are such warnings usually sent immediately g upon the principal 〈◊〉 act but rather after continuance in the like And the vicinitie of this h places name which was a second witnesse of Crassus sins might have put him in minde of his former misdeeds in Jerusalem with whose sacred treasure he had dealt just so as Plutarch saith he did with the treasurie of that Goddesse of â—…rapolis Which makes me supect that Plutarch did mistake the storie For as Josephus tels us he took away the two thousand Talents which Pompey left untoucht and eight thousand besides But such was the Heathens prejudice of the Jews that the least injurie offered to their Idol-Gods was more then the most grievous sacriledge that could be devised against the God of Israel The worst that could be done against his Temple was in many of their opinions but as reprochful words which can bear no Action because not easily appliable to any determinate person with many of them it was all one Non esse Does non apparere represented in some visible shape or image Thus Polybius otherwise an ingenuous writer imputes the cause of Antiochus Epiphanes suddain and fearful death unto his intended pillage of the Goddesse Artemis Temple when as this misereant was guilâ—e of that actual crime before for ransacking the Temple of Jerusalem See Joseph Antiq. l. 12. c. 13. But as the plenarie cause of Crassus miserable and shameful death was his shamelesly miserable and Sacrilegious Mind in geral so in the means or manner of His end the Almighty would have his particular offences against his Priest and Temple to be most Fminent and Conspicuous Fleazar the high Priest seeing him wholly bent to make a golden Harvest of the Parthian expedition feared lest he should rake all the sacred Treasure into his cossers For preventing of which misehief he presents him with a Golden Beam whereon the Hangings of the Temple hung hoping thereby to redeem the rest of the sacred Treasure but he having gotten this into his hands which otherwise he could not have found being covered with wood contrarie to his Oath most agreeable to his Humour seazed upon all the residue Yet gold which he thus greedily sought as to his seeming the onely sure Nerve of war by the Almighties disposition became the indissoluble chain of his dismal Fates As love to it had made him perjure himself to circumvent Gods Priest so did it expose him to circumvention by a Perjured Villain who having found out his appetite prepared a sit Bait for his Bane For by feeding this greedy thirst of gold he insinuated himself into the societie of his Secrets which he disclosed unto the Parthian Had Crassus wits naturally been â—o dull or had he usually shewed himself so grosse and sottish as he proved in this expedition he had never born any place amongst the Remans much less had they ever permitted him to manage any for rain Wars But 〈◊〉 partly from his prodigious Stupiditie uncapable of any warning by so many Ominous Signs and tokens as did stupisie his whole Armie besides partly from his more then brutish Facilitie in taking an uncouth way as if he had been a tame beast before the drover until he came to the very Stand where his enemies stood with their bowes bent and their arrows of death made readie upon the string for his destruction all the Roman writers agree that He was lead awry by Sinister Fates Now if they had but once read what God he was that had blinded Absalom to disclaim Achitophels good counsel and ratisie Hushais plot for his Overthrow 2 Sam. 17. they would easily have granted that the same God and no other had infatuated Crassus heart to renounce Cassius and other grave experienced Roman Warriors wholsome advise and betake himself wholly to the Barbarous Fugitive Augarus directions suborned by the Parthian to betray him 4 But Cassius much wiser then his General in this one particular of mistrusting Forainers was afterwards as far over-seen in the main chance and overtaken with that sin which had caused Crassus blindnesse First polluted with like Sacriledge and cruel oppression of these Jews then with his own bloud shed by his servant at his commandment upon as grosse an over-sight as Crassus had committed So shall they all sooner or later be Infatuate that robbe God of His Honour and put their trust in Wrong and Violence And thus till this time did they perish all as many as bare ill will to Sion for Hierusalems Hour was not yet come because the Day-spring had not visited her from on High The glorie of her Temple was not as yet revealed unto whom after Her children had offered greater disgrace then the Romans had done to their Temple the Staff of her wonted Stay begins to break the bonds of her former peace untwine and onely one part of her double Fates remain if then she fall she riseth not again she hath no inclination left but to destruction The burthen of the Fathers sins and the yoke of captivitie due thereto grows heavier and heavier in the descent upon posteritie without all hope of recoverie much lesse of revenge upon such as offer her greatest violence but rather happy shall that man be thought and highest earthly honour shall be the wages of his service that rewards her children as they had served their Lord and Saviour But these times were not come in Crassus or Cassius dayes in which some Reliques of her Ancient Hopes remained to see the rods and scourges of her correction consume and wither after once the Almighty had taken off his punishing Hand And if unto these Three above mentioned we adde the like destinie of Antonie and Scipio and the ill successe of the other Romans who had ought to do with these Jews before our Saviours time we may conclude that although the Romans were then Lords of the earth yet This People whom they held as Base retained the priviledge of Gods Royal Priests Although the souls of all flesh were the Lords who for this cause revenged the oppressed in every Nation yet Israel onely as the Prophet speaks was as A Thing Hallowed unto the Lord His First Fruits all such as devoured them did offend evil should come upon them although inflicted by their own or their servants hands at their appointment Lastly if we call to mind the former distinction of Ages and the divers manner of Gods dealing with them before and after the Baby Ionish Captivitie the contraction or Abridgment of their large Priviledges in the long succession of times foretold by Ancient and acknowledged by their own later Writers we cannot mistrust the Amplitude of their Fundamental Charter or their Historical Narrations of what the Lord had done of old unto Jabin Sisera and Sâ—…herib would we allowing some different condition of times compare theirs with Pompeys and his Complices unusual Fates Gods Power was more immediately manifested in the one his
hath fulfilled his word that he had determined of old time he hath thrown down and not spared he hath caused thine enemies to rejoyce over thee and set up the Horn of thine Adversaries Arise cry in the night in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord lift up thine hand towards him for the life of thy young children that famish for hunger in all the corners of the streets These words perhaps were meant in divers measures of both Calamities but the Complaint following of the later only under Titus Behold O Lord and consider to whom thou hast done thus Shall the women eat their fruit children of a span long shall the Priest and the Prophet be slain in the Sanctuary of the Lord the young and the old lie on the ground My Virgins and my Young-men are fallen by the sword thou hast slain them in the Day of Thy Wrath thou hast killed and not spared Thou hast called as in a Solemn Day my Terrors round about so that in the day of the Lords wrath none escaped or remained Those that I have nourished and brought up hath mine Enemy consumed 2 Many particulars here set down by Ieremy are not so much as once intimated by the Sacred Story which describes the Siege by Nebuchadnezzar But no calamity either intimated by any Historical Relations of those times or prefigured in Ieremies complaint but in this later Siege by Titus is most exactly fulfilled as if the Lord had but sown the seeds of destruction desolation by Nebuchadnezzar which now being come to their ful growth ripeness this People must reap according to the ful measure of their Iniquity They are as dry Stubble the Romans as a consuming Fire Nebuchadnezzars Host perhaps slew some but had no occasion to make a General Massacre in the Temple destitute of Defendants ere it was taken the King and his greatest Cōmanders being first fled into the Wilderness nor was it destroyed until the heat of war was past and most of the People lead into Captivity But whilest in this later destruction by Titus it fel by the furious Heat Brunt of War the number of such as were either willing or forced to end their days with it was of all sorts exceeding Great and which was most Miserable many who had taken their Farewel of Life had bid Death Welcome revived again to renew their more then deadly Sorrows to reiterate their bitter Complaints which This Lamentable Accident could only teach them to Act aright and utter with such Tragical and Hideous Accent as was befitting a Calamity