to be Christ and because the man was a religious man and worthy to be respected above manie others therefore he appeared unto him But what answered the old man unto him I desire not to see my Saviour here in this desert it shall suffice me to see him in the heavens and he said Sit in alio soeculo non in hoc visio tua merces mea O Lord let thy fight be my reward in another life and not in this SECT 5. What is Magicke and who are Magitians A Magitian is he who useth midses which are onely proper to God either in curing of diseases or working other strange effects These are magicians who usurpes any of Gods priviledges in curing or acting of their fates Things appropriate to God are first to worke by his word onely Secondly to cure by number Thirdly by order Fourthly he workes sometimes onely by the situation of the body Fiftly he workes sometimes by figure and character Gods sixt priviledge is to use one midse to cure all diseases Gods seventh priviledge is to use naturall meanes which notwithstanding hath no force in working of the miracle Gods eight priviledge is when he useth one midse to produce contrary effects so he useth artificiall midses as the brasen serpent Pauls girdle Gods first priviledge to cure by word First God useth sometimes onely words when hee restoreth the sicke to their health as when he said to the man sicke of the palsie arise and take up thy bed Iohn 5.8 When the Magitian useth words onely to cure the sicke this is Magicke usurping that prerogative which onely belongs to the Lord. Object It may be said that Satan useth the words of the Scripture in curing of diseases as when one is troubled with the tooth-ach they bring these words of Scripture a bone of him shall not be broken Answ It is well said by one in nomine domini fit omne malum that is they abuse the name of God when they are about their Magicke trickes the Scripture useth these words to another sense and therefore it is but a wreasting of the Scripture fraus dicitur fieri contra legem vel ipsi legi Against the Law when they doe a thing which is forbidden in the Law and studies not to hide the fact with any colour but fraus dicitur fieri legi when they doe a thing contrary to the meaning of the Law and yet seemes not directly to doe against the Law when Magitians use words of the Law they use them to another sense than the Spirit of God meanes then faciunt fraudem legi Quest When the devill hath the chiefe hand in working these strange
shieldes of brasse in the temple whereas in the first age they had shields of gold 1 King 14.27 The third age was the yron age when they stole out of the house of God the sieling sieled their own houses with it Ier. 22.14 so when they dwelt in houses of Cedar but the Lords house lay wast Hagg. 1.4 and when they robbed him of his tithes Mal. 3.8 wee live now under this yron age If any man bestow any cost now for the maintenance of the worship of God misers cry out with Iudas Marke 14.4 what needes this wast and they thinke it like bread cast upon the waters Eccles 11.1 But the Lord meetes with those who robs his Church for when they have sowne much they find but little encrease because they defraud him Rabbi Alsack writing upon Malachi telles us of a certaine man who had a peece of ground which brought forth yearely a thousand measures of graine and when the time of paying his tythe to the Priests came he payed but nintie bushels where he ought to have payed a hundred The next yeare his increase was not so great wherefore hee withdrew so much from the Priests at last his increase came but to an hundreth which was the first tenth that he was bound to pay the Priests an old man by chance meeting with him said unto him that he was glad of the late dignity that was befallen to his house how that God had gotten the increase and he became the Priest of his familie to get the tenths Idolatrie is a great sin because it is committed immediately against God at which words he was ashamed and repented him of his former sacriledge The greatnesse of this sinne of Idolatry which they committed heere may be considered by the worthines of the person against whom it is committed for as in bodily diseases those are most hurtfull that doe annoy the originall of our life most as the heart so in sinnes those are the greatest which are committed against God the fountaine of life There are some carnall sins and some spirituall sinnes Againe we may know the greatnesse of this sinne by the nature of the sinne it selfe There are some sinnes that are carnall sinnes and some spirituall Ephes 6.12 and these are greater then carnall sinnes Idolatrie is a spirituall sinne and adulterie is a carnall sinne The spirit being delighted with Idolatrie is a greater sinne then when the flesh is delighted with Adultery and there is a greater aversion from God in Idolatry Where there is a greater motive to sinne the sinne is the lesse then the conversion and adhaering to sinne in Adulterie Againe where there is a greater motive to sinne the sin is the lesse But these carnall sinnes hath Concupiscence which drawes them away and moves them to