did eate dunge thonges girdles of leather shooes haie and other thinges not to be named and the nobility themselues abstayned not from killing and eating their owne children And at the time their city was taken although Titus had giuen expresse commandement by publike edicte that the Temple shoulde bee preserued and nothing therein spoyled yet it was set on fire in such outragious manner that by no possibility Titus labouring what hee coulde it coulde be quenched but was consumed vpon the very same day the tenth of August that it was burned before of the King of Babylon And sixe thousand Iewes that were fled thither by the counsaile of a false Prophet were vtterly consumed For as the same Iosephus witnesseth there were manye seducers then among them that promised helpe from God vtterly forbidding them to yeelde Eleauen hundred thousandes deade in those fewe weekes of the siedge 97. thousand taken prisoners some condemned for slaues and sent into Egypt Those that were strong kept in all countries to fight with wilde beastes in theaters and publique spectacles All woemen and men vnder 17. yeares of age solde for slaues at a most vile price the nūber of those which were solde being so great And after in the time of Adrian the Emperour the finall desolation and exilement of that people forth of that countrey was contriued Iulius Seuerus his Captaine by his commandement destroying Townes and Villages leauing not one stone vpon an other in all that vaste building of Hierusalem that the prophesie of Christ might bee fulfilled And in one daie put to death 500. and fourescore thousande not one Iewe remayning in all Iury and an imperiall edict promulged against them that they should neuer returne thither any more and that they should not remember Hierusalem that they might not looke towardes the place What other illusions and offlictions haue they had and still endure in minde not onlie concerning horrible and filthy errours against God and nature of which I wil mention in the Argument of the errrors of our enemies but vvhat illusions of Diuels and wicked spirits haue they suffered especially about a Messias for refusinge CHRIST perswadinge them sometimes that hee is in the Caspian Hilles sometimes at Rome in Italy where in our memory they were so illuded that they fullie beleeued an Harlot of their linage fornicatiouslie begotten vvith childe as was prooued was to bring their MESSIAS forth vntill to the common laughter of all shee brought forth a wench Sometimes at Vlissipone in Portugall sometimes in the wildernesse sometimes in the Sea sometimes and all times no where Howe sottishly were they seduced by the Diuell and worthely and miraculouslie punnished of GOD in the time of Iulian the Apostata as Saint Chrisostome Ruffinus and others are witnesses when they went aboute to builde their Hierusalem and Temple againe When they had digged theyr trenches and beganne to laye and forme their foundation sodainely such an earth-quake chaunced that it did not only throwe dovvne the stones and buildinges which they had begunne but other places where the Iewes resorted and as many as were in them were slayne And in the morning following those that had escaped assemblinge togither to drawe awaye the dead bodies a terrible fire sodainely issued out running vp and downe burning and consuming as many of them as it mette after the same order often times issuing forth consumed that incredulous people Whereby those which were left aliue were conuerted to Christ And that it might bee euident this punnishment to haue bin inflicted for him the next night after the signe of the Crosse appeared in all theit garments and remayned so firme and manifest that with no arte or cunning it coulde either be hidden or taken away And in the yeare of Christ 450. a Cretensian Iewe or rather a Diuell feigned himselfe to bee Moyses and sent from heauen to bringe all the Iewishe inhabitants of that country which were many thousands into Iury through the Sea as Moyses had donne out of Egipt whereupon they all presently followed him leauing all thinges and comming to a greate rocke hanging ouer the Sea bad them throwe themselues into the waters and they shoulde swimme thither like fishes which they which went before desperatly attempted and were pittifully drowned in the sight of those which followed and their Moyses vanished awaie appearing no more And in this manner in all times and places euer since the death of Christ they haue beene deluded and afflicted Therefore no man can say that they are the true worshippers of God excepte the same blasphemor will affirme that God is vnmercifull mutable vniuste and irreligious to punnish sinne vltra condignum more then it deserueth or to inflict punnishment and vengeance where none is due THE 6. ARGVM Manifesting the Errors of all other Religions euen against the light of nature such as by possibility true worship cannot admit AND although I doe not contende to prooue this to be a demonstration in naturall reason yet I doe affirme for euident euen in the light of nature that all worships and Religions in the worlde which doe not acknowledge the Incarnation of God and veritie of Christian Religion either Pagans Iewes or Mahumetanes are ignorant of the diuine nature essence and attributes of the diuine maiestie and fallen into most impious and irreligious errors concerning him so that by no possibility they can worship him as they should and are further drowned in other errours which neyther any supernaturall lyght and reuelation of GOD or light of reason can allowe so that where the Incarnation of GOD is not admitted all other benefyttes whether naturall as to the Pagans and all people or supernaturall graces and so many extraordinarye fauours to the Iewes before the comming of CHRIST are forgotten and not of force to procure gratitude in men and all other effectes of GOD not able to cause them to knowe and honour him as they should And this shal be an other argument against all Infidelles euidentlye demonstrating them to haue no religion for super-naturall illuminations cannot bee contrary to the lyghte of Nature neyther GOD Author of them both contrary to himselfe And to begynne with the miserable estate of the Pagan gentiles whoe canne endure to heare for one onlye eternall immorrall immaculate omnipotent and spitituall GOD Creatour of all thinges so many incesteous violent lecherous and moste wicked men and woemen to bee so worshipped such as vvere the children of men as Sybilla Eritherea doth scorne them in these and baser wordes A GOD cannot bee made and formed of a man and a woman So Hercules the Bastarde of Alcmena that poluted all places with lecherye incest rapine and oppression vvas honoured for an immortall and eternall GOD. So Esculapius the Bastarde of Apollo So Iuppiter Saturne Mars Apollo and the rest What miserable and moste vvicked oblations were vsed in that Religion What innocent men murthered and offered in Sacrifice
time an Oxe ledde to bee sacrificed brought forth a calfe in the middest of the Temple and the East doore of the inner temple made of brasse and so heauie that twenty men could scarcely shut it beeing locked with strong lockes of iron and barred with deepe barres let downe into a thresholde of stone opened of it selfe in the night before the setting of the same fierie Chariots and armed battailes were seene in the aire about the city and the Priests did heare a voice saying Migremus hinc Let vs go from hence And that which is a moste strange testimomy of Gods continued prouidence towardes them on Ihesus son of Anani foure yeares before the warre began when the City was in great prosperity and peace vpon the suddaine in their festiuall day began to cry in these wordes A voice from the East a voice from the West a voice from the foure windes a voice vpon Hierusalem and the Temple a voice vpon newe married husbands newe married wiues a voice ouer all this people And this day and night going about all the streetes of the city cryed and although he was chastised for this cry yet he neither spake any thing for himselfe or against them that punished him but still continued crying the same wordes And beeing led to the ruler of the Romanes to bee punnished and his flesh torne to the bones with blowes he neither entreated fauor or once wept but at euery blowe bending downe pittifully viterred this speech Woe woe to Hierusalem and neuer gaue ouer mourning for the miserable city and still complained in these words Woe woe to Hierusalem And thus he continued seauen yeares and fiue moneths but principally vpon the festiuall dayes vntill at the time of the siedge going about the wall hee cryed out with his lowdest voice Woe woe to the City and Temple and People and at last also hee added Woe also to my selfe and was presently killed with a stone throwne from the ennemies hitherto bee the wordes of Iosephus liuing amonge them at the same time And concerninge Rome where the Pope and high priest of Christians is residēt how vnprobable was it in humane iudgement before S. Peter a poore fisher came thither that the prophesie of Sibilla the Fishers hooke shoulde conquer the Romane Empire shoulde be fullfilled Was not Christ his master put to death by that authority was not he himselfe crucified by the same and all his successors vnto S. Siluester thirtie in number eyther actually put to death or most grieuously persecuted were not Christians at that time without any friend or fauourer were not the Romane Emperours the most potent of the worlde and ruled all places did not the persecuted Popes preach Christ crucified pennance and great austerity to the eares of licentious Gentiles And yet we see that the prophesie of Sibilla was performed and the especiall prouidence which Christ promised to his holye Apostle and his successors that theyr faith should not faile that it should conquer all enemies that the gates of hell should not preuaile against it is miraculouslie effected and still continued to that holy See I haue shewed in my Apologicall Epistle how all the Pagan Princes of the worlde one time or other were opposed againste it but they were confounded How many Infidell and Pagan Emperors persecuted it but they were punished and it preuailed manye hereticall Emperors plagued it but they were confounded diuers wicked Christian Emperours and Kinges both in Englande and other nations afflicted it yet it conquered them howe often it was sacked and spoyled by Gothes Vandals Saracens Immbardes and others yet it flourished still that hath beene infested with many schysmes and assaulted by aboue 400. sects of heretickes before Luther and yet condemned them and yet at this time warreth against almost 300. knowne heresies and yet it is more glorious and renowmed nowe after 1500. yeares then euer it was before and dilated farther by many degrees daylie encreasing then euer any other regiment spiritual or temporall was and not subiecte to the least suspition to be overthowne hereafter And no man can make other reason of these thinges then the extraordinary prouidence of God to that holy place the enemies it hath and euer had bee more and more mighty then euer any city fought against It vseth not temporall armour against them The souldiours and Captaines it vsed were vnarmed with corporall weapons their conquest ouer their enemies was by suffering themselues to be killed That which they taught was vnpleasing to potent Princes against whome they warred and carnall mindes with whome they fought That which they laboured to ouerthrow and did destroy was liberty and things tending to delight and yet that hath vanquished and daylie is more glorious and triumphant the other perish and become more contemptible Who will not say but these thinges proceede from God and his most holy prouidence and protection to that Religious Apostolicke See And thus I might exemplifie in other thinges I will passe so many thousands of miraculous operations whereof the whole worlde can witnesse which coulde not be effected by any limited or created power I haue spoken of them already and must entreate them as well in diuers chapters of this booke as also more largely hereafter against internall enemies and whereof euery Argument I shall alleadge for true Religion to God our chiefe gouernour giueth witnesse therefore it needeth no more euidence in this place Onely I will conclude euery creature in the worlde euery parte member organe quality act or operation it hath is a demonstration in this case God himselfe ordinarily and superordinarily doth witnesse it all reasonable and vnreasonable thinges in their sence affirme it The heauens all simple and compounded thinges giue inuincible proofe it is so This is the sentence of all Nations Countries Schooles Cities Townes and people Catholickes Heretickes Iewes Pagans Brachmans Mahumetanes all Christian Panym Philosophers late auncient of all ages and places agree in this None but beastly men whose opinion is no authority to excuse their filthines deny it and they rather in voluptuous desire wishing then in iudgment affirming it Neither let them alleadge what multitudes of errors about religion in particuler are and haue reigned in the worlde for as these errors are to be imputed to the wickednesse of the authors from whome they proceede so such great contention for that cause is an euident argument of worshippe and the dignity of true Religion otherwise euerie man woulde not contende and make claime vnto it with so great daunger to himselfe and contempt of others And the causes of their complaint that errors and sinnes doe reigne proceede from their owne and such mens impious demerits and are no more to bee imputed to God which neither can nor will deceaue or be cause of sinne then the wilfull ignorance of a peruerse scholer to a learned and painfull master or the disobedience of
a wicked childe or subiect to vertuous Parents and Princes That God is free from inducing or leading into errors is euident already by that most excellent goodnesse which I haue shewed to be in him And that he hath deliuered so certaine infallible means for euery man to knowe the truth that except wilfully we neede not erre I wil demonstrate by inuincible Arguments hereafter as also prooue in particuler against all Infidels Iewes Pagans Mahumetans and all sorts of heretickes that their errors and proceedings in them are so manifestly false that they cannot be excused from wilfull ignorance And that the order of Catholickes true beleeuers is so certaine that they cannot be deceaued And to ease this irreligious people of all complaints against the oppressions tribulations and persecutions of the godly prosperities of the wicked I will shewe that such obiections against Religion are a manifest conuiction of a diuine reuerence and howe the temporall fauourers and preferments of the Religious did alwaies exceede the honours of the vngodly And to giue them that they seeke I will prooue if by impossibility there shoulde bee no Religion nor God no immortality after death yet that the state of the professors of worship euen in this worlde is farre more glorious honourable and pleasant then of Epicures and irreligious men THE NECESSITY OF RELIGION to obtaine the Immortall and Supernaturall end for the immortall Soule for man which can neither haue any end in this life or perish possibly with death ¶ CHAP. IIII. WHerfore though wee shoulde become such great Politickes so fully possessed with selfe loue delight in religious affaires that we woulde vse no reuerence or worshippe but for our owne aduantage yet we cannot but performe this reuerentiall duety especiallie when we enter into reckoning with our selues how many and often helps succours we want necessary to that end whereto wee were ordayned and that which we moste desire the better immortall portion of mans soule not hauing perfection in this worlde and yet must receaue it from God For no corporall or corruptible thinge of this life is able to satisfie and giue rest to the greedy vnderstanding or vnpleaseable appetite of our resonable incorruptible parte neyther was there anie Philosopher or student of nature able to finde here the end and felicitie thereof For by felicitie and happinesse all men alwaies did and doe vnderstand such an estate as is deuoided of all euill we woulde eschewe and abounding with all good we woulde wish for as Aristotle saieth that is Blessednesse which all men and all thinges doe seeke and desire Which