Friend which prevailed with me as the Merit of the man which Extracted it and made me resolve rather to run any hazard of my own Reputation then not to pay the Honours due to his Memory The Respect and Interest which he gained in the hearts of all men that he conversed with and most from them that knew him best was too great to be buried in this Grave or to be extinct with his Person A good Name is compared to a rich and pleasant Odour which not only affects the Sense whilest he that wears it is in presence but fils the the house and makes you enquire who had been there although the Party be gone out of the Room For his Birth He was descended from a very worthy Family in the Bishoprick of Durham His Life seemed to be Consecrated to Vertue and the Liberal Arts from his very child-hood He had a natural Propensity to Learning from which no other Recreation or Employment could divert him He was first designed by his Parents to be a Merchant in Newcastle where many of his near Friends and Alliance lived in great Wealth and Prosperity but neither could that Temptation lay hold upon him Therefore at the instance of a Noble Lord he was sent to the University of Oxford for which highly esteemed Favour he returns his solemn thanks in the very First Words and Entrance of this Book He was first Planted in Queens Colledge under the Care and Tuition of the Profound D. Crakanthorp and from thence removed to Corpus Christi Colledge who although he had no notice of the vacancy of the Place till the day before the Election yet he Answered with so much readiness and applause that he gained the admiration as well as the Suffrages of the Electors and was chosen with full Consent although they had received Letters of Favour from Great Men for another Scholer A sure and Honourable Argument of the incorruptedness of that Place when the peremptory Mandamus of the Pious Founder Nec prece nec pretio presented with the Merits of a young man and a Stranger shall prevail more then all other Sollicitations and Partialities whatsoever This Resolution hath been often assured unto me from one of the Electors yet living M. John Hore of West Hendred a man of Reverend years and Goodness There was now a welcome necessity layd upon him to preserve the High Opinion which was conceived of him which he did in a Studious and Exemplary Life not subject to the usual intemperances of that Age. Certainly the Divel could not find him idle nor at leisure to have the Suggestions of Vice whispered into his ear And although many in their youthful times have their Deviations and Exorbitancies which afterwards prove Reformed and Excellent men Yet it pleased God to keep him in a constant Path of Vertue and Piety He had not been long admitted into this place but that he was made more Precious and better Estimated by all that knew him by the very danger that they were in suddenly to have parted with him For walking out with others of the Younger company to wash himself He was in imminent peril of being Drowned The Depth closed him round about the Weeds were wrapt about his head He went down to the bottom of the Mountains the Earth with her bars was about him for ever yet God brought his soul from Corruption Jonah 2. 5 6. that like Moses from the flags for the future Good of the Church and Government of the Colledge where he lived there might be preserved the meekest man alive or like Jonas there might be a Prophet revived as afterwards he proved to forwarn the people of ensuing destruction if peradventure they might Repent and God might revoke the Judgements pronounced against them and spare this great and sinful Nation It was a long and almost incredible space of time wherein he lay under water and before a Boat could be procured which was sent for rather to take out his Body before it floated for a decent Funeral then out of hopes of recovery of Life The Boatman discerning where he was by the bubling of the water the last signs of a man Expiring thrust down his hook at that very moment which by happy Providence at the first Essay lighted under his arm and brought him up into the Boat All the parts of his Body were swollen to a Vast proportion and although by holding his head downward they let forth much water yet no hopes of Life appeared therefore they brought him to the Land and lapped him up in the Gowns of his Fellow-Students the best shrowd that Love or Necessity could provide After some warmth and former means renewed they perceived that Life was yet within him conveyed him to the Colledge and commended him to the skil of Doctor Channel an Eminent Physitian of the same House where with much Care Time and Difficulty he recovered to the equal joy and wonder of the whole Society All men concluded him to be reserved for High and Admirable Purposes His grateful Acknowledgements towards the Fisherman and his Servants that took him up knew no limits being a constant Revenue to them whil'st he lived For his thankfulness to Almighty God no heart could conceive nor Tongue express it but his own often communicating the Miracle of Divine mercy in his deliverance and resolving hereafter not to live to himself but to God that raiseth the dead Neither did he serve God with that which cost him nothing I must ranck his abundant CHarity and Riches of his Liberality amongst the Virtues of his first years as if he would strive with his Friends Patron and Benefactors Utrum illi largiendo an ipse dispergendo vinceret Whether they should be more bountiful in giving or he in dispersing Or that he was resolved to pay the Ransome of his life into Gods Exchequer which is the Bodies of the Poor His heart was so free enlarged in this kind that very often his Alms-deed made him more Rich that received it then it left him that gave it His progress in the study of Divinity was something early because as he well considered the journey that he intended was very far yet not without large and good Provisions for the way No man made better use of Humane knowledge in subservience to the Eternal Truths of God produced more Testimonies of Heathens to convert themselves and make them submit the Rich Presents of their Wise-Men to the Cradle and Cross of Christ He was furnished with all the Learned Languages Arts and Sciences as the praevious dispositions or Beautifull Gate which led him to the Temple but especially Metaphysicks as the next in attendance and most necessary Hand-maid to Divinity which was the Mistress where all his thoughts were fixed being wholly taken up with the Love and admiration of Jesus Christ and him Crucified The Reading to younger Scholers and some Employments imposed by the Founder were rather Recreations and Assistances then divertisements from
and charges Thus from perfection oft-times springs defect whilest judgement too much over-growing fancie and drying up that kind affection whereby the fruit and vertue of one soul is diffused unto another makes men more jealous of diminishing the high estimate of their fore-prized worth then zealous of their inferiours good which many times might be reaped in greatest abundance from such labours as yeeld least contentment to their Authors In this respect alone can I gratulate my imperfections hoping that as my meditations can neither please the delicate for their form nor inform the judicious for their matter so they may prove neither offensive for the one nor unfruitfull for the other unto many of a middle and inferiour rank At the least I trust they will occasion some others whom God hath blessed with better abilitie and opportunitie to hunt that out which in this long range I may chance to start or make full conquest of that goodly field wherein that inestimable pearl lies bid for whose discovery these my travels may happily yeeld some observations not impertinent To this end have I purposely trained my wits to untroden pathes to adventure on new passages unto that true treasure which all of us traffick for oft-times one to anothers hindrance the more because we beat one place too much when as many others might afford us the same or greater commodities better cheap Though the truth be one yet it is not alwayes of one shape whiles we look upon it divers wayes The Mine wherein it lies is inexhaustible oft-times more full of drosse and rubbidge where most have digged and though the inward substance of it be the same yet the refining of it admits variety of inventions Do not prejudice me charitable Reader so much as in thy secret censure as if these premises might seem to argue my dissent in any conclusions which our Church professeth the event I trust shall acquit me and condemn all my accusers if any I have and how I stand affected in points of spiritual obedience to my superiours thou mayest be informed if it please thee but to peruse some few sheets of these my first-fruits which I presume thou wilt surely thou oughtest ere thy censure passe upon me If in the explication of some Points I fully accord not with some well esteemed domestick Writers I trust Sarahs free-born children may enjoy that priviledge amongst themselves which is permitted the sons of Hagar in respect of their brethren though all absolute bondmen to their mother Yet that I do not thus far dissent from any of my mothers children upon emulation or humour of contradiction thou wilt rest satisfied upon my sincere religious protestation That the whole fabrick of this intended work was set and every main conclusion resolved upon before I read any English Writer upon the arguments which I handle From some indeed which had written before me I have since perceived a direct dissent in one or two points of moment but wherein they had in my judgement contradicted the most judicious Writers of our Church and all Antiquitie I am acquainted with more rashlie then I would do the meanest this day living Yet shall they or whosoever of their opinion find the manner of my disputing with them such as shall not I trust exasperate howsoever the dissonance of matter may dislike them For outlandish or forrain Latin Writers I must ingeniously confesse when I first laboured to be instructed in the fundamental principles of faith and manners some points which I much wished I found they had not handled in others wherein I misliked nothing as unsound I could not alwayes find that full satisfaction which me thought a more accurate Artist for a mean one I was then my self would require The greater since hath been my desire either of giving or by my attempt of procuring satisfaction But will not others when I have done my best so think and say of mine as I have done of these much better indeavours It were great arrogance to expect any lesse Notwithstanding if what they shall find defective in my labours move them to no worse patience then what I thought at least was so in theirs that every way go before me hath done me nor I nor they nor the Church of Christ by this means partaker and free to dislike or approve of both our labours shall I trust have any great cause to repent us of our pains For thy better satisfaction I will acquaint thee with the particulars which moved me to write First in unfolding the nature and properties of Christian Faith to omit the errours of the Romish Church wherein it is impossible it should ever come to full growth many in reformed too much followed in particular Sermons did strive to ripen it too fast I have heard complaints immediately from the mouthes of some yet living of others deceased that they had been set too farre in their first Lessons that the hopes they had out of hand directly built upon Gods general promises applied to them by their Instructours were too weighty unlesse the foundations of their faith had first been more deeply and surely planted That certainty of justification and full perswasion of inherent sanctifying grace whereat these Worthies whose footsteps I precisely track not aim is I protest the mark which I propose unto my self but cannot hope at the first shoot to hit if at the second third or fourth as shall please God it must content me In the mean time I hope I shall neither offend him nor any of his as long as I gather ground of what I prosecute and still come neerer and neerer the proposed end The first step me thought that tended most directly to this certain apprehension of saving faith was our undoubted Assent unto the divine truth of Scriptures in general and for the working of this assurance means subordinate I could conceive none better for the kinde particulars others happilie may finde more forcible then such as I have prosecuted at large in the first Book not ignorant that such as moved me more might move others lesse those every man most that were of his own gathering wherein the disposition of the divine providence alwayes concurrent to this search so men would mark it is most conspicuous For this purpose I have proposed such variety of Observations as almost every one able to read the Scriptures or other Authors of what sort or profession soever students especially may be occasioned to make the like themselves well hoping to find a Method as facile and easie for establishing the assent of the simple and altogether illiterate unto those articles whose distinct explicit knowledge is most necessary to salvation But many I know will deem the broken traditions or imperfect relations of heathen men for these I use but weak supporters for so great an edifice nor did I intend them for such service Their ignorance notwithstanding and darkned minds do much commend the light of divine truth so may the experience
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
betwixt the better sort of the Ancient and the worse of later then betwixt the best and worst of such as lived in the middle Age greatest of all betwixt the good and bad in our Saviours time or immediately after These words again of the Prophet verse 6. and 7. are altogether as Literally more peculiarly meant of Christs Apostles and Disciples then of Nehemiah and Zerubbabel and the rest which returned from the captivitie of Babylon For I will set mine eyes upon them for good and I will bring them again to this Land and I will build them and I will plant them and not root them out and I will give them a heart to know me that I am the Lord and they shall be my people and I will be their God for they shall return unto me with their whole heart So is that curse Verse 9 10. more fully verified of the Jews about or after our Saviour Christs time then of Zedechiah and his complices I will even give them for a terrible plague to all the Kingdoms of the Earth and for a reproach and for a proverb for a common talk and for a curse in all places where I shall cast them And I will send the sword the famin and the pestilence among them till they be consumed out of the Land that I gave unto them and to their Fathers In like sort I must needs with all Orthodoxal Antiquitie not contradicted for more then a thousand years acknowledge the Psalmists prayer Psalm 59. to have been more directly meant at least more notably fulfilled in the Jews of later times then of his enemies amongst whom he lived Slay them not O God lest my people forget it but scatter them abroad by thy power and put them down O Lord our shield for the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips and let them be taken in their pride even for their perjury and lies which they speak The infallible grounds of thus interpreting these two places and the like shall be fortified GOD willing when I come unto the Prophecies concerning Christs Incarnation Passion or Exaltation My warrant at this time for the later here alledged shall be the end of the Psalmists wish verse 13. Consume them in thy wrath consume them that they be no more and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the world Their strange Massacres in these ends of the world whither they have been scattered do better confirm our Faith of Gods Providence and Mercy towards us then Davids Enemies exile and scattering did his people of Gods favour towards him and them And it is to be observed that he saith not Let them know in Jacob that God ruleth unto the ends of the world For we the adopted sons of Abraham though living in these extream parts of the world which he never knew are the true Jacob and the natural sons of Abraham according to the flesh though living in the Promised Land have no inheritance in Jacob All are Jews So doth he which sits upon the Circles of the Heavens weigh all the kingdoms of the earth as in a Ballance debasing some and advancing others at his pleasure and so doth the Light of his gratious Countenance towards any Land or People change or set in Revolution of Times as the Aspect of Stars doth unto such as compasse the Earth And yet as the same observation of the Suns motion from contrary Tropicks to the Line serveth our English in Summer and the Navigators of opposite Climes in Winter So is the same light of Gods countenance which shone upon the Jews before turned to the Gentiles after the fulnesse of time Abraham had the Promise of Canaan often renewed unto him but neither he nor his posteritie possessed it until the fulnesse of the Canaanites iniquitie were accomplished We Gentiles had the promises of being Engrafted into Israel as it were conveighed unto us in the building of the Second Temple and afterwards renewed in the Translation of these Sacred Writings the Instruments of our inheritance into the Greek tongue but were not partakers of the blessings of Jacob until the Iniquitie of Abrahams Posteritie according to the flesh was full Again as the Canaanites were not utterly destroyed albeit the Israelites were commanded so to do but some reliques were reserved in the promised land to a good purpose by the wisdom of God so neither were these Jews utterly extinguished but a remnant was scattered abroad amongst the Gentiles that they might know Gods mercy towards them by his judgements upon the other and though Christian Princes have oft received them upon as unjust respects as the Israelites did permit the Canaanites to dwell amongst them yet God hath still rectified their Errour and turned their evil Imaginations to the great good of his Chosen Gods favours towards them of old and us of late might be thus parallel'd in many points and as Moses made nothing about the Ark but according to the fashion that was shewed him in the Mount so is there no Event or Alteration of moment under the Gospel but had a patern in the Law and Prophets The Celestial observations which were taken for these Israelites good might continually serve for the direction of the Gentile if he would observe the several signs of divers Ages as Mariners use divers Constellations in divers Latitudes and gaze not alwayes upon the same Pole The ignorance in discerning the Signs of Times was a Symptom of the Jews Hypocrisie and cause of his continual ship-wrack in Faith For suffering the Fulnesse of time where he and the Gentiles should have met as at the Aequator to pass away without Correction of his course or due observation of the sodain change of Heavens aspect he lost the sight of his wonted Signs and since wanders up and down as Mariners destitute of their Card deprived of all sight either of Sun Moon or Stars or rather like blind men groaping their way without any Ocular direction yet even this Their blindnesse is or may be a Better Light and direction unto us then their wonted sight and skill in Scriptures could afford us First this might teach the wisest amongst us not to be High minded but Fear seeing wisdom hath perished from the wisest of mankind even from Gods own chosen people Secondly this palpable blind Obstinacie which hath befallen Israel might perswade us Christians were not we blind also to use that Method which God himself did think most sit for planting true Faith in tender hearts Christian parents whether Bodily or Spiritual should be as careful to instruct their children what the Lord had done unto these Jews as the Israelites should have been to tell their sons what God had done unto Pharaoh His Hardnesse of heart was nothing to their Stubbornnesse Egyptian Darkness was as noon-tide to their Blindness all the Plagues and Sores of Egypt were but Flea-bitings to Gods fearful Marks upon these Jews yet is all
