necke and his sonnes were kilâ—ed Idolaters thinke that they have all happinesse and prosperity by their Idols Ier. 44.18 Since wee left off to burne incense to the queene of heaven wee have wanted all things But marke what the Lord sayes of these Idols and makes the Israelites confesse the same Ier. 3.24 Shame hath devoured the labour of your fathers from your youth that is from your Idols their flockes and their heards their sonnes and their daughters Micah when he set up his Idols flattered himselfe Iudg. 17.13 Now I know that the Lord will doe me good But the Lord sayes Deut. 27.15 Cursed bee the man that maketh any graven or molten Image an abomination unto the Lord and all the people shall say Amen But happie is the Church when she sayes Hos 2. I will goe and returne to my first husband for then it was better with me then now At this time there fell out a filthy fact in Gibeah in the tribe of Beniamin A filthy fact committed in Gibeah at this time for there the men of Gibeah abused the Levites concubine so that she died by the violence done unto her there the ten tribes made warre against the Beniamites The Beniamines prevaile against the Israelites because of their Idolatrie although Beniamin were the children of iniquitie yet they prevailed against the ten tribes because the ten tribes at this time were infected with Micha his Idolatrie Idolatrie is a viler sin then the sin of Gibeah Ho. 10.9 Idolatry exceedes the sinne of Gibeah and the sinne of Sodom and matcheth bestialitie It is a viler sin then the sin of Sodome Eze 16.46 It is a sin like unto beastialitie when a man lyes with a beast Eze. 23.20 what sinne then can be greater then Idolatrie And thus they committed Idolatry from age to age while the Iudges ruled them untill God was wroth and greatlie abhorred Israel Psal 78. In Samuels dayes they worshipped Baal Of the increase of Idolatry under Somuel and Ashta 1. Sam. 7. The decrease of this Idolatry was 1 Sam. 7.6 when the people gathered themselves together to Mizpeh and drew water and powred it out before the Lord and fasted on that day and said there What is signified by powring out water before the Lord. we have sinned against the Lord to powre out water in the Scripture signifies to powre out a thing abundantly Deut. 12.16 ye shall not eate the blood but powre it out upon the ground like water So Gen. 49. Reuben is powred forth lik water that is he hath given himselfe over altogether to lust And the Scripture expresseth this their repentance by powring out of water rather then by powring out of any other liquor for although ye should powre out oyle or honey out of a vessel yet some of the liquor would still remaine in the vessell the smell also But when water is powred out of a vessell nothing remaines no not the smell By this powring out of water they signifie that they would altogether renounce their Idolatrie and that not so much as the tangue or smell of it should remaine among them Samuel reprooves them for choosing of a King then they are terrified with thunder in the time of the wheate harvest Lastly hee diswades them from Idolatrie 1 Sam. 12.12 and 17.21 Hee rebukes them for choosing of a King Kingly government was the government which God was minded to erect amongst them they had three commandements given to them when they were to enter into Canaan first to cast out the Canaanites the second to choose a King and the third to build the temple The Lord was minded then to give them a King but hee was angry with them because they would have had a King such as the nations had Againe hee was angry with them because they were weary of Samuels governement and likewise for anticipating the time the Iewes said of them comederunt immaturum avam they eate the grape before it was ripe He terrifies the people calling upon the Lord to send thunder in the wheate harvest when it was the most cleare and faire season of the whole yeare at the Pentecost or about the Pentecost therefore it is called festum messis If it had beene in the time of the Barley harvest at the Pascha it had not seemed so strange a thing to the people to have heard thunder for then the clouds abounded more and Iordan did over flow the bankes thereof by the melting of the snow upon the mountaines The Lord caused it to thunder God hath two sorts of voyces by which he speakes to men The first by his voyce in the thunder Psal 29. secondly by his voyce in the Temple Psal 26.9 The first is an inarticulate voyce the other is articulate sometimes he both thundred and spake at once and when they came together then his articulate voyce was called hath col filia vocis He gave his law with thunder Exod. 19. and in sundry of the Revelations shewen to Iohn with the voyce there was thunder