estate and degree neuer any man yet howe muche soeuer befrended of this worlde coulde taste in this life but whatsoeuer they either founde for themselues or deuised for others it was not so durable plesant good or perfect but it wanted one thing or other wee might wishe to haue or brought with it somthing vnstable variable tedious troublesome painfull or vnpleasant which a mā in reason might iustly craue to want as manifestly appeareth not only in the general conditions which the Philosopher by light of nature requireth to the blessednes of man but in honor riches knowledge delight or other pleasure which any sect of Philosophers Accademicks Peripatetickes Stoickes or Epicureans in particuler appointed for humane felicitie Wherefore seeing such a condition and estate of happines cannot be found in this life and euery thing one time or other enioyeth his end and felicitie of necessity this end and happines of man must be obtained after death and receaued of God by duty to him as also all necessary helpes dispositions thereof all reuerence and religion must needs be done vnto him by man in a more high degree then of any other creature not ordayned to such a supernaturall and eternall ende And this no Epicure howe much soeuer brutishly blinded in delight or malitiouslie iniurious to the perfection of humane nature can deny For if he alleadge no reason for his impious and irreligious minde then no man can be so foolish to beleeue him If he pretende any shewe of reason how weake or feeble soeuer it is thereby he ouerthroweth that by his owne reason and vnderstanding which his licentious and brutish will laboureth to builde For reason iudgment beeing operations only of the intellectuall part of mans soule as immediate cause and not depending of the sensible phantasie or any corporall or organicall instrument for neyther a tree or any vegetatiue thing or a dogge or any sensible creature can reason argue or dispute of thinges shoulde be a manifest demonstration that soule which is endued with those habilities to be independing of the body spirituall and immortall liuing for euer and so to haue felicity after death for attayning whereof a Religion and worship is due to God Therefore euery one knowing himselfe to be a reasonable creature no man can possibly call the other in question except first he woulde doubt whether he be a man whether hee hath reason iudgeth of thinges past present and to come compareth one thing with an other argueth and disputeth of causes and effects for as both reason and all learned Philosophers teach that soule which hath these independing operations must needes be separable from the body and immortall Let vs adde the vnsatiablenesse of the same faculty whome all the science and knowledge of this worlde cannot content and the naturall inclination it hath to knowe the causes of such effects as it findeth in this life and cannot that vnanswerable appetite and propension of the will which neuer enioyeth enough of the thing it loueth but desireth more that liberty and freedome it hath commanding all sensible powers and faculties either to exercise or suspende their operations prescribing dooing or not dooing of thinges and effecting the will and election of itselfe howe vrgent soeuer the repugnant sensible appetites and desires bee Then how can anye man imagine that power to be dependinge of the bodie which in it chiefest operations is dependinge thereof but euidentlye sheweth Superioritie ouer all corporall and sensible passions and suggestions that it can rule bridle them as it pleaseth in such sorte that no foote can goe no eye can see no member organe or sensible power is able to execute any function if the will forbiddeth Or what Epicure can be so mad to affirme so many spirituall vertues as Religion faith hope reuerence feare iustice such others which all men at one tyme or other in some degree finde in themselues to bee subiected in a corporall or corruptyble power Or is there any of this schoole of impiety but their conscience and vnderstanding telleth them that sinne is not to be comitted and when they haue sinned accuseth them as guiltie of transgressinge the lawe of God whom they haue offended and consequently whom they are to worshippe reuerence Of which
and inhabited of a barbarous and sauage people which neither by themselues nor by any Rulers they had coulde perswade other Nations to their so vilde example And this superstitious impiety of idolatry was so contemptible to ciuill Nations that when Orpheus which was so pleasing eloquent that he coulde mooue all affections went about to perswade the worship of Bacchus to the Grecians hee was so odious to that Nation that the woemen themselues killed him with spades and threw his bodie into the riuer Heber And when Idolatrie was setled in the worlde there neuer was any Kingedome Nation State Prouince or Citie but it euer professed a Religion and if anye priuate man beecame so impyous and ouerwhelmed in sinne that to excuse his wickednesse hee wished or protested there was no worshippe to bee vsed hee was presentlie exploded forth of all places and exiled for a monster in Nature So Diagoras which is supposed to bee the firste Author of this Iniquitie was noted for a Prodigium sirnamed Atheos a denier of GOD or Goddes and banished from mens Societie liued and died miserably although we may suppose that he only denied the Pagan Gods worship to them as his words cited in the plurall number doe signifie as also wee may construe that saying of Protagoras De Dissnon posse statuere an sint vel non sint That he coulde not determine of the Gods whether there were anye such or no. And yet for that saying hee was exiled Athens driuen into the Ilandes and his bookes consumed with fire And as Lactantius witnesseth these men at their deathes recauted their impious opinion and exercysing Religion called for helpe of a superiour power After these Epicurus that Master and Doctor of beastiality was so bewitched with pleasures that he denyed the prouidence of GOD to man and framing a God like to himselfe affirmed that he which is purus actus only act was idle and to make himselfe a beast teaching that only pleasure in this life was mans felicity doubted not to affirme the soule to bee mortall and perishe with the body and gaue this document Surge ede hibe lude post mortem nulla voluptas Rise eate drinke and play there is no pleasure after death But hee became so odious to all people that his verye name is a cognomination to all beastly and carnall men from him to these dayes and yet Saint Hierome saith that he was a man vtterlye vnlearned and coulde not reade others as Cicero excuse him from these errors But howsoeuer it be the testimony of a beast and voluptuous man is no creditte to their cause but a condemnation Lucretius also drowned in the like wickednesse of life defended the same irreligious opinions was so besotted in lust and lasciousnesse that he was madde with very lecherous passions and killed himself with his owne handes Or if as some suppose any company of the vnnaturall and more then beastly Anthropophages of Brasilea liued without any law or religiō at the time of the comming of the Christian Portugals thither which is vncertaine of this and neuer suspected of anie other people yet the example of such which committed those moste filthy sins of daily practised and studied murthers which as theyr name is witnesse those which write of that Nation recount and experience prooueth eate deuoure those they murther and keepe men and woemen of fairest complexion to bring children which they only reserue for slaughter and eate euen their nearest frendes and committe other offences not to bee named is not to be imitated but detested for more then brutish and vnreasonable These bee the authors and patrons of this impietie which the whole worlde in so manye thousande yeares hath noted for beasts madde men filthy monsters and excrements of the people such as all practisers and well wishers to that blasphemie be in these our dayes Theeues Pirates Murtherers Adulterers Drunkards and men so inexcusable in all wickednesse that they haue taken their harbour in the mouth of hell beginning to be damned in this life These be the fruites of diuision in Religion the manifolde superstitions of the Gentyles and the wickednesse which they practised was the fall of Diagoras Protagoras Epicurus and Lucretius the Heresies and pluralities of Religions amongest Protestants and their impieties haue brooded vp this beastly generation as all hereticall ages haue done at which time this schoole hath most flourished So that in so many generations as haue bin there was neuer so much as any priuate man which in iudgment affirmed this blasphemous and rebellious wickednesse but euer when they were free from passions or in times of want as sicknesse death and other calamities professed a Religion and called for helpe and neuer denied it but when they were either vtterly spoyled of their wits and Reason as Lucretius or their opinion so vncertaine that either they neuer thought any such absurditie or else it was so soone exploded that it coulde not be remembred as that of Epicurus which as some suppose wrote more then any of the Philosophers and yet in the time of Cicero which liued within 300. yeares it was so doubtfull what opinion Epicurus taught that the same Cicero affirmeth hee was a man of greate sobrietie and temperance teaching Religion the prouidence of God the immortality of the soule constitutinge the felicitye of man in spirituall and soule pleasure and Plutarch affirmeth that hee sacrificed and practized Religion So that it is manifest if euer anye man defended that moste filthie errour hee was condemned of GOD and all people for that offence and of himselfe when hee was of better iudgement and more to bee beleeued In so much that there is not the authority of one man speaking in iudgement as a man and reasonable creature that euer gaue countenance to this blasphemous sentence but the whole worlde in all times and places haue explauded it for the most impious sacriledgious damnable and vnnaturall sinne Then to conclude this reason of humane authoritie the worlde from the firste creation hath nowe endured by the Hebrewe accounte aboue 5500. yeares by the other computation 6700. yeares which if it be compared to any age or generation there is no proportion The globe of the earth according to the least account contayneth in circuite 19080 myles as Fernelius measureth 24514. myles by the sentence of Alphraganus Almaeon Thebitius and othets 20400. by Ptolomaeus 22500. by Eratosthenes 31500. by Hipparcus 34625. by that opinion which Aristotle reciteth 50000. and if we will followe the measure which was taken by the most learned Geometricians in thirtie years labour by the appointment and charges of Iulius Cesar the Emperour when the noste exacte a measuremente was vsed the habytable earthe at that time was founde to be in circuite 31500. miles what vaste Regions and populous Nations haue beene descried since then no man can bee ignorant the number of the Kingdomes Countries Citties
authoritie experience sence and grounde of reasoninge and reason it selfe is denied for whose denyall not the leaste aparaunce of one Argument can be alledged for whose approbation all Testimonies of God and all creatures are certaine which if it be graunted and trulie practized all truthes graces honours dignities and priuiledges belonging to man naturall and supernaturall either in this life or after death are so certainly obtayned if it bee denyed all honours and immenities are lost all afflictions temporall and eternall are incurred all absurdities graunted all vntruthes affirmed all veryties condemned Sinne is vertue vertue is sinne sinne must be practised vertue may not bee allowed nothing is sinne nothing is vertue Falsehoods and contradictions are true all learning reiected No community Kingdome Magistracie Discipline no Soueraigne no Subiection no Lawe must be receaued no barbarous tyrannycall or licentious impiety omitted Mans soule mortall man a beast many beastes better then man And infinite more such absurdities which directlie proceede from this blaspheamous position Religion is not to bee vsed if anie man shall be so senceles to affirme it The end of the first Treatise THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE SECOND TREATISE BRIEFELY SHEWing against all externall Infidels how only that Religion which Iesus Christ deliuered to the worlde is the true Worship of God HAuing ended my first conclusion of the necessity of a Religion against the Irreligious I am nexte in this time of so manifolde errors to auoide all daunger of professing false reuerence to prooue what religion among so many is only true which I will performe in so vndeniable manner that no verity shall be so certaine as that reuereÌ„ce to god which I wil defend And first against al external enimies of Christ My next proposition shal be that Religion which he taught is only true and all others false which to a people of a professed Christian Nation needeth not long probation wherefore to bee briefe in this dispute such is the vndoubted certainty of this sentence whether we consider the excellencie and dignity of the doctrine it selfe of the Messias and sonne of God vvhich gaue it vnto vs or the miraculous manner whereby it was deliuered and embraced or the basenesse impietie and most manifest errors of all other professions the wickednesse of the inuentors and disorders in inuenting and dylating them that a man which will giue credit to any probable Argument cannot call it into question And he shall see these Testimonies not onely recorded by the holy wrighters Prophets Apostles and Euangelistes immediatelye illuminated of God but of our greateste professed enemies emonge whome wee doe not oneâ—ie finde confirmed in generall the Religion of Christ but almoste euerie particuler article and mistery thereof registred and allowed as the Trinitie Incarnation the two natures of Diuinitie and Humanitie in Christ the promise of his comminge his miraculous conception natiuitie life deathe resurrection ascention comminge of the holy Ghost conuersion of the worlde the ende thereof his comminge to iudgemente his giuinge sentence the finall beatitude and rewarde of the vertuous worshippers of him eternall punishment of the wicked and his enemies and other misteries of our beleefe testified ratified of all kynde of Infidels Iewes Pagans Mahumetanes Brachmans allowed by god himselfe apparitions and witnesse of Angelles from heauen and all creatures vppon earth the heauens and celestiall bodies reioyceinge in his birth the Sunne Moone all elements and compounded things lamentinge his death The Sunne against nature eclipsed the Moone violentinge his course the aire darkened the earth trembleinge rockes rendeing the windes tempests Seas contrarie to their naturall inclinations performinge his commandements Oracles ceaseinge Idols fallinge the deuils and creatures both sensible insensible acknowledging and obeying him many miracles to the same effect wicked spirits professed enemies of all pietie cast forth by authority future contingeÌ„t things most certainly foretold incurable diseases healed blinde restored to sight lame to going deafe to hearing dumbe to speaking dead to life when in all humane reason science of Philosophers such effects are vnpossible to be performed by natural meanes or supernaturally to be wrought of God or any secondâ—rie cause by his cooperation to giue creditte and authoritye to falsehoode The moste straunge and myraculous alteration in the liues of those embraced him the wonderfull conuersion of the world vnto him the rare and extraordinarie stil continuing punishements vpon those refused him And these and such witnesses not giuen in obscure and base places onlie beefore simple and vnlearned menne as Seducers vse to deale but in frequente and publique places and moste famous Cityes beefore the mightiest and moste potent Prynces Kinges Tetrarches of Iurie Syria and other Nations yea the moste wise Phylosophers craftie and subtille Magicyans of the world Written and recorded not onelie by the holie Prophets Apostles and Euangelists myraculouslie prooued to haue beene directed and assisted and neuer to haue written vntruth or the Patriarkes in their testament cited by Origen that liued within one hundred and threescore years of Christ as then extant and translated forth of hebrue into greek by Procopius eleauen hundred years agoe where euerye one of them prophesieth most plainly of Iesus Christ the Mesias And the generall consent of the auncient Rabbines expositors of holie scriptures before christ but those which euer were in highest account reputation among the Gentils theÌ„selues whether for learning and antiquitie as Soroastres Hermes Trismegistus their most renouÌ„ed or such as god had illuminated with these misteries liued as Prophets for the instruction of that people as so many of the Sibils as plainlie foretelling the misteries proceedings of christ of his diuinitie humanity natiuity life death comming to iudgment and other secrets of christian doctrine as if they had beene personally present and seene those thinges effected So did the Oracles and answers of their Gods were enforced so to do as themselues confessed and not only to priuate men but to the Emperours and chiefe Princes So doe and did the moste authenticke Registers and imperiall Recordes Wrightings and Edicts of the Gentile Emperours as Tiberius Traiane Antonius and other princes as Pilate and Herod in Iurie the Senators at Rome and others So those which were the moste noisome and offensiue enemies of Christ the Thalmadists Pophiry and Mahumet that greate Seducer which in dyuers chapters of his Alcaron confirmeth the Miracles and Religion of Christ for moste true and holie Therefore dealing with men of a christian countrie such as I hope all inhabitants of Englande desire alwaies to bee accounted I might make an end of this matter But because I haue taken in hand to prooue catholike Religion to be the onlie true worshippe and reuerence of God not onlie against al deuided sects of heretickes which I am to performe in my disputation againste my cuntrie Protestants but also against all Infidels and other misbeleeuers and by moste certaine and
