England under William Rufus whose conditions were such that whosoever would give enough might have whatsoever lay in his power to grant Their estate in England during other three Kings raign until Richard the first yields little matter of observation this people hate had not as yet broken out against them but was all this time in gathering and after their first planting here they were to have a time to bring forth fruit for others to eat a time to gather wealth for others to spend as Moses had foretold 8 Most miserable in the mean time was their estate throughout the Eastern Empire as one of their own Writers Benjamin Tudelensis who went on Pilgrimage to visit his Country-men wheresoever dispersed throughout the world complaineth of their general hard usage amongst the Graecians instancing in such as were seated about Constantinople within whose wals they might not come but upon occasion of publick commerce or business in which case they were allowed passage onely by Boat having their habitation as it were in an Island Amongst two thousand of this servile Congregation there residing not one permitted to come on horse-back save only Solomon the Emperours Physitian whose exaltation perhaps not fourteen handfuls above ground was held as a publik grace of the whole Nation the chief solace of that miserable and servile usage which all the rest without difference good or bad did sustain dayly beat and scourged in the open streets Yet must we believe this Relator That these Jews were wealthy good and merciful men observant of the Law such as could patiently endure this miserable captivity But Patience perforce according to the Proverb is no Patience If GOD had granted them ability or opportunity they had quickly shewed their Jewish minds by Jewish actions And why he keepeth them continually under unwilling to hear their cry though They cannot we Christians may easily perceive the cause For so his Prophet Samuel had fore-told And ye shall cry out at that day because of your King whom ye have chosen you and the Lord will not hear you at that day Which words as a learned convert Jew rightly observeth were not fulfilled in Samuels time whose opinions may be fortified by these reasons 9 Samuels authority over that people was not so strictly linked with GODS but that they might reject the one for their present Judge still retaining the other for their supream Lord and who can deny that the God of their Fathers did rule over them in Davids Solomons Jehoshaphats and Ezekiahs times Sin no doubt they did in abandoning Gods Priest and Prophet to follow the fashions of other Nations in submitting themselves unto a King And Samuel like a good Physitian forewarneth them of that incurable disease which this new-fangle and intemperate act did even then Prognosticate whose Fatal Crisis notwithstanding did not insue until they overgrown with desperate wilful and intemperate malice had rejected Hint with open mouth who was both Priest and Prophet and their lawful King whose kingdom was not of this world whose Soveraignty was so united with the divine Majesty that in casting him away they could not but cast off God that he should not reign over them 10 Again before that time God alwayes heard their cry and redeemed them from all Forrain Bondage and such as Samuel there describeth was neither general nor perpetual under their own Kings neither did the best of such use any nor the worst all or most part of the natural Israelites in such sort as he there threatneth yet all the miseries there threatned 1 Sam. 8. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17. have been since accomplished in full measure if I may so speak in length breadth and profundity First this Serviâ—â—â—y hath been extended over All the Nation without exception Secondly the continuance of it hath been exceeding long and perpetual without interruption and so must continue until they confesse their forefathers rebellion and acknowledge him for their King whom rejecting they rejected God for he that will not so honour the Son cannot Honour the Father as King Lastly those marks of servility set forth by Samuel have been so deeply imprinted in this generation rejected of GOD that his Prophecy compared with Modern Histories concerning them will seem but as Painted Wounded men in a cloth of Arrasse to the bleeding reliques of a scattered vanquished army For neither under any Caesar though they made choice of Caesar for their King nor under any other Kings or States have they lived as Free-denizons capable of publick Office or Honour the best of them are but as slaves prohibited to use the meanest of Christians so The most of them as Samuel fore-told are admitted in Common-wealths for manual services or other handy-crafts imployments Captains I think none of them have been unlesse perhaps in some desperate services many of them in greater Cities are suffered to follow Merchandize that they may serve the State as Spunges alwayes surer to be squeezed for the moysture they have sucked then to be nourished by it Sundry of them are curious Artificers and