so Strange Fearful as never had been known before Even such as Famin had caused to faint having their Vocal Judgements clung together and their Eyes more then half closed up with death upon sight or noise of the Temples crackling in its last and Fatal Fire rowsed up their spirits and resumed their wonted strength to proclaim unto all Neighbour-Regions in shril and lowdest Out-cries That there was Never Any Sorrow like unto this Sorrow wherewith the Lord had afflicted them in the Day of his Fierce Wrath and yet they blow the fire which it had kindled ventilating and inlarging the devouring flame whose extinction the abundance of their Bloud did otherwise seem to threaten by violent Breathing out their last Breath into it The gastly Confusion of this Fearful Spectacle and hideous noise are so lively expressed by Josephus and others that they may well serve the Christian Reader as a map of Hellish misery I onely prosecute the fulfilling of Jeremies Prophecy in particulars related by Josephus as of The Womans Fating Her Child a Thing never heard of in that or any Nation before of the Priests Slaughter both in the Temple and after the destruction of it For Titus otherwise inclined to Mercy seeing it consumed by Fire which he sought by all means to save commanded such of the Priests as had escaped the flame in a By-room adjoyning to be Executed telling them It was fit they should perish with the Temple for whose sake might it have stood he willingly would have saved their lives Again the Massacre of the promiscuous multitude of women and children unfit for War are particularly described with all the circumstances by Josephus Book 7. Chapt. 11. of the Jewish Wars Of six thousand perswaded by a False Prophet to repair unto the Temple there to expect Signs from God of their deliverance not one Man Woman or Child escaped 3 Thus Moses fore-shews the grievous Plagues which hung over this Nations head but then a-far Off Jeremy after points out the Very Place where they shall fall our Saviour Christ onely knew the distinct Period of Time wherein Both the former Prophecies should be accomplished I will not trouble the Reader with Rehersal of particular Calamities fore-told by Him their observation is already made unto his hand by Eusebius and will apply themselves being compared with Josephus so perhaps will not some places of Scripture following though as much concerning the same times For the better understanding of which we must call to mind what was observed before That Hierusalem was the Lords own Seat and the Jews a People set apart by Him and distinguished of purpose from others to Exemplifie his Mercy and Justice in their Prosperity and Distresse Consequent hereunto his pleasure was that in the desolation of Jewry and destruction of the Temple other Nations should be put in mind of their mortality and not think in their hearts that these were Greater Sinners then any other Nation but rather that he who plagued them was Lord of the whole Earth as well as Jewry that the like and more Fearful Judgements did hang over their heads unlesse they would learn by the known Calamities of this People to avoid them So saith the Lord to All the Earth without Exception For Lo I begin to plague the City where my name is called upon and should you go free ye shall not go quit for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth saith the Lord of Hosts Therefore Prophecy thou against them all these words and say unto them The Lord shall roar from above and thrust out his voice from His Holy Habitation he shall roar upon his habitation and crie aloud as they that presse the grapes against all the inhabitants of the earth The sound shall come to the ends of the earth for the Lord hath a controversie with the Nations and will enter into judgement with All Flesh and he will give them that are wicked to the sword And thus saith the Lord God of Hosts Behold a plague shall go forth from Nation to Nation and a great whirl-wind shall be raised from the coasts of the earth and the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth they shall not be
Authoritie of some Books it rather ought to confirm his Faith that men disagreeing so much in many opinions so opposite in their affections should so well agree about the number of no fewer then two and twentie Canonical Books of the old Testament Had their authority only been Human or left to the choice of men whether they should be allowed or rejected many that now admit them would reject them because opposite Religions did embrace them That all sorts of Protestants Papists and Jews do receive them is an infallible Argument that he who is Lord of all did commend them to all Nor doth our Church so disclaim all which the Romans above these two and twenty admit as if it were a point of faith to hold there were no more it only admits no more into the same Rank and Order with the former because we have no such warrant of faith or sure Experiments so to do Many of them discover themselves to be Apocryphal and albeit some of them can very hardly or not at all be discerned for such by their Stile Character or dissonancie to Canonical Scriptures yet that none of them indeed are or can be admitted for Canonical without manifest tempting of God is evident from what hath been observed before concerning Gods unspeakable providence in making the Blinded and Perfidious Jews Christ's and our bitterest enemies such trusty Feoffees for making over the Assurances of Life unto us For seeing by them he commended unto us only so many Books of the old Testament as our Church acknowledgeth this is an intallible Argument that His will was we should admit no more Had any more been written before the re-edifying of the Temple by Zerubbabel no doubt the Jews would have admitted them into their Canon For all such as should be written after the Prophet Malachie who is the last of their Canon had left this caveat in the last words of his prophecie for not admitting them Remember the law of Moses my servant which I commanded to him in Horeb in all Israel with the statutes and judgments as if he had said You must content your selves with His Writings such as you have already Consonant to his for any others of equal Authoritie you may not expect until the Expectation of the Gentiles come For no Prophet shall arise untill that time as he intimates in the last words Behold I will send you Eliah the Prophet before the coming of the great and fearful day of the Lord and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers lest 〈◊〉 come and smite the earth with cursing The Ministery of others for converting souls he supposed should be but ordinarie by the Exposition of the Law and Prophets and the Authoritie of such writ they as much as they listed could not be Authentick or Canonical 3 Some others again of reformed Churches in these our times have from the example of Antiquitie doubted of the authoritie of some Books in the new Testament as of Jude of James the second of Peter and some others Which doubt is now diminished by their continuance in the sacred Canon so long time not without manifest documents of GODS providence in preserving â—hem whose pleasure it may seem was to have these Books of whom the Ancients most doubted fenced and guarded on the one side by S. Pauls Epistles and other Canonical Scriptures never called in question by any but absurd and foolish Hereticks whose humorous opinions herein died with themselves and on the other by the Book of the Apocalypse of whose Authoritie â—hough many of the Ancient for the time being doubted yet He that was before all times did fore-see that it should in later times manifest it self to be â—…is work by Events answerable to the Prophecies contained in it And albeit many Apocryphal Books have been stamped with Divine Titles and obâ—…uded upon the Church as Canonical whilest she was in her Infancie and the sacred Canon newly constitute yet the divine Spirit by which it was written hath wrought them out as new wine doth such filth or grossenesse as mingle with it whilest the grapes are troden S. Johns Adjuration in the conclusion of that Book hath not only terrified all for adding unto or diminishing it â—elf but hath been as it were a Seal unto the rest of this Sacred Volume of the new Testament as Malachies prophecie was to the old the whole Canon it self consisting both of the Old and New continues still as the Ark of God and all other Counterfeits as Dagon 4 Were not our Roman adversaries Doctrine concerning the general principles of Faith an Invention devised of purpose by Satan to obliterate all print â—r impression of Gods providence in governing his Church out of mens hearts how were it possible for any man endued with reason to be so far overgrown with Phrensie as not to conceive their own folly madnes in avouchâ—…g we cannot know what books are Canonical what not but by the Infallible Testimony of the present Romish Church But of those impieties at large hereafter I wil now only infer part of their Conclusion which they still labor but never shall be able to prove from Premises which they never dreamt of For 〈◊〉 profess among others this is not the least reason I have to hold the Apocalypse for Canonical