Infidelitie of our thoughts and resolutions And albeit we all disclaim Manes Heresie that held one Creator of the matter and another of more pure and better substances yet are we infected for the most part with a Spice of his madnesse in making Material Agents the Authors of some effects and the Divine Power of others Nor can I herein excuse the School-divines themselves ancient or modern domestick or forain the best of them in my judgement either greatly erred in assigning the subordination of Second Causes to the First or else are much defective in deriving their actions or operations immediatly from Him who is the First and Last in every action that is not evil the Onely Cause of all good unto men as shall appear God willing in the Article of his Providence and some other Treatises pertinent unto it wherein I shall by his assistance make good these two Assertions The One that modern events and Dispositions of present times are as apt to confirm mens Faith now living as the Miracles of former would be were they now in use or as they were to instruct that age wherein they were wrought The Second that The Infidelity of such in this age as are strongly perswaded they love Christ with their heart and yet give no more then most men do unto his fathers providence may be greater then theirs that never heard of either or equal unto the Jews that did persecute him 7 Until the Article of the divine Providence and that other of the God-head be unfolded these General directions for Experiments in this kind must suffice First that every man diligently observe his course of life and survey the circumstances precedent or consequent to every action of greater importance that he undertakes or events of moment that befal him Secondly that he search whether the whole frame or composition of occurrents be not such as cannot be attributed to any natural but unto some secret and invisible Cause or whether some cause or occasions precedent be not such as the Scripture hath already allotted the like events unto Would men apply their mindes unto this study Experience would teach them what from enumeration of particulars may be proved by discourse That there is no estate on earth nor business in Christendom this day on foet but have a ruled cause in Scripture for their issue and successe Nor is there any prescript of our Saviour his Evangelists or Apostles but his people might have a Probatum of it either in themselves or others so they would refer themselves wholly into his hands and rely as fully upon his prescripts as becomes such distressed Patients upon so Admirable a Physitian 8 But many who like well of Christ for their Physitian loath his medicines for the Ministers his Apothecaries sake and say of us as Nathanael said of him Can there any good thing come from these silly Galilaeans They will not with Nathanael come near and See but keep aloof And what marvel if spiritual diseases abound where there be spiritual medicines plenty when the flock be they never so Soul-sick come only in such sort to their Pastours as if a sick man should go to a Physick-Lecture for the recovery of his health where the Professour it may be reads learnedly of the nature of Consumptions when the Patient is desperately sick of a Pleurisie or discourses accurately of the Plethora or Athletical constitution when his Auditor poor soul languisheth of an Atrophie Most are ashamed to consult us as good patients in bodily maladies alwayes do their Physitians in any particulars concerning the nature of their peculiar griefs so as we can apply no medicine to any but what may as well befit every disease Whereas were we throughly acquainted with their several maladies or the dispositions of their minds the prescript might be such or so applied as every man might think the medicine had been made of purpose for his Soul and finding his secret thoughts with the Original causes of his Maladie discovered the Crisis truly Prognosticated he could not but acknowledge that he who gave this prescript and taught this Art did search the very secrets of mens hearts and reins and knew the inward temper of his Soul better then Hippocrates or Galen did the constitution of mens Bodies Finally would men learn to be true Patients that is would they take up Christs yoak and become humble and meek and observe but for a while such a Gentle and moderate Diet as from our Saviours practise and doctrine might be prescribed by their spiritual Physitians upon better notice of their several dispositions they would in short time out of their inward Experience of that uncouth rest and ease which by thus doing their souls should find believe with their hearts and with their mouthes confesse that these were rules of Life which could not possibly have come from any other but from that Divine Aesculapius himself the only Son yea the Wisdom of the only Wise Invisible and Immortal God The more unlikely the means of recovering spiritual health may seem to natural reason before men trie them the more forcible would their good successe and issue be for establishing true and lively Faith But such as can from these or like Experiments subscribe unto main particular Truths contained in Scripture and acknowledge them as divine may be uncertain of their Number or Extent doubt they may of the number of Books wherein the like are to be sought and again in those books which are acknowledged to contain many divine Revelations and Dictates of the holy Spirit they may doubt whether many other prescripts neither of like use nor authoritie have not been inserted by men CAP. XXXII Containing a brief Resolution of Doubts concerning the Extent of the general Canon or the number of its integral parts 1 THe ful resolution of the former doubt or rather Controversie concerning the number of Canonical books exceeds the limits of this present Treatise and depends as much as any question this day controversed upon the testimonies of Antiquitie The order of Jesuits shall be confounded and Reynoldes raised to life again ere his learned Works lately come forth upon this Argument albeit unfinished to his mind whilest he was living 〈◊〉 confuted by the Romanists Or if any of the Jesuitish Societie or that other late upstart Congregation will be so desperate as to adventure their Honour in Bellarmine or other of their foiled Champions rescue they shall be expected in the Lists before they be prepared to entertain the Challenge by one of that deceased Worthies Shield-bearers in his life time whose judgment in all good learning I know for sound his observation in this kind choise his industrie great his resolution to encounter all Antagonists such as will not relent For satisfaction of the ordinarie Reader I briefly answer 2 First that this is no controversie of Faith nor need it to trouble any Christian mans Conscience that we and the Papists differ about the
are set Free by the Son of God The eleventh Book in Adversarijs Conteining a Treatise upon the Articles of Christs comming to judgement The Resurrection of the dead and Life everlasting The twelfth of the Catholick Church part whereof is Printed and mentioned above Besides a great number of Treatises and Sermons respective Appendices to the Books aforesaid So many as would fill a Page with a Particular Catalogue For the Publishing whereof in due Time and manner and suiting with this Volume The Worthy persons whom the Author made Supervisors of his Will will be conscientious and Prudent Accountants to the Church of Christ And some others Pious and Learned men of that University Chearfull Assistants thereto But here if the Reader be of my Temper Secretum peto I must lead him aside a little to Condole the losse the Great loss of one most Considerable piece Finished and Alas for the Day lost some yeers ago It was The Treatise of Prodigies or Divine Forewarnings betokening Blood I am bold to say Reader Write this a Prodigie And to render it the more Prodigious take notice that it was lost in the Authors Life Time as his ingenious Amanuensis Mr. B. told me inquiring after it above 9 yeers ago What shall be said or thought of This Surely The World was not worthy of such a Blessing It sentenced it self unworthy thereof by the stupid totall neglect of what he Preached at Court and Printed at Oxon in the Yeer 1637. about The Signes of the Times a Subject neer of Kin to that Treatise The longing impatient desire of Retreiving this Treatise makes me not blush to transform this Preface into a kind of Proclamation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rather into a most humble and earnest Supplication unto the Person that hath this Treatise in keeping if yet it be kept from the Malice of the Destroyer That he will please to bring it in unto the Stationer for whom this Book is Printed upon assurance to receive it again or for it twelve or twenty Copies or a sum of Money Aequivalent if it be Printed For it is the desire and designe of more and more able men then my self to Collect and Publish This Authors Works as Compleat as possibly may be The Earnest whereof is Given in this First Volume with this further Account The Quarto Impression was scarce and dear and ill Printed The weighty and many Quotations of Authors so exceeding falsly figured and disfigured too that it cost so much Time and great Turning sometimes to finde out One single place as none can believe that hath not tried the like nor could all the Authors be found in London This the Famous Library of Oxon and the chearfull Candor of a learned Friend there supplied I am hopefull that the Authors Sence is not altered in the least measure for the least sin in that kind is sacriledge I am sure I was so scrupulously carefull of changing as that I have omitted what I thought necessary correction For example in the Epistle to the Reader line 12. I think I ought to have changed the word Conscience into Conscious or lesse conscience into more conscientious unlesse you will say Conscience there signifies Guilt So Page the 12. Line 3. after And yet These two words They persecuted should be inserted as I conjecture unlesse the comparison betwixt the Roman and Turkish Emperours Subjects make them needlesse So in the 250 page in the Margin surely it ought to have been R. P. but it was R. B. in the old Copie and in the search of Parsons Resolutions not finding absolute evidence that he was the party meant I let R. B. stand Yet have I added now and then a Citation or Note in the Margin As where the Great Businesse of Charles Martell is Related page 110. I have cited divers Authours whom the Reader may consult for his own better satisfaction To conclude There is a saying and men may think 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the pecuniary profit be to the Tradesman If my heart deceive me not as divers Nutus Dei did invite the beginning and many remarkable momenta providentiae did encourage the Progresse in a Time of greatest trouble for outward estate so the Glory of God Almighty the Benefit of his Church and Children the doing of some small Thing in a Time of Cashierment that may tend to the discharge of a most unprofitable servants account at the last Day is the gain aimed at And if our Pr Brethren Sons of the same Fathers with us that cast us out viewing well the second and third Books and being here advertised That twenty of those men whom they have put from the Stations wherein God had set them in the Church of England as Factors for the Church of Rome have contributed each man their Symbolum to this Impression will by this be brought to see their mistake and taking this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confess themselves deceived and unwittingly made Proctors for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and transported in this particular became partial and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it will be an Accession above expectation The Good Lord lay not this sin to their Charge but reconcile them to their former selves and be Reconciled both to them and us in Christ and prosper the work both dispatched and intended to his Glory and the good of his Church for our Lord Jesus's sake The Prayer of the most unworthy One of all his servants B. O. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 483. If I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both the Ark and his Habitation But if he say I have no delight in Thee Let him do to me as seemeth good unto Him Good is the Word of the Lord. The Law of the Lord is an undefiled Law converting the soul The Testimony of the Lord is sure and giveth wisdom to the simple Let the Word of God dwell in you plenteously Search the Scriptures Which are able to make thee wise unto salvation In which are some things hard to be understood which the unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the Other Scriptures to their own destruction Remember them which are the Guides or have the Rule over you The Priests lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the law at his mouth He that heareth you heareth me Lo I am with you alway even to the End of the World THE LIFE and DEATH of the Venerable Dr. JACKSON Dean of PETERBROUGH and President of Corpus-Christi Colledge in OXFORD Written by a late Fellow of the same Colledge BEing earnestly desired by an intimate and Powerful Friend to deliver some Character of that Reverend and Learned Doctor Jackson late President of our Colledge I might very well excuse my self from my unworthiness to undertake so weighty a Task I must seriously confess it was not so much the Importunity of that
the furtherance of Piety and Godliness in perpetuam Eleemosynam for a perpetual deed of Charity which I hope the Reader will advance to the utmost improvement He that reads this will find his Learning Christening him The Divine and his Life witnessing him a man of God a Preacher of Righteousness and I might add a Prophet of things to come They that read those Qualifications which he in his Second and Third Book requires in them which hope to understand the Scriptures aright and see how great an insight he had into them and how many hid Mysteries he hath unfolded to this Age will say his Life was good Superlatively good The Reader may easily perceive that he had no design in his opinions no hopes but that blessed One proposed in the beginning that no preferment nor desire of Wealth nor affectation of Popularity should ever draw him from writing upon this Subject for which no man so fit as he because to use his own Divine and high Apothegme No man could properly write of Justifying Faith but he that was equally affected to Death and Honour Thus have I presented you with a Memorial of that Excellent Man but with infinite disadvantage from the unskilfulness of the Relator and some likewise from the very disposition of the Party himself The humble man conceals his perfections with as much pains as the proud covers his defects and avoids observation as industriously as the Ambitious provoke it He that would draw a face to the Life commands the Party to sit down in the Chair in a constant and unremoved Posture and a Countenance composed that he may have the full view of every line colour and dimension whereas he that will not yield to these Ceremonies must be surprized at unawares by Artificial stealth and unsuspected glances like the Divine who was drawn at distance from the Pulpit or an ancient man in our daies whose Statue being to be erected the Artificer that carved it was enforced to take him sleeping That which I have here designed next to the Glory of God which is to be praised in all his Saints is the benefit of the Christian Reader that he may learn by his Example as well as by his writings by his Life as well as by his Works which is the earnest desire of him who unfaignedly wishes the health and Salvation of your Souls E. V. THE ETERNAL TRVTH OF Scriptures AND CHRISTIAN BELIEF Thereon wholly depending Manifested by it own light Delivered in two Books of COMMENTARIES upon the Apostles Creed The former Containing the positive grounds of Christian Religion in general cleared from all exceptions of Atheists or Infidels The later Manifesting the Grounds of Reformed Religion to be so firm and sure that the Romanists cannot oppugne them but with the utter overthrow of the Romish Church Religion and Faith By THOMAS JACKSON D. D. LONDON Printed by R. Norton for T. Garthwait 1653. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE RALPH Lord EVRE Baron of MALTON and WILTON Lord President of his Majesties Court established in the Principalitie and Marches of Wales My singular good LORD RIGHT HONORABLE THough few others would I trust Your Lordship will vouchsafe countenance to these Commentaries rude and imperfect I must confesse but whose untimely or too hastie birth if so it prove and must be censured hath not been caused by any inordinate appetite but onely from a longing desire of testifying that love and duty which I owe unto your Honourable Familie and Person as in many other respects so chiefly in this That being ingaged unto a more gainfull but not so good a course of life and well-nigh rooted in another soil I was by your Lordships favourable advice and countenance transplanted to this famous Nursery of good learning Wherein by his blessing who onely gives increase to what his servants plant or water I have grown to such a degree of maturity as these raw Meditations argue or so wild a graft was capable of Course and unpleasant my fruit may prove but whiles it shall please the Lord to continue his wonted blessings of health and other opportunities altogether unfruitfull by his assistance I will not altogether idle I cannot be Such as these first fruits are much better I dare not promise the whole after-crop I trust shall be both for the sincerity of my intention acceptable I doubt not to my God the later I hope more ripe in the judgement of men then can in reason be expected the first fruits of the same mans labours should be Thus humbly beseeching your Honour to accept these as they are and to esteem of them howsoever otherwise as an undoubted pledge of a minde indeavouring to shew it self thankfull for benefits already received and much desiring the continuance of your honourable favours I continue my prayers unto the Almighty that he would multiply his best favors and blessings upon you Corpus-Christi Colledge in Oxford October 5. Your Lordships much devoted Chaplain THOMAS JACKSON TO THE CHRISTIAN READER IGnorant altogether I am not of the disposition though not much acquainted with the practises of this present age wherein to have meditated upon so many several matters as I here present unto thy Christian view will unto some I know seem but an effect of melancholie as to have taken the pains to pen them will argue my want of other imployments or forlorn hopes of worldly thriving Unto others and those more to be regarded so soon in print to publish what had been not so well concocted and more rawly penned will be censured as a spice of that vanity which usually haunts smatterers in good learning but wherewith judicious Clerks are seldom infected To the former I onely wish mindes more setled or lesse conscience of their own extravagancies and carelesse mispence of choicest time faults apt to breed a mislike of others industrie in such courses as will approve themselves in his sight that sits as Judge and trier of all our wayes howsoever such as desire to be meer By-standers as well in Church as Common-wealths affairs may upon sinister respects mutually misinform themselves For many of the later I am afraid lest being partly such and so esteemed they preposterously affect not to be taken for more judicious scholers then indeed they are for the fostering of which conceit in others their unwillingnesse to publish what they have conceived aright may well be apprehended as a means not improbable Not to expose their Meditations to publick censure is and hath been as the Christian world too well can witnesse a resolution incident to men of greatest judgement though no such essential propertie as necessarily argues either all so minded to be or all otherwise minded not to be alike judicious Certain it is the more excellent the internall feature of mens minds is the greater disparagement to them will an ordinary representation of it be and to adorn their their choice conceits with such outward attire as best beseems them would require too great costs
of final judgement By this beloved Reader thou mayst perceive my journey is long and may well plead my excuse for setting forth so soon but from that course which I have chosen or rather God hath set me I trust nor hopes of preferment nor any desires of worldly wealth nor affectation of popularity by handling more plausible or Time-serving arguments shall ever draw me away So far I am from aiming at any such sinister end That since I begun to comment upon the nature of Christian faith I never could nor ever shall perswade my self it possibly can find quiet lodging much less safe harbour but in an heart alike affected to Death and Honour alwaies retaining the Desires and fear of both either severally considered or mutually compared in equal ballance Both are good when God in mercy sends them both evil and hard to determin whether worse to unprepared minds or whilest procured by our sollicitous or importunate suit or bestowed upon us in their Donours anger Onely this difference I find death is mankinds inevitable doom but worldly preferment neither so common to all nor so certain to any the less in reason should be our endeavors either for providing it or preparing our selves to salute it decently though comming of it own accord to meet us But what meditations can be too long or what endeavors too laborious for gaining of an happie end or giving a messenger of so importunate and weighty consequence as death one way or other brings correspondent entertainment This Christian modesty I have learned long since of the heathen Socrates to beseech my God he would vouchsafe me such a portion of wealth or whatsoever this world esteems as none but an honest upright religious mind can bear or to use the words of a better teacher That of all my labours under the sun I may reap the fruit in holiness and in the end the End of these my present meditations Everlasting Life Thine in Christ THOMAS JACKSON A Table of the Several Sections and Chapters in the 2. Books following The first Book divided into two general parts The one explicating the nature of Belief in general the other shewing the Method how our Assent unto the divine truth of Scriptures may be established The first general part contained in the first and second Sections SECT I. CAP. 1. THE definition of Belief in general with the explication from parag 1. to the 12. The diverse objects and grounds thereof and by what means it is increased parag 12 c. Page 2 SECT II. CAP. 2. Of Assent unto objects supernatural or unto what a natural Belief of such Objects or a bare acknowledgement of Scriptures for Gods Word binds all men pag. 7 CAP. 3. Of general incitements to search the truth of Scriptures or Christian Belief 9 The second general part containing the Heads or Topicks of such observations as may confirm the divine truth of Scriptures of which some are External some Internal SECT I. Of Observations internal or incident unto Scriptures without reference to any relations or events other then are specified in themselves 13 CAP. 4. Of Historical Characters of sacred Antiquities 13 CAP. 5. Of the Harmony of sacred Writers 17 CAP. 6. Of the Affections or dispositions of sacred Writers 19 SECT II. Of Experiments and Observations external answerable to the rules of Scriptures page 25 CAP. 7. Containing the Topick whence such observations must be drawn 25 CAP. 8. That Heathenish Fables ought not to prejudice divine truths 26 CAP. 9. Observations out of Poets in general and of dreams in particular 27 CAP. 10. Of Oracles 30 CAP. 11. Of the apparitions of the heathen Gods and their Heroicks 34 CAP. 12. The reasons of our mistrusting of Antiquities 37 CAP. 13. Of the diversity of events in different Ages 39 CAP. 14. Of the original and right use of Poetry with the manner of its corruption by later Poets 42 CAP. 15. Of some particular Fables resembling some true stories of the Bible 47 CAP. 16. Of Noahs and Deucalions floud with other Miscellane observations 50 CAP. 17. Of Sacred Writers sobriety and discretion in relating true miracles compared especially with later Heathens vanitie in coyning fruitless wonders 57 The third SECTION of the second general Part. Containing Experiments drawn from the revolution of States or Gods publick judgements but especially of the estate of the Jews from time to time 61 CAP. 18. Of the state of these Jews before our Saviours time gathered from heathen Authors with Tullies objection against them 61 CAP. 19. The ill successe of Pompey the great for his going into the Sanctum sanctorum the manner of his death witnessing his sin the miscariage of Crassus parallel likewise to the manner of his offence against Jerusalem with the like disasters of other Romans that had wronged or molested the Jews 63 CAP. 20. Tacitus objections against the Iews refuted by their palpable grosseness and more competent testimony of other heathen writers 69 CAP. 21. The means of these Iews thriving in captivity In what sence they might peculiarly be termed a mighty people wherein they did exceed or were exceeded by other nations 73 CAP. 22. That all the heathens objections against or doubts concerning the Iews estate 〈◊〉 prevented or resolved by Iewish writers 78 CAP. 23. The fulfilling of Moses and other prophesies touching the desolation of â—ewrâ— and destruction of Ierusalem and the Signes of the Time witnessing Gods wonderful hand therein 83 CAP. 24. The fulfilling of our Saviours prophecie Matth. 24 with others concerning the time ensuing Ierusalems destruction That those signes in the Sun and the Moon are long since past as may appear from our Saviours words expounded parag 3. compared with the Prophet Joels parag 8. 90 CAP. 25. That the Saracens are the true sons of Ismael Of their conditions and manners answerable to Moses prophecie 103 CAP. 26. The beginning and progresse of Ismaels greatnesse 107 CAP. 27. The persecutions of the Iews by Traian and the desolation of their Country by Adrian their scattering through other Nations foretold by Moses 111 CAP 28. Of the Iews estate after the dissolution of the Roman Empire generally thorowout Europe until their coming into England 114 CAP. 29. Of the fulfilling of other particular prophecies of Moses in the Iews persecutions in England Germany France and Spain 120 CAP. 30. General collections out of the particular histories before mentioned the strange dispositions of the Iews and Gods judgements upon them all testifying the truth of divine Oracles 129 LIB I. SECT IIII. Of Experiments in our selves and the right framing of Belief as well unto the several parts as unto the whole Canon of Scriptures 140 CAP. 31. Shewing the facility and use of the proposed Method by instance in some whose belief unto divine Oracles hath been confirmed by Experiments answerable unto them 140 CAP. 32. Containing a brief resolution of doubts concerning the extent of the general Canon or the number of integral parts
of all his Enterprises were still discerned to be greater then could amount from the particular means forecast by him or his Counsellers for their Atchievement He had the help of Wind and weather to prosecute his foes by Sea the Favour of Moon and Stars to make him Conquerour by Land Thus Fates had been his friend until his ascending the Holy Mount but upon his descent thence Fortune to use the Romans language began to turn her wheel upon him His wonted providence and forecast forsook him and he that in his younger dayes when his heart was as full of hopes as his bloud of spirits had used greatest vigilancie to prevent all dangers in matters of smaller moment whose losse might easily have been recovered now in that age whose usual Symptomes are Timiditie and too much care suffers those Consultations on which his Own his Friends his Countries Fates and Fortunes wholly depended on which the whole state of the world did inâ—… manner hang to passe away as in a dream yielding his irrevocable consent to whatsoever any Parasite should propose in points wherein error oversight were incorrigible their consequence if bad remediless with as great speed and little care as a man would answer yes or yea to some idle question proposed unto him betwixt sleeping waking Answerable to this his Sottish demeanour Victorie which before had Wooed him once in his last extremitâ— like a wanton Minion disposed to flout her blind decrepit doting Lover seems a little to make toward him either wanting eyes to discern her or 〈◊〉 to give her entertainment But not Victorie her self could make him victorious in whose death and overthrow the Almighty would have his Judgements seen For seeing it could not content him to have vanquished so many Kings and Kingdoms but he will provoke the King of kings in his own House by his Unmannerly Intrusion into his most Secret Closet reserved alone of all places of the earth besides though all the earth besides were His for His Holinesse presence and his Priests it seemed just to this Lord of Heaven and Earth the Supreme disposer of all Successe to give the Kingdoms subdued by Pompey into his Fatal Enemies hand not leaving him so much firm ground of all his Conquests as might decently cover his miserable Corps Since the foundations of the Earth and Sea were lald never had so high a Flow of all good fortunes so suddain so strange so low and naked an Ebbe Ut cui modò defuerat terra ad victoriam deeset ad sepulturam that he who as the Roman Orator saith had conquered more Provinces then almost any of his Countrie-men had seen He that had commanded 1000 ships restored the use of the Sea to the Nations again and freed all others from the violence of Pirates sole Lord of that Element and the coasts adjoyning should upon that very day which in memory of this matchlesse victorie he had celebrated some few years before at Rome with greatest Triumph and Solemnitie become a prey to a Beggarly Egyptian Boat and fall into such base Hucksters hands as knew not the worth of so great a Prize but as if he had been some ravenous Sea-monster that had lived by Publick Harms of whose death onely some petty commoditie might be made present his Head to the chief Magistrate in hope of reward leaving that Body whose goodly presence had over-charged the greatest Temples like a pestiferous Carrion or some offensive Garbage or forlorn Spawn rather hid then Buried in a little heap of Sand. 2 The strange stupiditie and more strange Destinie of this famous Prince so Wise by nature so well Experienced and alwayes before this time most Fortunate did argue to the Heathens apprehension that He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we would say Taken in the Brain by the Hand of God and his Hopes blasted from above But such is the preposterous dulnesse of Humane sagacitie in Divine matters that even where the Print of Gods wayes is most sensible and perspicuous the wisest of us run Counter still until His Word direct our foot-steps and His Spirit give life unto our senses For the most Religious amongst the Romans deeming Pompey such as they thought themselves one that had never given just offence to any of their Gods upon his miscarriage either altogether Disclaim the Divine Providence or else Exclaim against the Ingratitude or Malignitie of Celestial Powers as if there had been no other God or Gods but such as they and Pompey had well deserved of Whereas his Fatal Overthrow whom their gods they thought had most reason to â—avour should have instructed them that there was a God of gods in Jurie which did bear rule over the ends of the world who would not be worshipped after their fashion as Pompey dreamed For the reason of his desire to see the Most Holy Place was to be resolved whether the Romans which worshipped the gods of every Nation subdued by them had not that God already which the Jews adored but finding no graven Image nor likenesse of any thing in heaven or earth many Romans which till that time had lived in suspence and admiration who this God of the Jews should be held their concealed Mysteries for meer Gulleries and thought it folly to worship they knew not whom For Incerti Judaea Dei yet were his Judgements upon this great Peer of Rome the first among that people that had to do with the Jews most Certain yet Judgements mixt with Mercy and long suffering Seeing Uzzah and Uzziah King of Juda for intermedling in the Priests office were smitten the one with sudden death the other with continual Leprosie until his dying day who can expect that this Alien should escape unpunisht for like presumption Neverthelesse because he did approach the Most Holy Place though with an unsanctified heart yet with no sacrilegious hands he had a longer time of repentance then his next Peer in Might amongst the Romans his Predecessor in like miserable and disgraceful death though his Successor in like but more shameful sacrilegious base profanenesse 3 That Sacriledge was one especial cause of Crassus miscarriage in the Parthian Wars the Heathens of that time had observed and it may be Plutarch from unwritten Traditions the nurse of error did mistake the storie Sure it was not the Goddesse of Hierapolis but the God of the holy City which made the young and aged to stumble one against another Or if Crassus and his Son had this first Omen of their overthrow at their Egress out of this Goddesses Temple this doth not argue that it was either solely or principally for this offence therein committed albeit even sacrilegious wrongs against the Heathen Gods did oft redound to the true Gods dishonour being not intended by worldly minded men so much against them in Particular as in contempt of the Deitie or Divine Power Simply Nor
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