professe ingenious Trades like silly Silk-worms permitted to exercise their skill in precious stuff to fill Princes Coffers and find their Countries cloathing 11 The possession offields and Vineyards hath not been so usual amongst this people as their spoil amongst such as possessed any so this Jew relateth it as a special prerogative of Calonymus the son of Theodorus both in their life-times chief of the Synagogue in Narbona and lineally descended as he pretendeth from David that he might quietly possesse the fruits of his grounds The Princes it seemeth of that and like places did take other Jews fields and vineyards and best Olive trees and gave them unto their servants rather tything then taking the tenth of their seed and Vineyards for that usually was the Jews part the other nine as Samuel foretold 1 Sam. 8. 14 15 16. fell unto Princes Officers lot 12 But the greater these dispersed sons os Isaac Servility was the more it commendeth the fidelity of Gods word concerning the sons of Rechab who as this Author relateth live united in form of a Kingdom or Nation not subject to any forrain yoak rather able to offend their neighbours then likely to receive harms from them Their estate to this Authors dayes continued such as they themselves acknowledged unto Jeremy Onely experience it seemeth had taught them to build Cities for their better security against the incursion of forrainers which was not against their oath in case of necessity as appeareth from Jeremy 35. 9 10 11 12. Because in other points they have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab their Father and kept his precepts and done according to all that he had commanded them therefore Jonadab hath not wanted a man to stand before him until this day that is their estate hath continued such as their Father left them much better then the estate of Abrahams Sons by Sarah Though
pitâ—te natalem ipsius vitae fuit eâ—â—tur in tantum in ille viro à se disâ—â—daÌ„te â—ortuna 〈◊〉 cui modo ad victoriam Terra deâ—uâ—â—at deesset ad sepul turam Vâ—llei Pater Hist 1. lib. 2. b Qui mare 〈◊〉 eâ—sam quod Romanis parebat pacaverat in eo ipso periit qui olim mille navibus tot enim ferunt praefuerat tunc in naticula â—…tum occisus est 〈◊〉 ab eo Pâ—olemâ— quodammodo cujus patrem ipse in eam regionem ac Regnum reduxerat Diâ—a Hist 〈◊〉 lib. 42. statniâ— pâ—st Sic Pompetus inter Romanos habitus antea potentissâ—â—nus ut Agamemnon eitam cognominaretur quod mille navitus ipse â—um Imperio praefutsset tunc quasi unus de extremae sortis Aebyptiis ad montem Cassium interiit ea ipsa dâ— qua quâ—ndam de Mithâ—â—date paratis triumphum duxerat ut ne in his quidem extrema cum primis convenerint c The Piratical was the most honourable War that ever any Roman undertook and justly deserved a glorious triumph but Pompey triumphed in his Sin whilst he included Juries Conquest as part of that daies glory which the Lord for this reason would have defaced by his miserable death as he had polluted the solemnity of Gods Sabbath in Jerusalem for he took it on the Sabbath day Vid. Joseph lib. 1. de Bell Jud. cap. 5. And Dion l. 66. sayes that Titus did so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vix caperet templum quem parva recondit auna Epitaph Pompeti apud Appian l. 2. de Bello Civili a Appian ibid. b The RomaÌ„s preposterous and impious collectioÌ„s upon Pompers overthrow c Hence were these and like complaints Marmoreo Licinus tumulo jacet at Cato parvâ— Pompeius nullo quis putet esse Deos d Romanorum prim Cn. Pomp. Judaeos domuit Templumque jure victoriae ingressus est Inde vulgatum Nulla Intus Deum effigie vacuam sedem Inania Arcana Tacitus lib 5. Histor Vide Florum l. 3. c. 5. e Lucan 2. lib. The miscarriage of Crassus parallel to the manner of his sin against Jerusalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plutarch in Crasso As the destruction of Heirusalem did not immediately follow upon our Saviours but upon his servants S. James unjust death f This Hierapolis was Bambyea or Edessa where Dirceto the great Syrian Goddesse was worshipped as appears from Strabâ—s 16 Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It was beyond Euphrates whereas Crassus had ominous signs of his destruction at his first passage over that River Plutarch * â—… totum esse in colliâ—… trabem â—… nâ—â—il aliud loco 〈◊〉 ‑ 〈◊〉 â—… inserta erat trabâ—â—… solus â—… templi auâ—… â—… totum quantum â—… Joseph Aâ—â— Lib. 14. c. 12. †â—… Augâ—us â—â—sis â—… Quod â—… semper potentioâ—… autem â—… se Crassi amiâ—… exâ—… Partâ—o â—… Dion 1 〈◊〉 4. * Tum Cassiani rursum aegre serebant omisso Crasto qui monitores audire gravabatur conviciis incessebant Abgarum in Greek Acharus in Dion Augarus and in Plut in Crass Ariamnes Sceleratissime hominum quis te malus daemon ad nos adduxit quibus veneficiis quibus prasâ—igiis persuasisti Crasso ut per vastas sol tudines iâ—er faceret Numidae latronum principi magis decorum quà m Romano Imperatori Ille versipellis confortabat eos blanditiis hortabatur durarent paulisper milites verò sublevabat accurrens cum risu cavillabatur Quid per