those rude and beastly countryes where he did apt and prone to all liberty and filthines he neuer had preuailed to haue the lest shewe of reuerence and religion For experience teacheth at this present how in Greece and other ciuyll nations which God for their reuoulte and dissobedience to his Church and See apostolique hath deliuered to the turkishe tirany although they be infected with the heresies of Nestorious scisme of the Grecians and other errours and therby destitute and vnfurnished of grace rather chuse to become his slaues and vassalls vndergoeing all oppressions then yelding to such absurdities to be aduanced with honours as our Apostates to that Infidelity be And if we vvill seperate the present Brachmans amonge the Indians from the olde idolatrous Gentiles and make their religion perticuler by it selfe such is the absurditie of that people yet professors of learning that it is vnworthy to be related But breefely to giue a note of their superstitions in beleuing and Epicurismes in maner of liuing for a certain time they liue at least in externall viewe a sober and penetentiall lyfe which beinge expired and ended they are presently exalted to the greatest honours ryches and dignities exempted from all lawes free from all controlement subiecte to no penaltie punishment or reprehention and liue in all delightes synne laciuiousnes and wantonnes not to be recited These he their priestes and principall professors so highlie esteemed that their Kinges are committed vnto them for education and subiect to their assignements And their beleefe in worshippe is not vnlyke to this practicall profession for although they reuerence for their principall and most auncient Goddes Parrabrammas and his three sonnes and in memorie of that reuerence allwayes weare a triple threade abcute their necks yet for pluralities of other Goddes which they worshipp with equall diuine adoration they are not inferior to the pagan Romans but rather exceede them in number of Idolatries and not content to dedicate Temples Altars offering sacrifice vnto men but vse and exercise the same diuine Reuerence to Apes Oxen Elephants and the like brute and vnreasonable creatures THE 7. ARGVM Further shewing the excellency of Christian Catholicke Religion aboue all other externall professions both in speculatiue and practicall doctrine WHereby it is manifest howe vnpossible it is that eyther the worships and reuerences vsed by any of those Infidels should be true and reuealed of God which by no power can bee author of any error or seing of necessity one true Religion must be graunted that christian professiō should be false for all others euidently conuicted of palpable grosse inexcusable errors absurdities by necessary consequence it remayneth that alone in all thinges to be approued And let any Iew Mahumetā or Pagā suruey the whole sum of Catholike Religion for I do not defende the conuenticles and positions of Heretickes and prooue whether he can finde any one such errour and inconuenience And to beginne with the nature of God himself which as by his infinite and most excellent preeminences he is the Prime and soueraigne obiect of true reuerence and to haue this supreame homage and dutie of Religion so if he be mistaken and any other worshipped for him it turneth to Irreligion and Idolatry by sacriledgeous vvorshipping a falsely pretended GOD All those misbeleeuers Iewes Mahumetanes Pagans and Brachmans as is euidentlie prooued before either constitute pluralities or moste horrible corruptions alterations defectes and imperfections in diuinitie which altogither destroye all worshippe and Religion For such imperfections and defectes are dishonourable and not to be reuerenced much lesse with diuine adoration contrariewise wee Christians onlie vvorshippe one most simple increated vnalterable infinite and illimited cause Creator and conseruer of all Creatures endued with all possible perfections and so worthye of all worshippe And for the ende and happinesse of man wee doe not assigne so foolishe vncertaine or so corruptible wanton and carnall estate vvith defectes and filthinesse which cannot possiblie content an immortall and reasonable soule in such sorte as those misbeleeuers doe but such an estate either for perfection continuance and immutability that will and onlye can content and bringe felicity to man And for the meanes to come to so great happinesse and glory because there must be a proportion betweene the end and such thinges as bringe vnto it That externall and publicke Sacrifice wee vse is not any such prophane oblation as the Pagans vsed no such naked ceremony as the Mahumetanes practise and themselues confesse shall bee taken awaye neyther any of those of the lawe of Moyses which alreadye be abrogated and which of themselues neuer had validity but as they had reference to CHRIST but that most pure and immaculate Sacrifice of the bodie and blonde of the MESSIAS so renowned and honoured before the comming of Christ as I haue prooued so miraculouslie testified of God as all countries can witnesse and of it selfe able to pardon all offences euen in rigorous satisfaction which no other religion can say Wee doe not allowe in our worshippe any thinge that may bee called sinne or bee interpreted eyther preiudiciall to the honour of God or office to man which Religion commandeth as all these Infidels practise in approouing hatred and reuenge vppon others appointing vniust crafty and violent vsurping and taking away of other mens goods and possessions as the Pagans did and their Gods themselues were honored for such impieties and the Mahumetans and Turkish proceedings vse and the Iewes allowe for lawfull to vse their owne wordes in their Thalmud whether it be by craft deceite violence vsurie theft killing murthering or any other means Neyther doe wee as those misbeleeuers doe affirme that sinne is not committed but by externall actes when the malyce of the sinne dependeth of the internall consent but condemne euen the internall thoughts and forbidde all iniuries both to friends and enemies commanding nothing to be done to others which we would not to our selues Omitting nothing that may be named vertue and allowing nothing can bee suspected for vice and because naturall and morall actions of themselues cannot meritte a supernaturall beatitude all such value wee attribute to such effectes dependeth vppon the infinite price and dignity of our MESSIAS which no other profession can make clayme vnto By whose meritte and oblation besides these vvorkes of grace wee onlye haue Sacramentes instrumentes to deriue his benefittes in all necessities to all persons and at all times When wee are firste borne Baptisme to take awaye originall sinne extreame vnction to releeue vs vvhen wee dye and defende vs againste all enemies and agonies of those conflictes And while we liue Eucharist and Confirmation to strengthen vs in grace and pennance to restore vs if wee fall And concerning the perticuler estates and conditions both of the clergy and maryed Order to dignify the one and Matrimony to arme and defend the other so that no state time or condition
shoulde be the only perfection and felicity of man which the very heroicall conceit if there were no other argument of euery one not drowned in beastlinesse will affirme For there is not one but in reason would scorne to chuse such thinges for his Summum bonum and felicity And yet that which is true happinesse neither is nor can be contemned of any but greedely sought and deserued of all as a most perfect state where all thinges to be wished are present and all thinges to bee auoyded absent To which not only al powers properties actes and operations of the reasonable soules of men when they were vnited with their bodies but many and great numbers of soules after their seperation haue testified and giuen infallible euidence to thousands of credible present witnesses For if the soule be not separable it coulde not remayne either by it selfe after separation or bee vnited againe to that bodie it had first enformed because in the separation it were to be dissolued and perish neither coulde any newe soule bee produced in those bodies no disposition or potentiality beeing left in them for such production Take this away and not only the nature of euery particuler man is destroied but all Communities Kingdomes Commonwealths Societies Townes Cities Families and ciuill estates which euer practised reuerence and cannot consist without Religion are ouerthrowne All Testimonyes and Reuelations of God in holye Scriptures are to be reiected Those sacred writings approoued by so many miraculous kind other Argumentes as I will alleadge in my next chapter that by no possibillitye they coulde bee vntrue are not to bee regarded Then can anye man become so traiterous and disobedient a Rebell to his Creator so enuyous a persecutor of his owne dignitye and preferment so malitious an enemye and opposer of himselfe to all creatures to giue so great attendance and homage to shorte and brutishe pleasures to liue as thoughe there were no God to whome he ought duty and religion no felicity after death no be atitude for man but as beasts enioy If this opinion be false as infinite testimonies prooue it to bee then hee is sure to be damned for euer if it shoulde bee true as GOD and all creatures and that man himselfe in iudgement denyerh yet he hath gayned no more then other brutish creatures haue done and that which a reasonable man would not accept THE TESTIMONIES OF AL HOly Scriptures for all thinges belonginge to Religion and theyr moste certaine and infallible Authoritie ¶ CHAP. V. WEE will adde to these naturall Testimonyes of all reasonble creatures the Supernaturall Witnes of the Creator himselfe registred in holie Scriptures where not onely the Infinite Omnipotent Maiesty of one Immortall Incomprehensible God his prouidence ouer all creatures extraordinarie protection to his religious seruants the Immortallitie and euerlastinge blessednesse of the soules of men and their duety religion to God in generall are sett downe but the very particuler manner and means of worshippe and things belonginge to adoration are recorded for all peoples instruction And let not any prophane Atheist or Irreligious monster take exceptioÌ„ against them or any one of those moste holy and sacred writings it is not the condemned sentence of anie Idolatrous Gentile beastlie Epicure Diagoras or Atheist or Apostating hereticke which all Iudgements and Generations haue disalowed that can call those vndoubted mouments of the will of God into question Shall the Simonians Basilidians Bogomites or any heretickes that liued thousandes of yeares after they were written make them doubtfull because they bee contrarye to his corrupted desires when they haue so manie generations of the moste renowned countries and peoples against them shall it be lawfull for Diagoras the first Athiest which liued thousandes of yeares after those thinges which be entreated in them were effected onelie reiect them because they witnes a God and worshippe to him which all the worlde and all kingdomes before and after him euer beleeued shall anie Pagan Idolater be receaued to disgrace those Sacred Testimonies when their superstitions are so late in respecte of that worshippe which they handle for as Iosephus doth demonstrate againste Appion the Pagan and Lactantius and other aâ—prooued Authors are euidence moste parte of the things recounted in the olde Testament were done before many of the Panime Gods were borne and the last writers of holy Scriptures Esdras Aggeus Zacharie and Mallachie were before most of the heathen Historians Abraham as the Gentyles themselues acknowledge was long before any of their gods were extant the eldest of theyr poets were not before Salomon which was aboue 900. yeares after Abraham And Moyses himselfe was much more auncient then Ceres Vulcan Mercury Apollo Aesculapius Casior Pollux Hercules and other their feigned Gods and both concerning those thinges hee recorded before from the first creation vnto his time he prooued them with so many miracles that coulde not bee vntrue that he was taken for God and accounted a wonder of the worlde The reason why the Pagans receaued not those holy Scriptures was because they prescribe a more seuere Religion then their licentious mindes allowed and ouerthrowe the corporieties pluralities and such impossible mutations which they allowe in diuinity which all reason knoweth to be ridiculous And yet besides the mighty Persian Emperours Cyrus and Darius King Ptolomy Aram and others that honoured the Israelites their holy lawe and Testament not only the Sybils and other for prophesie most renowned among those Pagans confirme the thinges that bee entreated in them But many others of the greatest account as well among them as in later ages as Melo Eupolemus Trismagistus Leodemus Aristeaeus Artahanus Nunenius Pithagoras Alexander Polyhistor Appion Porphiry Saconeathan Berosus Caldaeus Ierommus Aegiptius Nicholaus Damascenus Abydenus many monuments in the late discouered worlde Mahumet the whole Sinagogue of the later Rabbines all Iewes and Turkes of Christians there is no doubt giue testimony to those thinges that bee recorded in those holy writings Of Iewes and Mahumetanes there is no difficulty allowing the bookes of the old Testament which is enough for my purpose nowe to prooue a God and Religion so religigiouslie commended in that lawe For the Gentile Pagans I haue cited their most auncient and to exemplyfie in one of their first Orpheus had those sacred bookes and the misteries recorded in them in highest esteeme and plainely both affirmed that they were most auncient and deliuered by God himselfe his wordes when he had cited many things from thence are these Priscorum haec nos docuerunt omnia voces Quas binis tabulis Deus olim tradidit illis The voices of ancients haue taught vs these things which GOD deliuered to them in two tables Coulde Moyses if he were aliue againe to whome these tables were deliuered speake more plainely And the testimony of the Sybils were so manifest herein that it was made death by the Pagan lawes