Scripture because the Romish Church doth so esteem it Nor could reformed Churches Belief of its Authority be so strong unless that Church had not denied but openly acknowledged it for Canonical Scripture As the same Beams of the Sun reach from heaven to earth and from one end of the world to another so do the same raies of Gods power extend themselves from generation to generation alwaies alike conspicuous to such as are Illuminate by His Spirit for who thus Illuminate can acknowledg his providence in making the Jews so careful to preserve the old Testament and not as clearly discern the same in constraining the Romish Church to give her supposed infallible Testimony of the Apocalypse Doubtlesse if that Book had been the work of man it had been more violently used by that Church of late then ever the new Testrment hath been by the Jewish Synagogue or any Heretick by the Romanists seeing it hath said far more against â—hem then any whom they account for such ever did But God who â—ade Pharaohs Daughter a second mother unto Moses whom he had apâ—…ted to bring destruction afterwards upon her Fathers house and Kingâ—â—m hath made the Romish Church of old a Dry Nurse to preserve this Book whose meaning she knew not that it might bring desolation upon her self 〈◊〉 her children in time to come For by the breath of the Lord shall she be destroyed her doom is already read by S. John the Lord of late hath intangled her in her own snare whilest she was drawing it to catch others Her childrens Brags of their mothers
to possesse it then shalt thou put the blessing upon Mount Gerâ—…m and the curse upon Mount 〈◊〉 And elsewhere Moses chargeth the People saying These all sons of the free-woman shall stand upon Mount Geriâ—… to 〈◊〉 the peâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 â—e passe over Jordan Simeon and Levi and Judah and Iâ—â—aâ—har andâ—oseph â—oseph and Benjamin and these sons of the bond-woman shall stand 〈◊〉 Mount Eâ—al to â—urse Reuben Gad and Asher and Zebulon Dan and Nephtali 〈◊〉 the Levites shall answer and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voyce Cursed c Nor was this rehersall more strictly enjoyned by Moses then faithfully performed by Iosuah And all Israel and their Elders and Officers and their â—…ges stood on this side of the Ark and on that side before the Priests of the Levites which bear the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord as well the stranger as he that is born in the Countrey half of them were over against Mount Gerizim and half of them over against Mount Ebal as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded before that they should blesse the children of Israel Then afterward he read all the words of the Law the blessings and cursings according to all that is written in the book of the Law There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Josuah read not before all the Congregation of Israel aswell before the women and children as the stranger that was conversant among them The like solemnity was to be continued every seventh yeer as Moses commanded them saying Every seventh yeer when the yeer of freedom shall be in the feast of Tabernacles when all Israel shall come to appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall 〈◊〉 thou shalt read this Law before all Israel that they may hear it Gather the people together men and women and children and thy stranger that is within thy gates that they may hear and that they may learn and fear the Lord your God and keep and observe all the wordâ— of this Law and that their children which have not known it may hear it and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possesse it 5 Children were to be instructed first privately then publikely that the solemnity of the spectacle might work in them a modest fear and reverence without whose precedent impression true faith hardly findes entrance into the heart of man And without miracles it seldom takes but where the seed of it have been sowen in tender yeers nor doth it usually sink into younger breasts unlesse sucked in with admiration All that Moses all that Josuah all that Priests and Levites all that Parents or other Instructers private or publick could do to such all they aimed at was to propose the infallible word in such sort as might stir up their hearts to receive it with attention and admiration and afterwards to make sure triall of it alwayes sufficient to prove it self by their practise No instructer in that people ever taught his hearers either finally or jointly to rely upon the infallibility of his proposals 6 But the Jesuites heart though his mouth will not utter it thus indictes Did all this stir these Scripturians would seem to make or tatling parents daily invitation of their children to strict observance of this rule take such effect as Moses dreamed of in posterity No. But the reason why it did not was because they sought not in time to supplie the defect or raritie of miracles in latter with more frequent and solemne memorial of such as had happened in former ages or with more abundant meditation upon their written law and diligent observation of their ordinary successe alwayes correspondent thereunto Take heed to thy self saith Moses and keep thy soul diligently that thou forget not the things thine eyes have seen and that they depart not out of thine heart all the dayes of thy life but teach them thy sons and thy sons sons forget not the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb when the Lord said unto me Gather me the people together and I will cause them to hear my words that they may learn to fear me all the dayes that they shall live upon the earth and that they may teach their children The necessity of this and like premonitions was too well manifested by the event The people saith another Pen-man of the sacred Canon had served the Lord all the 〈◊〉 of Josuah and all the dayes of the Elders that out-lived Josuah which had seen all the great works of the Lord that he aid for Israel Not the avouchment or presence of infallible teachers but their sure experience of Gods power and mercy did more surely fasten this peoples assent unto the truth of that which Moses had left written then Moses live-personal proposal could do their Fathers to his words uttered in their audience But after that generation with whom Josuah had conversed was gathered unto their fathers and another generation arose after them which neither knew the Lord nor yet the works he had done for Israel then the children of Israel did weekenly in 〈◊〉 sight of the Lord and served Baal Whence it came to passe that whithersoever they went out the hand of the Lord was sore against them as the Lord has said and as the Lord had sworn unto them so he punished them sore Notwithstanding the Lord raised up Judges which delivered them out of the hands of their oppressors yet when the Iudge was dead they returned and did worse then their fathers in following others gods to serve them and worship them they ceased not from their own inventions nor from their rebellious way What rule then was left to reclaim them the infallible proposals of their Priests Though these or an Angel from heaven should have proposed any other Doctrine then what was consonant to their written law whose true meaning in this respect every one of them should have known Moses curse before mentioned had overtaken them following it So much were they addicted unto Baals Priests proposals that Angels could scarsly be heard though suggesting nothing but what their Law-giver had taught though assuring them by their presence of such assistance from their mighty God as he had promised Thus when the general of these heavenly souldiers sought to encourage Gideon The Lord is with thee thou valiant man He replies ah my Lord if the Lord be with us why then is all this come upon us and where be all his miracles which our Fathers told us of and said Did not the Lord bring us out of Egypt but now the Lord hath forsaken us and delivered us into the hand of the Midianites As if he had said I will not deny but the Lord hath done of old as our fathers have declared unto us Moses story I distrust not but am sure he hath
