multiplier 11  475  475 The summe amounting 5225 Againe if ye diuide the 5225. dayes by 30. you shall finde 174. moneths and fiue dayes thus The number to be diuided 5225 5 daies 174 moneths The diuisor 30 To these you must adde 87. daies because the moone hath not aboue 29. daies and the halfe of one day Thirdly if ye will diuide the 174. moneths by 12. ye shal finde 14. yeeres and 6. moneths thus The number to be diuided 174 6. moneths 14 yeeres The diuisor 12 Now these 6. moneths remaining togither with the 92. dayes od houres and minutes wil suffice to make vp the 15. yeere that is wanting in the last diuision So then this supputation is consonant to the yeeres of the monarkes and to the iust record of the Olympiades of the Greekes which by vniforme consent of all learned writers are most certaine as also answerable to euery thing in Daniel which no other supputation is able by any possibilitie to affoord For it is without all controuersie that the weekes of Daniel were ended in the 4. yeere of Tiberius Cesar at which time Christ was crucified from which yeere vntill the fourth yere of the 83. Olympiade which was the twentieth yeere of Artaxerxes Longimanus where I holde the 70. weekes of Daniel to beginne be iust 475. yeeres after the course of the sunne which make as is already prooued 490. yeeres after the course of the moone CHAP. V. Of the sabbaoth and festiuall dayes of the Iewes WHen the children of Israel were come againe out of captiuitie they and all such as had forsaken heathenish idolatry and ioyned themselues vnto them kept the feast of vnleauened bread seauen dayes with ioy And after the temple was finished in the sixt yeere of Darius the Priests Leuites and residue of the children of the captiuitie kept the dedication thereof Esdr. 6.16 22. Concerning which festiuall dayes and the like because many are superstitious and some very ignorant it shall not be impertinent in this place to set downe a briefe discourse thereof The first Section Of sabbaoths one is legall an other spirituall the third celestiall The spirituall sabbaoth is a ceasing from sinne and is peculiar to the godly and regenerate for with it dissolute liuers and carnally affected persons such as Sardanapalus was can haue no fellowship at all albeit they professe a certaine externall obseruance of the ceremoniall sabbaoth and glorie no little therein For as the apostle saith Rom. 8.13 they that liue after the flesh must die but they that mortifie the deeds of the bodie by the spirit shal liue This sabbaoth is not tied to any certain time or daies but ought to be kept euery day without anie intermission for we must euer beleeue euer hope euer loue euer bring foorth the fruites of the spirit Otherwise there should be no proportion betweene the spirituall sabaoth and the spirituall man The second Section The celestiall sabbaoth is it in which wee shall rest both in body and soule from the labours and vexations of this present mortalitie Yet in this life we may labor in the body although the mind regenerate do sabbatize vnto the Lord. For the spirituall sabaoth doth not so prohibite the regenerate from corporall labours but that they may in due season exercise the same for their own honest sustentation and of others Yea the minds euen of the godly albeit they sabbatize in the Lord yet are they oft afflicted now w t tentations now with errours with tribulations now with anguishes with charitable cōpassions ouer their brethren These are the imperfections of this present life which the spirituall sabaoth cannot take away but the celestiall sabbath in the heauenly Ierusalem will vtterly make an ende thereof For in that sabbath there shall be no place to anie labours errours tentations or miseries whatsoeuer For the vision beatificall will wipe away all teares from our face This is the pure and perfect sabbath not of the bodie onely as the legall whereof I am to speake by and by nor of the mind only as the spirituall but of soule and body both together which sabbaoth was shadowed in the olde law begunne in the new lawe and shall be accomplished in the kingdome of heauen where we shall celebrate the sabbaoth of all sabbaoths world without end The third section The legall ceremoniall and externall sabboth is a certaine set time appointed in the church for the ministerie of the worde and administration of the sacraments And it is of two sorts immediate and mediate the immediate is that which was instituted immediately in the old Testament and this kind was manifold because there was the sabboth of dayes as the seauenth day of the weeke which was tearmed by the peculiar and proper name of sabboth as well in respect of the diuine rest which God had from creating new creatures as of the rest which Gods people must keepe that day There were also other sabbothes of dayes though not properly so tearmed but by the names of feasts to wit the feast of the Passeouer the feast of Pentecost the feast of Tabernacles the feast of expiacion the feast of blowing trumpets the feast of vnleauened bread the feast of the first fruites Againe there was the sabboth of moneths called neomeniae 2. Paralipomenon the second chapter and the fourth verse Thirdly there was a sabbaoth of yeares as euerie seuenth yeare Leuiticus chapter 25. vers 4. in which yere the Israelites were prohibited to till the ground to sow their seede and to cut their vineyardes Fourthly there was also the sabboth of Iubilee which came euerie fiftieth yeare Leuit. 