meditation doth prepare our Hearts to Christian Belief so there is a kinde of Suspition by which we may out-reach the old Serpent in his subtiltie and prevent his former Method of deceit So whilest we read or hear varietie of reports concerning any notable Event or many Writers beating about one matter every one of which may seem improbable in particular Circumstances or else their diversitie such as makes them Incompatible we should be Jealous that there were some Notable Truth whose Belief did concern us which Satan hath sought to disparage by the mixture either of gross improbable fruitless fables or else of dissonant probabilities 2 Truth is the Life and nutriment of the world and the Scriptures are the Veins or Vessels wherein it is contained which soon corrupts and putrifies unless it be preserved in them as in its proper Receptacles as both the fabulous conceits of the Heathen and foolish practises of the Romish Church in many points may witness But as from Asphaltites or the dead sea we may finde out the pleasant streams and fresh springs of Jordan so from the degenerate and corrupted rellish of decayed Truth which is frequent in the puddle and standing lakes of Heathen Writers we may be lead to the pure Fountain of Truth contained in these sacred Volumes of Scripture 3 The Experiments which now we seek or would occasion others chiefly young students to observe are such as the Heathen did guess at or men out of the works of nature by reading of Poets or Ancient Writers may yet doubt of whereas the true resolution of them onely depends upon the Truth set down in Scripture CHAP. IX Observations out of Poets in general and of Dreams in particular 1 THe most exquisite Poems are but a kinde of pleasant waking dream and the art of Poetrie a lively imitation of some delightful visions And as nothing comes into a mans Fancie by night in dreams but the parts or matters of it have been formerly in his outward senses for even when we dream of golden Mountains or Chimeras the several ingredients have a real and sensible truth in them onely the frame or proportion is such as hath no sensible example in the works of nature so in Ancient Poems which were not made in imitation of former as pictures drawn from pictures but immediately devised as we now suppose from the sensible experiments of those times as pictures drawn from a living face many parts and lims have a real and senble truth onely the composition or frame is Artificial and fained such as cannot perhaps be parallel'd in every circumstance with any real events in the course of times And albeit the events which the most Ancient Poets relate through long distance of time seem most strange to us yet is the ground of their Devises especially Such as upon better search may alwaies be referred to some Historical truth which yielded stuff to Poetical structure as daies spectacles do unto nights visions This Aristotle had observed out of the practise of the best Ancient Poets and prescribes it as a rule to Poets to have alwaies an Historical truth for their ground Nor durst Poets have been so audacious in their fictions at the first seeing their profession was but either to imitate nature or adorn a known truth not to disparage any truth by prodigious or monstrous fictions without any ground of like experience For this is a fundamental law of their Art Curandum ut quando non semper Vera profamur Fingentes saltem sint illa Simillima Veri Though all 's not true that faining Poets sing Yet nought on Stage but in truths likeness bring None I think will be so foolish as to take Homer in the literal sence when he tels us how Iris by day and Sleep by night run Errands for the greater Gods and come with these and the like messages unto Kings chambers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why will by counsel guide a State Must early rise and lie down late Yet with such Artificial and painted plumes oftentimes are covered true and natural bodies though the messengers be Poetical and fained yet these kindes of night-messages had an Historical truth for not the Poets onely but many great Philosophers of the old world have taken Nocturnal presages for no dreams or fancies Hence did Homer usurpe his libertie in faining his Kings and Heroicks so often admonished of their future estate by the gods he presumed at least that these fictions might carrie a shew of truth in that age wherein such admonitions by night were not unusual And his conceit is not dissonant unto the sacred storie which bears record of like effects in Ancient times and gives the true cause of their expiration in later 2 So usual were dreams among the Patriarchs and their interpretations so well known that Jacob could at the first hearing interpret his young son Josephs dream Gen. 37. 10 11. What is this dream that thou hast dreamâ—… Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren come indeed and fall on the ground before thee Nor did he take it onely for a Fable no more then his brethren had done his former for a Fancie for as the Text saith his brethren envied him but his father noted the saying And Joseph himself coming to riper year was as expert in interpreting Pharaohs and his servants dreams Gen. 40. verâ—… 12 13. Then Joseph said unto him this is the interpretation of it The three branches are three dayes within three dayes shall Pharaoh lift up thine head and resiore thee unto thine office and thou shalt give Pharoahs cup into his hand after the old manner when thou wast his Eutler And verse 19. Within three dayes shâ—… Pharaoh take thine head from thee and shall hang thee on a tree and the birâ—… shall eat thy flesh from off thee These considerations will not suffer me mistrust divers Ancient Historiographers making report how Princes and Fathers of Families have had fore-warnings of future events either concerning themselves their Kingdoms or Posteritie Nor were all dreams among the Heathens illusions of wicked spirits for Elihu spake out of the common experience of those Ancient times wherein he lived God speaketh once or twice that is usually and one seeth it not In dreams and visions of the night when sleep falleth upon men and they sleep upon their beds then he openeth the ears of men even by their corrections which he had sealed that he might cause man to turn away from his enterprise and that he might hide the pride of man and keep back his soul from the pit and that his life should not passe by the sword A lively experiment of Elâ—hu his observation we have Gen. 20. 3. When Abimelech King of Geâ—ar had taken Sarah Abrahams wife God came to him in a dream by night and said to him Behold thou art but dead because of the woman which thou haji taken for she is a mans wife And again verse 6 7.
mindes willing enough to save them but durst not venture their bodily presence for their rescue Albeit the manner of the Christians proceeding against them be usually such as none but Jews would justifie yet this is an evident Argument that the Lord of lords and King of kings hath ordained them to suffer wrong whom the greatest powers in such civil States as Germany France and England are cannot right For although the Palsgrave with some others inclining unto them had taken their protection upon them in these last Persecutions yet even this pity whether true or pretended did cause their further wrongs by grievous exactions for maintaining the war begun in their defence So strangely doth the wisdom of God bring that to passe which his servant Moses had foretold Deut. 28. 29. Thou shalt not prosper in thy wayes thou shalt never but be oppressed with wrong and be polled evermore and no man shall succour thee Even â—…r it self by their distempered appetites is turned into Sorrow Though all Christian Kings and States should conspire together for their weal yet as I said before they will conceive mischief and bring forth their own destruction by â—…ing out into such shameful Acts as deserve grievous punishment in sight of God and man So in the year 1410. they go about their wonted practise of crucifying a Christian childe in contumely of our Saviour Christ but their intent being known before they had opportunity of acting it the Marquesse of Misna and Land-grave of Turing find room enough for their coyn in their cossers but leave none for them stript naked of all they had within any part of their dominions Or if they do sometimes that which in it self is good they do it with such malicious mindes that God gives them but the reward of wickednesse So in the year 1421. for furnishing the poor Christians of Bohemia with money munition against their Antichristian persecutors they were generally imprisoned throughout Bevere quite bereft of all their money and coyn and lastly banished all the dominions belonging to Frederick Duke of that Province Nor doth their in bred spight to Christians or their plagues due thereunto wear out in that age For in the year 1497. they were burnt at Stenneberge in the Province of Stargardia for their wonted violence and indignities offered to the blessed Eucharist 15 Thus much of their estate in England France and Germany until the year 1500. Of their estate in Germany since if God permit elsewhere because it yields matter of distinct observation from the former Now briefly to acquaint the Reader with so much of their affairs in Spain as may testifie some other parts of Moses his prophecie in the forementioned place In the year 1482. the measure of their iniquitie was grown so full that this land could not bear it and they themselves become so abominable to Ferdinand and Isabel his Queen that none of this seed must stay within their dominions unlesse they will become Christians as sundrie of larger possessions amongst them in outward Profession did the rest were scattered thence into other Countries most into Portugal welcome for their money to sojourn there a certain time after which as many as were found in Portugal were there to remain as slaves unto the King such as would were to be transported at his cost and charges The King himself unlesse Orosius be partial for him was careful to perform his promise to secure them of peace during their abode and of safe passage at the time appointed But the Marriners having once gotten them aboard did make their ships as so many prisons or houses of torture to wrest wealth out of their hands lengthning the time by circular and unnecessarie turnings back and forth until the Jews had quite spent all their provision afterwards enforced to buy their food and other necessaries of the Marriners at what rate they pleased And not content with spoil of their goods they abuse the bodies of their wives and daughters to their lust not pleasant enough unlesse sauced with other contumelies and indignities practized upon their Fathers and Husbands Finally by these marriners too much thinking that their passengers were Jews and might be used accordingly they forget that they themselves were Christians and stain that sacred profession with all manner of base villany and impietie Partly through this delay in shipping over the first company partly through the abuses done unto them so shameful that the fame thereof was brought unto their fellows ears by the wind which served the Marriners back to Portugal the later sort remaining in expectation of safe passage either could not or would not be transported at the day appointed and so by their staying become captives to John then King of Portugal But Emanuel his successour not long after sets them free using all other fair means to bring them unto Christ until Ferdinand and Isabel his confederates solicit these ill-thriving plants ejection out of Portugal as unfit to settle in any Christian soil After long debatement with his counsellers for their exile or stay the fresh examples of their expulsion by so many other Christian Kings and Princes did move Emanuel to their imitation So that either they must avoid his dominions by a certain day or else remain there either free-men in Christ or slaves and Captives unto him as many of them did against their wils not able to provide themselves of shipping having but one port at last allowed them for their passage whereas at the first promulgation of the Kings Edict against them they had choice of three The greatnesse of their number best appearing by their confluence about the day appointed for their passage moved the good King with compassion to see so many thousand souls should desperately run the wayes of death and seeing no hope of diseasoning the old and withered stocks fit fewel for everlasting flames he was the more desirous to recover some of their young and tender grafts by watering them with the water of grace and for this purpose gives strict commandment that all their children under fourteen years of age should be taken from their Jewish parents and trained up in the School of Christ This sodain and unexpected divorce though intended in compassion of the children brought greater miserie on the Parents then if their own flesh had been torn from their bones There a man so his heart would have served him might have seen silly infants haled from their mothers breasts more willing to embrace death then part with them And yet for pittie lest their hands by holding fast might prove their childrens racks suffering them to be drawn out of their tender Embracements with far more grief and sorrow of heart then they had been brought out of the womb Fathers enclasping their sons and daughters willing to die in their arms had these beat off as hoopes from vessels which they environ from their childrens bodies and either broken or benummed with blowes A