Campaniam vos iter facere putatis ut requiratis fontes ac rivos umbras scilicet balne ásque continuata penè diversoria non meministis vos transire per Arabum Assyriorum confinia Ita tum Abgarus Romanos quasi paedagogus quidam castigabat priusquam deprehenderetur in perfidia abequitavit non clam sed ex consensu Craâ—â—i fiagens se curaturum necessaria turbaturum consilia hostium Appian de Bell. Parth. Augarus si quod utile consilium Crassus cepisset dehortatus hominem est sin damnosum confirmavit ac tandem hujusmodi rem confecit Crassus Seleuciam contendere decreverat quò se tutò cum exercitu ac commeatu praeter Euphratem ac trans eundem pervenire posse cogitabat à Seleucia quam ut à Gracis hominibus habitatam facile sperabat in suam potestatem venturam ad Cresiphontem Urbem baud difficulter se trajecturum Id consilium tanqua multo tempore opus habiturum ut repudiaret ac potius adversum Surenam qui prope cum parva manu esset iret Augarus persuasit Quibus constitutis cum Crassum ut petirer Surenam cum quo sub speculandi praâ—extu frequenter congrediebatur ut superare posset paravisset Romanos nihil solicitos ac tanquam ad certum jam victoriam proficiscentes eduxit in eisque tum per insidias opprimendis Parthum adiuvit Dion lib. 40. As he came into this danger by Augarus treachery so was he slain after he had yielded himself unto Surenas contrary to his oath and promise Vid. Appian l. citato Strabon l. 16. ‖ So saith S. Augustin de Civit. Dei l. 18. c. 45. Postea i. post Pompeii victoriam de ludaeis Cassius TempluÌ„ spoliavit Of his cruel exactions in Judea Vide Joseph antiq l. 14. c. 18. †Of his grosse error in mistaking his victorious friend for his persecuting enemie Vide Velleium PaterculuÌ„ l. 2. reliquos Rom. hist autores Jerem. 2. 3. Levit. 23 10. Gods judgements upon Pompeys Iâ—â—h 〈◊〉 most just because they had parti cipated â—… Sin * 〈…〉 quâ—… Ro â—… veto pâ—… â—â—d plâ—… sunt 〈◊〉 antâ—m gravur â—… Judâ—… visum â—ll quam san ctum illud Are â—…â—uâ—quam â—aus viâ—um 〈◊〉 eâ—â—e dectum Denique Pom peius una cum Suiâ— Comitib in templum â—… lâ—bra cuâ—â—… â—… in quâ—â—… a Quatuor â—… rant genera in Cyrenensium urbe Civâ—s Agricolae In quilini Quanti Judai hoc jam in omnes urbes subrepâ—… c. Jâ—s Ant. l. 14. c. 12. b Seneca inter alias civilis Theologiae superstitiones reprehendit Sacramenta Judaeorum Christianos taâ—â— jam tunc Judaeis immicistimos in neuâ—â—am partem commemorare ausus est ne vel lau daret contra suae patriae veterem consuerudineÌ„ vel reprehenderet contra propriam sorsitan voluntatem De illis sanè Judais cum loqueretur ait cum interim usque eo sceleratissimae gentis consuetudo convalvit ut per omnes jam terras recepta sit victi victoribus leges dederunt Mirabatur haec dicens quid divinitus ageretur ignoâ—… subjecit plane sententiam qua significaret quid de illorum sacramentorum rationâ— sentiret Ait enim Illi tamen causes titus sâ—i noverunt major pars populi sacit quod cur faciat ignorat Aug l. 6. de Civit. c. 11. c Sequitur auri illa invidia Judâ—ci Hoc nimirum est illud quod non
mindes willing enough to save them but durst not venture their bodily presence for their rescue Albeit the manner of the Christians proceeding against them be usually such as none but Jews would justifie yet this is an evident Argument that the Lord of lords and King of kings hath ordained them to suffer wrong whom the greatest powers in such civil States as Germany France and England are cannot right For although the Palsgrave with some others inclining unto them had taken their protection upon them in these last Persecutions yet even this pity whether true or pretended did cause their further wrongs by grievous exactions for maintaining the war begun in their defence So strangely doth the wisdom of God bring that to passe which his servant Moses had foretold Deut. 28. 29. Thou shalt not prosper in thy wayes thou shalt never but be oppressed with wrong and be polled evermore and no man shall succour thee Even â—…r it self by their distempered appetites is turned into Sorrow Though all Christian Kings and States should conspire together for their weal yet as I said before they will conceive mischief and bring forth their own destruction by â—…ing out into such shameful Acts as deserve grievous punishment in sight of God and man So in the year 1410. they go about their wonted practise of crucifying a Christian childe in contumely of our Saviour Christ but their intent being known before they had opportunity of acting it the Marquesse of Misna and Land-grave of Turing find room enough for their coyn in their cossers but leave none for them stript naked of all they had within any part of their dominions Or if they do sometimes that which in it self is good they do it with such malicious mindes that God gives them but the reward of wickednesse So in the year 1421. for furnishing the poor Christians of Bohemia with money munition against their Antichristian persecutors they were generally imprisoned throughout Bevere quite bereft of all their money and coyn and lastly banished all the dominions