Chapter 4.5 and 6.1 and 10.3 therefore we reade Iohn 12.18 when there came a voyce from heaven the people who stood by some of them said it thundereth and others of them said an Angel speaketh unto him the reason of this was because the Lord usually spake to them in the thunder but here when the people were terrified hee spoke not to them in the thunder but terrified them and comforted them by Samuel Lastly he prayeth for the people diswadeth them to turne aside for then they should goe after vaine things which cannot profit nor deliver 1 Sam. 12.21 This Idolatrie spread more in the time of the Kings then it did under the Iudges all the Kings of Iudah committed Idolatrie or else by their oversight tolerated it All the Kings of Iudah sinned except three Syrac 49. David Ezekias and Iosias There were three kings of Iudah most excellent Kings that is all committed Idolatrie or did tollerate it except these three Iehosaphat he did not tollerate Idolatrie yet because he made affinitie with Ahab 2 Chro. 18.2 and joyned himselfe with Ahaziah King of Israel who did verie wickedly 2 Chron. 20.36 because he did these things hee is not reckoned amongst the first three of the Lords worthies amongst the Kings of Iudah David was most zealous for the glorie of God and is set downe as a paterne to other Kings 2 Chron. 29.2 Ezekias did uprightly as his father David did therefore Ecclesiasticus 47.2 David is compared to the fatt of the peace offerings All the peace offerings was the Lords but the fat was his after a speciall manner because it was wholly burnt to him So David exceeded all the rest of the Kings in zeale Therfore the zeale of Gods house did eate him up Ps 69.9 Amongst the Kings of Egypt or Pharaohes some of them were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minime mali they favoured the people of God A collation betwixt
asuphim collectos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those were called Collecti by the Hebrewes who were cast out by their parents but yet others tooke them up when their father and their mother left them Psal 27.10 my father and mother have left me but the Lord hath gathered me up Those by the Greekes were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cast out by their mothers and projecti Psal 71.9 Cast me not off Thirdly naturall and not Legitimate sonnes were those who were not begotten in lawfull marriage yet the mother contented her selfe with one and was not common to many And those children were called beni neker 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 144. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filii extranei The fourth were those who were neither naturall nor Legitimate Spurius filius non filius Ben Syra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were borne of common harlots Such a one the Hebrewes called mamzer from mum zer aliena labes and the Latines called them incertos and filios vulgi and varit Quia ex vario semine and from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia nihil divinum in illis The Lord adopted them When God chose them to be his sonnes he adopted them Adoption was found out for the comfort of those who had not children 2 Sam. 21.8 Barren Micoll had five sonnes that is five legall or adopted sonnes So the daughter of Pharaoh adopted Moses Act. 7. But God although he had a naturall sonne of his owne yet he adopted the Iewes for his sonnes When men adopt children it is for want but Gods adoption of his children comes of abundance of his grace As the Lord adopted them so hee would have them brought up under his law as under a tutor Gal. 4. He taught them And as a man teacheth his sonne so the Lord taught them Deut. 5.5 And as Pharaoh his daughter when she adopted Moses to be her sonne Act. 7. caused him to bee brought up in all the sciences of Egypt So the Lord when he adopted the Iewes for his children he taught them by his Law When they were his people many were converted from Gentilsme to Judaisme and they were called Proselytes This they thought to be the greatest honour to be made members of the Church the Queene of the South came from a farre Country to see the wisedome of Salomon and the order of his house and of his servants 2 Chron. 