in Secular For as we shewed before he moved Holy men to write the Scriptures that we by them might attain eternal life Secondly besides this most infallible Rule or Law we admit an equal Necessity of Ecclesiastical and Temporal Judges an equal Authority in both to give Sentence viva voce And albeit we deny any absolute Infallibility in either yet the Possibility of not erring we acknowledge so much greater in the Judge Ecclesiastick as his Directory Rule is more certain and Authentical But here I must request these great Disputers of Rome if their Frenzie ome but by fits and admit Lucida intervalla one time or other upon their good dayes or in their sober hours if God send them any to bethink themselves wel what manner of Judge they require in matters Civil or meerly Secular such an one as cannot possibly erre in judgement one whom neither Ignorance lewd Desires nor exorbitant Affections can cause to swerve either from the undoubted Rules of Natural or Civil Equity the fundamental Laws of his Country or the chief Law-givers true intent and meaning If they willingly grant that our Civil Magistracie which they acknowledge lawful and necessary in its kind may sometimes judge wrongfully in Causes by nature most determinable by ordinary course of Civil Justice as for example in condemning Priests and Jesuites or generally in matters of Life and Death with what foreheads can they demand we should Believe the Pope or other Ecclesiastick Judge cannot possibly give erroneous sentence in any matters of Religion many of which are of that nature as can admit no other use of external or coactive Power save only severe restraint of all precise Determinations or curious search one way or other And to admit though in Cases meerly Civil such an absolute inerrable Tribunal from whose censure no man though ready with patience to brook the execution of heaviest bodily doom it could inflict may so much as in the secrets of his Heart or Conscience so far appeal as to examin whether the determination be right or wrong were either secretly to deny or openly to praeoccupate or prevent Christs Final Judgement wherein even Supream Judges shal be judged and all forepast decisions examined by the written Word which these men disclaim for any Authentick Rule of Faith the Right approved the Wrong reversed by Him whose peculiar Prerogative it is though now usurped by the Pope to put a Final End to all controversies viva voce 4 Notwithstanding be it supposed for disputations sake that God had appointed such an Authentick Tribunal as these Drunkards dream of for deciding matters of Religion yet were it most grosse to think might Reason alone without Scripture be admitted Judge there should be but one Supream Tribunal for the whole Christian World Even common Sense were Reason silenced might instruct us that it were much more convenient for every several Kingdom every free State or Societie of men to have such a Consistorie or Supream Tribunal amongst themselves For by the means might all differences in Opinions be far sooner known more narrowly sifted and present notice taken of every Circumstance concerning their Occasions Progresse or Favourers the controversie it self quicklier decided the Offenders more speedily punished and the like occasions better avoided Whereas for every Nation to resort to Rome or for the Pope to send his Legates into every corner of the Christian World would procure great toil and long labour with little successe The causers of contentions or maintainers of Heresies might often die in their Sins before the controversie were examined or the Truth so manifested as might move their to Repentance or recantation of their Errours the Information might be impertinent partial imperfect or false the Opinion or supposed Herenr being happily first set abroach in the presumed Hereticks Countrie Dâ—aleci would be worse understood of the Pope whose Instruction in many principal circumstances must oft-times depend upon disagreeing hear-sayes for his Holiness sees no better his Infallible-ship hears no farther in matters de facto then meaner men his plenarie Power even while he gives Sentence ex cathedra is not able to understand more Tongues then many Linguists may in a meaner seat his Fatherhood understands none besides his mother-Tongue so wel as the natural inhabitants of every Countrie do their own proper native Language Many such Inconveniences might be alledged for which might we chuse what manner of Ecclesiastick Government God should appoint us we should make choice of a Supream Judge in all causes Ecclesiastical at home rather then go to Rome to have them heard If the Controversers were to go from Norway the Seas might be frozen and the enemies possesse the Land The passages from sundrie other places might all be so stopt as we should have greater controversie in going to Rome then that for which we were to go Or if the Election of men for by man is the Pope elected could give such Infallibility to any the manner of such Elections would be much more agreeable to the Rules of Gods Providence and the example of Christs Apostles if all the Congregation which was to relie upon his Infallibility should first make choice of some few most excellent and famous men renowned for Learning and Integritie afterwards all with one mind and one heart pray unto the Lord to shew by lot which was the man to whom he would undoubtedly vouchsafe this infallible Assistance of his Holy Spirit Thus might Reason or common Sense without Scripture be Judge what manner of Government were fittest for Christs Church we could bring far greater Reasons for a multitude of Popes or Ecclesiastical Monarches for one at least in every Nation then either our Adversaries bring or can be brought for one general Monarch over the Universal Church Militant 5 And albeit this challenged large extent of the Romish Churches Authoritie over others were the Authoritie it self otherwise for the Qualitie moderate had been in former times not altogether so unreasonable yet were it at this day to be abandoned as a turbulent device apt for nothing so much as perpetual disturbation of publick Peace throughout Christendom now divided into so many several Soveraignties and governed by so many absolute Princes or States no way dependent one of another And Bellarmin's Reasons brought for to prove the Monarchical government of the Church would with far greater Probabilities infer a conveniencie for a several Monarchical Government in every particular State then for one general Monoâ—rch over all While the Christian World was governed by one absolute Monarch or Emperour and all the peculiar customes or priviledges of several Nations like divers members of the same Bodie conformable one to another by their common subordination to one supream Imperial Law the Vertue of a like Ecclesiastical Authoritie might have been equally diffused throughout the whole Bodie thereof as the splendor of the Sun throughout the whole Hemisphere of the Air and other aetherial and coelestial Bodies
by a Condition requisite thereunto And so this Juglers ring or circular Fallacy is avoided and only a Reason is given of things connexed mutually from the things themselves connexed under a divers Reason or respect which is no Leger demain but fair play If the divers Objects of the Divine Revelation and the Churches Infallibility were the only Cause or Reason why we take this Resolution for circular Proof then this Exception of the diversity of their Objects were to some purpose But we impeach this his Resolution of naughtinesse for the very form or manner because the Proof is idem per idem And being so alalbeit the Object of the Divine Revelation and the Churches Proposal be divers yet is this no sufficient Testimony to acquit it unlesse they wil affirm that there can be no circular Proof where the Object of the things mutually proved are divers which if they universally affirm as without an Universal Affirmation in this kind there can be no Proof we shal as easily impeach this Affirmation of open Falshood as their form of Argument of circular Fallacie For wheresoever any thing uncertain to us is inferred by another thing alike uncertain and that other only proved by the former there is a circular Proof albeit we should by this form of Argument seek to prove one thing by another whose object was quite contrary to the former Nay although we should prove the very diversity or contrariety of the Objects in two several terms proposed by this or the like circular Form yet were our Proof naught albeit this same diversity of Objects might be proved by some other lawful Form of Argument For the diversity or Identity of Objects in syllogistical terms is meerly accidental to the nature of circular Proof or inference of idem per idem 18 To fit our Adversaries with a familiar Example every way parallel to their own Resolution in this point if they wil acknowledge their own Valentians Resolution for their own but more plain and easie to the Capacitie of the unlearned Reader Suppose some ambitious Captain or Courtier for whose Integrity no man of place would promise much should bring unto our King or some States-man in this land some forrain Princes as the renowned King of Denmarks Letters commendatory for his great sufficiencie in good place in War or State I would request but any ordinary Reader wel to consider what matter of resolution it would be if with reverence I may suppose that either his Majestie or any States-man in this land in the bestowing of any such place of worth as this supposed messenger would sue for might thus resolve Surely the King of Denmark is a renowned religious Prince and one that wisheth exceeding wel unto our King and State and whatsoever he should write in any mans commendations for his advancement to such a place as this party makes suit for I dare not once cal in question lest I should seem to disparage his Princely word but how shal I know that these are his Letters and no counterfeit If thus he should doubt and yet finally rest content with this or like suggestion why doth not he say they are his true Letters whose Fidelity and Integritie the King in his Letters commends no man in the world I think of any ordinary experience although he had never traverst the Schools to know the meaning of a circular proof but could perceive this