them over others and so many captivityes of their persons and desolations of their countries as others had wrought They remained still one and the same people by such a kinde of Unity as a great Oak is said One and the Same Tree from its sirsi Spring to its last Fall whether naked and berest of leaves by blasts of Autumn or Winters frost or stoyled of Boughs by the Loppers Ax or Beautified with pleasant Leaf or â—ar-spreading Branches If the glorie of other Kingdoms were more Splendent for a Flash presently to be extinguished as being greater then their corruptible nature was capable of this no way impeacheth Gods promise for making Abrahams Seed a Mighty Nation seeing it was not at any time so great a People as at all times it might have been had they observed the means appointed for their grouth How incomparable the Height of Sions Roof above other Nations might have been we may 〈◊〉 from the Capacity of her Foundations The known Altitude and continuance of her Wals though never finished to her Founders desire yet Such as whoso shall look upon with an unpartial eye must acknowledge ordained for Extraordinarie Strength and Creatnesse For take we this Kingdom with its defects what wonder can Revolutions of time afford like to this late mentioned That by such an Unity of Natural propagation from One Root almost perished before it sprouted distinct lineal succession never interrupted Abrahams Seed should continue One and the Same Nation for Two Thousand years sometimes the mightiest amongst Coeval Kingdoms a scourge and terrâ—ur to all neighbour Countries and after many greivous wounds and deadly in their estimation that gave them received from others still preserved alive to see the successive rise and fall of Three great and potent Monarchies yet able in decrepit dayes to hold play with the Fourth the mighâ—… that ever was on earth even whilest it was in it's Best Age full Strength and perfect Health free from any intestine Broyles secure of all external Assaults Much better were these Jews able to encounter the Roman Empire in Tacitus his life time then It within three hundred years after his death to defend the Imperial Seat against Barbarous silly and foolish Nations unhatched when the Roman Eagles wings were spread over the most famous Kingdoms of the earth Suppose the Roman Empire had received at the same time but half so terrible a blow in Italy as these Jews had done in Jury and Hierusalem under Vespasian and his Son how easily had the commotions of their Reliques in Trajans and Adrians times shaken the Roman yoak from off the Nations neck Or if the other ten Tribes return had been but half so entire and complete as Judahs and Benjamins were the Roman Eagles had never come to prey upon their Carkases in the territories of Judea But it was their Strong God which before had scattered Israel amongst the Nations and at the time appointed shut these Jews up in Hierusalem as in a Prison 2 Again other Kingdoms gained little by their greatnesse save onely Magnificent Names or swelling Titles No other people enjoyed so great proseritie so good cheap as This sometimes did and all times might have done No other had so good Assurance or Security of that Prosperitie or Peace they enjoyed as This People had unlesse themselves had made a wilful Forfeiture nor was the Publick Health or Welfare of any other State or Kingdom so fully communicated to every particular and inferiour member For usually the Titularie or abstract Brightnesse of that Glory wherewith other Great States outwardly seemed most to shine was maintained with the perpetual Harmes and internal secret Mischiefs of many private persons as Great Flames are not nourished without great store of Fuell whereas the prosperitie of Davids Throne as in other points so in this was established like the Moon that whilest They turned unto their God their State was capable of greatest Splendor without consumption of their natural parts or Substance And even whilest other States did for their Sins prevail against Theirs yet such Peers as had been principal Instruments of their wo and took Occasion to disgrace their Laws or Religion in their Captivitie and distresse had for the most part as was observed before Fearful and disasterous Ends and might more justly have taken up that complaint after their spoils of Jewry which Diomedes did after the destruction of Troy Quicunque Iliacos ferro violavimus Agros nefanda per Orbem Supplicia scelerum poenas expendimus Omnes What did Troys Fall or Phrygian Spoyles the Graecians State advance Whom Fearful Plagues Haunt through the world Such was the Victors chance Many of them no doubt before their dying day had observed as he did that they had fought against some God whilst they wrong'd this people and would have been as unwilling to bear Arms against them again as he was against the Reliques of the Trojans Nec mihi cum Teucris ullum post eruta Bellum Pergama nec veterum memini laetorve malorum With Troy my Splene to Trojans ceas't her flames quench th' heat of War I little Joy of what is past Rub not a Bleeding Scar. 3 For these and many like Consequents this people in the Issue and up-shot of their greatest calamities had both reason to rejoyce and the Heathens just cause to say The Lord had done great things for them albeit he often suffered them to be Conquered For even this Sicklinesse of their State was a means of its long life Their Scourges and Phlebotomies a Sign of Gods tender Care over their Health until they grew proud of his Favour and waxed obdurate by his often Fatherly corrections as one of their own writers well observes The Lord doth not long wait for us as for other Nations whom He punisheth when they are come to the Fulnesse of their Sins But thus He dealeth with us that our sins should not be heaped up to the Full so that afterwards He should punish us and therefore He never withdraws His mercy from us and though He punish with adversitie yet doth He never forsake his people 4 Finally their Decay and Increase was such as could not be measured by the Rules of Policie Hence was it that Tacitus was not tacitus but a Tatler transported from himself his wonted sagacity and ingenuitie as being quite out of his natural Element while he medled with their affairs That Contrarietie which he observes betwixt Theirs and the Romans Religion was as great betwixt their Policies What was good in the One was nought in the Other that which Rome did think might preserve her in health was apprehended by the wisest amongst this People as ready Poison for their State Those Plots which would have crushed any other People once brought under did oft work Their Advancement and their Enemies Fall Whence both their Rising and Falling and Consequently the Successe of such as opposed themselves against Them were in other Nations
mourned neither gathered nor buried but shall be as the dung upon the ground Howl ye sheep-herds and cry and wallow your selves in ashes ye principal of the flock for your dayes of slaughter are accomplished and of your dispersion and ye shall fall like Precious Vessels And the flight shall fail from the sheep-herds and the escaping from the Principal of the flock Thus when the City and Temple was first destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar all the Nations round about them were enforced to taste of the same Cup. Babylon her self that begun the Carouse which she meant not to Pledge hoping to make her self Sport to see others drunk with the Bloud of their slain was compelled at length to drink so deep of the dregs till as the Prophet speaketh all her strong-men did fall and her Princes slept their Everlasting Sleep This Prophecy notwithstanding concerns the Second Destruction of Hierusalem as literally as the former and sundry plagues here mentioned for ought that can be gathered from any History Sacred or Profane were not in any degree verified of the Nations in the dayes of Nebuchadnezzar or his Son But scarce any Nation was free from such calamities as are here described in the time of Titus and his Successors as shall be declared anon Rome her self which had rejoyced at Judahs misery and triumphed in Israels wo troden Hierusalem under her feet and given her dust and ashes for a covering to her Nakednesse was shortly after Pinched at the Heart with like Sorrows how soever her outward Robes of Majesty did cover her secret Wounds from their eyes that lived after or beheld her estate onely a-far off not acquainted with her inward Gripes or smothered Out-cries All is not Sound within that is Fair without nor they furthest from Danger who feel least pain for the Present such as since have lived securest neither regardful of Hierusalems misery nor the calamities of other Nations that ensued them altogether unacquainted with any like sorrows of their own times shall have their deepest share in the Horrors of that Dreadful Day whereof these were but Shadows and Maps to represent unto us in some proportion the Inconceiveable Affrightments that shall then appear But as no man knows of that Day and Hour so neither did the Prophets themselves distinctly conceive the manner of it They did see it onely in these Adumbrations which in processe of time grew still more lively The second destruction of Hierusalem and the Signs following it exceeds the former in the distinct prefiguration of the later day as much as a Map of a particular Country taken at large doth the representation of the same in a general Map of the whole Earth of like quantity And as Maps have a distinct quantity of their own easie to be known by sense but which no man measures so much for it self as for to know the Capacity of the Country which it represents so have most Prophecie of the old Testament a distinct Peculiar Natural or Literal sense Verified in the time of the Law which is not so much to be respected as the Mysteries of the Gospel or matters of the world to come prefigured by these Events past the most secret of which Mysteries after some one or few Circumstances be revealed may be distinctly known For the proportion of one Circumstance or Event with another is all one in the later and in the former so that by the distinct knowledge of the former we may discern the later after it be Parallel'd