some whose Belief unto Divine Oracles hath been confirmed by Experiments answerable unto them 1 THe Method is such as the Simplest Christian may easily learn and the greatest Professors need not to contemn For S. Peter himself that great Doctor of the Circumcision did profit much by this Practise He had often heard that God was no Accepter of Persons This truth was acknowledged by Elihu who had never heard nor read the written law of God He accepteth not the person of Princes and regardeth not the rich more then the poor for they be all the work of his hands The like hath the Wise man from the same reason He that is Lord over all will spare no person neither shall he fear any greatnesse for he hath made the small and great and careth for all alike The same in substance is often repeated in the Book of Life and no man could denie it that had heard it but once proposed if he did acknowledg God for the Creator of all Notwithstanding the fresh Experiment of Gods calling Cornelius to Christian Faith comfirmed S. Peter in the right Belief of Divine Oracles to this effect and as it seems taught him the true meaning of that place Deut. 10. 16. Circumcise therefore the fore skin of your heart as if he had said Glorie not in the circumcision of the flesh and harden your necks no more for the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords a great God Mighty and Terrible which accepteth no persons From this place alone the proud Jews might have learned that the Lord was God of the Gentiles as well as of Them and from the Abundance of his inward Faith enlarged by the forementioned Experiment S. Peter burst out into these Speeches Of a truth I perceive that God is no accepter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth him is accepted with him 2 The same Method the Lord himself hath commended unto us in many places of Scripture wondering oft times at the dulnesse of his peoples hearts that could not from the Experiments of His Power Might and Majestie shewed in them or for them acknowledge those Principles of Faith which Moses commended unto them in writing O saith he that they were wise then would they understand this they would consider their later end how should one chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight except their strong God had sold them and the Lord had shut them up And again Eehold now for I am He and there is no Gods with me Why should they Believe this They were to take none for gods but such as could do the works of God What were these Such as God avoucheth of himself in the next words I kill and I give life I wound and I make whole neither is there any that can deliver out of my band These and like Effects specified in the former place often manifested amongst this People might have taught them the truth of the former Oracle albeit Moses had been Silent For so the Finger of God manifested in Naamans the Syrian Generals cure which was but one part of the former effects appropriated unto God did write this divine Oracle as distinctly in his heart as Moses had done it in the Book of the Law For after he was cleansed from his leprosie he turned again to the man of God he and all his company and came and stood before him and said Behold now I know there is no God in all the world but in israel And again thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt sacrifice nor offering unto any other God save unto the Lord. This was as much as if he had said Behold now for the Lord is He and there is no other Gods with Him He woundeth and he maketh whole 3 If the cure of Leprosie contrary to Humane Expectation could so distinctly write this divine Oracle in an uncircumcised Aramites heart without any patern or written Copie whence to take it out how much more may the Lord expect that the like Experiments in our selves should imprint his Oracles already written by Moses and other his Servants of old in our hearts and consciences that have these paterns of Naaman and others registred to our hands admonishing us to be observant in this kind But alas we are all by nature sick of a more dangerous leprosie then Naaman knew and yet the most of us far sicker of Naamans Pride then of his leprosie If Gods Ministers shall admonish the curious Artists or Athenian wits of our times as Elisha his Prophet did Naaman they reply with Naaman in their hearts We looked they should have called upon the name of the Lord their God and made us New Men in an Instant and now they bid us wash our selves again and again in the water of life and be clean Are not the Ancient Fountains of Greece that nurse of Arts and Mother of Eloquence and the pleasant Rivers of Italy the School of delicate modern Wits better then all the waters of Israel Are not Tullie and Aristotle as learned as Moses and the Prophets Thus they depart from us in displeasure 4 But if the Lord should command us greater things for our temporal Preferment or for the avoidance of corporal Death or torture would we not do them How much rather then when he saith unto us Wash your selves often in the Holy Fountain the Well of life and ye shall be clean even from those sores which otherwise will torment both body and soul eternally Yea but many read the Scriptures again and again and daily hear the word Preached publickly and yet prove no purer in life and action then their Neighbours The reason is because they hear or read them negligently not comparing their Rules with Experiments daily incident to their course of life their preparation and resolution are not proportionable to the weight and consequence of this sacred Businesse their Industrie and alacritie in observing and practizing the prescripts commended to their Meditations by their Pastors do in no wise so far exceed their care and diligence in worldly matters as the dignitie of these Heavenly Mysteries surpasseth the pleasures or commodities of this brickle earthly life and not thus Prepared to Hear or Read the Scriptures to Hear is to Contemn to Read is to Profane them even the often repetition of the words of life without due reverence and attention breeds an insensibility or deadnesse in mens souls Yet should not such mens want of Sense breed Infidelitie in others rather this Experience of so much hearing and little doing Gods will may confirm the truth of his word concerning such Teachers and Hearers Many in our times not Monkes and Friars only but of their stern Opposites not a Few Having a 〈◊〉 of godliness but denying the power thereof crept into houses and lead captive simple Women laden with sins and lead with divers lusts ever hearing and never able to come to
custome before any other businesse discourse or care of Himself were he never so wet or weary to call for a retiring room to pour out his soul unto God who led him safely in his journey And this he did not out of any specious pretence of Holiness to devour a Widows House with more facility Rack their Rents or Enhance their Fines for excepting the constant Revenue to the Founder to whom he was a strict accountant no man ever did more for them or less for himself For thirty years together he used this following Anthem and Collect commanded by the Pious Founder in Honour and Confession of the Holy and Undivided Trinity Salva nos Libera nos Vivifica nos O Beata Trinitas c. Save us Deliver us Quicken us O Blessed Trinity Let us praise God the Father and the Son with the Holy Spirit let us praise and Super-exalt his Name for ever Almighty and everlasting God which hast given unto us thy servants Grace by the Confession of a true Faith to acknowledge the Glory of the Eternal Trinity and in the Power of the Divine Majesty to Worship the Unity We beseech thee that through the stedfastness of this Faith we may evermore be defended from all Adversitie which livest and raignest c. This he did perform not onely as a Sacred Injunction of the Founder upon him and all the Society but he received a great Delight in the performance of it No man ever wrote more highly of the Attributes of God then he and yet he professes that he alwaies took more comfort in admiring then in disputing and in praying to and acknowledgeing the Majesty and Glory of the Blessed Trinite then by too curiously prying into the Mysterie He Composed a Book of Private Devotions which some judicious men having perused the same much Extolled and Admired as being replenished with Holy Raptures and Divine Meditations which if it be not already annexed to this Book I hope the Reader will shortly enjoy in a Portable Volume by it self Thus have many other Famous Scholars and Polemical men in their Elder times betaken themselves to Catechizing and Devotion as Pareus Bishop Andrews Bishop Usher and Bellarmin himself seems to prefer his Book De Ascensione Mentis ad Deum Of the Ascension of the Soul to God before any other part of his Works Books saies he are not to be estimated Ex multitudine foliorum sed ex fructibus By the multitude of the Leaves but the Fruit. My other Books I read onely upon necessity but this I have willingly read over three or four times and resolve to read it more often whether it be saies he that the Love towards it be greater then the Merit because like another Benjamin it was the Son of mine old age He seemed to be very Prophetical of the Ensuing times of trouble as may evidently appear by his Sermons before the King and Appendix about the signs of the Times or Divine Fore-warnings therewith Printed some years before touching the Great Tempest of Wind which fell out upon the Eve of the Fifth of November 1636. He was much astonished at it and what apprehension he had of it appears by his words This mighty Wind was more then a Sign of the Time the very Time it self was a Sign and portends thus much That though we of this Kingdom were in firm League with all Nations yet it is still in Gods Power we may fear in his Purpose to plague this Kingdom by this or like tempests more grievously then he hath done at any time by Famin Sword or