resolution to be but dolus circulatorius and he that would be cozened with this or the like by any Traveller of what fashion soever may easily be circumvented by any domestick Pedlar or circumforaneal Copes-mate Yet is this resolution in every point the self same with Valentians resolution concerning the Roman Churches Infallibility and the Exception which here he brings why this resolution of his is none may altogether as directly and fitly be brought to shew that this supposed resolution is no circular resolution First let us parallel the several parts of both resolutions In that resolution of Faith which Falentian brings All Christians Believe that whatsoever God saith is true and so in this other resolution it is supposed that his Majestie or any of his States-men firmly Believes that whatsoever the King of Denmark writes or avoucheth in matters of this nature as of civil Integritie and Sufficiency for the discharge of such an Office is altogether true and may not be suspected yet may they suspect whether he wrote thus much in this mans commendations as these Letters import or no. And so saith Valentian and other Papists all Christians may suspect certain they cannot be whether God wrote those looks which we call Scripture or no. The Assurance which Christians in matters concerning Faith and States-men in this present case could have for their security is altogether the same For the States-man hath no other reason to perswade himself that these are the King of Denmarks Letters but only the Report Asseveration or Testimony of this Messenger whose preferment they concern And so likewise by the Papists Positions no private Christian can have any other certain Assurance that these Scriptures are the Word of God but only the Testimonie or Confirmation of the present Romish Church whose state and dignity they likewise seek to maintain by countenance of the Scriptures whose mis-interpretation did either first occasion or not hinder her rising to that height of temporal Dignity which she now enjoyes Thus finally it appears that all the reason or ground of Belief which any Papist following the Jesuites for their Instructors can have must be the Infallibility of the Romish Church whose Infallibility therefore cannot be proved out of Scripture because the Scriptures by their Positions cannot be infallibly proved to be Scriptures or that authentick Word which only can afford sure Proof in matters of Faith but by this their Churches supposed Authority As for Valentians Exception concerning the divers Object of the Churches Proposal and the Divine Revelations by it proposed the self same Diversity of Object may be observed in the former instance of the counterfeit Messenger whose resolution in effect is thus You must Believe these Letters because I commend them unto you in the King of Denmarks name and you must Believe me in commending them unto you because the King of Denmark whose words you trust in them commends my trust and sidelity To apply Valentians Exception to this resolution As the Object of that the Church proposeth or rather of the Churches Proposal is the Divine Revelation so likewise is the Object of this counterfeits Proposal the often mentioned Kings supposed commendation of him Again as the object of the â—ivine Revelation is the Truth Believed Veritas credita ut Deum esse trinum unum aut propositionem Ecclesiae esse in fallibilem as that there is a Trinity in the Godhead or the Churches Proposal is infallible So likewise the Object of the Kings commendation in the other instance is the Truth Believed or that
contrarie to the customs of other people had made for the most part Odious ere known unto the world should Victivictoribus leges dare being Captives give Laws unto their Conquerours even to such as sought to Triumph in their disgrace as Birds over an Owl caught in a snare did justly minister occasion of Wonderment to sundrie Heathen and might have taught the proudest and mightiest of their Enemies that they had overcome them onely by permission or Chance or if these words seem unfit for want of that good Hap Favour in their Battels which they after their overthrowes finding became by it in a sort Conquerours of their enemies even whilst they were detained in Captivity 2 The full Height and Amplitude of those Fortunes whereof This People was onely capable would bring the natural man could he fully comprehend them within perfect ken of that Incomprehensible Omnipotent Power which was onely able to effect them But because these cannot be taken by any Ethnick Observations which reach not near those Ancient times wherein their Extraordinary Successe was most Conspicuous we must gather them from the manner of their States declining since it hath been known to Ethnick or other Writers not liable to suspition of partialitie on their behalf God in his providence as Moses prophecies compared with later and the succession of their Histories Testifie had ordained as the Fulnesse of Time and their Iniquity drew near his Favours toward them should decrease by such an uniform proportion that their Contraction in later might notifie their excessive Greatnesse in former times The manner of their deliverance from the Babylonish Captivitie to such as rightly observe the divers manner of Gods proceeding in different ages before specified will give the true Estimate of Wonders wrought for their Forefathers and Cyrus Favour towards them will appear most credible from the representation of like extraordinarie Kindnesse shewed them in Egypt by Ptolomaeus Philadelphus who thougt their supream Lord by right of Conquest set at liberty a Hundred thousand of their Bodies captivated by his Father to submit himself unto their Laws which he directed by the Divine providence caused to be translated into the most known tongue then on earth through which the nations as it were through a perspective-glasse might better discern the New Star of Jacob which was shortly to arise 3 It is a point without the Circumference of Politick Observation plainly arguing such a Celestial Providence as can control the purposes of the greatest Princes why Jerusalem so often Ruinate should still be repaired againe or the Temple continue in such Beautie after it had so often fallen into the enemies hands especially seeing the Flourishing state of the One was apprehended by their Conquerours as a great Encouragement and the Fortification of the Other as a great Opportunitie of this peoples Rebellion upon which consideration Artaxerxes did inhibit the execution of Cyrus Grant for the Reedifying of Hierusalem The City wals had been razed since the time of the Babylonish Captivitie which was before any Heathen Historiographer of note first by Ptolomey the First secondly by Pompey the Great and yet repaired before Vespasians time who overthrew their strongest munitions as Adrian afterwards did the same once again repaired 4 The Truth again of that Favour which they found under the Egyptians though otherwise known by unpartial writers is more then Credible in it self from the extraordinary Favour which they found amongst the Nations about the time of their Conquest by Pompey Tully tels us in his Oration pro Flacco that Gold was transported out of Italy it self and all the rest of the Roman Provinces for Garnishing the Temple of Hierusalem The prohibition of this practise in Asia enacted by Flaccus Governour of that Province was afterward laid to his Charge though the like had been decreed by the Roman Senat in the time of Tullies Consulship It was no little prejudice unto his cause that Pompey in the Conquest of that City did think so reverently of the Jews religion and Temple that albeit he viewed the Golden Table Candlestick and other Vessels of like metal with many costly Ornaments and two thousand Talents of their Sacred Treasure yet he did not diminish so much as one Jot of it nor spoil Jerusalems Temple of any Ornaments to beautifie the Temples of his Roman Gods This abstinence of Pompey Tullie in the forecited place acknowledgeth albeit for bettering the cause he had in hand unwilling to confesse that Pompey did abstain for any Religious Respect of the Jews or their Laws for after many shifts he takes this as the best argument to elevate the Romans conceipt of the Jewish religion Whilst Jerusalem flourished and the Jews were quiet yet their sacâ—ed rites were altogether dissonant unto the splendor of the Roman Empire the gravity of that nation and the institution of their Ancestors much more as he thought should the Romans now make lesse account of that nation which had given perfect proof what good will they had born unto the Romans by their late taking arms against them And what good will the Immortal Gods did bear to them their late Fortunes did witnesse in that they had been vanquisht made tributarie and as he thought were at the Romans disposition for their preservation or destruction 5 If these Jews late subjection were any disparagement to their Religion much more might Pompey's and Tullies overthrow discredit the Roman Gods which Pompey's Faction did reverence more then Caesars yea Fortune it self on whose Favor Tullie relied after he had fallen out with all the rest could not be excused if earthly calamitie were any just presumption of impietie against Heaven But if Tullie would have sought but the first Fountain of his Countries wrack want of Reverence to the Jewish Temple and their Religion was cause of Pompeys and Crassus overthrow and their overthrow the Ruine of the Roman State CAP. XIX Of Pompey's ill successe after his entry of the Sanctum Sanctorum The manner of his death fitting his sin Of Crassus Cassius c. 1 I Know the Secular Politician can espie many Over-sights in Pompeys proceeding against Caesar and assign other Causes of his disaster But he that had gone into the Temple of the Lord with more Reverence then Pompey did might have understood that it was his Unhallowed progresse into the Most Holy Place which had set an untimely Period to his greatnesse growth This was the main Spring or Head of all his other particular Errours observed by Secular Politicians Hitherto he had marvellously prospered in all his wayes Fortune had been his Guide and Felicity his Attendant Although his Wisdom and Experience would not suffer him to over-see any thing that lay within the compasse of warlike skill yet happy Chance delighted to have a Finger in his proceedings alwayes bringing somewhat to his aid and furtherance from beyond the Hemisphere of Humane Policy so as the Issue and product