belonging to Frederick Duke of that Province Nor doth their in bred spight to Christians or their plagues due thereunto wear out in that age For in the year 1497. they were burnt at Stenneberge in the Province of Stargardia for their wonted violence and indignities offered to the blessed Eucharist 15 Thus much of their estate in England France and Germany until the year 1500. Of their estate in Germany since if God permit elsewhere because it yields matter of distinct observation from the former Now briefly to acquaint the Reader with so much of their affairs in Spain as may testifie some other parts of Moses his prophecie in the forementioned place In the year 1482. the measure of their iniquitie was grown so full that this land could not bear it and they themselves become so abominable to Ferdinand and Isabel his Queen that none of this seed must stay within their dominions unlesse they will become Christians as sundrie of larger possessions amongst them in outward Profession did the rest were scattered thence into other Countries most into Portugal welcome for their money to sojourn there a certain time after which as many as were found in Portugal were there to remain as slaves unto the King such as would were to be transported at his cost and charges The King himself unlesse Orosius be partial for him was careful to perform his promise to secure them of peace during their abode and of safe passage at the time appointed But the Marriners having once gotten them aboard did make their ships as so many prisons or houses of torture to wrest wealth out of their hands lengthning the time by circular and unnecessarie turnings back and forth until the Jews had quite spent all their provision afterwards enforced to buy their food and other necessaries of the Marriners at what rate they pleased And not content with spoil of their goods they abuse the bodies of their wives and daughters to their lust not pleasant enough unlesse sauced with other contumelies and indignities practized upon their Fathers and Husbands Finally by these marriners too much thinking that their passengers were Jews and might be used accordingly they forget that they themselves were Christians and stain that sacred profession with all manner of base villany and impietie Partly through this delay in shipping over the first company partly through the abuses done unto them so shameful that the fame thereof was brought unto their fellows ears by the wind which served the Marriners back to Portugal the later sort remaining in expectation of safe passage either could not or would not be transported at the day appointed and so by their staying become captives to John then King of Portugal But Emanuel his successour not long after sets them free using all other fair means to bring them unto Christ until Ferdinand and Isabel his confederates solicit these ill-thriving plants ejection out of Portugal as unfit to settle in any Christian soil After long debatement with his counsellers for their exile or stay the fresh examples of their expulsion by so many other Christian Kings and Princes did move Emanuel to their imitation So that either they must avoid his dominions by a certain day or else remain there either free-men in Christ or slaves and Captives unto him as many of them did against their wils not able to provide themselves of shipping having but one port at last allowed them for their passage whereas at the first promulgation of the Kings Edict against them they had choice of three The greatnesse of their number best appearing by their confluence about the day appointed for their passage moved the good King with compassion to see so many thousand souls should desperately run the wayes of death and seeing no hope of diseasoning the old and withered stocks fit fewel for everlasting flames he was the more desirous to recover some of their young and tender grafts by watering them with the water of grace and for this purpose gives strict commandment that all their children under fourteen years of age should be taken from their Jewish parents and trained up in the School of Christ This sodain and unexpected divorce though intended in compassion of the children brought greater miserie on the Parents then if their own flesh had been torn from their bones There a man so his heart would have served him might have seen silly infants haled from their mothers breasts more willing to embrace death then part with them And yet for pittie lest their hands by holding fast might prove their childrens racks suffering them to be drawn out of their tender Embracements with far more grief and sorrow of heart then they had been brought out of the womb Fathers enclasping their sons and daughters willing to die in their arms had these beat off as hoopes from vessels which they environ from their childrens bodies and either broken or benummed with blowes A