trueth of those misteries they committed to those holie bookes that the whole worlde hath wondred at those miracles and all Philosophers euer confessed that such things hauing no cause or power of their production in nature coulde not be produced but by the assistance of an infinite and illimited Agent and not by him to confirme anie falsehoode or thinge vntrue The number of these signes bee too many to bee remembred and not onlie the Scriptures be full of those strange and meruailous workes but they be reported by heathen writers and wrought often times in open spectacles and places of viewe before whole multitudes of people that coulde not be deceaued of which I shall haue oportunity of speech hereafter therefore pas them ouer in this place Wherefore I may saie in this pointe as that learned Schoole-man said in the like Domine si decepti sumus a te decepti sumus O Lorde if wee bee deceaued wee are deceaued by thee For no other power coulde effect these thinges and not to giue credit to anie mistery so confirmed is the greatest obstinacie and incredulity can be assigned Therefore the holie scriptures by no possibilitie can be vntrue and if there were no other Argument either for Religion in generall or that in particuler which I will defende it were moste peruerse and obdurate Infidelitie to denie it without farther proofe THE EXAMPLE AND EVIdence of all Nations states of people and particuler persons ¶ CHAP. VI. THVS we see howe that diuine maiestie which claymeth Reuerence at our handes is infinite and euerlasting our Lorde Creator omnipotent to rewarde if we render worshippe iust and powerable to punish if we denie it We are his creatures seruants and depending of him in all we are we haue or can expect whether we liue or die wee are and must be in his subiection all reasons diuine and humane tell vs we must render Religion to him no excuse can bee founde in iudgment no reason will defende the contrary cause Then let vs try if we can finde any hope of comfort in company for this irreligious people For although no man may followe multitudes into error neither the testimony of any man or number of men if all the worlde woulde bee so wicked to become patrons of Irreligion can giue answere to that which is alleadged against it yet to men that be reprobate in their owne proceedings and dare not defende their condemned impieties it is some comfort to haue fellowes in damnation and these people voide of al truth and piety will not be ashamed to glory in any practizers of this opinion though neuer so wicked and vnreasonable Then let vs mooue this question of worship to all Kingdomes Countries Citities Communities to al persons of what estate degree or condition that euer were in any authority credit or reputation or worthy to be imitated in any time or age of the worlde from the first creation to these daies and prooue what companions we can finde for these prophane and beastlie scholers of Irreligion if any such be at this present which I rather feare then affirme If we appeale to the Patriarches that ruled in the lawe of Nature from Adam â—o Moyses or to Priests Iudges Prophets and Kinges that ruled in Israell Iurie froÌ„ him to Christ in all that lawe there is no controuersie in that generation for they did not only professe a Religion but that in particuler which was the true and lavvefull worshippe of GOD. If wee exhibite this complaint vnto all Rulers Kinges Emperours Priestes Flamens Archflamens Oracles or the Gods themselues of the Gentiles their very names and all Histories will tell vs although they erred in particuler what this dutie was yet they all agreed to vse Religion and euer in their Lawes Practice Sacrifices and so manifolde Rites defended it Let vs enquire of such as were most learned amongest them their Poets Philosophers Prophets and they giue consent so Linus Thebius that liued 1430. yeares before Christ speaketh euen of those thinges whereof Moyses entreated Amphion Mercurius Liricus Orpheus Musaeus Homer and Aesiodus are not vnlike and all the latter professe Religion And diuers of their most learned auncient and approoued Philosophers confirmed christian worship so far they were from denying pietie but of this hereafter And from the first to the last they all with mutuall agreement teach Religion is to bee vsed So Phegous that liued so neare to the deluge so Mercurus Trismagistus Cadmus Esculapius Thales Milesius Chilon Pithacus Bias Periander Pherecides Pithagoras Anacharsis Alemeon Epinenides Xenophanes Democritus Heraclitus Themistocles Aristides Anaxagoras Empedocles Permenides Melesius Hippocrates Zeno Socrates Alcibiades Isocrates Xenophon Achita Plato Antisthenes Spensippus Ermias Demosthenes Aristotle Dion Carmcides Eschines Xenophilus Phedron Xenocrates Hermegitius Apuleius Plotinus Dema Chalisthenes Zenon Chrisippus Polemon Crates and Crates Licon Tymon Diogines and Diogines Onesicitus Aristobolus Archimedes Panetius Possidomus Cathon Cato and the rest generally giue vs answere taught in learning and practised in life that Religion is to bee vsed and had in highest estimation If wee consult vvith the renowned Sibils so famous in all chiefest Nations of the worlde Italy Greece Persia Siria Egipt as Sibilla Persica Libica Delphica Cumaea Erithraea Samia Cumena Hellespontica Phrisia and Tiburta or Tiburtina they tell vs in particuler of christian worship so do others which liued after which will be more euident in my Arguments for Christians against externall Infidels If we will debate this cause with those who for their wise dome were called and and euer named the sage and most prudent in the worlde Thales and his companions they haue spoken and practized the same and their religious wits were the greatest cause of their so excellent cognomination If we will propounde this question to the most ancient Legists and Lawe-makers Rulers States and Kingdomes of the worlde they will witnesse it was so from their first foundation Before the deluge there is none or little memory kept but in holy Scriptures which teach the true Religion After the deluge Noe that holy and religious Patriarke was Prince in the world of him and his children proceeded all latter generations How religious hee was it needeth no recitation he liued after the Fludde 350. yeares and as Philo is witnesse did see 14000. men that were descended from him by which of spring all Nations of the worlde were after inhabited and of his children Sem Cham and Iaphet which were borne before the Fludde were founded 72. Nations all the founders of these Nations were the grande children of that truely religious Noe liuing in his time instructed of him and coulde not either be vtterly irreligious in themselues or institute Nations without Religion especially when Idolatry false worships were not knowne in the worlde some hundred yeares after these thinges And their first God Lisania surnamed Iupiter liued in Archadia a country obscure
Townes and Prouinces is inumerable there were before the comming of Christ infinite Idolatries in the worlde since his Incarnation besides Sectes amongst the Iewes Mahumetanes not to be numbred among Christians if we ioine these presēt heresies which now raigne almost 300. to those 400. and more which haue bin in formerages there haue bin 700. false professions in Christianitie and the impietie of men hath beene such especially in times of errors that there was neuer almoste any truth so euident but by one Cittie Towne Countrie companye of People or other it hath beene denied onlie this veritie of Religion and obligation of worshippe to God hath been so manifest that in so manie thousands of yeares in no one age yeare or day in so many vaste and populous Nations no litle Kingdome Prouince Citie Towne Village or priuate person but in such sense as I haue declared to their owne confusion called it into question TESTIMONIE OF ALL INTELlectuall Creatures ¶ CHAP. VII OR if the testimonie of all inferior thinges the witnesse of the whole worlde and all reasonable men from the first foundation till now so learned and wise euerie particular mans practise and experiēce by al sences powers of knowledge all reasons that can be aleadged all proofe in reason that can be vsed the vnyforme and euer agreeinge consent and example of al creatures wil not serue to dispute this questyon againste the blinde sencelesse and vnreasonablie deluded and wantonly bewitched appetites of some one or a fewe beastly and franticke men let vs seeke for a tryall to intellectuall and spirituall creatures which as by their perfection of nature they are of higher and more infallible iudgement so in respecte they are freed and exempted of corporall and bodylie composition from whence this blindnesse of sensualitie proceedeth are like to giue the truest sentence such be the heauenlye spirits seperated soules and the Diuels themselues though depriued of grace yet perfect in naturall vnderstandinge All Testimonies are recorde all Historians thousands and millions of men that haue beene present witnesses and euerye particuler person euen of this impious schoole it selfe hath prooued by one experimentall argument or other that there bee such perfecte intellectuall creatures The rare and wonderfull effects which bee daylie wrought by such meanes the apparitions of Angelles illusions of Diuelles their workes tempestes plagues and other miseries they haue procured theire possessinge bodyes both of men and women and beastes where their effects are manifest the appearing of soules deuided and separated from their bodies and still enduringe after death some miraculouslie vnited againe and telling what they endured in their seperation others not restored reporting either the ioyes they founde if they were trulie religious or the paines they endured if they were prophane and wicked haue testified these thinges The infinite miracles and supernaturall effects which the Angels and holy religious soules haue wrought in their apparitions haue euidently confirmed their sentence to bee true The vnspeakable torments of the wicked irreligious soules damned for impiety and irreuerence prooued by vndenyable arguments and the Diuels potent and wise conquered and cast out by poore religious men by nature their inferiors and these thinges seene prooued witnessed and written by millions of men of greatest iudgment Emperors Kings Princes Phylosophers Magitians and of all conditions not only priuate men and in secret but greatest assemblies in pubicke places are sufficient argument in this cause But in respect these Testimonies haue chieflie bin vsed to prooue true Religion in particuler and not the necessity of Reuerence in generall which for the euidence thereof needeth no such probation I wil passe it ouer to the proper place against externall Infidels and Heretickes where it shall be handled to the manifest confusion of all misbeleeuers not onely Atheists Epicures and deniers of worshippe but all enemies of Christian Catholicke Doctrine OF THE MYRACVLOVS AND most certaine Testimony of God ¶ CHAP. VIII I Will passe ouer in this place the testimony of the Creator and so manie thousands of miraculous and most certaine supernaturall Arguments of God which can neither bee deceaued in himselfe or be cause of erring vnto others both in regarde they are needlesse in this matter neuer called so farre into question that it craueth such extraordinary defence as also that they haue principally beene vsed to propose true worshippe in particuler to misbeleeuing Nations of which neuer any denyed a Religion in generall Therefore I am to make demonstration by that Argument hereafter against all professors of false worships which in some manner wil also appeare in my Chapters following of the extraordinary punnishment God hath inflicted vpon the Irreligious and the miraculous fauours wherewith hee hath honoured his holy and true worshippers in this place onely I affirme since the firste miraculous creation of man in the beginning and the supernaturall prouidence of God ouer him while hee continued in obedience and strange punishing of him for his neglecte of dutie therein he euer obserued the same order in all states and conditions The punishment of Adam drowning of the world confusion of the Tower of Babell destruction of the Egiptians abolishinge of Idols desolation of the Iews and a thousand strange miraculous punishments imposed vpon the Irreligious contrariewise as strange and wonderfull fauours towardes the godly exceedinge all limits of nature witnessed by millions of presēt wittnesses Princes and whole Cuntries and registred by moste credible writers both Pagan Mahumetan Ieweish and true beleeuers are euidence TESTIMONIE AND EXAMPLE of all creatures euen insensible ¶ CHAP. IX ANd this religious worshippe is so vniuersally due to be performed that if the verye sensible and insensible thinges that are not capable of vnderstandeinge were able to vtter that by wordes which they vniformelie practise in theyr operations or supernaturallye declare as often times they haue to the admiration of all and confusion of such men that naturall instinct and desire which is imparted to them all to doe homage reuerence to their Creator they would assemble thēselues in generall coūcell against this impious people and condemne them to be the moste vnnaturall senceles monsters of the world For the vnuiolable decree of nature is that euery effect must yeeld a certaine honor reuerēce to the cause by which it is produced exalted so in creatures of vnderstandinge the childe honoreth the parents by which he was begotten brought vp and norished the scholer his master by whom he was īstructed the subiect his soueraīe the seruant his master by whom they are ruled euery depēding thing that more exellent Regent of whom it hath dependance And al insensible things with one consent do answer by their acts deeds that they owe religion vnto god are boūd to worship him in their kind performe it for the heauens and celestiall spheres so all Eleaments and inferior creatures as well
liuinge as wantynge lyfe all remayninge in that order in whiche they were created and effecting those offices to which they were ordayned and neuer varying froÌ„ that dutie which is the greatest homage and religion such things can shewe and that which the Prophets Dauid and Daniell call the worship and reuerence of God because in this dutifull obedience their dependancy is witnessed and the glory and honour of God proposed to be remembred reuereÌ„ced of intellectuall and reasonable meÌ„ And Daniel making a recapitulation of the dutie of all creatures to their Creator expressing that to which they are obliged by nature after he had recounted the celestiall and intellectuall spirits and the dutie of Israell the chosen of God his Priests seruants spirits and soules of the iust religions men and parriculer persons deuoted to him how they must worship and reuerence their Creator he inciteth all inferior creatures to the same or rather man so perfect and excellent a worke of God by the exemplar obedience of inferior things Where he numbreth the Heauens Sun Moone Stars and all celestiall bodies benedicerie laudare superexaltare eum in secula to blesse praise and exalte him for euer And not onely those celestiall and more perfecte bodies but inferiour creatures as the Elements Fire Aire Water Earth Mountaynes Hilles Seas Riuers Fishes Foules Beastes and other meane and meteorologicall thinges Rayne Dewe Frostes Yse Snowe Lightnings Thunders Clowdes Day Night Light Heate Colde that which is nothing but only a priuation as Darknes the like which blesse praise and exalte him without intermission rendring reuerence and honour vnto him as euerie man daylie expecienceth they doe and shoulde be as violent and portentious a thing for the meanest of them not to performe as the Sunne to loose his light the Earth to bee vnstable or any other deformity that can be in nature Then howe much more rebellious and traiterous is the neglecte of dooing that duty in man by so many titles more â—â—debted to his Creator then any of those creatures which were all prouided for his vse and necessity to shew this religious obedience 〈…〉 God 〈…〉 if he should not onlie 〈◊〉 to doe it but denie it to be done as Atheists and impious Nullifidians doe THE EXTRAORDINARY AND strange punishements inflicted vpon the Irreligious and rebellion of all creatures againste them for that cause ¶ CHAP. X. YEa the Irreligion and dutilesse behauior of man is so vnnaturallie that all those creatures which were ordayned to be his seruants and so vnuariable reuerence theyr maker that it were a prodigeous thinge for them not to doe it yet to shewe the greatnes of Mans obligation more then theirs how often haue they forsaken theyr naturall institution at the disobedieâ—â—e of Irreligious men to testifie the gâ—â—atnes of their iniquities vngratfulnes to their