25. vers 12. in the which yeare libertie was proclaimed to all that were in bondage in which yeare none might sowe none might reape none might gather grapes in which yeare euerie one returned to his owne possession in which yeare all land that had beene sold returned to the familie which yeare when it was farre off they might sell dearer but the nearer it was the better cheap ought they to sel their land An apishimitation of this Iubilee the late Bishops of Rome pretend vnto the worlde But alas who seeth not what a diabolical illusion it is In this Iubilee none did or could pardon their neighbours sinnes but the Pope pardoneth al as well great as small in this Iubilee all bond men were set at libertie but in the Popes Iubilee the Turks stil row in galies in bondage they stil remaine both in Italie in Spain in this Iubilee all sold lands had an end and returned againe to the seller but in the Popes Iubilee not onely sold landes do not returne againe but landes bought with other mens goods do stil remain Note wel gentle reader what I say for of late yeares since the Pope by diabolicall perswasions of ambitious and seditious Iesuites intended the inuasion of this land he hath promised facultie to his Iesuites and seminaries that they may dispense
with all popish recusants neuer to pay their debts to loyall christian subiects This assertion because it is strange to good christian eares cannot but bee obscure and hardly vnderstood for explication sake wee must note two principles of lately coyned romish religion First that our most gratious soueraigne Queene Elizabeth and al her faithfull subiects are flatte heretiques Secondly that all her maiesties dominions with all the landes and goods of her loyall obedient and christian subiects are the Popes due vnto him from the first day of the profession of their loyall obeysance and of the true ancient christian romain catholike and apostolike faith That these be their principles their best writers doe testifie their Iesuite Bellarminus their Canonists Nauarrus and Couarrunias their Diuines Syluester and Medina their religious friers Fumus and Alphonsus with many others Vppon these rotten principles of their newe no religion they grounde their most execrable dispensation to witte that it is lawfull for all popish recusants by reason of such dispensations to withholde what landes and goods soeuer from all such as wil not yeelde themselues captiues to the brutish bondage of poperie Hereof it commeth first that so many this daie make conscience to bee absent from diuine seruice in the church who haue no conscience at all to pay their debts Hereuppon it commeth secondlie that manie repute it deadlie sinne once to heare a godlie sermon who thinke it no sinne at all to owe great summes of money and neuer to pay the same Heereuppon it commeth thirdlie that sundrie recusants haue so intayled their landes and so fraudulently away their goods and that of late yeares as no law enforceth them to pay their debts to their poore creditors Hereupon it commeth fourthly that her maiesty is defrauded her faithfull subiects impouerished the Popes vassals enriched the lawes of the realme contemned and domestical rebellion fostered It therefore behooueth good Magistrates to haue speciall regarde hereof Good lawes are established but slowly in many places executed God of his mercie either conuert dissembling hypocrites soundly or else for the common good of his church confound them euerlastingly for a greater and more pestilent plague cannot come vnto the Church then to haue such magistrates as pretend publiquely to fauour it and yet are secret enemies to the same qui potest capere capiat this kind of popish pardoning my selfe though then a papist could neuer brooke but so soone as I vnderstood it did sharplie impugne the same The mediate externall sabboth is that which God appointeth mediately by his church in the new Testament to wit the sunday which is our christian sabboth And here obserue that when I say by the church I specially vnderstand the supreme gouernour of the Church much lesse doe I exclude the same which obseruation shall be made manifest before the end of my discourse And because no veritie doth clearely appeare vntill the difficulties and doubts be plainely vnfolded I will propound in order the greatest obiections that can be made against the same framing briefe pithie and euident solutions thereunto The first obiection The Sabbatharies contend with tothe and naile that christians are no lesse bound this day to keepe the legall sabboth then were the Israelites in time of Moses law and they proue it because God blessed the seuenth day and sanctified it which sanctification was nothing else but a commaundement to keep it holy as appeareth by the declaration made by Moses Againe bicause this sanctification was forthwith after the creation and therefore as all nations are bound to make a memoriall of the creation as well as the Israelites so must all nations as well as the Israelites keepe holy the seauenth day that is the day of rest after the creation which is our saturday and vpon which day the Iewes still keepe their sabboth The answere I say first that there is no precept in the olde or new Testament by which either the Gentiles then or christians now are bound to keepe the legall sabboth I say secondly that albeit it could be proued that the fathers before the law had kept it yet would it not follow that wee were bound by their ensample this day to keepe the same for otherwise we shoulde be bound to offer vp bloudy sacrifices as they did both before and after the deluge The second obiection God speaking of the sabboth saide it should be a signe betweene him and the children of Israel for euer and hee added for in sixe dayes the Lorde made heauen and earth and in the seauenth day rested therefore all nations are bound to keepe the sabboth of the seauenth day The answere I say first that the word euer is not taken there simpliciter but secundum quid as the schooles tearme it that is not for eternitie or for the duration of this life but for all the time from Moses vnto Christ which was 1495. yeares I say secondly that though the sabboth be not eternall as it is ceremoniall which I shall prooue by