sinne but in spirituall wickednesse there is no such concupiscence to draw men to sinne their sinne resembles the sin of the devill more who is not led with lust or concupiscence to sin He that killes a man in passion he sinnes not so fearefull as hee who killes him in cold blood therefore those sinnes must bee the greatest which men are not led to by Concupiscence Notwithstanding Aaron committed Idolatrie in setting up this calfe yet the Lord spared him alwaies shewed great tokens of his mercy to the tribe of Levi as to Aaron Deut. 9.29 to the posterity of Corah Numb 26.11 and to Abiathar 1. King 2.26 and so Iosias when the Priests had committed Idolatrie in sacrificing in the high places hee did not kill them as hee did the Idolatrous Priests who were not called by the Lord 1 King 23.20 but onely commanded that they should eate of the unleavened bread amongst their brethren 2 King 23.9 which was injoyned to those that had any blemish in their bodie and they were forbidden to eate the bread of their God Levit. 21.17 They worshipped the calfe The oxe was a signe of plenty where the oxe is wanting the cribbe is emptie but much increase is by the strength of the oxe Prov. 4.4 Ioseph who provided corne in the time of famine is called Gods oxe Deut. 33.17 Lib. 1. Sacrae scripturae chap. 15. which booke is holden to be Augustines His glorie is like the firstling of a bullocke because he provided for the Egyptians and for his fathers family in the time of famine therefore it is said that the Egyptians placed the similitude of an oxe hard by Iosephes buriall place Whether the Idoll which they worshipped was a calfe or an oxe It may be asked whether this Idol which was set up was made in the forme of a calfe or an oxe And the reason of the doubt is because somtimes this Idol is called an oxe Ps 106.20 And they changed their glorie into the similitude of an oxe that eateth grasse And sometimes it is called a calfe vers 14. they made a calfe in Horeb. Answ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word gnegel vitulus with the Hebrewes signifies either vitulum subrumum that is a sucking calfe or it signifies vitulam tertiam Ier. 48.34 when it is three yeares old and then it is called indifferently Shor or gnegel bos or vitulus but when it is seven yeare old then it is onely called Shor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not gnegel that is an oxe and not a calfe Iudg. 6.4.6 Againe it may be asked whether it was a cow calfe or an oxe calfe which they worshipped The reason of the doubt is because Hos 10.5 he calls them gnegloth in the feminine gender which they worshipped in Dan and Bethel and they were made after the forme of this calfe which they worshipped in the wildernesse Answ David Esal 106.20 calls this calfe Shor an oxe calfe which they worshipped and the 70. convertes it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies an oxe calfe and they plowed with oxen and not with kine And whereas Hos 10.5 puts them in the feminine gender calling them gnegloth this was spoken per Ligragnon per contemptum as the Iewes speak that is in contempt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Tob. 1.5 this calfe is put in the feminine gender sacrificantes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrificing to the Cow it should not be reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu potestati for what power is in an Idoll In contempt this calfe is called a cow calfe and not an oxe So Rom. 9.5 I have reserved to me 7000. men who have not bowed their knee to Baal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the feminine gender and he understands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noting the infirmitie of the sexe So Virgil in his 9. booke when hee exprobrates to the Trojans their cowardlinesse he calls them not Phryges but Phrygias So Homer calls them not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie how farre degenerate and effeminate they were Whether it was the head of a calfe which they worshipped or not Thirdly it may be asked whether they worshipped the
head of the calfe here or the whole calfe and the reason of the doubt is because S. Cyprian in his book De bona conscientia sub finem S. Ambrose Epist. 6. Lactantius lib. 4.10 S. Augustine in Psal 73. hold that it was not an oxe but caput bubuli which they worshipped But this seemes not to be probable seeing the Scripture every where calles it a calfe and hee resembleth him to an oxe eating grasse Psal 106.20 The head of an oxe alone cannot eate grasse and they resembled an oxe as neare as they could This oxe which they worshipped in Egypt was marked with strange spots Bos inquit in Egypto numinis vice colitur Apin vocant insigne ei in dextro latere candicans macula similis cornibus Lunae crescere incipientis nodus sub lingua quem cantbarum appellant There is an oxe in Egypt which is worshipped as a God and they call him Apis he hath upon his right side a white spot which is like the hornes of the Moone when shee beginneth to grow and he hath under his tongue a knot which they call Cantharus