in any one part as by the measure of a Map we find out the quantity of the ground represented For this reason hath our Saviour Christ pictured us out The Last Day by the calamities of Hierusalem onely For under correction I should think that no one part of his Prophecy Mat. 24. from the 15. to the 36. Verse but is literally meant and hath been verified of Hierusalems Fatal Day and the times ensuing For so our Saviour concludes Verily I say unto you this generation shall not pass till All these things be done All what All he had spoken of before What did the Sign of the Son of mâ—n appear did he send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet to gather the Elect from the four winds No. Christ is not yet come the Elect are not thus gathered Yet upon Hierusalems destruction they had the Watch-word given the nations had then a glimpse of his Last Coming in Glory Then it Sounded the first time unto judgement and the Sun and Moon were seen in Tragical Attire that the whole world might take notice of such a Woful Tragedy towards as we expect wherein the whole Frame of Nature even the earth it self this Stage of Mortality shall be Actors and all Mankind were Then set to Learn their Parts Our Saviours coming with power and great glory mentioned in the ninth Verse must be understood in such a sense as he is said to have Come in his Kingdom or with Power at his Transfiguration And that first Verse of the ninth of Mark will best interpret the place above cited Mat. 24. 34. Sundry learned Interpreters I know expound both places otherwise But to omit the former for this present the continuation of our Saviours speech doth enforce this my Interpretation of Saint Matthew For having spoken of the calamities that were shortly to fall out in Judah and Hierusalem as all agree in the former verses he addeth Verss 29. And immediately after the tribulations of those dayes shall the Sun be darkned and the Moon shall not give her light and the Stars shall fall from heaven and the powers of heaven shall be shaken And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven and then shall all the kindreds of the earth mourn and they shall see the Son of man come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory and he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the four Windes and from the one end of heaven to the other Now learn A Parable of the Fig-tree when her bough is yet tender and it bringeth forth leaves ye know that Summer is near so likewise when ye see all these things know that the Kingdom of God is near even at the doors Verily I say unto you This Generation shall not passe till all these things be done Some refer these words immediately after to the troubles of the Church as if their meaning were this And immediately after God hath made an end of the troubles of his Church these Signs shall follow But who knows when that shall be whereas our Saviours words must be referred to those dayes whereof he had spoken which were comprised within determinate and set Bounds and would shortly manifest themselves so as all men might be certain when to expect those Signs which he promised to all the world for the confirmation of His Doctrine and their Faith The full
and natural meaning of the place is as if he had said When you have seen Hierusalems Fatal Day then look for such Signs in the Sun and Moon as I have told for the one doth Prognosticate the others Approach as certainly as the Budding of the Fig-tree doth Summer The like connexion of these fearful Signs with Hierusalems desolation we have in Saint Luke chapt 21. 25 Having spoken before onely of the tribulation of Hierusalem he continueth his speech Then there shall be signs in the Sun and in the Moon and in the Stars and upon the earth trouble amongst the Nations with perplexity the Sea and the Waters shall roar and mens hearts shall fail them for fear and for looking after those things which shall come on the world For the Powers of Heaven shall be shaken and then shall they see the Son of man come in a cloud with power and great glory And when these things begin to come to passe then look up and lift up your Heads for your Redemption draweth near And he spake to them a Parable Behold the Fig-tree and all trees when they now shoot forth ye seeing them know of your own selves that Summer is then near so likewise ye when ye see these things come to passe know ye that the Kingdom of God is near Verily I say unto you this generation shall not passe till All These Things be done As we are bound by Christian Faith to Believe that this Prophecy is not yet but shall be Fully accomplished at the last Day so in truth I should suspect my Heart of Infidelity if I did not acknowledge it truly verified in such a sense as I have intimated immediately after the destruction of Hierusalem The former Distinction of Our Saviours Coming in Power or to present the terrors of the last Day and His last coming unto Judgement Indeed he himself hath intimated for he gave his Disciples infallible Signs when they might certainly expect the former verse 33. Heaven and earth shall passe c. but of that day and hour to wit of the last judgement no man no not the Angels of Heaven but my father only knoweth As if he had said This last day shall not come with such Observation as the former will the Signs here described shall not Prognosticate but accompany it In the Former there were signs in the Sun and Moon but in the Later both Sun and Moon shall cease to â—e In the Former the powers of Heaven were shaken the Earth did tremble and the Sea did roar in the Later The Heavens shall be gathered like a scroll and passe with away a noise the elements shall melt with heat and the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt the Sea shall be no more the whole Frame of Nature shall be dissolved on a suddain and such as until that time mind earthly matters confining their thoughts within this Sphere of Mortality shall be intrapped in the ruines and prest down to Hell with the weight of it Onely such as being In this world are not Of it but have their Conversation in Heaven where their Redemer sits at the right hand of GOD shall escape these suddain and fearful dangers as Birds that are without the Compasse of the Trap when it begins to fall Seeing it will be too late for men to begin their Belief Then too late to flie from death when destruction hath surprised them or to cry for Mercy first when Gods Judgments begin to seize upon the World The Atheist or carelesse Worlding may gather both the Terrors and Calamity of that Day from the often-mentioned lively representation of it under Titus for even in his time the Heavens and the Earth did threaten to passe away that all the world might know Christs words should not passe away The fire of Gods wrath which Moses had foretold should eat the Foundations of the Mountains in Jewry and such as Josephus tels us had been krndled in the Holy Mount did devour the Foundations of the Mount Vesuvius in Campania The Consequences thereof with other Prodigious Concomitants were so strange and fearful that if we compare the Ingenious Heathen Historiographers description of them with the fore-cited place of S. Luke his Relation doth as fully answer our Saviours Prediction as the Historical narrations of Events past contained in Scripture do the Prophecies that had gone of them before 4 The suddain Earthquakes were so Grievous that all the Valley was sultering hot and the tops of the Mountains sunk down under the ground were noises like Thunder answered with like Bellowings above The Sea roared and the Heavens resounded like noise huge and great Crashings were heard as if the Mountains had fallen together great stones leaped out of their places as high as tops of Hils and after them issued abundance of Fire and Smoke in so much that it darkened the Air and obscured the Sun as if it had been Eclipsed so that night was turned into day and day into night Many were perswaded that the Giants had raised some Civil Broyls amongst themselves because they did see their Shapes in the smoke and heard a noise of Trumpets others thought the World should be resolved into the old Chaos or consumed with Fire some ran out of their Houses into the Streets others from the Streets or High-wayes into their Houses others from Sea to Land some again from the Land to the Sea So Dion 〈◊〉 66. 5 These questionlesse were The Signs of the Son of Man that made all the Kindreds of the Earth thus Mourn For the Calamity was Publick the Abundance of Ashes and Dust was such that it over-spread Egypt Africk and Syria choaking not onely Men but Beasts and Birds poysoning Fishes and spoyling the grounds where it came The inhabitants of Rome whither this infection came a few dayes after the fire kindled in Campania thought that the Frame of the World had been out of joynt that the Sun did fall down to the earth and the earth ascend up to heaven And albeit the ashes and dust did not such present harm there as it had done every where else yet it bred a most grievous Pestilence breaking out not long after and in the year following whilest Titus went to view the calamities of Campania a great part of Rome was burnt by fire issuing out of the ground Amongst other harms these following were most remarkable It consumed the Temple of Serapis of Isis of Neptune the Pantheon the Diribitorium the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus unto which the Jews were not long before enjoyned to pay that Tribute which they formerly had done to the Temple of Hierusalem Thus though the Ark be taken yet will it be the Downfal of Dagon their chief God that took it and though Hierusalem lay buried in her Ruines for her Peoples grievous Sins yet shall hers as All Sacred Pensions Sacrilegiously employed devour the Seats of their possessors But what can we more say then