and by yet is it eternall in the thing signified that is ceasing from sin and rest in God which shall be accomplished in heauen for euermore The third obiection The decalogue was before Moses and this day is of force for the Gentiles were bound before the promulgation of the law written in the tables of stone and we christians after the translation of the law to abstaine from blasphemie periurie theft murder whoredome couetousnesse fraudulent dealing and the like as were the Iewes in time of the law The answere I answere that whereas the law of Moses was partly iudiciall partly ceremonial and partly morall the morall part being the verie lawe of nature engrauen in mens hearts in the hour of their natiuities as it was before Moses so shall it endure to the worlds end but all ceremonies which were types and figures of the promises made in Christ Iesus were accomplished and abolished in his sacred aduent such was the circumcision giuen to Abraham the sacrifices commanded to our first fathers and the sabboth in respect of the determination vpon the seauenth day for it was not Gods will to continue shadowes after the things indeede were exhibited The fourth obiection A perpetuall cause requireth a perpetuall lawe and consequentlie since the memorie of the creation and meditation of Gods works is a perpetuall cause of the law of the seauenth day it followeth necessarily that the law of the seauenth day must still abide in force The answere I answer that the memorie of the creation is indeed a perpetuall cause of a perpetuall sabboth but not of a perpetual precise and determinate sabboth the reason hereof is euident because the memorie of our creation may be done as conueniently vpon another day as vpon the seauenth day thus my answere is confirmed because the sabboth which wee now keepe is not the seauenth day but the eight for our sunday is the first day of the weeke
to build the house of the Lord in Ierusalem in the second moneth and the second day in the fourth yeere of his reigne 2. Para. 3. verse 1. and 2. The fift age The fift age from the building of the temple to the captiuitie of the Iewes in Babylon containeth 432. yeres whereof this is the demonstration King Salomon raigned after that hee beganne to builde the temple 37. yeeres 1. King 11. verse 42.2 Para. 9. verse 30. but hereof we must abate one moneth and one day because hee beganne to build the temple in the second day of the second moneth of the fourth yeere as is already prooued Roboam or Rehoboam reigned 17. yeres 2. Par. 12. v. 13. Abias raigned 3. yeeres 1. King 15. verse 2. Asa raigned 41. yeeres 1. King 15. verse 9 and 10. this Asa was a vertuous and zealous prince he sought the Lord with a perfect heart he deposed Maachah his mother from her regencie because she had made an idoll in a groue hee brake downe the idoll and stamped it and burned it at the brooke Kidron He gathered all Iudah and Beniamin and the strangers and made them sweare vnto true religion vnder the paine of death 2. Par. 15. per totum Iehosaphat or Iosaphat raigned 25. yeres 2. Par. 20. ve 31 Iehoram raigned 8. yeres 2. Par. 21. v. 5. 2. Kin. 8. ve 26 Ochozias or Ahaziah raigned 1. yeere 2. Kin. 8. verse 26. Athaliah the mother of Ochozias raigned 7. yeeres 2. King 11. verse 1. and 21. for king Ioas or Iehoash was 7. yeres old when he beganne to raigne This Athaliah destroyed the kings blood and was sister to wicked Achab. Ioas or Iehoash raigned 40. yeeres 2. King 12. verse 1. Amaziah raigned 29. yeeres 2. King 14. verse 2 Azariah or Ozias raigned 52. yeeres 2. King 15. verse 2. Ioatham or Iotham raigned 16. yeeres 2. King 15. ver 33 Achas or Ahaz raigned 16. yeeres 2. King 16. verse 2. Ezechias reigned 29. yeeres 2. King 18. verse 2. Manasses reigned 55. yeeres 2. King 21. verse 1. Amon raigned two yeeres 2. King 21. verse 19. Iosias reigned 31. yeeres 2. King 22. verse 1. Ioachaz or Iehoahaz reigned three months 2. Ki. 23. v. 31. Ioachim or Iehoiachim or Eliachim reigned 11. yeeres 2. King 23. verse 36. This Eliachim was a very wicked man he was made king by Pharao Nechoh who turned his name to Eliachim 2. Ki. 23. verse 34. and 37. in the dayes of this Ioachim beganne the first captiuitie of the three whereof see more at large in the seuenth chapter next following Iehoiachim or Iechonias or Coniah the sonne of Iehoiachim raigned three moneths and tenne dayes 2. Par. 36. verse 9. 2. King 24. verse 8. Ierem. 37. verse 1. In the time of this Iechonias beganne the second captiuitie which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath simply the name of captiuitie and therefore do I followe the same in this my supputation of the first age See the second booke and first chapter in the fourth section Sedechias or Zedechias reigned 11. yeeres 2. King 24. ve 18. he rebelled against the king of Babel ibid. ver 20. wherfore after the siege of two yeeres Nebuchad-nezar carried him captiue to Babel in the eleuenth yeare of his reigne his owne eies were put out his sonnes were first slaine in his sight and then hee was bound in chaines and so led away to captiuity 2. King 25. ve 1 2 7. he was vncle to Iechonias and his name was Mattanias but the king of Babel changed it to Sedechias 2. Kin. 25. verse 17. The first addition We must first adde to this supputation for the complement of the first age eleuen yeeres of the inter-reigne which are found wanting betweene the death of Amaziah and the reigne of Azariah for so long was the kingdome of Iuda voide as holy Writ heareth record I proue it thus Amaziah reigned 29. yeares 2. King 14. verse 2. and he beganne his reigne in the second yeare of Ioash king of Israel and liued 15. yeares after him 2. King 14. verse 1. and 17. Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash was made king ouer Israel in the fifteenth yere of Amaziah and he reigned 41. yeres 2. Kin. 14. verse 23. Let vs adioyne hereunto that Azariah beganne his raigne in the seauen and twentieth yeare of Ieroboam 2. Ki. 15. verse 1. and then perforce shall we finde 11 yeres wanting from the death of Amaziah til the first yere of the raigne of Azariah These things I grant be very intricate yet if my wordes he well marked the Reader may conceiue the matter with al facilitie the cause of the inter-reigne was the traiterous conspiracie against Amaziah 2. King 14. verse 19. The second addition Although Iechonias in whome I beginne my supputation of the captiuitie be said in some place of the scripture to haue reigned but three moneths and ten dayes yet do I ascribe one whole yeare to his reigne my reason is this because he was not carried away to Babel vntill the whole yeere was expired 2. Par. 36. verse 10. these are the wordes and when the yeere was out king Nebuchad-nezzar sent and brought him to Babel with the pretious vessels of the house of the Lorde and hee made Zedechiah king ouer Iudah and Ierusalem The first obiection The scripture saith in one place that Iechonias reigned but three moneths 2. King 24. verse 8. in an other place that hee reigned three moneths and tenne dayes 2. Par. 36. verse 9. in another place that he was eighteene yeeres old when he began to reigne 2. King 24.8 in an other place that he beganne to raigne in the eight yeare of his age 2. Par. 36. ve 9. all which can neither agree with three moneths nor yet with one onelie yeare The answer I answere that hee beganne to reigne when hee was eight yeares old and reigned tenne yeares with his father and after the death of his father he raigned three moneths and ten daies which was in the nineteenth yeare of his age and so euery text of holy Writ is cleare This my answer is confirmed by the expresse wordes of holie scripture 2. King 25. verse 8. where it is saide that Nebuzaradan chiefe steward to the king of Babel came in the nineteenth yeare of the kings raigne to make hauocke of the citie and to carry Sedechias into captiuitie for Iechonias was carried away in the eight yeere of the king of Babel 2. King 24. verse 12. and Sedechias reigned eleuen yeeres 2. King 24.18 this case is so euident as euery childe may perceiue the same The replie The scripture telleth vs that the king of Babel caried Iehoiachim into captiuitie in the third yeere of his raigne and yet do you ascribe eleuen yeeres to his raigne The answer I answer that Iehoiakim was carried away in the eleuenth yere if we reckon from the time in which Pharao Necho made him king but in the third yeare if we reckon from that time in which
dominioÌ„s read the holy bibles in their vulgar tongues and cause their subiectes to doe the like a thing neuer heard of by any writers of approoued antiquitie A doubt S. Peter saith that certaine places of S. Paules epistles be hard to be vnderstood and S. Hierome in his Commentaries vpon Ezechiel saith that amongst the Iewes none could be permitted to reade the beginning of Genesis the Canticles the beginning and ending of Ezechiel vntill he were 36. yeres of age The answer I answere with S. Austen that whatsoeuer is necessary for mans saluation is plainly set downe in holy scripture and that which is obscure in one place is made manifest by another his words I haue alledged in my book of Motiues in the tenth chapter and second conclusion The fourth section of the Prophet Daniel Daniel was a prophet of the tribe of Iuda descended of noble parentage and being a childe was carried from Iurie to Babilon Epiphanius de vit interrit Prophet Of Daniel hee was called Balthazar Which name was giuen him either as Iosephus saith of king Nabuchodonozor or as Lud. Viues saith of the kinges Eunuche who had charge of the kinges children This is certaine that hee was called Balthasar in Babylon Orig. in Num. cap. 31. hom 25. Daniel preached in Babylon in the very time of the captiuitie Dan. 1. ver 7. Daniel departed out of this life in Babylon and was buried with great honour his sepulchre is this day to be seene in Babylon renowmed throughout the world Epiphanius vbi supra CHAP. XI Of the Prophets called the lesser The first section why some were called the greater and other some the lesser FOure to wit Esay Ieremie Ezechiel and Daniel were called the greater Prophets because they wrote greater and larger volumes Twelue to wit Osee Ioel Amos Abdias Ionas Micheas Nahum Abacuc Sophonias Aggeus Zacharias Malachias were called y e lesser because they wrote smaller lesser volumes Aug. de ciuit lib. 18. c. 29. in princ Of these Prophetes as the latter were neerer the time of Christ so had they clearer reuelations of Christ then the former Gloss. in 1. Reg. 3. The second Section of Osee. Asarias who was also called Ozias of the stocke of Dauid reigned in Ierusalem ouer the two tribes which were called Iuda 52. yeares After him Ioatham his sonne reigned 16. yeares after Ioatham Achab his sonne reigned in like maner 16. yeares in the eleuenth yeare of whose reigne the ten tribes which were called Israel were taken of Salmanasar the king of the Caldees and placed in the mountaines of the Medes After Achas reigned his sonne Ezechias 28 yeres whereby it is cleere that when Osee Esay Ioel Amos Abdias Ionas and Micheas prophesied who were all at one time then was the kingdome of the ten tribes ended Which continued from Ieroboam the first king vntill Osee the last the space of 250. yeares The same time that Osias began to reigne ouer Iuda Ieroboam king Iehu his Nephewes sonne reigned the 12. yeare ouer Israel because God had promised that his seede should reigne vntill the fourth generation for smiting two wicked kinges of Iuda and Israel this I write 〈◊〉 S. Hierome to shew that Osee wrote both before and 〈◊〉 the captiuitie of Israel Hier. in 1. cap Osee. see the eight â—â—â—pter and sixt section per tot sect Osee prophesied that