voice was heard through Portugal surpassing that in Ramah nothing but mourning and weeping and lamentation many a Leah blearing her eyes with weeping for her children and would not be comforted Men and women filling the heavens with more hideous outcries then the Egyptians did at their Fore-fathers departure out of Egypt when the Firstborn of every Family throughout the land was slain at midnight But these were bereft at once of all their loving children in the open Sun Many of them not able either to rescue or dispatch their own bowels become mad with the sight that their eyes had seen and killed themselves Others having better opportunitie account it a part of their happinesse to be able to prevent their childrens washing in the sacred Font by drowning them in draw-wels and ditches In both these calamities at the two fore-mentioned transportations we may see those Prophecies of Moses exactly fulfilled Deut. 28. 30. Thou shalt betroth a wife and another man shall lie with her And again verse 32. Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people and thine eyes shall fail at the sight every day and there shall be no power in thy hand Many Moors professing Mahumetism were transported from Portugal the same time but had no such violence offered them what was the reason God would have a manifest distinction between this and other people The Barbarous Moors had some power in their hands the Portugals abstain from like usage of them lest the report coming to the African Mahumetans ears might have moved them to avenge their wrongs upon poor Christians living amongst them But these Jews no where had any Nation none to avenge their grievous wrong which the Lord God of their Forefathers had ordained they should suffer at all times in all places wheresoever they have come without redresse 16 Nor do their Fates change with their Name or Profession For what violence was ever offered to any of this race like to that which these late converts Christned Hebrews but still Jews in misfortunes suffered in Lisbon in the year 1506. Two thousand massacred in three dayes space many not suffered to die of deadly wounds were dragged by their mangled limbs into the market place where the bodies of the living and slain with others half alive half dead were burnt together on heaps The Spectacle was so horrible that it quite astonied the rest of this miserable progenie at other times as desperately set to suffer as Monks furiously to inflict any torture Parents durst not mourn for children nor children sigh for their parents though each haled in others sight to the place of torments lest these significations of their grief and sorrow might bewray them to be of the tormented kinred with whom the least suspicion of alliance was sufficient to make them inherit like plagues ere the breath was out of their predecessors bodies Osorius description of these distressed souls perplexitie shewed in their gesture and cariage during this Massacre may serve albeit he meant nothing lesse as a Paraphrase upon the last words of Moses often-mentioned Prophecie There that is in the utmost parts of the earth the Lord shall give thee a trembling heart and a sorrowful mind and thy life shall hang before thee The disposition of the Divine Providence in affording opportunitie to this licentious out-rage was much what like to that described before in Lin. A great part of these Tragical Actors were German and French mariners which had repaired to Lisbon for other traffick but returned home unpunished burdened with the spoil of these Hebrews goods but more heavily laden with guilt of their bloud albeit their souls were not so deeply died therewith as the Lisbon Monks who had instigated them and others to this Butchery inflamed themselves with this furious zeal only by an unseasonable speech of one poor Hebrew apprehended by the other as derogatorie to our Saviour For whilest the others by long gazing upon the picture of his wounded side through a glasse took the reflex of light thence cast upon their dazled eyes for a Miracle the silly Hebrew whether openly to contradict or unawares uttering to some by-standers what he thought bewrayed his incredulitie How a piece of drie wood should work Miracles 17 Whilest I read so many Christned souls thus Butchered like Beasts for ones denial of divine Honour to a livelesse Image I could not but pause with my self and now I must commend it to the Christian Readers consideration whether that part of Moses prophecie and there thou shalt serve other Gods which thou hast not known nor thy Fathers Wood and Stone may not be understood of the convert Jews throughout the Popes Dominions thus oft times urged to commit Idolatrie with stocks and stones upon more Tyrannical terms if they gainsay then their Forefathers were either by the Assyrian Caldaean Egyptian Roman or any whosoever had led them Captive out of their land If the Monkish Apologizer reply There is a great difference between the Heathen Idol and their Image worship I grant the Idolatrie is of a divers kind and so it seems Moses meant when he threatned this people that after their final transplantation by Adrian and their scattering through Spain and these Western Countries They should serve such Gods as their Fathers had not known For this peoples