9.4 So the proselytes came from farre Countries to heare the wisedome of God and to see the order of his house and the comelinesse thereof David thought the swallow and the sparrow happie that built their nests neare the Altar of God Psal 84.3 might not they then thinke themselves happie who came so neare to the house of God as to heare his Law expounded unto them and to have these mysteries of salvation revealed unto them which the Gentiles knew not of The proselytes were those The Proselytes that came to the Iewish Church of the Madianites Iethro of the Huzzites Iob of the Syrians Naaman the Syrian of the Iebusites Arauna the Iebusite of the Hittites Vriah the Hittite of the Gittites Ittai 2 Sam. 18.2 of the Canaanites the woman of Canaan of the Ethiopians Ebedmelech the Blacke-moore and the Eunuch of the Queene of Candaces an Ethiopian Act. 8.27 of the Philistines David had the Cherethites for his guard 2 Sam. 15. of the Moabites Ruth of the Samaritanes the tenth man of the Lepers Luke 17. and the Samaritane woman Iohn 4. of the Idumeans Herod and of the Gibeonites the Nethinim who hewed the wood and drew the water for the Temple Iohn 9.21 And at the birth of Christ the three wise men that came from the East to worship Math. 2.11 And the Grecians from the West Iohn 12 20. of the Romans Cornelius the centurion and from Antioch Nicolas a proselyte Act. 6.5 and on Kelos the sisters sonne of Titus who pharaphrased in Chaldee the prophets Women proselytes So the women proselytes as Hagar the hand-maid of Sara Ashuer the wife of Ioseph Zipporah Moses his wife Siphrah and Puah the two mid-wives of Egypt so the daughter of Pharaoh Rachab Ruth Iael the wife of Heber the Kenite Now the whelps beganne to eate of the crummes which fell from the childrens table but it was a miserable case when the children refused the meate which was set upon the Table and began onely to gnaw the bones as Ierome speakes of them SECT 2. The second estate of the Iewes when they are lognammi not my people Lognammi What dignities they lost when they were not his people WHen they are lognammi now they are the tayle and not the head Deut. 28.37 now the crowne is fallen from their head Lam. 5.16 and now the Lord hath made them a by word amongst the heathen and a shaking of the head amongst the people Psal 44.14 when the Iewes of old used to imprecate any thing they used their imprecations wishing that such things might befall them as befell most miserable men Ier. 29.22 and of them shall bee taken up a curse by all the captivitie of Iudah which are in Babylon saying The Lord make thee like unto Zedekiah and like unto Ahab whom the King of Babylon rosted in the fire because they committed villanie in Israel and adultery with their neighbours wives So the Iewes now are become a parable and a hissing to all nations and when they wish any misery to a man they wish that hee may be like a miserable Iew and the name is now in detestation to all the world When they were his people the Lord forbade them to marrie with the heathen but now no man will marrie with them no not the Turkes Of old they detested the Publicans as most vile sinners but now they are the onely Publicans who serve under the Turkes no man will trust them now they are so perfidious and their faith is punica fides and they carrie the markes of gods vengeance When men turne from darkenesse to light A bappie change when men turne from darkenesse to light this is a happie change as when they turned from Paganisme to Iudaisme and then they were called prosylites So when they turned from Iudaisme to Christianitie they were called fratres Iudaei Act. 15. and beleevers of the circumcision Act 10.45 So when they turned from Gentilisme to Christianitie they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3.6 But when men fall from light to darkenesse that is A miserable change when men fall from light to darkenesse a miserable change as when they fell from the Iewish religion to Paganisme so when they fell from the Iewish religion to the Samaritans So when they fell from the Iewish religion to Saducisme so when they fell from Christian religion to Iudaisme Iosephus lib. 13. tit cap. 18. To fall from the Iewish religion to Paganisme so when they fell from Christianitie to Turkisme and lastly when
Aner Gen. 13.18 So with Abimelech and Phicol Genes 21.24 So Isaac with Abimelech Gen. 26.28 So Iacob with Laban and David with the King of Ammon 2 Sam. 10.1 and Asa with Benhadad Object Deut. 17.3 Ye shall not make a league with those nations Answ That is with the Canaanites whom they were commanded to destroy Secondly the Lord commands Exod. 22.32 Ye shall not make a covenant with them and their gods if their gods came within the covenant then it was not lawfull to covenant with them for they would have alwayes worship given to their gods Asa is reprooved 2 Chron. 