Gospel should sleep in all or most intermediate Ages till these later dayes wherein we live wherein such Observations are more Seasonable We being the Men on whom the later Ends of the world are come Happily had Ecclesiastick Writers Commented upon those times our curious Modern Wits too much addicted unto Gentilism would have given less Credence to the pregnant Testimonies of profane Authors as suspecting lest Christians in whose Custody their writings for many generations have been had infected either the whole Discourses or some peculiar Circumstances pertinent to their purposes or apt to countenance their Opinions otherwise improbable in the worlds Judgement But now by how much the Silence of Ecclesiastick Authors in these narrations hath been greater and the Testimonies of Heathen Writers more plentiful or pregnant so much the more unexcusable is the curious and unregenerate Artist or incredulous Atheist That most generations since those times whereof we treat should expect Signs in the Sun Moon to come before the Day of Judgement cannot seem either strange in itself or prejudicial to this Doctrine which we deliver if we call to mind how men otherwise truly Religious have been usually ignorant or mistaken in the meaning of divine Mysteries until the time apointed for their Revelation or until they unfold their Enigmatical Construction by the approach or Real Existence of the Events foretold Thus many well affected to our Saviour and his doctrine did expect Elias should come before the Kingdom were restored to Israel even whilst they had John Baptist of whom that Prophecy was properly meant amongst them Yea after he had Sealed his Embassage with his Bloud Even in the Apostles time That our Saviour should instantly come to give Final Judgement was an Opinion as it seems from S. Paul his Admonition to the Thessalonians generally received amongst Christians first occasioned as is most probable from misconstruction of our Saviours Prophesie Verily I say unto you This Generation shall not passtil all these things be done and this Misconstruction caused from a Common Errour or Ignorance in not distinguishing betwixt the Typical and the Mystical or Substantial Sense of Prophesies oft-times both alike literally and necessarily imported in the self-same words From this Errour of Christians in misapplying our Saviours words unto the Substance which for that time were onely applyable to the Type was the like Tradition propagated to the Heathen of those times as may be gathered from Lucan who lived when S. Paul flourished and died by the same Tyrants appointment His description of the last Day is but a Poetical Descant upon our Saviours words related by three of his Evangelists The Sun shall wax dark and the Moon shall not give her light and the Stars of heaven shall fall and the powers of heaven shall be shaken sic cum compage soluta Secula tot Mundi Suprema coâ—gerit Hora Antiquum repetens iterum Chaos omnia mistis Sidera sideribus concurrent Igneapontum Astrapetent Tellus extendere Littoranolet Excutietque Fretum Fratri contraria Phoebe Ibit obliquum bigas agitare per arbem Indignata diem poscet sibi totaque discors Machina divulsi turbabit Foedera Mundi When the last hour hath summ'd up Time and when This Frame resolves into 's First Chaos Then The Stars shall justle Reel Fall fowl and drop Into the Sea Churl â—arth will grudge and stop The waters Course The Moon shall Counter-move The Sun And claim to Rule the Day Thus Love Love that Aton'd each Atome with his Brother Made Feuds in League or Truce to Kisse each other Love Ligament of Th' universe Turn'd Hate All fals in pieces See you Doomes-Dayes Fate The Romans might well have taken their Martyred Poet for a Prophet at least in this Prediction when within few years after they did behold the Sun and Moon with all the Host and powers of heaven Tragically Acting what he had penn'd The Romans conceit of that rueful Spectacle whose Admiration had brought her great Philosopher ‖ Natures Curious Secretary to his untimely Death in Dions words Book 66. was thus Postremo tantus fuit cinis ut inde pervenerit in Asricam Syriam Aegyptum introieritque Romam ejusâ— aerem compleverit solem obscuraverit Nec mediocris etiam Romae trepidatio complures ad dies accidit or as some read id Romae accidit paucis post diâ—bus quum omnes ignorarent id quod sactum erat in Campan a nec quid esset conjectura assequi possent Itaque etiam ij putare coeperunt omma sursum deorsum ferri solemque in terram cadere ac terram in coelum conscendere So well doth this Heathen expresse the Prophets Words I will shew Wonders in the heavens and in the earth Bloud and Fire and Pillars of smoak Joel 2. 30. But most admirable is the consent between the same Prophet and Pliny the younger who was an eye-winesse of the first rising of that smoak portending such dismal times That great and terrible Day of the Lord before which as the Prophet speaks the Sun was to be turned into darkness and the Moon into Bloud was not to be terminated unto one set Natural or Artificial day but to be extended unto all the Prodigious Calamities which after Jerusalems destruction successively ensued throughout the world or as another Prophet speaks unto the continuance of that great Controversie which the Lord had with the Nations before which the Burning of Vesuvius was as a Beacon to give warning to all slesh And the Ingenious Reader will I hope be incited by Pâ—…ies expressing the beginning of that Prodigious Sight to Admire the Hidden Mysteries that are often enwrapt in the Enigmatical Propriety of Prophetical Words rather then censure this Observation following for a Tale of Smoak or Critical Conjecture fet beyond that Region wherein these Fiery Comets appeared The word in the Original rendred by Pillars properly signifies a Palm-tree From the Analogie betwixt Pillars and whose long Trunk and broad Top it comes to signifie a Pillar or Supporter Pliny the younger setting down the occasion manner of his Uncles death resembles the first Apparition of that Huge and strange Cloud unto a Pine-tree for to no other as he saith he could more fitly compare it though for this reason it might altogether as 〈◊〉 have been compared to a Palm-tree had that Tree been as well known in Italy as in the Region wherein the Prophet lived that did foretell this strange Apparition so long before Plinies words are these Mater mea melicat eâ— apparerenubem inusitata magnitudine specie Surgit ille ascendat locum ex quo maxime Miraculum illud conspici poterat Nubes incertum procul intuentibus ex quo monte Vesuvium fuisse postea cognitum est oriebatur â—â—jus formam non alia magis arbor quà m Pinus expresserit Nam longissimo velut trunco elata in altum quibusdam ramis diffundebatur Credo quia
the Scenitae inhabit Whether the Fertility of the Soyl might make them scorn their former Name as it would cause them loath their Ancient Seat or whether given or taken upon other occasions the whole Progeny as well in the desert Arabia as elsewhere was willing to make the Benefit of it as an Argument to perswade the world they were Free-born and true Heirs of that Promise whence the Jews were fallen For Mahomet as all writers agree used this plausible Etymologie as a fair Colour to countenance his Foul Blasphemies and a Grave Relator of Truth not accustomed to make Speeches for dead men to utter brings in the later Saracens in the Siege of Torutum which was a mile from Tyre using their Name derived from Sarah as an argument to perswade their true descent from Abraham for whose sake they hoped for Favour at Christians hands But they could not so easily change their Nature as their Name the greater they grow in might the more exactly they fulfil that Prophecy of Ismael And he shall be a Wild Man his hand shall be against every man and every mans hand against Him For a long time they continued like Forward but poor Gamesters not able to Set at more then One at once and that for no great Stake without some to bear their part until at length by their Treacherous Shuffling from Side to Side and Banding sometimes with one sometimes another against some third they grew so flush that they durst Set at All and take Asia Europe and Africk to Task at once 5 Sometimes they took part with Mithridate and other Eastern nations against Lucullus and Pompey and yet ready to joyn with Pompey against the Jews Some of them again were for the Parthians against the Romans others for the Romans against the Parthians some now for the one then for the other as Alchandonius and Augarus before mentioned Some again for Pescennius Niger against Severus others against Pescennius afterwards one while for the Persian and another while for the Romans as in the times of Constantius and Julianus The later of whom they Reverenced most of any Roman and yet at length not satisfied in their Expectations revolting from him Afterwards they serve under the Romans against the Gothes and yet while the Gothes and other Barbarous people clasp with the Roman Eagle in the West These foul Harpies pluck off her Train in the East and not therewith content take their flight toward the West to snatch the meat out of the other Bussards mouth and beat them one after another from the prey which they had seized on in Spain and Africk attempting the like in France Greece and Germany dis-pluming the Breasts and oft-times ready to devour the very Heart even Italy and Rome it self 6 Finally as Ismael began first to give proof of his might when Isaacâ— strength begun to fail so can we scarce name and place where Isaacs Seed have been scattered whither the dread of Ismaels hath not followed them that such Christians as would not suffer the miserable Estate of the one to sink into their souls nor learn to fear Gods Judgements shewed upon Them might apprehend the other as present Executioners of like Wo and Vengeance upon Themselves It is well observed by the Author of the Tripartite work Touching the Sacred War annexed to the Councel of Lateran that the Persecution of Christians by the Saracen hath been every way greater and more grievous without interruption then all the Persecutions under the Roman Emperours or any Forrain Enemies These provocations by this Foolish Nation witnesse the Truth of Gods threatnings to the Ancient Jews and that our pride of heart hath been like theirs for the asswaging whereof his pleasure hath been To bring the most wicked of the Heathen to possesse ouâ— houses and to defile the Holy Places According to their Judgement hath he judged the most part of Christendome Such Servility as the Jews suffered under the Creeks and Asiaticks have They endured under the Saracen and the Turk who is but a Proselyte of Ismael and Heir by adoption of that promise Gen. 17. 20. I will multiply him exceedingly and I will make a great nation of him Besides his participation with him in the Covenant of Circumcision the best Pledge and ground of Ismaels greatnesse the Manners and Conditions of the Turks and Saracens have great Affinity The Turk also is a Wild Man yea this is the Signification of his Name as Chalcocondylas and I onicer expound it But though both Turks and Saracens by Christians continuance in their Fathers sins have been perpetual Scourges of Christendom yet hath God at sundry times given us manifest Signs of Help laid up in store so that we would turn to him with our whole hearts The sirange and almost Incredible though most undoubted Victories which Christians sometimes had over them do lively represent the Miraculous Victories of the Jews over the Heathen related in Scriptures To omit others It might be remembred as an Irrefragable Witnesse as well of the multitude of Gods Mercies towards us as of Ismaels Posterity that Three Hundred and Eighty Thousand of them should be slain all in one day by one Christian General Unlesse the Lord had raised us up a Gedeon then he onely knows how quickly these parts of Christendom might have been Re-baptized in their Bloud and born the name of Saracens ever after And as a German writer well observes the French Kings might well brook that Title of Christianissimi from that Admirable Exploit of Carolus Martellus the next means under Gods Providence that other parts of Europe had not Saracen Tyrants instead of Christian Princes Of such particular Experiments as the Histories of Turks and Saracens afford answerable to the Prophecies in Scripture concerning them we shall have fitter occasion to speak hereafter CAP. XXVII The Persecutions of the Jews by Trajan and the Desolation of their Country by Adrian their Scattering through other Nations Fore-told by Moses 1 THough the Greatnesse of the Jews Former Plagues under Vespasian had made their number lesse in their own land yet Egypt Cyrene and Cyprus had too many of those Snakes within their Bowels until their deadly Stings procuring others did provoke their own Destruction In the later end of Trajans Reign the Manner of their Outragious Massacres practised upon both Greeks and Romans in the forementioned Countries was as Hainous as the Facts themselves though these Hainous beyond all Credence if not related by most credible and most unpartial Writers Besides the particular Butcheries which they comitted throughout Egypt About Cyrene these Jews did slay two hundred thousand and in Cyprus two hundred and fifty thousand The Lord no doubt had smitten them as he had threatned Deut. 28. 28. with this Madness and Blindness of heart that they might hereby provoke this Puissant Emperors Indignation which otherwise would have slept but now pursues them throughout his
32. 3 Of their Estate from this Accident till three hundred years after nothing memorable hath come unto my reading dishonourable it was in that their name throughout this time seemes quite put out miserable we may presume it in that their wonted curse is not expired but rather increased in ages following in which we have expresse distinct undoubted records 4 About the year one thousand they were so vexed throughout most parts of Europe that as Moses had foretold and my Author little thinking of Moses speeches expresly notes They could find no rest A company of them seated about Orleans out of their Divelish Policy addresse an Embassageto to the Prince of Babylon advertising him that the Christians in these Western parts were joyning forces to assault him hoping hereby to make him invade Christendom by whose broils they expected either better security from wonted dangers or fitter opportunity of fishing for gain in troubled streams But the tenour of their Embassage being either known or suspected by the Christians the Embassadour upon his return was called in question convict and sentenced to the Fagot Nor could the hainousnesse of the Fact be expiated by his death the rest of his Country-men generally presumed to be as treacherous when occasion served were made away without any Formal course of Law by Fire Water Sword or what instrument of death came next to hand This fury of Christians raging against them as far as the fame of their villany was spred which was quickly blazed throughout Europe 5 Ere this time Ismael was come to his full growth and his posterity having prosecuted their old broken title to the Land of Promise through their division had left the possession of it to the Turk and so far is Isaacs seed from all hope of possessing the good things thereof that the very love which Christians the true seed of Abraham bare unto these Lovely dwellings of Jacob breeds his ungratious posterities Wo unto whom the inheritance belonged For no expedition either made or intended by Christians for recovering Jewry from the Turk and Saracens but bringeth one Plague or other upon the Jew so provident is this People to procure their own mischief and as it were to anticipate Gods Judgements upon themselves by such Devices as their former Embassage whose effect was to hasten the Sacred War which in the Age following undertaken upon other occasions more then doubles all their wonted miseries For it being intended against the Turk and Saracen these other Infidels were apprehended as a fit subject for such Souldiers as were indeed bent for Asia and the Holy Land to practise licentious hostile Outrages upon by the way Others again made a shew of setting forward against the Turks or Saracens of Asia intending indeed onely to spoil the Jews of Europe Unto which purpose that worthy Edict of the Claremont Councel ministred this occasion 6 The joynt consent of Bishops and others there assembled testified aloud in these Termes Deus vult Deus vult having found as it seems some lavish commendations as if it had been the Voice of God and not of Man brought forth a Rumor of a voice from heaven calling Europaeans into Asia The report was not so vain as the people of those times credulous For beside such as were appointed or would have been approved by the Councel huge multitudes of all sorts conditions and sexes run like Hounds to the false Hallow some pretending the Holy Ghosts presence in visible shape Amongst the rest one Emicho with a great band of his Country-men gathered from the banks of Rhein having ranged as far as Hungary and there either despairing of his hoped prey in Asia or onely using this expedition generally countenanced by Christian Princes as a fair pretence to catch some Booty nearer home falleth upon the Jews about that Country compelling them either to live Christians or die Besides the spoil of their goods twelve thousand of their persons were slain by Emicho and his complices as the Annals of these Countries do testifie The like had been practised a little before by one Codescalcus a Dutch Priest who had perswaded the King of Hungary that it was a charitable deed to kill these uncharitable Jews until his beastly life did discredit his doctrine and Christians begun to feel the harms of such licentious Pilgrimages after the Jews being exhausted could not satisfie his and his followers greedy appetites 7 About the same Age Petrus Cluniacensâ—s directeth a Parenetical discourse unto Lewis the French King for furtherance of his intended Expedition against the Saracens shewing him withall a ready means of maintaining his army making the perfidious Jews purchase their lives with losse of their goods But more vehement if not more Jewish was Rodulphus Vilis the German Monk delivering it in Sermons as sound Doctrine throughout both Germanies that for the better supply of the sacred war which Christians he thought were bound in conscience to undertake the Jews being as great enemies to Christianity as the Saracens were might not onely be robbed of all their goods but ought to be put to death by Christians as a good Omen to their future successe against the Saracens And unlesse Saint Bernard with other grave Divines of that Age had sounded a Counter-blast to this Furious Doctrine both by mouth and pen this Monks prescript had been practised generally throughout Germany ready enough to hold on as she had begun to evacuate her self of Jewish bloud alwayes apprehended by that people as the worst humour in their body politick Many such general Massacres have been intended against them in divers Countries but God still raised up one or other to solicit their Cause because he hath an ear continually unto the Psalmists Petition not so much for Theirs as Christians good Slay them not lest my people forget it but scatter them abroad by thy power Psal 59. 11. Unlesse God had given them such trembling hearts and sorrowful minds as Moses had fore-told through Germany France and other Countries they had not been scattered so soon through this Island whither they were first brought from France by him that brought many grievances thence unto this Nation But the evil which he intended hath God turned to our good For Gods Israel planted here until this day may hear and fear his Heavy Judgement manifested upon these Jews in the time of our fore-fathers albeit at their first coming they found some breathing from their wonted persecutions But so prodigious is all appearance of prosperity in such as God hath cursed that these Jews hopes of ease and welfare are an infallible Symptome of great distemper in the publick state wherein they live Twice onely I find in all the Legend of their wandring they had obtained some freedom and hopes of flourishing in the Lands where they were scattered once in France in the time of Theodebert and Theoderick when sacred orders as you heard before were set to sale Once in
