obnoxious to brrour and the most Skilful may have his escapes in a long Work For Opere in longo sas est obrepere somnum Aliquando bonus dormitat Homerus A man may sometimes take Homer napping even in that Art whereof he was Master much more may the greatest Linguist living in a Work of so great Difficultie as the Translation of the Bible not another Mans though that more easie to erre in then a mans Own but the Work or Dictates of the Holy Ghost prove an Homer but a blind Guide unto the blind Many things he cannot See and many things he may Oversee And how then can any man Assure himself that in those Places whereon we should build our Faith he hath not gone besides the Line unlesse we will admit an Insallible Authoritie in the Church to assure us that such a Translation doth not erre 3 Again in those very Translations wherein they agree Luther gathers one Sense Calvin another every Heretick may pretend a secret Meaning of his Private Spirit Who shall either secure the People distracted by Dissensions amongst the Learned or the Learned thus dissenting unlesse the Infallible Authoritie of the Church Finally without such an Infallible Authoritie Controversies will daily grow and unlesse It be established they can never be composed seeing every man will draw in the Scriptures as a Party to countenance or abett his Opinion how bad soever The Ground of all which Inconveniences though the Sectaries cannot see it is the natural Obscurity and Difficulty of the Scriptures These are the main Springs or first Fountains whence the Adversaries Eloquence in this Argument flows And it will be but one labour to stop up These and his Mouth Or granting them passage we may draw his invention against us drie by turning their course upon himself CAP. II. The former Objection as far as it concerns illiterate and Lay-men retorted and answered 1 IF to suppose such an Authority were sufficient to confirm any Translation or secure the world of sincere Translations or to allay all Controversies arising about the true Sense and Meaning of Scriptures we were very Impious to deny it But if we have Just Cause to suspect that such as contend for it have but Put this Infallible Authority as the Astronomers have Supposed Some Epicycles and Eccentricks Some the motion of the Earth to salve their Phenomena which otherwise might seem Irregular We may I trust Examin First Whether the Supposal of this Infallible Authority in the Church do salve the former Inconvenience Secondly whether greater Inconveniences will not follow upon the putting of it then are the supposed Mischiefs for the Avoidance of which this Infallible Principle was invented and is by the Favourites of this Art sought to be established and perswaded 2 That this supposed Infallible Authority of the Church visible doth no way salve the Inconveniences objected against our Positions is hence evident As the Scriptures themselves were written in a Tongue not common nor understood of all Nations but of some few so likewise the Decrees of this visible Church concerning the Authoritie of Translations are written in a Tongue neither common to all nor proper at this day to any unlearned Multitude but to the Learned only Sometime they were written in Greek but in later years all in Latin or some other Tongue at the least not common to all Christians for no such can this day be found Nor is the Pope or his Cardinals able to speak properly and truly every Language in the Christian world of which he challengeth the Supremacie He Would be the Universal Head indeed but he hath not nor dare he professe he hath an Universal Tongue whereby he may fully instruct every Person throughout the Christian world in his own natural known mother Tongue For Bellarmin brings this as an argument why the Bible should not be translated into modern Tongues because if into one why not into another and the Pope as he confesseth cannot understand all 3 Tell me then you that seek to bring the unlearned Lay-sort of men to seek shelter under the Infallible Authoritie of the Romish Church how can you assure them what is the very true Meaning of that Church They understand not the Language wherein her Decisions were written What then must they infallibly and under pain of Damnation Believe that you do not Erre in your Translations of them or must they stedfastly Believe that you Interpret Her Decrees aright Nay even those Decrees which you hold Infallible condemn all private Interpretation of them and your greatest Clerks daily dissent about the Meaning of the Trent-Councel in sundry Points Yet unless the Lay people can stedfastly Believe that you Interpret the Churches Sentence aright your supposed Rule of the Churches Infallibilitie in confirming Translations or Senses of Scripture can neither be a Rule Infallible nor any way Profitable unto them For it hath no other Effect upon their souls save only Belief and they have no other Means to know that this which they must Believe is the Churches Sentence but your Report then can they not be any more certain of the Churches Mind in this or that point then they are of your Skill or Fidelitie neither of which can be to them the Infallible Rule of Faith For if they should be thus Infallibly perswaded of your Skil or Fidelitie then were their good Perswasion of you the Ground and Rule of their Faith and so they must Believe that you neither did nor could Erre in this Relation Whereas your own Doctrine is That even the Learnedst among you may Erre and you cannot denie but that it is possible for the Honestest Jusuite either to Lie or Equivocate Otherwise your Infallibilitie in not Erring were greater then your Popes or Churches for they both may Erre unlesse they speak ex Cathedra Now whether the Pope speak this or that ex Cathedra or whether he speak or write to all or no is not known to any of the common People in these Northern Countries but only by your Report which if it be not Infallible and as free from Errour as the Pope himself the People must still stagger in Faith Nor do I see any possible Remedie unlesse every man should take a Pilgrimage to Rome or unlesse you would bring the Pope throughout these Countries as men use Monsters or strange Sights Yet how should they be certain that this is the Pope rather then some Counterfeit or how should they know Rome but by others Or can you hope to salve this Inconvenience by an Implicit or Hypothetical Faith as that it were enough for the Lay people to Believe absolutely and stedfastly that the Pope or Church cannot Erre but to believe your Report or Informations of his Sentence in doubtful Cases only Conditionally if it be the Popes Mind if otherwise we will be free to recall our present Belief This is all which I can imagin any of you can say for your selves
annexed to any peculiar Men or Company of Men distinct from others by Prerogative of Place Preheminence of Succession and from him or them to be derived unto all others set apart for this Ministerie or whether the Ministerie of any men of what Place or Societie soever whom God hath called to this Function and enabled for the same be sufficient for the begetting of true Faith without any others Confirmation or Approbation of their Doctrine 9 Secondly it is questioned how this Ministery of Man which is necessarily supposed ordinarily both for knowing the Word of God and the true Meaning of it becomes available for the begetting of true Belief in either point In whomsoever the Authoritie of this Ministerial Function be the Question is whether it perform thus much only by Proposing or Expounding the Word which is Infallible or by their Infallible Proposal or Exposition of it that is whether for the attaining of true Belief in both Points mentioned we must relie infallibly upon the Infallible VVord of God only or partly upon it and partly upon the Infallibility of such as expound it unto us Or in other words thus whether the Authoritie or Infallibilitie of any Mans Doctrine or Asseveration concerning these Scriptures or their true Sense be as infallibly to be Believed as those Scriptures themselves are or that Sense of them which the spirit of God hath wrought in our Hearts by sure and undoubted Experience 10 These are the principal Roots and Fountains of Difference between us concerning our present Controversie whence issue and spring these following First Whether Christ whose Authoritie both acknowledge for Infallible hath left any Publick Judge of these Scriptures which both receive or of their right Sense and Meaning from whose Sentence we may not appeal or whether all to whom this Ministrie of Faith is committed be but Expositors of Divine Scriptures so as their Expositions may by all faithful Christians be examined Hence ariseth that other Question whether the Scriptures be the Infallible Rule of Faith If Scripture admit any Judge then is it no Rule of Faith If all Doctrines are to be examined by Scripture then is it a perfect Rule 11 Our Adversaries especially later Jesuites Positions are these The Infallible Authoritie of the present Church that is of some visible Companie of living Men must be as absolutely Believed of all Christians as any Oracle of God and hence would they bind all such as proâ—esse the Catholick Faith in all Causes concerning the Oracles or Word of God to yield the same Obedience unto Decrees and Constitutions of the Church which is due unto these Oracles themselves even to such of them as all Faithful Hearts do undoubtedly know to be Gods written Word 12 The Reasons pretended for this absolute Obedience to be performed unto the Church or visible Company of Men are drawn from the Insufficiency of Scripture either for notifying it self to be the Word of God or the true Sense and Meaning of it self Consequently to these Objections they stifly maintain That the Infallible Authority of the present Church is the mosâ— sure most safe undoubted Rule in all Doubts or Controversies of Faith or in all Points concerning these Oracles of God by which we may certainly know Both without which we cannot possibly know either which are the Oracles of God which not or what is the true Sense and Meaning of such as are received for his Oracles one of the especial Consequents of these Assertions is That this Churches Decisions or Decrees may not be examined by Scriptures 13 Our Churches Assertions concerning the knowledge of Gods Word in general is thus As Gods Word is in it self Infallible so it may be infallibly apprehended and Believed by every Christian unto whom he vouchsafeth to speak after what manner soever he speak unto him Yea whatsoever is necessary for any man to Believe the same must be infallibly written in his heart and on it once written there he must immediately relie not upon any other Authoritie concerning it 14 Or if we speak of Gods written Word our former general Assertion may be restrained thus 15 We are not bound to Believe the Authority of the Church or visible Companiâ— of any living men either concerning the Truth or true Sense of Divine Oracles written so stedfastly and absolutely as we are bound to Believe the Divine written Oracles themselves Consequently to this Assertion we affirm 16. The the Inâ—allible Rule whereupon every Christian in matters of written Verities absolutely and finally without all appeal condition or reservation is to relie must be the Divine written Oracles themselves some of which every Christian hath written in his Heart by the finger of Gods Spirit and Believes immediately In and For themselves not for any Authoritie of Men and these to him must be the Rule for examining all other Doctrines and trying any Masters of Faith But because most in our daies in Matters of Faith and Christian Obedience misse the Celestial Mean and fall into one of the two extreams It shall not be amisse while we seek to divert their course from Sylla to admonish lest they make shipwrack in Charybdis CAP. IV. Shewing the Mean betwixt the two Extremities the one in Excesse proper to the Papists the other in Defect proper to the Anti-papist 1 IT is a Rule in Logick that Two contrary Propositions for their form may be both False And hence it is that many Controversers of our times either in love to the Cause they defend or heat of contention not content only to Contradict but desirous to be most Contrarie to their Adversaries fal into Errour with them No Controversie almost of greater moment this day extant but yields Experiments of this Observation though none more plentiful then this in hand concerning the visible Churches Authoritie or Obedience due to Spiritual Pastours 2 The Papists on the one side demand Infallible Assent and illimited Obedience unto whatsoever the Church shall propose without examination of her Doctrine or appeal which is indeed as we shall afterwards prove to takeaway all the Authority of Gods Word and to erect the present Churches Consistorie above Moses and S. Peters Chair On the other side sundrie by profession Protestants in eagernesse of opposition to the Papists affirm that the Church or Spiritual Pastors must then only be Believed then only be Obeyed when they give Sentence according to the Evident and Expresse Law of God made evident to the Hearts and Consciences of such as must Believe and Obey them And this in one word is to take away all Authoritie of Spiritual Pastors and to deprive them of all Obedience unto whom doubtlesse God by his written Word hath given some special Authoritie and Right to exact some peculiar Obedience of their Flock Now if the Pastor be then only to be Obeyed when he brings evident Commission out of Scripture for those particulars unto which he demands Belief or Obedience
Fathers who had learned Christian Obedience alwayes ready to give honour where honour was due would most willingly have acknowledged so absolute a Soveraigntie and could have been glad to have used the Benefits of it to have spared themselves a great deal of trouble and pains if it could have been proved then to have been such an excellent Mean for allaying all Contentions amongst the Learned The Pope was much to blame to let Athanasuis suffer such pains exile and abuse by the Arian faction in the defence of the Truth if his Infallibilitie could have composed the Quarrel Austin hath been famous throughout all Generations since for his learned Labours against the Pelagian Heresie Cyril for his accurate Confutation of Nestorius and yet the Scripture was the best Weapon they knew Neither of them did ever appeal to the Popes Infallibilitie not the Popes themselves which then lived would have used any other Rule but Scripture for their own defence 3 Your usuall Argumentis that unlesse God had left such an infallible Authority as might take up all Controversies he had not sufficiently provided for his Church Then by your consent he left such an Authority as was sufficient to perform this good service to it To whom then did he commit it To the Sea of Rome say you How chanceth it your fore-elders did not put it in practise and make the Power of it better known This Blame you cannot lay 〈◊〉 the Almighty for he for his part by your confession provided abundantly for the Peace and Quiet of his Church And yet it seems the Church was ill provided for when Schisms and Heresies sprung so fast This therefore was your Churches fault that bore this Spiritual Sword in vain and world not use it when the Christian world stood most in need of it for the 〈◊〉 Decision of Controversies So then although we should grant you that your Church had sometimes the Birth-right amongst all the Israel of God yâ—â— might we justly say of it as old Israel said of Reuben his eldest son Thy â—â—nity is gone and we were to seek this Supream Authority if God had given any such Supremacy to any in some other Tribe which were likely to use it better 4 If you reply your Churches Authority in composing Controversies amongst the learned hath been better known since that flourishing Agâ—â— learned and religious Fathers and since it hath been so well known and acknowledged Heresies have been more thin sown then before few or 〈◊〉 till Luther arose daring to confront the Church or Popes Authority with Scripture You give us hereby just cause to suspect that Heresie had get the upper hand of Truth for the Multitude of followers that there had been a general Combination in Falshood till Luther brake it For if sundry 〈◊〉 the Ancient Hereticks with whose Doctrine the Primitive Church was pesterâ—… could under pretence of Scripture have got into Supream Authority or 〈◊〉 established their Propositions framed as they thought out of Gods Word with strength of Temporal Sword as Mahomet did his It were great Simplicity to think that they could not have been content to have let the Scriptures sleep or have threatned all with Death and Destruction that should have urged them to the prejudice of their Opinions especially of such Opinions as did concern their Dignity For all Falshood and Spiritual Blindnesse hates this Light and could either wish it put out or them utterly extinct that Object it to them As he that hath wound himself into anothers Inheritance by some quirk in Law or Captious clause not well understood would not be much offended to have all Evidences of primary Copies either burnt or buried even That by which he got it if It upon better Consideration or more indifferent hearing were likely to overthrow his Title 5 And if we may guesse at the course of Satans Policy in watching his Opportunities to effect his purpose by the customary fashion of secular Politicians his Schollars in like Cases most probable it is that after these Broâ—'s of Dissention about the Gospel of Peace so frequent in the Primitive Church the great Calamities and bodily Affliction which followed thereon most men grew weary of their Spiritual Warfare and became slothful in the search of Scriptures the only Armory for all munition in this kind of war Every man afterwards in the fresh memory of the Church their Mothers bleeding Wounds and the Desolation which had ensued these furious Broâ—'s became more tractable to entertain conditions of Peace and Satan himself who had sown the seeds of all the former Dissention after he saw all or most weary of war was content to turn Peace-maker for his own advantage These were as the first Preparations for laying the Foundations of the myâ—â—cal â—abel in whose erection the Marner Method and Circumstances of the formers dissolution are all inverted The Building of the first was hindered by the Confusion of Tongues or the Division of one Language into many whence insued the scattering of the People throughout the earth the second was finished by the Concourse of divers People and the Composition or Confusion of different Languages For as Goropius acutely observes the present temper of modern Italian Spanish French we may adde of our English Dialects was from the mixture of the Roman and Barbarous Tongues whilest the natural inhabitants of these Countries before accustomed to the Roman Language and the Barbarians which at that time over-ran them were inforced to imitate each other in their words and manner of speech that they might be the better understood in matters of necessary Commerce or ordinary Contracts And this is the true reason why our Ancient English Latinisms are not as the Latin Graecisms which were derived by Art and Imitation from clear Helicon extracted from the purest Roman but from Latin of the base and vulgar stamp This Confusion of the Latin and other barbarous Tongues was but a Type or picture of confounding the Ancient true Roman Religion with barbarous Heresies Heathenish Rites and several kinds of Paganisms whilest the Romans who had already begun to distaste the Truth sought by lying Legends and false Wonders to please the grosse Palate of the Goths Vandals Hunnes Alans Franks and Saxons and they again here-with delighted were content to imitate the other in sundry sacred and religious Rites so as neither kept their Ancient Religion but all imbraced this mixture or new confused Masse And to speak properly that Unity whereof the Adversary so much boasts since that flourishing Age of Fathers wherein Contentions were so rife and the Roman Church no better esteemed then some of her sisters was not a Positive Consent in the sincere Truth wrought by the Spirit of God as a perfect Homogeneal mixture by true and lively heat but rather a bare Negation of actual Dissention caused by a dull Confusion of the dregs of Errour coagulate and congealed together by Ignorance
Carelesnesse Sloth Negligence and want of zeal to the Truth 6 And after this Composal was once so wrought that men had felt some intermission of publick Dissention which they feared most such as were industrious in the search or would have been expert in the Knowledge of Scriptures were esteemed of but as Souldiers in the time of Peace and ease alwayes suspected lest they should raise new Broils And for this reason debarred of free accesse unto this Armory But how soever the Practise of examining the Churches Authority by Scripture was for many generations rare till Luther arose yet during all this time that of our Apostle Acts 14. 17. was in this Case most true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 GOD did not leave himself without a Witnesse In all these ages he had his Martyrs who in the fervency of their Zeal earnestly sought the dissolution of the coagulated Masse and extraction of Celestial Quintessences therein buried offering their Bodies as fuel to the flames of persecutions that were to effect it 7 Nor can you in reason demand we should give particular Instances of such Martyrs in every Age. For no man of sense but will easily conceive that your Church would seek by all means possible to obliterate their Fame and Memory upon whose Bodies she had exercised such extream Tyranny left their Example might encourage Posterity to like Resolutions Unlesse DRIFDO had unawares I think acquainted me with the Provost of STENELDA'S Epistle to S. BERNARD I had not known either your Cruelty against the Albigence's or Picards as I suppose or their Constancy in suffering Tortures in themselves most grievous yet attended with Usages as disgraceful both for the manner or form of Proceeding as injuriously inflicted as the ground or matter of Accusations brought against them were unjust and impious The Provosts Epistle was to this effect 8 I would gladly be resolved Holy Father might I enjoy your presence whence it is that in Hereticks the Devils members there should be so great Resolution for defence of their Heresies as the like can scarce be found in very religious and faithful Christians There are saith he amongst us Hereticks which put no confidence in the Suffrages of men deceased or Prayers of Saint Fastings and other afflictions of the Body usually undertaken for Sin are not in their Opinion necessary to the righteous Purgatory after death they acknowledge none Denying the making of our Lords Body in the Sacrament of the Altar the Church they affirm to be amongst them having neither fields nor possessions Of such we have known divers by the multitude misled with too much zeal violently haled agaiâ—… our will unto the flame whose Torments they not only indured with patience but entertained with joy I would therefore be resolved by you Holy Father whence so great Resolution in the Devils members should spring 9 No question but this Provost which esteemed no better of them then as of Hereticks or Satans members did relate the worst Opinions then known to be held by them and yet He as I would have the Reader note living in their time laies no such odious Tenents to their charge as those that lived long after or were imployed by the Romish State to write against Wickliff Husse or Jerome of Prage have charged them and their followers with Driedo tels us he finds no direct Answer by way of Epistle or writing unto this venerable mans demand in particular But out of S. Bernards Doctrine else-where delivered concerning like Hereticks he finds this Resolution The Constancy of Martyrs hath no affinity with the Stubbornnesse of Hereticks Pietie breeds contempt of Death in the one Hardnesse of heart in the other Such good minded men as S. Bernard I think had least to do in the Examination of such men most obnoxious to mis-information in the particulars of their carriage with which the Civil Magistrates of France though Romish Catholicks better acquainted have given them laudable Testimonies for their honest and religious Lives and whether these mentioned by that Provost were such as S. Bernard spake against in the place late cited is more then Driedo knew Howsoever in matters of this nature it is most true Bernardus non vidit omnia being as easie in his life time to be abused by crafty Politicians as his Authority is now by modern Jesuites He that will believe these men were such Hereticks as Driedo would make them only because Driedo sayes so may easily be perswaded that their Resolution did not spring so much from true and lively Faith as from Humorous Obstinacy or stubborn Pride But while we consider all Circumstances well though many we take from your Relation who in this Case relate nothing so well and truly as you should we have just cause to think they were not Hereticks but men rightly Religious fearing God more then men and more observant of his Laws then of humane Traditions For at this time as the Glory the temporal Power and Authority of your Church was exceeding Great so were the Hopes of these poor souls lesse either of purchasing Glory by contradicting or private Gains by disobeying your Decrees To attempt the one was the readiest way to procure their utter Disgrace the other an infallible provocation of greatest Danger Your Church had the whole Multitude of Nations as ready at her beck to applaud your cruel designs against them as the High-Priests and Elders had the Jewish People to approve our Saviours Condemnation The manner of their Tortures accompanied with such certainty of Ignominy and Disgrace were dreadful to the setled and deliberate cogitations of Flesh and Bloud their Memory for ought they could in human probability foresee was either to sleep with their Bodies and lie buried in their ashes or if surviving them to be perpetually scourged by the scurrilous pens and tongues of their bitter Adversaries No hope they had of being Canonized for Saints in the vehement desire whereof some in your Church have solicited the procurement of their own violent death by others hands 10 All these and many other like circumstances whiles we consider ye may brag of the Multitude and Universality as a Note of the true Church and we will easily grant you to have been at that time far more in number then these silly Sheep whose admirable Constancy neverthelesse in the heat of such extream Tyrannie and alwayes matcht with such harmlesse Simplicity doth make us think that albeit you were the greater yet these were that little Flock unto whose hearts our Saviour by his holy Spirit of comfort had said Fear not for it is your Fathers will to give you a Kingdom lands and possessions as your Adversaries truly object here on earth ye have had none But the Losse is little or rather your Gain exceeding great For these because these you have forsaken for the Gospels sake and mine you shall receive lands and possessions an hundred fold with life everlasting in the world to come