Forefathers before Moses time and after had known the Heathen gods too well If the Romanist yet rejoyn that in worshipping Christs Image they worship Christ I will not deny but he may think so for so the Jews thought they honoured Moses because they honoured the Letter of his Law But to omit other reasons this and other like outragious Facts committed upon as light occasions shall convince their nice School-distinctions of foul errour and turn their lies with such violence into their throat that as Saint Augustin interprets the Psalmist of these Jews It shall even break their teeth in their mouthes For if the zeal these Monks of Lisbon bare unto this Image had been directed unto Christ they had in some good measure been transformed into the similitude of His gentle meek and merciful disposition It was Wbod-worship doubtlesse which had made them so mad and furious It was their continual adoring of stones which had turned their hearts of flesh into hearts more full of fire then the flint and harder then the hardest Adamant But of the effects of Monkish pitie towards Christ or the Crucifix as also of the Jesuites doctrine concerning Image-worship elsewhere if God permit Thus much of these Jews estate from time to time may suffice for our intended purpose to be further collected in the Chapter following CAP. XXX General collections out of the particular Histories before mentioned the strange dispositions of the Jews and Gods Judgements upon them all Testifying the Truth of Divine Oracles 1 I Cannot but approve Crantzius his judgement of these Jews That they are a perfidious and wicked people worthy to be
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
and truly religious Writers in the best and flourishing ages of the Church have been as Copious and Industrious in citing Authorities of Scriptures for their Opinions as Hereticks this Argument proves nothing against us why we may not be Orthodoxes and true Catholicks as well as Hereticks That this hath been the practise of Hereticks we acknowledge and having received this their Blow we can return their own weapons upon them with greater probabilitie of better speed 2 It hath been the practise of sundry Hereticks never of any Orthodox to refuse their triall by Scripture and flee unto Traditions It hath been the continual practise of most monstrous and blasphemous Impostors of false Messiahs and such as oppose themselves against Christ of Mahomet and such like to plead the infallible Assistance of the Holy Ghost and a Supream Authority over others without subjection to any triall either by Scripture or other Means If most of them have failed in getting so many stedfast followers as the Pope now hath and for many yeers hath had it is most likely this was either because their Heresies were more open and more easie to be descried or they lesse cunning in countenancing them by Scriptures Antiquitie or other plausible showes of Custom Tradition or the like For we all know that Antichrists greatnesse must grow by the multitude of his resolute followers that God shall send them be they never so many strong delusions that they should beleeve lies that his coming is by the working of Satham who can urge Scripture as cunningly to maintain Falshood as any Heretick and by all power and signes and lying wonders So that it will be hard to discover or prevent his coming unlesse men be very cunning and expert in these Scriptures the Rule of Truth the onely Light whereby all falshood must be discovered 3 That they may once for all know how little we fear their force we will set our Bodies so as they shall not misse them and prepare our selves to take the full strength and Dint of all their strokes The Hereticks of old time say they have urged Scriptures for their Doctrine vehemently and copiously we will give them better hold and help them to presse this Point a little harder They did urge Scriptures most cunningly most subtilly and hereby deceived many yea almost staggered the very Elect. What if they did so would Pharaohs Enchanters have obstupisied most of the Israelite beside Moses and Aaron but did their cunning jugling prejudice the truth of Moses Miracles or did he neglect to manifest the Power of God for fear lest he should be censured for such a one as they were onely more cuning in his Craft Their wicked cunning served as a foyl so to set forth his heavenly skill as the Enchanters themselves could not but see the Finger of God in his working herein more ingenuous then the modern Jesuites who in so clear a Point as this we now dispute after so many foyls as they have taken will not acknowledge the force of that Scripture in themselves Magnaest veritas praevalet The Reason is because they will not come into the open Court to trie their Skill before unpartiall Judges 4 The Devil we all know did urge the Scripture to our Saviour with great skill and dexterity Had he been the onely follower or first founder of this practise or the first of all we had read of we should have been untill we had found some better example and warrant for it as much afraid to have