spew'd out of the confines of Christendom as many Princes have expelled them their Dominions But as the same author observeth howsoever Christian Governours as the world now counts Christians are most Opposite in outward shew to the Religion which they professe yet they agree too well with them in their love unto this worlds god By whose means these Jews after they have been expelled one country find admission into some other or else into the same again as they did into France whence they were expelled by the Father and brought in again by the Son and into Ravenna whence banished for their combination with thieves and robbers and sacrilegious persons for Sorceries or Magicall charms in winning women to their own or others lust by Pius Quintus in the year 1568. they were recalled by Sixtus Quintus in the year 1587. As if the former of these Kings and Popes had cast their hooks into another mans liberties and their successours had drawn them when they had caught the prey For so in truth these Jews are like roving Hounds or Spaniels which catch a prey wheresoever they come and carry it unto any Prince or Potentate that will give them Harbour They never stand upon better tearms with any Prince or people then notorious or cunning malefactors do with grave Judges or great States-men Who oft-times wink at such villanies as they hate for some further purpose Nor could these Jews ever hitherto purchase their ease and quiet as they have often done their admission into divers countries Since their rooting out of their own land they have continued as Hares Hunted from their seat no sooner find they any place of habitation in these ends of the world but the crie of Gods Judgments streight pursues them If for a time they may seem to gather strength or to recover themselves from that faintnes of heart it is but to take their Feeze or Rise with greater force to their Break-neck In the pits which they dig for Christians are their own feet alwayes taken The best advantages which they can espie and entertain with greedinesse for their good are but baits laid by the Almighties hand to entrap them â—… and whilest his Judgements hunt them one way and they take another tâ—… escape them in the very places whereunto they flie for refuge as Foxâ—… chased do to their holes is the Fatall Gin set for their Souls as appears out of the Histories here set down which are but so many Experiments of Mâ—… his rule Dent. 28. ve se 65 66 67. Also among these Nations thou shalt â—… nonst neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest for the Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart sinking eyes and a sorrowful mind And thy life shall hang before thee and thou shalt fear both day and night and shalt have no assurance of thy life In the morning thou shalt say would God it were evening and at evening tâ—… shalt say would God it were morning For the fear of thine heart which thou shalt fear and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see 2 But as no money could hitherto purchase their peace and security from calamities so neither could their calamities though continually mos grievous redeem their estimation in the world nor all the bloud of their â—… though their Massacres have been numberless till these times allay much less extinguish that hateful and loathsom conceit which most men have entertained of them To ascribe all this to their forefathers sins against our Saviour is true but too general to give satisfaction in all particular doubts which their estate might minister For why the children should inherit their fathers curse without continuance in like sins is a point which admits no resolution Again why This People above all other creatures should continue their devilisa temper stil having tried such change of air diversity of soils conversing among so many severally-disposed people seems yet more strange I have read of trees leaving their poison with their native soil by transplantation bringing forth edible and wholsom fruit Wolves in few generations will become as kind as dogs Lions and Bears by often presence of men grow more tame generally beasts of most wild nature by often housing will come near the nature of domestick creatures Rude Idiots by frequent entercourse with men of better fashion in time wil take some tincture of civility and discretion Of all sensible creatures only the Jew in so many descents after so many grievous corrections for his own and his Forefathers sins can no more leave his Jewish disposition then the Leopard can his spots It further encreased my admiration why the whole Progeny being utterly banished this Land above three hundred years ago their memory should still remain for a patern of mischievous mindes either apt to do or sit to suffer any violence The very name of a Jew serving this people as a perfect measure either to notifie the Height of Impiety in the Agent or to found the depth and bottom of an abject worthlesse forlorn condition in any Patient Better we cannot expresse most cut-throat dealing then Thus None but a Jew would have done so Lower we cannot prize any one of most abject Condition then by comparing him to a Jew For so in common speech we exaggerate Enormous wrongs done to the most odious or despised amongst us This had been Enough for a Jew to suffer or I would not have done so to a Jew All these Plagues are come upon them for continuing in their Forefathers steps and To make their Creator the Author of their villanous minds were Impiety His word endures for ever Perditio tua ex te O Israel Yet is it possible that any people endued with the light of reason should continue so obstinate and obdurate as willingly to deserve all mens hate they have to deal with I know not better how to resolve this doubt then our Apostle did his of their forefathers unbelief after so many Miracles wrought amongst them Therefore saith he could they not believe because Esayas saith He hath blinded their eyes c. John 12. verse 39. and 40. Therefore must I say they could not but continue hateful and opprobrious amongst all people with whom they have conversed because Moses had said Deut. 28. 37. Thou shalt be a Wonder a Proverb and a common Talk among all people whither the Lord shall carry thee So likewise had Jeremy 24. verse 9. I will give them for a Terrible Plague to all the Kingdoms of the earth for a reproach and for a Proverb for a common talk and for a curse in all places where I shall cast them If any man then further ask Why Israel is cut off from the Land which God had given him and made a Proverb and a common talk amongst all people God himself hath taught us how to answer Because they have forsaken the Lord their God which brought their fathers out of the Land
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
through mine Hypocrisie for a little time of a transitory Life they might be deceived by me and I should procure malediction and reproach to mine old Age. This eating which he refused could never have been of Faith that is no way Warrantable by the Doctrine or Principles of Faith which had taught him the contrary as he well exprest in the next words following for though I were now delivered from the Torments of Men yet could I not escape the Hand of the Almighty neither alive nor dead Wherefore I will now change this Life manfully and will shew my self such as mine Age requireth 9 And it should be considered that the Parties of whom our Apostle speaks in the forementioned place were never injoyned by any Lawful Superiours either Civil or Ecclesiastick to eat such Meats as they made scruple of yea the very original or fountain of their Scruple was from the expresse Law of God denouncing fearful Judgements against all such as polluted themselves with Unclean Meats so that their eating albeit solemnly injoyned by the greatest Powers on earth could not fall within the Subject of true Obedience because the Laws injoyning it as they conceived stood actually condemned by the expresse Law of God to the contrary in defence whereof many of their Ancestors had exposed their Bodies to most grievous Tortures and the refusal of such Meats as they made Scruple of had been alwayes accounted the justest Title of glorious Martyrdom amongst the Jews And albeit these Laws concerning Unclean Meats were indeed Antiquated at the Alteration of the Priesthood yet should we not marvail if at the first planting of the Gospel many good Christians did make great Conscience of eating such Meats as were forbidden by them when S. Peter himself long after our Saviours Ascension durst scarce take Gods own word against his written Law then not Abrogated as he supposed in this Case For when there came a voice unto him saying Arise Peter kill and eat Peter said Not so Lord for I have never eaten any thing that is Polluted or Unclean And the voice came unto him again the second time saying the things that God hath purified do not thou account Polluted Nor was Peter as it seems yet fully satisfied for it is added in the next words This was so done thrice and the vessel was drawn up again into Heaven All these Circumstances abundantly evince that it was not the bare Doubt or Scruple but the Quality of the things doubted of and the inveterate Opinion or abominable Conceit which the Jews or other of their Instruction had of the Meats themselves that made their eating to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so far from being of Faith that it rather seemed to overthrow it Had the excesse of the Danger they feared been lesse or had there been any ordinary Possibility of any proportionable Good to set against it their Sin in eating had been lesse albeit the Grounds of their Scruple had been greater or their Perswasions one way or other lesse setled 10 Albeit this Exposition of our Apostle may seem strange and new to many honest and well disposed Minds in our Church yet in truth the manner of the deduction only is new the Doctrine it self is generally held by all Divines though not expresly in Conclusion yet in the Premises wherein it is essentially contained and may be most evidently deduced Thus. 11 All Sin consists either in preferring none before some the lesse before a greater or a Corporal before a Spiritual Good the Hainousnesse of Sin in the excesse of difference betwixt the true good neglected and the seeming good embraced which is either absolutely evil or else a far lesse good which in competition with the greater good is likewise to be accounted evil Now if whatsoever be not of Faith be a Sin then by the former Rules it is a Sin because a lesse good is preferred before a greater or some evil chosen without any proportionable good that might serve as a sufficient Recompence But if the nature of all Actual Sin consist in one of these two It is questionable how or in what case Doubting or Scruple of what we do doth make our Actions Sinful Briefly it is an External Cause or Circumstance concurring to the making of a Sinful Action not any essential part or internal Circumstance of the Sin it self once caused And it thus concurs only when that which in it self is Evil or proves so in the event would not be â—vil unto us unlesse we had some doubt or scruple that is some Notice or Apprehension of it as Evil In such Cases indeed we should not Sin unlesse we had formerly doubted but to speak exactly we do not sin because we do what we doubt of but because in doing some Actions when we Doubt we exactly prefer Evil before Good which otherwise we should not albeit we did the self same Action For it could not be Evil to us without the Apprehension of its Nature so as the Apprehension of it concurs to the making of it Evil. And because in all Doubts or Scruples there is some Apprehension of Evil therefore when we Doubt in Cases above mentioned our Actions are not of Faith but Sinful But if either we could be fully perswaded to the contrary that is if we could out of sincerity of Conscience setled Judgement discern that very thing which either we our selves sometimes did or others yet Apprehend as Evil not to be truly Evil the same Action which before had been shall not be now sinful unto us because we now prefer not Evil before Good Or again albeit the thing were in it self Evil being prohibited by some positive Law but we upon invincible or unculpable Ignorance did not Apprehend it for such we should not actually sin in doing it because in this Case we could not truly be câ—nsured for preferring Evil before Good seeing the Apprehension maketh it evil to us albeâ—t we did prefer that which was evil before that which was good As for example If a Proâ—â—â—yte should have eaten Swines Flesh being altogether ignorant not by his own but the Priests Negligence of the Israelites Law to the contrary he had done that which was evil because forbidden by the Law but not ill because he had no Apprehension of it as evil but did eat it without all scruple as well as the strong in Faith did in S. Pauls time As doubting in those Cases wherein we have an Apprehension of some excesse of evil makes mens Actions not to be of Faith and want of doubt so all other Circumstances be observed makes them to be according unto Faith †so it oft-times fals out that such as nothing Doubt whether they do ill or no do Sin far more then such as not without great Scruple of Conscience make the same sinisâ—er Châ—ice For oft-times the Causes why men make no scruple or why they Apprehend not the evil which they do are such
Rule of Life shall inlighten them unrepented of no other Rule or Authoritie shall teach them the way to Life 4 Since we thus grant that the Scriptures may be Obscure to most men by their own default but perspicuous to others free from like fault or Demerit it remains we further enquire whether the same Scriptures do not most plainly set down First the Causes why they are so Obscure to some and Perspicuous to others Secondly the Remedy or means how their Obscurity or difficulty may be prevented If they plainly teach these two Points this is a sure Argument that they are if not that they cannot be so excellent a Rule of Faith as we acknowledge them For this very Point That the Scriptures in respect of diverse Persons are Obscure and Perspicuous though Obscure to none but through their own Default is a Principle of Christian Faith and therefore must be plainlie set down in the absolute complete Rule of Faith And to omit others in their due place to be inserted what can be more perspicuonsly taught either by Scriptures or other Writings than this Truth God giveth grace to the Humble and resisteth the proud or this He will confound the Wisdom of the Wise or such as Glory in their Wisdom These and like Rules of Gods Justice in punishing the proud and disobedient hold as true in the search of Scripture as in any other matter yea especially herein Thus were the Scribes and Pharisees men of extraordinary skill in Scriptures blinded in the most necessary Points of their Salvation though most plainly set down in Scriptures For what could be more plainly set down then many Testimonies of their Messias Many places of far greater Difficultie they could with Dexteritie unfold how chanced it then they are so Blinded in the other They were scattered in the proud Imagination of their hearts and glorious conceits of their Prerogatives in being Mosis Successours and in their stead simple and illiterate but humble and meek spirited Men raised up to be infallible Teachers of the Gentiles to unfold those Mysteries of Mans Redemption which the Scribes and Pharisees could not see with evidence of Truth to enlighten the sillie and ignorant and convince the Consciences of their learned proud Oppugners By their Ministerie Prophetical and Mosaical Mysteries became a Light unto the Gentile whose life had been in the shadow of death whilest a Veil was laid before the hearts of the most learned Jewes so that even whilst the Sun of Righteousnesse which enlightens every man that comes into the World did arise in their coast and ascend unto their Zenith they groap their way as men that walk in dangerous Paths by dark-night 5 Was the Scripture therefore no Rule of Faith unto these Jews to whom it was so Dishcult and Obscure Or is it not most evident that this Blindnesse did therefore come upon Israel because they hated this Light being carried away with Lowd cries of Templum Domini Templum Domini as the Papists now are with The Church The Church And for words of supposed Disgrace offered to It onely upon a Surmise that Christ had said he would destroy and build It up again brought to seek the destruction of the Glory of It even of the Lord of Glory Thou that wouldest make others beleave the Pope is such dost thou beleeve the Scriptures to be Infallible How is it then whilest thou readest Gods Judgements upon thy Brother Jew thou doest not tremble and quake lest the Lord smite thee also thou painted wall with like Blindnesse seeing thou hast justified thy brother Pharisees stubborn Pride wilfull Arrogancie and witting Blasphemie in oppugning Scriptures And as for all such whose hearts can be touched with the terrour of Gods Judgements upon others in fear and reverence I request them to consider well whether one of the greatest Roman Doctours were not taken with more than Jewish madnesse in mistaking Scripture in it self most plain and easie who to prove the Scriptures Obscurity to be such as in this respect it could not be the Rule of Faith alledgeth for his proof that place of the Prophet And the vision of them all is become unto you as the word of a Book that is sealed up which they deliver to one that can read saying Read this I pray thee then shall he say I cannot for it is sealed 6 The Prophet relates it as a wonder that they should not be able to discern the Truth What Truth an obscure or hidden Truth Impossible to be understood This had been a wonderfull Wonder indeed that men should not be able to understand that which was Impossible to be understood Wherein then was the true Wonder seen In this that they whose eyes had formerly been illuminated by the evidence and clearnesse of the Divine Truth revealed by Gods Messenger should not be able to discern the same still alike clear and perspicuous but now to be shut up from their eyes as appeareth by the similitude of the sealed Book whose Character was legible enough but yet not able to be read whilst sealed A man might as well prove the Sun to be dark because Polyphemus after 〈◊〉 had put out his eye could not see it as the Scriptures by this place to be Obscure The Prophets words entire are these Stay your selves and Wonder they are blind and make you blind they are drunken but not with wine they stagger but not with drink For the Lord hath covered you with a spirit of slumber and hath shut up your eyes The Prophets and your chief Seers hath he covered And the vision of them all is become unto you c. And more plainly Therefore the Lord said because this people come near me with their mouth and honour me with their lips but have removed their heart from me and their fear towards me was taught by the precepts of men doth he not mean the Blind Obedience of Modern Papists as well as ancient Jews Therefore behold I will do a marvellous work in this People even a marvellous work and a wonder For the Wisdom of the wise men shall perish and the understanding of the prudent man shall be hid The Lord himself foretels it as a wonder that this People should be so ignorant in the Word of God and yet will the Jesuite make us beleeve the Word of God is so Obscure that it cannot be unto us the Rule of Faith when as without the knowledge and light of it not which it hath in it self but which it communicates to us there is no Vision no Knowledge in the Visible Church but such wonderfull Darknesse as the Prophet here describes 7 Let the Reader here give sentence with me whether it were not wonderfull Jewish Blindnesse or wilfull Blasphemie in Valentian so confidently to avouch that the Veil which Saint Paul saith is laid before the Jews hearts was woven a great part out of the Difficulty of Scriptures such Scriptures as the