Without the help or ministerie of man We maintain as wel as they God is not a father to such as will not acknowledge the Church for their Mother Notwithstanding thus we conceive and speak of the Church indefinitely taken not consined to any determinate place not appropriated to any individual or singularized persons Now to verifie an indefinite speech or proposition the truth of any one particular sufficeth As he that should say Socrates by man was taught his learning doth not mean the specifical nature or whole Mankind but that Socrates as others had one man or other at the first to instruct him The same Dialect we use when we say Every one that truly cals God father receives instructions from the Church his Mother that is from some in the Church lawfully ordained for planting faith unto whom such Filial Obedience as elsewhere we have spoken of is due The difference likewise between the Romanists and us hath partly been discussed before In brief it is thus We hold this Ministery of the Church is a necessary condition or mean precedent for bringing us to the Infallible Truth or true sense of Gods word yet no infallible Rule whereon finally or absolutely we must rely either for discerning divine Revelations or their true meaning But as those resentâ—â—ances of colours which we term Species visibiles are not seen themselves though necessary for the sight of real colours so this Minisiery of the Church alâ—… in it self not infallible is yet necessarily required for our right apprehension 〈◊〉 the Divine Truth which in it self alone is most infallible yea as infallible to us as it was ‖ to the Apostles or Prophets after it be rightly apprehended The difference is in the manner of apprehending or conceiving it They conceived it immediately without the Ministery or instruction of man so cannot we This difference elsewhere I have thus resembled As trees and plants now growing up by the ordinary husbandry of man from seeds precedent are of the same kind and quality with such as vvere immediately created by the hand of God so is the immediate ground of ours the Prophets and Apostles Faith the same Albeit theirs was immediately planted by the finger of God ours propagated from their seed Sown and cherished by the daily industry of faithful Ministers 3 Neither in the substance of this assertion nor manner of the explication do we much differ if ought from Canus in his second book where he taxeth Scotus Durand and others for affirming the last resolution of our faith was to be made into the veracity or infallibility of the Church The Apostles and Prophets saith he resolved their faith into truth and authority divine Therefore we must not resolve our faith into the humane authority of the Church For the faith is the same and must have the same Formal Reason For better confirmation of which assertion he adds this reason Things incident to the object of any habit by accident do not alter the formal reason of the object Now that the Articles of faith should be proposed by these or these men is meerly accidental wherefore seeing the Apostles and Prophets did assent unto the Articles of faith because God revealed them the reason of our assent must be the same Lastly he concludes that the Churches authority miracles or the like are only such precedent conditions or means for begetting faith as sensitive knowledge exhortations or advise of Masters are for bringing us to certain knowledge in demonstrative faculties Had either this great Divine spoken consequently to this doctrine in his 5th Book or would the Jesuites avouch no more then here he doth vve should be glad to give them the right hand of fellowship in this point But they go all a wrong way unto the truth or would to God any way to the truth or not directly to overthrow it Catharinus though in a manner ours in that question about the certainty of salvation saith more perhaps then they meant whom Canus late taxed Avouching as Bellarmin cites his opinion that divine faith could not be certain and infallible unlesse it were of an object approved by the Church Whence would follow what Bellarmin there infers that the Apostles and Prophets should not have been certain of their Revelations immediately sent from God until the Church had approved them which is a doctrine wel deserving a sharper censure then Bellarmin bestows on Cathirinus Albeit to speak the truth Bellarmin was no fit man to censure though the other most worthy to be severely censured Catharinus might have replied that the Prophets and Apostles at least our Saviour in whom Bellarmin instanceth vvere the true Church as wel as they make the Pope Nor can Valentia's with other late â—esuites opinions by any pretence or thew hardly Bellarmins own be cleared from the same inconveniences he objects to Catharinus as will appear upon better examination to be made hereafter CAP. XXVII That the Churches Proposal is the true immediate and prime cause of all obsolute belief any Romanist can have concerning any determinate divine Revelation 1 WHereas Valentian and as he sayes Caietan deny the Churches infallible proposal to be the cause why we believe divine Revelations This speech of his is Equivocal and in the equivocation of it I think Valentian sought to hide the truth The ambiguity or Fallacy is the same which was disclosed in Bellarmins reply unto us objecting that Pontificians make the Churches authority greater then Scriptures In this place as in that the word of God or divine revelations may be taken either indefinitely for whatsoever God shall be supposed to speak or for those particular Scriptures or Revela tions which we suppose he hath already revealed and spoken Or Valentian may speak of the object of our belief not of belief it self If we take his meaning in the former sense what he faith is most true For the Churches infallibility is no cause why we believe that to be true vvhich vve suppose God hath revealed nor did vve ever charge them with this assertion This is an Axiom of nature presupposed in all Religions yet of which none ever knew to make so great secular use as the Romish Church doth But if we speak of that Canon of Scripture which vve have or any things contained in it all which vve and our adversaries joyntly suppose to have come from God the only cause vvhy vve do or can rightly believe them is by Jesuitical doctrine the Churches infallibility that commends them unto us 2 If that Church which Valentian holds so infallible should have said unto him totidem verbis you must believe the books of Maccabees are canonical even for this reason that your holy Catholick Mother tels you so he durst not but have believed as wel the reason as the matter proposed To wit That these Books were Canonical because the Church had enjoyned him so to think albeit his private conscience left to Gods grace and
or some neer adjoyning Thus he expected Oracles should either come in use again in Greece or else burst out in some more convement Soyl. The Atheists of this Age our English home-bred ones at least have altogether as great reason to deny the decay or drying up of Rivers and Lakes as to suspect the frequency of Oracles or other events in times past for neither they no◠their fathers have had any more experience of the one then of the other Plutarchs testimony amongst many others is Authentick for the use and decay of Oracles but neither his Authority nor the reasons which he brings can give satisfaction to any man that seeks the true cause of their defect He refers it indeed in a generality to the Gods not that they wanted good will to mankinde still but that the matter did decay which their ministers the demoniacal Spirits did work upon as you heard before We may upon sure grounds with confidence affirm That even this decay of matter which he dreams of had it conferred ought to the use of Oracles was from God And he as the Psalmist speaks that turneth the floods into a wildernesse and drieth up the water Springs and maketh a fruitful land barren for the iniquity of them that dwell therein did also bring not onely the Oracle of Delphi so much frequented amongst the Grecians but all other kindes of divinations used amongst his own people in the old World to desolation and by powring out his Spirit more plenteously upon the barren hearts of us Heathen hath filled the Barbarous Nations of Europe with better store of Rivers of comfort then the Ancient Israel his own inheritance had ever known Or if we desire a more immediate cause of these Oracles defect amongst the Heathens the time was come that the strong mans house was to be entred his goods spoiled and himself bound now the Prince of this world was to be cast out 2 Plutarchs relation of his demoniacal Spirits mourning for great Pans death about this time is so strange that it might perhaps seem a Tale unlesse the truth of the common bruit had been so constantly avouched by ear-witnesses unto Tiberius that it made him call a convocation of Wise men as Herod did at our Saviours birth to resolve him who this great Pan late deceased should be Thamous the Egyptian Master unknown by that name to his Passengers until he answered to it at the third call of an uncouth voice uttered Sine Authore from the land requesting him to proclaim the news of great Pans death as he passed by Palodes was resolved to have let all passe as a Fancy or idle Message if the wind and tide should grant him passage by the place appointed but the wind failing him on a sudden at his coming thither he thought it but a little losse of breath to cry out aloud unto the shoar as he had been requested Great Pan is dead The words as Plutarch relates were scarce out of his mouth before they were answered with a huge noise as it had been of a multitude sighing and groaning at this wonderment If these Spirits had been by nature mortal as this Philosopher thinks the death of their chief Captain could not have seemed so strange but that a far greater then the greatest of them by whose power the first of them had his being should die to redeem his enemies from their thraldom might well seem a matter of wonderment and sorrow unto them The circumstance of the time will not permit me to doubt but that under the known name of Pan was intimated the great Shepheard of our souls that had then layd down his life for his flock not the fained son of Mercury and Penelope as the Wisemen foolishly resolved Tiberius Albeit even this base and counterfeit resolution of these Heathens coyning bears a lively image for the exact proportion of the divine truth Charactred out unto us in Scripture For it shall appear by sufficient testimonies in their due time and place to be produced that sundry general confused or Enigmatical traditions of our Saviours Conception Birth and Pastoral office had been spread abroad amongst the Nations Hence instead of Him they frame a Pan the God of Shepherds in stead of the Holy Spirit by whom he was to be conceived they have a Mercury their false Gods fained Messenger and Interpreter for Pans father instead of the Blessed Virgin who was to bear our Saviour they have a Penelope for their young Gods Mother The affinity of quality and offices in all the parties here paralleld made this transfiguration of divine Truth easie unto the Heathen and the manner of it cannot seem improbable to us if we consider the wonted vanity of their imaginations in transforming the glory of the Immortal God into the similitude of earthly things most dislike to it in nature and quality Thus admitting Plutarchs story to be most true it no way proves his intended conclusion that the wild goatish Pan was mortal but the Scriptures set forth unto us the true cause why both he and all the rest of that hellish crue should at that time howl and mourn seeing by the Great Shephe ds Death they were become Dead in Law no more to breath in Oracles but quite to be deprived of all such strange motions as they had seduced the ignorant World with before All the antick tricks of Faunus the Satyrs and such like creatures were now put down God had resolved to make a translation of his Church and for this cause the Devils were enforced to dissolve their old Chappels and seek a new form of their Liturgie or Service Whilest the Israelites were commanded to consult with Gods Priests Prophets or other Oracles before they undertook any difficult war or matters of moment Satan had his Priests and Oracles as much frequented by Heathen Princes upon the like occasions So Strabo witnesseth That the Ancient Heathen in their chief consultations of State did rely more upon Oracles then humane policy If Moses were forty dayes in the Mount to receive Laws from Gods own mouth Minos will be Jupiters Auditor in his Den or Cave for the same purpose In emulation of Shiloh or Kiriath-jearim whilest the Ark of God remained there the Heathens had Dodona and for Jerusalem they had Delphi garnished with rich donatives of forrain Princes as well as Grecians so magnified also by Grecian Writers as 〈◊〉 it had been the intended Parallel of the holy City Insomuch that Plutarch thinks the story commonly received of that Oracles original to be lesse probable because it ascribes the invention of it to Chance and not to the Divine Provivence or Favour of the Gods when as it had been such a direction unto Greece in undertaking wars in building Cities and in time of Pestilence and Famine Whether these effects in Ancient times had been alwayes from the information of Devils as I said before I will not dispute That this Oracle
Infallibility might prove as a Powder-plot to blow up the whole Edifice of Christian Faith as it certainly will if men suffer it to be once planted in their Hearts and Consciences The Jesuites speculative Positions of their Churches transcendent Authority are as the Train the Popes Thunderbolts as the Match to set the whole World on Combustion unlesse his Lordly Designes though in matters of Faith and greatest moment be put in execution without Question or demur as shall God prospering these proceedings most clearly appear in the sequel of this discourse Wherein are to be discussed 1 Their Objections against us the Points of Difference betwixt us with the Positive Grounds of Truth maintained by us 2 The Inconveniences of their Positions Erection of tripple Blasphemy by the overthrow of Christianitie 3 The Original Causes of their Errour in this and such erroncous Perswasions as held by them in other Points not descried by us prove secret Temptations for others to follow them or serve as previal Dispositions for their Agents to work upon 4 The possible Means and particular Manner how Orthodoxal may be distinguished from Heretical Doctrine or the Life-working Sense of Scriptures from Artificial Glosses These Points discussed and the Positive Grounds of Christian Faith cleared as well against the open Assaults of the professed Atheists as the secret Attempts of undermining Papists we may with better security proceed to raise the Foundation laid in the first general Part of the first Book to the height intended SECT I. What Obedience is due to Gods Word what to his Messengers THe whole Scripture saith the Apostle is given by inspiration of God and is profitable to Teach to Reprove to Correct and to Instruct in Righteousnesse that the Man of God may be absolute being made perfect unto all good works What or whom he means by The Man of God is not agreed upon by all that acknowledge his words in the sense he meant them most Infallible and Authentick Some hereby understand onely such men as Timothy was Ministers of Gods word or Prophets of the new Testament and so briefly elude all Arguments hence drawn to prove the sufficiency of Scriptures for being the Absolute rule of Faith at least to All as well unlearned as learned Yet should they in all reason might Gods Word rule their Reason grant them to be such unto all such as Timothy was publick Teachers men conversant in or consecrated unto Sacred Studies but even This they deny as well as the Former the former in their opinion be more absurd for us to affirm especially holding the Hebrew text only Authentick Briefly they charge us with debasing Peter for advancing Paul or rather for colouring or adorning our pretended sense of Pauls Words that is for giving too little to Peters Successors or the Church too much to Scriptures too little to Spiritual too much to Lay men 2 These are plausible Pretences and sweet Baits to stop the mouthes and mussle the pens of Clergy-men in reformed Churches unto most of whom as they object besides the Spiritual Sword little or nothing is left for their just defence against the Insolencies of rude illiterate profane Laicks And yet who more earnest then they in this Cause against the Church against themselves yet certain it is that no man can be truly for himself unlesse he be first of all for Truth it self of which he that gains the greatest share what other detriment or disparagement soever in the mean time he sustain in the end speeds alwayes best And seeing To Lie or teach amisse is a matter altogether impossible to Omnipotencie it self to be able and willing withall to defend a Falshood or set fair colours on foul Causes is rather Impotencie then Abilitie Hence was that quicquid possumus pro veritate possumus Seeing by Truth we live our Spiritual Life to weaken it for strengthning our Temporal Hopes can never rightly be accounted any true effect of Power but an infallible Argument of great and desperate Imbecillitie 3 For these Reasons since I consecrated my labours to the search of Divine Truth my mind hath been most set to find it out in this present Controversie whereon most others of Moment chiefly depend And as unto the Romanist it is though falsly termed the Catholick so should it be unto us to all that love the Name of Christ The very Christian Cause a Cause with which the Adversaries Fortunes our Faith their Temporal our Spiritual Estate and Hopes must stand or fall a Cause whose Truth and Strength on our part will evidently appear If we first examine what the Antichristian Adversary can oppose against it CAP. I. The Sum of the Romanists Exceptions against the Scriptures 1 THeir Objections against Scriptures spring from this double Root The One that They are no sufficient Rule of Faith but Many Things are to be Believed which are not taught in Them The Second that albeit they were the compleat Rule of Faith yet could they not be known of us but by the Authority of the Church so that all the former Directions for establishing our Assent unto the Scriptures as unto the Words of God Himself were vain seeing this cannot be attained unto but by relying upon Christs visible Church The former of these two Fountains or Roots of Errour I am not here to meddle with elsewhere we shall That the Scriptures teach All Points of Faith set down in this Creed they cannot denie or if they would it shall appear in their several Explications So that the Scripture rightly understood is a competent Rule for the Articles herein contained Let us then see whether the Sense or Meaning of these Scriptures which both They and We hold for Canonical may not be Known Understood and fully Assented unto Immediately and in themselves without relying upon any visible Church or Congregation of men from whose Doctrine we must frame our Belief without distrust of Errour or Examination of their Decrees with any intention to reform them or swarve from them 2 That the Scripture is not the Rule whereon Private Men especially Unlearned ought to rely in matters of Faith from these general Reasons or Topicks they seek to perswade us First admitting the Scriptures to be Infallible in themselves and so consequently to all such as can perfectly understand them in the Language wherin they were written yet to such as understand not that Language they can be no Infallible Rule because they are to them a Rule only as they are Translated but no Unlearned man can be sure that they are translated aright according to the true Intent and meaning of the Holy Ghost for if any man do infallibly Believe this and build his Faith hereupon then is his Faith grounded upon the Infallibilitie of This or That mans Skill in Translating whereof he that is Unlearned can have no sufficient Argument neither out of Scripture nor from Reason Nay Reason teacheth us that in matters of ordinarie capacitie most men are
of Canonical Scripture May private Spirits discern their true Sence in matters of Faith as clearly as if they were a Light indeed to thee Oh no you quite mistake his meaning in making such Collections Let Valentian explicate himself in the end of this fourth Paragraph 8 After the Church hath once gathered any Opinion out of Scriptures and thereupon opposeth the Scripture thus understood by it according to the Apostolical Tradition unto contrary Errours It is extream Impiety and wickedness to desire any more either concerning the Authority or Interpretation of that parcel of Scripture under what Pretence soever of Difficulty Obscurity or the like To that Scripture I pray mark his words wel which is commended and expounded unto us by the Authority of the Church that Scripture now ea jam even for this Reason hoc ipso is most Authentick and shines most splendently mojt clearly like a Light videlicet as we have formerly expounded put upon a Candlestick Nay in good sooth just like a Candlestick put upon a Light or Candle For in this Countrey wherein we live we see the Candlestick by vertue of the Light not the Light by means or vertue of the Candlestick And yet if your Church be the Candlestick as you suppose and the Scripture the Light as you expresly acknowledge we must by your Doctrine discern the Light of Scriptures only by the Commendation Explication or Illumination of your Church the Candlestick And this Illumination is only her bare Asseveration for Scriptures she seldom expounds but only by Negatives or Anathemas The best Correction that can be made of this untoward crooked unwieldly Similitude would be this whereas this Doctor supposeth the Pope to be the Church and saith further necesse est ut lumen illud si dei quod in divinis literis splendet praeser at Ecclesia Let him put lucem for lumen and so the Pope being by his Assertion the Church may be truly called Lucifer And then as when Cloth shrinks in the wetting men shape their Garments accordingly making sometimes a Jerkin of that which was intended for a Jacket so out of this unhandsome ill-spun similitude which was marred in the making we may frame a shorter which wil hold exceeding wel on this fashion Even as Satan being the Prince of Darknesse doth to mens seeming transform him self into an Angel of Light Just so doth the Roman Lucifer being by Valentians Confession but the Candlestick labour to transform him self into the Light it self and would be taken for such a Light or Candle as should make the very Light of Heaven it self Gods Word to shine most splendently and clearly by the glorious Beams of his Majestical Infallibility once cast upon it For otherwise unlesse the Supernatural Glory of his Infallibility do infuse Light or adde fresh Lustre to this Light or Lantern of Truth the Candlestick naturally gives no increase of perspicuity to the Light or Candle Which wil shine as clear in a private Mans hands so he wil take the pains to hold it as in a Publick Candlestick But that which I would have the serious Reader to observe especially is this Speech of his Scripture as once commended unto us or expounded by the Churches Authority becomes thereby most Authentick and shines most clearly and most splendently For this same Doctor if a Doctor may be said the same affirming and denying the same in the beginning of that Dispute would gladly shuffle so as he should not be taken with that Trick which wil discredit their Cause for ever and descry their villanous Blasphemy in this Doctrine of their Churches Authority There he would perswade us that he doth not allow of this Speech I believe this or that to be a Divine Revelation because the Church doth tell me so or of this the Church is the Cause why I believe the Divine Revelations whereas this Speech of his Quae Scriptura per Authoritatem doth infer the Authority of the Church to be the very principal and immediate Cause of our Assent unto Scriptures 9 Secondly I would have the sober Christian Reader to observe what an unhallowed and unchristian Conceit it is to admit the Scriptures for a Lantern and yet to affirm that Christians cannot behold the Light therein contained but only as the Church of Rome doth hold it out what is this else but to call the People from the marvailous Light of the Gospel unto the fearful Lightnings of the Law And to make the Pope that Mediator which the People implicitely did request when they desired that Moses might speak to them not God If we be in Christ then are we not called into Mount Sinai to burning Fire Blindnesse Darknesse and Tempests this Light of the Gospel is not environed with a fearful Cloud or Smoak threatning Destruction if we should go up into the Mount to hear the Lord himself speak we have an Advocate with the Father and need not look for a Moses to go up for us while we stand trembling a far off For as our Apostle tels us Heb. 12. 22. We are come unto the Mount Sion and to the City of the living God the celestial Jerusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels and to the congregation of the first-born which are written in heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the Spirits of just and perfect men and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Testament and to the bloud of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel What is the Consequence or Effect of this our Calling Our Apostle makes this Inference verse 25. See therefore that ye despise not him that speaketh Whom did he mean The Pope or Cardinals But they would be but of like Authority as Moses was but he that Speaketh untous is of far greater For so our Apostle collects See that ye despise nâ—t him that speaketh for if they escape not which refused him that spake on Earth much more shall we not escape if we turn away from him which speaketh from Heaven The Israelites I suppose had despised Moses if they had admitted any other infallible Teacher besides him whilest he was alive or believed any other as wel as his Writings after his death but only so far forth as they could discern their Words to be consonant unto his If Moses Writings were to these Jews a plain Rule of Faith then much more must Christs Word registred by his Apostles and Evangelists by the Rule of Faith unto us That Moses Doctrine was their Rule of Faith a Rule most plain and easie these places following abundantly testifie CAP. XVII That the Mosaical Writings were a most perfect Rule plain and easie to the Ancient Israelites 1 SO perfect Directions had Moses left for Posterities perpetual instruction that a great Prophet in later Ages desirous to bring Gods people into the right Paths which their Fathers had forsaken and for this purpose professing to impart to them whatsoever he had
have acknowledged as much had be been in their place For why should he Any other might say he had the Spirit of God and that he was the Messias and what if Peter one of his Fellows late a Fisher-man did confesse him The Scribes and Pharisees principal Members of the visible Church deny him to be their Messias And how should they know his Words to be the Word of God unlesse the Church had confirmed them If Christ himself should have said in their hearing as he did to the Jews John 5. 46. Moses wrote of me consider his Doctrine and lay it to your hearts A Jesuite would have replied You say Moses wrote of you But how shal we know that he meant you Moses is dead and saies nothing and they that sit in his Chair say otherwise And verily the Scribes and Pharisees had far greater Probabilities to plead for the Infallibility of that Chair then the Jesuites can have for their Popes who had they been in the others place could have coyned more matter out of that one saying of our Saviour Mat. 23. 2. Sedent in Cathedra Mosis for the Scribes and Pharisees infallible Authority then all the Papists in the world have been able to extract out of all the Scriptures that are or can be urged for the Pope or Church of Romes Infallibilitie 4 The Scribes and Pharisees though no way comparable to the â—esuites for cunning in painting rotten or subtilty in oppugning Causes true and â—…nd could urge for themselves against such as confessed Christ that none of the Rulers nor of the Pharisees did Believe in him but only a Cursed Crew of such as knew not the Law John 7. 48. They could Object the Law was obscure and the interpretation of it did belong to them But could these pretences excuse the people for not obeying Christs Doctrine You will say perhaps they could not be excused because Christs Miracles were so many and manifest These were somewhat indeed if Christ had been their Accuser But our Saviour saith plainly that he would not accuse them to his Father And for this cause he would not work many Miracles amongst such as were not moved with the like already wrought lest he should increase their Sins If Christ did not who then had reason to accuse them Moses as it is in the same place did Moses in whom they trusted and on whom they fastened their Implicite Faith Moses of whom they thought and said We will Believe as he Believed Moses whose Doctrine they to their seeming stood as stifly for against Christs new Doctrine as they supposed as the Jesuites do for the Catholick Church as they think against Hereticks and Sectaries as they term us Why then is Moses whom thus they honoured become their chief Accuser because while they did Believe on him only for Tradition or from pretence of Succession or for the dignity of their Temple Church or Nation they did not indeed Believe Him nor his Doctrine For had they Believed his Doctrine they had Believed Christ For he wrote of Christ So he might thinks the Jesuite and yet write so obscurely of him as his Writings could be no Rule of Faith to the Jews without the Visible Churches Authority Yea rather they should and might have been a Rule unto them for their good against the Visible Churches Authority and now remain a Rule or Law against both to their just condemnation because the Doctrine of Christ was so plainly and clearly set down in these writings had they set their hearts unto them Even the Knowledg of Christ the Word of life it self was in their mouthes and in their hearts For that Commandment which Moses there gave them was That Word of Faith which S. Paul the infallible Teacher of the Gentiles did preach as he himself testifies Rom. 10. 8. If any man ask how this Place was so easie to be understood of Christ or how by the doctrine of Moses Law the doctrine of the Gospel might have been manifested to their Consciences my Answer is already set down in our Saviours Words Had they done Gods Will revealed unto them in that Law they should have known Christs Doctrine to have been of God 5 Had they according to the prescript of Moses Law repented them of their Sins from the bottom of their Hearts the Lord had blotted all their Wickedness out of His remembrance And their hearts once purged of Wickednesse would have exulted in his presence that had made them whole Faith would have fastened upon his Person though never seen before Not the Moon more apt to receive the Sun-beams cast upon it then these Jews hearts to have shined with the Glory of Christ had they cast away all Pride and Self-conceit or the Glory of their Nation but unto them as now they are and long time have been swollen with Pride and full of Hypocrisie Christs Glory is but as clear Light to sore or dim-sighted eyes They wink with their eyes lest they should be offended with the Splendor of it This Doctrine of Christ and Knowledge of Scriptures in points of Faith shall be most obscure to us if we follow them in their foolish pretences of their Visible Church most clear perspicuous and easie if we lay Moses Commandments to our hearts For Truth Inherent must be as the eye-sight to discern all other things of like nature CAP. XVIII Concluding this Controversie according to the state proposed with the testimony of Saint Paul 1 WE may conclude this Point with our Apostle Si Evangelium nostrum tectum est iis qui pereunt tectum est in quibus Deus hujus saeculi excaecavit mentes id est infidelibus ne irradiat eos lumen Evangelii gloriae Christi qui est imago Dei If the Gospel be Obscure or rather hid For it is a Light obscure it cannot be God forgive me if I used that speech save only in our Adversaries persons It is hid only to such as have the eyes of their mind Blinded by Satan the God of this World Of which Number may we not without breach of Charity think he was one who seeing the light and evidence of this place would not see it but thought it a sufficient Answer to say Aposiolus non loquitur de intelligentia Scripturarum sed de cognitione side in Christum The Apostle speaks not of understanding Scriptures but of Knowing and Believing in Christ It is well the Jesuite had so much Modestie in him as to grant this later that he spake at the least of Knowing Christ For if the knowledg of Christ be so clear to the godly and elect then are the Scriptures clear too so far as concerns their Faith For S. Paul wrote this and all his Epistles only to this end that men might truly come to the Knowledge of Christ But he meant of a perfect and true Knowledge not such as Bellarmine when he gave this Answer dreamed of ut neque sit puer neque