Pestilence to bury many living souls as well of Superiour as of Inferiour Rank in the Ruin of their stately Houses or meaner Cottages c. Which was observed by many but signally by the Prefacer to M. Herberts Remains I shall not prevent the Reader or detain him so long from the Original of that Book as to repeat the Elogies which are there conferred upon Him I cannot forbear one passage in that Preface wherein he makes this profession I speak it in the presence of God I have not read so hearty vigorous a Champion against Rome amongst our writers of his rank so convincing and demonstrative as D. Jackson is I bless God for the confirmation which he hath given me in the Christian Religion against the Athean Jew and Socinian and in the Protestant against Rome As he was alwaies a Reconciler of differences in his Private Government so he seriously lamented the Publick Breaches of the Kingdom For the Divisions of Reuben he had great Thoughts of Heart At the first Entrance of the Scots into England he had much compassion for his Countrymen although that were but the beginning of their Sorrows He well knew that War was commonly attended with Ruin and Calamity especially to Church and Church-men and therefore that Prayer was necessary and becoming of them Da pacem Domine in diebus nostris c. Give peace in our time O Lord because there is no other that fighteth for us but onely thou O God One drop of Christian blood though never so cheaply spilt by others like water upon the ground was a deep Corrosive to his tender heart Like Rachel weeping for her children he could not be comforted His body grew weak the chearful hue of his countenance was impaled and discoloured and he walked like a dying Mourner in the streets But God took him from the evil to come It was a sufficient Degree of punishment for him to foresee it it had been more then a thousand Deaths unto him to have beheld it with his Eyes When his Death was now approaching being in the chamber with many others I overheard him with a soft voice repeating to himself these and the like Ejaculations I wait for the Lord my Soul doth wait and in his Word do I hope my Soul waiteth for the Lord more then they that watch for the morning As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness And he ended with this Cygnean Cantion Psal 116. 5. Gracious is the Lord and righteous yea our God is merciful The Lord preserveth the simple I was brought low and he helped me Return unto thy Rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee And having thus spoken soon after he surrendered up his Spirit to Him that gave it If you shall curiously enquire what this Charitable man left in Legacie at his death I must needs answer that giving all in his Life time as he owed nothing but Love so he left nothing when he Dyed The Poor was his Heir and he was the Administrator of his own Goods or to use his own Expression in one of his last Dedications he had little else to leave his Executors but his Papers onely which the Bishop of Armagh being at his Funerals much desired might be carefully preserved This was that which he left to Posterity in pios usus for
greatnesse of authority is alwayes measured by the manner of obedience due unto it The Minor is as evident from the former reason Our obedience is more absolute and strict unto that authority from which in no case we may appeal then unto that from which we may in many safely appeal but by the Romish Churches doctrine there lies alwayes an appeal from that sence and meaning of Scriptures which Gods spirit and our own conscience gives us unto the Churches authority none from the Churches authority or meaning unto the Scriptures or our own consciences 7 Our Saviour Christ bids us search the Scriptures S. Paul try all retain that which is good S. John try the Spirits whether they be of God or no Suppose a Minister of our Church should charge a Romanist upon his allegiance to our Saviour Christ and that obedience which he owes unto Gods Word to search Scriptures trie Spirits and examin Doctrines for the râ—tifying of his faith he wil not acknowledge this to be a Commandment of Scripture or at least not to be understood in such a sence as may bind him to this practise What follows if our Clergie charge him to admit it he appeals unto the Church And as in Schools simus and nasus simus is all one so in their language is the Church and the Church of Rome This Church tels him he may not take upon him to trie of what spirit the Pope is nor examin his determinations decisions or interpretations of any Scripture by other known places of Scripture or the analogie of faith acknowledged by all Unto this decree or sentence of the Church although he have it but at the second hand or after it have passed through as many Priests and Jesuites mouthes as are Post Towns from London to Edenburgh he yields absolute obedience without acknowledgement of farther appeal either unto Scriptures or other authority whatsoever further manifestation of Gods wil he expects none Let all the reformed Churches in the World or all the Christian World besides exhort threaten or adjure him as he tenders the good of his own soul as he wil answer his Redeemer in that dreadful day of final Judgement to examin the Church or Popes decrees by Gods written Laws his answer is he may not he cannot do it without open disobedience to the Church which to disobey is damnation of soul and body But O fools and slow of heart to believe and obey from the heart that doctrine whereunto ye were delivered Know ye not that to whomsoever ye give your selves as servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether it be the man of sin unto death or obedience unto righteousnesse Of all Mankind are onely Roman Catholicks not bought with a price that they may thus alienate their souls from Christ and become servants of men that they may consecrate themselves by solemn vow to the perpetual slavery of most wicked and sinful men even monsters of Mankind CAP. V. That in obeying the Romish Churches decrees we do not obey Gods Word as well as Them but Them alone in contempt of Gods principal Laws 1 BUt the simple I know are born in hand by the more subtile sort of this generation That thus obeying sinful men they obey Christ who hath injoyned them this obedience unto such That thus believing that sence of Scripture which the Church their mother tenders unto them they do not believe her better then Scriptures because these two Beliefs are not opposite but subordinate that they prefer not her decrees before Christs written Laws but her interpretation of them before all private Expositions This is the only City of refuge left them wherein prosecuted by the former arguments they can hope for any succour but most of whose gates already have been all shortly shall be shut upon them 2 That they neither believe nor obey Gods Word whilest they absolutely believe and obey the Church without appeal is evident in that this Church usually binds men not unto Positive points of Religion gathered so much as from any pretended sence of Scripture expounded by it but to believe bare Negatives as that this or that place of Scripture either brought by their adversaries or conceived by such amongst themselves as desire the knowledge of truth and right information of conscience have no such meaning as the Spirit of God not flesh and bloud as far as they can judge of their own thoughts hath revealed unto them 3 But the Spirit may deceive private men or at least they may deceive themselves in their trial of Spirits They may indeed and so may men in publick place more grievously erre in peremptory judging private men because obnoxious to errour in the general erroneous in this particular wherein they ground their opinions upon Gods Word plentiful to evince it at least very probable reasons they bring many and strong whereunto no reasonable answer is brought by their adversaries whose usual course is to presse them only with the Churches authority which appears to be of far greater weight then Gods word unto all such as yield obedience to her negative decrees without any evidence or probability either of Scripture or natural reason to set against that sence and meaning of Gods Laws whereunto strength of arguments unrefuted and probable pledges of Gods Spirit undisproved have long tied their souls Do we obey God or believe his word whilst we yield obedience to the Church in such Commandments as to our consciences upon unpartial examination seem condemned ere made by the very fundamental Laws of Religion and all this oft-times without any shew or pretence of Scripture to warrant us that we do not disobey God in obeying them 4 But doth the Romish exact absolute obedience in such points as if it were possible they could be false may endanger the very foundation of true Religion without evident demonstration that their daily practise neither doth nor can endanger it Yes For what can more concern the main foundation which Christians Jews and Mahumetans most firmly hold then those precepts in number many all plainly and peremptorily forbidding us to worship any Gods but One or any thing in the Heaven or Earth but Him only The Romanists themselves grant that cultu latriae God alone is to beadored that so to adore any other is Idolatry and Idolatry by their confession a most grievous sin O how much better were it for them to hold it none or Gods Word forbidding it of no authority then so lightly to adventure the hourly practise of it in contempt of such fearful threatnings as they themselves out of Gods Laws pronounce against it upon such broken distoynted surmises as are the best they can pretend for their warrant 5 To believe Christs flesh and bloud should be there present where it canot be seen or felt yea where we see and feel another body as perfectly as we can do ought is to reason without warrant of Scripture but a