partly Lucians partly Jeroms partly Theodotions the Heretick partly anothers he knows not ‖ whose Do we think the Trent Councel did examin every part of that translation or did they know as much as Bellarmin hath confessed that it should call so many Fathers and one Heretick amongst the rest Doubtless this is a miraculous Power of their Holy Church that the Holy Ghost doth but keep men from errour whilest they are living but the Pope and his councels Infallibilitie can keep an Heretick whom they knew not living from having erred after he is dead And whereas the Almighty Creatour of Heaven and Earth did but make Light shine out of Darknesse the incomprehensible Omnipotence of the Popes Infallibilitie can make Darknesse Light and Light Darknesse For otherwise why might not the Pope and the Councel have yielded the assurance of their Omnipotent Spirit unto some then living for authentick Translation Or why did they not admit Franc. Foreriâ—s Correction of the Vulgar for authentick seeing his skil in the Hebrew and good wil to the old Vulgar was so great The Reason sure why they would admit of this hodgepodge Translation before any better was as I have said to shew hereby the Popes Infallibilitie to be more then most Omnipotent and Incomprehensible They contend for the Vulgar under the Title of Hierom and yet where it is evident that Hierom did not translate the Psalmes which they use they wil not admit that Translation of them which is every where extant and without controversie is Hieroms own 7 Yet thus much I perceive by Bellarmines Answer That as an Heretick or unknown Author may erre in a Translation because he is not infallibly assisted by the Holy Ghost but yet it must be Believed that an Heretick did not erre in that Translation which the Pope and Councel hath approved So a Jesuite may perhaps commit a Murder because his order is not so holy as can warrant him from falling into mortal Sin but if it should please the Pope or Clergie of Rome to interpret the sixth Commandment otherwise we must Believe that no Jesuite doth commit any Murder in that man-slaughter or bloud-shed which the Church approves albeit he treacherously stab his Soveraign Lord the Lords anointed If it please the Pope he may antedate his Pardon or legitimate such hellish brood ere it come to light as wel as authenticate an Heretick's Translation a thousand years after his bones be rotten These are the sweet fruits of this supposed infallible Rule of Faith and Manners but of the Villanies included in this Position hereafter I now only give the Reader notice of the ridiculous Use of the same amongst themselves For what a sweet Decision was that concerning Grace and Free-Wil but lately so eagerly controversed in Spain to the publick scandal of that Church First Silence was enjoyned all for four years and afterwards Vasquez set as a brach to hunt a prey for the Romish Lion to take if he could have rouzed any to his liking Is this the Use of your infallible Rule Should Christians trouble the Turk with their Contentions he could decide as wel on this fashion as the Pope The Moscovite already hath far surpassed him in this kind of composing or rather avoiding Controversies For he not many years ago how affected now I cannot tell would have no preaching in his Dominions lest Schismes and Heresies might thereby be occasioned 8 Were not the Consequences of this Opinion so commodious to the Roman Clergie for matters of this life and so prejudicial to all other good Christians Hopes of attaining that other far better life I should have thought that Valentian Bellarmin and other such as have been most copious in this Argument had but sought to set out Commentum aliquo â—… ridiculum some artificial Foolerie to make the World sport For what better merriment could an ingenious Student wish then in his hours of recreation to descant upon their serious pains in setting a shew of Gravity upon idle foolish Arguments as uncapable of Theological as an Ape of Tragick attire But why should we consort with Hell which no doubt makes it self merry at these great Disputers Folly thus unwittingly employed to purchase the miserable solace of infernal Powers by their own eternal Sorrow without Repentance As the Opinion it self is most ridiculous to any unpartial judgement so even for this reason is the Consequence most lamentable to any indued with Humane Affection For what greater or more just Occasion of most grievous Sorrow could be presented to a religious true English Heart then to see so great a part of the Christian World especially so many of his Native Countrey-men for such ridiculous apish Impostures and false pretences of bringing Gods People under such a Government in matters of Faith as is usually in Secular States increase old Israels Rebellion and incur their grievous Curse not yet expired by casting off their Redeemer the Wisdom of God and judge of quick and dead from being their King or Supreme Judge of Controversies in Religion For why should it seem uncouth unto any Christian that Christ himself though sitting in his Throne of majestie in Heaven should be the onely Supreme infallible Judge in all Controversies concerning his own or his Apostles Precepts or Gods Laws in general For who could justly except against us if we should say That to most Physitians thorow Europe Hippocrates or Galen to Lawyers Justinian were the sole Authentick Judge No Physitian in any other Countrey exacts Subscription to his Opinions of any living in this further then upon examination they shall prove consonant either to Galen or Hippocrates or be evidently grounded on Reason Or do we exclude all use or certainty of Juridical Decisions in matters of Right and Wrong though the Judges be but ordinarie because Lawyers have no Authentick living Judge to determine infallibly of such Controversies as may arise amongst themselves in speculative points of their Profession 9 It is supposed that good Students in any Facultie have wit and art with other good means for finding out their classick Authours Sentence alreddie given whose Writings in this respect may be truly said to be their followers Judges though every one of them be a private Judge in matters of Practise Yet is it a Paradox in us to say Gods written Word is the Judge of such Controversies as arise amongst professed Divines or Ecclesiastick Judges themselves What if all of them do not agree about the true Sense and Meaning of that Word whereto all appeal No more do Physitians alwayes in their interpretations of Hippocrates or Galen yet have not their disagreements for ought I have read bred Civil Warres in the Countreys wherein they live nor doth their variance bring any danger to wise-mens Bodies but rather all dangers are by this means discovered and safer choice left others what Opinions or Prâ—… to follow or refuse or in what Cases it is most safe or dangerous to
sinister Pretences or humorous though strong Perswasions of Conscience counselling us to the contrary our Punishment in this life is just whose present smart should teach us to beware of far more grievous in the life to come But whether offend or swerve more from the Rules of Scripture prescribed for their several Christian Carriage Superiours in commanding wrongfully or Inferiours in disobeying just commands cannot oft-times if we speak of particular Actions be infallibly known in this life but must be referred unto that day of Final Judgement The dread of which should in the mean time inforce every Superiour daily to consult his own Heart and strictly to examine his Conscience whether it be not likely then to give Evidence against him for imposing too heavy burthens upon his Inferiours And so must every Inferiour again use the like diligence in the daily examination of his Conscience whether it be likely or no to convince him before the Judge of quick and dead of Disobedience to such as he had set in Authority over him or of such sinister Pretences for using the Libertie of Conscience as Conscience it self never sought after but were suggested onely by Humour Popularitie or other Desires whose maintenance have either inforced him to obey Man against God or not to obey Man commanding for God 4 Our Partialitie it is towards our selves or rather to our sensual delights or pleasures that makes us so ignorant in all things which concern our Weal For would we truly and unpartiallie Judge our selves we should not be judged Not the best experienced Justice in this Land can by examining ordinarie Malefactors discern what issue their Cause shall have before an unpartiall Judge better then we by this strict pre-examination might foresee what finall Sentence were prepared for us good or bad according to the diversitie of our Actions and Course of Life To this end hath Christ left every mans Conscience in full Authoritie during his absence to examine reprove convince and sentence the desires of his own heart of which would we daily in sobriety of Spirit and fear of his last Judgement ask counsel and patiently expect Gods Providence we should by this ordinary Means discern who commanded aright who otherwise as clearly as others heretofore have done by Means most extraordinary For even the most extraordinary miracles did ascertain the Ancient of Divine Truth and confirme them in the practise of Christian Obedience not immediately as part of their Rule of Faith whereon finally to relie but by enforcing them to look into their own Souls and Consciences in which Truth was already written if they had urged it to confession If our examination without Miracles were as strict our Beliefe would be as firm Spiritual Governours commands as Christian-like and Inferiours Obedience in all points as sincere as was theirs 5 For Conclusion I would give the Christian Reader a present Antidote against all the poisonous inchantments of Romish Sorcerers The Medicine is very brief and easie onely to think every morning next his heart or at other seasonable hours That there is a Divine Providence in this life to guide us and after this life ended a fearful judgement to passe upon all such as here abjuring the Guidance of it follow either the Wayes of flesh and blood in breeding or of carnal Wisdom in composing strife and dissention about matters Spiritual He that will seriously ruminate on these matters in his vacant well composed thoughts calling the Adversaries Arguments home to the Point which they must touch ere they can wound us let me have onely his dying curse in recompence of all my pains if any Difficulty any Jesuite or other learned Papist either hitherto hath or ever shall be able to bring do trouble his mind Whatsoever can be brought either to countenance their unchristian Doctrine or disparage our Orthodoxal Assertions either presuppose a secret denial of Gods peculiar Providence and inward calling of men or else proceed from want of consideration that there is a final Judgement wherein all Controversies must be taken up all Contentious and rebellious Spirits punisht according to their deserts Indeed if the Authors or Abetters of Schisme and Heresie might escape for ever unpunished or Christian Modestie and Humilitie be perpetually over-born by Impudencie Scurrilitie and violent Insolencie the Inconveniences objected by the Romanists might as much trouble us as the wickeds thriving did the Heathen that knew not God nor his Providence But whilest we acknowledge him and It the best Arguments our Antagonists bring wil appear as improbable as they are impious TO THE RIGHT REVEREND Father in God and my Honourable Lord WILLIAM By Divine Providence Lord Bishop of DURHAM Grace and Peace be multiplied RIght Reverend Father the sweet refreshing your Honourable Favours did yield to such of my labours as hitherto enjoy the light when a suddain uncomfortable blast had sorely nipt them in the very setting makes these last gatherings of that spring seek that comfortable warmth under your benigne Protection which the unconstant frowning season would hardly afford them in their growth Besides these and other my personal Obligements that Famous and worthy Founder of this Attick Bee-hive of whose sweetness would God I had been as capable as I have been long partaker had never allotted any Cell therein for me or other Countryman of mine but with particular relation to that seat of dignity which he sometimes did â—…r Lordship now doth and to the encrease of Gods gloâ—… good of his Church long may enjoy Seeing this our â—… Foster-Father is now ignorant of his childrens deâ—… and knows not me it shall be my comfort to have â—… honourable successors witnesses of my care and industry to fulfil his godly desire whose religious soul in his life time as his written Laws do testifie did detest nothing more then idleness in the Ministry specially in his adopted-Sons The matters I here present unto your Lordships and the worlds view are sometimes in themselves so harsh and hard to be concocted as he that would strive to make them toothsome unto nice tastes should put himself to excessive pains unless his judgement be much riper his wit readier his invention pleasanter his opportunities better and his leisure greater then mine are But it is one and the same point of judgement not to require exact Mathematical proofs in discourses of mortality or a smooth facile Rhetorical stile in Logical or Scholastick conflicts And as by the Statutes of that Society wherein I live I am bound to avoid barbarisme so my particular inclination moves me in controversies especially to approve his choise that said Fortia mallem quam formosa If any professed enemy to the truth we teach will answer me from point to point or attempt not as their custom now is onely in scoffing sort but seriously to avert those unsupportable but deserved imputations I lay upon the foundation of his Religion I shall I trust be able to answer him the better by
hath been the Original I am perswaded as well of the Papists error in demanding absolute obedience without all condition or limitation as of many Protestants granting lesse then is due to Pastors that is obedience onely upon this condition If they shew expresse warrant of Scriptures for the particulars enjoyned Nor is the condition between the Pastor and his flock like unto that between man and man in legal contracts or in controversies of debt wherein all are equal and nothing due unto the plantiffe before the performance of the condition be proved but such as is between a private man and a Magistrate both subordinate in their several places to one Soveraigne unto whom onely absolute and complete obedience is due though unto his Officers some obedience is absolutely due at the least to be dicto audiens to hear him with patience reverence and attention not to contradict or neglect his commands but upon such evident reasons as the inferiour party dare adventure to trie the cause instantly with him before the supreme Judge The acts of obedience which are absolutely due from the flock to spiritual Magistrates or Christs Messengers and precedent to the condition interposed or inserted are the unpartial examinations of their own hearts and consciences the full renouncing of all worldly desires earthly pleasure carnal lusts or concupiscences because these unrenounced have a command over our souls and detain them from performing service best acceptable unto God or yeelding that sincere obedience which is absolutely due unto his sacred Word For this end and purpose the flock stand absolutely bound to enter into their own hearts and souls to make diligent search and strict enquiry what rebellious affection or unruly desire is harboured there as often as their overseers shall in Christs Name charge them so to do otherwise their neglect or contempt will be in that dreadfull day a witnesse of their rebellion in this life a bar to keep sin in and shut grace out 13 But if any man out of the sincerity of a good conscience and stedfast resolution of a faithfull heart which hath habitually renounced the world flesh and Devil that it may be alwayes ready to serve Christ shall refuse his Pastors commandment though threatning hell pains to his disobedience in some particulars he doth yet better observe the former precept by this his deniall then others do by performance of absolute blind obedience without strict unpartial examination of their consciences for he doth herein obey God whom to obey with heart and mind thus freed from the dominion of Sathan and the World is the very end and scope the finall service whereunto all performance of obedience unto spiritual Governours is but as a trayning of Christs faithfull Souldiers And in these acts of obedience is that saying of our Saviour most generally and absolutely true He that heareth you heareth me he that despiseth you despiseth me That precept of denying our selves and renouncing all is the foundation of all the rest concerning obedience without performance of this neither can our undertaking any other acts be sincere nor our refusall lawfully admonished safe our best obedience not hereon grounded is Non-christian our disobedien e Unchristian and rebellious For which cause we are absolutely bound unto habitual performance of this ere we can be admitted as lawfull auditors of Christs other precepts All other our resolutions or deliberate intendments whether for performance of any action commended for good and honest or for maintaining any Doctrine proposed by lawfull Pastors for true and Orthodoxal must be limited by their proportion or disproportion to the end of obedience enjoyned unto spiritual Commanders which as we said before was to obey God in all Those acts then must be undertaken which upon examination appear not prejudicial