have been so frequent among the Nations presently after Jerusalems destruction and the Extirpation of the Jews were added as so many Seals to assure the Truth of the Prophets and Gospel and to testifie both to Jew and Gentile That if either the one did follow his Jewish Sacrifice or the other his wonted Idolatrie after the Truth of Gods new Covenant with Mankind was Sealed and proclaimed There remained no more sacri fice for sins but a fearful looking for of judgement and violent fire that there was no other name under Heaven able to save them from such everlasting Flames as they now had seen some Flashes of but only the Name of Jesus whom the Jew had crucified So the Prophet Joel concludes Whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord that is of Jesus for now all Israel might know for a surety that God had made that Jesus whom they had Crucified both Lord and Christ He shall be saved The fruits of calling upon the name of the Lord and that distinction betwixt the state of the Elect and Reprobate intimated by the Prophet in the last Verse of that Chapter shall be most fully manifested in the Day of Judgement For such as have watched and prayed continually alwayes expecting their Masters Coming shall upon the first apprehension of his approach lift up their Heads as knowing that their Redemption draweth neer But for the Riotous or carelesse liver he shall not be able to stand before the Son of Man instead of calling upon his Name he shall cry unto the Hills Cover me and to the Mountains Fall ye upon me Yet was the same distinction between the Reprobate and the Elect truly notified by the confident Carriage of the Christians in those fearful times lately mentioned which did so much affright the Heathen as we may gather from Antoninus the Emperours Decree inhibiting the Christians persecution by the Commons of Asia It seems the other had accused the Christians as Hurtful Persons and offensive to the Gods unto which the Emperour makes Reply in this manner I know the Gods are careful to disclose hurtful persons for they punish such as will not worship them more grievously then you do those whom you bring in trouble confirming that opinion which they conceive of you to be wicked and ungodly Men It shall seem requisite to admonish you of the Earthquakes which have and do happen amongst us that being therewith moved ye may compare our estate with theirs They have more Confidence to God-wards than You have I will shut up this Discourse for the present with that Saying of our Saviour Remember Lots Wife and His Exhortation Take heed to your selves lest at anytime your Hearts be oppressed with Sâ—rfetting and Drunkennesse and Cares of this Life and lest that Day come on you unawares for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the Face of the whole Earth So did the former Calamities in Titus and Trajans time which were as the Dayes of Noah They ate they drank and rose up to play and when they said Pax tutaomnia suddain destruction came as an unexpected Actor upon the Stage For as you heard before one Cause of the great Concourse unto Antioch at that direful Season was to see Playes and Prizes and in the former under Titus two whole Cities were overwhelmed with the Tempest of Gods Wrath while the Citizens were sitting in the Theatre So must all such Fruitlesse Spectacles or pleasant but unseasonable Comedies be concluded with their Spectators Tragedie in the Catastrophe of this great and spacious Amphitheatre All that follows till you come at the 9th Paragraph was An APPENDIX in the former Edition yet set before the whole Book and so must be accounted and allowed for in the Reading ALbeit Lawful in every Age it hath been to Vary if without dissension from former Interpreters in unfolding divine Mysteries without Censure of Irregularity so the Explication be Parallel to the Analogie of Faith yet partly to clear my self from all Suspicion of Affecting Novelties partly more fully to satisfie the ingenious and unpartial Reader I have thought good to acquaint him with Some Observations which have almost beâ—â—othed my mind unto that exposition of our Saviours Words related by Saint Matthew and Saint Luke which I here commend to his Christian consideration That happily will cause others to suspend their Judgements which for a long time did retard my Perswasion and inhibit my Assent unto the Truth I here deliver For albeit the Reasons alledged seemed very probable whilest weighed apart but far more pregnant from comparing the Concurrence of all Circumstances which led me to that opinion yet on the other side strange it seemed that my best grounds being borrowed from the relation of Antiquity no Ancient Writer living shortly after those times should have observed the like But whilst I considered again how the Almighty whether in his just Judgement for the Sins of that present or in his Wisdom and Mercy for the greater good of future Generations had deprived us of all their sacred Meditations that lived about Titus's time or immediately after both Effects as I conceived might have One the same just Cause though secret and onely known to God not fit for us to make any further Inquiry after theâ—… might stir us up to true Admiration of his Wisdome And truly Admirable his Wisdom seemed in this that the Canon of the new Testament being finished in the most known Tongue then extant in the World in which respect besides others The Gospel of the Kingdom might be truly said to be preached through The Whole for a witnesse to all Nations he would have it Severed from all other Writings as well by the Subsequent as Precedent Silence of Ecclesiastical Sacred Writers He that would not have any Prophet in Israel after the Erection of the Second Temple would not for the same Cause onely known to Him have any Writings of men otherwise most religious and devout to be extant in the Age immediately following the Gospels Promulgation that it thus shining like a Solid or compact glorious Star in the Transparent Sphere Environed every where with Vacuity might more clearly Manifest â—t Self by its own Light to be Supercelestial Necessary it was the Period of that Generation wherein our Saviour lived and died should have the Divine Truth of his Gospel confirmed unto them by Signs as the Prophet speaks In the heavens and in the earth to increase their Care and diligence in commending it to Posterity who were to rely on it immediately not on their Fore-fathers relation of Signs past The like or more effectual and as fully answerable to the Rules set down in it they could not want so long as they carried souls or minds careful to observe and practise what is prescribed And who knows whether the Lord had not appointed that the serious consideration of those Prodigious Signs which followed the publishing of the
death of a sinner but rejoyceth at his Repentance If we be wanting to our selves in the Practise of these Rules the Popes infallible Authoritie shall never be able to supply our Negligence his Blessing where God hath laid his Curse shall do as little good as Balaams endeavour to Curse the Israclites did them harm whom God had Blessed Observing the former Precepts well the Word of God which these men belike out of their own Experience challenge of Obscurity should be a Lantern unto our feet and a Light unto our paths as it was unto Davids 2 For the Readers further Satisfaction may it please him but unpartially to consider what two of the most-learned Jesuites in matters of moderne Controverses could answer unto this last place of the Psalmist 〈…〉 would have two strings to his deceitfull and broken Bow 〈◊〉 saith he it may be answered that the Psalmist speaks not of all Scriptures but of the Commandements onely If this answer of his could stand for good it would serve as a new Supporter to our former Assertion grounded on our Saviours words in the seventh of John For thus the Commandements 〈◊〉 not be Obscure but a Lantern unto our feet and if we follow them they will be as I have shewed before a perfect Light unto us to discern tro Doctrine from false And in this respect all good Commandements not the Decalogue or these Ten onely are properly a Light whereby we may clearly know as to avoid Evil so to discern that which is Good And by this Light was David conducted unto that true Wisdom which his enemies wanted †By thy Comman dements thou hast made me wiser then mine enemies But what reason had Bellarmine to think that David in the forementioned verse should mean the Commandements onely For there he saith plainly thy Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is