16.2.7 for distrusting the Lord and trusting in the King of Syria Asa sinned trusting more in Benhaded than in the Lord. So he is blamed for putting his trust too much in the Physitians in his sickenesse and not in the Lord it was no more unlawfull for Asa to make a covenant with Benhadad the King of Syria no more than it was unlawfull for him to send for the Physitians in his sicknesse But to distrust the Lord and trust too much in the King of Syria that was Asa his fault It was never lawfull to make a league offensive or defensive with Idolaters It was never lawfull to make a league offensive or defensive with Idolaters Such was the league which was made betwixt Iehosaphat and Ahab King of Israel when Iehosaphat said to Ahab 1 King 22.4 I am as thou art and my people as thy people When the Hebrewes compare two things Quid valet sicut geminatum apud haebreos and would signifie a paritie betwixt them then they double the particle Sicut and the first signifies the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the second the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Gen. 44.18 Sicut tu sicut Pharaoh that is Pharaoh is like thee and thou art like Pharaoh So Deut. 1.17 Ye shall respect no persons in Iudgement sed sicut parvum Sicut magnum judicato that is have no more respect to the one then to the other So Gen. 13.10 Sicut hortus domini sicut terra Egypti that is Egypt was like Canaan and Canaan was like Egypt So Esay 24.2 Sicut sacerdos sicut populus that is the Priest was like the people and the people were like the priest So 1 King 22.4 I am as thou art and my people as thy people that is thy cause shall be my cause and my cause shall be thy cause This league offensiue and defensive was not lawfull and Iehosaphat his league which he made with Ahaziah 1 King 22.29 seemes to be more than a league of peace for first he refuseth to joyne with Ahaziah but afterward he yeelded and joyned with him and when he was about to send his shippes to the sea 2 Chron. 2.25 Eleazer the Prophet prophesied against him saying Because thou hast joyned thy self with Ahaziah the Lord hath broken thy works that they were not able to goe to Tarshis Quest What sort of confederacie was this when the Church gave her hand to Egypt Lament 5.6 Dare manum quid significat aliquando est mendicantis signum vel subiectionis Answ It was not the hand of confederacie or a league that they made with Egypt here but they held out their hand here to begge of the Egyptians or they gave their hand that is they acknowledged them to be subject to the Egyptians Ter. 50.15 So they gave their hand to Ashur and begged to be satisfied with bread from him vers 6. The second increase of Idolatry in Iudah after the division of the tribes The second increase of Idolatrie under the Kings of Iudah was under Ahaz 2 King 16.3 He walked in the wayes of the Kings of Israel and made his sonne to passe through the fire Of the sinnes of Ahaz There are three things especially layed to the charge of Ahaz first that he made his sonnes passe through the fire Secondly that he brought the paterne of the altar from Damascus and caused them to make the like and set it up in Ierusalem Thirdly that he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus who smote him 2 Chron. 28.23 He caused his children to passe through the fire First hee caused his children to passe through the fire according to the abominations of the Gentiles The Gentiles used first to carrie their children round about the fire and these were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly they caused their children to passe through the fire and this was called Lustratio Thirdly some of them cruelly murthered and offered their children to Moloch Psal 130.4 Praestat deos non credere quam crudeles opinari sanguinarios The Lord complained Ezech. 16.21 that they slew his children and caused them to passe through the fire They offered the Lords children to Baal hee cals them his children that is the first borne who opened the wombe who belonged to the Lord They did not onely offer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the child who was first borne But also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first begotten childe 2 Kings 1.23 they were not onely content to offer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea if they had but one sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they would have offered him to Moloch Abraham had but one sonne who was his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom he begat in his old age and him he would have offered to the Lord So they neither spared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Carthaginians sacrificed their children to Moloch and those who had no children of their owne they would goe and buy the poore children as though they had beene Lambes and the mother stood by not weeping or crying and if they cryed there was a fine set upon their head and there was nothing heard in the meane time but beating of drummes and sounding of instruments that they might not heare the screaches of the poore infants Plutarch de superstitione this was just after the manner of the Iewes who burnt their children in Tophet and beate upon drummes and sounded instruments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they should not heare their cries and therefore the place was called Tophet from Taphath pulsare When the father offered one of the children to Moloch When the father offered one of his children to Moloch he thought all the rest should be saved but God threatens the subversion of all for that sinne he beleeved that for the offering of this one child God would blesse all the rest But see what the Lord sayes against this abhomination Levit. 