to that oath of absolute obedience which we have taken unto our supreme Lord these omitted which out of this generall resolution of renouncing all and denying our selves and this unpartial examination of our souls in particular doubts may seem to derogate from that absolute Loyaltie which we owe to Christ No Minister may expect obedience but upon these conditions and he that sincerely obeyeth in the forementioned fundamental act of renouncing all and denying himself and yet disobeys in other particulars upon such grounds and motives as we have said doth perfectly fulfill that precept if any such there were obey your spiritual Overseers in all things 14 Be our bond of duty to such Governours whether by ordinary subjection to their calling or voluntary submission of our judgements to their personal worth never so great yet seeing they command onely in Christs Name and for the advancement of his kingdom to imagine spiritual obedience should be due to such injunctions as upon sober and deliberate examination seem to crosse the end they propose would argue such spirituall madnesse as if a man should adventure to kill by all probability of present occurrence his father or mother because he had formerly vowed without consideration of any homicide much lesse parricide thence likely to follow to kill the first live creature he met In such a case as Philo acutely observes a man should not forswear himself or break his vow yet overthrow the very end and use of all vowes which were instituted as bridles to make us refram all occasions or provocations to evil not as halters to lead or draw us to such unnatural villanies 15 These rules hitherto mentioned rightly observed there is no greater diffculty in restraining universal precepts of obedience to the Church then in limitting general commandements of Kings to their Deputies or Vice-gerents Now if a King should charge his Subjects to obey his Lieutenant in all that he should command any reasonable man would take the meaning to be this That he should be obeyed in all things that belong unto the Kings service because this is the end of his appointment and the proper subject of this precept No man in this case would be so mad as to take the Princes word for his warrant if by his Lieutenant he should be put upon some service which were more then suspitious to be traiterous or apparently tending to the Kings destruction If a Jesuite should see the Popes Agent or Nuncio whom he were bound to obey by the Popes injunction delivered in most ample termes tampering with the Popes open enemies either consorting with us in our Liturgie or communicating with us in our Sacraments receiving pension from forrainers or secretly conferring with such of their Counsellors as had more wit then himself could he dispence with his oath of absolute allegeance to the Pope upon these or like evasions This is suspitious indeed but how shall I know whether the Popes Agent in doing this do disobey his Holinesse If he say no must I not believe him must I not obey him and do as he doth whom the Pope commands me to obey in all things The Jesuites are not so simple in the
manifested to the peoples consciences was to over-sway the contrary proposals of known Prophets though never so peremptory Nor was it impossible for Prophets to avouch their own conceits under the name of divine Revelations more immediately sent from God then the Pope pretends witnesse the †man of God that went from Judâ—h to Bethd seduced by his fellow Prophets faigned revelation from an Angel counselling him to divert into his house contrary to the Lords commandment given before The ones dealing was I confesse most unusual so was the others death yet a lively document to cause all that should hear of it until the worlds â—nd take heed of dispensing with the word of the Lord once made known unto themselves upon belief of more manifest revelations or instructions by what means soever given to others either for recalling or restrainingâ— Hence may the Reader desâ—ry as wel the height of our adversaries folly as the depth of their impiety making their Churches authority which by theâ— own acknowledgement cannot adde more books to the number of the Canon already finished but only judge which are Canonicâ—… which not â—ar greater then theirs was that did preach and write these very books which both we and they acknowledge for Canonical For the Prophets words were no rule of faith until examined and tried by the written word precedent or approved by the event the Popes must be without trial examination or further approbation then his own bare assertion CAP. XIX That the Church representative amongst the Jews was for the most part the most corrupt judge of matters belonging to God and the reasons why it was so 1 â—… Ut was the neglect of Moses law or this peoples inward corruption abounding for want of restraint by it the sole cause of their dulnesse in perceiving or of their errour in perverting the things of Gods spirit This overflow of wickednesse served as a tide to carry them but the continual blasts of such vain doctrine Templum Domini Templum Domini the Church the Church was like a boisterous wind to drive them headlong into those sands wherein they alwayes made shipwrack of faith and conscience The true Prophets never had greater opposites then the Priests and such as the Papists would have to be the only pillars yea the only material parts of the Church representative Not withstanding whom the Fathers had traduced for impostors or Sectaries and oft times murdered as Blasphemers of the Deity or turbulent members of the State the Children reverenced as men of God and messengers of peace unto the Church and common-weal What was the reason of this diversity in their judgement or doth it argue more stedfast Belief in posterity No but more experience of the events foretold oft-times not fulfilled until the Priests and other opposits either coaevals or ancients to the Prophets were covered with confusion The childrens motives to believe particulars oppugned by their parents were greater and the impediments to withdraw their asâ—â—nt from them lesse That the children should thus brook what their fathers most disliked in the Prophets is no more then we may observe in other Writers Few much reverenced in any faculty by posterity but had eager detractors in their flourishing dayes Vicinity alwayes breeding Envy And even of such as did not aemulate them for their skil nor would have been moved with envy at their fame or glory they were not esteemed as they deserved being defrauded of due praise by such of the same profession as better pleased the predominant Humor alwayes next in election to the lavish Magnificats of present times but usually rejected by posterity when that particular humour evermore shorter lived then the humorous began to change Thus in every Faculty have those Authors which most applied themselves to solidity of truth neglecting new-fangle tricks or flashes of extemporary wit endured in greatest request and best Credit throughout all ages as meats strongest and most nourishing not most delicate are fittest for continual diet What the Latin Poet said of his Poems every Prophet might have more truly applied unto his writings Mox tibi si quis adhuc pretendat nubila livor Occidet meriti post me referentur bonores Though clouds of envy now may seem thy splendent rayes to choak These with my ashes shall dissolve and vanish as their smoak What whilst I breath sharp censures blast when my leaf fals shall spring Thy fame must flourish as I fade Grave honour forth shall bring It was a method most compendious for attaining such eternity of fame as the continual succession of mortality can affoord us which is given by another Poet but in Prose Dum vivas virtutem colas invenies famam in Sepulchro He that hunts after Vertue in his whole course of Life shall be sure to meet with Fame after Death but hardly sooner least of all could these Prophets be much honoured in their own Country whilest men of their own profession carnally minded possessed the chief seats of dignity sometimes the best stay and pillars of faith in Gods Church most capable of that infallibility which their proud successors did more boast of Yet were even these seducers alwayes willing to celebrate the memory of ancient prophets because the authority given to their sayings or reverence shewed unto their memory by the present people over whom they ruled did no way prejudice their own dignity or estimation which rather increased by thus consorting with the multitude in their Laudatoes of Holy men deceased Thus from one and the same inordinate desire of honour and praise from men did contrary effects usually spring in these masters of Israel The dead they reverenced because they saw that acceptable unto most and likely to make way for their own praise amongst the people but fear lest the living Prophets should be their corrivals in Suites of Glory whereunto their souls were wholly espoused did still exasperate and whet the malice of impatient minds conscious of their own infirmities against their doctrine which could not be embraced but their estimation must be impaired their affections crossed their politick projects dashed The higher in dignity the Priests and Rulers were the more it vexed them such poor men as the true Prophets for the most part were should take upon them to direct the people Their objections against those men of God their scurrilous taunts and bitter â—… their odious imputations forged to make way for bloudy persecutiâ—… are most lively represented by the like practises of the Romish Clergâ—e â—…d almost as many years against the Albigeans Hussites and geâ—… against all whom they suspect to have any familiarity with the Spirit â—… testimony against them is as authentick as evident only overâ—…gh Gods permission in the worlds sight by prejudice of privateâ—… Thus when poor Michaiah would not say as the King would have â—… the politick State-Prophet Zidkiah son of Chenaanah gave him a â—… the cheek to beat an answer out to
you cannot that God can and what if he should expresly grant such authority as the Pope now challengeth would your arguments conclude him to be Antichrist or the Doctrine we teach to be blasphemous On the contrary seeing our Saviour Christ did never either practise or challenge seeing neither Moses nor the Prophets did ever so much as once intimate such absolute power should be acknowledged in that great Prophet of whom they wrote we suppose the imagination of the like in whomsoever cannot be without real blasphemie Yet suppose Christs infallibilitie and the Popes were in respect of the Church Militant the same The Popes authority would be greater or were their authority but equall his priviledges with God would be much more magnificent then Christs That which most condemned the Jews of infidelity in not acknowledging Christ as sent with power full and absolute from God his Father were his mighty signes and wonders his admirable skill in Gods Word already established but chiefly his sacred life and conversation as it were exhibiting unto the World a visible patern or conspicuous modell of that incomprehensible goodnesse which is infallible Now if we compare Christ his power fulnesse in words and wâ—… with the Popes imperfections in both or his divine vertues with the others 〈◊〉 strous viâ—es to equalize their infallibilities were to imagine God to be like man and Christ at the best but as his faithfull servant the Pope his â—inâ—on his Darling or Son of his age For such is our partiality to our own flesh that oft-times though the Wise man advise to the contrary a lewd and naughty son in that he is a son hath greater grace and priviledges then the most faithfull servant in the Fathers house So would the Jesuites make God dote upon the Pope whose authority be his life never so ungracious if they should deny to be lesse then Christs in respect of us their practises enjoyned ex Cathedra would confute them For much sooner shall any Christian though otherwise of life unspotted be cut off from the Congregation of the faithfull for denying the Popes authority or distrusting his decrees then the Jews that saw Christs miracles for contradicting him in the dayes of his flesh or oppugning his Apostles after his glorification Nor boots it ought to say They make the Popes authority lesse then Christs in respect they derive it from his rather because they evidently make it greater then Christs was it cannot be truly thence derived or if it could this onely proves it to be lesse then the other whilest onely compared with it not whilest we consider Both in respect of us for Christs authority as the Son of Man in respect of us is equall to his Fathers whence it is derived For the Father judgeth no man but hath ommitted all judgement unto the Son 2 But wherein do they make the Popes authority greater then Christs First in not exempting it from trial by Christs and his Apostles doctrine neither of which were to be admitted without all examination of their truth for as you heard before Gods Word was first uttered in their audience established by evident signes and wonders in their sight and presence of whom Belief and Obedience unto particulars was exacted And it is a rule most evident and unquestionable that Gods Word once confirmed and sealed by Experience was the onely rule whereby all other spirits and doctrines were to be examined that not Prophetical visions were to be admitted into the Canon of Faith but upon their apparent consonancie with the Word already written The first Prophets were to be tried by Moses the latter by Moses and their Predecessors Christs and his Apostles by Moses and all the Prophets for unto him did all the Prophets â—… The manifest experiments of his life and doctrine so fully consonant to their predictions did much confirm even his Disciples Belief unto the former Canon of whose truth they never conceived positive doubt 3 Again there had been no Prophet no signes no wonders for a long time in Iudah before our Saviours birth yet he never made that use either of his miracles or more then Prophetical spirit which the Papists make of their imaginary publick spirit he never used this or like argument to make the people relie upon him How know ye the Scriptures are Gods Word How know ye that God spake with Moses in the wildernesse or with your Fathers in Mount Sinai Moses your Fathers and the Prophets are dead and their writings cannot speak Your present Teachers the Scribes and Pharisees do no wonders Must you not then believe him whom daily you may behold doing such mighty works as Moses is said to have done that Moses as your fathers have told you was sent from God that Gods Word is contained in his writings otherwise you cannot infallibly believe that there was such a man indeed as you conceive he was much lesse that he wrote you this Law least of all can you certainly know the true meaning of what he wrote He that is the onely sure foundation of faith knew that faith grounded upon such doubts was but built upon the sand unable to abide the blasts of ordinary temptations that thus to erect their hopes was but to prepare a Rise to a grievous Downfall the ready way to Atheisme presumption or despair For this cause he doth not so much as once question how they knew the Scriptures to be Gods Word but supposing them known and fully acknowledged for such he exhorts his hearers to search them seeking to prepare their hearts by signes and wonders to embrace his admirable expositions of them And because the corruption of particular moral doctrines brought into the Church by humane tradition would not suffer the generality of Moses and the Prophets already believed to fructifie in his hearers hearts and branch out uniformely into lively working faith he laboured most to weed out Pharisaisme from among the heavenly seed as every one may see that compares his Sermon upon the Mount with the Pharisees glosses upon Moses If the particular or principal parts of the Law and Prophets had been as purely taught or as clearly discerned as the generall and common principles His Doctrine that came not to destroy but to fulfill the Law in words and works had shined as brightly in his hearers hearts at the first proposal as the Sun did to their eyes at the first rising For all the moral duties required by them were but as dispersed rayes or scattered beams of that divine light and glory which was incorporate in him as splendor in the body of the Sun Nor was there any possibility the Jews Belief in him should prosper unlesse it grew out of their general assent unto Moses Doctrine thus pruned and purged at the very root Had all believed Moses saith our Saviour 〈◊〉 would have believed me for he wrote of me but if ye believe not his writings how soâ—â—l ye believe my words For