from speaking any good unto the Jewâ—… yet the Oracles of Carmel assure Vespasian of good Successe in all that he should set â—is hand unto 2 As these and many other Presignifications were more then Natural so the means of his Advancement if we respect onely the purpose of men were meerly Casual nor is it possible for the Atheist to imagin their Concurrenâ—e contrived by Policy 3 But herein we may clearly see Gods Covenant of exalting this People and humbling their foes quite Inverted All the Plagues threatned to such as bare ill will to Sion light on her Friends and Inhabitants All the â—lesâ—ingâ— promised to such as prayed for Jerusalems Peace are heaped upon them that work her Ruine More particularly do they verisie that Propheâ—â—e of Mâ—… â—â—â—t 28. 4â— The stranger that is amongst you shall climb up on high and tâ—â—â— shalt come down beneath alow For these Children of the Kingdom taking Violent but false hold upon Gods truest Promises do by their unseasonable desire of exalting themselves above the Nations hoise Him up to highest Dignity that was ordained to pluck them down from their seat and bring them below all other people The manner of it was thus 4 There was a constant Opinion through the East that Jewry about this time should bring forth the Monarch of the World In Confidence of which Prophecie the Jews as the Roman Writers observe did Rebel Vespâ—… otherwise likely to have lived in Danger and died in Obscurity and disgrace whereunto Nero had designed him appointed for reasons afore alledged to Manage these Wars gets Renown for his good Service among the Romanâ— Good wâ—… of the Eastern nations and upon Nero's death and Civil Broiles thence ensuing partly by promise of assistance from the Parthian partly by other unexpected Occurrents had the Empire thrust upon him otherwise backward of himself to entertain Hopes suggested to him from Heaven by many wonderful Signs and tokens Yet after all this being made Emperour on a suddain before he could bethink himself what belonged to so High a Place he wanted 〈◊〉 as the Historian notes Authority and Majesty to countenance his proceedings and these again are confâ—â—med unto him at his first entrance into the Empire by means more Miraculous then the former Since Rome began was it not heard that any Roman had opened the eyes of the Blind unlesse this man had been from God he â—ould have done nothing Why then do the Heathen rage and the people â—…in thing against God and his Annointed The Christ as if He had not Healed him which was born Blind with Spittle when as Vespasian â—…perour dâ—d â—ure one desperately blind by spitting upon his eyes or whence came that vertue into this new Emperours feet that he should â—eal a lame and withered thigh by treading upon it Both these effects were well known unto the most judicious Roman Writers of those times so constantly avouched by them as can leave no place for suâ—pition in Ages following 5 What shall we Christians say to these things Onely this In both these Cures there was the Finger of God pointing out Vespasian to the world as Christs Right Hand appointed for some Extraordinary and Peculiar Service even to inâ—… the Plagues foretold by him upon these Jews which had reviled traduced and crucified the Lord of Glory for the like and infinite other far greater Miracles wrought amongst them These strange Calamities had they fallen in Nero's or other like Emperours time might have been attributed to their Cruel disposition but that Vespasian for his natural Inclination another Moses scarce provocable to revenge Practize of Treason against his Person in private men should work that strange desolation upon a whole Land hath this signification that he was Gods Instrument onely in this Businesse what he did he did impelled by Him not of his own Motion or Inclination And because he had diligently executed that which was right in Gods eyes and had done unto these Jews according to all things that were in Gods Heart he had by what Revelation God best knoweth Jehu's Blessing Sealed unto him That his Son should sit upon his Throne so confident was he in this perswasion as after the discovery of many to scorn all Conspiracies though daily intended against â—… avouching still either his Sons or None must succeed him in the Empire as both of them did Though the later much degenerate from so worthy a Father most dislike unto his noble brother was most unworthy and uncapable of so High a Place but onely from his Fathers deserts which GOD had ordained should be rewarded with this Honour Had either of his Sons rendred according to the reward bestowed upon them more Scepters had sprung from the Flavian Stock But as it Grew â—pace so did it quickly Fade Titus the fairest Branch to all mens seeming being plucked off to his great Hearts grief in the Blossom for what Secret sin GOD knoweth best This One was grievous enough to have deserved a more grievous death that apprehending his Fates approach he durst so Considently look Heaven in the Face and Expostulate his untimely death as unjust seeing he never had offended the Sacred Powers thereof but Onely Once The Signs of those Times were Extraordinary could the Romans have rightly observed them But these Great Conquerours were taken with their Captives â—rrour in not discerning or mis-applying them As the Spring Sun which naturally reviveth all other living Creatures often times prepareth such Human bodies as are fullest of Life and Bloud but most neglective of the opportunity of taking Physick or using diet convenient for that season to hot and desperate diseases never perceived in their Summers growth until they be ripe of death in the Autumn so albeit the Sun of Righteousnesse whose coming into the world was to give life unto it did first arise in Jewry yet by her childrens Confidence in their wonted Temper so whole and sound unto their seeming that of all other people they onely needed no Physitian the very Beames of saving Health did secretly dispose their evil disposed hearts to violent death which burst out in the later end or Autumn of that Age wherein he appeared For that Generation with whom our Saviour Christ Jesus conversed on earth was not fully past until this People began to swell with insolent and proud hopes of Soveraignty over others and by their untimely provocation of the Romans bring suddain Destruction upon themselves as stout and full Bodies by violent and unseasonable Exercises are soonest brought down from the height of their strength unto the grave The Romans again seeing these Jews defeated and themselves possessed of their hopes Vespasian being called to the Empire during these wars which Titus his son did gloriously finish to the utter ruine of that Nation think sure their Gods had been more potent then the GOD of the Jews and apply the Prophecie meant of Christ unto Vespasian as if He
amongst Christians or between them and others In which practize they have been continually crusht Finally their general carriage is so odious and preposterous that Albeit the CHRISTIAN Magistrates conspire together for their good they themselves will certainly provoke their own misery 4 The lamentable death of those Jews in London had purchased pitie and compassion towards the rest as the Kings Proclamation for their peace and securitie did witnesse but their Brethren of Lin can not abstain from offering that violence from which the King had priviledged them to one of their own linage for becoming a Christian attempting forcible entrance into the Church whither he had fled for Sanctuarie Unlesse they had thus riotously violated the Kings peace the Christians had not assembleâ—… together and the Inhabitants were afraid at all to meddle with them But 〈◊〉 God had provided that a great companie of Forraign Mariners should 〈◊〉 pair unto this mutinie who moved with indignitie of the attempt could not content themselves with the rescue of the Convert at the first perhaps onely intended but assault these mutinous Jews through fear repairing to their houses which the other first rifle then burn together with their owners departing unpunished with spoil 5 The end of the Kings Proclamation being once frustrate by this strange Accident though not purposely or directly violated by the inhabitants of this place his subjects elsewhere are willing enough to imitate the Fact without any occasion of like wrongs offered by the Jews only upon opportunitie of doing violence by the Kings absence and the present mustering of Souldiers for the Holy Land upon whom transported hence their partners in evil here at home remaining might post over the whole blame of the fact of part whereof no doubt his Souldiers had been guiltie The like massacres of these Jews ensued at Stamford at Lincolne and S. Edmundsbury shortly after but of all others most memorable and lamentable was that which in the same Lent befel them at York 6 The Jews there dwelling had heard by this time what had been done unto their brethren in London and Lin and see now the like or greater violence intended against themselves so that as Moses in the fore-cited place Deut. 28. 