By what slight the devill continued this Idolatry in Egypt to worship the calfe And S. Augustine holdes that the devill whereby this Idolatrie might be continued in Egypt used this slight Phantasiam talis tauri vaccae concipienti ostendere ut libido ejus attraheret quod in ejus faetujam corporaliter appareret that is he presented before the Cow when she was ingendering and in her heat August de civit dei lib. 18. cap. 5. a Bull marked after the same manner that the oxe of Egypt was which markes the Cow apprehending in her phantasie transmitted to the calfe and by that meanes the calfe was marked after the same manner that the oxe was and so the divill by his slight and cunning continued this Idolatry in Egypt But marke the foolishnesse of these Idolaters this oxe which they worshipped when hee grew old they used to drowne him in some lake or poole and then they lamented for his death in mourning apparel knocking upon their breasts and renting their cloathes but when they had found annother marked after the same manner then they rejoyced exceedingly this was great madnesse Peucerus de divinatione pag. 223. One jested at the gods of Egypt when he saw them lament for their gods Si dii sunt cur plangitis si mortui cur adoratis if they be gods what neede you to lament if they be dead why doe you worship them The decrease of this Idolatrie This Idolatrous worship decreased when Moses caused the calfe to be beaten to powder and given to the people to drinke Exod. 32.20 thus hee would let them see when this Idoll was turned to excrements It was but a god of dung Lev. 26.30 Deut. 29.17 and because these Idolls were but gods of dung therefore the Lord commanded that Baals house should be turned into a privie 2 King 10.27 and so when the Levites consecrated their hands to kill their neighbours and brethren Exod. 32.29 that were Idolaters their hands were consecrated with the bloud of their brethren as that day when they were ordained priestes and the bloud of the sacrifice was sprinkled upon the thumbe of their right hand Exod. 29.20 and this was as acceptable a consecration to the Lord as that day when they were consecrated priests unto him The second increase of Idolatrie in the wildernesse The second increase of Idolatrie in the wildernes was when God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven as it is written in the booke of the Prophets O ye house of Israel have ye offered unto me slaine beasts and sacrifices by the space of fortie yeares in the wildernesse yea yee tooke up the tabernacle of Moloch and the starre of your god Rempham figures which yee made to worship them How are the Israelites charged by Amos and by Stephen to have worshipped the host of heaven in the wildernesse when there is no mention made of this by Moses Here first wee are to enquire how the Israelites are charged by the Prophet Amos Chap. 5. vers 25. and by Stephen Acts 7. that they worshipped the host of heaven in the wildernesse when as the Lord never charged them with this sort of Idolatry in the bookes of Moses Secondly how they are said never to have sacrificed all the time that they were in the wildernesse when as they sacrificed to the Lord in the wildernesse Exo. 24.5 and Levit. 8.21 and 9.2 Thirdly what these Idolls were which they worshipped and sacrificed to in the wildernesse As to the first How can they be said by the Prophet and by Stephen to offer to the host of heaven seeing the Lord blames them not for that and we read nothing in the historie of Moses of it An. Rabbi Salomon reades it in the future tense portabitis ye shall beare as though the Lord were threatning a judgement against them for the time to come but this is neither the meaning of the Prophet nor of S. Stephen for they charged the Israelites with that Idolatry which they cōmitted whiles they were in the wildernes Beza upon the 7. Act. holds that the Israelites committed not this Idolatrie while they were in the wildernesse but the Prophet blames them that they worshipped God but hypocritically and not sincerely in the wildernesse and so David blames them Psal 95. and Psal 106. and therefore the Lord gave them up afterward to this open Idolatrie to worship the host of heaven But the Prophet Amos expresly saith Amos 5.25 that they worshipped the host of heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a particular wildernesse the wildernesse of Arabian where they wandered fortie yeares Object But if it be said that there is no mention of this Idolatrie in the history of Exodus neither are they charged with it as with other Idolatrie I answer that the Scripture The Scripture sets downe in some places that which is omitted in others and that makes up the full sense of the Scriptures sometimes sets downe in one place that which is omitted in another Example it is set downe in Exodus how the Magitians were called who resisted Moses and yet the Apostle calls them Iannes and Iambres 2 Tim. 3.8 So the strife which was betwixt the devill and Michael about the body of Moses the Apostle Iude sets it downe ver 9. So it is set not downe in the history of Genesis that Ioseph when he was in prison his feete were put into the stockes and Iron entred into his soule and yet David sets it downe Psal 105.18 So the Israelites worshipping of the Hoste of heaven in the wildernesse although it be not mentioned by Moses yet it is set downe by Amos and by Saint Stephen Act. 7. and many things are omitted in some places of Scriptures which are clearely set downe in other places which being conferred together makes up the full sense of