were disposed to continue any ancient or hereditarie Fâ—bood with the posteritie of their Predecessors greatest enemies as lineal descents of royal Families out of their personal love unto their Ancestors usually do unto the great damage of their state and Countrie It is significantly spoken by the Evangelist That the ten Kings should give their authority unto the beast thereby instructing us that Antichrist should grow great by Princes favours and gracious priviledges bestowed upon him not as the Jesuite absurdly imagines by taking authority unto himself by strong hand before it was given as the Turks or Saracens or other Barbarians have done But to proceed not the infidelity of Turk of Jew or Saracen not malignant Apostacie is to be compared with this kind of Idolatry and blasphemy we now dispute against The Turk calumniates the Cross the Jew accuseth Christ himself as an impostor but neither make him Author or approver of such impieties as they commit The Jesuit Fathers such prodigious villanies as his soul from Satans suggestion hath conceived upon his Saviour all other Hereticks or Idolaters Turks Infidels or Apostates do then onely or principally offer contumelies unto Christ and Christianity when they open their mouths and vent their bitterness against him But of this Whore and her attendants that Proverb is most truely verified Sive scortum benedicat sive maledicat perinde est The contumelies offered by them to Christ are all one always most grievous whether they bless or curse whether they magnifie or blaspheme his holy Name Whilest they profess such absolute Allegeance to the Pope the Son of perdition Christs greatest enemy in taking our Redeemers praises in their mouthes they do but adde prophane scurrility unto blasphemy using him herein more contemptuously then the Souldiers which bowed their knees unto him but buffet his face salute him as a King and yet wound his head by putting a crown of thorns upon it 9 But some out of charity not to be blamed will here demand Do all the maintainers of this strange Doctrine expresly and wittingly conceive as meanly or despitefully of Christ as these dissolute Roman Souldiers did though willingly for their own advantage to cloak their secret scoffs and mockery of his spiritual Kingdom with outward demeanure more decent and reverent then the others used Do all the learned of that Religion in heart approve that commonly reported saying of Leo the Tenth Quantum profuit nobis fabula Christi and yet resolve as Cardinal Carafa did Quoniam populus iste vult decipi decipiatur to nuzle the people in their credulity For mine own part as yet I cannot think so though I have been friendly censured for saying the contrary Many of them I am perswaded think they honour Christ as much as the best in the reformed Churches do But doth this their conceit or imaginarie love to him lessen their wrong in respect of those contumelies offered him by the heathen Rather in the learned it is a Symptom of that grievous plague inflicted upon the Jews That seeing they should not see that hearing they should not hear nor understand no sign at all of better reall affection towards Christ but rather a token of greater servility unto Satan or of that strange spiritual drunkennesse spoken of by the Evangelist Their hearts and heads are not acquainted the one endites what Satan suggests and moves their outward members to act what he commands the other interprets all done in honour of Christ as if a man should be so deeply intoxicated with some pleasant poison as to enforce it upon his dearest friend for an extraordinary dainty Finally that these great Clerks should thus acknowledge Christ for the Redeemer of the world and yet admit every Pope for his Compeer and thus devoutly embrace the doctrine of Devils is an undoubted document they are the sworn-followers of Him whose comming is by the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders and in all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse amongst them that perish That which especially causeth many of us to doubt whether the Jesuites do not aequivocate when they speak well of Christ is because their learning and judgement are on the one side so great and this imagination on the other so prodigiously absurd and sottish as one cannot possibly better brook the others company in the same heart or brain then the most flourishing Prince or Potentate in the World could the beastliest sluttish Shee fool living for the onely consort of his bed howsoever these cunning Panders in pride of their nimble wits may hope to betroth more simple souls unto this out-cast of hell And though experience in some sort hath proved it true that no opinion was ever proposed so absurd but found some Philosopher for it Patron yet this imagination of the Popes transcendent authority farre exceeds the limits of any experiments or observation made in Philosophers answerable to the former Axiom Notwithstanding the more their infatuation of whom we speak exceeds the bounds of all folly or vanity meerly natural the more it ascertains to us the truth of the Apostles prediction in the place late cited Doubtless because they received not the love of the truth therefore hath God sent them strong delusions that they should believe lies The fulfilling of which prophecie is most conspicuous in the modern Jesuites the principal maintainers of this doctrin For were they not men of rare wit and exquisit learning were not this opinion withall of all that are or can be imagined the most sottishly improbable and preposterously impious the print of Gods finger thus confounding their brain could not be so eminent or discernable The first bait cast out by Satan was but to draw the Romish Clergie unto practices so suspitious amongst the people that they could not be justified but by a conceit of infallibility and not checking their pride being challenged of error in doctrin and impiety in their dealings the Lord gave them over to believe this monster of falshood and untruth a bottomlesse pit of hypocritical preposterous blasphemies 10 Would to God the daylie ambitious practices of many that are or would be in great place amongst us the pronenesse of most to transgresse the bounds of lawfull authority and their unreadinesse to recall their errours though never so grosse their extream impatience of all impeachment by men as far their Superiours in spiritual graces as their inferiours in secular dignitie did not plainly shew the passage from that point where these mens resolutions anchor unto this new Tyre the Rock of honour and seat of pride to be but short and the transportation easie if opportunities of Time and Tide did serve them But of the particular temptations and opportunities that did first drive the Romanists into this harbour as also of inveterate errours in other points and reliques of Heathenish dispositions whereby they tow others after them elsewhere according to my promise if God permit At this time it shall
challenge another as free and absolute as himself for his Tributarie or Vassal and traduce him for a seditious member of Christendome because he would not compose the Quarrel thus injuriously sought with the surrender of his Crown and Dignitie 3 Princes may conclude a Peace for civil and free commerce of their People though professing sundry Religions and they and their Clergie might perhaps procure a mitigation of some other Points now much in Controversie but Though all others might yet This admits no terms of parly for any possible Reconcilement The natural Separation of this Island from those Countries wherein this Doctrine is professed shall serve as an everlasting Emblem of the Inhabitants divided hearts at least in this Point of Religion and let them O Lord be cut off speedily from amongst us and their Posterity transported hence never to enjoy again the least good thing this Land affords let no print of their Memory be extant so much as in a tree or stone within our Coast or let their Names by such as remain here after them be never mentioned or alwayes to their endlesse shame who living here amongst us will not imprint these or like Wishes in their hearts and daily mention them in their Prayers Littora littoribus contraria fluctibus undas Imprecor arma armis pugnent ipsique nepotes Which words though uttered in another case applied to this sound thus much to all wel-affected English or Brittish ears Let our and for ain Coasts joyn battel in the Main Ere this foul blasphemy Great Brittain ever stain Where never let it come but floating in a floud Of ours our nephews and their childrens childrens bloud 4 The Leaven of the Pharisees whereof our Saviour willed his Disciples to beware was sweet Bread in respect of this pestiferous Dough whose poison is so diffused througout the whole Body and Masse of Romish Religion as it hath polluted every parcel therein and makes even those particular Points to be damnable in modern Papists which in the Ancient holding them from other Grounds were pardonable Such as held a kind of Purgatorie or third Place after this life Evangelical Counsels Invocation of Saints or the like because they thought the Scripture taught them were deceived in these particular Scriptures but yet reserved their faithful Allegiance to Gods Word in general Nay even those particular Errours and mistakings of the sense of Scriptures were witnesses and pledges of their Obedience unto the Scripture or Word of God when they therefore Believed them because they were immediately perswaded in Conscience that the Scriptures the Rule of their Conscience did teach them But while you hold the same Opinions not because you are perswaded in Conscience immediately ruled by Scripture that they are contained in Scripture but because the Church which as ye suppose cannot erre doth teach them or to speak more plainly whiles you your selves either Believe or teach others to Believe them or the Scriptures concerning them because the Church whose Authoritie in this and all other Cases you acknowledge for the infallible Rule of your Faith commands you so to do you hereby openly renounce your own and sollicit the the people to alienate their Allegiance from God and his Word and the passing over or yielding up of stedfast and absolute Assent unto any particular Point in your Religion upon these Grounds is as evident a witnesse of high Treason committed against GOD by the partie thus believing a swearing of that Fealtie or Allegiance to a pretended Vicegerent or Deputy which is only due to the Prince himself would be in a natural and sworn subject Wherefore the supposed Infallibility of your Church is no such excellent Means of taking up all Controversies if your meaning be in the former sense proposed For it is so far from taking up all that it puts an Imposibility of having any betwixt you and as taken up unlesse you abjure it quite for it makes all the rest of your Opinions deadly to such as stedfastly Believe it or for it them 5 Your meaning then must be That this Infallibility of your Church would be an excellent Means for taking up all Controversies if all men would subscribe unto it Indeed I must confesse there would soon be an end of all or rather no controversies should ever be begun if every man would resolve with himself not to dissent from others but let them hold what they list he would hold the very same or if all men would bind themselves to abide some one Mans or a Major part of some few or more determinate persons Determinations without more ado In this case one might say of his Judge He shall determin for me and another might reply nay but for my Opinion the third might say He shall judge as I will have him and the fourth reply or rather as I will and yet never a one dissent from other but all agree All of them might have the Judges Sentence at as absolute command as the Shepheard had the Weather For every one might have him determin as he pleased because all of them were fully resolved to be pleased with whatsoever he should determin If you dream of such an Unitie in Faith or such a manner of composing Contentions it must be further disputed whether this were not an open Dissention or solemn Compact for moving a general Apostasie from the true Faith And they that labour for such an Union in points of Faith and Salvation do in effect solicite the whole Christian world to run hand in hand but head-long into open Insidelitie lest perhaps by breaking companies some might slide into Schisms and Heresies Should the Ramists and Aristotelians or generally all the Professors of Secular Arts and Sciences in our Universities bind themselves under penaltie of Expulsion or by solemn Vow never to swerve from the Bedle of beggers or John-a-dogs his determinations and resolutions in any point of Logick Philosophie or Metaphysicks would this be a sweet match to take up all Controversies or Contentions between Colledge and Colledge in our Schools were this so excellent a way to retain the Unitie of the Truth and skill in those Faculties or rather the only readie way to make all bond-slaves to Errour Ignorance and Falshood And yet might we with more safety delegate greater Authority in these cases to every one then we may to any living in matters of Faith and Religion over which or over our selves in respect of which we have no lawful Power or Authority For this and other Reasons should we be more afraid to subscribe unto any mortal mans Authority as unto a Judge most absolute and infallible whose decrees we may not resist from whose Sentence we may not appeal in matters of Faith then to refer our seves wholly unto the sole Judgement of the meerest natural Fool living in matters of secular Learning and natural Knowledge For besides the danger hence accrewing to our selves GOD our Creator Christ our Redeemer and the Holy
Spirit our Comforter and Instructer have far greater interest in our Souls and Consciences then either Aristotle or Plato or any other Philosopher or Philosophie it self hath in our Opinions or Perswasions 6 But though Gratitude to our God could not move us are those blessed hopes of Immortality so little worth as upon every light or no occasion we should adventure their eternal losse And yet idly desperately and frantickly adventure it we do unlesse such as urge us with solemn subscription to this more then Monarchical Supremacy over our souls enstamped not with any Roman Caesars but Gods own Image Superscription can shew us sufficient Warrant that thus to offer up not only the calves of our lips but even our Faith the best Tribute our hearts can yield wholly into Christs pretended Vicars hands be not a witnesse of our Rebellion against Christ himself the Supream Lord as wel of them that challenge this Authority as of us of whom this servile subjection is exacted All the warrant or Evidence which in this case they can pretend must either be drawn from the Rules of Reason or from the Scriptures the Rule as we contend of Faith which for this reason may justly controul all pretended Rules of Natural Reason And as we have said before if the Pope be as usually he is but homo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a witnesse then both Scripture and Reason teach us that he cannot perceive the things of God nor the Meaning of his Spirit for as our Apostle saith they are foolish unto him And if they be foolish to him then is he as foolish a Judge of them and of all things that must be Spiritually discerned as the meerest natural Idiot would be of natural Philosophie or other secular Arts or Sciences Even to this one place of Scripture uttered by the Spirit of God and the Ministry of that Apostle no sufficient Answer can be given without the evident Testimony of the same Spirit under some Prophets Apostles or Evangelists hand either mitigating or restraining that sense which the words naturally import and we collect whose Probability in it self and Consonancy with other Scriptures are so great that we stand bound by our general Allegiance which we ow unto GODS Spirit to suspect all men for Incompetent Judges or witnesses in matters concerning GOD unlesse we know certainly of what Spirit they are or have great Inducements to presume them of a better Spirit and in more favour with the Spirit of God then they themselves report their Popes to be CAP. XXIX That their Arguments drawn from conveniency of Reason or pretended Correspondency between Civil and Ecclesiastical Regiment do prejudice themselves not us 1 THat this is no general Dictate of common Reason or any part of the Law of Nature Reason and common Sense make evident And we may rest assured hereof in that no Jesuite nor other Stickler for the Popes Authority hath been so impudent hitherto as to avouch thus much That there are some Probabilities or Conveniencies which in Reason might perswade any indifferent man that there must be some one Umpire or Tribunal Seat by whose Authority all Controversies of Religion must be determined BELLARMINE thus goes about to prove GOD was not ignorant that many Difficulties about Faith would arise in the Church What then In Reason then he was to provide his Church of a Judge suppose he were But this Judge cannot be the Scripture nor any private revealing Spirit nor any Secular therefore an Eccesiastical Prince which may determin such matters either of himself alone or at least with the advice and consent of Bishops his Associates Nâ—… hath any yet as nor can any indeed imagin any other to whom the Judgement of these things can possibly appertain 2 That neither the Scripture nor any private man nor secular Prince is this Judge he labours to prove by Arguments whose strength hath been broken in the former Discourses concerning the Obscurity of Scriptures and the Varieties of Interpretations But how cunningly soever his sagacity may seem to have cast about he is at the same default Valentian and Sacroboscus were all of them over-ran the Sent by leaping from one Extream to another without search of the Mean betwixt them for they take it as granted that we deny all living Judges of Controversies because we acknowledge no absolute Infallibility in any Our Assertion is The Scripture is a Law or Rule most infallible whereby every man must judge himself whereby such as are in lawful Authority may judge others for not judging themselves by it but not alwayes infallibly Nor can it stand with the sobriety of Christian Wisdom to expect such a precise determination of all Points disputed much lesse disputable among the learned as might bind all men to an absolute Belief whether explicit or implicit of this or that determinate sense all others excluded Notwithstanding the more conscious any ordinary Judge is of his own or others Fallibility or Facility of erring dangerously if they should take upon them strictly to determin all Religious doubts much more all doubts in matters of Religion that might be moved the more infallibly may he rest assured that many cases of that Quality are very doubtful that in sundry of many Opinions all to his knowledge possible as much may be as probably alledged for any one as for other Now the true and proper Use of an Ecclesiastick Judge or Magistracy is not only to punish Oppugners of Truths either evident in themselves and infallibly Believed of all Christians or generally received by the best and most unpartial Writers in every Age but as wel to moderate mens carriage in Controversies of the former nature sometimes by restraining all peremptory Assertions one way or other all exasperating censures or contumelious contradictions as in difficulties aquipendent betwixt an equality of contrary Probabilities sometimes as in matters not so useful or unto whose search the Signs of times present do not solicit us by enjoyning a general Silence that all may hearken with better attention to GOD alwayes speaking by the ordinary Course of his Providence albeit softly and leasurely yet distinctly and audibly to quiet minds already instructed in that Heavenly knowledge though not simply unto all for many of us can perfectly distinguish mens voices whiles they repeat what in part we know though not whiles they pronounce matters unheard before or altogether unknown to us 3 By this it may appear would our Adversaries make an equal comparison that God hath better provided for his Churches Regiment in matters Spiritual then Common-weales in Temporal First the Scripture is a Rule as al-sufficient for all such Businesses as any Temporal Laws could be for effecting their proper End albeit we should suppose the Lord had dictated them immediately as he did the Scriptures This our Adversaries cannot deny unlesse they doubt whether the eternal Spirit have as great skil in Heavenly matters as