34. addeth They became mad for the sight of their wrong and violence which their eyes did see One of their learned Rabbines perswades four hundred of his companie besieged with him in a strong Tower by a furious multitude to prove themselves such as the world had long taken them and were now persecuted for right Cut-throats indeed rather then fall into their enemies hands himself confirming his doctrine by his example in cutting his wives throat first then his childrens and lastly by killing himself The residue of the four hundred which he had perswaded unto this unnatural and Jewish Act not only willing to imitate him herein would before their death have enforced many others that would not yield unto this Rabbines advice to a more violent death had they not conveyed themselves into a strong Turret within the main Tower which defended them from the flames that consumed their goods And yet these poor souls that had scaped their fellows violence were born to suffer thelike of their Christian Enemies to their shame who had promised them life upon condition they would yield themselves and become Christians which whether they meant in heart or no as they promised he that trieth the secrets of all hearts doth know Sure I am their professed Christian enemies did turn Jews in heart that treacherously killed them before any trial made of their sinceritie towards Christ 7 All these wrongs and violences were committed only by the people much against the Magistrates mindes but hereafter the supream Magistrates Kings themselves as if they had learned wit of their subjects took the Monopoly of wronging the Jews into their own hands To omit what Richard the first had done unto them their hard usage under King John Henry the third Edward the first makes me think that Moses in the last words of his often mentioned Prophecie Deut. 28. spake in his language that said Patria est ubicunque bene est so as England and every place in Europe wherein their condition of life hath been more hard and burdensome then their forefathers had been in Egypt may be said to be that Egypt whereunto the Lord had threatned to bring them again by ships King Johns exactions were so grievous that they had rather suffer then do what he commanded many of them being imprisoned and tortured before they would yield what he demanded What an intolerable thing was it for a private man in those times to pay ten thousand marks for refusal of which that poor Jew of Bristow was so pittifully used But with God it was just to punish him by his own greedinesse of gain for unlesse his money had been as dear to him as meat to such as make Their Belly Their God he would have let his Gold go before he had lost Seven Teeth oâ—…ne 8 King Henry the third first demands the third part of all their moveables for his supplies then punisht them grievously by the purse for a murther secretly committed by them and thirdly makes them buy their miserable peace by the third part of what was left Finally he brought them to such extream povertie that his brother to whom he let them out to farm could it seems make nothing of them and so they were freed from this brutish servitude as Moses in the fore-cited place had fore-told for want of a Buyer The King surely did not so much pitty them as he did himself and his posteritie who should have gotten nothing of them if the bargain with his brother had gone forward whereas his Successor Edward the first accounted their goods as his own for Non-payment of what he demanded the whole generation scattered throughout this Land were shut up in one night where they enjoyed no day until they had fined at the Kings pleasure who yet perhaps did recover but as much as he and his subjects were endamaged by two hundred and odde of their Country-men all condemned some eight years before for circumcising counterfeiting and washing his coyn This King albeit their wealth under him was much diminished had this advantage of his predecessours The English desirous to have them banished and they as willing to spite the English by their staying here were both forward to purchase their contrarie desires by large offers to the King until the English at last did out-vie them by a fifteenth which the Parliament granted for their utter avoidance of this Land so much welcomer was their room then companie 9 All their immoveable goods with their Obligations and Bils of debt were confiscated Thus as Moses saith they had builded houses but could not dwell therein Vineyards they had planted which they could not carry with them never to return hither again they nor their seed to
contrite heart for their disobedience past but rather adding thirst to drunkenness Blesse themselves when they hear the words of that Curse promising peace unto themselves though they walk on according to the stubbornness of their Forefathers hearts Their own desires they will not break But Christian Children they can be well content to Sacrifice kill and mangle throughout all ages wheresoever they come as their often practises in England France and Germany witnesse and the Jews of Lincoln executed at London for this crime did confesse to be a solemn practise as oft as they could conveniently come by their prey Thus out of the mouthes of Infants and Children will God have his praise erected still Their Bloud hath sealed and their Cries proclaimed the truth of our Saviours words that these Jews are of their Father the Devil and the lusts of their Father they will do John 8. 44. He was a murtherer from the beginning and alwayes delighted much in such Sacrifices as were most displeasing unto God 5 If Christian Sobrietie did not teach us to acknowledge Gods judgements alwayes just although the manner of his Justice can not be apprehended much lesse exemplified to ordinary capacities by the wisest of the Sons of men the consideration of these Jews perpetual temper would half perswade us that the souls of such as had either procured consented unto or approved our Saviours and his Apostles death had been Sent from Hell by course into the bodies of these Jews here scattered in these Western parts as so many Messengers from the dead to shew the malignant heat of those Everlasting flames by their unquenchable thirst of innocent bloud But neither doth Scripture warrant nor natural Reason enforce such suppositions either for acquitting Gods Severity upon this people from injustice or His Goodness from suspition of being the Author of their villainous minds though he be the sole Creatour as well of theirs as their godly forefathers souls For these their wicked posterities plagues are just because their souls which he hath made will not receive correction by their own or their fathers plagues continually inflicted upon them since our Saviours death but still as it were Hunt out Gods judgements which lie perpetually in wait for them by treading in their Ungratious predecessours steps In one word Though the God of their Fathers have made their souls yet they make Pride of heart Inveterate custome Examples of their progenitors Their God For us Christians let us admire the wisdom of our gracious God that so disposeth our enemies mischievous minds unto our good rather then enquire how their villanies can stand with his justice This their unsatiable desire of Crucifying them unto whom the Kingdom of heaven belongs doth confirm our Faith in that Main Article of their Fathers crucifying The Lord of Glory And no doubt but God in his All-seeing wisdom hath permitted the like hellish temper to remain in all Generations of these Jews that the former most Horrible and otherwise almost Incredible Act with the Actors Devilish Malice might be more lively and sensibly represented to all posterities which had not seen or known them by Experience And Gods Judgements upon these Modern Jews for their Forefathers sins hereby may appear most just in that they make them their won by Imitation plainly testifying to the world that They would do as their Forefathers had done if the same Tragedie of Christs Passion were to be acted our again yea in as much as they practize the like upon his living members They are guilty as wel as their Forefathers of His Death 6 Generally the outward carriage and inward temper of these modern Jews are such as all that have any Experience of them may perceive the Excellent qualities of their worthy Progenitours and the extraordinary Prerogatives whence they are fallen as sensibly and undoubtedly as we can know by the Lees or corrupt remainder of any Liquor what the vertue and strength thereof was in its Prime The present Depression of this People below all others amongst whom they live rightly taken doth give us the true Excesse of their Exaltation in former times above the Nations as perfectly as the Elevation of the Pole which we see doth give us the degrees of the others Occultation Finally if we compare the Estate of such as lived in Tullies times with these Modern Jews estate lately mentioned the great prosperitie of their Ancestors under Joshuah Judges David and Solomon may be gathered from these differences as exactly and as clearly as the third proportionable number out of two others already known This is that Golden Rule whose practise I would commend to all young Students For from the known differences of their Estate from time to time we may be led unto the perfect knowledge of Gods Power and Providence of his Mercy and Bounty to such as love him of his Judgements upon such as Hate him and transgresse his Laws Finally nothing in Scripture can seem Incredible if men would consider the wonderful exaltation and depression of this People 7 This admirable difference between the true Israelites of old and these Modern perfidious Jews is most lively represented unto us in that Parable of divers Figs which Jeremiah saw Jerem. 24. 1 2. The Lord shewed me and behold two baskets of Figs were set before the Temple of the Lord one basket very good Figs like the Figs that are first ripe and the other very naughty Figs which could not be eaten they were so evil No man I hope will challenge me for extending this Text beyond its literal sense One part of which by the Prophets own exposition is to be understood of such as were led captive by Nebuchadnezzar signified by the good figs the other of Zedechiah with the residue of Hierusalem and them that dwelt in the Land of Egypt represented by the bad figs. My Prophet indeed applies it only unto them of his own time of whom I confesse it was Literally meant but not only of them but more principally more fully and directly of the Jews about or since our Saviours time and his Apostles or their followers The parable with the consequence thereof is true of both in as much as both are particulars contained under that general division which Moses had made of Blessings and Cursings to befall this people in divers measures according to their constancy in good or stubbornnesse in evil Unto this General Prediction the Prophets do still frame their prophecies as Corollaries or Appendices and so must they be applied by us not only to the present times wherein they wrote but to the times of the Messiah in which both Moses his general and the Prophets particular prophecies were more fully accomplished then in any age before That which Jeremy in the third Verse of that same Chapter said of the Figs. was true of this people in all Ages The good amongst them were very good the naughty alwayes very naughty but the difference greater