Creator prouing thereby it is more monstrous for man to deny worship religion vnto God then for the earth not to suport vs the aire to refresh vs the fire to comfort vs and all other creatures to deny their naturall operations So in the first creatioÌ„ for the IrreligioÌ„ of Adam our progenitor the earth all creatures ouer which God had giuen him full dominioÌ„ in his state of obedieÌ„ce rebelled against him In the daies of Noe when the irreligeous world would not be obedient vnto God the Element of water miraculouslie asceÌ„ded ouer the whole globe of the earth 15. cubites higher theÌ„ the highest mountaine least any thinge should be preserued from destruction only the religious family of Noe and such creatures as hee had gathered together were miraculouslie preserued witnessed not only in holy Scriptures but in diuers Pagan and other authors Hieronimus Aegiptius Mnaseas Damascenus Iosephus AlexaÌ„der Polihistor Melon Eupolemus others proued by diuers effectes which coulde proceed of no other cause How stranglie did God punish the irreligious builders of the tower of Babel confouÌ„ded theÌ„ so that no maÌ„ vnderstod what was spokeÌ„ by others which besides the holy Scriptures Iosephus Sibils and other witnesse and the diuersities of tongues to this day otherwise without originall are euidence At which time and in punishment of which irreligious offence so many monsters in humane nature were produced a great scandal to this Epicurish schoole when it is manifest they were broughte forth to be a memoriall and euerduring penance to mankinde for the same iniquitie and Irreligion they defende this was the beginning of the Monoclists Hermophrodites Acephalists Pigmes Giants Sciopedes Cinocephalists and others whose shapes punnishments of Irreligion are rather to be concealed then vttered onely heareby is euident howe monstrous Irreligion is which is repayed with so monstrous penalties Howe did God in the time of Abraham miraculouslie cause the fire against the naturall propensitie to descende destroy all the irreligious people of Sodome and those Cities preseruing the house and familie of religious Loth as both Scriptures other writers the Piller of Salt into which the incredulous wife of Loth was turned which Iosephus had seene and other monuments are recorde In the daies of Moyses when Pharao and his irreligious Egiptians woulde not permit the Israelites to worship God and exercise Religion the same water which miraculouslie before had giuen passage to the Religious people drowned King Pharao and his huge army of prophane Infidels The base and meane creatures of Frogs Ciniphes Flies Locustes and such as are engendred of vile corruption and the verie Meteors themselues that haue no life as Haile Thunder and Lightnings yea Darknesse which of it selfe is nothing and onlie a priuation of an accident and qualitie of light so fought against him that hee and all Egipt were enforced to yeelde and acknowledge their Irreligion and disobedience In the schismaticall and irreligious Rebellion of Chore Dathan and Abiron and thier confederates the Earth the most firme and stable Element prouided of God for mans supportation was opened and deuoured them S. Augustine Orosius are witnesses that in the irreligious times of the idolatrous Italians about 70. yeares before Christ the very domesticall and tamest creatures vsed for the seruice of men rebelled against them and affirme that their verie Dogges Horses Oxen Asses and other creatures moste at the commaunde of man sodainely became wilde ranne from their owners wandring vppe and downe vvith such fiercenesse and contempt to their former Masters and all men that no man durst or coulde approach them without daunger Such prodigious euents appeared against irreligious people at other times What supernaturall eclipse of the Sunne trembling of the Earth and renting of moste harde and solide Rockes cryed out againste the inhumane and barbarous irreligion of the Iewes and Gentiles at the death of Christ The earth quaked at such extraordinarye motion that as the Pagan wrighters affirme in Asia so farre distant twelue Cities were ouerthrowne in such order that Tiberius
graces and inheritaunce And this may bee a title of such Infidels to their worldly prosperitie by the religion of their auncestors for their owne impietie neither meriteth spirituall or temporall fauour THE TEMPORALL HONOVR and dignity of Religious Catholike Christians most commonly greatest and their afflictions least ¶ CHAP. XIIII AND touching true beleeuing and Religious Catholicke Christians how much they are blessed of God both in heauenly and earthly benedictions as also to let the glorye of our Religion alone which only shineth in all the world howe miraculouslie haue we from the beginning beene raysed maintayned and aduaunced maugre the might and malice of all enemies persecutors though neuer so many malicious and mightie howe haue they beene conquered and their pride and puissance depressed how haue we preuayled howe longe howe large howe great and wonderfull haue our honours titles prosperities preeminences reigned ruled in the world What Empire of the Assirians Persians Grecians Pagan Romanes Turkes Tartars or any other hath so endured which of them all was to be compared vnto it in power And to omitte no time although God hath afflicted Christians in these latter daies for their want of dutie in Religion yet when Infidell and Irreligious Princes at this day are so mightie and potent as that great Christian of Iude Emperour ouer threescore and twelue kingdomes And the Georgians so called of S. George their patrone in warres a people so potent that they are a terror to the Turkish Empire and admitted to performe their pilgrimage to the holy Sepulchre in Hierusalem in the dition of the Mahumetans with their banners displayed and free from tribute Or who will compare with the Catholicke Religious King of Spaine whose regall reuenewes much exceede all the vniust and tyrannicall Taxes Tributes and Impositions of the Turkish Emperour his Countries and Kingdomes are greater and exceeding the others his subiects more honourable his proceedings more noble What high Priest euer either amonge the Iewes Gentiles Mahumetanes or any professors of Religion so reuerenced renouned honored and potent as our Catholique Christian Popes of Rome so many hundred yeares exalted aboue the Emperors themselues and exercising Iurisdiction and authority further then euer any other Prince spiritual or temporal did euen ouer al Countries in the worlde How miraculouslie haue all enemies that in any time or place opposed themselues againste that sacred Iurisdiction of Rome been ouerthrown The Iewes so pitifullie dispersed the pagan Emperours all that persecuted it liuinge and diynge in miseryes and dishonors as the histories of all to Constantine are witnes Howe did those insolent and proude conqerours of the worlde that killed and conquered whome they woulde giue place to the poore Religious Successors of Saint Peeter a Fisher as theyr Prophetesse Sibilla had foretoulde them Howe were they that were conqueroures of the mightyste vanquished of the meaneste Howe haue all Aduersaryes and persecutors spirituall or corporall internall or externall that euer opposed them selues against it been subdued and ouerthrowen as I haue cyted before almoste an hundred true or reputed Emperours before Constantine What hereticall Emperours of the Arrians Eutichians Iconoclaustes or Image breakers Monotholites Manichees Armenians as Constantius Valens zeno Anastatius Heraclius Constance Instiman 2. Philipicus Dardanes Leo Isauricus Constantinus Cropronimus Leo Cropronimus Leo Armenius Michael Dalbus Theophilus How haue the Gothes Visegothes Ostrogothes Vandals Frankes Angles Mahumetanes Turkes Tartars inuaded and persecuted it Howe manye Irrelygeous Chrystyane Kinges suche as I haue recoumpted in Englande and other places Howe manye Arche-heretickes Seauen Hundred in number as I recited in the same place and yet as I haue shewed before notwithstanding all these enemyes and afflictiones the Catholike Temporall Prynces thereof are the Mightyeste and moste Honourable in the worde and the Popes spiritual iurisdiction three times greater more noble and ample then euer any was either among Heretickes Infidels or the Iewes themselues when they obserued true Religion Contrariwise let any man peruse the state conditions of those countries of Christendome that are fallen to Heresie and become irreligious and he shall perceaue them to be in most dishonourable tearmes both for temporall and spirituall rule the iurisdiction of none knowne or acknowledged out of one little Countrie or Prouince and those which be the greatest aduersaries of our Religion to be in the most pittifull poore and vncertain case of the rest And least anie Atheist Epicure or wicked Politicke shoulde say that although the state of the Religious is such and so honourable as I haue described in the time of peace and prosperitie yet in the winter stormes of aduersitie and persecution vvhen those Popes that bee nowe so glorious were so often and many in number put to death when the whole Clergie vvas persecuted when euery Religious Christian was odious when so many thousands of Martyrs were put to torments when we were depriued of honours riches liberties liues and all preferments as we haue beene both by Iewes Pagans and Heretickes our glory was nothing at all but we were wholy oppressed with miseries I haue already shewed that euen in such times the honour and glory of the Religious which were persecuted was farre greater then of their persecutors and that euer in the ende the victory and triumph was ours And to giue examples in this case neuer any thinge amonge the enemies of Christ was so famous and renowned in the worlde as the Empire of Rome and their Emperours before Constantine the christian Emperour Yet let vs but compare the most persecuted Religious people which were the Popes of Rome with the gallant flowers of fortune and my sentence will be true The Popes of Rome were then esteemed of impious Polytickes to bee the most vnfortunate and depressed people no friend no humane force to defende them the lawes againste them their enemies and persecutors vvith whose felicitie I compare them were the absolute commanders of the worlde and contended with all force policy and tyranny they coulde to abandon the name of Christ and his Religion and all professors thereof principally the Popes of Rome and put them to death And yet doe what they coulde the true glorye of the Romane Popes at that time was greater then the glorye of those Romane Emperours all Histories Martyrologies Calenders and Recordes will beare perpetuall witnesse their liues and honour were thrise as longe and yet they were olde before their election and consecration and though the life of them all was sought and moste of them dyed actually in Martyrdome yet the number of their enemies and persecuting Emperours that dyed miserably and with reproach in the same time did three to one exceede them for from S. Peter to Saint Syluester honoured by Constantine there were 31. Popes and those those aged men and yet of them not aboue 25. or 26. actually put to death And of the Emperours the lustie Gallants of the worlde
either trulie chosen pretended or reputed there reigned in the same space almost an hundred Romane Emperours and all they excepting eleauen or twelue at the most were slaine and miserablie put to death and the others which escaped those violent ends dyed in greater wretchednesse then those religious Popes they persecuted And the names of the Popes are honorable both in heauen earth and the names of the others either dishonourablie or not remembed at all And least any should be so vaine to suppose that the miseries were onlie priuate to the Romane Emperors he shall see howe they were common calamities to all our enemies of the Iewes all the vvorlde is a vvitnesse to this daie and I vvill declare hereafter The Senators of Rome vvere next in degree to the Emperours thereof and second in honour and reputation to them those which persecuted religion moste in that time And yet howe often were they themselues most vilie vexed and persecuted of their Emperors fourteene times at the least in the same space by generall persecution against them wherein they were violently entreats put to death by Tiberius Caius Nero Domitian Hadrian Commodus Septimus Caracalla Marinus Heliogabalus and other Emperours that in one day at Rome were pittfully put to death by Claudius ther owne Emperor 35. Senators and 300. Knightes So likewise the inferiour Aduersaries of our Religion howe many thousandes of them executed by most cruell and vnwonted deathes by their owne idolatrous and irreligious Emperours some drowned some buried aliue some mured vp in wals others hauing their eies pulled out others pulled and cut in peeces others cast to beastes in spectacles and manie hundred thousands violently consumed and destroyed in the same space And to speak of those most infensiue enemies of all Religious Christians in these latter yeares Mahumet and the successors of his impious gouernment although worldly happinesse and carnal pleasure is the felicity they expect either in this or in any other life yet howe strangely haue they beene punished and afflicted especially at such times as they raged most against vs what a filthy and beastly life did their first Author Mahumet leade euen by his owne confession with what vnnatural diseases was he tormented howe beastly and shamefull was his death howe ignominious and odious was he euen to his owne friendes and followers longe after his death how horrible odious and vnnaturall vvere the liues and deathes of all his next and immediate successors Alys Enbocora Homar Osmenus Mahumetes the second Alys Muauias and others the first ordayned of Mahumet himselfe violently oppressed deposed Eubocora poysoned to death Homar Murthered of his seruant Osmenus killed himselfe Mahumetes violently and vnnaturally slaine Alys trayterouslye murthered Muauias so afflicted with scismes and sects in that profession that hundreds of Camelles were not able to carry the writings of such as rebelled against him With what dishonorable vnseemely conditions vvas their moste potent Prince and our greatest enemie Amuathus enforced to conclude a truce with Iustinian the seconde howe miserably vvere 200000. of them soone after killed in Siria howe shamefull vvas the retire of Zuleman from the Thracians Bulgarians Bulgarians about the same time were not three hundred seauenty fiue thousand of their souldiers slaine at once by the Spanyards and French in one battaile vvhat strange conquests and victories did inferiour religious christian Captaines Ogerus Duke of Denmarke Godfryde of Lorrayne and others obtayne against their most puissant and mighty Princes howe did other base and contemptible men afflicte theme was not Baiazethes the first their great Emperour subdued by Tamberleyne that barbarous and Rogish Scythian lost two hundred thousand souldiers was taken prisoner closed vp in a Cage of Iron led vp and downe in Chaines and made a footestoole for a theefe to treade vpon his backe when he went to horse was not his wife abused before his eies hir clothes cut off from hir backe and hir vvhole bodie left naked from the nauill to the foote and did not hee kill him selfe in open spectacle vvas not their Emperour Orchanes murthered by his owne Vncle their Emperour Moyses violently killed of his naturall Nephewe Mahumetes and Baiazethes the seconde poysoned of Selimus his ovvne sonne and Mustapha the onelie lawefull and true heire of Solyman most vniustlie and vnnaturally murthered by his Father and in his presence and so of others besides the ordinarye and vsuall murtheringe of Brothers after the Fathers death as Orchanes that killed his three brethren Amurathes put his onely brother to death Baiazethes killed his seauen brethren and so of others and all these of late since and in vvhich times they haue persecuted our Religion most And if wee peruse all Histories and Antiquities vvee shall euidently perceaue that whensoeuer those irreligious Infidelles haue preuailed against vs it vvas eyther in time of irreligious heresye or some such negligence and disobedience in Religion for vvhich vvee vvere iustly afflicted Heraclius the Emporor became a Monothelite heretike Mahumet with his Sarracens inuaded Hierusalem Damascus Egipt parte of Affricke Rhodes the Iles adioyning Vitiza king of spaine was a licentious and irreligeous Prince and permitted Concubines and other impious abuses and at the same time the same Sarracen infidels inuaded that kingdome and possessed that many hundred yeares The Emperours of the East irreligiouslye behaued themeselues to the Sea of Rome and Emperour Nicephorus became Tributorie to the Sarracens and his successour Theophilus vvas twice conquered Hierusalem Candy and part of Asia was subdued The Grecians feel to schisme and diuided themselues from the Romane iurisdiction and Mahumetes the Turkish Emperor inuadeth those countries subdueth 12. kingdomes 200. cities violently taketh Constantinople in their great festiuity of Pentecost and comming of the holy Ghost about whose procession they are in error miserably killed Constantine their Emperor and possesse their Empire Martin Luther beginneth his vnhappy heresies and presently vpon that irreligious reuolte Solymanus Emperouror of Turky inuadeth those Countries taketh Rhodes and Belgrade those two propugnacles of Christendome inuadeth Hungary slewe Lodowicke King therof possessed Buda chiefe city of the Kingdome besiedged Vienna with 250000. men and since that irreligious apostasy and by meanes of it hath often and pittifully afflicted Christians So that the afflictions wee haue receaued from those infidels proceeded from impiety and irreligion and whensoeuer we were religious vnto God we preuailed against them which is manifeste in the state of christians euen in this time for as we see those countries and kingedomes for theire irreligious heresies and schismes are become vassals and in subiection as I recompted before in the religion of the Iewes before Christ so contrariwise those Kinges Princes countries of Christendome which haue remained free from those irreligious defectes neuer flourished more And to exemplifie in the Catholicke kinge of Spaine in all these times his Subiectes and Countries