20.5 I will set my face against that man and against his familie The Lord threatens not onely to cut him off that wrought such abomination but his family also The Lord threatned Ier. 7.32 that Tophet should no more be called so but Aceldama 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vallis occisorum because the Idolatrous Kings were killed there who offered their children
the integritie of it many came to it for by respects and not for the truths sake some for feare became Iewes and were circumcised in Mordecai his time Est 8.17 So some for hope of gaine as the Sechemites were circumcised Gen. 34.23 and some for credite as Herod the Idumean caused himselfe to be circumcised that he might be the King of the Iewes David when hee was King of Israel saith that many strangers came to him and fainedly submitted themselves to him Psal 18.44 but the Iewes when they shall come to the Church shall in truth submit themselves to Christ and licke the dust under his feete Thirdly the Iewes and the Gentiles shall make up one Church then The Iewes and the Gentiles make up one Church The Iewes were before Populus per se habitans Num. 23.13 and had no medling with the Gentiles but now they shall dwell together and the name of Iew and Gentile shall no more be heard The two stickes which represented Ephraim and Iudah were not so closely joyned in the Prophets hand when they became one Ezech. 27.13 as the Iewes and Gentiles shall be when they shall be joyned in one and as the waters that runne into the sea lose their names so shall this name of Iew and Gentile be lost in this full union Fourthly when they are once joyned to the visible Church they shal not returne to the puddle of Iudaisme againe as some of the Iewes doe now The Iewes who dreame of no other conversion The Iewes doe beleeve that they shall bee brought backe to Canaan againe but of a bettering of their temporall estate they imagine now first that they shall be brought backe to Canaan againe Secondly that the temple shall be built againe And thirdly that they shal live there under a flourishing King one of their owne nation First they dreame that they shall be restored to Canaan againe Maimon H. Mel. 8. The hold still that Canaan is a holier ground then other land they hold this ground of Canaan to be as holy ever it was and they hold it a curse that they cannot inhabite it now and they count them most happie who happens to bee buried there and if they cannot have that benefit they thinke them happie who have but a handfull of the dust of that ground to besprinkle them after they are dead and the wise men amongst them use when they come neare Canaan to kisse the borders and limits of it and they use to roule themselves in the dust of that land misapplying the words of the Psalmist Psal 102.14 Thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof They hold also that all their sinnes are pardoned who dwell in this holy land according to that Isa 33.24 the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquities and they say further that hee who walkes but the space of foure yards of ground in Canaan is worthy of eternall life and whosoever goes out of that holy land they hold him an Idolater according to that 1 Sam. 26.19 for they have driven mee out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord saying Goe serve other Gods Mannonides H. mel 5.7 paragraphe sequente They hold those who die without Canaan must bee tumbled through the caverns of the earth Moreover they hold that those who die out of this land of Canaan must be tumbled through the secret passages of the earth while they come to the land of Canaan and then they shall be raised againe this the Rabbines call Gilgull mechilloth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 volutationem cavernarum a tumbling through the hollow parts of the earth They hope also that they shall bee restored to the promised land againe they trust that promise which was made to the people in the tyme of the first temple Levit. 