this come upon them that the Fulnesse of the Gentiles might come in With a more mightie hand hath God brought us out of the shadow of death and Dominions of Satan then he brought the Israelites out of Egypt out of the house of Bondage with a more powerful and harder stretched out Arm hath he scattered these Jews among all people from the one end of the world to the other then he brought the frogs flies and caterpillers into Egypt And it should be as a token in our hands and as frontlets between our childrens eyes that the Lord hath redeemed us through a mighty hand When Israel departed out of Egypt the Egyptian did not furnish him with weapons for his defence or Apologies for his departure These Jews scattered abroad are made such Messengers as Uriah was of their own destruction bearing records against themselves but sealed up from their sight holding Moses their chief Accuser in greatest Honour or to follow that faithful follower of Christ S. Augustine in his Similitude to this purpose although these Jews be desperately blind themselves yet they carry those Looking-glasses before them which long since put out their eyes by their too much gazing on them so as now they can hold them onely in their hands or turn their faces towards them not able to discern their misshapen visages in them but we Gentiles which come after them do herein go before them that we may clearly see their Deformity and Hideous blindnesse first caused by the glorious beams of the Divine Majestie shining in these sacred fountains whilest they used them as as Narcissus did his Well or little Babes do Books with fair Pictures only to solace themselves with representation of their Godly Forefathers Beauty set out in them in freshest colours not as Looking-glasses to discover much lesse to reform what was amisse in themselves whom they in the pride of their hearts still presumed to be in all points like their worthy Ancestors 8 If unto all their miseries throughout so many Ages we adde their perpetual Stupidity and Deadnesse of Heart to all works of the Spirit if to this again we adde their Incomparable Zeal and Courage in preserving the Letter of the Law and lay all unto our hearts what is it we can imagin the Lord could have none unto his vineyard that he hath not done to it He hath commanded the clouds not to rain upon the natural branches that the abundant fatness of the root might be wholly communicate to us Gentiles by nature wilde grafts He hath laid his vineyard in Israel waste and left the hill of Sion his wonted joy More desolate then the mountains of Gilboah that the dew of all his heavenly blessings might descend upon the vallies of the Nations Let us not therefore tempt the Lord our God in asking further Signs for confirmation of our Faith for no Sign can be given us Equivalent to this Desolation of the Jews Such as the dayes of Jerusalem were in her distresse such we know but how far more grievous we cannot conceive the Day of Judgement shall be even a Day of wrath and a Day of vengeance An end of dayes and an end of comfort a beginning of an endlesse night of sorrow troubles woe and miseries to the wicked Such as the condition of these Jews hath been for more then fifteen hundred years such shall the state of unbelievers be without end without all rest or securitie from danger disgrace and torture ten thousand times more dreadful and insufferable then what the others at any times have feared or felt What else hath been verified of them as in the Type must be fulfilled in unbelievers as in the Body or substance These shall fear both night and day and shall have no assurance of their life but in stead thereof an inevitable perpetuity of most grievous death In the morning they shall say Would God it were evening and at evening they shall say Would GOD it were morning and wish that Time might be no more or that no dayes of joy had ever been that all their mirth had been exchanged for sorrow even whilst it was first conceived within their breast that so no memory of sweet delights or pleasures past might adde gall unto the bitternesse of their present grief nor minister oyl unto that unquenchable flame wherein they frie. Thus much of Gods extraordinary mercies and judgements towards these Jews and of the Experiments which their Estate from time to time hath afforded for the establishing of our Assent to Scriptures 9 Particular judgements upon any Land or People as remarkable and perspicuous to common sense as heretofore have been we are not in this Age to expect The approach of this general and fearful judgement we may justly think doth swallow up the most of them as great plagues usually drink up all other diseases The conversion of these Jews we may probably expect as the chief Sign of later times onely this last part of Moses prophecy Leviticus chapter 26. 44. hath not been as yet fulfilled â—…ut must be in due time for so he saith Yet notwithstanding this even â—… the plagues and curses which he had threatned and we have seen fulâ—…d in these Jews when they shall be in the land of their enemies I will not cast them away neither will I abhor them to destroy them utterly and to break my covenant with them For I am the Lord their GOD But I will remember for them the Covenant of old when I brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might be their God I am the Lord. And the continuation of their former plagues seemeth much interrupted the plagues themselves much mitigated in this last Age since the Gospel hath been again revealed as if their misery were almost expired and the day of their redemption drawing nigh Yet would I request such as with me hold their general conversion before the end of all things as a truth probably grounded on GODS word not to put that evil day far from them as if it could not take them unawares unâ—l GODS promise to this people be accomplished For were that the point now in hand I could me thinks As probably gather out of Scriptures that their conversion shall be sodain As at all and such as many parts of the world shall not so soon hear of by Authentick reports or uncontroulable relation as sensibly see at our general meeting before our Judge 10 Like Experiments might be drawn from the Revolutions or Alterations of other states oft times wrought by such causes as are without the reach of Policie but most consonant to the Rules of Scriptures or from the Verification of such rules in Gods Judgements upon private persons But these observations cannot be made so evident to ordinary Readers before the doctrine of Gods providence be unfolded Wherefore I must refer them partly to that place partly to others of my Labours which have been most plentiful in this
so great let him tell his flock for whose Souls he must answer that they must do Thus and Thus if they will be saved they can be diligent perhaps to hear him and say he spake exceeding well i. e. Very ill of others as they conjecture but not of them or their Adherents If for his good Lessons in the Pulpit he have good words returned at Table he seeth the best fruits of his labour For if one of his Flock shall have an advantage against his Neighbour or have picked a Quarrel with his Lease or let a Gentleman be disposed to put off his Tenants or inhance their Rents to their utter undoing let any gengle or mean have but good hope to make his own great Gain by some others Losse Here if we trie him and charge him upon his Allegiance unto Christ to remit his Hold to let go all Advantage and be good unto his Fellow-servant or poor Brother these are matters the Minister must meddle no more with than an other man the Law can determine whether he do Right or Wrong and this Case belongs properly unto the Lawyer As if the Power of Gods Spirit or Authority of his Ministers did consist onely in Words and required no other Obedience than a formal speculative Assent unto their general Doctrine not a full Resignation of mens Wills or heartie Submission of Affections unto such Rules as they shall prescribe for the preservation of a good and upright Conscience in particular Actions or entercourse of Humane Affairs Or if one of a thousand will be so good as to grant that he is to Obey the Precepts of Christ before the Customes of our Common-Law or other Civil Courts yet even the best of such when it comes to Points of private Commoditie will dispense with his Pastor and replie I would do as you admonish me if I saw any expresse Command for it in Gods Word or any evident Necessity that should bind me to renounce that Right which Law doth give me but for ought I can perceive I may prosecute my Right in this present Case with a safe Conscience and you do not know all particular Circumstances which belong unto this matter if you did or were in my Case I am perswaded you would be of my Mind This although it be the onely shelter under which the Infidelitie of later Ages takes its rest the onely Dormitory wherein Hypocrisie sleeps profoundly and never dreams of further Danger yet is it a most sillie Excuse and shamelesse Apologie in the judgement of any that knows or knowing rightly esteems the Principles of Christianitie For suppose thou see no Evidence that Christ hath commanded thee to confesse his Name in this particular doth the law lay any necessity upon thee to make thee prosecute thy supposed Right If it did charge thee upon pain of Death so to do thou hast some pretence to Obey it albeit thou