anye Epicure or Atheist so impyous and prophane but by reason he should graunt the opinyon of all the worlde and professors of a God and Religion at leaste to bee a probable sentence thus his owne opinyon coulde not bee voyde of feare Then lette vs constitute a Religyous and Irreligeous Man in the same estate of Healthe Sicknesse Riches Pouertye Honour Disgrace Pleasure Myserie and the lyke hee that professeth there is a God by whose prouydence all thynges bee ordered whiche is Infinyte in Power Vnmeasureable in Goodnes and cannot committe Iniustice If hee bee in Healthe Riches Honour Pleasure and state of reste his comforte and delyghte is encreased and doubled to consider that as hee infalliblie supposeth his GOD vvhome hee serueth can and will preserue him in that estate so likewise deliuer him if hee bee in the aduerse callinge of sickenesse disgrace pouertye persecution and other miseries and if not yet for his patience hee will rewarde him Thus his pleasure is enlarged with iustlie conceaued truste of continuance in miserye his affliction healed with hope of deliuerie or retribution for perseueraunce These comfortes and delyghtes cannot bee graunted to the Irreligeous haueinge no hope eyther of continuinge and encreasynge his pleasures or abbreuiâ—tinge his afflictions but hee is vexed with the contrarye infelicitie alwayes in seare and daunger to bee depriued of his good and perseuer in his aduersity which experiment although it be verified in the whole age of men yet more appeareth in the decayeinge tyme when the Religeous perswadeth himselfe the ende of all his myseries is at hande and his greateste ioye is to beeginne when contrarie-wise the other is inuaded with a double infelicitie one to loose his delights and the other to enter into greater tormentes which in the whole circuite of the Religious life bringeth a doubled consolation and that in respect of the hoped happines after so much greater then all pleasures delights which any epicure can haue by howe much the infinyte goodnesse of God to be possessed of an immortall Soule for euer exceedeth the shorte and temporall vncertayne pleasure of the sensible man For although these ioyes in them-selues shoulde not bee obtayned yet seeinge the delight and pleasure of the will is framed more or lesse accordinge to the Apprehension and Iudgemente of the vnderstandynge by which it is mooued and taketh delighte the ioye of an vncertaine felicitye and happinesse conceaued as certaine and so proposed to the will engenderethe as greate a delectation as that which is certaine doeth for externall obiects mooue not the internall powers of the soule wherein delightes are engendered as they are in them-selues but as they are conceaued and apprehended of those faculties and so of griefe and affliction because beinge extrinsecall and not in the vnderstanding wil of themselues but by apprehension iudgement they moue not but after the same maÌ„ner by which they are receaued made present Therefore seeing there is no proportion betweene the delightes of the one and the other either in respect of the thinges themselues whereof the delight must arise or the proportion of man which doth and muste enioy them or the time of their duration whether there is any God and Religion or no yet the condition of him that professeth Religion euen in that respect for which the other doth denie it which is onlie to liue in delight and deuoyded of affliction is to be preferred And to this the experimented practise of so manye Kinges Princes and Potentates both of England and other Nations which haue voluntarily forsaken their certaine and greatest temporal honours preferments and delightes to enioy the consolations of the Religious and so many thousands which haue forsaken the corporall pleasures which such Epicures desire and liued in desarts where they coulde not bee possessed but only spirituall comfortes must be their hope haue yeelded euidence where the comfort of gaining heauen auoyding hell haue turned their troubles into ioyes As contrary wise the beastlie and epicureous life of prophane and irreligious men ioyned alwaies as it can neuer be free from doubt with coÌ„tinuall feare of so great a losse as heauen and such dread of damnation as is in hel cannot bee accounted a pleasant state though euery one shoulde bee as potent to procure and as wanton to possesse himselfe of pleasures as euer any Heliogobalus was For daunger of the greater paine expelleth the lesser pleasure and feare of eternall torment would frustrat a momentary delight So that howsoeuer the euent shoulde prooue the professor of Religion hath made the better and more pleasant choise and in no state delight can chance to man if worship vnto God be not regarded And whosoeuer desireth to liue at rest and haue delight either in this or the life to come must not be forgetfull of that dutie Whereupon Plutarch the Philosopher not onlie was of this opinion but wrote a booke intituled That no man coulde liue a pleasant life in the opinion of Epicurus and these are sufficient for this purpose For although I doubt not but in these licentious daies manie voluptuous and carnall menne forgetfull of rhe dignytie of humane nature both in respecte of feare of punishment due for theyr iniquities as also that they mighte more freelie without restraynte wallowe themselues wholy in delightes wishe in will and affection there neyther were Religion due to God or Reuenge to the Irreligion of man yet I cannot be perswaded that any vnderstandinge can bee so sottishe in iudgement to denie it Of the Absurdities which the Irreligeous must graunt THE XVI AND LASTE CHAP. and Conclusion FOr to come to conclusion againste this Godlesse Generation what Iudgement or Vnderstandinge of any priuate or particuler voluptuous man for no others euer were Agents in this cause can dare to enter into that sentence which all learned and reasonable menne in the worlde in all ages and places haue condemned for moste impious vnreasonable all schooles vniuersities societies companies professinge knowledge haue exploded for the greateste detesteable wickednesse which all Patriarkes Prophets Priestes Iudges Sibils Rabbines Legists Flamens Arche flamens Caliphes Brachmans all sorts of people Christians Iewes Pagans Mahumetanes Catholikes Heretickes Philosophers Poets Magicians Angels seperated Souls Deuils al creatures euen insensible things by one meanes or other haue reproued for the moste barbarous vnnaturall disobedience which can be inuented That which in so many thousands of yeares in such diuersities of opinions errors in so many vaste and populous nations in which all other impieties haue beene professed Neuer any Kingdome Countrey State Prouince Citie Towne or Village practised and by probable coniectures neuer one particuler person except franticke vvith pleasures and distracted in minde defended but only a fewe ignorant barbarous and beastly men made of sinne and guiltie of theyr owne hell wishinge for auoydeinge punishmente For what reason and vnderstanding can make denyall of that which if he denieth all
but briefly because it is handled at large in a late englishe treatise did not theyr highest and renounedst Oracle answere to the Archeslamen at Delphos and disclose the holie misterie of the Trinitie of the Father his deare Sonne and Spirit conteining all as their owne writers Suidas Plutarch Porphiry and others giue euidence And that deare sonne of God would be theyr ouerthrowe and destruction Like answere was made to Augustus Caesar himselfe about the diuinity of Christ how at his comming the gods of the Oracles should goe to hel Porphiry that aduowed enemie of Christians is a witnesse that generallie the Gods and Oracles of the Gentiles gaue testimony to his Sanctitie and that where men beleeued in him the oracles were silent and gaue no answers Such are the testimonyes of Iuenall Strabo and others And it is generallie verified by all infallible experience by the ceasing of all Oracles ouerthrowe of Idolatrie and confession of their Gods in all countries in the world where Christian Religion hath bin preached either in those that haue so long beleeued or the Indies those Nations that were lately conuerted which was prophetically fore tolde many hundred years before by the holy Prophets Isaias Saphonias Ezechiel Osee Zacharias others that in the time of the Messias al such oracles should haue an end Idolatry be takeÌ„ away the name thereof forgotteÌ„ as we se it is presently vpon the birth of Christ began to take effect For as Palladius Euagrius which of them soeuer it was that wrote that History witnesseth that according to the Prophesie of Isaias the Idolles of Egypt a most Idolatrous Nation shoulde then be ouerthrowne he himselfe had seene a Temple by Hermopolis in which when when Christ with his mother and Ioseph in his â—â—ying thither in his Infancie entered into the Citie presentlye the Idoâ—â—â—s fâ—ll downe to the earthe which woâ—â—â— since hathe beene broughts to passe in the whole Châ—â—stiâ—an worlde some Oracles câ—â—sing with frienâ—e and sâ—ying nothinge others protesting they were compâ—â—â—ed by Christ to departe others â—â—kâ—â—â—ledging and confessinge him and all one waie or other affirming and confirmâ—ng his Religion to bee true and theyr owne Rites Religion wicked Idolatrous which in morall iudgement is the greateste argument can bee giuen for no Man a professed aduersarye to an other such as those Pagans and theyr Oracles were to Christ and his Religion especially if the Quarrell and Contention growe for honuor and worshippe which all couer and desire will be commanded by his enemy to giue place except there be a power and superioritie in the commaunder to doe it And it iâ— a constant Tradition that Hieronne the Prophet prophesyed in Egipt and foretolde to theyr Kings that their Idole should be ouerthrowne when a virgine had a child and from that time the priests of Egipt in a secret place of their temple adored the Image of a virgine with a childe in her Armes And Sibilla Tiburtina shewed to Augustus the Emperor a 〈◊〉 before the time of the â—â—tiâ—ity of Christ a moste beautifull Virgine houlding a childe iâ— her Armes and said vnto him this Childe is greater than thou art worship him And in the time of his being an Infant an Egipt the very insensible things acknowledged him At Hermopilis a city of Thehaâ— where was a tree called Persiâ— whose fruite leaues or barke healed all diseases beeing very great and highe so sonne as Christ approached to the gate of the Citie it bowed downe to the grounde and adored him Balsamum miraculouslie grew in the orcharde watered with the well wherein his cloathes were washede the stone whereon they were beateÌ„ dried was had in great reuerence euen of the Sarâ—cens Mahumetans to this time The place of his habitatioÌ„ alwaies hath a burning lamp by the Mahumetanes order Touching true Prophets that liued among them what is more auncient then the booke of Iob liuing in the primatiue age of the world and yet what more plaine then his prophesies of Christ vttered with such vehemensie and desire of eternall continuance for all posterity that hee requested his words might be engraued in the most harde and flinty stone and the places engraued to be filled with plates of lead that the letters and writing might be durable and to be read of all And his wordes which hee woulde haue so surelie registred are these For I knowe that my Redeemer liueth and in the last day I shall rise againe with my skinne and in my fleshe shall see God whome I my selfe and in my flesh shall see and my eyes shall beehoulde c. in which wordes a whole compendium and breuiate of Christian Religion is conteined First Christ liued then and so was God and is called his Redeemer and so the Mesias that was expected Hee should see him when he was compassed with his skinne and with his fleshe and his eyes shoulde beholde him and he must be Man and that in the day of Iudgement when hee shall rise againe thereby acknowledging a resurrection of the bodie a finall Iudgement and that Christ shall iudge the worlde And in all his miseries he susteyned this was his hope as he affirmeth Of what authoritie the prophesie of the Sibilles were emong them is it not vnknowne as also how euidently they foretolde the whole summe of the misteries of Christ so particularly as if they had been present As to cite some of theyr wordes Panta c. Doeing all things with his worde healing all infirmities the dead shall bee raysed and the lame shall runne apace the deafe shall heare the blinde shall see Those which could not speake shall speake With fiue loaues and twoo fishes he shall feede fiue thousand men in the desart and taking vp that which is left shall fill twelue baskets For the hope of manie Hee shall commande or bridle the windes hee shall goe and treade vppon the rageing Sea with his feete Hee shall walke vppon the waues Resolue the diseases of men rayse those that bee deade to life driue griefes from many hither to be the wordes of Sibilla their prophetesse And shee recountech so many miracles to be performed by christ that shee hir self did affirm the Pagans with whom shee liued whose gods could not doe miracles and shewe such effectes woulde mocke hir and saie shee were madde hir wordes are these Phisousi Sibillen menomemenin they will call me a mad Prophetesse or Sibill thaet I am a liar but when al these things shall come to passe they shall remember mee and then no man will call me a liar any longer but a Prophetesse of the great God And foretelleth further that at his comming the lawe of Moyses shall cease in these wordes When all these thinges shall bee finished which I haue spoken of Him then the Lawe shall bee dissolued And Sibilla erithrea speaking of the same Iesus sonne of the virgin as they called him how in