much more generall then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corrmandements or Testimonies yet David saith That he had more understanding then all his Teachers not the infallible Teacher that sate if any such there were in Moses Chair excepted So that his Commandements are a Light his Testimonies a Light and his Word a Light And the best 〈◊〉 as well Theirs as Ours take these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commandements Words promiseuously thorowout this whole Psalm Any one of these most of all the most generall of all Words sâ—gnisie at least all Scripture which serves for mans Direction in the way of Life 3 None can be restrained to the Decalogue onely This Bellarmine saw well enough Wherefore his second Answer is It may it must be granted that he speaks of all or rather of the whole Scripture But the Scriptures saith he are called a Lanterne and a Light non quia facile intelligantur not because they are Perspicuous and easie to be understood sed quia intellects cum fuerint illustrant mentem but because when they are understood they Illuminate the Mind or Understanding This much we have said before and still do grant that the Scriptures are not plain and easie unto All live they as they 〈◊〉 nor do they shine unto Such as are Blinded in the Pride Vanitie or Corruption of their Hearts yet a Light in themselves and a Light to all that Love not Darkâ—… more than Light A Light not after they are understood for a David got true understaning by their Light whose Propertie is as well to thew the way how to avoid that Blindnesse which causeth them to seem obscure as to illuminate the clear-sighted For as by the Sun we see what Bodies are 〈◊〉 transparent or penetrable by its light so by Scriputres we discerne what be the Obstacles that hinder the intromission of their Splendour in it self and for it self most apparent into our Hearts And the Glimpse of their 〈◊〉 Beams appearing thorow the Chinks and ruptures of that Veil of Corruption which Nature hath woven about the eye-sight of our Souls doth enlighten us so far as we begin to desire the Veils removal that we may have a full fruition of their marvellous and comfortable Light as men in the Morning after long and irksom Darknesse unlesse desirous with the sluggard in the Proverbs to have a little more sleep are occasioned to open their Windows when they see the Sun-beams appear in at the Chinks My meaning is those Precepts whereof I spake before to learn Humilitie and Meeknesse Gods Threatnings to sinners his sweet Promises to the Penitent to pray for Wisdom from above and infinite other like are so Perspicuous and clear that they cannot but find entrance into Enveiled if not withall maliciously Wilfull or sluggish Hearts and finding entrance cannot but suggest Considerations what their former Life hath been and whereunto their now professed Hopes do call them that now it is time they should arise from sleep seeing Salvation draweth neerer then when they first Beleeved that the Night is past and the Day at hand therefore time to cast away the works of Darknesse and put on the armour of Light to walk honestly as in the Day not in Gluttory and Drunkennesse neither in Chambering and Wantonnesse nor in Strife and Envie Unto Hearts thus prepared the Scriptures need no other Commendation then their own no infallible Proposers Authority to illustrate or confirm their Truth more then the Sun doth a more glorious Star to manifest his Brightnesse unto men indued with perfect sight For unto such as walk like Children of the Gospels Light nothing necessarie to their Souls health can be hid in Darknesse not the Day of Destruction which shall come as a snare upon other Inhabitants of the earth can steal upon them as a thief in the night 4 But unto Infidels Haughtie and Proud-minded men unto such as delight in Sin and love to sleep in sinfull Pleasures unto such as scorn to be controlled in their Courses the Light of Gods Word if it once shine or send some scattered Raies into their hearts it shines not so again for they draw a Curtain and spread the Veil lest further intromission of such Beams might interrupt their pleasant sleep This did Luther well teach had he been as well understood that the Scripture was onely Obscure or difficult unto Infidels or proud minds But Bellarmine replies At certè David non erat superbus aut infidelis Surely David was neither a proud man nor an Infidell and yet the Scripture was Obscure and difficult to him Let him be accounted both that thinks David was either a proud man or an Infidell But the Question is not whether he were but what was the Cause he was not such was it not the Perfection of Gods Law which did convert his soul was it not the Certainty of Gods Testimonies that gave Wisdom unto his Simplicitie Yes by these Precepts he had gotten understanding to have all the wayes of Falshood And except that Law had been his delight he had perished in his Affliction How then doth
Christ said thou art Peter that is say they a Rock an Head a Foundation in my place Unto whom was this said to one of the twelve expressed by name Simon the son of Jona To whom likewise singulalised by the same expresse terms of individual difference and like restraint of present circumstances or occurrences it was said Feed my Lambs feed my sheep If any of Christs speeches as the Popes advocates grant many were personally directed to Saint Peter questionlesse these two By what Analogie of Faith or rule of Grammer can they thâ—â— extend these to every Pope in his generation or if any such there have been or yet may be unto whom the Foeminine title of Petra by right of Sex may better agree then unto Simon Bar-Jona Yet might the Name or Title Infallible draw the supream Dignity after it they are much overseen in not giving the name of Peter to every Pope Christ they confesse is come in the flesh and was in person made head and foundation of the Church and at his departure left Peter in his stead Peter the Scriptures tell us was to follow Christ but as they pretend left Pope Linus in his place so hath every Pope his successor since that time Yet these later mightily fail in not nominating others whiles they themselves are living and visible stones as Christ without question did Saint Peter whiles conversant with the faithful in the flesh and Peter Linus in his life time 20 But howsoever they must of necessity either make Peter Linus and their successors but one joynt permanent Foundation and so the Popes should not be builded upon the foundation of the Prophets and the Apostles but rather Christs other Apostles upon them upon whom likewise all the faithful since the Apostles time should be immediately built Or if they do not make Peter and the Popes one joynt unseparable Foundation they must admit as many several foundations as Popes so as the everlasting Rock whereon the Church is built could not be truly said one and the same but by a perpetual Equivalency of alteration or succession as we say corruptible Elements fire or water or candles remain one and the same because as one part consumes another as good comes in the place This glorious Edisice as hath been observed stands only by Faith or firm adherence to the Foundation and by the Adversaries own confession to disclaim the authority of the pressent Romish Church or Pope in points of faith is an Heresie or Apostasie of the same nature as if a man had renounced Peter for his supream head and this all one as if he had cut himself off from being a member of Christ Wherfore in respect of us that are now to be edisied the authority of this present Pope is equivalent to Christs our adherence to the one in points of faith and manners must be such as it should have been to the other had we lived in the dayes of his visible conversation in the world Finally CHRIST S. Peter and his successors in regiment of the Church militant here on earth differ by the Roman account no otherwise then Romulus Numa Ancus c. Romulus was first Founder of that kingdom but left other of kings of the same rank and order he was only his dignity after his departure was acknowledged greater in another world because as his people were made to believe he ascended alive into heaven as a God Much better might the Romanist derive his Pseudo-catholick-Roman faith from Romulus the first builder of that great City that sometimes ruled 〈◊〉 the Kings of the earth then from Christ who did erect a kingdom indeed but not of this world wherein none was to succeed him becauâ—e he remains Yesterday today The Same for ever Whence the Prophâ—t 〈◊〉 this kingdom shall never be destroyed or given to another people but sâ—… and destroy all former kingdomes and it self stand for ever For any â—… of that 〈◊〉 whose former kings had put this Immortal King to â—… to â—…ile themselves Rocks and â—… or absolute spiritual Monarchies â—… evidently shew they are the Feet of that image most of which have been and shall be broken to pieces by that stone cut out without hands out of the Mountain until it become like the chaffe of the summer flowers carried away with the wind and no place be found for them or as the Apostle interprets the Prophet the Lord shall consume them with the spirit of