Melody and joy at their Destructions yet we assure our selves and ye might dread Gods further Judgement by the event it was the Cry of their innocent Bloud which fill'd the Court of Heaven and in a just revenge of their Oppression procured Luthers Commission for Germanies Revolt And yet say you Luther was the Cause of Dissention in Christs Church why so Because he burst your former Unity whose only Bond was Hellish Tyrannie Of such a dissention and of the breach of such an Unity we grant he was the Cause and you have no just cause to accuse him of dissention or disobedience for it For all kind of Unity is not to be preferred before all kind of Dissention or Revolt He that will not dissent from any man or society of men upon any Occasion whatsoever must live at perpetual Enmity with his God and War continually against his own Soul For there is an Unity in Rebellion a Brotherhood in Mischief a Society in Murther both of Body and Soul Wherefore unlesse you can prove your Cause or Title for exacting such absolute submission of mens souls and spirits unto your Church or Popes Decrees to be most just and warrantable by Commission from the Highest Power in Heaven Luther and all that followed him did well in preferring a most just most necessary and sacred War before a most unjust and shamefully-execrable Peace A Peace no Peace but a banding in open Rebellion against the Supream Lord of Heaven and Earth and his Sacred Laws given for the perpetual Government of Mankind throughout their generations 4 To presse you a little with your Objections against us and our Doctrine for nourishing dissention Our Church say you hath no Means of taking up Controversies aright If this were true yet God be praised it ministreth no just occasion of any dangerous Quarrel But be ours as it may be hath your Church any better Means for composing Controversies of greatest moment that raign this day throughout the Christian World Or doth it not by this insolent proud tyrannical claim of Soveraigntie and imperial Umpiership over all other Churches in all Controversies give just cause of the greatest dissention and extremest Opposition that can be imagined could be given in the Church of Christ The whole world besides cannot minister any like it Nature and common Reason teach us that a man may with far safer Conscience take arms in defence of his Life and Liberty then in hope to avoid some pettie loss or grievance or to revenge some ordinary cause of private discontent the Quarrel in the one though with resistance unto our Adversaries bloud may be justifiable which in the other albeit within the compasse of lesse danger were detestable But Grace doth teach us this Equitie Skin for Skin all that ever a man hath the whole world and more if he had it is to be spent in the defence of Faith the only seat of our Spiritual Life or for the Libertie of our Conscience You alone teach that all men should submit their Faith to your Decrees without examination of them or appeal from them we usurp no such Authoritie either over yours or any mens Consciences You challenge our Soveraign Lord and all his People to be your ghosily Slaves we only stand in our own defence we exact to such absolute Service or Allegeance either of you or any other the meanest Christian Church no nor our Prince and Clergie of the natural members of our own They only seek would God they sought aright in time to keep them short at home whose long reach might hale over Sea your long-sought Tyrannie over this People of Brittany happily now divided Lord ever continue this happy Division from the Romish world Unlesse your Means of taking up so great Contentions as hence in equitie ought to arise be so superexcellent that it can make amends where all is marred for which I cannot see what Means can be sufficient unlesse you either let your Suit fall or prove your Title to be most just by Arguments most Authentick and strong you evidently impose a necessitie of the greatest Contentions and extremest Opposition that any abuse or wrong losse or danger possibly to befall a Christian man either as a Man or Christian either in things of this life or that other to come either concerning his very Life and Libertie whether Temporal or Spiritual or whatsoever else is more dear unto him can occasion of breed 5 That which ye usually premise to work such a prejudice in credulous and unsetled minds as may make your sleight pretences of Reason or Scripture to be sifted anone seem most firm and solid to ground you Infallibility upon is the supposed Excellency of it for taking up all Controversies in Religion and so of retaining Unitie of Holy Catholick Faith in the Bond of Love If indeed it were so excellent for this purpose you might rest contented with it and heartily thank God for it Yea but because you have this excellent Means which we have not nor any like unto it yours is the true Catholick Church and ours a congregation of Schismaticks What if we would invent the like would that serve to make ours a true Church Or tell us what Warrant have you for inventing or establishing your supposed most excellent Order for taking up Controversies Was it from Heaven or was it from Men If from Heaven we will obey it if from Men we will imitate you in it if we like it But first let us a little further examin it CAP. XXVIII That of two Senses in which the Excellency of the Romish Churches pretended Means for retaining the Unity of Faith can only possibly be defended The one from the former discourse proved apparently False The other â—… self as palpably Ridiculous 1 WHen you affirm the Infallibility of your Church to be so excellent a Means for taking up all Controversies in Religion you have no choice of any other but one of these two Meanings Either you mean It is so excellent a means de facto and doth take up all Controversies or else it would be such as might take up all if all men would subscribe unto It. 2 If you take the former Sense or meaning we can evidently take you as we say with the very manner of Falshood For this claim of such Authoritie as we partly shewed before is the greatest eye-sore to all faithful eyes that can be imagined and makes your Religion more irreconcilable to the Truth And for this Church of England as in it some dissent from you in many Points others in fewer some more in one some more in another so in this of your Churches Infallibility all of us dissent from you most evidently most eagerly without all hope of Reconcilement or agreement unlesse you utterly disclaim the Title in as plain terms as hitherto you have challenged it Your dealing herein is as absurdly impious and impiously insolent as if any Christian Prince or State should
at least which this Counterfeit exacts to be Believed as true to wit that he himself is a man of excellent parts and one that wil use Fidelity as wel in his Doings as Sayings and in a word one whose proposal in matters of State or War is as infallible as the Popes in matters of Faith Yet notwithstanding that this Counterfeits Proposal or Asseveration which must be Believed from the Princes commendation of him which must be believed again from his Proposal Non habent unum idem objectum sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have not one and the same Object yet is the former resolution â—… and so is Valentians resolution of his Catholick Faith most ridiculously impious For what other issue of such dissolute resolutions can be expected but that men who know no better should hereby be driven to suspect the Scriptures for Counterfeit and the Catholick Church if the Roman were only the Catholick Church of villanous Forgery at the least in those places of Scripture which she pretends for Proof of her own Infallibilitie 19 As for Valentians later Exception why his Resolution should not be Circular it is more ridiculous then the former most ridiculously false to omit other points in this one that he dare deny the Churches proposal by their Doctrine to be the Cause why we Believe the Divine Revelation or rather that these Scriptures which we have are Divine Revelations For by their Positions we cannot assure our selves that the Scriptures are the Word of God by any other cause or reason besides the Churches Authoritie and therefore by their Doctrine the infallible Authoritie of their Church is the only Cause why we Believe this Sacred Canon of Scriptures which we enjoy to be Divine Revelations although it be no Cause by their Doctrine why we Believe that in general Divine Revelations are true For this is a dictate of Nature not controversed betwixt us and them or betwixt any who acknowledge a Divine Power And Valentian himself directly implies that which he impudently denies in the self-same period For he granteth that Propositio Ecclesiae est ratio credendi divinam revelationem ratio eredendi the Reason or Rule of Believing must needs include in it a precedent Cause of Belief it cannot be only a Condition annexed thereto but of this point God willing hereafter 20 Sacroboscus who hath followed Bellarmines and Valentians foot-steps as faithfully as any â—rish Foot-man could his Master though sometimes taking a more compendious and smoother way likely to entice pedestria ingenia wits either by nature dull or novices in Arts and smatterers in School-learning to follow him sooner then those great ones hath taken upon him to answer to this Circle in effect as Valentian doth save only that he hath put more Tricks of Art upon it either to confound the judicious or deceive the sample Reader Which here we shal not need to examin because we purpose to unrid his mystical Evasions in the next Dispute In the end of his tract in defence of Bellarmin he frames his Objection against both Valentian and his own Resolution Whether in Believing the Church by Scriptures and Scriptures By the Church the Belief of the one must in nature if not in time go before the other He thinks it not necessary that the one should be before the other Nam actus fidei fertur in suum objectum modo simplici ut visus in suum And therefore as we see colours per species visibiles by the visible shapes or resemblances which flow from them not by seeing the visible shape before the colours so do we Believe the Scriptures by the Church albe it we do not expresly and formally Believe the Church before we believe the Scriptures Quo teneam vultus mutantem Protea nodo In the former part of this his discourse the Visible Church was unto Scriptures as the Light was unto Colours now it is unto Scriptures as visible Shapes are unto Colours What then Do we not see visible shapes before Colours nor Colours before them no. For we see no visible shapes at all but by them Colours only are brought into our sight and we cannot see one before the other if the one we see not at all And in like sense it were true that we should not Believe the Church before Scriptures not Scriptures before we Believe the Church if we were not bound to Believe the one at all But if we see one thing by another which we likewise see we must needs see that first by which we see the other and so if either we Believe the Scriptures by Believing the Church or Believe the Church by believing Scriptures we must of necessitie Believe the one before the other For that by which we Believe a thing is the Means of Belief and the Means of Belief must needs in nature and order go before Belief it self And if the Church be the Means of believing only in as much as we believe it or to speak more distinctly if the believing the Church be the very Meanes of believing the Scriptures then must we needs believe the Church before we believe the Scriptures If our Adversaries affirm that their Church is the only infallible Means of believing Scriptures in any other sort then by believing it let them in the name of God assign by what Means they wil she can make us believe the Scriptures we shal not much contend so they wil not bind us to believe this their Churches Decisions Sacroboscus his comparison of the Visible Church and visible Shapes we admit thus far for good that as unlesse there were such visible Shapes no Colours could be seen so likewise unlesse God had some Visible Church on earth men ordinarily could not see the Light of the Gospel For it is not ordinarily communicated to any but by the Ministery of others but being communicated we believe it in it self and for it self not by believing others as we see Colours in themselves and for themselves not by seeing the visible Shapes by which they are presented or communicated unto our eyes But whether there be any Propriety between the belief of these two Church and Scriptures according to our Adversaries Doctrine or whether the belief of the one be the cause of the Belief of the other or in what sort the cause and what Inconveniences wil follow thereon we shal dispute hereafter 21 Let them in the mean time illustrate the Manner how we believe Scriptures by the Church as they please Let it have the same proportion to Scriptures which the Light or visible Shapes have unto Colours they themselves make the belief of Scriptures most uncertain and for this reason seek to establish the Infallibility of their Church for to assure us of the Truth of Scriptures We demand how â—… of their Churches Infallibility can possibly be proved By Reason that is impossible as you heard before By Tradition of whom of such as may erre that is
certain as they could be made For so it had been a labour altogether lost yea a matter no lesse prophane then rebaptization to have confirmed them by suffrages of Bishops after their Cathedral confirmation by the Pope Even of his Holinesse himself whose verdict as in this case must finally be supposed addes Divine credence unto testifications in their own nature fallible and meerly humane the question proposed in the former Section remains still insoluble For without the relation of some Historian or Register or especial revelation from above no Pope can divine how many Councels have been held much lesse what was finally determined in every ancient Canon confirmed by the Bishops assembled at Trent Special revelations such as the Prophets had they acknowledge none And yet distinctly to tell what hath been done in times past or places afar off without relying on others relations is an extraordinary effect of special revelation a work of higher nature and greater difficulty then Prophetical prediction of things to come Are then the relations of Historians or Registers of Ancient Councels divine and authentick Not without the Popes ratification with it they are Yes or else a great part of Roman faith by Bellarmines reason can be but humane 5 Hence may we safely annex a corollary as necessary as sutable to the main conclusion proposed for the principal subject of this Section As the Popes authority is by Jesuiticall Doctrine made much greater then our Saviâ—â—rs so may the assistance or countenance of his Omnipotent spirit make the reports of any temporizing Historian or mercenary Register as divine authentiâ—k anâ—…â—â—rtain as any Prophetical or Apostolical testimonies of the Messiah Yea if it should please him to authorize Baronius Annals or relations of former Councels their credit should be no lesse then the Evangelists Yea hence it followes as the discreâ—t Reader without further repetition of what hath here been said or new suggestion of the reasons whereon the inference is grounded will I hope of his own accord hereafter collect That determinations proceeding upon any knaves or loose companions testimonies though more loosely examined so examined at all or taken for examined by the Pope shall by his approbation be of force as all-sufficient either for producing Divine belief of mens spiritual worth we never heard of or for warranting daily performance of Religious worship to their memory as any declaration he can make upon our Saviours promises unto his Apostles For we may not more doubt of any Religion he shal authorize or any mans salvation canonized by him whosoever be the Relators of their life and death then of S. Peters though our Saviour promised he should be saved The reason is plain The Pope is sole Judge of all divine Oracles our Saviour as you have heard out of Valentian is but a witnesse and so may others be whomsoever he shall admit SECT IV. Containing the third branch of Romish blasphemy or the last degree of great Antichrists exaltation utterly overthrowing the whole foundation of Christian Religion preposterously inverting both Law and Gospel to Gods dishonour and advancement of Satans Kingdom THat the authority challenged by the Romish Church is altogether prejudicial to Gods word greater then either the visible Church of Israel from Moses till Christ or Christ himself or his Apostles either before or after his resurrection did either practise or lay claim to is evident from the former treatise It remains we demonstrate how the acknowledgement of this most absolute most infallible authority doth quite alienate our faith and allegeance from God and the Trinity unto the Pope and his triple Crown The Proposition then we are to prove is this Whosoever stedfastly believes the absolute authority of the Romish Church as now it is taught doth truly and properly believe no article of Christian faith no God no Trinity no Christ no redemption no resurrection no heavenly joyes no hell CAP. XXVI The Jesuites unwillingnesse to acknowledge the Churches proposal for the true cause of his saith of differences and agreements about the final Resolution of saith either amongst the Adversaries themselves or betwixt us and them 1 THe conclusion proposed follows out of their principles before mentioned and afterwards to be reiterated that they may be the more throughly sounded But ere we come to raze the very foundation of their painted wals a few weak forts must be overthrown vvhich some have erected in hope thereby to save their Church from battery Falentian as you heard before seeing his Mother would lie more open to our asâ—aults if they should admit this manner of speech I believe this or that proposition or article of saith because the holy Church doth so instruct me would mitigate the harshnesse of it thus If you ask me why I believe a Trinity or God to be one in three persons I would answer because God hath revealed this mystery The divine revelation then is the cause of your Belief in this particular But how do you know how can you Believe that God hath revealed this by another divine revelation No. For so we should run from revelation to revelation without end If by revelation you do not believe it by what means else By the infallible proposal of the Church as a condition without which I could not believe it Mark the mysticalnesse of this speech Ob propositionem Ecclesiae infallibilem For the Churches infallible proposal Is not this as much as if he had said because the Church vvhich is infallible proposeth it to me Why then doth he make it but a condition necessary or requisite to this assent â—elikâ— he meant not so but vvould have us to see the condition not the true and principal cause of his belief The Churches authority by his doctrine may in divers respects be truly said both a cause and condition Or to speak more distinctly the Churches proposal is a condition without vvhich no man can ordinarily believe propositions of faith the infallibility of her proposal is the true and only cause of every Roman Catholicks belief in all points This denial of the Churches authority to be according to their principles the true cause of belief Is the sconse that must first be overthrown but after a friendly parly of the difference betwixt us 2 Valentian if we wel observe his processe in the forecited place proves only that which none in reformed Churches did ever deny albeit he profeâ— more in his premises which whilest he seeks to perform he hath only proved him self a ridiculous Atheist as partly is shewed in the former treatises and shall more fully appear in the end of this To ease his fellows hereafter of such unnecessary or impertinent pains as oft times they take I dare avouch in the behalf of all my brethren in reformed Churches no Jesuite â—…al be more forward to demand then we to grant That God in these later dayes doth not teach men the Gospel in such sort as he did S. Paul
jointly believe for God speaking either in his written word or by tradition Yet if a man should have asked him why he did or how possibly he could infallibly believe that God did speak all the words either contained in the Bible or in their traditions he must have given either a womans answer because God spake them or this because our holy mother the Church doth say so For elsewhere he plainly avows the Books of Canonical Scripture need not be believed without the Churches proposal whose infallible authority was sufficiently known before one tittle of the New Testament was written and were to be acknowledged though it had never been he plainly confesseth withal that he could not believe the Scriptures taught some principal Articles of faith most firmly believed by him unless the Churches authority did thereto move him against the light of natural reason Now if for the Churches proposal he believe that which otherwise to believe he had no reason at all but rather strong inducements to the contrary as stedfastly as any other truth the Churches infallibility must be the true and only cause both why he believes the mystery proposed and distrusts the natural dictates of his conscience to the contrary In sine he doth not believe there is a Trinity for in that Article is his instance because God hath said it but he believes that God hath said it because his infallible Mother the Church doth teach it This is the misery of miseries that these Apostates should so bewitch the World as to make it think they believe the Church because God speaks by it when it is evident they do not believe God but for the Churches testimony well content to pretend his authority that her own may seem more Soveraign Thus make they their superstitious groundless magical Faith but as a wrench to wrest that principle of nature Whatsoever God saith is true to countenance any villany they can imagin as wil better appear hereafter But first the Reader must be content to be informed that by some of their Tenents the same Divine revelations may be asâ—ented unto by the Habit either of â—heologie or of Faith both which are most certain but herein diâ—ferent That tâ—e former is discursive and resembles science properly so called the later not so but rather like unto that habit or faculty by which we perceive the truth of general Maxims or unto our bodily sight which sees divers visibles all immediately not one after or by another Whilst some of them dispute against the certainty of private spirits their arguments suppose Divine revelations must be believed by the Habit of Theologie which is as a sword to oâ—â—end us Whiles we assault them and urge the unstability of their resolutions they slie unto the non disâ—ursive Habit of faith infused as their best buckler to ward such blows as the Habit of Theologie cannot bear off 6 Not here to dispute either how truly or pertinently they deny â—aith infused to be a discursive habit the Logical Reader need not I hope my adâ—onition to observe that faith or belief whether habitual or actual unlesse discursive cannot possibly be resolved into any preexistent Maxim or principle From which grant this Emolument wil arise unto our cause that the Churches authority cannot be proved by any divine revelation or portion of Scripture seeing it is an Article of Faith and must be believed â—odâ—m intuâ—â—u with that Scripture or part of Gods Word whether written or unwritten that teacheth it as light and colours are perceived by one and the same intuition in the same instant And by this assertion we could not so properly say We beleeue the divine revelation because we believe the Church nor do we see colours because we see the light but We may truly say that the objects of our faith divine revelations are therefore actually credible or worthy of belief because the infallible Church doth illustrate or propose them as the light doth make colours though invisible by night visible by day This similitude of the light and colours is not mine but Sacroboscus's whom in the point in hand I most mention because Doctor Whitakers Objections against their Churches Doctrine as it hath been delivered by Bellarmine and other late Controversers hath enforced him clearly to unfold what Bellarmine Stapleton and Valentian left unexpressed but is implicitely included in all their Writings But ere we come to examine the full inconveniences of their opinions I must request the Reader to observe that as oft as they mention Râ—solution of faith they mean the discursive habit of Theologie For all resolution of Belief or knowledge essentially includes discourse And Bellarmine directly makes Sacroboscus expressely avoucheth the Churches authority the medius terminus or true cause whence determinate conclusions of faith are gathered From which and other equivalent assertions acknowledged by all the Romanists this day living it will appear that Valentian was either very ignorant himself or presumed he had to deal with very ignorant Adversaries when he denied that the last resolution of Catholick faith was into the Churches authority which comes next in place to be examined CAP. XXVIII Discovering either the grosse ignorance or notorious craft of the Jesuite in denying his Faith is finally resolved into the Churches veracity or infallibility That possibly it cannot be resolved into any branch of the First Truth 1 IT were a foolish question as Cajetan saith Valentian hath well observed if one should ask another why he believes the First Truth revealing For the Assent of Faith is finally resolved into the First Truth It may be Cajetan was better minded towards Truth it self first or secondary then this Jesuite was which used his authority to colour his former rotten position That the Churches proposal by their doctrine is not the cause of faith but our former distinction between belief it self and it object often confounded or between Gods Word indefinitely and determinately taken if well observed will evince this last reason to be as foolish as the former assertion was false No man saith he can give any reason besides the infallibility of the Revealer why he beleeves a divine Revelation It is true no man can give nor would any ask why we believe that which we are fully perswaded is a divine Revelation But yet a reason by their positions must be given why we believe either this or that truth any particular or determinate portion of Scripture to be a divine Revelation Wherefore seeing Christian Faith is alwayes of desinite and particular propositions or conclusions and as Bellarmine saith and all the Papists must say these cannot be known but by the Church As her infallible proposal is the true and proper cause why we believe them to be infalliblie true because the onely cause whereby we can believe them to be divine revelations so must it be the essential principle into which our Assent or Belief of any particular or determinate