the Kings of Egypt the kings of Israel and the kings of Iudah as Abrahams Pharaoh Iacobs Pharaoh and Iosephes Pharaoh Others of them were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 badde as Pharaoh Ophrah Ier. 44. and Pharaoh Neco Ier. 46. and some of them were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Moses his Pharaoh Among the Kings of Israel there were none good they were either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were either bad or very bad none of them were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not evill They suckt the milke of Idolatrous superstition in the daies of Ieroboam whereunto they were addicted alwaies so long as the common wealth indured even the reigne of ninteene Kings But amongst the Kings of Iudah some were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 optimi as David Ezekias and Iosias some of them were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boni as Iehosaphat Asa and Manasseh Manasseh is reckoned amongst the good kings because his end was good Eze. 18. Some of them were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Vzziah was who began well but his heart was lifted up and he fell away from the Lord afterward and some of them were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most wicked as Ammon and Ahaz but there were none of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minime mali Object But it may be said of Iosias that the remnants of Baal were not taken away in his tyme Zepha 1.4 why then should he be reckoned amongst the best Kings Answ He studies to cut away the remnants of Baal which he could not finde out at the first because Idolaters are very subject to cover their Idolatry The first increase of Idolatry under the Kings was in Salomons dayes 1 Kings 11.5 The first increase of Idolatry amongst the kings was in Salomon time When Salomon went after Ashtaroth the goddesse of the Zidonians and after Milcom the abhomination of the Ammonites The Lord gave Salomon wisedome above any he exceelled the wisedome of the East country What great blessings the Lord bestowed upon Salomon before hee fell and all the wisedome of Egypt in naturall wisedome The Lord gave him a heart as large as the sand of the sea 1 Kin. 4.29 the Lord loved him and called his name Iedidiah 2 Sam. 12.25 The Lord appeared twice to him 1 King 9.10 The Lord made choise of him to be one of his secretaries to write a part of the holy scriptures It was hee who builded the temple and bestowed infinite charges upon building of it It was he who consecrated the Temple It was he who offered when the Temple was consecrated â—0000 oxen 1 King 8.63 and 120000. sheepe It was he who prayed for the people and blessed them 1. King 8.55 It was hee who was a speciall type of Christ It was hee who fell not away untill his old age and although the Lord threatned him that hee would rent his Kingdome for this his Idolatrie yet hee continued still in it 1 King 9.11 and was not a whit bettered by the threatnings of the prophet and herein he seemes to be worse then his foolish sonne Rehoboam for when the Prophet Semajah came to diswade him for to fight against Ieroboam hee left off his purpose and went backe againe but Salomon lay long in a Lethargie before he awoke who would have thought that the dragon with his taile could have pulled downe so farre this shining starre and when we see such a great Cedar of Lebanon as this to have fallen Let us with feare and reverence worke out our salvation The decrease of this Idolatry when Salomon wrote his booke of Ecclesiastes The decrease of this Idolatry was when Salomon wrote his booke of Ecclesiastes in a publike testimony of his repentance Salomon wrote three bookes the first is his Proverbes and it is intituled The Proverbs of Salomon the sonne of David King of Israel a fit booke of morall instructions for a King to write to his subjects then he wrote his booke of Ecclesiastes to the Church after his fall when he was gathered to the Church againe Coheâ—eth from Cabal congregare and he beginnes this booke thus Vanity of vanities and by vanities here he meanes especially Idolatrie for Idolls are the Gentiles vanities Ionah 2. and 〈◊〉 Act. 14.15 and he shuts up this booke thus feare God and keepe his commandements which shewes that Salomon renounced the vanities of those Idols And the last booke which he wrote was the Song of Songs which is the most excellent of all songs yea and of all Salomons Songs wherein his heart is elevated in describing this spirituall conjunction betweene Christ and his Church under the termes of a marriage made with his queene