of all his Enterprises were still discerned to be greater then could amount from the particular means forecast by him or his Counsellers for their Atchievement He had the help of Wind and weather to prosecute his foes by Sea the Favour of Moon and Stars to make him Conquerour by Land Thus Fates had been his friend until his ascending the Holy Mount but upon his descent thence Fortune to use the Romans language began to turn her wheel upon him His wonted providence and forecast forsook him and he that in his younger dayes when his heart was as full of hopes as his bloud of spirits had used greatest vigilancie to prevent all dangers in matters of smaller moment whose losse might easily have been recovered now in that age whose usual Symptomes are Timiditie and too much care suffers those Consultations on which his Own his Friends his Countries Fates and Fortunes wholly depended on which the whole state of the world did inâ—… manner hang to passe away as in a dream yielding his irrevocable consent to whatsoever any Parasite should propose in points wherein error oversight were incorrigible their consequence if bad remediless with as great speed and little care as a man would answer yes or yea to some idle question proposed unto him betwixt sleeping waking Answerable to this his Sottish demeanour Victorie which before had Wooed him once in his last extremitâ— like a wanton Minion disposed to flout her blind decrepit doting Lover seems a little to make toward him either wanting eyes to discern her or 〈◊〉 to give her entertainment But not Victorie her self could make him victorious in whose death and overthrow the Almighty would have his Judgements seen For seeing it could not content him to have vanquished so many Kings and Kingdoms but he will provoke the King of kings in his own House by his Unmannerly Intrusion into his most Secret Closet reserved alone of all places of the earth besides though all the earth besides were His for His Holinesse presence and his Priests it seemed just to this Lord of Heaven and Earth the Supreme disposer of all Successe to give the Kingdoms subdued by Pompey into his Fatal Enemies hand not leaving him so much firm ground of all his Conquests as might decently cover his miserable Corps Since the foundations of the Earth and Sea were lald never had so high a Flow of all good fortunes so suddain so strange so low and naked an Ebbe Ut cui modò defuerat terra ad victoriam deeset ad sepulturam that he who as the Roman Orator saith had conquered more Provinces then almost any of his Countrie-men had seen He that had commanded 1000 ships restored the use of the Sea to the Nations again and freed all others from the violence of Pirates sole Lord of that Element and the coasts adjoyning should upon that very day which in memory of this matchlesse victorie he had celebrated some few years before at Rome with greatest Triumph and Solemnitie become a prey to a Beggarly Egyptian Boat and fall into such base Hucksters hands as knew not the worth of so great a Prize but as if he had been some ravenous Sea-monster that had lived by Publick Harms of whose death onely some petty commoditie might be made present his Head to the chief Magistrate in hope of reward leaving that Body whose goodly presence had over-charged the greatest Temples like a pestiferous Carrion or some offensive Garbage or forlorn Spawn rather hid then Buried in a little heap of Sand. 2 The strange stupiditie and more strange Destinie of this famous Prince so Wise by nature so well Experienced and alwayes before this time most Fortunate did argue to the Heathens apprehension that He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we would say Taken in the Brain by the Hand of God and his Hopes blasted from above But such is the preposterous dulnesse of Humane sagacitie in Divine matters that even where the Print of Gods wayes is most sensible and perspicuous the wisest of us run Counter still until His Word direct our foot-steps and His Spirit give life unto our senses For the most Religious amongst the Romans deeming Pompey such as they thought themselves one that had never given just offence to any of their Gods upon his miscarriage either altogether Disclaim the Divine Providence or else Exclaim against the Ingratitude or Malignitie of Celestial Powers as if there had been no other God or Gods but such as they and Pompey had well deserved of Whereas his Fatal Overthrow whom their gods they thought had most reason to â—avour should have instructed them that there was a God of gods in Jurie which did bear rule over the ends of the world who would not be worshipped after their fashion as Pompey dreamed For the reason of his desire to see the Most Holy Place was to be resolved whether the Romans which worshipped the gods of every Nation subdued by them had not that God already which the Jews adored but finding no graven Image nor likenesse of any thing in heaven or earth many Romans which till that time had lived in suspence and admiration who this God of the Jews should be held their concealed Mysteries for meer Gulleries and thought it folly to worship they knew not whom For Incerti Judaea Dei yet were his Judgements upon this great Peer of Rome the first among that people that had to do with the Jews most Certain yet Judgements mixt with Mercy and long suffering Seeing Uzzah and Uzziah King of Juda for intermedling in the Priests office were smitten the one with sudden death the other with continual Leprosie until his dying day who can expect that this Alien should escape unpunisht for like presumption Neverthelesse because he did approach the Most Holy Place though with an unsanctified heart yet with no sacrilegious hands he had a longer time of repentance then his next Peer in Might amongst the Romans his Predecessor in like miserable and disgraceful death though his Successor in like but more shameful sacrilegious base profanenesse 3 That Sacriledge was one especial cause of Crassus miscarriage in the Parthian Wars the Heathens of that time had observed and it may be Plutarch from unwritten Traditions the nurse of error did mistake the storie Sure it was not the Goddesse of Hierapolis but the God of the holy City which made the young and aged to stumble one against another Or if Crassus and his Son had this first Omen of their overthrow at their Egress out of this Goddesses Temple this doth not argue that it was either solely or principally for this offence therein committed albeit even sacrilegious wrongs against the Heathen Gods did oft redound to the true Gods dishonour being not intended by worldly minded men so much against them in Particular as in contempt of the Deitie or Divine Power Simply Nor
Wisdom more admirable in the other his Justice the same in Both. Yet a Roman would reply If Pompey had so grievously offended why should He not have born the whole burden of His sins So he should had either be alone offended or the Romans suffered him to have lived a Private Life but if they will associate themselves as members to their natural Head and professe their service and Allegeance unto Him that stood as prosâ—ribed by the Court of Heaven Gods quarrel with the whole Faction is most Just All of them are guiltie of their Generals Sins All liable to the Plagues and Punishments due thereto Yet besides that Pompeys intolerable Presumption and Proph 〈◊〉 according to the usual Course of Gods Justice might propagate his Destinie unto such of his Adherents as had been free from any actual wrong done to the Jews or contempt of their God and Religion in particular a great many of his Chief Followers had polluted themselves with the like Sin in Jerusalem For as Josephus tels us Pompey went not into the Most Holy Place alone but accompanied with a Multitude All of them no doubt had sinned presumptuously against the Admonitions and Threathings of Gods Priests and this peoples curse it seems did follow them whither they themselves durst not for as the same writer testifies No other calamity in that war did grieve the Nation so much as this Polluting of their Temple 5 Whatsoever Tullies or other Politick Romans conceipt of this people in his time was many amongst the Romans as well as in most other Nations had without question either observed the like Fatal mischances of such as vexed them or else had felt some good in observing their Laws whose persons unknown they hated In one or both which respects these Jews stood upon better termes with their Conquerors then any other Captives did And unlesse it had been a received Opinion amongst other Romans that this had been A People Favoured of the Divine Powers why should 〈◊〉 have objected their late Conquest by Pompey to prove the contrary And me think 〈◊〉 it might have moved him and others so much devoted to the Roman Gods before to have thought these Jews did serve a better God then they knew any after they had seen their own state utterly ruined without all hope of recoverie and their gods either unwilling or unable as 〈◊〉 doubtfully complains to redresse those miseries and calamities of which they should at least have given them warning when as Hierusalems 〈◊〉 which Pompey had demolished were according to this peoples Hope from which no power on earth could deject them being supported by the â—… Promise of their God Reedified within twentie years and they â—… with great Priviledges for their good Service performed to Caesar For chiefly by their means became He Lord of Egypt the first and surest ground oâ— bâ— good successe in Africk as Josephus out of the publick Decrees and â—… of Roman Writers boldly avoucheth challenging the Heathen to â—… him or his Testimonies if they could Though this they easily â—… have done if he had cited them amisse because the Originals were then every where Extant 6 The former testimonies alledged out of Tully whose works we have so well agreeing with Josephus who it seems had never read them will not suffer any ingenious man to suspect the truth of that which the same Josephus cites out of Strabo the Cappadocian whose works are lost The Jews saith he have crept into most Cities nor can a man almost name any place in the inhabited world where they once get footing but they hold possession Egypt Cyrene and many other nations have admitted their Rites and in liew of them nurse huge multitude of Jews using their own Domestick Law Besides that a great part of Alexandria is assigned to their use there be Colonies of this Nation throughout Egypt which enjoy Magistrates of their own for determining all controversies of right and wrong in such sort and form as is used in Absolute States Saint Augustin hath the same observation out of Seneca's Books concerning Superstition which this Reverend Father had perused though with divers others of that famous Philosophers works now lost 7 What Strabo had observed of these Jews in Syllas and Seneca in his time is intimated by Tullie in fewer words You know well saith he unto his adversary what a great faction it is how closely they hand together what sway they bear in assemblies But how great soever the number of this people was at Rome they durst not have been so bold in the Mistresse-city of the world unlesse their Patrons there had been many And it seems by Tullies conclusion in the fore-mentioned place that the bare unkindnesse offered by Flaccus to this Nation was worse taken at Rome then the wrongs and violence which he was accused to have done to sundry other people The gold saith he for which Flaccus was accused is in the Treasurie you charge him not with theft but onely seek to make him odious your speech is turned from the Judges and directed to the Company CAP. XX. Tacitus Objections against the Jews resuted by their palpable grosnesse and more competent Testimony of other Heathen writers 1 VNto this their powerfulnesse in perswading other Nations to renounce their own and imbrace their Laws and Religion Tacitus ascribes the increase of these Jews estate albeit he maliciously attributes this attractive force unto the Impietie of their Laws as if by Sympathie they had wrought most upon wicked and depraved natures Put wherein did their Impietie consist What we Romans esteem Sacred they account Profane what is polluted to us is lawful to them This argues that either the Roman religion oâ— Theirs was Superst tious and profane and he like a true Patriot and right Romanist Ioath to suspect that Religion wherein his Forefathers had prospered so well charges the contrarie Orthodoxal with superstitious Impiety Most true it was that the Jews of his time were a wicked people but every way of the Loosing â—â—and their strength which had been long in gathering was sodainly broke by Titus and their wonted means of encrease by addition of Proselytes quite cut off For after the Temples destruction Nullus ad amissas that 〈◊〉 opâ—s From the first day of our Saviours Ministerial Function they did not win half so many Gentiles to Judaism as our Saviour and his Disciples did Jews unto Christianitie Tacitus then spake not of such Jews as lived in his time when their strength and greatnesse was in the Wane but of their Ancestors during the time of the Second Temple Nor was it that which was most wicked indeed in this people or their predecessors as their particular opposition or contrarietie unto divine truths but rather what was onely good in them as their Constancie in their Religion and stedfast Profession of Abrahams Faith common to them and the Christians which was the ground of this Politicks