shouldest fear him more that could Condemn thee and the Interpreters of it to everlasting Death but the Law doth leave it to thy Choise whether thou wilt use the Benefit of it or no and thy Pastour upon penaltie of incurring Christs displeasure commands thee that thou use it not Thou repliest Thou seest no Evidence that Christ Commands thee But dost thou absolutely and infallibly know that he doth not call thee at this time to trie thy Obedience in this Particular If thou canst out of sincerity of Heart and Evidence of Truth fullie inform thy Conscience in this Negative so the End of thy proceedings be good thou maist be the bolder to disclaim thy Pastours Summons If thou canst not how wilt thou answer thy Judge when thou shalt appear before him why thou out of the Stubbornnesse of thy Heart didst more respect thy private Gain than his heaviest displeasure For suppose thy hope of Gain were great as it is usually to such as thou art more great than certain yet cannot the greatnesse and certaintie of it countervail the least danger of incurring His Wrath nor could the certaintie of worldly Gain counterpoise much lesse oversway the least surmise or probabilitie of incurring thy Souls destruction unlesse thy Mind had been set more on Gold than upon thy God more enclined to private Commoditie and Self-love than unto Christ thy Redeemer Or shall thy answer stand for good in his sight when thou shalt say unto his Messenger It is more then I know that Christ Commands me Then should the damned be justified at the Day of Judgement when they shall truly replie they knew not that ever Christ did supplicate unto them sub forma panperis Most of them we may safely swear had lesse Probabilities to Believe this in their life time than thou hast now to perswade thee of this particular although thy Pastours Authoritie and frequent Admonitions were set aside which make thee so much the more Inexcusable For thou mightest have known by him that God had Commanded thee as much unlesse thy bad Desires had made thee Blind But neither shall theirs or thy Ignorance herein help For Ignorance which is bred of bad Desires corrupt Affections or greedy Appetites brings forth hardnesse of Heart and Infidelity so that seeing thou shalt not see and hearing thou shalt not hear nor understand the Warnings for thy Peace because thou hast formerlie shut thine ears at thy Pastors Admonitions or Raged at his just Reproof And the Law of God binds thy Soul upon greater penaltie and better hopes than all Laws in the World besides could bind thy Bodie even upon of everlasting Life and penaltie of everlasting Death to lay aside all Selfe-love all worldlie Desire for the finding out of the true sense and meaning of it as well as to Obey it when thou knowest it And when any point of Doctrine or Practise either in general or particular is commended to thee by thy Pastour Gods Word doth bind thee to search with all Sobrietie and Modestie the Truth and force of all Motives Inducements or Probabilities which he shall suggest unto thee all private respect laid aside lest thou become a partiall Judge of evil thoughts and if thou canst not find better Resolution it binds thee to relie upon his Authoritie And even in this again Gods Word so perfect a Rule is it doth rule thy thoughts to discern the Fidelitie Sinceritie or Authoritie of thy Teacher Unto such as approve themselves as Saint Paul did to every mans Conscience in the sight of God or to such as make not a Merchandize of the Word of God but speak in Christ as of sinceritie and as of God in the sight of God Christian People are bound to yeeld greater Obedience Generallie unto such as in their Lives expresse those Characters of faithfull Dispensers set down by Saint Paul and other Pen-men of Gods Word everie Auditor is bound to yeeld greater Obedience than unto others in Points wherein he hath no other Motives to Believe beside his Pastors Authority For this is a dictate of
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
though friendly admonished cease henceforth to urge their outworn arguments drawn from antiquity universality from that reverence and allegiance which most Kingdoms of Europe have for these thousand years and more born to the See of Rome or from the bloudy victories over all other inferiour Churches or private spirits that have oppugned her These or like allegations in their judgement abundantly prove their Church to be Christs best beloved the Pope to be his Deputy or rather his corrival here on earth whose words sound as the word of God and not of Man albeit the spirit hath plainly foretold that the beast which had his power from the Dragon and should open his mouth unto blasphemies against God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven should have power given withall to make war with the Saints and to overcome them yea over every kindred tongue and nation so as all that dwell upon the earth should worship hint whose names were not written in the Book of life of the Lamb which was slain from the beginning of the world 5 To the Jesuites brags that no visible Church since the world began did either spread it self so far or flourish so long as theirs hath done I only oppose that of our Saviour Ex tuo ipsius ore judicabere serve nequam Thine own confession shall condemn thee thou bond-slave of Satan For if the Romish Hierarchy be or hath been in the worlds eye the most potent and flourishing that ever was This description of the Beasts power cannot agree so wel to any as unto it Nor doth the Scripture any where intimate the true Church militant should dominere over all Nations or be so triumphantly victorious as they boast theirs hath been To think the Antichrist whom they expect should in three years space subdue as many Nations as have been tributary to the See of Rome is a conceit that justifies the Jew as well in his credulity of things to come which are impossible as in his hypocritical partiality towards his present estate which he never suspects of Apostasie Unto this observation the Reader may adde other like descriptions of this scarlet Whore all so fitly agreeing to the Papacy as he that will not acknowledge it for the Kingdom of great Antichrist hath great reason to suspect his heart that if he had lived with our Saviour he would scarce have taken him for his Messias nor can the Jesuites bring any better reasons why the Pope should not be the Antichrist then the Jews did why Christ should not be the great Prophet Yet this I say not to discourage such as doubt whether the Pope be that Man of sin or to bring them out of love with their belief which may be sound without expresse or actual acknowledgement of this truth not as yet revealed unto them as those two Disciples no doubt were neither hypocrites nor infidels albeit they mistrusted the report of Christs resurrection for they were farther from approving the practises of the Jews against him then from actual acknowledgement of it If any man thus doubt whether the Pope be Antichrist so he do not approve his hatred and war against Gods Saints or his other devilish practises Gods peace be upon him and in good time I trust his eyes shal be enlightned to see the truth in this particular as those two Disciples did in the Article of the resurrection 6 Seeing we have proved the Popes authority so far to exceed Christ it may seem needlesse to compare it with the Apostles Yet lest any Jesuite should except that their authority might be greater after their Masters glorification then his was before let us a while examin what they assumed unto themselves what they gave unto the Scriptures before extant CAP. XXIII That the authority attributed to the present Pope and the Romish rule of faith were altogether unknown unto Saint Peter the opposition betwixt Saint Peters and his pretended Successors doctrine 1 TO begin with S. Peter the first supposed to be enstalled in this See of Rome It may be presumed that this Supremacy over his fellow Apostles were it any was in his life time whiles his miracles were fresh and the extraordinary efficacy of his Ministery daily manifested as wel known amongst the faithful as the Popes now amongst Roman Catholicks If necessary it had been to acknowledge him or his successors as a second Rock or foundation the commendation of this doctrine unto posterity had been most requisite at the time he wrote his second Epistle as knowing then the time was at hand he should lay down his Tabernacle when he endeavoured his auditors might have remembrance of his former doctrine to make their calling and election sure If ever there had been a fit season for notifying the necessity of the See Apostolicks infallibility all the circumstances of this place witnesse this was it If any they to whom he wrote were most bound to obey it Their faith had been planted by him his present intent and purpose was more and more to confirm them in the truth wherein they were in some measure established And being thus mindful wil he not make choice of means most effectual to prevent Heresie or Apostasie What are these then absolute reposal in his and his Successors infallibility Had this been the best rule of faith he knew his fault were inexcusable for not prescribing it to such is most willingly would have used it His personal testimony and authority was I confess as great as any mortal mans could be with his own eyes he had beheld the Majesty of our Lord Christ whom he preached unto them If any trust there be in humane senses this Saint of God could not possibly be deceived If any credence to be given unto miracles or sanctity of life his flock might rest assured he would not deceive his works so witnesse the sincerity of his doctrine or if his eye were not in these his auditors judgements sufficient witnesses of this truth he further assures them when his Lord received of God the Father honour and glory there came such a voice unto him from the excellent glory This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased And this voice saith he we heard when it came from heaven being not a far off but with him in the mount If S. Peters seat or chair had been as the Pole-star whereto our Belief as the Mariners needle should be directed lest we float we know not whither in the Ocean of opinions were the Bosome of the visible Church the safest harbour our souls in all storms of temptation could thrust into this Apostle was either an unskilful Pilot or an uncharitable man that would not before his death instruct them in this course for the eternal safety of their souls whose bodily lives he might have commanded to have saved his own Had perpetual succession in his See or Apostolical tradition never interrupted been such an