when he married Pharaos daughter Reasons proving that Salomon wrote this booke after his repentance It is cleare that Salomon wrote his booke after his repentance and after that hee had tried all sorts of vanities and not before his fall for in this booke hee describes his wisedome his power the buildings and the glory of his house which answers to that which is spoken of him 1 King 7.9 10. at the least he spent twentie yeares before all these things were done then he spent thirteene yeares in building of his house then adde to these five or sixe in repairing the citie and in building of the cities in the desert so that by this time hee had beene fortie or fiftie yeares old and adde to these the sending of the ships to Ophir which hee sent to fetch home gold Eccles 2. then hee tells how much hee was given to women J found a woman more bitter than death Eccles 7.26 and of a thousand wives and concubines which he had there was not one which he could trust Eccles 7 and these all he found but vanities Hee could not doe all those things and have experience of all these vanities but in a long time Bellarmine goes about to prove out of the text that this booke was written before Salomons fall because he saith my wisedome remained with me Eccles 2.9 but his wisedome could not remaine with him when he fell so filthily therefore saith hee this booke was written before his fall Answ The wisedome which remained with him so long as he went astray from the Lord was his carnall wisedome and his spirituall wisedome was buried all this while untill the time that he repented The reasons in particular which shewes Salomon his repentance are those First Salomon was a Prophet of God Salomon was a holy Prophet of God therefore he was not a reprobate and a Pen man of holy Scriptures now all the Prophets of God were holy men Luke 1.70 therefore Salomon was a holy man although he was overtaken with those vanities for a while The second reason is taken from the promise of God The second reason that hee was not a reprobate is taken from the promise of God made to him 2 Sam. 7.14 I will be his father saith the Lord and hee shall be my sonne if he
they fell from Christianitie to Gentilisme Some fell from Iewish religion to Paganisme as Rabsakeh did whom the Iewes generally holds to have beene an apostate Iew for he could speake the Hebrew language 2 Kin. 18.26 and he names the name Iehovah which the heathen knew not vers 25. and the Iewes used not to rent their clothes when they heard any blaspheme unlesse hee were an Hebrew therefore they rent their clothes when they heard Rabsakeh blaspheme Iosephus de bello Iudaico l. 2. c. 19. 20. Such was the apostacie of the Gergasites who fell from the Iewish profession to the heathen Greeks When the Proselytes entred within the Covenant of God they were circumcised as the rest of the Iewes were and it was the seale of the covenant to them but these apostates who fell away caused to uncircumcise themselves and draw their prepuce which was a signe of renouncing of the Covenant and the Greekes called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this uncircumcision they called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they uncircumcised themselves in the dayes of Antiochus Epiphanes Celsus lib. 7. cap. 25. Epiphanius li. de ponderibus mensuris for feare they should have beene knowne to be Iewes 1 Mach. 1.16 and the Apostle alludes to this forme 1 Cor. 7.17 Art thou circumcised uncircumcise not thy selfe These apostates the Hebrewes called Meshumadim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Kophar beguickar Negantes fundamentum and they opposed to these Gentiles fundamentales that is the Proselytes converted who held the grounds of the Iewish religion To fall from the Iewish religion to the Samaritan Vide Masium in Ioshuam 5.2 pag. 82. So when they fell from the Iewish religion to the Samaritan Such a one was Symmachus who translated the old Testament into Greke under the Emperor Severus and caused him to uncircumcise himselfe and then was circumcised of new againe which was called Parang denudatio pelliculae and this stood in place of a new circumcision to him These who fell from the Iewish religion to the Samaritans were most of all apostates hated by the Iewes Quia hi miscebant non miscenda because they mixed the true Religion and the false together and they hated them more than any other apostates They would not eate with the Samaritans Ioh. 4. they reckoned bread as if it had beene swines flesh and when the Samaritans blessed they said not Amen to it Eccles 50.26 27. My soule abhorreth two nations and the third is no people These who dwell in the mountaines of Samaria those who dwell amongst the Philistines and the foolish people who dwell in Sechem that is there are two sorts of people whom I abhorre most the people who mixeth the true religion and the false together as the Samaritans and secondly those who are onely Pagans the Samaritan he abhorred most for the Iewes so held the Samaritans that they thought them possessed with a devill as Iohn saith Say we not truth