yet from Tradition he had learned as much as could be known of them in general That Moses their first Law-giver was a Prophet and one that relied not upon Poliere but the Divine Oracles that this people in Ancient times had been much better and had prospered accordingly 5 With this Strabo the Geographer that noble Historian Dion Cassius 〈◊〉 accords but more fully with Strabo the Cappadocian whose Works new lost Josephus cited This people saith Dion differ from others as in maâ—â— other points and daily practise of life so especially in this that they worship 〈◊〉 other Gods but onely One of their own whom they hold to be Invisible and 〈◊〉 ble and for this cause admit not any Image of Him yet do they worship 〈◊〉 more devoutly and religiously then any other people do their Gods But who 〈◊〉 God of theirs was or how He came at first to be thus Worshipped how greatly he was feared of this people were points he listed not to meddle withall many other had written thereof before him It seems he gave but little credence unto Tacitus discourse of their Original for he ingeniously professeth That he knew not whence they had this name of Jews but others that followed their Rites although Aliens by Birth and â—rogeny did Brook the same Name or Title even amongst the Romans themselves therewere of this Profession He addeth Although this People had been often crushed and diminished yet did they rise and increase again above the Controll of all other Laws onely subject to Their Own Thus he spake of the Jews living in Pompey's time after which they had been often crushed before Tacitus wrote yet recovered strength again CAP. XXI The means of these Jews thriving in Captivity In what they exceeded other people or were exceeded by them 1 THese Allegations and many other which out of Heathen Writâ—… could bring sufficiently prove that albeit these Jews rasted of as bitter calamities as any other did yet had they this strange Advantage of all that whereas all other were forsaken of their Friends in their adversitie and their Laws usually changed by their Conquerours oft-times abrogated or neglected by themselves upon their ill successe these Jews still found most Friends and their Laws never forsaken by them most earnest Favourers in the time of their Captivitie and distresse This was quite contrary to Nature Politick Observation or Custom of the world Wherefore seeing Nature and Policie can afford us none we must seek resolution from their Laws The reasons subordinate to the Cause of Causes Gods providence were these In the time of their distresse They did more faithfully practise their Laws themselves and had better opportunitie or greater necessitie of communicating them unto others they being of themselves alwayes most potent to allure sober and discreet mindes to their observance made known and not prejudiced by the foolish or sinister practise of their Prosessours So their great Law-giver had foretold Deut. 4. vers 5 6 7 8. Behold I have taught 〈◊〉 Or 〈◊〉 and Laws as the Lord my God commanded me that ye should do even so in the land whither ye go to possesse it Keep them therefore aâ—…o them for That is your Wisdom and Understanding in the sight of the people which shall hear of all these ordinances and shall say Onely This People is Wise and of Understanding and a great Nation For what Nation is so Great unto whom the Gods come so near unto them as the Lord our God is near unto us in all that we come unto Him 〈◊〉 And what Nation is so great that hath Ordinances and Laws so righteous as all this law which I set before you this 〈◊〉 That They had not in later times so great prosperity as others had was no Argument that Their God was not more near to Them then the Gods of other Nations to their Worthippers for He was the God of gods and Lord of lords which did good to every Nation yea He made the Romans so great a Nation albeit they knew it not That these Jews were now in subjection and the Romans Lords was no Argument that He was better to the Romans then to Them or that They were a lesse Nation if we make an equal comparison For if God should often recover a man from dangerous diseases and propagate his life unto 200. years in health and strength competent for old Age This were no argument to prove that He were not more Favourable to him then to men of younger years or middle age whose strength is greater for the present but they unlikely to recover health often impaired or to renew life once lost in Human Estimation or to account half so many years In like sort was This Peoples Often Recovery from so many Overthrows and Captivities their long continuance a distinct Nation from others more Extraordinarie then the Romans present Strength or Greatness And albeit many other Empires and States were larger then the Kingdom of Israel was at any time yet no other people could be said so great a Nation as this For others continued the same rather by Identitie of Soyl or like Form of Government then by any Real or Material Unitie or Identitie of people their increase was meerly Political and their greatnesse rose by way of Addition or Accumulation that is by admitting such mixture of others that from the first Erection of the Kingdom ere it came to its full greatnesse the number of Aliens might overspread and hide the natural inhabitants or Progenyes of such as laid the Fundamental Laws thereof which were seldome so continuate by direct Succession as they might be rightly distinguished from others And as Theseus his ship was accounted one and the same because it retained the same Form though not so much of the same Timber whereof it was first built as did go to the making of Half the Keel so the greatest States amongst the Heathens retained perhaps some few Fundamental Laws or reliques of Ancient Families descending from their First Founders in which respect alone they might be taken for one Kingdom but not so properly termed one People or Nation to whom greatnesse could be truly Attributed seeing a great many of several people were to share in this Title But These Jews besides the perpetual Unitie of their Particular as well as Fundamental Laws lesse varied either by change addition or abrogation then the Laws of any other Nation continued still One and the same People by a strict Union of Succession their grouth was natural after the manner of Vital Augmentation For albeit they admitted some mixture of strangers they could notwithstanding alwayes distinguish the Progeny of Forrain Stocks from their natural Branches which they could still derive from their several Stemmes and these all from one and the same Root so that after so many Changes and Alterations of their State from better to worse and back again after so manie glorious Victories as Scriptures mention gotten by
them over others and so many captivityes of their persons and desolations of their countries as others had wrought They remained still one and the same people by such a kinde of Unity as a great Oak is said One and the Same Tree from its sirsi Spring to its last Fall whether naked and berest of leaves by blasts of Autumn or Winters frost or stoyled of Boughs by the Loppers Ax or Beautified with pleasant Leaf or â—ar-spreading Branches If the glorie of other Kingdoms were more Splendent for a Flash presently to be extinguished as being greater then their corruptible nature was capable of this no way impeacheth Gods promise for making Abrahams Seed a Mighty Nation seeing it was not at any time so great a People as at all times it might have been had they observed the means appointed for their grouth How incomparable the Height of Sions Roof above other Nations might have been we may 〈◊〉 from the Capacity of her Foundations The known Altitude and continuance of her Wals though never finished to her Founders desire yet Such as whoso shall look upon with an unpartial eye must acknowledge ordained for Extraordinarie Strength and Creatnesse For take we this Kingdom with its defects what wonder can Revolutions of time afford like to this late mentioned That by such an Unity of Natural propagation from One Root almost perished before it sprouted distinct lineal succession never interrupted Abrahams Seed should continue One and the Same Nation for Two Thousand years sometimes the mightiest amongst Coeval Kingdoms a scourge and terrâ—ur to all neighbour Countries and after many greivous wounds and deadly in their estimation that gave them received from others still preserved alive to see the successive rise and fall of Three great and potent Monarchies yet able in decrepit dayes to hold play with the Fourth the mighâ—… that ever was on earth even whilest it was in it's Best Age full Strength and perfect Health free from any intestine Broyles secure of all external Assaults Much better were these Jews able to encounter the Roman Empire in Tacitus his life time then It within three hundred years after his death to defend the Imperial Seat against Barbarous silly and foolish Nations unhatched when the Roman Eagles wings were spread over the most famous Kingdoms of the earth Suppose the Roman Empire had received at the same time but half so terrible a blow in Italy as these Jews had done in Jury and Hierusalem under Vespasian and his Son how easily had the commotions of their Reliques in Trajans and Adrians times shaken the Roman yoak from off the Nations neck Or if the other ten Tribes return had been but half so entire and complete as Judahs and Benjamins were the Roman Eagles had never come to prey upon their Carkases in the territories of Judea But it was their Strong God which before had scattered Israel amongst the Nations and at the time appointed shut these Jews up in Hierusalem as in a Prison 2 Again other Kingdoms gained little by their greatnesse save onely Magnificent Names or swelling Titles No other people enjoyed so great proseritie so good cheap as This sometimes did and all times might have done No other had so good Assurance or Security of that Prosperitie or Peace they enjoyed as This People had unlesse themselves had made a wilful Forfeiture nor was the Publick Health or Welfare of any other State or Kingdom so fully communicated to every particular and inferiour member For usually the Titularie or abstract Brightnesse of that Glory wherewith other Great States outwardly seemed most to shine was maintained with the perpetual Harmes and internal secret Mischiefs of many private persons as Great Flames are not nourished without great store of Fuell whereas the prosperitie of Davids Throne as in other points so in this was established like the Moon that whilest They turned unto their God their State was capable of greatest Splendor without consumption of their natural parts or Substance And even whilest other States did for their Sins prevail against Theirs yet such Peers as had been principal Instruments of their wo and took Occasion to disgrace their Laws or Religion in their Captivitie and distresse had for the most part as was observed before Fearful and disasterous Ends and might more justly have taken up that complaint after their spoils of Jewry which Diomedes did after the destruction of Troy Quicunque Iliacos ferro violavimus Agros nefanda per Orbem Supplicia scelerum poenas expendimus Omnes What did Troys Fall or Phrygian Spoyles the Graecians State advance Whom Fearful Plagues Haunt through the world Such was the Victors chance Many of them no doubt before their dying day had observed as he did that they had fought against some God whilst they wrong'd this people and would have been as unwilling to bear Arms against them again as he was against the Reliques of the Trojans Nec mihi cum Teucris ullum post eruta Bellum Pergama nec veterum memini laetorve malorum With Troy my Splene to Trojans ceas't her flames quench th' heat of War I little Joy of what is past Rub not a Bleeding Scar. 3 For these and many like Consequents this people in the Issue and up-shot of their greatest calamities had both reason to rejoyce and the Heathens just cause to say The Lord had done great things for them albeit he often suffered them to be Conquered For even this Sicklinesse of their State was a means of its long life Their Scourges and Phlebotomies a Sign of Gods tender Care over their Health until they grew proud of his Favour and waxed obdurate by his often Fatherly corrections as one of their own writers well observes The Lord doth not long wait for us as for other Nations whom He punisheth when they are come to the Fulnesse of their Sins But thus He dealeth with us that our sins should not be heaped up to the Full so that afterwards He should punish us and therefore He never withdraws His mercy from us and though He punish with adversitie yet doth He never forsake his people 4 Finally their Decay and Increase was such as could not be measured by the Rules of Policie Hence was it that Tacitus was not tacitus but a Tatler transported from himself his wonted sagacity and ingenuitie as being quite out of his natural Element while he medled with their affairs That Contrarietie which he observes betwixt Theirs and the Romans Religion was as great betwixt their Policies What was good in the One was nought in the Other that which Rome did think might preserve her in health was apprehended by the wisest amongst this People as ready Poison for their State Those Plots which would have crushed any other People once brought under did oft work Their Advancement and their Enemies Fall Whence both their Rising and Falling and Consequently the Successe of such as opposed themselves against Them were in other Nations