much grieved at the Trent Councels impietie but now I wonder at these grave Fathers folly that would trouble themselves with prescribing so many Canons or overseeing so large a Catechisme when as the beginning of Protagoras Book one or two words altered might have comprehended the entire confession of such mens faith as rely upon their Fatherhoods The Atheist thus began his Book De dijs non haâ—â—o quod decam utrum sint necne Concerning the Gods or their being I can say nothing A private Roman Catholick might render an entire account of his faith in termes as brief De Christo Christiana fide non habeo quod dicam utrum sint necne Whether there be a Christ or Christian Religion be but a Politick Fable I have nothing to say peremptorily yea or no the Church or Councel can determine whom in this and all other points wherin God is a party I will absolutely believe whilest I live if at my death I find they teach amâ—e let the devil and they if there be a devil decide the controversie Yet this conceit or conditional Belief of Christ and Christianity conceived from the former serves as a ground colour for disposing mens souls to take the sable dye of Hell wherewith the second main stream of Romish impietie will deeply infect all such as drink of it For once believing Gods Word from the Churches testimony this absolute submission of their consciences to embrace that sence it shall suggest sublimates them from refined Heathinisme or Gentilisme to diabolisme or symbolizing with infernal spirits whose chiefest solace consists in acting greatest villanies or wresting the meaning of Gods written Lawes to his dishonour For just proof of which imputation we are to prevent what as we late intimated might in favour of their opinion be replied to our former instance of light and colours 9 Some perhaps well affected would be resolved why as he that sees colours by the sun sees not only the sun but colours with it so he that believes the Scriptures by relying upon the Church should not believe the Church onely but the Scriptures too commended by it The doubt could hardly be resolved if according to our adversaries Tenent the Churches declarations did confirm our faith by illustrating the Canon of Scriptures or making particular truths contained in it inherently more perspicuous as if they were in themselves but potentially credible and made actually such by the Churches Testimony which is the first and Principal Credible in such sort as colours become actually visible by illumination of the principal and prime visible But herein the grounds of Romish doctrine and the instance brought by Sacroboscus to illustrate it are quite contrary For the light of the Sun though most necessary unto sight is yet necessary onely in respect of the object or for making colours actually visible which made such or sufficiently illuminated are instantly perceived without further intermediation of any other light then the internal light of the Organ in discerning colours alwayes rather hindered then helped by circumfusion of light external For this reason it is that men in a pit or cave may at noon day see the starres which are invisible to such as are in the open air not that they are more illuminated to the one then the other but because plentie of light doth hinder the Organ or eye-sight of the one Generally all objects either actually visible in themselves or sufficiently illuminated are better perceived in darknesse then in the light But so our Adversaries will not grant that after the Church hath sufficiently proposed the whole Canon to be Gods Word the distinct meaning of every part is more clear and facile to all private spirits by how much they lesse participate of the visible Churches further illustration For quite contrary to the former instance the Churches testimony or declaration is onely necessary or available to right belief in respect not of the object to be believed Scriptures but of the party believing For as hath been observed no man in their judgement can believe Gods Word or the right meaning of it but by believing the Church and all belief is inherent in the believer Yea this undoubted Belief of the Churches authority is that which in Bellarmine and Sacroboscus's judgement makes a Roman Catholicks belief of Scriptures or divine truths taught by them much better then a Protestants If otherwise the Churches declaration or testimony could without the belief of it infallibility which is inherent in the subject believing make Scriptures credible as the light doth colours visible in themselves a Protestant that knew their Churches meaning might as truely believe them as a Roman Catholick albeit he did not absolutely believe the Church but onely use her help for their Orthodoxal interpretation as he doth ordinary Expositors or as many do the benefit of the Sun for seeing colours which never think whether colours may be seen without it or no. For though it be certain that they cannot yet this opinion is meerly accidental to their sight and if a man should be so wilfull as to maintain the contrary it would argue only blindness of mind none of his bodily sight Nor should distrust of the Romish Churches authority ought diminish our Belief of any divine Truth were her declarations requisite in respect of the object to be believed not in respect of the subject believing 10 Hence ariseth that difference which plainly resolves the former doubt For seeing the Sun makes colours actually visible by adding vertue or lustre to them we may rightly say we see colours as truely as the light by which we see them For though without the benefit of it they cannot be seen yet are they not seen by seeing it or by relying upon it testimony of them Again because the use of light is onely necessarie in respect of the object or for presenting colours to the eye after once they be sufficiently illuminated or presented every creature endued with sight can immediately discern each from other without any further help or benefit of external light then the general whereby they become all alike actually visible at the same instant The Suns light then is the true cause why colours are seen but no cause of our distinguishing one from another being seen or made actuallie visible by it For of all sensible objects sufficiently proposed the sensitive faculty though seated in a private person is the sole immediat supreme Judge and relies not upon any others more publick verdict of them On the contrary because the Romanists supposed firm belief of Scriptures or their true meaning ariseth only from his undoubted belief of the Churches veracicie which is in the believer as in it subject not from any increase of inherent credibilitie or perspicuitie thence propagated to the Scriptures Hence it is that consequently to his positions most repugnant to all truth he thinks after the Church hath sufficiently avouched the Scriptures divine truth in general we
Christ hath given him Wherefore in his judgement care and diligence are necessary to the Pope not so as if he could not define aright or rightly use his authority without them but that he doth not sin himself whilest he defines an infallible truth for others to believe Hereto may be added that albeit a diligent care were necessarily required for the infallibility of the Popes decisions yet the same faith which bindes us to believe he decides the controversie infallibly â—indes us also to believe that he used as much diligence as was requisite As for example in like case If God should promise that the next year should be a plentiful year of corn we would conceive he promised withall good and seasonable weather and whatsoever else necessary for effecting of his promise as Canus well notes But Valentians last conclusion is that no sure arguments can be brought why we should think study or diligence are necessary for the right use of the Popes authority so far as it concerns other mens faith that must rely upon it Rely upon it they must whether he determin ex tempore or upon deliberation and for ought I can see whether he give his sentence drunk or sober raving or in his right mind so he have the wit to charge all upon pain of damnation to believe it But what if some forrainer should of set purpose send a dead-mans water to trie this grand-Physitians skil could he without either care or diligence in examining their testimonies or special Revelation from above which in such businesses Valentian disclaims discover their knavery Or would his prognostication of life and health redeem the party deceased from the land of death as some say Pope Gregory by his prayers did Trajan These and many like questions might here be made which fall not within the reach of Valentians answers hitherto recited and yet these must abundantly suffice for resolution of all doubts concerning the Canonizing of Saints or approbation of Religious Orders in which business likewise we must believe the Pope cannot erre Let the Reader pause a while look on their madness and laugh his fil at their apish drunkenness in this argument that when his mirth hath found a vent and his heart is wel setled he may with a sober unpartial stedfast eye behold the Mystery of this iniquitie CAP. XXXII What danger by this blasphemous Doctrine may