then demonstrative Evidence of divine Truths which glorified Saints enjoy and obseurity or Jewish Blindness The particular manner how Gods Spirit works lively Faith by such Experiments as â—…tly I did and hereafter must acquaint him withall the Reader I hope will gather of his own accord out of the discourses following concerning the nature of Christian Faith and the Principal Objects thereof whereunto my Meditations are now add 〈◊〉 my long durance in this unpleasant subject having bred in my soul a more eagâ—r thâ—… after these well springs of life FINIS Though the Observant Reader may serve himself well of the Contents of every Chapter and the Table of Texts of Scripture as also of the Titles of every Page and Marginal Briefs yet for his further advantage is made this ensuing Table To which every Reader may adde what he pleases space being left The Figure signifies the Page M. the Margin A THe sin of Aaron extenuated by Jews pag. 38 Abrahams faith and Jews stubbornness 132 The sin of Abiram aggravated 410 The Authors Aboadment 507 His prayer 508 Apparitions of Heathen Gods 34 c. Actions humane distinguished 168 Actions not of faith 177 to 184 See Doubts Not of Faith Obedience The same ill Action may be less of faith in the confident then in the scrupler 184 Best method to square our actions to the rule of faith 185 Adrians severity against the Jews 111 112 c. Acosta's zeal for Popes supremacy 314 Adam did eat not doubting yet condemned 185 Adoration of the Hoast dangerous to mens souls 328 Council of Trents decree for adoration 329 m. To Adore a creature wherein the divel lurks Vasques thinks lawful if one direct not Worship to him 329 Saracens Adore a stone and a star 107 Adoration of a dead dog deliberated if not done 501 m. Ahabs Prophets 418 Elijahs and Michaiahs Prophesies abused by Polititians 1b Albigenses and Picards persecuted by the Provost Stenelda who wrote to S. Bernard about them 245 c. Alexander the great General to Solomon say the Turks 46 Ancient times not to be measured by latter and why 37 to 42 How we may dissent from the Ancient 266 267 268 Angels sent to gather the elect how meant 101 Angels got Israel miraculous victories 35 Androgyni Platonis 56 Different Ages divers events 309 c. We mistrust Antiquity why 37. c. Alphon. the great got great honor being prisoner 61 Antoninies Army relieved with water 78 Arnuphis the sorcerer by the Heathen said to do it ibid. Arabians cruelty to the Jews Ambassadors 77 Antichrists exaltation first degree 315 c. Second degree of it 375 c. Third degree 464 c. Excesse of His exaltation 449 c. Antichrist may in formall termes confesse Christ 355 Antichrists spirit ib. Antichristianisme not contradictory to Christianity but contrary 355 Romish religion So. ib. 360 Antichrist a Judas a secret underminer 373 The Great Antichrist 347 c. 374. Antidote against Romish enchanting sorcery 307 Apothegmes Crantzius 139. Carafa's 505. P. Leo's ib. Assent conditional 189 c. It differs from implicit faith 196 Four things considerable for guiding our Assent to truth proposed 191 Assent See belief and faith Atheists credulous in their kind though mistrustfull of Scripture 37 Atheists rare in old time 38 Authorit as docentis how it is a ground unto unevident Assent 2 3 Authority Divine is ground of faith infallible 7 Authority of Jewish Church after Moses his death 411 c. Authority see Pope Sanedrim Universall Aristotles Rule for Poets To have a true History for ground 27 Aristotle confounds the Causes 54 He leads us not to the First Cause or last end ergo imperfect ib. B BAal See Prophets Beclzebub might cast out devils upon designe as Cheaters lose 436 Baptisme with water and the holy Ghost Typified by the pillar of cloud and of fire 447 Babels building transformed by Poets into the Giants war 56 Roma Babel rediviva 244 245 Bassina's vision 4â— Belief is an assent without plain evidence 2 3 Belief how increased in strength and certainty 4 5 6 Objects of Belief distinguished 5 Belief of Gods Word though but conditionall what it effects and requires 8 9 Belief of Scriptures how to be confirmed by experiments in our selves 140 to 145 Belief of known Oracles confirmed in S. Peter by experiment 140 Belief of God wrought in Naaman by experiment onely 141 See experiment Belief of principal parts of Scripture ties our faith to the rest 148 c. Belief of Scripture to be got by practise not by Discourse 150 Belief must be wrought by the Spirit though by means 150 See Faith Conditional Belief the nature use conditions properties of it 189 Pronenesse to Believe when and in whom good or ill 419 Romish Belief meerly Humane 365 c. He that Believes the Romish Churches Authority as some teach it Believes no Article of Christian faith 464 He that Believes the Pope absolutely without all examination believes nor Christ nor his Gospel 494 Such Belief emboldens the Believer to villany ib. Romish Belief on the Church not on God 478 c. Bellarmin cited Bellarmins Catholick fyllogisme and resolution of faith 319 c. Bellarmins strange position if the Pope call evil good Papists must believe it 322. m. Bellarmins Put-off about Ahabs 400 prophets 418 Bellarmin confesses that nor Pope nor Councils can judge of scripture translated into modern Languages 157 St. Bernard against Rodulphus a vile Monk who preach't it was lawfull to spoil the Jewes to maintain the Holy war 117 Blasphemie Romish 309 c. 315 c. Blasphemy preferring Human Authority before Divine 316 Mouth of Blasphemy 450 502 More Blasphemy Romish 460 499 507 C CAnonical Books of the Old Testament to be known by the Jew 146 Of the New now confirmed 147 Trent Canon about Canonical Books 310 c. Cansuizing vide Saints Canus cited Caxus See Romish Writers in letter R. Cajetan and Cassander desired Reformation 276 Cardinall Carafa's blessing to the people 505 French Cardinals addresse to St. Cuthbert at Durham 160 Carbarinus defends the Council of Trent yet holds certainty of salvation 274 Ex Cathedra hard to know when the Pope speaks of it 404 Characters of sacred Writings 13 Charles Martel his martial Act. 110 c. Christian Religion confirmed by the ceasing of Oracles 30 c. Christ why so little spoken of by Heathen Writers 113 Christian Expeditions to recover Jewry bring evil upon the Jews 116 The Christian Cause and Cause called Catholick 155 Similitude betwixt Christ and Moses 434 c. Christs predictions and discovery of secrets prove him to be God and the Messiah 441 Church our Church in Romish as gold in drosse 245 m Comparison between our Church and the Romish for means of ending Controversies 272 c. The Church of Rome most needs means to end and take up Controversies 275 c. Jewish Church Representative a corrupt Judge in matters of God 422
the hands at least or Dazel if not darken the Eyes of the Industrious Reader The One is That his Stile is obscure The Other That his Doctrine is Arminian The second part of this Preface will endeavour with humility and Reason to satisfie them And to the former of these I answer His Stile is Full and deep which makes the Purity of it seem a kind of Blacknesse or darknesse and though it abound in substantiall adjectives yet it is more short then other Authours in Relatives in Eeking and helping particles because he writ to Schollers His stream Runs full but alwayes in it own Channel and within the Banks if any will yet say it overflows He must give me leave to tell him It then inriches the Ground His Pen drops Principles as frequent as ordinary mens do sence His matter is rare His Notions uncouth parcels of Truth digged 〈◊〉 profundo and so at first Aspect look like strangers to the Ordinary Intellect but with Patience and Usance will cease to be so And the Reader shall assuredly find this most certain token of true Worth in Him that the more he is acquainted with the better he shall like Him The probability of this proof I gather from one of those Responsa prudentum which long since I read in Plutarch A professed Orator had made a speech for One who upon the first reading went about the conning of it with much cheerfulnesse and contentment but after 2 or 3 dayes familiarity and Repetition had begot a Fastidium he came to the Orator and told him Sir at the first or second reading I liked this Oration very well but now I am quite of another mind to say the truth I loath it heartily Well sayes the Orator how oft mean you to speak this Oration to the People any more then Once No said he But once onely Go your way then They will like it as well as you did at first Time I warrant you But Reader if thou wilt believe above twenty yeers Experience or Conversation with this Author Thou wilt find at every return new matter both of Observation and delight in Him Now for the second Objection It will be found a meer Noise The phansie of a prejudicate mind The Reader must in justice Examine the particulars before he passe his judgement and then in wisdom not suffer himself to be deprived of a rich Treasure upon poor Pretences It would fret a son of Valour to find himself Robbed by a weakling and a Coward that had first possessed his phansie that some Visors supported with stakes in the Twilight were stout Fellows ready to come in if he did not deliver his Gold 2 I may with modesty averre That there is not one word in this Volume that to my thinking can possibly be so forced or wrested by the dissenting as to take offence thereby 3 I find him through the whole Body of his Writings most Religiously Carefull to give unto God the Things that be Gods even the glory of his Grace his most Gratuitous Grace in Christ preventing exciting furthering and making to persevere in all works or courses of Christianity and that so requisite and intrinsecall to every holy Action that all our sufficiency is from it By the Grace of God we are what we are and do what we do And surely had the great Goodnesse of the Lord been Taught and tendered in such manner as this Author sets it forth This Age had felt it self better Thriven in Christianity and in the power of godlinesse then it now is Sin had not so abounded but Grace had superabounded and reigned through righteousnesse unto eternall life by Jesus Christ our Lord. 4 Nor can any man think I produce one passage that intimates much lesse inferrs any inordinate prelation of The strength of Nature He making the chief use of that poor Remnat of Free-will left in us sons of Adam to consist not in meriting or preparing but in our not being so untoward patients as we might possibly be in not doing that evil which is in Our power to do 5 Nor will any man speak evil of Him but he that himself narrows the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and engrosses that plenteous ransome he paid for all the sons of Adam to some small number of such he conceits himself to be Finally if the worst be Given that this Objection pretends to The offence will be much asswaged if the ordinary Reader do but know That the Lutheran i. e. A considerable part of the Reformed Church is of that opinion and that the other name is used mostly to inflame the Odium In summe This Man of God knew he might not Strive nor multiply questions to gender strife therefore he demands but two postulata of the dissenting man 1 That God hath a True freedom in doing good 2 That man hath a True freedom in doing evil From him that agrees with him in these two he wil not dissent in other points But from such as teach That all events are so irresistibly decreed by God that none can fall out otherwise then they do Or That nothing can be amended that is amisse He justly differs For besides that the Tenets be Turkish being pressed they yield a morbid bitter juice and put out a Forked sting Their Consequent being that either There is no morall evil under the Sun or That the Fountain of Godnesse who is Ultor intentator malorum his will is the cause of such evil I beseech the Readers Pardon that I come but now to the last part the most proper Business of the Preface to give account of the Designe dispatched and cum Bono Deo intended This Great Author having framed to himself an Idaea of that compleat Body of Divinity which he intended for his own more Regular proceeding and our better understanding did direct all his lines in the whole Peripherie of his studies unto the Heads conteined in the Creed as unto their naturall Centre He published in his Life time Nine Books of Comments upon the Creed Viz. These Three now Reprinted 4 Justifying Faith 5 A Treatise of Unbelief 6 Of Gods Essence and Attributes 7 Of The knowledge of Christ 8 The Humiliation of Christ 9 The Consecration of Christ Together with some other Treatises and Sermons Appendices to the former which indent with and like Tallies owne the Treatises to which they Relate very appositely viz. A Treatise of the Holy Catholick Church which is part of the twelfth Book of Comments intended Christs Answer to Saint Iohns Disciples Diverse Sermons preached before the King Two Sermons Bethlehem and Nazareth And The Woman a True Comfort to Man He left unpublished according to the Account following The tenth Book of Comments Ready for the Presse Conteining the Manner how sin found Entrance into the World Of the nature of sin Of our first servitude to it Of that poor Remnant of Free-will left in the sons of Adam with direction to use it aright And how we
with other stand mutually affected how both subordinate to the absolute immutability of that one everlasting decree Want of resolution in these points as far as my observation serves me hath continually bred an universal threefold want of care and vigilancie for preventing dangers in themselves avoidable of alacrious indeavors to redeem time in part surprized by them of patience of hearty submission to Gods will and constant expectation of his providence after all hope of redemption from temporal plagues long threatned by his messengers is past For here we suppose what out of the fundamental principles of Christian religion shall in good time be made evident that in all ruinated states or forepast alterations of religion from better to worse there was a time wherein the possibility of misfortunes which afterwards befel them might have been prevented a time wherein they might have been recovered from eminent dangers wherewith they were encompast a time after which there was no possibility left them of avoyding the day of visitation never brought forth but by the precedent fulness of iniquity but alwaies necessarily by it In the discussion of these and other points of like nature because more depending upon strict examination of consequences deduced from the undoubted rules of Scripture then upon authorities of antiquitie skill in the tongues or any other learning that required long experience or observation I laboured most whilest those Arts and Sciences which are most conducible to this search were freshest in my memory And could I hope to satisfie others in all or most of these as fully as I have long since done my self I should take greatest pleasure in my pains addressed to this purpose But would it please the Lord in mercy to raise up some English writer that could in such sort handle these points as their use and consequence or necessity of present times requires succeeding ages I am perswaded should have more cause to bless the day of his nativity then of the greatest States-mens or stoutest Warriors this land hath yielded since the birth of our Fathers this day living It shall suffice he to begin the offering with my mite in hope some learned Academicks for unto them belongs the conquest of this golden fleece will employ their Talents to like publick use What I conceive shall be by Gods assistance unfolded in as plain and unoffensive terms as the nature of the subject will bear or my faculties reach unto partly in the Article of Gods providence partly in other discourses directly subordinate unto it Lastly for the full and perfect growth at least for the sweet and pleasant flourishing of lively Faith one of the most effectual means our industry that can but plant or water attains unto would be to unfold the harmony betwixt Prophetical predictions and Historical events concerning the Kingdom of Christ and time of the Gospel a point for ought I know not purposely handled by any modern writer except those whose success cannot be great until their delight in contention and contradiction be less Notwithstanding whatsoever I shall find good in them or any other without all respect of persons much more without all desire of opposition or occasion of contention a matter alwaies undecent in a Christian but most odious and lothsom in a subject so melodious and pleasant I will not be afraid to follow intending a full Treatise of the divers kindes of Prophecies with the manner of their interpretations before the Articles of Christs Incarnation Passion and Ascension These are the especial points which for the better confirmation of true Christian faith and rectifying perswasions in matters of manners or good life are principally aimed at in these meditations The main obstacle the Atheist stumbles at is the Article of the bodies resurrection Whose passive possibility shall by Gods assistance be evidently demonstrated against him by the undoubted rules of nature whose Priest or Minister he professeth himself to be That de facto it shall be the Scriptures whose truth ere then will appear Divine must assure us Nature cannot though thus much were in some sort known and believed by many natural men from traditions of the ancient or suspected from some notions of the law of nature not quite obliterated in all sorts of the heathen as shall in that Article God willing be observed But why our Assent unto this and all other Articles in this Creed being in good measure established the momentary hopes or transitory pleasures of this world should with most in their whole course of life with all of us in many particular actions in private and secret temptations more prevail then that exceeding weight of glory which Christian hope would fasten on our souls to keep unruly affections under hath often enforced me to wonder and wonderment hereat first moved me to untertake these labors if by any means I may attain unto the causes of this so grievous an infirmity or find out some part of a remedy for it Doubtless had the heathen Philosophers but known or suspected such joyes as we profess we believe and hope for or such a death or more then deadly torments as after this life ended we fear their lives and manners would as far have surpassed the best Christians now living as their knowledge in supernatural mysteries came short of the most learned that are or have been in that profession and yet whatsoever helps any Christian or heathen had for encreasing knowledge or bettering manners are more plentiful in this then any precedent age so that the fault is wholly in our selves that will not apply medicines already prepared as shall God prospering these proceedings be declared in the last Article of this Creed For controversies betwixt us and the Romish Church besides such are directly opposite to the end and method proposed I purposely meddle with none of that rank some as that of the Churches infallibility undermine the very foundation others as the doctrine of merit and justification the propitiation of the Mass unroof the edifice and deface the walls of Christian faith leaving nothing thereof but altarstones for their idolatrous sacrifices For this reason have I built with one hand used my weapon with the other laying the positive or general grounds of Faith against the Infidel or Atheist in the first Book and gaurding them in the second by the sword of the Spirit against all attempts of Romish Sanballats or Tobiahs who still labor to perswade our people the walls of Christs Church here erected since our fore-fathers redemption from captivity unless supported by their supposed infallibility are so weak That if a Fox should go upon them he should break them down In the third which was at this time intended but must stay a while to bring forth a fourth I batter those painted walls whose shallow foundations are discovered in the second The other controversies about the propitiatory sacrifices of the Mass Merits and Justification I prosecute in the Articles of Christs Passion and
3 Lastly the experiments which are related by Authors of this profession men in any reasonable mans judgement as much to be Believed herein as any other Writers in theirs are far more notable and apt to produce belief and hope of attaining the truth in this profession than any others can have in theirs The experiments of others were but ordinary and natural these are extraordinary and supernatural If the Atheist should impudently deny the truth of their report we may convince him with S. Augustines acute Dilemma If the Miracles related by our Writers be true they give evident experiment of the truth of Scripture if there were no such particular miracles but all feigned then this was a miracle above all miracles that Christian Religion should prevail against all other Arts Power or Policy without any extraordinary event or miracle It was not so easie a matter to cozen all the Roman Emperours and their Deputies with feigned Tales the World which hated Christians so much was inquisitive enough to know the truth of their reports I may conclude Nisi veritas magna fuisset non praevaluisset It was miraculous doubtless that it should so enrease without arms without any promise of carnal pleasure or security but even against their natural inclination that did profess it and all the Worlds opposition against it It had enemies both private and publick domestick and forraign even the flesh and sense of those which followed it fought against it 4 Mahomet since that time hath found a multitude of followers but all either enforced to follow him by threats of shame disgrace and tortures in this life or else allured thereto by fair promises of carnal pleasures to be perpetual without interruption in the life to come He hath set his followers such a course as they might be sure both of wind and tide And if the Haven whereat they arrive were as safe as their course is easie they were of all men the most happy But Christianity from its first beginning was to row against the stream of flesh and blood and to bear out sail against all the blasts that the Devil World or Flesh could oppose against it In a word the increase of Mahumetism hath followed the barbarous Turkish monarchies advancement as moisture in bodies doth the increasing fulness of the Moon And it had been an extraordinary Miracle if a barbarous multitude never acquainted with any civil pleasures should not have composed their mindes unto their Emperours in following a Religion framed as it were to court the senses and wooe the flesh But Christianitie then flourished most when the scorching heat of persecution was at the height When the countenance of Emperours as terrible to their foes for their Heroical valour as plausible to their friends for their lovely carriage were most fiercely set against it What Princes either more terrible to their enemies or more amiable to their friends than Trajan Dioclesian or others of the Christians persecutors were What man living is there of civil education that would not have lothed Mahomet and the whole succession of the Ottoman Familie in respect of these Roman Princes And yet a great part of their native Subjects men as otherwise excellently qualified so of a quiet and peaceable disposition yet readie alwaies to venture their lives for these Heathen Princes in most dangerous service against the enemies of the Roman Empire but most readie to follow the Crucisied Christ through fire and sword against their Emperors command dearer to them than this mortal life and all the Worlds threats or allurements It were sottish to think that such men had not perfect notice of some Higher Powers Commandment to the contrarie whom they thought it safer to obey when they contradicted the commandments or fair allurements of these supream Earthly Powers And it were as silly a perswasion to think that if the great Turk would change his religion for any other that might yeeld like hopes of carnal pleasure after this life any great number of his Subjects would lose their dignities for refusing subscription 5 The brief of what hath been or may be said concerning the grounds or motives of our Assent unto Objects supernatural may be comprised in these four Propositions following of which the first two are Axiomes evident in nature and received by all The two latter undoubted Axiomes amongst true Believers but suppositions onely to meer natural men or Novices in Christianity 6 The first The Stile or Title of these Sacred Books pretending divine Authority binde all men to make trial of their truth commended to us by our Ancestors confirmed to them by the Blood of Martyrs their Predecessors to use the means which they prescribed for this trial that is Abstinence from things forbidden and Alacrity in doing things commanded by them 7 The second Ordinary Apprehension or natural Belief of matters contained in Scriptures or the Christian Creed are of more force to cause men to undertake any good or abstain from any evil than the most firm Belief of any ordinary matters or any points of meer Natural consequence 8 The third Objects and grounds of Christian Belief have in them greater stability of truth and are in themselves more apt to found most strong and firm Belief then any other things whatsoever meerly credible 9 For as the most noble Essences and first Principles of every Art are most intelligible so are divine Truths of all other most Credible Not that they are more easie to be Assented to of any at their first proposal But that they have a greater measure of credibilitie in them and as their credibilitie and truth is inexhaustible so Belief of them once planted can never grow to such fulnesse of certaintie as not to receive daily increase if we applie our mindes diligently unto them so that true Christian Belief admits no stint of growth in this life but still comes nearer and nearer to that evidence of Knowledge which shall swallow it up in the life to come For the conceit of impossibilities or repugnances in nature objected by the obdurate Atheists to make the Principles of Christian religion seem incredible that they might like old Truants have the companie of Novices in Christianitie to loiter or mis-spend good hours with them we shall by Gods assistance dispel them and all other Clouds of like Errours in unfolding the truth of those Articles which they most concern 10 The fourth The means of apprehending the truth of Scriptures and experiments confirming their divine Authority are both for variety of kindes and number of Individual in every kinde far more and more certain than the means of apprehending the grounds of any other Belief or the experiments of any other teachers Authority 11 Some Particulars of every kinde with the General Heads or Common places whence like Observations may be drawn we are now to present so far as they concern the confirmation of the truth of Scriptures in general For the experiments which confirm the truth