apprehension sometime in their own meerly Fatal altogether Incorrigible by worldly Policie especially in more Ancient times Hence did the Wise Men of Caldea upon the first notice of the Windes Turning for them read Hantans Destinie but too late If Mordecai be of the Seed of the Jews before whom thou hast begun to Fall thou shalt not prevail against Him but shalt surely Fall before Him Achior the Ammonites Speech to Holofirnes whether truly uttered by him or Fained by the Pen-man of that Storie was framed no doubt according to the known Experience of thosetimes and contains such Advise as a Faithful Councellor well acquainted with their Estate upon like Occasion should have given unto his Lord not so well acquainted with it This he was bound unto by the rules of Poetrie which the Author of that Book unlesse perhaps his Memorie faild him in the Circumstance of Time an Escape incident to Fictions for their Assinitie with Lies very well observes if his work be rather to be censured for a Poem then an Historie his Advice was This And whiles They sinned not before their God They prospered because the God that hated iniquity was with Them But when They departed from the way which he appointed Them They were destroyed in many Battails after a Wonderful Sort and were led Captive into a Land which was not theirs and the Temple of their God was cast to the ground and their Cities were taken by the Enemies But now They are turned to their God and are come up from the Scattering wherein They were scattered and have possessed Hierusalem where their Temple is and dwell in the Mountains which were Desolate Now therefore my Lord and Governour if there be any Fault in this People so that They have sinned against their God let us consider that this shall be their Ruine and let us go up that we may overcome Them But of there be none Iniquity in this People let my Lord Pass By lest their Lord defend Them and their God be for Them and we become a Reproach before all the World The first Root of all such Effects or known Experiments as in Ancient time yielded matter to their Neighbours of this or like observation was Gods First Promise unto Abraham And I will make of thee a great Nation and will bless Thee and make Thy Name Great and Thou shalt be a Blessing I will also bless them that bless Thee and curse them that curse Thee and in Thee shall all the Families of the earth be Blessed Which promise as it doth concern the Temporal State of the Jews was to be limited according to the Tenor of Achiors Speech and did then onely take Effect when they followed Abrahams Foot-steps and lived in Faithful Obedience to Gods Laws or having transgressed them did turn again with their whole Heart to seek the God of their Fathers From Experience of their good Successe in such cases partly I think were their Neighbour Countries so Savage and Merciless towards them in their greatest Distresse alwayes Crying upon like occasion as the Edomites did in the Day of Hierusalem Down with it Down with it Even to the Ground Because they could not hope for any Revenge but by waiting the Turning of their Fates and taking them in the Ebbing of their Fortunes for when they begun to rise they knew there was no means to stay them The Arabians Immane and Savage Practises upon their Embassadors seeking Compassion to their Lamentable Estate torn and ruinate by the Mighty Hand of their God in a Fearful and Prodigious Earthquake do argue a deep rooted Memory of their Ancestors strange Overthrowes mentioned in Scripture by this peoples Forefathers and these later Arabians long lying in wait to do these Jews a Mischief if they had not been restrained by the Mighty Hand of God who now as they suppose being turned their Enemie they apprehend this Opportunitie of working a Full Revenge Nor are their hard hearts mollified with their Publick Miseries nor their inveterate malice so quenched with their Embassadors Bloud shed in the seventh year of Herods raign but it burst out again in Vespasians time For these Arabians though never as Am. Marcellinus Lib 14. notes any true Friends or Well-willers to the Roman State were the forwardest men to assist Titus in Hierusalems last and Fatal Siege For the same reasons were the Nations round about them as earnestly bent to hinder the Re-edifying of Hierusalem after the Return from Captivitie as these were now to pull it down as fearing lest this Peoples good Fortunes should rise again with their City Wals. But as Nehemiah notes After the enemies had heard that the Wall was finished they were afraid and their Courage failed them for they knew that this Work was wrought by God Nehem. 6. 16. 5 These and like Observations make me think it was not Skil in Astrologie or such Arts as the Magi used whereunto this of all people was least addicted which first hatched that opinion of the Jews descent from the Magi rather the later Heathen ignorant of their Original and not able to derive that strange successe which did hant them or their demeanour answerable thereto from Ordinary or natural Causes referred all to Magick Spels or some Art of Divination So unwilling is Flesh and Bloud to acknowledge such as They Hate for the Beloved of the Lord and so powerful is the Prince of darknesse either to blind the hearts of the worldly wise or to avert their eyes from beholding an Unpleasant Truth that if at any time the Finger of God appear in the Deliverance or good Successe of his people the Infidel or Natural man ascribes such effects as Magicians unlesse upon presumption of Travellers Priviledge amongst the Ignorant durst not arrogate to themselves unto Magical or other like Arts because the corruption of their Nature is more capable of such Practises then of true Belief in God and they more prone in distresse to flie unto Sorceries or Magick Charms then with true Faith and Firm Constancy to expect The Deliverance of the Lord by such means as the Faithful Israelites did So when the Christian Legion had by their Prayers relieved Antoninus's Army readie to swound for Thirst with plentie of water in as Miraculous Sort as Elishd did sometime the Host of Israel the Heathens acknowledging the Effect for Supernatural ascribed it to Arnuphis the Egyptian Sorcerer his acquaintance with Mercury and other supposed Gods of the Air. In like sort the modern Jew acknowledging many Wonders wrought by our Saviour takes it for a sufficient Argument That all of them were wrought by Magick Skill onely because the Evangelist saith He had been in Egypt so is he bâ—â—nded with wilful malice that he cannot see how by this Objection he laies all the wonders which Moses wrought open to the like Exception of Atheists Insidels and Heathen For both Moses in whom he Trusts and Abraham in whom he
32. 3 Of their Estate from this Accident till three hundred years after nothing memorable hath come unto my reading dishonourable it was in that their name throughout this time seemes quite put out miserable we may presume it in that their wonted curse is not expired but rather increased in ages following in which we have expresse distinct undoubted records 4 About the year one thousand they were so vexed throughout most parts of Europe that as Moses had foretold and my Author little thinking of Moses speeches expresly notes They could find no rest A company of them seated about Orleans out of their Divelish Policy addresse an Embassageto to the Prince of Babylon advertising him that the Christians in these Western parts were joyning forces to assault him hoping hereby to make him invade Christendom by whose broils they expected either better security from wonted dangers or fitter opportunity of fishing for gain in troubled streams But the tenour of their Embassage being either known or suspected by the Christians the Embassadour upon his return was called in question convict and sentenced to the Fagot Nor could the hainousnesse of the Fact be expiated by his death the rest of his Country-men generally presumed to be as treacherous when occasion served were made away without any Formal course of Law by Fire Water Sword or what instrument of death came next to hand This fury of Christians raging against them as far as the fame of their villany was spred which was quickly blazed throughout Europe 5 Ere this time Ismael was come to his full growth and his posterity having prosecuted their old broken title to the Land of Promise through their division had left the possession of it to the Turk and so far is Isaacs seed from all hope of possessing the good things thereof that the very love which Christians the true seed of Abraham bare unto these Lovely dwellings of Jacob breeds his ungratious posterities Wo unto whom the inheritance belonged For no expedition either made or intended by Christians for recovering Jewry from the Turk and Saracens but bringeth one Plague or other upon the Jew so provident is this People to procure their own mischief and as it were to anticipate Gods Judgements upon themselves by such Devices as their former Embassage whose effect was to hasten the Sacred War which in the Age following undertaken upon other occasions more then doubles all their wonted miseries For it being intended against the Turk and Saracen these other Infidels were apprehended as a fit subject for such Souldiers as were indeed bent for Asia and the Holy Land to practise licentious hostile Outrages upon by the way Others again made a shew of setting forward against the Turks or Saracens of Asia intending indeed onely to spoil the Jews of Europe Unto which purpose that worthy Edict of the Claremont Councel ministred this occasion 6 The joynt consent of Bishops and others there assembled testified aloud in these Termes Deus vult Deus vult having found as it seems some lavish commendations as if it had been the Voice of God and not of Man brought forth a Rumor of a voice from heaven calling Europaeans into Asia The report was not so vain as the people of those times credulous For beside such as were appointed or would have been approved by the Councel huge multitudes of all sorts conditions and sexes run like Hounds to the false Hallow some pretending the Holy Ghosts presence in visible shape Amongst the rest one Emicho with a great band of his Country-men gathered from the banks of Rhein having ranged as far as Hungary and there