his eternal generation he was begotten of the father and was true God Saieth that he was giuen to all faithfull people to be worshiped And an other Sibill hath these words Auton son ginosche Theon Theou ijon ionta Know him to be thy God which is the sonne of God The same and like speeches Lactantius citeth out of Trismegistus or Hermes from the Oracles of Apollo Esculapius and others And touching the Passion of Christ Sibilla vttereth these words hee shall fall into the wicked handes of Infidels and they shall giue blowes unto God with incestuous handes and with vncleane Mouth shall spit venemous spittings He shall giue his innocent backe to bee beaten and taking blowes shall holde his peace for his meate they shall giue him gall and vineger for his thirst And rebuking the land of Iurie for such vsage of their Messias vseth these speeches For when thou foolish didst not know thy god dissembled to mortal mindes thou didst crowne him with a crowne of thornes and mingledst horrible gall And concerning the miracles at his Passion saith that the vaile of the Temple shall bee torne and at middaie there shall be a wonderfull nighty darknesse three howres together And yet when these thinges were done for all these Celestiall wonders they woulde not knowe their wicked offence Hee shall ende his death with a sleepe of three dayes and then arising from the dead shall come to light the first that shall shew a beginning of resurrection to such as bee called These bee the verye wordes of the Sibilles and prophets of the Gentiles which prosecute the coming of Christ to iudgement the rewarde for the good punishmeÌ„t for the wicked other Mysteries of Christian Religion as wee beleeue condemning all other worships to bee false and superstitious And least any man shoulde imagine that these so manifest prophesies of Christ shoulde be deuised by any follower of his after his comming it is most manifest in the Pagan Authors themselues Erastothenes Cicero Crisippus Apollodorus Neuius Euripides Heraclites Virgill Varro Suetonius and almost all Historians of the Gentiles before Christ that they were both extant in the worlde and famouslye knowne before and most reuerently regarded and kept in their greatest places euen of the Cesars and Emperours themselues what was the reason that the Pagans did not vnderstande these thinges I haue cited out of their owne wordes And such as those Sybilles were we cannot doubt to haue beene in other times and places amonge the Gentiles to bee witnesses of these things as is manifest in their most certaine and vndoubted prophesies registred in irreprooueable Authors found and promulged in such sort as they cannot bee denyed There vvas founde in the tombe of Plato that greate Phylosopher a plate or golde vpon his breast with these words engraued Credo in Christum nasciturum ex Virgine passurum pro humano genere tertia die resurrecturum I beleeue in Christ which shall be borne of a Virgin shall suffer for mankinde rise againe the third day Yet Plato was dead and buried 370. yeares before the Incarnation of Christ And in his workes were conteyned these euangelicall wordes that followe In the beginning was the worde and the word was with God and God was the worde This was in the beginning with God All things were made by him and without him was made nothing That which was made in him was life and the life was the light of men and the light shineth in darkenesse Which word for worde is the beginning of the Gospell by S. Iohn And in the time of Constantine Hyrene there was founde in the city of Constantinople where many Iewes inhabited an ancient tombe and vppon the body of him that was buried therein a plate of golde wherein these words writteÌ„ before the coming of christ were engraued Christus nascetur ex Virgine Maria ego credo in eum O soliterum me videbis sub Constantino Hyrene Christ shall be borne of a Virgine called Mary and I beleeue in him O Sunne thou shalt see me againe vnder Constantine and Hyrene which was aboue 780. yeares after Christ And in the yeare 1230. a naturall borne Iewe and professed enemy of Christian Religion at Toletum diging in the ground found a stone wherein there was a booke for time continuance difficult to be read in which amonge other thinges these wordes were written In tertio mundo filius Deinasceâ—â— ex virgine Maria pro salute hominum pâ—tietur In the thirde age of the worlde the Sonne of God shall bee borne of a Virgine named Mary and shall suffer for the saluation of men And moreouer that the booke shoulde bee founde in that verie time when it was in the daies of Feranda the Virgin of Castyll The times places the finders proposers and all other circumstances of which prophesies were such that no man can deny them to bee the effectes of a true propheticall spirit And so I might recount of others Whereby it is manifest that euen in the greatest swaye of the Pagans Idolatrie there vvanted not true beleeuers in Christ and such as gaue testimony to his comming Concerning Mahumetanes we haue heard before how their prophet and proposer of their lawe Mahumet as they esteeme him in his Alcaron hath auouched the same that Christ was the Messias and Prophet which in the lawe was promised to the worlde borne of the virgine Mary shee still remayning a Virgine that he was the greatest Prophet that euer was or shall bee greater then Mahumet himselfe the worde of GOD Spirit of GOD taught true Religion came to supplie the defectes of the lawe of Moyses and the Gospell was the perfection thereof and perfecte doctrine Christes myracles were true and giuen vnto him for confirming his doctrine and enforce all Iewes vvhich will prosesse the Religion of Mahumet firste to acknowledge and proteste in expresse wordes that Iesus was the Messias of the worlde they affirme he was the worde wisedome Spirit and vnderstanding of God a Prince to the Iewes and head of all men Whosoeuer amonge them blaspheameth eyther Christ or his Mother besides a great forfeiture of mony is beaten with threescore blowes with a clubbe Mahumet further affirmeth that the Religion of Iews and Mahumet shall vtterly perish only the Religion of Christ perseuer to the end The keepers thereof shall be saued Christ is exalted aboue all creatures in heauen and shall come to destroie Antechrist and restore generallie true Religion and in the day of Iudgement be pronouncer of the sentence and doome of God That his Mother was the holiest of all women moste puer that shee was one of the miracles of the worlde saluted and certified of the conception and birth of Christ by the Angell Gabriell that emonge all the children of Adam onelie Christ and She were vndefiled Shee neuer committed anie sinne that Shee was a virgine not onlie
Crosse the piercing of his side the nayling of his handes and feete His descending as a Conqueror into hell his victorius rysing from death tryumphant ascending to heauen and the verie time and place by markes infallible and other matters that passed either about his natiuitie life death or after as the chusing of Matthias to supplie the place of Iudas the miraculous comming of the holy Ghost in the feaste of Pentecoste and the rest Howe all these and many others foretolde by the Hebrewe Prophets so long before of their Messias were verified and fulfilled in Iesus the Sonne of the blessed virgne Mary I neede not to set downe the newe Testament where they are recorded by the Euangelists and Apostles beeing in the handes of euery Englishe Reader in his owne language and not onlie written by Christians but remembred by Gentiles in their wrightinges recorded in Libraries and Monumentes of Pagan Prynces and Emperours Confirmed by the verye testymonie of Pylate himselfe that put him to death Witnessed of our greatest enemies Mahumet in his Alcaron the Iewes in their Thalmud and by so manye Historians both of Iewes Pagans and Christians and could not possible either bee deuised of our friendes or denied of our enemies chauncing for the most part before thousandes of witnesses in or about Hierusalem a place so famous where the President was resident and whether resorted Proselytes and others of all knowne Nations in the worlde Therefore we conclude against the Iewes by theyr owne Prophets and foundation of theyr Religion againste Pagans by their Prophets and Oracles and against Mahumetanes by theyr Mahument and Alcaron and all Infidelles by the cheife Rules and Proposers of theyr Religion that Iesus Christ is the true mesias and Redeemer of the world that only the Religion of Christians is true haueing such a Peace-maker and Mediator betwene God vs as was able to make the atonemente beeinge both God and Man as a Redeemer must needs be and such as both his owne workes and operations and the predictions of those holy Prophets foretolde and described by the attributes and properties of both natures diuine and humane His diuine nature by his Eternitie Omnipotencie Impossibillity Infinitnes Power ouer all creatures and to produce all supernaturall effects to alter and establish religion to saue to condemne to be honored with diuine adoration and al names and titles due and belonging to God as appeareth in theyr description I haue recited confirmed and be expounded generallie by the auncyent Rabines beefore Christ As likewise his humane nature is decyphered by the same prophets by all properties and qualities of man sin excepted Therefore seeing by no possibilitie the wisdome of god can bee deceaued or his bonity and goodnes leade others into error and infidelltie and he had appointed those properties to be the notes signes and tokens to knowe the Mesias by and they were performed onelie in Iesus our Sauiour and no other hee must needes be the Redeemer of the world onlie christian Religion true and all other Infidelles Iewes Pagans and Mahumetanes seduced and deceaued For that which is onelye proper to one cannot belong vnto more for so it should not bee a proper and priuate but a common and vulgar thinge THE 2. ARGVM Howe all externall and most notorious Notes and Signes giuen by God to knowe the Messias by were onlie verefied of Iesus Christ and cannot possibly bee performed in any other BVT besides these personall and internall priuiledges and distinctions of the Messias because the redemption of mankinde to be effected by him concerned all people and nations in that all had offended so the infinite mercy and goodnes of God that no man should be ignorant of that which concerned him so much as the receauing of the Redeemer and working his owne saluation doeth had appointed many other most knowne and famous extrinsecal thinges to be the signes tokens of his comming whereof many were notorious in all the world and the rest at the least renowned to that nation of the Iewes from whome hee was to descende and other neighbouring countries to the Israelites all which were euidently verified in Christ Iesus cannot be effected in any other For breuity I will exemplifie but in fewe particulers the matter beeing manifest before First the Temple in Hierusalem was not only the most renowned thing in Iury but famous in all the worlde by reporte of Proselites and such as resorted thither especially when Iury was ruled by the Romanes as it was at the cōming of Christ Therefore when God gaue for a distinctiue signe to know the Messias by as not only the auncient Iewes and Rabbines but the Thalmudists themselues acknowledge that both in the time of his life he shoulde to that Temple then shall come the desired of all nations and I will fill this house or Temple with glory saith the Lorde of hostes And streight after shall come to his temple the Lord or Ruler whom you seeke the messenger of the testament whom you desire as the Prophets expreslie foretold as Iesus oftē did as the Iewes al Infidels acknowledge And further that soone after his death that Temple should be destroyed and left desolate neuer to bee builded againe as Daniell witnessed in these wordes Christ shall be slayne and a people with theyr Captaine to come shall destroie the Citie and the Sanctuary and the ende thereof shall bee vastity And after the warre ended there shall ensue the appointed Desolation And further expresse the verie time when this should be iust agreeing with the death of Christ And it is manifest that no other in those daies and with those circumstances is honoured for the MESSIAS eyther of Christyans Iewes Pagans or Mahumetans but only Iesus Christ and that the Temple was then destroyed as is moste euydent and not onely the temple in Hierusalem but that in Egipt called Onion as Iosephus recordeth it was hee that was to be distinguished by this signe For no power of God can cause that any pretended Messias to bee hereafter was hee that came to that Temple beefore it was destroyed or that the destruction of that Temple compleated aboue 1500. yeares agoe should bee done after the death of him that is not yet borne For things to be and not to be are vnpossible to be true Therefore against all Iewes and Infidelles only Iesus Christ was and no other can bee the Messias by that siigne Secondly as the Iews thēselues agree the holy Prophets giue for a like distructiue signe that he was to discend of the line of Iuda king Dauid and to be born in Bethlem his City This family was the linage of the kings most honorable in Israel And had endured in honour and gouernment aboue 1000. yeares without interuption And the towne of Bethlem was notable in all Iury being the cheefe city of the Tribe of Iuda but the Iewes themselues confesse in theyr
holy Prophesy of the Messias which being set downe in scripture must by al rules be expounded by such coÌ„putatioÌ„s as we find in Scriptures otherwise if any man at plesure might Imagin other strange accomptes neuer harde of before all things wold be vncertayne And yet if we should alow that wanton liberty to any brainsick maÌ„ this prophesye could neuer be applied or verified of any other which wil be euideÌ„t if any idle person wil frame to himselfe a weke of weks or a weke of months which were twelue times sooner expired hundreds of yeares before Christ was borne wheÌ„ none claimed to be the Messias Therfore where some Iews are so rediculous to make conceits of years of decads or centures of yeares that is euery weke to consist of 70. wekes or 700. wekes as some are not ashamed to doe they make them selues a mockery to al the world For first the Scripture speaketh of such weeks Secondly it ouerthroweth al certainty in this case of so greate importance Thirdly it is one impossibility in their owne religion for in their Thalmud which whosoeuer with them denieth as they say denieth god him self It is recorded not onlye that the Messias should rule 2000. years but that the world was onelye to continue for 6000. years 2000. before the lawe of Moyses 2000. vnder the same law 2000. after that vnder the Messias By which account not onlye Christ is the true Messias coÌ„ming about that time but these weeks of the Iews by their decads and centures cannot be compleated in thowsands of yeares after by their Thalmud the world is ended such be the fooleries of this people Therefore by all reckonings accounts only Iesus christ is the Messias Redeemer of the worlde all other Religions false erronious THE 4. ARGVM Howe all particuler articles of christian Catholicke Religion for which Iewes Mahumetanes Pagans deny it are demonstrated to be true by their own groundes and professions BVT because no Infidell shall denie any one point of Catholicke Religion but by their owne groundes confesse euery article thereof to bee most true and holy Therfore as I haue prooued before by the highest authority of their own professions that in general Christian catholicke religion is only true so in this present reason I will dâ—monstrat out of the chiefest groundes of those misbeleeuers al particuler articles of Catholicke Christianity namely the mistery of the B. Trinity the incarnation and death of Christ the Messias for the redemption of the worlde the continuall and daylie sacrifice of the Masse Christes reall presence therein transubstantiation changing of the former elements of bread wine into his most holy body and bloud and the rest for which these Infidelles denie our faith and which many heretickes in these and more auncient times haue disallowed The sacred misteries of the incarnation and death of Iesus our Sauior his diuine and humane nature the distinction of persons in diuinity are prooued already by the true Prophets of god which the Iewes receaue by the confession of the Sybils so reuereÌ„ced of the Gentiles and excepting the death of Christ which Mahumet for honor vnto him denieth by the lawe-maker of the Mahumetanes as is conuinced in the 1. ArgumeÌ„t and therfore neede lesse probation in this Chapter But to make euident to al people that these most sacred doctrines are not the only collectioÌ„s of Christians out of those vndouted aproued scriptures in the lawe of Moyses but the same exposition which the holy Rabbins that liued before Christ which the Iewes receaue with honour and which the Sybils and most auncient