the Iewes should be conuerted at the latter end of the worlde He preached against the tenne tribes of their fornication and of the destruction of Samaria he spake something also of the other two tribes Gloss in princ 1. ca. Osee. Osee foretolde the comming of the Messias and that this should be the signe of his comming To wit if that oake in Selom be clouen of it selfe into twelue partes and be made so many oake trees and it came so to passe Epiphan de Prophet vit eter The third section of Ioel. The Prophet Iohel the sonne of Phatuel was borne in the territorie of Bethor descended of the tribe of Ruben He prophesied much of Ierusalem and of the consummation of the Gentiles He died in peace and was buried with honour in his owne countrey Epiphan vbi supr Like as in Osee vnder the name of Ephraim the prophesie is extended to the tenne tribes who are often called Samaria or Israel euen so whatsoeuer Ioel saith pertaineth to Iuda and Ierusalem Hier. in 1 cap. Ioel. Ioel prophesied in the daies of king Ioatham who succeeded king Ozias Aug. de ciuit lib 18. cap 27. but S. Hierome extendeth the time further euen to the reignes of Ozias Ioatham Achas and Ezechias Hier. in Ioel. The fourth section of Amos. Amos was borne in Thecue descended of the tribe of Zabulon he was father to Esay the Prophet so saith Epiphan de prophet vit inter but saint Austen and saint Hierome think otherwise as I haue shewed Amos was of Thecue six miles South from holy Bethlehem where our Sauiour Christ was borne Hier. in comment Amos. S. Basill saith that Amos was a shepheard but God instructed him with his holy spirite and so aduaunced him to the dignitie of a prophet Basilius Epist. 55. Amos prophesied in the daies of Ozias when Esaias began his prophesie Hier. in Esaiam lib. 3 cap. 7. Aug. de ciuit lib. 18 cap. 27 He prophesied also in the time of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas king of Israel Hier. in 1. cap. Amos. The fift section of Abdias Abdias or Obadiah was the steward of king Achabs house the king of Israel 3. King 18. verse 3. he hid Gods prophets in caues and fed them with bread and water ver 4. he gaue ouer the kings court ioyned himselfe to the prophet Elias and became his disciple Epiphanius Hieronymus Abdias is briefe in wordes but pithie in matter because he hid the 100. prophets in caues he was aduaunced to the dignitie of a prophet and where before hee was the captaine of an armie he now became the captaine of Gods Church then hee fed a little flocke in Samaria nowe he feedeth Christes churches in the whole world Hier. in Abdiam yet saint Hierome vpon Osee maketh Abdias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Esaias which seemeth verie probable The sixt section of the Prophet Ionas The prophet Ionas was appointed of God to preach to the Niniuites that the citie after three daies shoulde be destroied but he being afraid to preach to that great city of the Assyrians fled from the presence of the Lord and went downe into a ship that went to Tarshishe but when a great tempest arose the marriners cast Ionas into the Sea and hee was in the belly of a great fishe three daies and three nightes and after that he was deliuered out of the Whales bellie and brought to the dry land TheÌ„ the word of the Lord came to Ionas the second time he preached to the Niniuites and they by repentance appeased the wrath of God Ionas cap. 1. 3 Athanas.
deliuer man from the curse of the lawe The 13. day after Christs natiuitie certaine wise men came a long iourney out of the East to adore the Sauiour of the world And albeit Epiphanius affirmeth constantly that this comming was the second yere after Christs birth yet S. Hierome S. Augustine and other learned writers receiue the former opinion as most authenticall and they haue great reason so to do because the scripture seemeth to say no lesse For first the wisemen or astronomers are said to come when Christ was borne Which phrase can not be fitly verified but of a thing present or lately done Againe the wisemen found the babe in Bethlehem and consequently they came before the day of the purification for after that time Christ is not knowne to haue bin in Bethlehem And though the papists hold by a vain tradition that these wise men were three kings of Cullen Gaspar Melchiâ—r and Baltasar yet is it neither certaine that they were kings neither yet that they were no more but three And their owne reason thereof is very friuolous because their bodies are chalenged to be as well at Millaine as at Colen But here I must answer to some obiections which seeme to fortifie Epiphanius his opinion The first doubt The parents of Christ were so poore at the day of purification that they were not able to offer a lambe according to the law for rich men but were enforced to offer a paire of Turtle doues or two yong pigeons and therfore doubtlesse they had not receiued the rich treasures which the wise men brought to Christ. I answer that the blessed and humble virgin as shee was free from all pride and ostentation so was she not willing to change her poore state and condition which she knew well pleased her sonne the sonne of God The second doubt King Herod slew all the male children in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof from 2. yeeres old and vnder according to the time which he had diligently learned of the wisemen Among the rest he slew his owne sonne as writeth Macrobius who therefore wished rather to be Herodes hog then his child which certes he would neuer haue done if there had bene but 13. daies betweene the apparition of the starre and the comming of the wisemen I answer which is the opinion of saint Austen and saint Chrysostome that the starre appeared so long before the natiuitie of Christ as was sufficient for the wise men to dispatch their iourney and to adore Christ shortelie after he was borne