either despairing of his hoped prey in Asia or onely using this expedition generally countenanced by Christian Princes as a fair pretence to catch some Booty nearer home falleth upon the Jews about that Country compelling them either to live Christians or die Besides the spoil of their goods twelve thousand of their persons were slain by Emicho and his complices as the Annals of these Countries do testifie The like had been practised a little before by one Codescalcus a Dutch Priest who had perswaded the King of Hungary that it was a charitable deed to kill these uncharitable Jews until his beastly life did discredit his doctrine and Christians begun to feel the harms of such licentious Pilgrimages after the Jews being exhausted could not satisfie his and his followers greedy appetites 7 About the same Age Petrus Cluniacensâ—s directeth a Parenetical discourse unto Lewis the French King for furtherance of his intended Expedition against the Saracens shewing him withall a ready means of maintaining his army making the perfidious Jews purchase their lives with losse of their goods But more vehement if not more Jewish was Rodulphus Vilis the German Monk delivering it in Sermons as sound Doctrine throughout both Germanies that for the better supply of the sacred war which Christians he thought were bound in conscience to undertake the Jews being as great enemies to Christianity as the Saracens were might not onely be robbed of all their goods but ought to be put to death by Christians as a good Omen to their future successe against the Saracens And unlesse Saint Bernard with other grave Divines of that Age had sounded a Counter-blast to this Furious Doctrine both by mouth and pen this Monks prescript had been practised generally throughout Germany ready enough to hold on as she had begun to evacuate her self of Jewish bloud alwayes apprehended by that people as the worst humour in their body politick Many such general Massacres have been intended against them in divers Countries but God still raised up one or other to solicit their Cause because he hath an ear continually unto the Psalmists Petition not so much for Theirs as Christians good Slay them not lest my people forget it but scatter them abroad by thy power Psal 59. 11. Unlesse God had given them such trembling hearts and sorrowful minds as Moses had fore-told through Germany France and other Countries they had not been scattered so soon through this Island whither they were first brought from France by him that brought many grievances thence unto this Nation But the evil which he intended hath God turned to our good For Gods Israel planted here until this day may hear and fear his Heavy Judgement manifested upon these Jews in the time of our fore-fathers albeit at their first coming they found some breathing from their wonted persecutions But so prodigious is all appearance of prosperity in such as God hath cursed that these Jews hopes of ease and welfare are an infallible Symptome of great distemper in the publick state wherein they live Twice onely I find in all the Legend of their wandring they had obtained some freedom and hopes of flourishing in the Lands where they were scattered once in France in the time of Theodebert and Theoderick when sacred orders as you heard before were set to sale Once in
England under William Rufus whose conditions were such that whosoever would give enough might have whatsoever lay in his power to grant Their estate in England during other three Kings raign until Richard the first yields little matter of observation this people hate had not as yet broken out against them but was all this time in gathering and after their first planting here they were to have a time to bring forth fruit for others to eat a time to gather wealth for others to spend as Moses had foretold 8 Most miserable in the mean time was their estate throughout the Eastern Empire as one of their own Writers Benjamin Tudelensis who went on Pilgrimage to visit his Country-men wheresoever dispersed throughout the world complaineth of their general hard usage amongst the Graecians instancing in such as were seated about Constantinople within whose wals they might not come but upon occasion of publick commerce or business in which case they were allowed passage onely by Boat having their habitation as it were in an Island Amongst two thousand of this servile Congregation there residing not one permitted to come on horse-back save only Solomon the Emperours Physitian whose exaltation perhaps not fourteen handfuls above ground was held as a publik grace of the whole Nation the chief solace of that miserable and servile usage which all the rest without difference good or bad did sustain dayly beat and scourged in the open streets Yet must we believe this Relator That these Jews were wealthy good and merciful men observant of the Law such as could patiently endure this miserable captivity But Patience perforce according to the Proverb is no Patience If GOD had granted them ability or opportunity they had quickly shewed their Jewish minds by Jewish actions And why he keepeth them continually under unwilling to hear their cry though They cannot we Christians may easily perceive the cause For so his Prophet Samuel had fore-told And ye shall cry out at that day because of your King whom ye have chosen you and the Lord will not hear you at that day Which words as a learned convert Jew rightly observeth were not fulfilled in Samuels time whose opinions may be fortified by these reasons 9 Samuels authority over that people was not so strictly linked with GODS but that they might reject the one for their present Judge still retaining the other for their supream Lord and who can deny that the God of their Fathers did rule over them in Davids Solomons Jehoshaphats and Ezekiahs times Sin no doubt they did in abandoning Gods Priest and Prophet to follow the fashions of other Nations in submitting themselves unto a King And Samuel like a good Physitian forewarneth them of that incurable disease which this new-fangle and intemperate act did even then Prognosticate whose Fatal Crisis notwithstanding did not insue until they overgrown with desperate wilful and intemperate malice had rejected Hint with open mouth who was both Priest and Prophet and their lawful King whose kingdom was not of this world whose Soveraignty was so united with the divine Majesty that in casting him away they could not but cast off God that he should not reign over them 10 Again before that time God alwayes heard their cry and redeemed them from all Forrain Bondage and such as Samuel there describeth was neither general nor perpetual under their own Kings neither did the best of such use any nor the worst all or most part of the natural Israelites in such sort as he there threatneth yet all the miseries there threatned 1 Sam. 8. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17. have been since accomplished in full measure if I may so speak in length breadth and profundity First this Serviâ—â—â—y hath been extended over All the Nation without exception Secondly the continuance of it hath been exceeding long and perpetual without interruption and so must continue until they confesse their forefathers rebellion and acknowledge him for their King whom rejecting they rejected God for he that will not so honour the Son cannot Honour the Father as King Lastly those marks of servility set forth by Samuel have been so deeply imprinted in this generation rejected of GOD that his Prophecy compared with Modern Histories concerning them will seem but as Painted Wounded men in a cloth of Arrasse to the bleeding reliques of a scattered vanquished army For neither under any Caesar though they made choice of Caesar for their King nor under any other Kings or States have they lived as Free-denizons capable of publick Office or Honour the best of them are but as slaves prohibited to use the meanest of Christians so The most of them as Samuel fore-told are admitted in Common-wealths for manual services or other handy-crafts imployments Captains I think none of them have been unlesse perhaps in some desperate services many of them in greater Cities are suffered to follow Merchandize that they may serve the State as Spunges alwayes surer to be squeezed for the moysture they have sucked then to be nourished by it Sundry of them are curious Artificers and professe ingenious Trades like silly Silk-worms permitted to exercise their skill in precious stuff to fill Princes Coffers and find their Countries cloathing 11 The possession offields and Vineyards hath not been so usual amongst this people as their spoil amongst such as possessed any so this Jew relateth it as a special prerogative of Calonymus the son of Theodorus both in their life-times chief of the Synagogue in Narbona and lineally descended as he pretendeth from David that he might quietly possesse the fruits of his grounds The Princes it seemeth of that and like places did take other Jews fields and vineyards and best Olive trees and gave them unto their servants rather tything then taking the tenth of their seed and Vineyards for that usually was the Jews part the other nine as Samuel foretold 1 Sam. 8. 14 15 16. fell unto Princes Officers lot 12 But the greater these dispersed sons os Isaac Servility was the more it commendeth the fidelity of Gods word concerning the sons of Rechab who as this Author relateth live united in form of a Kingdom or Nation not subject to any forrain yoak rather able to offend their neighbours then likely to receive harms from them Their estate to this Authors dayes continued such as they themselves acknowledged unto Jeremy Onely experience it seemeth had taught them to build Cities for their better security against the incursion of forrainers which was not against their oath in case of necessity as appeareth from Jeremy 35. 9 10 11 12. Because in other points they have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab their Father and kept his precepts and done according to all that he had commanded them therefore Jonadab hath not wanted a man to stand before him until this day that is their estate hath continued such as their Father left them much better then the estate of Abrahams Sons by Sarah Though