Philosophers among the Gentiles for many thinges approoue I will onlie vse their owne wordes for witnesse in this cause And to begin with that most vnscrutable secret of the nature of God and trinity of persons in him which we defend against all those blasphemous Infidelles which with one consent in impiety make him an vnperfect mutable changeable corporeous defectiue thing to which no honor or Religion can be belonging it is manifest that the holy Prophets Isayas Hieremias Zacharias Baruch Micheas Dauid and others doe assigne a distinction and trinity of persons giuing al attributes and properties belonging vnto God to euery one to be omnipoteÌ„t God by essence infinite illimited without beginning or end cause of all thinges equall one with an oâ—â—er and the like in which manner as Christian Catholickes expounde those sacred writinges and beleeue of that vnspeakable mistery at this day So they were euer interpreted of the auncient and learned Rabbines before Christ Rabbi Ibba Rabbi Abb Rabbi Haccadas Rabbi Ionathas Abinuziel and others which euer agreed with our catholicke doctrine Rabbi Ibba as Rabbi Simeon writeth vpon these wordes of Deuteronomy God our Lorde is one God vseth this speech By the first worde God or his first tetragramaton name in this sentence our Lorde is signified God the sonne that is fountaine of all sciences and by the second tetragramaton name of God is signified God the holy Ghost proceeding of them both to all which there is added the worde one to signifie that these 3. are indiuisible And Rabbi Simeon himselfe vpon these words of Esay holy holy holy Lorde God of Sabaoth writeth thus Esay by repeating three times holy doth as much as if he had saide holy Father holy Sonne and holy Spirit which three holies doe make but one onlie Lorde of Sabaoth The wordes Rabbi Abinuziell Author of the Caldey Paraphrase known in the world before Christ and highly honoured among the Iewes vpon this prophesy of Dauid in his second Psalme where God the Father speaketh thus to Christ thou art my Sonne to day I haue begotten thee are these Thes Etohim the diuine persons expressed in the plurall number the Father and the sonne are three in one third person the holy Ghost and these three are one I saie one substance one essence one God And as the same Rabbine in that place is further witnesse when he was writing this sentence a voice spake vnto him from heauen saying Who is this that dareth reueale my secrets to the Gentiles to which Rabbi Ionathas answered O Lorde it is I which for the reuerence and glory of thy name haue presumed to doe it For in all religions there were some thinges concealed for secrets and thereby called misteries of which the auncient Rabbines acknowledge this mistery of misteries to bee chiefest and that it shoulde bee plainly reuealed at the comming of the Messias as nowe it is and not before as Rabbi Simeon is witnes not being lawfull for the Iewish people before christ to pronounce that tetragramaton name of god for the Maiesty and greatnesse of him that was ineffable as that name only coÌ„pounded of quiescent insonant letters as Hebritians call them do witnes And yet this secret was not so concealed of the auncient Rabbines but from them it was
come to the Gentiles themselues not only the propheticall Sibilles who tolde most plainly of this distinction of persons in God but to others especially the Egiptians and such as liued in the confined and bordering countries to the Israelites For breuity I will onlie produce the wordes of the Oracle of Serapis to Thulis King of the Egiptians and Plotinus an heathen Philosopher The sentence of the first is this In the beginning God is then his worde and to these the spirit is added these are equall and tending into one The wordes of the second in his booke of the three principall Hypostasies or persons for so Christianlike it is intituled are these Before the worde not by priority of nature or time but onely by priority of origination is the fountaine and beginning of all diuinitye of this father the worde is begotten further euery thinge which begetteth loueth and desireth that which is begotten but that moste chieflie when the begetter and the begotten are alone Againste Mahumet I haue prooued a distinction of persons in God before out of his owne Alcaron and Sentence This beeing the greatest and chiefest Mistery I haue stayed longer therin and wil passe ouer the rest with more breuity The same Mahumet affirmeth that as Iesus was the Worde of God so hee was the most holy man that Prophet Messias which was promised in the lawe of Moises and was sent to supply the defect therof The Sibills as I haue prooued before haue set downe the whole lyfe of Christ and all the actions of his humanitye and tell how hee should die for the world and rise againe Other Prophesies among the Gentiles which I haue aleaged before affirme that Filius Dei nasceturex Virgine Maria et pro salute huminum patietur That the Sonne of God should be borne of a Virgine called Mary and should suffer for Mankinde The doctrine of the Rabbins before Christe so authentitall among the Iewes is most comfortable to this sentence Rabbi Haccados called for his learning and sanctitie our holy master affirmeth in his booke intituled a reueler of secrets where hee expoundeth that the Propheticall place of Esaye touching the Messias Emanuell God strong Prince of peace speaketh thus Because the Messias shall bee God and man his name is called Emanuell God with vs surely in our bodye and in our fleashe as Iob doth witnesse in my fleshe I shall see God For hee did deuise a māruailons counsayle of deliuering soules from the deuill which were damned for the sinne of Adam neyther coulde by any meanes bee saued except the king Messias should vndergoe most bitter death and many tormentes and for that cause he is called a man And because he hath all strength hee is called God strong And because hee is eternall hee is named the eternall father Also because in his dayes peace shall bee multiplyed he is called the prince of peace And because hee shall make haste to take awaye the spoiles of soules hee is called a swifte spoyler and taker of prayes And because he shall saue them and bring them to Paradise he is called Iesus that is a sauiour Hitherto be the woordes of that most holy and learned Rabbine Rabbi Ionathan who dyed before Christ was borne applieth the longe narration of Esay the prophet in his 53. chapter to the murther of the Messias by the Iewes and soone after him Rabbi Simion breaketh out into these wordes Woe be to the men of Israell for that they shall kill the Messias God shal send his sonne in mans fleshe to washe them and they shall murther him Rabbi Hadarsone vpon the prophesy of Daniell cōcerning the time of the comming and preaching of Christe vseth this speech Three years and a halfe shall the presence of God in fleshe cry and preach vpon the mount Oliuer and then shall hee be slayne Which the Iewes ordinarye commentarye vppon the Psalmes interpreteth of Christes preaching three yeares and halfe before his passion And the Thalmundists themselues haue set downe that the Messias shall bee put to deathe Concerning our moste holye Sacrifyce of the bodie and bloud of Christe as it is euidente before by the testimonye of the true prophets of GOD. The Sibbylles and Mahumet him selfe that in respecte of the lawe of Christe all their Religions and sacryfises were vnperfect and foretolde to cease in him and his oblation So that the Sacrifyce whiche should be offered in his lawe was to be his blessed bodye and bloud vnder the formes of bread and wine as Catholike Christians beleeue is moste plainely tolde out of those holie Scriptures by the auncient and approoued Rabbines before CHRIST The wordes of Rabbi Iudas speakinge of the Sacrifice of the lawe of the Messias are these The bread which is offered vppon the Altar is chaunged from the nature of breade and made the bodye and substance of the Messias But this bodye is inuisible with our eyes and free from all violence and not to bee touched Rabbi Symeon in his booke of searching secrettes hath the same discourse speaking euidentlie of transsubstantiating breade and wine into that moste sacred bodye and bloude and affirmeth it to bee the Sacryfice which shall bee vsed in the Kingdome and Religion of the Messias Rabbi Cahana vpon those wordes of Genesis hee shall washe his stole in wine and his cloake in the bloude of the grape vttereth this speech The Sacryfice which daylie shall be offered of wine shall not onlye bee chaunged into the substance of the bloude of the MESSIAS but into the substaunce of his bodye breade shall bee chaunged although externally there only appeare the collour of white Rabbi Hadarsan sayth that the bread which the Messias will giue is his bodye and there shall bee a conuersion of bread into his bodye Rabbi Barachias teacheth that at the comming of the Messias foode shall come from heauē like a litle cake Like be the sentences of Rabbi Ionathas and Rabbi Selomo teaching that a round cake of wheate as broade as the palme of an hand shall bee changed into the body of the Messias and vsed for the sacrifice of his lawe and bee listed ouer the heades of his Priestes All these Rabbins liued before Christ yet these be their expositions of the holye Scriptures concerning that most holy Sacrifice which Christiā Catholikes vse and such other misteries as depend from thence The Sibbills and Mahumet confesse that Christe shoulde and did abrogate the lawe of Moyses His Gospell was the perfection of that lawe that those sacrifices should cease in him yee he shall destroye Antechrist Pagannisme Iudaysme and Mahumetisme come in glory in the end of the worlde and be Iudge therof and only his religion to endure Thus I could exemplifye in other questions of christian doctryne but because these are the greatest and those which Infidels most dislyke in our religion I haue geuen instance in
c. The excellency of God the first cause worthy all Reuerence All creatures in the world all authorities euery argument for Religion in this worke prooueth a God The necessity of God to be the first efficient cause and Religion due to him Magist 4. dist 5 Duc. 2. Sent c. The preseruation of things by God binding to Religion One absolutely necessary and independing essence which is god worthye all worship The subordination of thinges by God c. God the finall end of all Supernaturall miracles which coulde not bee produced by any creature c. The testimony of all nations people Lactant. sup Absurdities of denying God c. The necessity of Gods prouidence for the dependance of creatures The vniforme and orderlye course euen of insensible thinges that can haue no prouidence in themselues Cicero l. 3. de Nat. Deor. Arist 2. Met. c. 2. text 5.8 Met. cap. 5. text 41. Auth. l. caus c. 1. c. Prouidence ouer creatures as much belonging to God as their creation Euseb lib. 3. Praep. Euang. No creature hath or can haue the generall prouidence of thinges No Maker of thinges endued with reason is vnprouident of his worke The infinite wisdome and goodnesse of God cannot but haue prouidence of thinges Euent of thinges cannot be imputed to the heauens and constellations Albert. lib. 1. Phisic ca. 19. tract 2. All authority prooueth the prouidence of God Example of Gods prouidence to euery meane creture Galen l. 3. de vsu part l. 5. Chap. 13. Examples of Gods supernaturall prouidence c. Gods prouidence to Hierusalem beefore the comming of Christ Gen. 12.15.17.18.3 Reg. 6. Gen 15. Act. 7. Exod. 12. Exod. 5.6.7.8 9.10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17 c. Porphyr l. 4. contr Christ App. lib. 4. contr Iud. Ioseph lib. 4. Antiquit. Arist lib. 7â— interpret 3. Reg. 6. Math. c. 5. Act. 2. Ioseph l. antiq Arist l. 72. interpret Machab. 1 Esdr 1.2.3 Arist supr Ioseph contr Appion 1. Esdr 1 2.3.4.5 6.7 c. Is 53. Hier. Sybil. apud Lact. 1.2 3.4 diu instit D. Tho. 3. p. Ioseph lib. 15.20.7 bell Math 27. Ioseph lib. 7. bell cap 12. Tacitus hist lib. 5. Ioseph lib. 7. bell cap. 12. Gods prouidence to the Apostoâ—ique See of Rome Sibil apud lact lib. diu instit Epist Apol. Bernard Lute Catal. haeret Casp Vlenb. 22. caus Miracles Cap. 10.11.13 infr Part. 2. Resol Arg. miracl The generall and vniforme consent of all countries and people Hist Eccl. Eus Niceph. Bed c. Alcaron Mah. Thalmud Iud. Petr. Maff. hist Indic c. Obiections of Epicures answered Cap. 2.3 sup Lib. 2. part 2. Resol Lib. 2. cap 6. part 2. Resol Arg. 5.6 c. Cap. 12.13.14 infr Cap. vlt. penult Seq The ende and felicity of man cannot bee in this life Cicero Tuscul quest et paradox Aristot lib. â— ethic cap. 1. Arist sup c. 8. The vnreasonable absurdities of Epicures and deniers of the soules immortality after death Deniers of the soule immortality deny themselues to be men Mercur. trism in Aescul plat c. Arist lib. 1. an text 20. lib. 2. an text 22. l. 12. met text 17.1 ethic c. 11. c. The powers of the soule in satiable in this life The absolute regiment of the reasonable powers ouer the sensible inferior Vertues spiritual qualities of man cannot be subiected in a Corporall and Mortall Subiecte The conscience and internal experience euen of the Epicures Rom. cap. 2.5.14.15 The chiefest operations of the soule independant of the body The principall acts of the soule more perfect when most abstracted from the body The reflected actes of mans soule The continuall contrarie Combats of the resonable soule and sensible powers The immortal powers of the soule which cannot be in a Mortall Subiect demonstrate the soule to be Immortall Euery kind of creatures except man hath an end in this life Seperated soules All scriptures The vndoub-Authoritie of holye Scriptures Antiquitie Iren. lib. 1. ca. 20.22.29 Epiphan haer 66. Euth part 2. panopl. tit 23. cap. 1. Anton. p. 4. tit 11. cap. 7. Beâ—gom hist in Diâ—g Genebr Chr. lib. 1. Ioseph lib. 10. contr Appi. Lactant. lib. 1.2.3.4 diu inst Eus in Chron. Euphemer mess in geneal Deor. Cicero nat Deor. Lactant. lib. 1.2 diu insstit Actaban hist Iud. polyhist hist Eupol c. 1. Esdr 1 2.3.4.5.6 7. c. Arist lib. 72. interpret 3 Reg 5. Sybil. apud Lactant. l. 2.3.4 5. diu instit D. Tho. 3. p. Gra. de Simb Ioseph lib. 1. antiq Eus lib 9. praepar cap 4. Nicl l. fraud Artab hist Iud. Polyh hist Iud. Arist l. de Iob Thalmud Alcoron Arist l. 72. intr Ioseph lib. 10. cont Appion App l. 4. cont Iud. Porphyr l. 4. cont Christ Ioseph lib. 1.2 antiq Orph. in car Iustin Martyr Orat. ad Anton pium Dion haliâ— lib. 4. The holines and excellencie of the writers of holie Scriptures aboue all other writers Hebr. 11 c. Plato ep 13. ad Dionis Efficacie of the doctrine in holie Scriptures Lib. 2.1 paâ— Resol The wonderfull consent in all things of al writers of holy Scriptures The miraculous translation and preseruation of scriptures Arist lib. 72. interpret The great authorization of scriptures in humane proceedings Thalm. Alco azoar 1 1. to 1.2 Concil Bellar. Chron. Genebr Cron Certaine foretelling of future contingent thinges Gen. 12.13.15.17 Exod. 12. Gen. 49. Numer 34.35.36 Ios 15.16.17 Deut. 31.32 Ios 6. â— Reg. 12. â— Reg. 23. 4. Reg. 20. Is 5.15.24.25.13.8 Hierem. 26. Zachar. 1. Hier. 37.29.38.39.25 4. Reg. 24.25 1. Esdr 1. 2. Esdr 2. Dan. 9 5. Is 53. Dan. 10.9 Is 42.40.50 Malach. 3. Is 1. Zach. 9. Psal 80. Os 2.3.6 Dan. 2. Agg. 2. Zachar. 11. Malach. 1. Is 1.2.3.5.6 c. Math. 24. Marc. 13. Luc. 21.19 c. Myracles to prooue the scriptures that by no possibility they can be vntrue Part. 2. Resol Aug. myracl cap. 10.11 seq c. Rich. des vict Patriarches Priests Prophets c. Gen. c. 3.4 Exod. Num. Leuit. Iudic. cap. 2. Phil. Iud. hist Ioseph l. Antiq bell Arist lib. 72. interpret Cic. l. de Nat. Deor. li diu Lac l. 1.2.3 4. c. diu instit Bed hist Ang. Al Kings Rulers Priests Oracles Archflamens c. of the Gentiles Hermond li. 1. disciplin Phil Bergom histor Euseb hist Virg. Bucol Iust in Apol. Lact. sup c. Poets Phylosophers Infr. tract 2 Argument 1. S. August apud Berg. hist Sybilles Eurip. in prollam Chrisip l diui Neu. lib. bell Punic Arastot in Annal Lactant. lib. diuin instit Cicero l. Nat. Deor. l. diuin Bergom hist in Sibill c. Lact. in Sibil S. Anton 1. part hist Infra tract 2. Argu. 1. c. Sages wise men Philip. Bergom hist Cicero Euseb c. Legistes and Lawemakers Gen. Gen. cap. 9. Phil. Iud. in hist Bergom l 2. hist fol. 4. Ioseph lib. 1. Antiquitat Lactant. sir l. diu instit Bergom in hist supr Cicero lib de Nat. Deor. instit Apol. Diodor.