his mouth and shall abolish them with the brightnesse of his coming 21 Would the Jesuite then know wherein he and his Latian Lord God must take after S. Peter methinks their formal acknowledgement of that general principle Christ manifested in the flesh and made the head stone in the corner compared with their late mentioned Apostacy in seeking to lay another foundation was lively resembled if not mystically prefigured by Saint Peters faith immediately after his glorious confession eclipsed by interposition of such earthly conceits as perpetually darken their minds For upon our Saviours declaration what bodily calamity what ignominy and reproach should at Jerusalem shortly after befal the Rock it self whereupon that Church against which he had now said the gates of hell should never prevail was founded Peter as Saint Matthew saith took his Master aside and friendly checks him as if he had forgotten his former promise Master be good to your self this shall not be unto you As if he had said if the gates of hell shall not prevail against your Church or us your poor Disciples I hope you are able to priviledge your own person from such disgrace and scorn as none but they can intend against you So carnally did this great Apostle upon ignorance conceit Christs spiritual promise as the Papacy upon habitual or affected error doth to this present day For one principal argument most usual in the mouthes and pens of that great Heads chief disciples to prove the Romish the only Church unto which that glorious promise was made or at least hath been perpetually performed is because no temporal or secular power hath ever been able though many wicked Potentates Kings and Emperours such titles they give to all their enemies have attempted either to deface her external pomp state and splendor or so to use the Popes or Cardinals or other of her principal and dearest children as the Jews did our Saviour Christ and his Disciples They are of the world and therefore speak they of the world and the world heareth them But could they unto any child of God more plainly prove themselves heirs to that check given by our Saviour to S. Peter Go behind me Satans ye are an offence because ye understand not the things that are of God but the things that are of men Could they more evidently demonstrate the Pope to be That Man of Sin that must be inducted to the Church of God by Satan ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chief
repugnant to the end of this Precept were forbidden The end of the Sabbath was to sanctifie themselves unto the Lord to set forth his praise both in words and works Such works then onely are here forbidden as did distract the mind or make men unapt to hear read or meditate on heavenly matters all works of secular vocation or private consequence which might hinder mens endeavours for procuring the health or wel-fare of others not works of charity or present necessity not works tending to greater publick good or to the avoidance of greater harmes which could not be prevented but by present working for men are to read hear and meditate upon Gods Word that by it they may be fruitfull in good deeds by which Gods Name is more immediately glorified then onely by speaking well and not doing so Wherefore oru Saviour Christ did better observe the Sabbath by working upon it to save mens lives or recover their health then the Pharisees did by abstaining from such works of mercy as might have glorified Gods Name more immediately then any speculative or precise Rules how it should be kept Yea by not working these good works when fair occasion was offered they did the works of Satan even murther it self as our Saviour Christ implies in that question proposed unto the Scribes and Pharisees which sought an accusation against him I will ask you a question whether it is lawfull on the Sabbath dayes to do good or to do evil to save life or to destroy it 9 The like limitations this precept had in case of necessity or for the avoidance of some great extraordinary calamity not otherwise avoidable then by doing such works as upon ordinary and daily occasions were unlawfull to be done upon the Sabbath day It was an opinion received as it seems amongst the Jews that they might not fight nor build the breaches or places whereby their enemies did hope for entrance upon the Sabbath In this perswasion about the number of a thousand Jewes did lay down their lives But when Matthias heard of this his people and Countrey mens massacre more general then it needed to have been but for this their strict and precise interpretation of the former general commandment he and his friends wisely resolved Whosoever should come to make battell with us upon the Sabbath day we will fight against them that we die not all as our brethren that were murdered in the secret places Which they might have stopped but would not for fear of violating the Sabbath The reason of this their resolution contained in the 40 verse was most strong drawn from the end of the Sabbath For they said one to another If we all do as our brethren have done and fight not against the Heathen for our lives and for our Lawes then shall they incontinently destroy us out of the earth And if the whole Jewish Nation had been at that time utterly rooted out who should either have sanctified Gods Sabbaths or preserved his Lawes from the injurie of times or fury of the Heathen Nature had taught the Heathen that it was foolish propter vitam vivendi perdere causas much more might religious discretion teach all men how preposterous a course it were for the precise keeping of one to crosse or overthrow the end of all Sabbaths 10 Yet our Adversaries I am sure cannot bring any precept so peremptory or general for absolute obedience unto the High Priests and Governours as the former was for not working upon the Sabbath And yet this we see â—…ts restraint from the End and holds onely absolutely true in certain kind of works not in all The like restraint either from the End or from the Circumstances may all those places likewise suffer which seem to be most general for absolute obedience unto Gods messengers or spiritual governours 11 The end of obeying Gods messengers is that men thereby may obey God himself Suppose then God had said Thou shalt obey the Priest in all things whatsoever he shall command thee A Wise man not withstanding all this would thus resolve Suppose the Priest command me to do that in doing which I shall disobey God or to omit that continually in performing of which I sboul I obey God am I bound to obey him in all such commands so should I frustrate the End of the Law and commit the same offence by this my Blind Obedience which others do by presumptuous and wilfull disobedience unto spirituall governours But it will be replied who shall judge whether the spiritual Governour command thee such service as argues disobedience unto God or no If the case be Doubtfull and I be commanded by my lawfull Pastor I have answered already in what sence obedience must be performed But if the case be Evident men must openly disobey their Pastors before they certainly disobey God But who shall judge of the Evidence Every mans conscience Shall that then be Evident which every man shall say is Evident unto him No but what in deed and conscience is and so shall appear in his judgement that searcheth the heart and reins Such as do not fear his censure will make no conscience of disobeying men pretending authority from him Such as with fear and trembling expect the Son of mans appearance will not much esteem how they be judged by men further then in reason they may be perswaded their sentence shall be ratified in the last day of judgement And because God hath endued spiritual Governours with power of retaining and remitting sins every one that fears him which gave will fear to disobey them to Whom this power is given lest if they retain he will not remit and retain they justly may or rather must the sins of all such as adde thirst to drunkennesse contempt of Gods Messengers summons to repentance unto actual breaches of his Law This is as open rebellion upon a riot perhaps first attempted upon ignorance of the Law inconsideratenesse or foolish passion but continued after Proclamation made in the Kings Name by a publick Magistrate authorized for such purposes The parties admonished upon such high termes to desist from any suspitious enterprise though no more must be certain of the Princes or chief Law-givers future approbation of what they go about if they persist otherwise disobedience to a lawful Magistrate or inferiour Officer will be found rebellion against the State or Soveraignty 12 Though it be most true what hath been before delivered that unto Pastors conditional obedience is onely due yet is not the condition precedent to all acts of obedience but subsequent at least to some and to be inserted by way of Limitation or Caution for desisting upon discovery of farther danger rather then interposed as a stop to breed delay or prohibition of all obedience untill evident proof be made that it is expresly due in the particulars enjoyned The want of this distinction between a condition Precedent and a condition Subsequent or annexed unto actual obedience