that thou art a Samaritan and hast a devill So when they fell from Iudaisme to Saducisme Iosephus l. 13. antiquitatum cap. 18. such a one was Johannes Hircanus who through hatred became a Saducee and commanded Saducisme to be received through all his bounds So when men fall from Christianitie to Iudaisme To fall from Christianitie to Iudaisme we have a miserable example of it in one Peffercorie who was a Iew borne but afterward became a Christian and was baptized Hee went to the Emperour to procure that all the bookes of the Iewes should be burnt except onely the bible This Iew made great sturres in Germanie especially against one Capnio who was a restorer of the Hebrew language then the story is set downe at length by Sleidan and after that hee had troubled the Church a long time at length he returned to Iudaisme like a dogge to his vomite and was burnt at Hall in Saxonie The Iewes have a saying amongst them That Iudaeo baptizato lupo domestico non est credendum that is we are not to trust a baptized Iew nor a tame Wolfe for he will slip the coller and runne to the hills againe and so it fareth with this miserable Iew. To fall from Christianitie to Turcisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So when men fall from Christianitie to Turcisme and these were called Mamluhim from Malach emptus vel mancipatus fuit Such are those who were begotten of Christian parents and being bought by the Turkes are circumcised To fall from Christianitie to Paganisme The last are those who fall from Christianity to Paganisme Such a one was Iulian the apostate Those miserable wretches who fell from the Iewish religion to Paganisme as from light to darkenesse were in a miserable condition but the miserable Iewes now are in a worse condition who calls light darkenesse and darkenesse light The fugitive who flees away from the prince to the enemie is not so badde as hee who keepe their strength and stands out against the prince Those miscreants now oppose themselves in all things against Christ SECT 3. Of a threefold error concerning Christ Three sorts of error concerning Christ THere is triplex error circa Christum The first is error temporis the second is error personae and the third is error conditionis The first is error temporis The first is error temporis when they denie that Christ is yet come The Pharisees said to Christ Tell us plainely if thou be the Christ Ioh. 10.24 Iesus answered I told you and you beleeved not The Lord instructed his people sundry wayes by base and sylly creatures as by the Pismire by the Conie by the Locust and by the Spider Prov. 30.25 26 27 28. By the Pismire he teacheth them industrie to teach them industrie to labour Pro. 6. he teaches them to have a care of their houshold and children By the Conies a feeble flocke they have a care to make their holls in the rockes for their safetie and the safetie of their young ones Thirdly he teacheth them to joyne themselves together for the defence of their countrie as the Locust doe who goe out to battell although they have not a head Fourthly hee teacheth them to be wise that they may stand in Princes courts By the example of the Spider which although it be a sillie creature yet it takes hold in Kings Palaces Ioseph learned this lesson when he stood before Pharaoh and Mordecai before Ashuerus So the Lord reproves his people by sillie and base creatures as by the Turtle the Crane and the Iwallow Jer. 8.7 hee objects to them that these poore creatures observed the time of their comming but his people know not the time of their visitation Luke 19.44 Man being in honour became like the beasts that perish Psal 49. yea worse than the beasts Chrysostome hath an excellent saying Pejus est comparari jumento quam esse Iumentum It is worse to be compared
excepta In fine de controversia infidelium lib. 31. tit 34. corpora obnoxia sunt ad scripta dominis sed mens quidem sui juris est They have forbidden the Christians to dwell with the Iewes to eate with them to wash with them in the same bath to nourish their children or to take physicke from them or to bury with them In the third estate those who are Iewes neither in affection nor in religion although they be Iewes by birth yet when they joyne themselves to the christian Church and become advenae Iustitiae they should enjoy all the priviledges which the Christians enjoy Many benefits have the Christian Church gotten from the Iewes Many are the benefits which the Christian Church hath gotten from the converted Iewes Hierom learned first the Hebrew tongue of a Iew who became a christian Epist 4. ad Rufinum So in his preface upon Daniel and 24. yeares afterward when hee returned out of Egypt to Ierusalem and was taught by one Barabanus of whom he makes mention Epist 65. qui timebat Iudaeos mihi alterum exhibebat Nicodemum because hee came to him in the night for feare of the Iewes as Nicodemus did to Christ and after that he had a third master of a Iew from Tiberias of whom he makes mention in his preface of the booke of the Chronicles and last hee had a master a Iew who taught him the Chaldee tongue of whom he