meet for them to understand All according to sobriety as God dealt to every one of them the measure of faith They are as many members of one body which have not one office v. 4. And we may see that verified in the Canon of the Old Testament which S. Paul attributes unto the Church in Christ There are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit And again To one was given the spirit of wisdom as unto Solomon to another knowledge as unto Ezra Nehemiah to another saith as unto Moses Abraham to another prophecy as unto Esay Jeremy All these gifts were wrought by one and the same Spirit which distributeth to every one as he would The best means to discern this harmony in their several writings would be to retain the unity of the Spirit by which they wrote But alas we have made a division in the body of Christ whilest one of us detracts envies or slanders another or whiles we wrangle unmannerly about idle questions or terms of art our jars ours that have the name of Christs messengers make all the World besides and our selves oft-times we may fear doubt of the true and real unity betwixt Christ and his members now eclipsed by our carnal divisions But howsoever these here mentioned are in their kinde good motives unto sober mindes and the more diligent and attentive men are to observe these and the like the more fully shall they be perswaded that these writings are the dictates of the Holy Ghost CAP. VI. Of the Affections or dispositions of the sacred Writers WIth the Experiment of this kinde we may rank the vehemency of affection which appears in many of these sacred writers most frequent in the book of Psalms And to distinguish fained or counterfeit from true experimental affections is the most easie and most certain kinde of Criticism He that never had any himself may safely swear that most Poets ancient or modern have had experience of wanton loves For who can think that Catullus Ovid and Martial had never been acquainted with any but painted women or written of love matters onely as blinde men may talk of Colours Or who can suspect that either Ovid had penned his books De Tristibus or Boetius his Philosophical Consolation onely to move delight as children oft-times weep for wantonnesse or fained these subjects to delude the World by procuring real compassion to their counterfeit mourning But much more sensible may we feel the pulses of our Psalmists passions beating their ditties if we would lay our hearts unto them Albeit wee seek not to prove their divine authority from the strength of passion simply but from the objects causes or issue of their passions And the Argument holds thus As the Ethnick Poets passions expressed in their writings bewray their experience in such matters as they wrote of as of their carnal delight in love enjoyed or of earthly sorrow for their exiles death of friends or other like worldly crosses So do these sacred Ditties witnesse their Pen-mens experience in such matters as they professe as of spiritual joy comfort sorrow fear confidence or any other affection whatsoever If we compare Ovids Elegy to Augustus with that Psalm of David in number the 51. why should we think that the one was more conscious of misdemeanour towards that Monarch or more sensibly certain of his displeasure procured by it than the other of soul offences towards God and his heavie hand upon him for them Davids penitent bewayling of his souls losse in being separated from her wonted joyes his humble intreaty and importunate suit for restauration to his former estate argue he had been of more entire familiar acquaintance with his heavenly than Ovid with his earthly Lord that he had received more sensible pledges of his love was more deeply touched with the present losse of his savour and better experienced in the course and means of reconcilement to it again Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindnesse according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin For I know mine iniquities and my sin is ever before me Against thee against thee onely have I sinned and done evil in thy sight What was it then which caused his present grief bodily pain exile losse of goods want or restraint of sensual pleasurs Yea what was there that worldly minded men either desireor know which was not at his command And yet he well for health of body only oppressed with grief of mind most desirous to sequester himself from all solace which his Court or Kingdom could afford in hope to finde his company alone who was invisible and to renew acquaintance with his Spirit Create a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me He accounts himself but as an exile though living in his native soil but as a slave though absolute Monarch over a mighty people whilest he stood separate from the love of his God and lived not in subjection to his spirit If one in hunger should loath ordinary or course sare we would conjecture he had been accustomed to more sine and dainty meats Hereby then it may appear that David had tasted of more choice delights and purer joyes then the carnal minded knew in that he loathes all earthly comfort in this his anguish wherein he stood in greatest need of some comfort desiring only this of God Restore me to the joy of thy salvation and establish me with thy free Spirit So far was he from distrusting the truth of that ineffable joy which now he felt not at the least in such measures as he had done before that he hopes by the manifest effects of it once restored to disswade the Atheist from his Atheism and cause lasciviâ—… blood-thirsty mindes to wash off the silth wherein they wallow with their cars For so he addeth Then shall I teach thy wayes unto the wicked sinâ—… be converted unto thee Deliver me from blood O God which art the God â—… and my tongue shall sing joyfully of thy righteousnesse Open thou â—… and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise which as yet he could not shew forth to others because abundance of joy did not lodge in his heart for God had sealed up sorrow therein until the sacrifice of his broken and â—… were accomplished From the like abundant experience of â—… joy the Psalmist Psalm 66. v. 16. bursteth out into like consiâ—… inviting us as Christ did his Apostle Thomas to come near and lay our hands upon his healed sore and by the scars to gather the skill and goodness of him that had thus cured him beyond all expectation Come and hearken all ye that fear God and I will tell you what he hath done to my soul I called unto him with my mouth and he was exalted with my
had been often consulted it is evident and that oftentimes the Devils deluded such as consulted them is as manifest But since that saying of the Prophet was fulfilled I will put my law in their inward parts and write in their hearts since the knowledge of Truth hath been so plenteously made known and revealed and the principles of Religion so much dilated and enlarged by discourse the Devil hath chosen proud hearts and busie brains for his Oracles seeking by their subtilty of wit and plausibility of discourse to counterfeit and corrupt the form of wholesome Doctrine as he did of old the truth of Gods visible Oracles by his Apish Imitations 3 This conclusion then is evident both from the joynt authority of all Ancient Writers as well prophane as sacred That God in former times had spoken unto the world by Dreams Visions Oracles Priests and Prophets and that such revelations had been amongst the Israelites as the Stars or Night-Lamps amongst the Heathen as Meteors fiery Apparitions or wandering Comets for their direction in the time of darknesse and ignorance But when both the sensible experience of our times and the relations of former Ages most unpartial in this case have sufficiently declared unto us That all the former Twinckling Lights are vanished the reason of this alteration I see men might seek by Natural Causes as Plutarch did but this doubt is cleared and the question truly resolved by our Apostle in these words At sundry times and in diverse manners God spake in the old time to our Fathers by the Prophets in these last dayes he hath spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath made Heir of all things by whom also he made the world who being as the Apostle there saith the Brightnesse of his glory hath put the former lights which shined in darknesse to flight The consideration hereof confirms that truth of our Apostle to all such as are not blinded in heart where he saith That the night was past and the day was come For the suddain vanishing of all former lights about this time assigned by Christians of our Saviours Birth abundantly evince That this was the Sun of Righteousnesse which as the Prophet had foretold should arise unto the world It was the light which had lately appeared in the Coasts of Jurie then approaching Italy Greece and other of these Western Countreys which did cause these sons of darknesse the demoniacal Spirits to flit Westward as Darknesse it self doth from the face of the Sun when it begins to appear in the East And Plutarch tels us That after they had forsaken the Countrey of Greece they hanted little desart Islands near adjoyning to the coasts of this our Britanie where they raised such hideous storms and tempests as Navigators report they have done of late in that Island called by their own Name Both reports had their times of truth and the like may be yet true in some places more remote from commerce of Christians But the Heathen as Heathenish minded men do even to this day sought the reasons of such alterations from sensible Agents or second Causes which have small affinity with those effects or if they had yet the disposition of such causes depends wholly upon his will who though most Immutable in Himself changeth times and seasons at His pleasure And wheresoever the light of his Gospel cometh it verifieth that saying of our Apostle Ecce vetera transierunt nova facta sunt omnia And new times yield new observations which cannot be taken aright nor their causes known without especial directions from this rule of Life By which it plainly appeareth that the second main Period of the World since the Floud whose beginning we account from the promulgation of the Law and the distinction of the Israelites from other people until the time of Grace yields great alteration and matter of much different observation from the former And in the declining or later part of this second age we have described unto us as it were an Ebbe or stanch in the affairs of the Kingdom of Israel going before the general Fulnesse of Time After which we see the Tenor of all things in Jurie and of other Kingdoms of the world quite changed But the particulars of this change I intend to handle hereafter I now would prosecute my former observations of the old world 4 Continually whilest we compare Ancient Poets or stories with the Book of Genesis and other volumes of sacred Antiquity these sacred books give us the pattern of the waking thoughts of Ancient times And the Heathen Poems with other fragments of Ethnick writings whose entire bodies though not so aged as the former being but the works of men have perished contain the dreams and fancies which succeeding ages by hear-say and broken reports had conceived concerning the same or like matters So no doubt had God disposed that the delight which men took in the uncertain Glimpse of truth in the one should enure their mindes the better to observe the light which shineth in the other and that the unstable variety of the one should prepare mens hearts more stedfastly to imbrace the truth and stability of the other when it should be revealed unto them And as any man almost if he be observant of his former actions cogitations and occurrents may find out the occasion how dreams though in themselves oftentimes prodigious absurd and foolish come into his Brain or Fancie so may any judicious man from the continual and serious observation of this Register of truth find out the Original at least of all the principal heads or common places of Poetical fictions or ancient Traditions which cannot be imagined they should ever have come into any mans fancy unlesse from the Imitation of some Historical truth or the Impulsion of real events stirring up admiration I or Admiration as shall afterward appear did breed and Imitation spoil the divine Art of Poetry CAP. XI Of the Apparitions of the Heathen Gods and their Heroicks 1 WEre all the works of Ancient Poets utterly lost and no tradition or print of their inventions left so as the art of Poetrie were to begin anew and the Theatre to be raised from the ground the most curious wits in this or near adjoyning Countreys might for many generations to come Beat their Brains and sift their Fancies until they had run over all the formes and compositions which the whole Alphabet of their Fantasmes could afford before they could ever dream of bringing the gods in visible shape upon the Stage or interlacing their Poems with their often apparitions And unlesse ensuing times should yield matter of much different observations from that which these present do this invention would be accounted dull and find but sorry and unwelcome entertainment of the auditors or spectators That the like invention findes some acceptation now it is because mens mindes have been possessed with this conceit from the tradition of their forefathers For many
and Gentile is much-what the same and the same celestial observation may serve for both The Priests after their return from captivity were forbidden to eat of the Most Holy Thine till there arose up a Priest with Urim and Thummim Fzra 2. 63. But either no such did arise at all from the erection of the Second Temple until Christ time or if any did it was but to give this people a Farewel of Gods extraordinary speaking unto them either by Priests or Prophets Josephus consciseth that revelations by Urim and Thummim did finally cease 200 years before his time Put more probable is the opinion of others that this as all other kind of Prophecies and many extraordinarie signs of Gods power and presence sometime most frequent in that nation did cease with that generation which returned from captivitie or immediately after the finishing of the Second Temple as if God during all that time had appointed a Fast or Vigil as an introduction to the Time of Fulnesse â—foel 2. 28. Wherein their sons and daughters should prophecie and their old men dream dreams and their young men see visions and his Spirit should be poured out on all flesh as well upon the servant as the master as well upon the Gentile as the Jew Malach. 1. 11. For this cause as I said God had enjoyned this long fast in Judah to humble the Jew and teâ—uâ—h him that He was no more his God then the Gentiles and imposed silence to all his prophets dis-inuring his chosen Israel from his wonted Call that so this people might grow more mild and apt to herd together with his other slock now to be brought into the same fold wherein both might joyntly hear the great Shepherds voice As God elsewhere had threatned so it came to passe that visions had ceased in Judah before the rising of the Roman Empire and likely it is that presages by dreams or like means formerly usual among the Ancient Heathen did either altogether determine or much decrease in many Nations about the same time For which reasons the Romans of that Age being the only wise men of the world given too much by nature unto secular Policâ—e did give lesse credit to the relations of the Ancient Greeks or the events registred by their Ancestours in their own Countrey The like incredulity remaineth in most of us but may be easily removed by discovering the root of it CHAP. XII The reasons of our mistrusting of Antiquities 1 IT is the common practise of men to measure matters of Ancient times by observation of the times and place wherein they live as commonly we passe our censure on other mens actions and intentions according to our own resolutions and secret purposes in like cases And besides this general occasion of mistaking other mens actions and events of other times every particular sort of men seek to assign causes of things sutable unto their proper Faculties The Natural Philosopher striveth to reduce all effects to Matter and Form or some sensible qualitie the Mathematician to abstract Forms or Figures or insensible influences the Politician thinks no alteration in publick States or private mens affairs fals out but from some Politick cause or Purpose of man and whilest in the Annals of Antiquities he reads of sundry events surpassing the reach or skill of mans invention or contrary to the ordinarie course of nature he attributes all unto the Simplicity or credulitie of their Ancestors Albeit if we should search the true cause of their credulitie in yielding assent unto such strange reports it will easily confute the error of posterity for this credulity in such particulars could not have been so great in their Ancestors unlesse their mindes had been first inclined to the general from the tradition of their Predecessors But why their forefathers should either have invented such strange reports or be so inclinable to believe them if we search into the depth or first spring of this perswasion we cannot imagine any other cause but the real and sensible Experience of such strange events as they reported to posterity This did enforce Belief upon the first Progenitors of any Nation and from the fulnesse of this perswasion or actual Belief in them was bred this credulitie or aptnesse in posterity to believe the like which yet in successe of time did by little and little wear out It is great simplicity and uncharitable credulitie in us to think that either the most Ancient or middle Ages of the world were generally so simple credulous or apt to believe every thing as some would make them It had been as hard a matter to have perswaded men of those times that there were no Gods no divine power or providence as it would be to perswade the modern Athiests that there is an Almighty power which created all things governeth and disposeth of all things to his glory The most politick Atheâ—st now alive is as Credulous in his kinde as the simplest creature in the old world was and will yield his assent unto the Epicures or other Brutish Philosophers conclusions upon as light reasons as they did their Belief unto any Fable concerning the power or providence of the Gods the reason of both their credulities in two contrary kindes is the same The often manifestation of an extraordinary power in Battels or presence in Oracles and sensible documents of revenge from heaven made the one prone to entertain any report of the Gods though never so strange and the want of like sensible signs or documents of the same power in our dayes whilest all mens minds are still set upon politick means and practises for their own good doth make the other so credulous and apt to assent to any Politik Discourse and so averse from Belief of the Prophets or sacred Writers which reduce all effects to the First Cause But this we cannot do so immediately as the Ancient did because God useth his Wisdom more in the managing of this Politick world then he did in times of old and men naturally are lesse apprehensive of His Wisdom then of His Power so that his present wayes are not so obvious at the first sight unto sense as sometimes they were though more conspicuous to sanctified reason now at this day then before and the manner of his proceeding more apt to confirm true Belief in such as follow his 〈◊〉 then ever it was For the same reason were the Ancient Israelites more prone to Idolatry then their successours were after the erection of the second Temple or either of them were at any time to serve their GOD. For the sensible signs and bewitching inticements of some extraordinary powers mistaken for Divine were then most common and Gods Wonders and miracles grew more rare because they swarved from his commandments What Jew was there almost in the time of the Maccabees but would have given his body for an Holcaust rather then sacrifice to any of the Heathen Gods The undoubted experience of long Wo and
friends and her kinsfolk which remained in Sodom And it is probable out of that Chapter that Lots sons in Law remained in Sodom and likely their wives too Lots other daughters For so it is said not without Emphasis in the Original Take thy wife and thy two daughters which are found or as the Chaldee paraphrase which are found faithful with thee that is which are not corrupt by conversing with others abroad lest thou be destroyed with others in the punishment of this city Whether this Tradition of the Jews be true or no it makes little for my present purpose Very Ancient it is whether true or false might give occasion to the former Fable as other stories of the Bible do sometimes the rather because the sence is mistaken As the coÌ„mon opinion is that Lots wife was transformed into a Pillar of Salt when as no circumstance of the text doth enforce so much but rather leaves us free to think what is more probable that fearful showers of Gods Vengeance wherewith Sodom was destroyed were heaped upon her so that her body was wrapt wrapt up in that congealed matter which was perhaps in form like to some thunder-stone or the like from which it could not be discerned being as it were Candyed in it 5 If such a transformation of Lots wife seem strange what will the Atheist say unto the destruction of Sodom and the five Cities or if this seem more strange and incredulous because their destruction vanisheth whilest they perished What can he say to the salt sea Doubtlesse unlesse God had left this as a Lasting Monument to confute the Incredulitie of Philosophers by an ocular and sensible Demonstration they would have denyed the truth of â—hâ—s Effect as well as they doubt of the Cause which the Scriptures assign of it Is the violence of that strom which destroyed the five Cities strange and above the force of nature so is the qualitie of that Sea and the Soâ—l about it contrarie to the nature of all other seas or in-land lakes And let the most curious Philosopher in the world give any natural cause of it and the disproportion between the cause and the known effect will be more Prodigious in Nature then the cause which Moses gives of it is strange Some Cause by their confession it must have and though the storm were raised by a Supernatural Power yet admitting the violence of it to be such as the Scripture tels us the fall of so much durable matter no cause can be conceived so probable in nature as that which Moses gives as out of the grounds of Philosophy divers Experiments in nature I could easily prove â—ut Strabo that great Philosopher and no Credulous Antiquarie hath eased me of this labour For albeit he held the Syrians for a Fabulous people yet the evident marks of Gods wrath that had been kindled in that place as concavities made by fire distillation of pitch out of the seared rocks the noysom smell of the waters thereabouts with the reliques and ruines of the Ancient Habitations made the Tradition of neighbour inhabitants seem probable unto him That there had been Thirteen populous Cities in that soil of which Sodom was the chief whose circumference then remaining was sixtie Furlongs But as the custom is of secular Philosophers he seeks to ascribe the cause of this desolation rather unto Earth then Heaven and thinks the Lake was made by an Earthquake which had caused the bursting out of hot waters whose course was upon Sulphur and Brimstone And it is not unlikely that the earth did tremble whilest the heavens did so terribly frown and the Almightie gave his Fearful Voice from out the clouds and once having opened her mouth to swallow up those Wicked Inhabitants the Exhalations of whose sins had bred these Stormes became afterwards a Pan or Receptacle of moysture infecting all the waters which fell into it with the loath some qualities of those dregges of Gods wrath which had first setled in it as bad Humours when they settle in any part plant as it were a new nature in the same and turn all Nutriment into their Substance CAP. XVI Of NOAHS and DEUCALIONS Floud with other Miscellane Observations 1 NOt any son so like his natural father as Deucalions Floud is like Noahs Every School-boy from the similitude of their substance at the first sight can discern the one to be the bastard Brood of the other albeit Ovid from whom we have the picture of the one hath left out added divers Circumstances at his pleasure which assures me that he had never read the sacred Storie as some think he did but took up the confused Tradition of it which had passed through many hands before his time For other Poets which had come to Plutarchs reading though not to ours make mention of Deucalions Ark his Doves returning to him again before the waters Fall his Prognostication of the waters decrease by her perpetual absence at her last setting out This Tradition was so commonly received in Greece that some Etymologists think the Famous Hill Parnassus did take its name from the Arks abode upon it as if it had first been called Larnassus These are sure testimonies that such a floud had been but that in Deucalions time any such had been or that the Ark did stay in Greece hath no shew of truth See S. Augustin De civit Dei Lib. 18. cap. 10. L. vives 2 If Trogus Pompeius Works had come entire into our hands or had they light upon a more skilful and sincere Epitomist then Justin we should have found more evident prints of the storie of Noahs Floud in that Controversie between the Scythians and Egyptians whether were the most Ancient people As Justin relates it Lib. 2. thus it was 3 The Egyptians thought the Heavens over them had been in love with their soyl and that from the conjunction of the ones mildnesse with the others Fertility the first people of the world had been brought forth in Egypt The Scythians alledged it was most probable that their countrey was first inhabited because if fire had shut up the womb of their mother earth this Element did forsake theirs first as being the coldest countrey or if water had covered the face of nature and made it unapt for conception by too much moisture this Veil was first put off in Scythia as being the highest part of the inhabited Land Unto these reasons of the Scythians the Egyptians yielded as Justin reports Both of them erred in the manner of mans Propagation both again held a general Truth in thinking mankind had some late Propagation and that Kingdoms had not been so frequented with people in former generations as now they were The Scythians agreed herein with Scripture That the higher parts of the World which they inhabited or parts near unto them were first dried up from the waters for in the mountains of Armenia the Ark stayed and Noah
yet from Tradition he had learned as much as could be known of them in general That Moses their first Law-giver was a Prophet and one that relied not upon Poliere but the Divine Oracles that this people in Ancient times had been much better and had prospered accordingly 5 With this Strabo the Geographer that noble Historian Dion Cassius 〈◊〉 accords but more fully with Strabo the Cappadocian whose Works new lost Josephus cited This people saith Dion differ from others as in maâ—â— other points and daily practise of life so especially in this that they worship 〈◊〉 other Gods but onely One of their own whom they hold to be Invisible and 〈◊〉 ble and for this cause admit not any Image of Him yet do they worship 〈◊〉 more devoutly and religiously then any other people do their Gods But who 〈◊〉 God of theirs was or how He came at first to be thus Worshipped how greatly he was feared of this people were points he listed not to meddle withall many other had written thereof before him It seems he gave but little credence unto Tacitus discourse of their Original for he ingeniously professeth That he knew not whence they had this name of Jews but others that followed their Rites although Aliens by Birth and â—rogeny did Brook the same Name or Title even amongst the Romans themselves therewere of this Profession He addeth Although this People had been often crushed and diminished yet did they rise and increase again above the Controll of all other Laws onely subject to Their Own Thus he spake of the Jews living in Pompey's time after which they had been often crushed before Tacitus wrote yet recovered strength again CAP. XXI The means of these Jews thriving in Captivity In what they exceeded other people or were exceeded by them 1 THese Allegations and many other which out of Heathen Writâ—… could bring sufficiently prove that albeit these Jews rasted of as bitter calamities as any other did yet had they this strange Advantage of all that whereas all other were forsaken of their Friends in their adversitie and their Laws usually changed by their Conquerours oft-times abrogated or neglected by themselves upon their ill successe these Jews still found most Friends and their Laws never forsaken by them most earnest Favourers in the time of their Captivitie and distresse This was quite contrary to Nature Politick Observation or Custom of the world Wherefore seeing Nature and Policie can afford us none we must seek resolution from their Laws The reasons subordinate to the Cause of Causes Gods providence were these In the time of their distresse They did more faithfully practise their Laws themselves and had better opportunitie or greater necessitie of communicating them unto others they being of themselves alwayes most potent to allure sober and discreet mindes to their observance made known and not prejudiced by the foolish or sinister practise of their Prosessours So their great Law-giver had foretold Deut. 4. vers 5 6 7 8. Behold I have taught 〈◊〉 Or 〈◊〉 and Laws as the Lord my God commanded me that ye should do even so in the land whither ye go to possesse it Keep them therefore aâ—…o them for That is your Wisdom and Understanding in the sight of the people which shall hear of all these ordinances and shall say Onely This People is Wise and of Understanding and a great Nation For what Nation is so Great unto whom the Gods come so near unto them as the Lord our God is near unto us in all that we come unto Him 〈◊〉 And what Nation is so great that hath Ordinances and Laws so righteous as all this law which I set before you this 〈◊〉 That They had not in later times so great prosperity as others had was no Argument that Their God was not more near to Them then the Gods of other Nations to their Worthippers for He was the God of gods and Lord of lords which did good to every Nation yea He made the Romans so great a Nation albeit they knew it not That these Jews were now in subjection and the Romans Lords was no Argument that He was better to the Romans then to Them or that They were a lesse Nation if we make an equal comparison For if God should often recover a man from dangerous diseases and propagate his life unto 200. years in health and strength competent for old Age This were no argument to prove that He were not more Favourable to him then to men of younger years or middle age whose strength is greater for the present but they unlikely to recover health often impaired or to renew life once lost in Human Estimation or to account half so many years In like sort was This Peoples Often Recovery from so many Overthrows and Captivities their long continuance a distinct Nation from others more Extraordinarie then the Romans present Strength or Greatness And albeit many other Empires and States were larger then the Kingdom of Israel was at any time yet no other people could be said so great a Nation as this For others continued the same rather by Identitie of Soyl or like Form of Government then by any Real or Material Unitie or Identitie of people their increase was meerly Political and their greatnesse rose by way of Addition or Accumulation that is by admitting such mixture of others that from the first Erection of the Kingdom ere it came to its full greatnesse the number of Aliens might overspread and hide the natural inhabitants or Progenyes of such as laid the Fundamental Laws thereof which were seldome so continuate by direct Succession as they might be rightly distinguished from others And as Theseus his ship was accounted one and the same because it retained the same Form though not so much of the same Timber whereof it was first built as did go to the making of Half the Keel so the greatest States amongst the Heathens retained perhaps some few Fundamental Laws or reliques of Ancient Families descending from their First Founders in which respect alone they might be taken for one Kingdom but not so properly termed one People or Nation to whom greatnesse could be truly Attributed seeing a great many of several people were to share in this Title But These Jews besides the perpetual Unitie of their Particular as well as Fundamental Laws lesse varied either by change addition or abrogation then the Laws of any other Nation continued still One and the same People by a strict Union of Succession their grouth was natural after the manner of Vital Augmentation For albeit they admitted some mixture of strangers they could notwithstanding alwayes distinguish the Progeny of Forrain Stocks from their natural Branches which they could still derive from their several Stemmes and these all from one and the same Root so that after so many Changes and Alterations of their State from better to worse and back again after so manie glorious Victories as Scriptures mention gotten by