26.42 missapplying it to their estate now the words are Aph ki utique recordabor faederis mei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aph in the Germane tongue signifies an Ape and they so rejoyce in this promise of their restitution to Canaan that they keepe a yearely feast in remembrance of this and they call this feast the feast of the golden Ape and they say that those words are worthie to bee written in golden letters and they draw downe this פ in Aph as ye may see in the text thus we may see how those Apes play with the holy scriptures They hope that the temple shall be built againe Secondly they hope that the temple shall bee built againe and stand to the end of the world the disciples themselves were overtaken with this error that the temple should indure to end of the world Mat. 24.3 And the reason was the mistaking of the phrase Psalme 24.7 for the temple there is called domus saeculi Saculum Templi Lift up your heads ye everlasting doores Saeculum Levite 1 Sam. 1.28 but saeculum with the Hebrewes signifies any long time there is saeculum Levitarum that is 50. yeares 1 Sam. 1.18 He shall abide before the Lord for ever so saeculum servi he shall serve his master for ever Saeculum servi haebrel Saeculum servi proselyti ad mortem Lev. 25.45 Exod. 21.8 That is till the yeare of Iubile and there is saeculum servi proselyti The temple was called Domus saeculi to distinguish it from the grave which is called Domus saeculi sui Domus saeculi that is the Temple Domus saeculi sui that is the grave Anian Marcellnus lib. 23. Eccles 12.5 Man goes to his long home It was not called Domus saeculi because it should last for ever but for a long time this second temple was never built againe for when Iulian was about to buld it there came a fire out of the bowels of the earth and scattered them all and yet they hope now that this their temple shall bee built againe and whensoever they pray they turne their faces towards the place where the temple stood and they doe so reverence that place that if they stand in need Laxare meatus suos by this phrase of speech they signifie in modest tearmes the making of water then they turne their backes from the temple but when they cover their feete or majores meatus solvunt that is when they ease nature then they turne their faces towards the place or the temple and their backes from it so they hope that the temple shall bee built againe hence is that forme of their prayer Gloria nostra super te that is the glorie and comlinesse which shall befall us in the third temple wee wish that yee may bee partakers of it but this temple shall never be built againe Iosua cursed the man before the Lord that riseth up and buildeth Iericho againe he shall laythe foundations therof in his first borne and in his youngest sonne shall he set up the gates of it Whosoever went about to build this temple againe
the heavie curse of God hath alwaies followed them for this conceit hinders them to looke upon him who is greater then the temples and whereof the temple was but a type when the Lord cast Adam out of Paradise hee set up cherubims and a flaming sword to keepe Adam backe that hee should not eate of the tree of life any more as the Lord tooke away all occasion from Adam that h should not trust to get life any more by the tree of life so least the Iewes should trust any more in the temple the Lord hath taken away this occasion from them that it shall never bee built againe that they may looke to him who is greater then the temple Mat. 12. Thirdly They hope that they shall bee united under one head who shall be a naturall Iew. they hope that they shal be united under one head in their owne land of Canaan and that their dominion shall reach to those parts of the world But they are wonderfull blind in application of the prophecies sometimes they take the prophecies not to be fulfilled yet which are already fulfilled such is that place Lev. 26.44 Secondly such places which are to bee understood mystically they expound literally as Obad. 20. the captivitie of this host of the children of Israel shall possesse that of the Cananites even unto Zarephath and the captivity of Ierusalem which is in Sepharad shall possesse the cities of the south This prophecie was fulfilled in part when Iudah Beniamin were restored by Cyrus againe But this prophecie is most to be understood mystically not according to the letter for the ten tribes were never brought backe againe as Iudah was but the Iewes understand this prophecie of the captivity which were taken away by Titus and Vespasian and they literally apply this to themselves but falsely By Zarephath they understand France They hope that these parts of Europe shall be subject to them and by Sepharad they understand Spaine and so the Chaldee paraphrast paraphrases it Sephania they perswade