imitated him herein as that scrupulous Monk was to wear his Hood because he thought the Devil had been the first that ever had worn one being usually painted in that habit when he came to tempt our Saviour Christ and that Story he thought in all likelie-hood to be as Ancient as the first Hood But with what Weapon did our Saviour vanquish Sathan that had set upon him with Scripture did he charge him sub poena anathematis to be silent or did he crave the Churches peace under pain of greater penalties or did he appeal unto the infallible Authority or Supream Tribunal of the Jewish Church did he except against him for using an unlawful Heretical weaponâ— can you deny that he foyled him with these very weapons wherewith we now contend that all Hereticks Sathans followers are to be assaulted and repulsed ere they can be lawfully foyled and quite overthrown And here I would beseech all sâ—ber-minded Christians even as they love our Saviour Christ â—he chief Captain of the Lords Host the Authour and finisher of our Faith and as they hate Sathan himself the Head and Prince of all Gods Christs and our enemies to consider these subsequent Reasons well and weigh'd is Instance in the quiet calm and setled motions of their hearts 5 If Sathan can thus teach Hereticks and other his like wicked Instruments such great skill and cunning in Scriptures as they can thereby countenance Errours and deceive others with a shew of Godlinesse why should we not hold it as a principall Article of our Faith that Christ Jesus is able to instruct his chosen Immediately in the true Sense and Meaning of the same Scriptures so as they may hereby grow skilful enough to retain such as love the Truth in the knowledge of Truth and defend themselves and others against the oppositions of Hereticks although they bring their Arguments out of Scripture For First we know and believe that Christ is stronger then Sathan for he hath bound that strong man Secondly that he is better skilled in Scripture for after his first enterance into his Prophetical or Sacerdotal Function he put him hereby to flight and at his Passion ‖ threw him out of his hold Sathans strength since that time hath been lesse and Christs Power greater so that in his strength we may be stronger then all Sathans followers Thirdly we know that the Scripture is in it self much more favourable unto Truth then unto Falshood and caeteris paribus far more apt to confirm true Religion and instruct in Points of Faith then to establish Heresie or fill the World with Errours onely the sons of Darknesse have been wiser in their generation then such as should be or in some measure are the sons of Light And if Hereticks may seem to have had the better sometimes of the Orthodox in trying Controversies by Scripture this doubtlesse was for no other reason but onely this Their alacritie and industrie in searching Scriptures for maintenance of Errours was greater then the others for establishment and confirmation of the Truth otherwise as we said before the Truth is more consonant to the puritie and integrity of Sacred Writ then any Falshood though never so fair in shew can be And Christ Jesus is more powerful and more skilfull more able and more willing to assist and strengthen such as follow him then Sathan is to enable his wicked Instruments Seeing then by these Scriptures he hath crushed
his gracious providence from time to time hath afforded for manifestation of it right senâ—e and meaning abuse Philosophy wherein they excel with all other gifts of art and nature to transform the most essential attributes of the diviâ—e nature to turn his truth into lies his goodness into all abomination For having this natural notion in their brain Whatsoever God saith is true whatsoever â—e approves most just and good Their next presumptuous assumption is But God saith whatsoever the Romish Church or Pope saith exCathedra whatsoever he allows God allows the same And this Assertion which thus confounds the liâ—its of Gods Truth and the Popes that the Christian world cannot discern one from another once wrought in mens hearts what untruth or falshood what Heresie can be hatched so dangerous what villanie conceived so abominable but may be presently fathered upon that Holy one from whom proceeds nothing but good Thus may bloody and prodigious massacres be iâ—vested with the most glorious Titles the best of Christs Saints ever enjoyed for their best deeds Just reward for matchless impieties that benefit them may be set forth to the world as the Crown of Martyrdom Finally their gain is hereby made the measure of goodness their Pomp and glory the Rule of piety and end of every Christians faith unto which he must not stick to sacrifice his soul as an Holocaustum ever burning never consuming in that brimstone lake If it shall please the Pope to authorize murther though of the Lords anoynted God the Son must be the chief Assasinate to give power and strength and heaven for the reward unto the Actor If pleased he be to give way to incest as for the Uncle to marry the Neece a fornication not named but with distaste