Neither is it of force to obiect as some do that the wise men could not come so farre in so short a space for first whether these wise men were of the posteritie of Balaam and so came from Mesopotamia as saint Chrysostome saint Ierome and saint Ambrose thinke or they came out of Arabia which is the constant position of Iustinus or they were Persians or Chaldeans which the very name seemeth to prognosticate yet might they haue dispatched their iourney in lesse then tenne dayes For Hierusalem is distant from Aram from whence Balak brought Balaam but 72. miles from Vr of the Chaldees 212. miles Againe the starre appeared long before Christs birth so that they might be there in time conuenient Thirdly in those countries they haue plentie of dromedaries one of which wil carie a man as writeth Philostratur 1000. furlongs in one day that is 125. English miles CHAP. III. Of the perfect age of Christ. IEsus Christ when he was 30. yeeres of age left Galilee and came to the floud Iordan where he was baptized of saint Iohn his precursor By which act he sanctified our baptisme in himselfe the outward signe whereof putteth vs in minde that we must change our liues and become better assuring vs as by a seale that we are ingraffed into Christ whereby our old man dieth and the new man riseth vp againe So soone as Christ was baptized a voice came downe from heauen saying This is my beloued sonne in whom I am wel pleased This done he was teÌ„pted in the wildernes of y e deuill Christ hauing fasted 40. daies and being tempted of the deuil returned by the power of God into Galile after that a great fame was spread abroad of him in all the region hee came to Nazareth where he had beene brought vp and as his custome was went into the synagogue on the sabbaoth day to expound the scriptures Christ the third day after he came to Cana a towne in Galile was present at a marriage where he made water wine the first myracle that euer he wrought After Christ was baptised he began to preach the Gospell being 30. yeares of age as is already saide Which holy exercise hee practised almost three yeares before his passion his preaching was in the yeare of Iubilee because he preached the glad tidings of the gospell the remission of sinnes the saluation of his people CHAP. IIII. Of Christs death and passion CHrist called twelue vnto him whom hee named Apostles and sent them into the whole world to preach the gospel to al nations that so they might be witnesses of his doctrine confirmed with many myrracles Which doctrine being accomplished hee offered vp himselfe an vnspotted sacrifice vpon the altar of the crosse for the expiation of the sinnes of the worlde And this he did the 18. yeare of Tiberius Cesar in the eight Calends of Aprill if wee follow Tertullians supputation against the Iewes Christs passion began not onely in his taking and deliuerie vnto death but euen from the verie instant of his conception and continued vntill hee yeelded vp the ghost For as Ludolphus writes learnedly when Christ as God foresaw in his diuine wisedome the cruell and bitter torments which hee was to suffer infallibly hee coulde not but naturally sorrow for the same as which were throughout all his body throughout all the members of his body and throughout all the inferior powers of his soule He suffered in all his time in all his body in all his works In time of his infancie basenesse of his mothers womb pouertie asperitie vilitie in the manger persecution of y e aduersarie flight into Egypt In time of his adolescencie frequent disputations painful peregrinations lothsome precipitations In his iuuenile age most bitter cruell death for in his whole body he sustained paines intollerable in his eies the effusion of teÌ„der teares in his delicate eares the hearing of contumelies and execrable blasphemies in his eie-lids the pangs of buffetting in his nostrils the stinch of vglie spitting in his sweete mouth the bitternesse of vineger and gall in his hands the prints of the nailes whipping and oft scourging throughout his blessed bodie What he sustained in his works cannot easily be expressed by the tongue of man For they reuiled his diuine preaching his most sacred conuersation his miraculous operation He was led as a lambe to
plaine and pithie as no papist is able to wrest and writhe them to serue his turne For first S. Chrysostome prooueth marriage to be honourable and holy against the heretickes that condemned it and that because a Bishoppes function is honourable and holie who for all that may bee a married man Which argument were vaine and friuolous if Saint Chrysostome should speake of a Bishops marriage while he was a meere lay man For hereupon would it follow necessarily that tyrannie persecution adultery and murder should be honourable aswell as honest wedlocke I prooue it because no disparitie can be giuen betweene S. Chrysostomes reason and this of mine For first as the function of a bishop is honourable so is the function of an Apostle so is the function of a prophet Againe as a married man may be a bishop so may a persecutor of Christes church be an apostle for S. Paul was both so may an adulterer so may a murderer be an holy prophet for good king Dauid was all three Thirdly as tyrannie is a great sin â—lbeit once a tyrant may afterward become an apostle and as adultery and murder be greeuous crimes although once an adulterer and once a murderer may afterward bee an holy prophet euen so doubtlesse marriage may be an vnlawfull thing albeit once a married man may afterward be an holy bishop And so S. Chrysostome coulde not well conclude marriage to be lawful because once a married man may be a Bishop S. Chrysostome saith yet further that euen with it eumeâ with holie wedlocke one may be made a bishop euen while hee is a married man For as the father and the sonne so also the husband and the wife be relatiues