themselves that they shal be Lords and commanders of all those countries that those Iewes who live abroad out of Canaan shall send yearely tribute to them into Canaan in token of their subjection to them as when Nehardagna in Babylon sent a yearely tribute to Ierusalem in token of their obedience to them So shall the Iewes who live abroad out of Canaan send their yearely collection to Canaan in token of their subjection to their King but since the Iewes said that they would have no other King but Caesar and refused Christ to be their King they shall never have a King of their owne againe they lived so long under the subjection of the Romans and now they live under the Turkes for the most part but when the Iewes shal be called againe although they have not a King of their own nation yet the Lord then shall incline the hearts of those under whom they live to further them in the service of God as hee moved the heart of Cyrus a heathen to send home the captives from Babylon to further the worship of God Some of our Writers more subtilely than solidly commenting upon the conversion of the Iewes follow them too neare in this conceit of their conversion Some of our Writers applies some places of Scripture more literally than mystically to the Iewes and they apply those places of the Prophets more literally than mystically and they hold that the Iewes shall be restored againe to the land of Canaan and that they shall live under a visible monarchy there they discribe as it were a new 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to us and they hold that the fortie fifth yeare after their conversion they shall overthrow the great Sultan at the lake Gennesareth and this they goe about to prove out of Ier. 31.42 A woman shall compasse a man that is the weake nation of the Iewes shall conquer the great Empire of the Turkes whereof the meaning of the place is A woman shall compasse a man that is shee shall seeke whom shee may marrie contrary to the common custome for the man seekes the woman and not the woman the man these they call Gog and Magog and this battell shall be say they in Canaan Ezech. 39. and after this battell they shall dwell in Canaan and the kingdome shall be setled at Ierusalem and they shall be all united together under one head their King then the Iewes from all places shall come to Ierusalem and they shall be preachers of the glad tidings of salvation Then the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall come in and as Cyrus when he besieged Babylon he diverted the course of the river Euphrates so shall they divert the errors of the Antichrist and they being converted shall convert their brethren not onely those who adhere to Antichrist but also those who adhere to the Mahumet The conceit of fabulous Esdras of the bringing backe of the ten tribes to the land of Canaan againe This conceit that they shall be gathered under a visible Monarch to Canaan againe is not unlikely to that dreame of fabulous Esdras who tells us 2 Esr 13.40 when the ten tribes were carried away and came to Euphrates then the Lord caused the river to part it selfe as Iordan was divided of old then they went into a farre countrey a yeare and a halfes journey where never man dwelt before and so when they shall returne againe to their owne countrie then the Lord shall cause the river Euphrates to give way to their passage home againe as it did before in their going but these dreames are quite contrary to the Scripture for the Lord threatens that within sixtie five yeares after the captivitie of Ephraim Ephraim shall be so broken that he shall be no more a people Esa 7.8 But this fabulous Esdras dreames that these ten tribes are now a mightie nation A vagabond Iew who called himself the head of those ten tribes was â—urnt at Mantua and shall come home againe and possesse their owne land A certaine vagabond Iew who called himselfe Salomon and gave himselfe out for the King of these Iewes who dwell beyond the Caspian hilles promised that he would bring backe that mighty nation againe This man was apprehended by Charles the fift â—and was burnt at Mantua in Italie for his cousonage and falsehood The Iewes in their Cronicle which they call Semach David call this Salomon Mulcho and they adore him as a martyre Are these the Iewes who will overcome the Turke This gathering of the Iewes againe to Canaan to live under a visible Monarch seeme to be almost as fabulous as the other And this may satisfie us that they shall be gathered to some visible Church both amongst themselves and with the Christian Churches dispersed abroad but that they shall be called to dwell in their owne countrie againe that place Ier. 23.8 will not make this good to misapply a plâ—ce from the estate