them over others and so many captivityes of their persons and desolations of their countries as others had wrought They remained still one and the same people by such a kinde of Unity as a great Oak is said One and the Same Tree from its sirsi Spring to its last Fall whether naked and berest of leaves by blasts of Autumn or Winters frost or stoyled of Boughs by the Loppers Ax or Beautified with pleasant Leaf or â—ar-spreading Branches If the glorie of other Kingdoms were more Splendent for a Flash presently to be extinguished as being greater then their corruptible nature was capable of this no way impeacheth Gods promise for making Abrahams Seed a Mighty Nation seeing it was not at any time so great a People as at all times it might have been had they observed the means appointed for their grouth How incomparable the Height of Sions Roof above other Nations might have been we may 〈◊〉 from the Capacity of her Foundations The known Altitude and continuance of her Wals though never finished to her Founders desire yet Such as whoso shall look upon with an unpartial eye must acknowledge ordained for Extraordinarie Strength and Creatnesse For take we this Kingdom with its defects what wonder can Revolutions of time afford like to this late mentioned That by such an Unity of Natural propagation from One Root almost perished before it sprouted distinct lineal succession never interrupted Abrahams Seed should continue One and the Same Nation for Two Thousand years sometimes the mightiest amongst Coeval Kingdoms a scourge and terrâ—ur to all neighbour Countries and after many greivous wounds and deadly in their estimation that gave them received from others still preserved alive to see the successive rise and fall of Three great and potent Monarchies yet able in decrepit dayes to hold play with the Fourth the mighâ—… that ever was on earth even whilest it was in it's Best Age full Strength and perfect Health free from any intestine Broyles secure of all external Assaults Much better were these Jews able to encounter the Roman Empire in Tacitus his life time then It within three hundred years after his death to defend the Imperial Seat against Barbarous silly and foolish Nations unhatched when the Roman Eagles wings were spread over the most famous Kingdoms of the earth Suppose the Roman Empire had received at the same time but half so terrible a blow in Italy as these Jews had done in Jury and Hierusalem under Vespasian and his Son how easily had the commotions of their Reliques in Trajans and Adrians times shaken the Roman yoak from off the Nations neck Or if the other ten Tribes return had been but half so entire and complete as Judahs and Benjamins were the Roman Eagles had never come to prey upon their Carkases in the territories of Judea But it was their Strong God which before had scattered Israel amongst the Nations and at the time appointed shut these Jews up in Hierusalem as in a Prison 2 Again other Kingdoms gained little by their greatnesse save onely Magnificent Names or swelling Titles No other people enjoyed so great proseritie so good cheap as This sometimes did and all times might have done No other had so good Assurance or Security of that Prosperitie or Peace they enjoyed as This People had unlesse themselves had made a wilful Forfeiture nor was the Publick Health or Welfare of any other State or Kingdom so fully communicated to every particular and inferiour member For usually the Titularie or abstract Brightnesse of that Glory wherewith other Great States outwardly seemed most to shine was maintained with the perpetual Harmes and internal secret Mischiefs of many private persons as Great Flames are not nourished without great store of Fuell whereas the prosperitie of Davids Throne as in other points so in this was established like the Moon that whilest They turned unto their God their State was capable of greatest Splendor without consumption of their natural parts or Substance And even whilest other States did for their Sins prevail against Theirs yet such Peers as had been principal Instruments of their wo and took Occasion to disgrace their Laws or Religion in their Captivitie and distresse had for the most part as was observed before Fearful and disasterous Ends and might more justly have taken up that complaint after their spoils of Jewry which Diomedes did after the destruction of Troy Quicunque Iliacos ferro violavimus Agros nefanda per Orbem Supplicia scelerum poenas expendimus Omnes What did Troys Fall or Phrygian Spoyles the Graecians State advance Whom Fearful Plagues Haunt through the world Such was the Victors chance Many of them no doubt before their dying day had observed as he did that they had fought against some God whilst they wrong'd this people and would have been as unwilling to bear Arms against them again as he was against the Reliques of the Trojans Nec mihi cum Teucris ullum post eruta Bellum Pergama nec veterum memini laetorve malorum With Troy my Splene to Trojans ceas't her flames quench th' heat of War I little Joy of what is past Rub not a Bleeding Scar. 3 For these and many like Consequents this people in the Issue and up-shot of their greatest calamities had both reason to rejoyce and the Heathens just cause to say The Lord had done great things for them albeit he often suffered them to be Conquered For even this Sicklinesse of their State was a means of its long life Their Scourges and Phlebotomies a Sign of Gods tender Care over their Health until they grew proud of his Favour and waxed obdurate by his often Fatherly corrections as one of their own writers well observes The Lord doth not long wait for us as for other Nations whom He punisheth when they are come to the Fulnesse of their Sins But thus He dealeth with us that our sins should not be heaped up to the Full so that afterwards He should punish us and therefore He never withdraws His mercy from us and though He punish with adversitie yet doth He never forsake his people 4 Finally their Decay and Increase was such as could not be measured by the Rules of Policie Hence was it that Tacitus was not tacitus but a Tatler transported from himself his wonted sagacity and ingenuitie as being quite out of his natural Element while he medled with their affairs That Contrarietie which he observes betwixt Theirs and the Romans Religion was as great betwixt their Policies What was good in the One was nought in the Other that which Rome did think might preserve her in health was apprehended by the wisest amongst this People as ready Poison for their State Those Plots which would have crushed any other People once brought under did oft work Their Advancement and their Enemies Fall Whence both their Rising and Falling and Consequently the Successe of such as opposed themselves against Them were in other Nations
had been That Monarch of the World which according to the common received Opinion throughout the East was at this time to arise in Jewry So doth the God of this World still blind the eyes of the worldly-wise with Fair Shews or earthly shadows of Heavenly Things that they cannot or care not to look into the Body or Substance of Divine Mysteries for whose representation onely those are given otherwise uncapable of any cause either in Nature Reason or Policy Vespasian the Emperour indeed was the Second Type or shadow of the Messiah That great Monarch and Prince of Peace whose endlesse Kingdom shall put down all Wars for ever For seeing by the Fall of these Jews as Saint Paul saith Salvation is come unto the Gentiles it pleased the Wisdom of our GOD to have their Destruction Solemnized with the self-same Signs that His birth had been which brought forth Life unto the World For immediately after their Fatal Overthrow by Titus Janus had his Temple shut and Peace a Temple erected by Vespasian Thus Divine Suggestions Effect no more in most mens thoughts then diurnal Intention of mind doth in hard Students broken sleeps which usually set the Soul a working seldom finding any distinct Representation of what she seeks though contenting her self oft-times for that Season with some pleasant Phantasm as much different from the true nature of that she hunts after as the clouds which Ixion imbraced were from Juno Vespasians Secret Instinct in this devotion did aim no doubt as it was directed by all Signs of the Time at the true Prince of Peace but was choaked and stifled in the Issue or Passage and his intent blinded in the Apprehension by the palpable and grosse conceipts of Romish Idolatry wherein he had been nuzled as mens In-bred desire of true Happinesse is usually taken up and blind-folded by such pleasant sensible Objects as they most accustom themselves unto And yet God knows whether this vertuous Emperours last Hopes were inwardly rooted in Pride and Presumption of heart or rightly conceived there were onely brought forth amisse As if a man should first apprehend the state of Blessednesse or Regeneration in a dream the Representation of it would be grosse though the Apprehension sound Quite contrary to his Sons disposition when he himself apprehends death coming upon him which the Physitians and Astronomers could not perswade him to beware of he solaced himself with this saying Now shall I be a God his inward Hopes of a Celestial state after this life might for ought that any man knows be true and sound and the representation onely tainted with the Romans grosse Conceipt 6 But whatever became of Him in that other World His Entrance into this His Continuance herein and Departure hence were in all the worlds sight of unusual and Extraordinary Observation The disposition of the Times by the most irreligious amongst the Romans were referred to Fates or divine Powers who had not graced the Birth Life and Death or long flourishing Raign of Augustus with half so many Tokens of their Presence on Earth or Providence over Humane Affairs What Effect or issue can the Roman assign answerable unto them Rome could not invite the nations to come and see whether any prosperity were like hers for hers had been far greater and of longer continuance then now under Vespasian who was suddenly called away by a Comet from Heaven and Augustus his Sepulchre opening of its own accord to welcome him to his grave Whereat then did all these Signs point They should have been as a New Star to lead the wise men of the West unto Hierusalem now crying out of the dust unto the careless Roman Have ye no regard all ye that passe by Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath It was not Titus and Vespasian that had afflicted her they were but His Deputies that was Lord of Sion who had Decreed what they Effected For this cause did neither the Father nor the Son take the name of Judaicus albeit the Difficulty of the War begun by the Father and the Famousnesse of the Victory atchieved by the Son according to the custom of the Romans observed by them in their Triumphs and other Solemnities did solicit them hereunto For what victory gotten by any Roman was like unto this either for the multitude of the Slain or the Captives Nothing in this kind could seem strange unto the Politician if it had proceeded from Tacitus pen. But Satan it seems by Gods permission hath called in that part of Tacitus as a Book too dangerous for his Scholars to read lest giving Credence unto it they might Believe him lesse and Christians more in any other points and yet praised be the Name of Our Gracious God who envies no man the truth and hath left us abundant Records of this Story all answerable to his Sacred Word and Prophecies of old concerning Hierusalem From that part of Tacitus which is left we may gather how consonant his Conclusions would have been unto that Faithful and most Ingenious Historian Josephus with whom he Jumps in these particulars That this people were of Bodies Healthful and able their City exceeding strong every way well provided against long siege Which Assertion would have ministred Suspition to such as measure all Stories by rules of Policy unlesse some Roman writer had avouched it seeing Pompey had razed the City-wals and Sosius had taken it by force in Augustus time since continuing in Subiection unto the Romans until the last and Fatal Rebellion But Tacitus tels us that these Jews made their benefit of Claudius his covetousnesse and purchased licence to fortisie the City in time of peace against war during which it grew more populous then before by the reliques of other ruinated Cities resorting unto it And albeit he differ from Josephus in the number of the besieged yet he acknowledgeth Six Hundred Thousand of all sorts the Women as resolute as the Men Armour and munition enough for as many as could and yet more in this People that durst use and manage them then could be expected in such a number Their Seditious and Factious their stubborn and desperate mindes against God and man and their own souls neglective of fearful Signs from Heaven and other prodigious Tokens foretelling their Desolation are Pathetically described by the same Writer The preparations likewise on Titus his part we may gather from him to be as great as any Roman ever used His army at the first approach to the City thought scorn to expect the help of Famine to make the Besieged yield and yet after one or two Assaults made to little purpose enforced to desist until all the Engines of Batterie either of Ancient or Modern Invention were ready And all these circumstances we have fully set down in this fragment of Tacitus which is left 7
have been so frequent among the Nations presently after Jerusalems destruction and the Extirpation of the Jews were added as so many Seals to assure the Truth of the Prophets and Gospel and to testifie both to Jew and Gentile That if either the one did follow his Jewish Sacrifice or the other his wonted Idolatrie after the Truth of Gods new Covenant with Mankind was Sealed and proclaimed There remained no more sacri fice for sins but a fearful looking for of judgement and violent fire that there was no other name under Heaven able to save them from such everlasting Flames as they now had seen some Flashes of but only the Name of Jesus whom the Jew had crucified So the Prophet Joel concludes Whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord that is of Jesus for now all Israel might know for a surety that God had made that Jesus whom they had Crucified both Lord and Christ He shall be saved The fruits of calling upon the name of the Lord and that distinction betwixt the state of the Elect and Reprobate intimated by the Prophet in the last Verse of that Chapter shall be most fully manifested in the Day of Judgement For such as have watched and prayed continually alwayes expecting their Masters Coming shall upon the first apprehension of his approach lift up their Heads as knowing that their Redemption draweth neer But for the Riotous or carelesse liver he shall not be able to stand before the Son of Man instead of calling upon his Name he shall cry unto the Hills Cover me and to the Mountains Fall ye upon me Yet was the same distinction between the Reprobate and the Elect truly notified by the confident Carriage of the Christians in those fearful times lately mentioned which did so much affright the Heathen as we may gather from Antoninus the Emperours Decree inhibiting the Christians persecution by the Commons of Asia It seems the other had accused the Christians as Hurtful Persons and offensive to the Gods unto which the Emperour makes Reply in this manner I know the Gods are careful to disclose hurtful persons for they punish such as will not worship them more grievously then you do those whom you bring in trouble confirming that opinion which they conceive of you to be wicked and ungodly Men It shall seem requisite to admonish you of the Earthquakes which have and do happen amongst us that being therewith moved ye may compare our estate with theirs They have more Confidence to God-wards than You have I will shut up this Discourse for the present with that Saying of our Saviour Remember Lots Wife and His Exhortation Take heed to your selves lest at anytime your Hearts be oppressed with Sâ—rfetting and Drunkennesse and Cares of this Life and lest that Day come on you unawares for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the Face of the whole Earth So did the former Calamities in Titus and Trajans time which were as the Dayes of Noah They ate they drank and rose up to play and when they said Pax tutaomnia suddain destruction came as an unexpected Actor upon the Stage For as you heard before one Cause of the great Concourse unto Antioch at that direful Season was to see Playes and Prizes and in the former under Titus two whole Cities were overwhelmed with the Tempest of Gods Wrath while the Citizens were sitting in the Theatre So must all such Fruitlesse Spectacles or pleasant but unseasonable Comedies be concluded with their Spectators Tragedie in the Catastrophe of this great and spacious Amphitheatre All that follows till you come at the 9th Paragraph was An APPENDIX in the former Edition yet set before the whole Book and so must be accounted and allowed for in the Reading ALbeit Lawful in every Age it hath been to Vary if without dissension from former Interpreters in unfolding divine Mysteries without Censure of Irregularity so the Explication be Parallel to the Analogie of Faith yet partly to clear my self from all Suspicion of Affecting Novelties partly more fully to satisfie the ingenious and unpartial Reader I have thought good to acquaint him with Some Observations which have almost beâ—â—othed my mind unto that exposition of our Saviours Words related by Saint Matthew and Saint Luke which I here commend to his Christian consideration That happily will cause others to suspend their Judgements which for a long time did retard my Perswasion and inhibit my Assent unto the Truth I here deliver For albeit the Reasons alledged seemed very probable whilest weighed apart but far more pregnant from comparing the Concurrence of all Circumstances which led me to that opinion yet on the other side strange it seemed that my best grounds being borrowed from the relation of Antiquity no Ancient Writer living shortly after those times should have observed the like But whilst I considered again how the Almighty whether in his just Judgement for the Sins of that present or in his Wisdom and Mercy for the greater good of future Generations had deprived us of all their sacred Meditations that lived about Titus's time or immediately after both Effects as I conceived might have One the same just Cause though secret and onely known to God not fit for us to make any further Inquiry after theâ—… might stir us up to true Admiration of his Wisdome And truly Admirable his Wisdom seemed in this that the Canon of the new Testament being finished in the most known Tongue then extant in the World in which respect besides others The Gospel of the Kingdom might be truly said to be preached through The Whole for a witnesse to all Nations he would have it Severed from all other Writings as well by the Subsequent as Precedent Silence of Ecclesiastical Sacred Writers He that would not have any Prophet in Israel after the Erection of the Second Temple would not for the same Cause onely known to Him have any Writings of men otherwise most religious and devout to be extant in the Age immediately following the Gospels Promulgation that it thus shining like a Solid or compact glorious Star in the Transparent Sphere Environed every where with Vacuity might more clearly Manifest â—t Self by its own Light to be Supercelestial Necessary it was the Period of that Generation wherein our Saviour lived and died should have the Divine Truth of his Gospel confirmed unto them by Signs as the Prophet speaks In the heavens and in the earth to increase their Care and diligence in commending it to Posterity who were to rely on it immediately not on their Fore-fathers relation of Signs past The like or more effectual and as fully answerable to the Rules set down in it they could not want so long as they carried souls or minds careful to observe and practise what is prescribed And who knows whether the Lord had not appointed that the serious consideration of those Prodigious Signs which followed the publishing of the
recenti spiritu evect a deinsenescente eo destituta aut etiam ponderesuo victa in latitudinem vanescebat candida interdum interdum sordida maculosa prout terrant cineremuè sustulerat Magnum id propriusque noscendum ut Eruditissimo Viro visum est It was told Him That there Appeared a Cloud for Bignesse and Shape never the like seen Up the Gets and goes to an Advantage whence he might the Better see that Strange Sight A Cloud Rose as yet the Beholders knew not from what Mountain afterwards it was found to be Vesuvius much Resembling a Pine-tree For it seemed to have as it were a Long Trunk and Boughs spreading out above Sometime it appeared White other-while Duskie and Dapled or stained and spotted according to the blended proportions of Earth and Ashes He thought it a strange Sight indeed and worthy his Adventuring nearer to View it c. That the Sun was turned into Darknesse that with this Smoak was mixed Fire may appear from the same Authors Words a little after Jam dies alibi illic nox omnibus noctibus nigrior densiorque quam tamen Faces multae variaque lumina solvebant Plin. Ep. 1. 6. Ep. 16. This which occasioned Wonderment to the Heathen was no doubt a sufficient Warning to all Godly Christians to betake themselves to their Prayers to expect the confirmation of their Faith by their mighty deliverance from those dangers wherein innumerable Heathens utterly perished which made the hearts of all man-kind besides to fail This corporal preservation of the Elect from fear or danger whilest Cast-awayes perished and trouble raged among the Nations was that Redemption which our Saviour speaks of And when these things begin to come to passe then look up and lift up your heads for your Redemption draweth nigh For this was a sure Type or pledge of their and our Everlasting Redemption And before the bursting out of that Fire and the erection of those Pillars of Smoak before mentioned God as our Saviour foretold had sent his Angels to gather his Elect together either to places free from those general Calamities or miraculously to preserve them in the midst of them For to deny or suspect the truth of Dions relations I have no reason and yet what other Cause to assign of those Giants Apparitions in Vesuvius and the Towns about it immediately before that danger I know not but only that which our Saviour had given And He shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the Four winds and from the one end of the Heaven to the other Thus Dion Ita verores acta Viri multi magniomnem naturam Humanam excedentes quales exprimuntur Gigantes partim in ipsomonte partim in agro circumjacente ac in oppidis interdiu noctuque terram obire at que acra permeare visebantur Posthaec consecuta est maxima siccitas ac repentè ita graves terrae motus facti c. L. 66. The like Gathering of the Elect Ecclesiastick Writers mention in the Siege of Jerusalem and Jewish wars the Godly sit at ease and in peace whilst the Obstinate and Seditious were overwhelm'd with Calamity upon Calamity And yet all the Calamities which accompanied Jerusalems Destruction did in greater measure afflict the Heathens within few years after It was destroyed Above other places Gods plagues hanted the Roman Court that all the world might take notice of our Saviours Prophecies And the Romans albeit they knew not who had given the Advice resolved yet to practise as our Saviour advised Let him saith our Saviour that is upon the house top not come down into the house neither enter therein to fetch any thing out of his house And let him that is in the field not turn back again unto the things which he left behind him to take his clothes So Pliny testifies that in the times above mention'd albeit the Pumice stones did flie about mens ears in the open fields yet they held it more safe during the Earthquake to be abroad then within doors arming their heads with Pillows and Bolsters against the blows they expected In commune consultant intratecta subsistant an in aperto vagentur nam â—…bris vastisque tremoribus tecta nutabant quasi emota sedibus suis nunc huc nunâ— illuc aâ—ire aut referri videbantur Sub dio rursus quanquam levium exesorumque pumicum casus metuebatur quod tamen malorum collatio elezit Cervicalia capitibus imposita linteis constringunt Id munimentum adversus incidentia fuit Plin. Ep. 〈◊〉 6. Ep. 16. This was the beginning of that Great and terrible Day of the Lord foretold by the Prophet wherewith the world was for a long time shaken by Fits as it were by a deadly Fever as may appear from the like calamities in Trajans times related by Dion Our Saviour himself expounds the Prophets words not of One Day but Dayes for there shall be in Those Dayes such tribulation as was not from the beginning of the Creation which God created neither shall be So terrible were these dayes that as our Saviour in the next word addeth except the Lord had made an end of them they had quickly made an end of all man-kind Even at that time the world by the Ordinary Course of Gods Justice should have been destroyed but He spared it at the instant prayers of his Chosen as he would have saved Sodom after Judgement was gone out had there been but a few such Faithful men in it as in the fore mentioned times the world had many So merciful is our God so loving unto all the works of his hands that his Son cannot come to Judgement so long as he shall find faith upon the earth Whosoever saith the Prophet shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved yea he shall save others as our Blessed Saviour more fully foretels what the Prophet saw but in part Except that The Lord had shortned those dayes no flesh should be saved but for the Elects sake which he hath chosen He hath shortned those dayes Other Prophesies there be of those times which seem to intimate a final destruction of all Flesh without delay and so no doubt the Prophets themselves conceived of the world as Jonah did of Nineve which he looked should instantly have perished upon the Expiration of the time he had foretold Wrath they had seen go out from the Lord of force enough to have dissolved the Frame of Nature but could not usually foresee either the Number of the Faithful or the dispositions of mens hearts upon their Summons but This Great Prophet who onely foresaw all things not onely foretels the Calamities or Judgements due unto the world but withall foresees the Number of the Elect their inclination to hearty prayers and Repentance by which he knew the fierce Wrath of God whose representation the Prophet saw should be diverted from the world