makes mention in his preface upon Daniel Hierom therefore that famous translater of the bible was first beholding to the Iewes and we to them for his paines In time of the Gothes Iulianus a converted Iew was a Bishop in Spaine Paulus Burgensis a bishop afterward of a Iew became a Christian So Nicolaus Lyra of a Iew became a Christian So was Antonius Margarita a baptized Iew professed the Hebrew language at Lipsia in Germanie Dictum Elia de Paulo Phagio so was Immanuel Tremelius a baptized Iew The Iewes say of Rabbi Moses Bar Maimon that from Moses to Moses there arose not such a Moses so they say of Paulus Phagius because he was very skilful in their tongue to us christians A Paulo Tarsensi ad Paulum Phagium non fuit talit Paulus from Paul the Apostle who was bred at Tarshis to Paulus Phagius there was not such a Paul so wee may say from Immanuel Iesus Christ to Immanuel Tremelius there arose not such an Immanuel SECT 8. Of the lets and hinderances of the conversion of the Jewes THe lets and hinderances that hinder the Iewes conversion are of two sorts first the impediments which come from themselves and secondly that come from others The first let of the conversion of the Iewes The first maine let of the conversion of the Iewes is because the vaile lies upon their hearts unto this day 2 Cor. 3.14 The vaile put upon Moses his face signifieth that they could not looke unto the end of the Law Iesus Christ Moses his face so shined that the Israelites could not behold the brightnesse of it therefore he was compelled to put a vaile upon his face but when his face was vailed this wayes they could not behold his face therefore he behoved to unvaile it againe and the signification of it was this that the Law first and of it selfe threatens us and curses us these threatnings and curses of the Law the earnall Iewes could not abide therefore the Law was vailed to them untill the Spirit came and tooke away the vaile and then they beganne to looke unto the end of the Law Iesus Christ Quest Whether did Moses cover his face that the Israelites might not see it or not Answ Moses did not put a vaile upon his face that the Israelites might not see his face but because they could not behold his face therefore hee covered his face and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Matth. 19.8 Moses himselfe knew not that his face did shine when hee came downe from the mountaine untill he perceived it by the people who desired him to put a vaile upon his face when hee spake with the people but when hee went before the Lord to speake with him he tooke the vaile off his face Exod. 34.34 And the signification of it was this that Moses his ministrie in giving of the law as it respected Gods purpose was glorious and shining for Christ is the end of the Law to all beleevers Rom. 10.4 but when he turned to the people then hee was vailed to signifie that the law which was given to them a carnall people was a vailed law still Moses knew not that his face did shine and the signification of it was this that it belongs not to Moses which is the minister onely of the letter of the Law to know these mysteries of the Gospell but it belongs only to the spirit who takes away this vaile that those mysteries may be manifested and to show that the end of the Law is Iesus Christ He will take away the vaile An allusion to the vaile which was put on womens heads The Apostle alludes here to the use of the vaile which was amongst the Iewes for the women when they were married to their husbands they put a vaile upon their head in token of subjection to their husbands So the Iewes were married to the Law first as to a husband and were in subjection to it but now being dead to the Law they are married to Christ Rom. 7.4 When this vaile which was a signe of their subjection and blindnesse shall be taken away then they shall behold Iesus Christ the end of the Law as in a most cleare glasse and their eyes shall not be dazled as they were when they beheld Moses but it shall be a most pleasant and comfortable sight unto them Moses understood not this that his face did shine The Patriaches and Prophets understood not many things whereof they were types or what it meant Hence wee may learne that the fathers understood not many types yea not those things whereof they were types themselves Example Noah and his houshold saved in the Arke and the world drowned was a type of our baptisme the regenerate and new man in baptisme is saved and the old man drowned as Noah and his houshold were saved and the world drowned yet Noah understood not this So when the Israelites passed through the red sea and Pharaoh and his armie drowned this was a type of our baptisme 1 Cor. 10. and yet Moses understood not this So when Ionas was three dayes in the Whales bellie hee was a type of Iesus Christ who was three dayes in the heart of the earth yet Ionas understood not this So Moses understood not what this vaile put upon his face meant This should teach us to be thankefull to the Lord who hath revealed unto us now both the things signified and the types The second let of the conversion