amongst the ancient heathens I would abhor to speak it would they be ashamed to give just occasion the Holy Ghost must not disdain to be his Bawd or Pander If disposed to dispense with perjury God the Father must be as his Vassal to suffer disgrace at his appointment to recall the sentence of vengeance which the party swearing by his name did imprecate upon his own head if he relented Though this be the greatest injurie that can be offered to so great a Majestie unto whom execution of just vengeance properly belongs yet must the Almighty at the Popes appointment be content to put it up 6. It is a qualitie in Kings very commendable saith Paulus Quartus Legate and Nephew unto Henry of France Religiously to observe their oathes but when the Popes dignitie comes into danger religion it self is in hazard and a prepostorous course it were religiously to observe aâ— oath unto the overthrow of Religion With these and the like suggestions impiously acute did this sweet Cardinal by Commission from the Pope his Master authorize and animate this French King to violate the League lately confirmed by solemn oath betwixt him and Philip of Spain Might he not as justly though not so politickly in plain terms have told him either you must dishonour God or suffer the Pope to be disgraced choose which you list Doubtless in the language of Gods Spirit which searcheth the heart he that dispenseth with an oath of this nature especially solemnly taken is greater then he by whom men swear and is in heart and deed so estemed by such as acknowledge his authority in thus dispensing or sue unto him for like dispensations But as if wilful and open perjurie without deep and hellish hypocrisie were a sin too plain and simple for the Man of sin to countenance the Legate first invests this besotted Prince with the glorious Title of Defensor Ecclesiae Romanae and in witness hereof delivers him a sword consecrated by his Holinesses own hand ere he make him forswear himself and forsake his God who hath now forsaken him and for his sin scarce expiated unto this day plagued the Realm of France For as the judicious Historian who hath the Articles of this perfidious confederacy yet in his custody wel observes this was the root of all the miseries have since befallen that flourishing Kingdom and by Gods just judgements exposed it to the insolencies of the Spaniard through their means especially that wrought the King to breach of his oath with Spain for entring this new confederacy with the Pope 7 Whilest reading this story I called to mind the perfidious and cruel usage of that Renowned Admiral in the Parisian massacre the treacherous impiety of his politick enemies seemed highly to extol the wisedom and justice of his God calling him to suffer his chastisment in this life that he might not perish with the wicked or such as were impenitent for their former grievous sin wherein this worthy Counsellor had in some sort though with grief yet for the good of others I must utter it communicated with the Pope and his perjured Soveraign For knowing the breach of peace was fully resolved upon by the State of France he thought it a point of warlike wisdom to begin with the enemy in his own land rather then expect his onset upon notice of war proclaimed and fair opportunity as he apprehends it being offered from an insinuating Heremites discovering of the situation and readiest way of expugning Doway he attempts the surprisal of it but prevented of his purpose by an old woman that awaked the Garrison he deemed it a shame to return home with empty hands though fil them he could not but with just imputation of being the first that had actually broken the league as afterwards his venerable person was the first upon whom these perfidious Assasinates and actors in the Parisian massacre did practice their intended butchery contrary to the oath and faith which they had given him God grant such as in Reformed Churches do most detest be never tempted by like opportunities to imitate the worldly policies of the Papacy that all our consultations to prevent their malice may alwayes relish more of the Doves innocencie and integrity then of the Serpents subtlety 8 He that would accurately observe the weak supportance of the Roman See at that time when the French could not relieve it how since that time the Popes have mufled themselves into the Spaniards favour to the great prejudice of France who in love to them had brought it self so low may by these modern stories easily discern the Papacies advancement in times past to have been wrought by such means as our Writers out of ancient records have deciphered I specially by sowing enmity betwixt Christian Princes by seeking supportance now from one then from another as several Popes for the most part by-standers in such broils yet skilful to bet alwaies on the fairest side saw fittest occasions until at length they got both feet on Princes shoulders and being once mounted learned cunning to sit fast and ride them safely For most of that succession being stil of several lines and different parentages none of them