of Egypt c. This the Lord himself foretold and gave them warning of even when he specified the Articles of his Covenant made with Solomon for their peace 1 Kings chap. 9. vers 6 7 8 9. These Authorities may suffice to stay all such doubts as might arise from curious enquiring after the causes of these peoples incessant misery which cannot seem strange because fore-told nor unjust in that they were born to more extraordinary prosperity from which being faln by following their own ungracious wayes they are now reserved as Pharaoh after many admonitions was for Marks or Butts against whom the arrows of Gods wrath and vengeance must be shot to the terrour of others and manifestation of his power 3 These grounds supposed the Consideration of their many and Cruel Massacres their often spoiling and robbing and other outrages which according to the fore-cited Prophecies of them they continually suffer would the Atheist but lay it to his Heart would wring thence what the Divine Oracles have uttered that this had been a people appointed to destruction never suffered to multiply unto a Nation as if God had used them as men do wild Beasts nursing onely so many of them as may make sport by their destruction So likewise their continual wandring up and down in the world without any rest doth abundantly witnesse that albeit they bare the shape and nature of men yet are they no natural part of the World but have the same proportion in the Civil body or Society of Mankind that bad humours have in our natural and material bodies Which by course of nature should be expelled her confines but being retained run from joynt to joynt and lastly breed some grievous swellings in the extream parts And amongst other most tried and demonstrative Experiments of Moses often-mentioned Prophecie this is not the least that Spain and Portugal for these later years have been the chief receptacle of these Jews as if Hercules Pillars accounted by the Ancients the utmost ends of the World were not the full period of their peregrination West-ward whom the Lord had threatned Deuteronomie 28. verse 64. to scatter amongst all people from the one end of the World unto the other There they have been in greatest abundance for many years as it were expecting a wind for their passage to some place more distant from their native Country And who knows whether that Prophecy Deuteronomie 28. verse 41. Thou shalt beget Sons and Daughters but shalt not have them for they shall go into captivity hath not been fulfilled in the Jews inhabiting that Kingdom Whether many of their Stock whom Emanuel detained in Portugal have not been transported since into America or whether many of the Spanish Colonies have not a mixture of Jewish Progeny in them Nay who knows whether the West Indies were not discovered partly or especially for this purpose that the sound of these Preachers unto whom God hath appointed no set Diocesse might go out into all Lands with the Sun and their words unto the ends of the world until they return unto the place whence they were scattered But these conjectures I leave to be confuted or confirmed by future times desirous to prosecute briefly some observations of their fore-passed miseries not yet ended 4 As Gods judgements upon this people have had no end so neither have the grounds or motives of Christian Belief any limits every degree of their fall is a step unto our rising Enough it were to condemn the whole Christian world of Infidelity if it should not be rapt with Admiration of Gods mercy towards us as it is manifested onely in his severity towards them But if unto their perpetual grievous calamities here recounted we adde their like continual stubbornnesse of heart we shall prove our selves more stiff-necked then this people it self unless we take up Christs yoak and follow him under which only we shall find that ease and rest unto our souls which they have wanted ever since his death and without repentance must want everlastingly Angels Men and Devils yea all the world may clearly see that the God of their Fathers hath cast them off that they have born no Signs or Badges of his Ancient wonted favours whilest innumerable grievous marks and skars of his fearful indignation against their Fathers still remain unhealed in the children after more generations then their Ancestors Seat of prosperitie had been in the promised Land And yet even these later as all the former since their scattering thence continue their boastings of their prerogatives as if they were his only chosen people A grievous distemper of bodie and mind hath run in their bloud for almost 1600 years the children still infected with their fathers disease all raving and talking like men in a Phrenzie As if they were Wisdoms First-born and Heirs of Happinesse This their unrelenting stubbornnesse is an irrefragable Argument That they are the degenerate seed of faithful Abraham For Stubbornness is but a strong Hope malignified or as we say grown wild and out of kind If the Scripture had not described His Nature and quality with His Name we might have known by these modern Jews that their First Progenitour had been a Man of strong Hopes against all Hopes in the sight of men But these go further continuing stiff in their perswasions of Gods favour towards them contrarie unto the grounds of Hopes either in the sight of God or man insolent in confidence even whilest they are at the very brink of deepest despair Abraham looked for a Son after the chiefest strength of his body was decayed and Sarah his wife by course of Nature past all possibilitie of conceiving but His Hopes were assuredly grounded upon His Faithfulnesse which had promised the same These hope for a Messiah after the Fulness of time is past and gone and their Country being the Land of his Nativitie covered with Barrennesse and desolation without all grounds of hope quite contrary to the predictions of GODS Prophets whom they believe in grosse after whose meaning They groap as palpably now in the Sun-shine of their Messiahs glory already revealed as if it were in Egyptian darkness Yet even the fulnesse of that joy which most of them do look for in the dayes of their Messiah were their hopes of his coming as probable as they are impossible could not in reason support any other mens nature to sustain that Perpetual violence disgrace and torture which they indure throughout so many successions in this wearisome time of their Expectation Abraham was approved of God for his readinesse to sacrifice his son Isaac at his command These his degenerate Sons have crucified the Son of Abrahams God and for their infidelitie and disobedience have been cast out of that good Land which was given to Abraham and his righteous seed and for their stubbornnesse in like practises their posteritie continue Exiles and Vagabonds from the same not to this day willing to offer up the sacrifice of a
heard or learned from his godly Ancestors doth but trace out the Print of Moses footsteps almost obliterate and overgrown by the sloth and negligence of former Times wherein every man had trod what way he liked best And though the same Prophet descend to later Ages as low as Davids Yet he proceeds still by the same Rule relating nothing but such Historical Events or Experiments as confirm the Truth of Moses divine Predictions such as are yet extant in Canonical Scriptures So perfect and absolute in his judgement was that Part of the Old Testament which then was written to instruct not only the Men such as he was but every Child of God that he presumes not to know or teach more them in It was written And thus much this people should have done by Moses Precept without a Prophet for their Remembrancer And these Words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart And thou shalt rehearse them continually unto thy children and shalt talk of them when thou tarriest in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thâ—… liesi down and when thou risest up And thou shalt bind them for a Sign upon thine hand and they shall be as Frontlets between thine eyes Also thou shalt write them upon the posts of thine house and upon thy gates And again Sâ—t your hearts unto all the Words which I command you this day that you may command them unto your children that they may observe and do all the Words of this Law For it is no vain Word concerning you but it is your Life and by this Word you shall prolong your dayes 2 Questionlesse they that were bound to observe and do this Law were bound to know it and yet Moses refers them not to his Successor as if it were so obscure that it could not possibly be known without his Infallibility but on the contrary he supposeth it so plain and easie that every Father might instruct his Son in it and every Mother her Daughter It was their own daily Experience of the fruits and benefits in Obeying of their harms and plagues in Disobeying his Precepts which was to seal their Truth unto their Consciences For without such Observation without squaring their Lives and comparing their Thoughts and Actions unto this streight and plain Rule all other Testimonies of men or Authorities of their most infallible Teachers were in vain The Miracles which they had seen to day were quite forgotten ere nine dayes after Nor could their Perswasions or conceit of Moses Infallibility serve them for any Rule when they had shaken off these inward Cogitations and measured not the Truth of his Predictions by Experiments In their Temptations they were as ready to disclaim Moses as alwayes they were to distrust God whose mighty Wonders they had seen To what use then did the sight of all Gods Wonders or of Miracles wrought by Moses serve Motives they were necessary and excellent to incline their stubborn hearts to use this Law of God for their Rule in all their Actions and proceedings and to cause them set their hearts unto it as Moses in his last Words commands them For this Law as he had told them before was in their Hearts 3 Would any man that doth fear the Lord or reverence his Word but set his heart to read over this Book of Deuteronomy or the one hundred and nineteenth with sundry other Psalms but with ordinary Observation or attention that so the Character of Gods Spirit so lively imprinted in them might be as an Amulet to prevent the Jesuites Inchantments It would be impossible for all the wit of Men or Angels ever to fasten the least suspicion on his thoughts whether the Ancient Faithful Israelites did take this Law of Moses for their Infallible Rule in all their proceedings For nothing can be made more evident then this Truth is in it self That the Israelites Swarving from this Rule was the Cause of their departure from their God and the Occasion or Cause of their Swarving from it was this devilish Perswasion which Satan suggested to them then as the Jesuites do unto the Christian People now That this Law was too Obscure too Hard too Difficult to be understood no compleat Rule for their actions without Traditions or relying upon their Priests or Men in chief Authority This Hypocrisie Moses did wel foresee would be the beginning of all their Miseries the very Watch-word to Apostasie For which Cause he labours so seriously to prevent it Deut 30. 14. For this Commandment which I set before thee this day is not hid from thee neither far off but the Word is very near unto thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart to do it How was it in their Mouthes and in their Hearts when it was so obscure and difficult unto them after Moses Death It was in their Hearts and in their Posterity too had they set their hearts to it But as it is true Pars sanitatis est velle sanari It is a part of Health to be willing to be healed so was it here Pars morbi nolle sanari more then a part of this their grievous Disease their Blindnesse of heart was their pronenesse to be perswaded that this Word or Doctrine which Moses here taught was too Obscure and Difficult for them to follow They first began as the Jesuites do to pick Quarrels with God for which their Stubbornnesse he gave them over to their hearts desire And this his Sacred Word which should have been a Lantern unto their feet and a Light unto their paths as it was to Davids became a stumbling Block and a Stone of offence 1 Cor. 1. 23. What was the reason By their swarving from this plain and straight Rule their wayes became crooked and their actions unjust And it is the Observation of the wise Son of Sirach As Gods wayes are right and plain unto the just so are they stumbling Blocks unto the wicked Not Moses himself had he been then alive could have made this or any other true Rule of Faith plain unto these Jews whilest they remained perverse and stubborn And had they without Moses or any infallible Teachers help cast off this Crookednesse of heart Moses his infallible Doctrine had stil remained easie streight and plain unto them For it was in their Hearts though hid and smothered in the Wrinkles of their crooked Hearts In our Saviours time they wil not assent unto the Word written nor unto the Eternal Word unto which all the Writings of the Prophets gave Testimony unlesse they may see a Signe What was the Cause They had not laid Moses Commandments to their hearts For had they from their hearts Believed Moses they had Believed Christ For all whose Miracles wrought for their good in their sight and presence they cannot or wil not see that his Words were The Words of Eternal Life as Peter confesseth John 6. 68. Nor would any Jesuite
in Secular For as we shewed before he moved Holy men to write the Scriptures that we by them might attain eternal life Secondly besides this most infallible Rule or Law we admit an equal Necessity of Ecclesiastical and Temporal Judges an equal Authority in both to give Sentence viva voce And albeit we deny any absolute Infallibility in either yet the Possibility of not erring we acknowledge so much greater in the Judge Ecclesiastick as his Directory Rule is more certain and Authentical But here I must request these great Disputers of Rome if their Frenzie ome but by fits and admit Lucida intervalla one time or other upon their good dayes or in their sober hours if God send them any to bethink themselves wel what manner of Judge they require in matters Civil or meerly Secular such an one as cannot possibly erre in judgement one whom neither Ignorance lewd Desires nor exorbitant Affections can cause to swerve either from the undoubted Rules of Natural or Civil Equity the fundamental Laws of his Country or the chief Law-givers true intent and meaning If they willingly grant that our Civil Magistracie which they acknowledge lawful and necessary in its kind may sometimes judge wrongfully in Causes by nature most determinable by ordinary course of Civil Justice as for example in condemning Priests and Jesuites or generally in matters of Life and Death with what foreheads can they demand we should Believe the Pope or other Ecclesiastick Judge cannot possibly give erroneous sentence in any matters of Religion many of which are of that nature as can admit no other use of external or coactive Power save only severe restraint of all precise Determinations or curious search one way or other And to admit though in Cases meerly Civil such an absolute inerrable Tribunal from whose censure no man though ready with patience to brook the execution of heaviest bodily doom it could inflict may so much as in the secrets of his Heart or Conscience so far appeal as to examin whether the determination be right or wrong were either secretly to deny or openly to praeoccupate or prevent Christs Final Judgement wherein even Supream Judges shal be judged and all forepast decisions examined by the written Word which these men disclaim for any Authentick Rule of Faith the Right approved the Wrong reversed by Him whose peculiar Prerogative it is though now usurped by the Pope to put a Final End to all controversies viva voce 4 Notwithstanding be it supposed for disputations sake that God had appointed such an Authentick Tribunal as these Drunkards dream of for deciding matters of Religion yet were it most grosse to think might Reason alone without Scripture be admitted Judge there should be but one Supream Tribunal for the whole Christian World Even common Sense were Reason silenced might instruct us that it were much more convenient for every several Kingdom every free State or Societie of men to have such a Consistorie or Supream Tribunal amongst themselves For by the means might all differences in Opinions be far sooner known more narrowly sifted and present notice taken of every Circumstance concerning their Occasions Progresse or Favourers the controversie it self quicklier decided the Offenders more speedily punished and the like occasions better avoided Whereas for every Nation to resort to Rome or for the Pope to send his Legates into every corner of the Christian World would procure great toil and long labour with little successe The causers of contentions or maintainers of Heresies might often die in their Sins before the controversie were examined or the Truth so manifested as might move their to Repentance or recantation of their Errours the Information might be impertinent partial imperfect or false the Opinion or supposed Herenr being happily first set abroach in the presumed Hereticks Countrie Dâ—aleci would be worse understood of the Pope whose Instruction in many principal circumstances must oft-times depend upon disagreeing hear-sayes for his Holiness sees no better his Infallible-ship hears no farther in matters de facto then meaner men his plenarie Power even while he gives Sentence ex cathedra is not able to understand more Tongues then many Linguists may in a meaner seat his Fatherhood understands none besides his mother-Tongue so wel as the natural inhabitants of every Countrie do their own proper native Language Many such Inconveniences might be alledged for which might we chuse what manner of Ecclesiastick Government God should appoint us we should make choice of a Supream Judge in all causes Ecclesiastical at home rather then go to Rome to have them heard If the Controversers were to go from Norway the Seas might be frozen and the enemies possesse the Land The passages from sundrie other places might all be so stopt as we should have greater controversie in going to Rome then that for which we were to go Or if the Election of men for by man is the Pope elected could give such Infallibility to any the manner of such Elections would be much more agreeable to the Rules of Gods Providence and the example of Christs Apostles if all the Congregation which was to relie upon his Infallibility should first make choice of some few most excellent and famous men renowned for Learning and Integritie afterwards all with one mind and one heart pray unto the Lord to shew by lot which was the man to whom he would undoubtedly vouchsafe this infallible Assistance of his Holy Spirit Thus might Reason or common Sense without Scripture be Judge what manner of Government were fittest for Christs Church we could bring far greater Reasons for a multitude of Popes or Ecclesiastical Monarches for one at least in every Nation then either our Adversaries bring or can be brought for one general Monarch over the Universal Church Militant 5 And albeit this challenged large extent of the Romish Churches Authoritie over others were the Authoritie it self otherwise for the Qualitie moderate had been in former times not altogether so unreasonable yet were it at this day to be abandoned as a turbulent device apt for nothing so much as perpetual disturbation of publick Peace throughout Christendom now divided into so many several Soveraignties and governed by so many absolute Princes or States no way dependent one of another And Bellarmin's Reasons brought for to prove the Monarchical government of the Church would with far greater Probabilities infer a conveniencie for a several Monarchical Government in every particular State then for one general Monoâ—rch over all While the Christian World was governed by one absolute Monarch or Emperour and all the peculiar customes or priviledges of several Nations like divers members of the same Bodie conformable one to another by their common subordination to one supream Imperial Law the Vertue of a like Ecclesiastical Authoritie might have been equally diffused throughout the whole Bodie thereof as the splendor of the Sun throughout the whole Hemisphere of the Air and other aetherial and coelestial Bodies
another manner then the Lacedâ—monians did Lycurgus laws were from Apollo For when the Law which enjoyns the worship of one God was given unto the people it did appear as far forth as the divine providence did judge sufficient by strange signs and motions whereof the people themselves were spectators that the creature did perform service to the Creator for the giving of that Law But we must believe as firmly as this people did Moses that all the Popes injunctions are given by God himself without any other sign or testimony then the Lacedemonians had that Lycurgus laws were from Apollo Yet is it here further to be considered that the Israelites might with far lesse danger have admitted Moses laws then we may the Popes without any examination for divine seeing there was no written law of God extant before his time whereby his writings were to be tried No such charge had been given this people as he gives most expresly to this purpose Now therefore hearken O Israel unto the ordinances and to the Laws which I teach you to do that ye may live and go in and possesse the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you Ye shall put nothing unto the word which I command you neither shall ye take ought there from that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you But was the motive or argument by which he sought to establish their belief or assent unto these commandments his own infallible authority no but their own experience of their truth as it followeth Your eyes have seen what the Lord did because of Baal-Peor For all the men that followed Baal-Peor the Lord thy God hath destroyed every one from among you but ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day so gracious and merciful is our God unto mankind and so far from exacting this blind obedience which the Pope doth challenge that he would have his written word established in the fresh memory of his mighty wonders wrought upon Pharaoh and all his host The experiment of their deliverance by Moses had been a strong motive to have perswaded them to admit of his doctrine for infallible or at the least to have believed him in his particular promises When the snares of death had compassed them about on every side and they see no way but one or rather two inevitable wayes to present death and destruction the red sea before them and a mighty host of bloud behind them the one serving as a glasse to represent the cruelty of the other they as who in their case would not cry out for fear He that could have foretold their strange deliverance from this imminent danger might have gotten the opinion of a God amongst the Heathen yet â—… confidently promiseth them even in the midst of this perplexity the utter destruction of the destroyer whom they feared Fear ye not stand 〈◊〉 and behold the salvation of the Lord which he will shew to you this day for the Egyptians whom you have seen this day you shal never see again The Lord shal fight for you therefore hold you your peace Notwithstanding all this Moses never enacts this absolute obedience to be believed in all that ever he shall say or speak unto them without farther examination or evident experiment of his doctrine For God requires not this of any man no not of those to whom he spake face to face alwayes ready to feed such as call upon him with infallible signs and pledges of the truth of his promises For this reason the waters of Mâ—rah are sweetned at Moses prayer And God upon this new experiment of his power and goodnesse takes occasion to re-establish his former covenant using this semblable event as a further earnest of his sweet promises to them If thou wilt diligently hearken O Israel unto the voice of the Lord thy God and wilt do that which is right in his sight and wilt give ear unto his commandments and keep all his ordinances then wil I put none of these diseases upon thee which I brought upon the Egyptians for I am the Lord that healeth thee As if he had said This healing of the bitter waters shal be a token to thee of my power in healing thee Yet for all this they distrust Gods promises for their food as it followeth cap. 16. Nor doth Moses seek to force their assent by fearful Anathema's or sudden destruction but of some principal offenders herein For God wil not have true faith thunder-blasted in the tender blade but rather nourished by continuance of such sweet experiments for this reason he showres down Manna from heaven I have heard the murmuring of the children of Israel tell them therefore and say At evening ye shall eat flesh and in the morning you shall be filled with bread and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God For besides the miraculous manner of providing both Quails and Manna for them the manner of nourishment by Manna did witnesse the truth of Gods word unto them They had been used to grosse and solid meats such as did fill their stomacks distend their bellies whereas Manna was in substance slender but gave strength and vigour to their bodies and served as an emblem of their spiritual food which being invisible yet gave life more excellently then these grosse and solid meats did So saith Moses Therefore he humbled thee and made thee hungry and fed thee with Manna which thou knowest not neither did thy Fathers know it that he might teach thee that man liveth not by bread only but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord. 6 Yet in their distresse so frail is our faith until it be strengthned by continual experiments they doubt and tempt the Lord saying Is the Lord amongst us or no Nor doth Moses interpose his infallible authority or charge them to believe him against their experience of their present thirst under pain of eternal damnation or sufferance of greater thirst in hell such threats without better instruction in Gods word and the comfort of his spirit may bring distrusts or doubts to utter despaire and cause faith to wither where it was wel nigh ripe they never ripen and strengthen any true and lively faith Moses himself is fain to cry unto the Lord saying What shall I do unto this people for they be almost ready to stone me As the Papists would do to the Pope were he to conduct them thorow the wildernesse in such extremity of thirst able to give them no better assurance of his favour with God then his Anathema's or feed them only with his Court-holy-water or blessings of wind But even here again God feeds Israels faith with waters issuing out of the rock making themselves eye-witnesses of all his wonders that so they might believe his words and promises nay himself from their own sense
it did alwayes necessarily concur with miracles for distinguishing true professors from seducers When the controversie was betwixt Moses Pharaohs Enchanters the Lord confutes his adversaries by an ocular demonstration of his power yet further ratified by their confession whose words were the best Oracles which that people knew These fair warnings concurring with the Egyptians consciousnesse of their mercilesse practises against poor Israel stil thriving in despight of policy could not but witnesse even to the most unnatural men amongst them that the God of Jacob and his seed was a Father to the fatherless an Help to the helpless a God of mercy and a God of strength willing and able to right such as suffered wrong to succour all in distresse that with faith and patience commended their cause unto his patronage The most devoutly superstitious or idolatrous might at the least more then probably have gathered that the God of Moses was greater than any they or their cunning Magicians worshipped But it is a curiosity incident to superstitious hypocrites at their first entrance into Gods school scrupulously to demand full satisfaction in all doubts or difficulties than can be suggested and as if they sought to obtain mercy by way of bargain not by faith or favour to have their assurance precisely drawn and fully sealed before they surrender up the least part of their interest in any pleasure commodity or custome long enjoyed though never so destitute of reason As in this case imagin some Romish Schoolman or Jesuite had been in such favour in Pharaohs Court as that crew is now in too many Princes what other collections could we imagin he would have made but these How do these wonders prove the God of Israel to be so great a God as Moses boasts of He hath more skil we see in these particulars then the Gods adored by us Egyptians therefore in all or more in these then the Gods of any other nation Thesewere stranger works indeed then we expected such poor silly fellows could have wrought but may not others by the same reason work more strange hereafter And to speak the truth more that victory Moses had over the Egyptians could not prove unto the natural man so long as he considered the wonders only in themselves without any concurrence of other circumstances or truth presupposed then that this God of Israel was greater then any other he yet knew of not greater then any that might manifest himself hereafter Notwithstanding these few Documents or Essaies of his power compared with the End and occasions for which they were exhibited were so fully conformable to those natural notions even the heathen had of the Deity that no man free from passion or prejudice of their main estate for whose good the cunningest were thus foiled at their own weapon and the mightiest among the Egyptians plagued but might have seen The Finger of a good a just and merciful God in all their troubles had he in sobriety of spirit seriously consulted his own heart And who so sincerely had glorified his name according to this measure of knowledge or apprehension of his justice to him no doubt more had been given daily of this bread of life 4 The Jews I am perswaded could have given as instances of Devils cast out by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils as might have defeated any Induction gathered from the manifold practise of such works considered alone to prove the divine powers assistance Most apparently most malicious not withstanding was their application of such instances to our Saviour whose usual manner of dispossessing wicked spirits of those mansions wherein they have revelled most did abundantly witnesse he wrought by the Finger of God who only was greater then that strong man whom he vanquished bound and spoiled of his goods servants and possessions For though Devils sometimes suffer themselves to be commanded by men neither of greatest wisdom best place nor fashion yet this they do as any wel instructed in Gods law or illuminated with the notions of good and evil wil easily discern alwayes with purpose to bring men unto a perpetual acknowledgment of some divine power in them or to performance of some Magical service unto them no otherwise then cheating mates or cunning gamesters can be wel content to suffer bunglers beat them the first or second Set in hope to entise them to hold play longer or for greater wagers On the contrary the only Fee our Saviour demanded for all his admirable cures in this kind was the parties should give such glorie unto God alone as that infernal crew most detested but which the law of Moses so highly esteemed by his calumniators did purposely require in defiance of Beelzebub and all the powers of darknesse The end of every particular dispossession was such and the multitude of legal consessions sincerely uttered by poor souls set free so many as his bitterest adversaries own consciences could not but witnesse against themselves that all the chief Titles of Satans wanted triumphs over Gods people were utterly overthrown that he could not urge them either unto such blasphemies against God or outrages against themselves or their neighbours as he most delighted in Besides few or no instances could I think be brought of Devils cast out in any Magicians name in Christs they were and as it seems by such as had better acquaintance or more alliance with his accusers then with himself Thus much our Saviour in my conjecture intimates in that speech By whom then do your children cast them out therefore they shall be your judges Which words I neither would refer to Christs Disciples as some good Interpreters do nor as others unto such Exorcists as those mentioned Acts 19. 15. which attempting to throw out this strong man were overthrown in their own play but unto such as John complained of Master we saw one casting out Devils in thy name which followed not us and we forbad him This man though no Disciple was neither so ill disposed in himself nor so malitiously affected to our Saviour as these Jews were as appears by our Saviours answer unto John Forbid him not for there is no man that can do a miracle in my Name that lightly speaks evil of me for whosoever is not against us is on our part In the same words he concludes his disputation against the Jews in the fore-cited place 5 Such as this man was none of Christs followers but rather a friend as seems of his accusers yet using Christs not Beelzebubs name to cast out Devils were competent witnesses of his heavenly vertue and his adversaries malitious partiality Many other circumstances wel known then not now especially the long want of miracles more then prophesies before his coming did manifest their malice to be more impudent and shamelesse then we in such distance of time can discern That Finger of God from such Signs of the Time as we in general may suppose far more apparent in his victories