and correlatiues whose nature is as all Logicians graunt to place and displace be and not be liue and die all at once For so soone as a man beginneth to be a father so soone hath he a childe and so soone as hee ceaseth to haue a childe so soone ceaseth he to be a father although he still remaine a man And euen so is it with the husband and the wife Adde hereunto that S. Chrysostome should not say with wedlocke but after it if he meant as the papistes woulde haue him to doe I therefore conclude that if S. Chrysostome meane not of a Bishoppes marriage during the very time hee is a bishop his argument is vaine and friuolous And in this argument Theophilactus subscribeth to S. Chrysostome The second place is that reason which S. Paule maketh to the Corinthians and is conteined in these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haue we not power to leade about a sister a wife aswel as the rest of the apostles and as the brethren of the Lorde and Cephas By this it appeareth manifestly if it be well marked that S. Peter and other of the apostles were married and that they did leade their wiues about with them when they went abroad preaching the holy gospel For first the Greeke worde in the originall signifieth a wife as well as a woman Secondly the word carrying about argueth a certaine interest and right in the partie that is carried about Thirdly it had been a very scandalous thing that the apostles being single men shoulde carry strange women about with them Fourthly this place cannot be vnderstoode of riche matrones because such women would haue relieued the apostles and not haue suffered them to be chargeable to their auditors and yet doth the apostle here speake of such women as were relieued by the preaching of the Gospel Fiftly if the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be not here taken for a wife but for a woman it must needes be a vain and childish addition because euery sister is a woman Sixtly because S. Clâ—ment and Eusebius Caesariensis expound this place of S. Paules wife and not of any other woman Iohannes Christophorsonus a great papist alledgeth S. Clements wordes out of Eusebius in this maner Clemens deinceps apostolos qui matrimonium contraxisse reperiuntur enâ—merat Ãdque contra eorum sententiam qui nuptias tollere abrogareque instituerent Numinquit sunt apostolos improbaturi Petrus enim Philippus liberos procrearunt Philippus filias viri collocauit in matrimonium Paulus etiam non veretur in quadam epistola contugis suae mentionem facere quam eò minime secum circumduxit quò facilius liberiusque suo fungeretur ministerio Clement afterward reckoneth the apostles who are knowne to haue been married men and that against their opinion who endeuoured to abrogate and take away marriage Will they saith he condemne the apostles for both Peter and Philip begat children and Philip bestowed his daughters vpon husbandes in marriage Paul also blusheth not in one of his Epistles to make mention of his wife whom he woulde not carrie about with him to the end hee might preach the gospel more freely See the first proposition following The first obiection It is cleere that S. Paul would not marry his owne sister and therefore the woman he speaketh of could not be his wife The answere I answere that the names of brother and sister in the primitiue church were proper to the faithfull and true beleeuers Sundrie wiues also in those daies were of a dissonant religion from their husbands S. Paule therefore to shew his wife to be a christian and a true beleeuer calleth her a sister As if he had said the woman I speake of is not only my wife but withall a christian and a true beleeuer The 2. obiection These women that S. Paul speaketh of were not the wiues of the apostles but cerâ—aine deuout women that followed the Apostles for zeale of the gospel as we reade of many women that followed Christ and did not thereby commit any scandall at all The answere I say first that the women S. Paule speaketh of were the wiues of the apostles as I haue proued I say secondly y t it is one thing to follow voluntarily as the women did our sauiour Christ and another thing to be led about as were the women of whom the apostle speaketh I say thirdly that it was an vsual and ordinary thing aswell for women as for men to resort to Hierusalem whither these women followed Christ. I say fourthly that these womâ—n were many togither and went in the company of their husbandes and neighbours and so they could not be subiect to any scandal at al. But if the Apostles were single men and went into seuerall partes of the worlde and led single women about with them so must they then needes be subiect vnto scandall vnlesse they were as is said their lawfull wiues indeed I say fiftly that if they were old women they could not endure the labours of so painfull and long iournies And if they were yong women or vnder threescore they ought to marry according to Paules doctrine The 4. proposition Marriage was deemed lawful for all sortes of people aswel