accrew to Christian States that of all heresies blasphemies or idolatries which have been since the world began or can be imagined till Christ come to judgement this Apostasie of the Jesuites is the most abominable and contumelious against the blessed Trinity 1 WHat the consequences of these positions may be none can doubt No less they are then I have said a resigning up of mens souls and consciences into the Popes hands a consecration of hearts minds and bodies to work any mischief imaginable at his appointment For what if the Pope upon the relation of Ravilliacks stubbornness they would say constancy in his torture or Catesbyes praying to the Virgin Mary at his death should Canonize both for Saints and enjoyn the Christian world so to honour them Every bloody Assasinate would pray unto the one for good success in acting his blood-thirsty designs on Princes bodies And if it should please the Pope so to determine all men should stand bound to give such solemn worship as by their Doctrin is due to Sacred reliques unto that bloody knife which hath been sheathed in Ravilliacks Soveraigns breast Every deep dissembling Polititian or ambitious cholerick discontented spirit would burn incense saltpeter sulphur and brimstone to the others image in hope of better speed in undermining states 2 If any Jesuite or other brazen faced favorer of their Order or this doctrin should here reply This dreamer casts doubts beyond the Moon for is there any likelihood his Holiness wil ever Canonize such wicked Imps for Saints I must answer him as Tully did Rullus utterly disclaiming all purpose of doing such wrong unto the Roman state as his Petition unto it once granted might enable him to effect and from my soul I wish every Christian Prince every Princes Councellor would take that grave Senators words for his motto Primum nescio deinde timeo posiremo non committam ut vestro beneficio potius quam nostro consilio salvi esse possimus First whether the Pope would Canonize such miscreants for Saints or no is more then we know Secondly his former practises minister so just cause of fear to Christian states that it stands them upon rather in wisdom to prevent his power of doing then rely upon his fidelity for not doing them some inestimable mischief by putting this practise in execution if opportunity serve and abilitie be left him thereby to strengthen his faction Did not his Legate into France upon notice of the Parisian Massacre bestow his Holinesses best blessing Cum plenitudine potestatis With absolute and plenarie power derived from himself upon the notorious assasinate Boydon chief Ring-leader of that immane and Wolvish Massacre committed at Lyons begun without any warrant of publick authority onely at this hellish miscreants instigation desirous to follow or rather out-go his Superiours in cruelty Was not that villany it self authorized from Rome where it found such extraordinary approbation Never did that City rejoyce so much in memory of Christs birth or Saint Peters as at the hearing of this more then Herodian butchery of so many thousands noble-minded gentlemen with other Innocents and Saints of God So full was this Legates heart of joy hence conceived that after he came into France out of the abundance of it his mouth did sound the praises of the bloody actors and contrivers of this shameful Tragedy Etiam cum delectu verborum With such choice and affected words as caused them blush to hear him that had not been ashamed to act the villany And as if this excellent exploit had been effected by vertue of the holy Catholick Church the Popes Petition to the French King was that the Trent Councel might upon that good success begin to be of force in France and be thus sealed with blood Yet can any man doubt whether this Church would authorize murther or Canonize Assasinates for her own advantage Publickly suppose she would not yet if the Popes Decrees when they expresly binde all must as Valentian contends be beleived by all upon such terms as he annexeth no question but if he give any special injunction to the Order of Jesuites or such as they shal adjudge fit Associates to whom these secrets may be imparted it shal be as devoutly entertained by them whom it concerns as if it were universal If charged they be under pain of damnation secretly to worship this or that damned villain it wil be held a formal denial of Faith either not to perform what is enjoyned or to bewray what they perform We may wel suppose the Jesuites and others of their
estate 117 to 119 Trent Council cited V VAlentian cited Valentian turned Doctor similitude 227 Valentian his Inchanted Circle 291 c. 475 507 Valentians saying of the veil that is upon the Jews hearts 209 252 Vates 43 10 Vesuvius burning a Beacon to all flesh 100 Vespasians expedition against the Jews how and why honoured 83 84 Vespasian advanced beyond policy 84 87 Vespasians service against Jerusalem rewarded as Jehu's was 85. Vespasian another Moses 85 A type of Messiah 86 Vespasian prophesied of by Josephus 83 Vespasian owned by an Ox and a Dog 84 Vespasian cures a blinde and a lame man 84 85 Oracle at Carmel aboads Him prosperity 84 Vespasian confident that his son shall succeed him in Empire or no body 85 Vespasians death foregon by a Comet and the opening of Augustus his sepulchre 87 His dying speech Nunc Deus Fio 86 Nor Vespasian nor Titus titled Judaicus 87 Vicinity breeds envie 423 Visions counterfeited by evil spirits 261 Visions seen to one not to others 34 35 Vision of Queen Bassina 41 At Vitrye in Champaine Jews imprisoned themselves 124 Deus vult Deus vult Rumour of a Voyce from heaven 116 Ubi unum propter aliud ibi unum tantum 493 Evil unity good dissention 277 Vulgar Edition See Translation An universal Text limited 178 Uniuersal precepts promises propositions admitting exceptions 376 c All that the scribes and Pharisees bid you do do limited 391 c. And limitted by Maldonat well 392. That Text unduly extended may be abused to justifie the condemnation of our Saviour Jesus Christ 396 Urim and Thummim what it was 377 m. Urim ceased 200 years before his time sayes Josephus 36. It rather ceased with that generation that came back from captivity soon after the second Temple was finished 36 Gods promise to direct by Urim conditional 378 The Authority of the Keys not absolutely universall 395 Unbelief of curious Artists like Naamans doubtting 141 142 Unbelief of Scripture unreasonable 150 Unbelief may find pretences ib Unbelief Antichristian An Axiom of its 478 W VVIlliam Rufus cruel to the Jews 117 Jewish Womans eating her childe 91 Wood-worship indeed 129 Lots Wife not transformed but candyed over 49 50 Want of Wine complained of as cause of want of courage in souldiers who yet were beaten by water-drinkers 106 Wranglings amongst Christians makes the world doubt of Christianity 19 Writers See Sacred and Romish Whore of Babylon a Witch properly 502 Wormes in the Hoast whence they breed 329 m Written Word sole Umpire 256 Y THe Horrid Suicidium of the Jews at York 122 Z ZIdkiah the Prophets dispute against Michaiah out of Josephus 418 Zachary and Sarah sinned not the sin of proper Infidelity as it is opposed to sides Catholica when they doubted of Gods promises to them because the Revelation was private but of imprudence sayes Valentian 468 A Table of Scriptures Expounded or Illustrated by Observations in these Three Books of Commentaries Out of the Old and New Testament Genesis Chap. Verse Page 1. 26 27 56 2. 14 ibid. 4. 1 25 13 5. 1 2 56 Â 29 14 9. 12 13 14 54 10. 13 14 23 52 11. 1 2 51 12. 2 3 77 16. 12 105 17. 20 110 19. 14 15 49 20. 3 c 28 25. 14 15 16 18 104 Â 18 105 34. 30 c 14 37. 10 11 28 40. 8 12 13 19 ib. 42. 20 c 15 44. 16 c ibid. Exodus 3 2 34 4. 13 446 14. 13 408 15. 1 43 Â 26 408 16. 12 ib. 17. 7 ibid 19. 4 409 20. 10 379 24. 9 439 Â 10 410 28. 30 377 32. 1 c 38 33. 13 59 Leviticus 10. 9 378 26. 14 c 44 81 Numbers 11. 16 439 12. 6 ib. Â 6 7 29 21. 6 48 Â 16 c 47 22. 22 34 23. 22 446 27. 21 377 Deuteronomy 4. 1 2 407 Â 5 c 73 Â 9 413 5. 22 410 Â 28 29 444 6. 6 c 230 10. 16 141 Â 17 426 11. 2 411 Â 13 412 Â 18 19 411 Â 22 26 29 412 17. 8 385 Â 19 387 18. 14 445 Â 15 448 Â 15 c 434 Â 18 438 Â 18 445 Â 19 443 Â 20 435 27. 11 12 13 14 412 28. 29 125 Â 30 127 Â 31 120 Â 32 127 Â 33 120 Â 34 122 Â 37 41 131 Â 43 84 Â 49 c. 52 112 Â 53 82 Â 59 111 Â 62 113 Â 64 131 Â 65 c 130 Â 68 122 29. 19 133 30. 1 416 Â 11 c 304 31. 16 11 12 13 413 Â 16 426 Â 19 44 32. 26 c 80 Â 29 141 Â 36 c 80 Â 39 141 Â 46 44 34. 10 445 Joshuah 8. 33 34 35 413 10. 13 48 Judges 2. 7 8 413 5. 1 c 43 6. 12 34 Â 13 14 414 Â 15 415 Â 22 60 8. 33 415 13. 22 60 16. 17 19 49 17. 15 415 1 Samuel 2. 1 2 c 43 8. 7 11 c 118 15. 22 171 23. 9 377 28. 6 29. 378 30. 7 8 377 1 Kings 9. 7 131 13. 18 422 18. 36 437 19. 11 c 59 20. 36 c 172 22. 24 264 Â 24 424 Â 28 437 2 Kings 1. 24 81 4. 27 440 5. 15 141 6. 17 35 2 Chronicles 24. 20 426 Ezra 2. 63 36 Nehemiah 1. 7 417 6. 16 77 Ester 6. 13 76 Job 19. 25 162 33. 14 c 28 34. 19 140 Psalms 2. 7 448 3. 1 22 9. 8 9 10 23 19. 7 216 27. 1 3 22 34. 8 45 42. 1 21 43. 5 22 44. 1 21 46. 1 2 23 50. 16 354 Â 25 355 51. 1 2 3 10 12 13 20 21 59. 11 117 Â 13 135 66. 16 20 74. 9 21 78. 33 34 412 81. 11 80 106. 39 46 79 119. 98 105 224 Proverbs 16. 7 81 28. 9 ibid. Isaiah 5. 13 264 6. 9 10 11 12 401 11. 2 431 28. 16 352 29. 9 10 11 13 14 209 35. 5 431 40. 3 441 42. 1 431 Â 89 441 Â 11 104 53. 8 9 448 61. 1 431 63. 10 60 Jeremiah 2. 3 67 9. 23 17 10. 2 89 18. 18 424 20 7 c 18 24. 1 2 c 134 25. 29 91 Â 31 100 26. 8 2 424 28. 6 7 8 9 43S Â 10 12 440 29. 26 425 30. 13 14 316 31. 33 32 32. 24 25 c 416 Â 42 43 c ibid. 35. 9 10 14 19 119 Lamentations 1. 12 87 2. 20 21 90 Ezekiel 7. 23 79 14. 3 4 5 264 33. 32 33 438 Daniel 2. 44 358 9. 2 18 20 12. 4 8 201 Joel 2. 28 30 31 96 98 100 Habbakkuk 1. 10 11 c 78 Malachy 1. 11 36 2. 1 2 378 4. 2 33 Â 4 146 Judith 5. 21 76 Wisdome 6. 7 40 Ecclesiasticus 45. 23 24 25 388 39. 24 231 1 Macchabees 2. 36 37 38 380 Â 41 ibid. 2 Macchabees 6. 14