over Satan himself then in Moses over his Schollers the Enchanters especially whiles compared with known Prophesies of the Messias did point him out to be The womans Seed ordained of old to bruise the Serpents head to be the Son of man appointed to erect the everlasting Kingdom foretold by Daniel unto whose and other prophesies he refers his enemies in that speech But if I by the spirit or as S. Luke reads by the Finger of God cast out Devils then is the Kingdom of God come unto you Yet were not all his miracles of this kind thus considered so effectual to confirm the faithful or so pregnant to condemn all unbelievers as the former Rule of Moses For this cause after the former dispute ended he gave his adversaries such a Sign as if it did follow would infallibly prove him to be that great Prophet Moses there speaks of and consequently leave them liable to Gods heavy judgement without excuse for not hearkening unto him Of which hereafter 6 Here I may once for all conclude that the power of doing miracles was as effectual to assure such as did them of salvation as sight of them done was to establish spectators in saving faith But the power of casting Devils out or doing greatest miracles was no infallible pledge of salvation to such as did them much lesse could the acknowledgement of this divine power in them breedful assurance of true faith in others but only serve as a means to cause them rely upon the Law and Prophets as their only rule and to taste and prove the bread of life proffered to them by our Saviour which alone could ascertain them their names were written in the book of life But to proceed by the former rule 7 If others by Experiments answerable to it were known to be true Prophets Christ likewise by his known supereminency in that which approved them was to be acknowledged for The Prince of Prophets Now if we revise the History of the old Testament how few Prophets shall we find endowed with the gift of miracles such as were did exercise their power rather among Idolaters then true professors So when Gods messengers were brought to as open competition with Baals Priests in the King of Israels as Moses had been with the Enchanters in Pharaohs Court Elias makes his Calling as clear as the light by calling down fire from heaven which Baals Priests attempting in most furious manner could not effect but Elias professed thus much before as Baals Priests no question had done so as the event answering to his prediction not to the others did by Moses rule demonstrate him to be them not to be Prophets of the living God But when the like controversie was to be tried between Zidkiah and his four hundred complices on the one part and Micaiah on the other before King Ahab in whom Elias late miracles and later threats had wrought such a distaste of Baal and such a liking of the truth in general as he would not consult either any professed servant of the one or open oppugner of the other for his future successe Micaiah as was observed before appeals to this law of Moses as most competent Judge between such as joyntly did embrace it If thou return in peace the Lord hath not spoken by me as if he had said what Moses there doth he hath not put his word in my mouth And having brought his controversie to this trial he desires the people to contestate the issue thus joyned and he said hearken all ye people From this and many like cases ruled by the former express and pregnant law of Moses Jeremy pleads his warrant being born down by the contradictions of Hananiah a professed Prophet of the Lord as he was but of greater favour in the Court because he prophesied peace unto the present state and good successe to the Projects then on foot Even the Prophet Jeremiah said So beâ—it the Lord so do the Lord confiâ—…ly words which thou hast prophefied to restore the vessels of the Lords house and all that is carried Captive from Basel into this place But hear thou now this word that I will speak in thine ears and in the ears of all the people The Prophets that have been before me and before thee in times past propheted against many Countries and against great kingdoms of war and of plagues and of Pestilence And the Prophet which prophesieth of peace when the word of the Prophet shall come to passe then shall the Prophet be known that the Lord hath truly sent him Ezechid likewise refers himself to the same trial amongst such as were professed heared of the word in general which they would not obey in particular And to thou art unto them as a jesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can sing well for they hear thy words and do them not And when this â—oweth to passe for lo it will come then shall they know that a Prophet hath been among them 8 From these debatements we may gather in what cases the former rule held for certain First negatively it was universally true for he that prophesied any thing which came not to passe did sufficiently prove himself to be no true Prophet but a Counterfeit So did not every prediction of what afterwards came to passe necessarily argue it to have been from God Yet as the force and vertue of many things not such of themselves became evident from vicinity or irritution of their contraries so though God permitted some to foretel strange events for trial of his peoples faith yet this power he restrained when the controversie came to a Formal trial then he caused the true Prophets words to stand whiles the predictions of the false and the Princes bloud which relied upon them fell to the ground like Dagon before the Ark. So as the fulfilling of what the one and frustrating of what the other had said did sufficiently manifest the one had spoken of himself presumptuously the other what the Lord hath put into his mouth Hence is the determination easie what means this people had to discem amongst true Prophets which was That Great one in all things like to Moses First if events foretold did sufficiently testifie of his divine spirit his own witnesse of himself would be authentick because a true Prophet could hardly lie or make himself greater then he was This is an argument which directly confutes such as acknowledge Christ to have been a Prophet sincere in doctrine and mighty in deeds and yet deny him to be The Prince of that profession The great Mediator of the new Covenant both which he often avouched Because the quantity of that spirit whose sincere quality manifested him to be a Prophet would notifie his excessive Greatnesse in that rank and order or more directly to the question 9 The great Prophet there spoken of was to be known by his similitude with Moses who was as the Symbol or
Universall Kings Infallibility as probable as the Popes 387 Kâ—… his sin aggravated 410 Krantzius or Cranzius his speech to Luther Frater abi 139 Hu speech put in the mouth of a Saracen at Torutum 109 Krantzius his Relations touching the Jews 125 126 129 133 L LAnguages Italian Spanish French English mixtures of Roman and Barbarous 245 Lay-men illiterate may as well know the sence of scriptures as of the Popes Decrees 156 c Lay-men not skilled in Languages how far bound to believe scripture 161 Leo the tenth his Apothegme 505 Lindens panoply no good Harnesse 242 A Logick Rule explained 475 Loâ—â— wife by Poets transformed into Niobe 49 Loyola's way to try spirits by 151 M MAdness of men in not searching Scriptures 9 S. Pauls Man of God who it is 154 Carnall man 212 213 236 m. Spirituall man ib. Manes's heresie One creator of matter another of purer substances Magick helpt and hastened the sudden making of the golden Calf 38 Mahomet pretended descent from Sarah 109 Maldonate one of the best Expositors of that Gang. 401. His censure of Iansenius 275. m. Maldonate censured about the meaning of the sixt of Iohn 332 B. Virgin Mary her faith confirmed by experiment 143 Use of Magistracy and Ministery for avoyding schismes with Valentians and Sacroboscos extremities about that point 237 Ministery of men how needfull to plant faith and keep it 153 163 185 to 189 282 480 Ministers of God to be advised with in particulars touching our souls 145 Ministers not being advised with in particulars a cause of fruitlesse preaching ib. Miracles used in the infancy of Christianity 40 Miracles of Ancient times not to be suspected because none such now 37 42 Miracles of scripture relation proved true by a strong Dilemma 11 Expectation of pompous miracles the original of Jewish infidelity 433 Internall miracles the end of externall ib. Miracles of Christ and of Devils and Impostors differ in the End 436 445 Miracles no rule of trying Prophets before the Law 435 Christs miracles not so much relied on by his Disciples as Christs predictions 442 More of Christs miracles 443 Luthers miracle wrought sine vi Ferri 139 Vespasians miracles see Fespasian Miracles see prophetical testimonies in the lett P Mistrustful man prone to be an Infidel 20 Mistrustfulness how it may be well used ib. A monk scrupled to wear an Hood 240 Moses and the Israelites wandring made by Poets into Cadmus's and the Phoenicians 48 Moses had no such power as is ascribed to the Pope though he had virtually both Civil power and Ecclesiastical or spiritual 405 Siimilitude betwixt Moses and Christ 434 c Muscovites forbad Preaching to prevent schisms 302 Massacre at Paris and Boydon the chief man in it commended by Fabius Ursinus the Popes Legate 500. Massacres Vide Jews Mysteries involved in the Aenigmaticall propriety of words propheticall 100 N NAamans faith begot by one single experiment without the word 141 Naamans doubting how like the curiosity of unbelieving Artists 141 142 Noahsâ—â—ood â—â—ood changed by Heathens into Deucalions 51 Niobe made of Lots wife 49 Notions of good and evil in Pythagoras Orpheus Linus Euripides 57 Notions of Christ what the Pharisees had before he came 446 O OAths to be kept yet not when Pope and Religion is in hazard sayes Paulus Quartus 503 Observations made by the Authour out of Poets in generall 27 c. see Poets Oracles a discourse about them 30 c Oracles ceasing a proof of Christian Religion 30 c Of Oracles failing Plutarchs 2. reasons 1. Flitting of Daemons 2. Alteration of soyl exhalations being said he as necessary for Oracles to speak with as an instrument for a Musician to play on 30 Omen See Crassus and Vespasian Objections of Romish Doctors against scripture 260 c. 264 c. see Scripture Obedience what due to God what to his Messengers 154 271 306 Obedience to Authority 168 to 176 Sincere Obedience makes some actions lawfull which without it would be unlawful 170 to 177 Illimited Obedience to the Church is required by Papists without examination or appeal 165 Antipapists extreme in that point ib. The Protestants mean in the same point 166 Abrahams Obedience commended by S. Austin and souldiers obedience so 171 172 175 m. A certain rule when Authority may be disobeyed 174 Such as disobey fearing their practise may occasion evil are often taken in their fear 174 175 More about Obedience See 185 to 189 Of Obedience or belief conditional see 189 to 196 How It differs from implicit faith 196 Conditional Obedience of two sorts 381 Pretences for disobedience 194 195 Absolute Obedience due to Pastours c. in what 382 389 Spiritual Obedience limited 391 Precepts of Obedience to the Priests in the Law universal in Form admit restrictions or exceptions 376 c Sincere Obedience according to the measure of light which men have the best way to get more light 196 Obedience the way to wisdom S. Austin 224 m. To Obey the Romish Church absolutely without Appeal is not to obey God 327 Against blind Obedience a caveat 409 P FOr Pan's death the spirits mourâ— 31 Thamous commanded to proclaim it 31 Pans mother Penelope ib. Christian paganismes 144 A parallel of Atheistical and papistical mockery 363 Pharisees did quadrate the sins of proselytes 250 Parents instructions means to beget faith in children 411 c. Pashurs prophesie 424 Philip the Fair in one day apprehends all the Jews 124 125 Planetiades in Plutarch makes the negligence or â—malignance of the gods the cause why Oracles ceased 58 Plato's Androgyni a mistake of Moses in Gen. 56 Plutarch's mention of Deucalions Ark and Doves 51 Persecution of Albigenses and Picards 246 Of Hushites Bohemians Lyonois 277 Persecution of Christians by Saracens greater then of all Roman Emperours 110 People go to sermons at happy be lucky as if a sick man went to a physick Lecture good but not of his disease 145 Poets fables prove Scriptures truth 27 to 30 Poetry more of old when more wonders were 42 c Poetry right use and corruption of it 43 to 47 Poetry the original use c. of it 42 c Fables transform Scriptures truth 46 to 57 Poetry prima quaedam philosophia 43 Aristotles Rule for Poets 28 Pompeys felicity 63. misery 64. struck in the brain by God 65. never prospered after he entred the sanctum sanctorum ib. Pliny Junior his relation of Vesuvius eruption 100 101 Pliny the philosopher his uncle smothered in it 100. Plinies pine-tree resembles Joels pillar of smoak 100 Jewish Proverb Plus vidit ancilla ad rubrum mare montem Sinai quam omnes prophetae 409 〈◊〉 Paulus Fagius cited Pescennius Niger his reply to his souldiers They which beat you drink water 106 Petrus Cluniacensis perswades King Lewis to war against the Saracens and to make the Jews pay for it 117 Provost of Stenelda his Epistle to S. Bernard 245 King of Portugal Emanuel uses the Jewes ill 126 c.
quam à Deo homines avocare ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sui ab intellectu verae religionis avertere cum sint ipsi poenales quaerere quas ad 〈◊〉 comiâ—es quâ—â—â—… en soul fecerint errore participes Hi tamen adjurati per Deum verum à nobis statim cedunt fatentur de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extre coguntur These were the effects of Christs triumph over Satan sure pledges that the strong man was 〈◊〉 cast cut And the like power had not been so manifest before among the Sons of men * * 1 Kings 22. 24. †〈◊〉 5. 15. ‖ 〈◊〉 1◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a â—… * This Law of Deuteronomie holds true in proportion throughout al Ages If there arise among you a Prophet or a Dreamer of dreams and give thee a sign or wonder And the sign and the wonder which he hath told thee come to Passe saying Let us 〈◊〉 after other Gods which thâ—u hast not known and let us serve them Thâ—u shalt not â—eaâ—ken to the words of that Prophet or unto that Dreamer of dreams for the Lord your God proveth you to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul Deut. 13. 1. †1. Cor. 1. 26. * Phil. 2. 3. †1 Cor. 14. 32. That this 〈◊〉 â—… the 〈◊〉 should rather move all 〈◊〉 Christians to 〈◊〉 all in â—… 〈◊〉 of men then to rely upon any â—… 14. â—… Psal 119. 99. Heb. 3. 5. Psal 119. 100 * That our means for â—iscerning the â—â—â—ginal Causes oâ— O◠〈◊〉 of Conâ—…ns are fully â—â—ui â—aâ—â—nt to the Romish Churches †â—â—llaâ—miâ— lib. 3. de justif cap 3 4. c. disputes so eagerly against this Bishop as might have 〈◊〉 a Censurâ—â—f Irregulâ—…ty had â—e liâ—â—â— in his Diâ—â—esse ‖ Apostolica authoritate inhibemus omnibus tam Ecclesiasticis personis cujuscunque sint ordinis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qâ—â—m â—aiâ— is quocunque honore ac potestate praeditis Praelatis quidem sub interdicti ingressus Eccâ—… que â—uâ—rint sub eâ—communicationis latae sententiae poenis ne quis sine authoritate nostra audeat ullos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glosâ—â—s annotationes scholia ullumve omnino interpretationis genus super ipsius conciliâ— decretis quoâ—… aâ—â— quidquam quocunque nomine etiam sub praetextu majoris decretorum corroborationis aut executiâ—… â—… colore statuere Bullae Pij quarti super confirmatione oecum gener Concil Trident. * Maldoâ—atus censuâ—e of thâ—se men for dissenting as he thinks from their Church is so sharp and peâ—â—â—pâ—oâ—y as might well have caused Contention should his writings have come into their hands Impediunt nos quo â—inus acriter vehemeâ—ter invehamur in haereticos Catholici quidam qui nescio qua imprudentia hereticis se junxerunt Neminem nomino nâ—minem viâ—latae accuso religionis scio Catholicos scio doctos scio religiosos ac probos viros esse sed minimè profecto utilâ—m atque fidelem in hac re operam Ecclesiae navaverunt Quod contra Scripturae sensum contra Patrum omnium inter pretationem contra tacitum iâ—o minime tacitum sed satis superque explicatum consensum Ecclesiae dixerint atque contendeâ—int hoc loco de Sacramento non agi quod ut Benignissimè dicam est Temerarium gravioribus condemnarem verbis nisi crederem viros bene Catholicos Errore magis animi quam vitio in Haereticorum sententiam impegisse Maldonat Comment in sext Johan In this sense Christ is said to have come not to send Peace but a Sword unto the World That this very challenge of this insallible Authority of the Râ—mish Church for ending all Controversies â—â—th necessarily 〈◊〉 the greatest Diâ—…tion from it that can be in all relâ—giâ—us minds * â—… whether from the known or possible fruits of the Romish Churches Means so excellent as is pretended â—… Argument can be drawn to work a prejudicial conceipt in mens minds That it were â—… Authority to their Church before they come to direct examination of the main point what â—… Scriptures * See 〈◊〉 14 â—… 5 c. * Non ignoraâ—at dens multas in Ecclesia exorituras disâ—iculâ—ates circa fidem debuit igitur ju dicem aliqueÌ„ 〈◊〉 a providâ—◠〈◊〉 iste 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non potest elle Scriptura neque Spirâ—aus revelans privatus neque princeps saecularis igâ—tur princeps Ecclesiasticus aut solus aut cerâ—e cum coÌ„silio coÌ„sensu Coepiscoporum Neque enim singitur neque singi potest aliquid aliud ad quod hoc judicium pertinere posse videatur Bellarm. lib. 3. de verbo Dei cap. 9. * Christs Church having by our Doctrine a most infallable written Law and living though but fallible Ecclesiastick Judges is much better provided 〈◊〉 in all matters Spiritual then Politick â—…ties whose Laws as wel as Judges are faluble in matters Câ—vil †The utmost Bounds of all Christian Obedience unto any Authority on earth is only to abide a peaceable â—ial before the lawful Judges patiently to imbrace the Penalty inslicted but not to think about Penalties soever they shall 〈…〉 cause for which 〈…〉 be just or such as shal staâ—â— for good in the day of final Judgement for so earthly Powers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absâ—lute Authority over our Souls which is Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Adversaries go in t that a Prâ—viâ—cial Councel conjirmed by the Pope is as authentick as a General wherein be were presâ—â—t thâ—ugh a sâ—nt in the other 〈◊〉 acâ—quainted with particular Circumstances or carâ—â—ag of the Connoversie Much more availeable should a Popes Confirmation of such Councels be who were present and uel acquainted with all Occasions or other Circumstances of the Conâ—orersie or the Division Wherefore if Reason without Scripture might divide this Comrover sie it were more 〈◊〉 to have a many Popes as sâ—â—eralyâ—ce Statâ—â—o or Monarchies * Convenit etiam inter nos adversaries Sâ—… intelligâ— debere to Spiritu quo factae sunt id est Spiritu sancto Quod Apostolus Peâ—… Epist 2. cap. 1. doe et cum ait Ho◠〈◊〉 intelligentes quod omnis Prophetia Scripturae propria interpretatione non sit Non enim humana voluntate allata est aliquando Peopheâ—a sed Spirtu Sancto inspirati loquuti sunt Sancti Dei homines Ubi B. Petrus probat non debere exponi Scriptur as ex proptio ingenio sed secundum dictamen Spiritus Sancti quia non sunt scriptae humano ingenio sed ex inspiratione Spiritus Sancti Bel. lib. 3. de verb. Dei cap. 3. †2 Pet. cap. 1. vers 20. 21. ‖ Tota igitur quaestio in â—o posita est ubi sit iste Spiritus Nos enim existimamus hunc Spiritum etsi multis privatis hominibus saepe conceditur tamen cetto inveniri in Ecclesia id est in Concilio Episcoporum confirmato à summo Ecclesiae totius Pastore sive in sun mo Pastere cum Concilio aliotum Pastorum Bellarmin ibid. In this place as he professeth he will not dispute
a prophet of things to come †See Chap. 11. The present Popes authority is greater then history traditions or councels or ought that can be pretended for it * Aliud est interpretari legem more doctoris aliud more judicis ad explicationem more doctoris requiritur cruditio ad explicationem more judicis requiritur authoritas Doctor enim non proponit sententiam suam ut necesâ—ariò sequendam sed solum quatenus ratio suadet a judex proponit ut sequendam necesaâ—io Aliter accipimus glossas Bartholi Baldi aliter declarationem Principis Augustinus igitur caeteri Patres in Commentariis fungehantur officio Doctorum at Concilia Pontifices funguntur officio judicis a Deo sibi commisso Bellar. de verbi Dei interpret lib. 3. cap. 10. respon ad 16. †Joh 5. 22 23. * Cap. 8. 〈◊〉 17 c. Bellarmin to prove the Pope is absolutely above the universal Church useth these words Omnia nomina qâ—ae in scripturis tribuanum Christo â—nde constat eum esse sâ—pra Ecclesiam cadâ— omnia tribuuÌ„tur Pontitici Bellar de Conciliorum auct Lib. 2. cap. 17. 〈◊〉 †Christum caput esse Ecclesiae universae libentissime confitemur neque ullum hominem ac ne angelum quidem â—…quamus quod esset propriè duo capita in Ecclesiae corpore constituere at quin sub Christo capite summo Vicarius ejus in terris caput ut sic dicam ministeriale non principale rectè nominetur negari nullo modo potest Siquidem ut in republica temporali caput omnium principale Rex est sub Rege deiude capita sunt Provinciarum ii qui dicuntur Proâ—… sub Proregibus capita sunt urbium singularum certi quidam Praetores sub praetoribus quaelibet familia suum â—…caput ipsum videlicet Patrem familias c. Ita quoque in Ecclesia Dei summum caput omnium hominum Angelorum Christus est sub Christo in terris caput omnium Christianorum est Ponti sex maximus sub illo Episcopi sub Episcopis Parochi capita sunt Christianae multitudinis Bellar. in Appendice ad libros de summo Pont. cap. 24. His similitude 〈◊〉 in this that they admit of no appeal from the Pope to Christ no examination of his decrees by Gods word Nor is the Pope by 〈◊〉 doctrine subordinate in such sort unto Christ as all other Bishops are to the Pope †Lib. 2. cap. 16. parag 8. Antichrst must not be a professed or open enemy but a secret underminer of true Religion The Pope and his followers have good reason to magnifie Christs authority in words or outward shew for their own gain and glory could not otherwise be so great * Chap. 〈◊〉 21. The same plea the 〈◊〉 maâ—… the Poper absolute â—…â—im 〈◊〉 might use with as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… in 〈◊〉 place Roâ—iâ—h Positions â—… must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‑ 〈◊〉 * Exod. 23. 3◠†Joseph 3. cap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Siculus L. 1. c. 3. And a linle after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suidas ex meeâ—â—o quodâ—… 〈◊〉 re haec resert saith Fagius Ephod inquit 〈◊〉 â—n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 braeum quod si interpreters significat iâ— aâ—… aâ—t redemptionem Vides autem eum authorem ex quo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exscripsit Hebraeae linguae ignarum suisse Ephod â—… aliud significat Fortaâ—â—is pro Ephod dicere voluit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Erat autem forma ejus textuâ—a almaris vario artificio 〈◊〉 pectoralis ex aureis filis consecta Ac in medio haâ—… 〈◊〉 stellam omnino auream Ex utraque autem paâ—te duâ—…dos in quorum unoquoque sculpta â—rant se◠〈◊〉 vidâ—… duodecim nomina Tribuum Israel Porro iuter Smaragelos 〈◊〉 tinebat lapidem Adamantem Cum ergo Sacerdos sciscitaâ—… erat de re quadam oraculum à Deo ligabat Ephod in supeâ— humerali ad medium pectoris subjiciebat manus suas sub ipâ—um quas cum retraheret deprehendebat eas quasi colore quodam inâ—ectas Peteâ—ar autem à Deo responsum deâ—ixis in â—phod 〈◊〉 Iâ—aque si Deus annuebat ad id quod peâ—ebatur consesâ—… micabat lapis Adamas Si autem negâ—bat nâ—hil ad 〈◊〉 num proprium lapidis â—ulgorem accedebat Quod si Deus voluit populum subjicere gladio Lapis reddehaâ—… eâ—uentus Si autem â—…nebar mâ—rs lapis â—…at 〈◊〉 â—…gius in caâ—ut 〈◊〉 Exod. ubi plura Vide de Rationali vid. Delâ—ium Disâ—…sit Magic lib. 4. cap. 1. quaest 2. Sect. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 21. 1 Sam. 2◠〈◊〉 1 Saâ— 3◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * * * Malach. 2 v. 1 2. Universall Propositions in Scripture are to be limitted by they proper Subject the End of the Precept or other Circumstances * Exod. 20. 10. The Precept concerning the Sabbath then which none can be more universal did not extend to all manner of works * Luke 6. 〈◊〉 * 1 Mac. 2 36 c. * 1 Mac 2 41. Conditional obedience of two sorts In what acts absolute obediencets due to Pastors * Luke 1â— 16. * Philo de specialibus legibus Precepts of obedience unto masters or parents though most universal for their Form are limitted by their subject Vide Bellar. l. 2. de Monac cap. 21. * Sâ— Aquinas expounds it as Bellarmin acknowledgeth it Quod vero D Paulus air Col. 3. Filii obedite patentibus per omnia vel ita intelligi debet ut illud per omnia significat per omnia ad quae se extendit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut rectè docet Sanct. Thom. in 2. 2. qeast 〈◊〉 4 ar 5. quen admodum si quis diceret opâ—â—tere milites obedire Impeatori per omnia exponendum esset per omnia quae ad militiam pertinent vel certè renentur filii per omnia parentibus obedire sed dum parvuli sunt Bellar. l. 2. de Monach. c. 21. That universal absolute obedience us to men is incomâ—… with â—… unto Christ * Deut. 17. 8 c. * ‖ The Law â—… temporal causes either onâ—… †Deut. 17. 18. ‖ Prov. 16. 10. That the infallibility of kings may be defended with as great probability of Scriptures as the infallibility of priests Prov. 16. 13. * Prov 31. 3 4 5. This law of Deut. doth justifie our English laws for executing priests and Jesuites of all such as acknowledge the Pope supream Judg in causes Ecclesiastical 1 Sam. 28. * â—… dâ—â—tâ—â—â—arum 〈◊〉 â—eteribus â—… à Mose aâ— Propâ—… qâ—o◠〈◊〉 â—… Sâ—…dum quod opiâ—… judâ—… ut in Sâ—riptuâ—a loâ—is enarâ—… qua ad oâ—…t 〈◊〉 quo 〈◊〉 â—… qâ—… ob â—â—m sub prâ—ore templo â—… aâ—…s poâ—… tâ—nta câ—ncordia Judaeoâ—… rata â—it donâ—…m magnum â—… â—… câ—â—to deâ—…ta â—ummo 〈◊〉 â—… Dâ—inde in sâ—ntâ—ntia â—â—â—enda â—… de lege â—… coâ—jectâ—â— is coâ—â—ixi â—… â—… quâ—d â—ic â—rat proâ—…ciatum pâ—o lege â—… Tâ—…us quod â—â—atâ—â—â—t ultra legâ—â— qu◠〈◊〉 deâ—… 〈◊〉 objâ—cto sepimento