and in the sixt day in the end of al the works of euerie day are ioyntly commended for very good The seauenth diuision Of mysticall whispering in the Masse THe Papistes thinke the cannon of their masse as it were prophaned if the lay people shoulde but heare one worde thereof for which respect and other mysticall consideration the priest is commanded to whisper al to himself Of this secrecie thus writeth their Durandus Instante memoria dominicae passionis silentium obseruat vsquedum alta voce dicit per omnia secula seculorum illud insinuans quod Iesus post suscitationem Lazari non palam ambulabat apud Iudaeos When the memorie of the passion draweth neere he keepeth silence vntill hee speake a loud per omnia secula seculorum giuing vs to vnderstand thereby that Iesus after he had raised vp Lazarus walked not openly among the Iewes Behold this lerned sermon consider the edification The eight diuision Of the colours of the habits vsed in the Masse THe papists vse foure speciall colours in their masse and this they doe to signifie to the people foure speciall mysteries as if it were by the way of Sermons For their chiefest preaching consisteth in odde mysticall dreaming The first color is white the second red the third blacke the fourth greene They vse white colours to signifie innocencie red colours to signifie martyrdome blacke colours to signifie sorrow and mourning greene to signifie whatsoeuer els The red they vse in the festiuities of the apostles euangelists and martyrs so to declare to y e world that they shed their bloud for Christs sake also in the feast of the crosse and of the innocents staine by K. Herod The black they vse vpon good Friday in y e Rogations and vpon al fasting daies at which time their bellies mourne for lacke of meate at the least among the simple sort The greene they vse vpon workie daies and at other times not proper to the rest The white they vse in the feasts of al cōfessors and virgins which were not martyrs in all the feasts of the blessed virgin in the feast of al saints in the chaire of S. Peter in the conuersion of Saint Paul in the feasts of our Lord throughout the Octaues and in the natiuitie of saint Iohn the baptist And why forsooth to signifie that the persons in whose memories such feasts are celebrated were free from al actuall and originall sinne This is the point of importance marke it wel That this is their doctrine Durand affirmeth it for them These are his words In natiuitate Saluatoris etiam Praecursoris quoniam vterque natus est mundus id est carens originali peccato In the natiuitie of our sauiour and also of his precursor because either of them was borne pure that is free from originall sinne This is the mysterie of Popish colours in which they are not content vainely to flourish like Robin-hood in greene but they must also blaspheme god making the creature equall with the creator For onely the sonne of God was free from sin as is proued in the chapter of mans iustification The 9. diuision Of Candelmas-day THe old Pagan-Romanes in the Calends of Februarie honoured Februa the mother of Mars whom they supposed to be the God of battaile The honour that they did exhibit was this they went vp and downe the streetes with candels and torches burning in their hands In regard hereof Pope Sergius inuented another like ethnicall superstition to wit that the christian Romaines should go in procession with burning candels in their hands and that in the day of the purification of the blessed virgin the second of Februarie By which feast and burning candels the Pope giueth vs to vnderstand that the virgin Mary was pure from sinne and stood no need of purgation Of which point I haue spoken sufficiently in the chapter of mans iustification The 10. diuision Of the Popish Agnus Dei. THe Popes of late time haue vsed euerie seauenth yeare and the first yeare that euerie one is made Pope to consecrate solemnely with prayers chrisme and manifold ceremonimonies certaine round peeces of waxe hauing the print of a Lambe and for that cause so tearmed With this kind of paltery stuffe this world is so bewitched that infinite numbers do ascribe a great part of their saluation thereunto He that hath an Agnus Dei about him beleeueth that he shalbe deliuered by sea and lande from all tempests thunder earthquakes fire haile thunderbolts sodaine death and from all euill If any man will not beleeue me let him reade a little booke printed at Colonia containing the order sodalitatis B. Mariae virginis which is euerie where to be sold in which booke he shall find much more then I haue said The 11. diuision Of the Popes Bulles POpe Adrian the first of that name caused his pardons priuiledges and grants to be sealed with lead which they called the popes bulles These bulles were vnknowen to Christs church for the space of 772. yeares after Christ and if it had beene still so till these our dayes no detriment should we haue sustained thereby Polydore will haue them to bee called bulles of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by corruption of speech The 12. diuision Of the Popish carni-uale or Shrouetide THe deuout Romaines who whip themselues in Lent for their sinnes till they seeme as pure as Christ all vse a long time before Lent to gadde vp and downe in the streetes and from house to house in visards neither can men be discerned from women nor women from men they are al so disguised by meanes whereof all iniquitie is committed as their owne deare friend Polydore hath witnessed But what skilleth it a little whipping in Lent will make condigne satisfaction for the fault Yea if the rich do hire the poore to be scourged for them the satisfaction is deemed sufficient Polydore saith that in his time they vsed this irreligious madding for the space of two moneths but of late yeares the Pope hath abbridged the time Neuerthelesse the practise is euen this day most execrable heathenish and intollerable CHAP. 12. Of Popish auricular confession COncerning auricular confession I haue spoken sufficiētly in my booke of Motiues It shal now be inough to answer to such obiections as the papists do or may frame against the same The first obiection Christ commanded to confesse our sinnes when he gaue his priests authoritie to loose them for they cannot loose any man vnlesse they first know him to be bound The answere I say first that Christ speaketh in that place not of confession but of excommunication and discipline of the church which Christ promiseth to ratifie and approue in heauen so often as his ministers shall execute the same vppon earth according to his word Which sense may be gathered out of Saint Paules discourse as well to the Corinthians as to the Thessalonians I