this Jew at his return to Paris then flourishing with all manner of Arts and Sciences found his Country-men marvellous great Students in Divinity and in much better state then might be expected to continue any long time 13 Lewes the seventh albeit instigated thereto as was said before had not shorn them so near upon his Expedition to the Holy Land but that they might bear Fleece again for his Son to pluck off Their Synagogues had remained still beautified and their private wealth either before his death much increased or in his time not much impaired But Almighty GOD who in Testimony of his rejoycing to do them good had raised up Cyrus to Balthazar 's Throne to release their Nation from that Captivity which Nabuchad-nezzar had brought upon them to give the world as perfect a proof of his Rejoycing over them to destroy them and bring them to nought Deut. 28. 63. did Advance Philippus Augustus son unto the former Lewes unto the Crown of France to defeat the Jews throughout that Kingdom in an instant of all their former hopes No sooner was he enthroned King but presently he giveth forth his Edict That their Synagogues should be spoiled of all Donatives and ornaments belonging to them and enformed of the grievances which Christians sustained by them granteth a general Release of all debts due unto them from Christians consiscating all their lands and immoveable goods This was done that Moses his prophecy might be fulfilled in part Deut. 28. 30 31 33. Thou shalt build an house and not dwell therein thou shalt plant a Vineyard but shalt not eat the fruit thereof Thine Ox shall be slain before thine eyes but thou shalt not eat thereof Thine Asse shall be violently taken away before thy face and shall not be restored unto thee Thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies and no man shall rescue them for thee the fruit of thy I and and all thy labours shall a people which thou knowest not eat And thou shalt never but suffer wrong and violence alwayes CAP. XXIX Of the fulfilling other particular Prophecies of Moses in the Jews persecutions in England Germany France and Spain 1 THat they should not once or twice in this or that Age in some one or few Kingdoms only but alwayes in every place where they have come since their rooting out of their own Land suffer such wrong and violence must needs be thought to have proceeded rather from Divine Justice then mans Injustice which could not but have varied with the diversity of times places and the several dispositions of parties amongst whom in this their long Pilgrimage they have lived And yet this brief Enumeration following of their particular spoils and hard usages since Philippus Augustus time throughout the most civil and best governed States of Europe will abundantly confirm the truth of Moses general Induction in the place now cited Thou shall never but suffer wrong and violence alwayes To begin with their persecutions in this Land 2 Had Henry the eldest son of Henry the second who was present at the fore-named French Kings Coronation acquainted with these severe Edicts against the Jews lived to enjoy the Crown of England after his Father as he was entituled King with him the grievous wrongs and violence immediately after befalling these Jews throughout this Kingdom had been ascribed to this politick imitation of the French King his Brother at least men would have thought they had been done by his sufferance or connivence But God had taken him away and yet these Jews Intreaty continues much worse under Richard the first who never intended them like harm onely upon his Coronation day with his Raign begins their Wo which ends not till their final Extirpation hence not willing to be beholden unto them for their presents or as some think partly afraid lest admitted to his presence they might practise some Sorcery upon his body he gave command that no Jew should come either within the Church where he was Crowned â—or the Palace where he was to dine But they desirous to present him with some gift in hope to have their Charters and other Priviledges granted by other Kings confirmed by him presse in at the Palace gate amongst others making perhaps more hast but worse speed one of them receiving a blow for his forwardness by one of the Kings servants who might well justifie the fact by the Kings command to keep them out The people about the gate apprehend the matter so as if this Jew had been beat by the Kings commandment and so they thought might all the rest of that crew and hence fall upon them with such weapons as they could find as it was easie to find bats to beat these doggish Jews home to their kennels where they found but silly shelter For albeit their houses were strong yet the rage of the people was too great against them With the multitude the former rumour was enlarged that it was the Kings pleasure to have all the Jews destroyed And as the Axiom is Mens own desires are quickly believed So far more apt they were to apprehend this rumour as true then to examin whether it were true or no that the Lord chief Justice and other Officers sent from the King to appease the tumult were more likely to catch harm themselves then to free these Jews from present danger some of whose houses now flaming gave the people light to spoil and rifle others in the dark For so violently were they set to wrong them and eat their labours that they could not be satisfied from dinner time on the one day to two a clock on the other many of these Jews in the mean time being rosted or smothered with their goods other leaping out of the fire fell upon their enemies weapons Although the outrage was such as in a peaceable state might seem intolerable yet was the hainousness of the offence quite swallowed up by the multitude of the offenders But as the English escapt unpunished so the Jews were not amended by their correction Their Stubbornness as the Scripture tels me did first procure their Blindness and their Blindnesse becoming Hereditarie hath confirmed their Stubbornness to posterity 3 The former violence which they suffered would have been a sufficient Caveat to any people in the world besides to have carried themselves with more moderation in a strange land but not the flies so stupid and senselesse in discerning the causes of their smart as this people is Their perfidiousnesse and daily sucking of Christians bloud had made them most odious in this as in other Lands and though a number of them be Massacred to day for like attempts yet the rest are as ready again to morrow to seize upon every sore either to exhaust the reliques of life from such as are shrunk in their estate by cruel exactions and damned usurie or else to intrude themselves as wedges or instruments of divisions into every breach that shall appear
For seeing the Case stands in Controversie betwixt Us and our Superiours we should do as we are Commanded by them and refer the final Decision to the Supream Judge whether they do well or ill in making such Lawes as to us may seem to be Occasions of Evil but whether they shall prove so or no he best Knows that onely can prevent the Danger We as I said before might Advise if we were thereunto called for the Mitigation or Abrogating of such Lawes but Judge or condemn them by the Probabilities or Fears of their Consequents we may not but only where they are already judged by the Law of God What private man is there that knows the secret Intents or Purposes of the State in most Actions of publick Service Can any man doubt but that a great many oft fear some dangerous Consequents of those Services wherein they are employed Why then do most men think themselves bound to Obey the State against their private Doubts or Fears It is enough that we know such Businesses as for example Warres with forrainers not to be Unlawfull in the general and the Determinations of Warres or like Businesse to be referred to the King and his Councel but whether this or that War be justly undertaken by them or no common Souldiers nay Captains are not to judge nor to detract Obedience albeit they suspect the Lawfulnesse of the Quarrel or could wish for peace if they were in place to determine of such matters But if the whole State should command promiscuous use of Women adulterie murther of our brethren uncondemned by Law blasphemie or the like such commandements were not to be obeyed but we are rather bound to suffer death our selves than to be their instruments in such actions for here is a direct Contradiction betwixt the form of such laws and the Laws of God 10 From what hath hitherto been delivered we may collect That Superiours or men in Authority are to be obeyed in such Points as their Inferiours are not at leisure to examine or not of capacitie to discern or not of Power or Place to determine whether they be lawfull or no. Thus much at the least is common to all absolute Authoritie of what kind soever And from the former Places alledged containing the Commission of Priests or Ministers it is most evident That the lawfull Pastor or spiritual Overseer hath as absolute Authority to demand Belief or Obedience in Christs as any Civil Mastrate hath to demand Temporal Obedience in the State or Princes Name And if any of Christs Fold denie Obedience or appeal from his Pastor without just and evident Reason he doth thereby deny Christ and endanger his own Soul as much as he doth his Body that resists a Lawfull Magistrate when he is charged by him in his Princes Name to Obey And as in temporal Causes if a man appeal without just Occasions from an inferiour Court to a higher he is not thereby freed but rather to be returned to the inferiour Court from which he appealed or to be censured besides his other facts for his unlawfull Appeal so likewise such as upon pretence of Ignorance in Gods Word or liberty of Conscience appeal from ordinary Ministers to Christ the chief Shepherd are not thereby presently acquitted but stand still liable to the Censure of their Pastors either to Bind them if they continue Obstinate as well for this their Disobedience in appealing from them as for their other Sins or to Loose and remit their Sins if they repent For God hath appointed his Ministers to govern his Church and Governours are to be Obeyed in that they are Governours unlesse such as are to perform Obedience do perfectly know or have Reasons such as they would not be afraid to tender to Christ in that dreadfull Day to suspect that their Pastors in their Commands go beyond their Commission or the expresse Laws and Ordinances of Christ Jesus the Supream Governour and Commander both of Pastor and People 11 But many men are oft times strongly perswaded that the very form of the Law or their Superiours Injunctions are Opposite unto Gods Laws when in Truth they are not And hence they think they deny Obedience upon Sincâ—â—ity and Conscience when indeed they do not but in both Cases are meerly blinded by Affection The Question is whether denying Obedience upon such Perswasions they do well or ill That the Perswasion is Evil is without controversie The Difficulty is whether the Perswasion remaining in full strength without any mixture of Suspition or Apprehension of their Errour they adde a new sinne of Disobedience besides the sinfulnesse of their Erroneous perswasion or that Habitual Affection whence it springs that is whether they should do better in Obeying against the full strength of their Perswasion or in Disobeying whilest it remains If they Obey they sin against their Consciences and prefer the Laws of Man before Gods If they do better in Disobeying it may sâ—em an unhappie Errour which exempts them from the Yoak of Obedience whereunto the Orthodox are subject The answer is easie Whosoever shall deny Obeaience upon such Perswasions doth commit Disobedience actually Not that it were better for him to Obey supposing the strength of his Perswasion to the contrary but he actually Sins in that he suffers not tâ—e strength of his Perswasion to be broken by the stroke of Authority but rather suffers it to confront Authority So that his Sin if we will speak precisely consists onely in the exercise of his former Perswasion or in the Motion of his Habitual Assection not in any proper Act of that peculiar Habit or Vice which we call Disobedience That whereunto he stands bound by Authority is to abjure his former Perswasion that he may with safe conscience Obey or to speak more distinctly he is not bound immediately to Obey in the particulars now enjoyned nor to renounce his Perswasion without more ado but to enter into his own Soul and Conscience to examine the Grounds or Motives of his Perswasion to rate his ovvn Wit and Judgement at its due Worth and no higher to renounce all Self-conceit or Jealousies of Disparagement in yeelding to that he had formerly impugned that so he may sincerely and uncorruptedly Judge of the Truth proposed and esteem aright of Authoritie and others Worth that yeeld unto it If we would sincerely Obey in these Points which are the immediate and first Principles of true Christian Obedience the Grounds of erroneous Perswasions would quickly fail so as we should be alwayes ready to Obey in the particulars whereunto Obedience was justly demanded But of the Grounds Occasions of erroneous Perswasions and their Remedies by Gods Assistance more at large in the Article of the God-head and some other Treatises of Christian Faith CAP. VII What Actions are properly said to be not of Faith in the Apostles Sense What manner of Doubt it is which makes them such 1 AGainst all that hath been hitherto delivered
of Scriptures unto some and Facility and Perspicuity unto others of like Profession cannot justly impeach them of greater Obscurity then befits the infallible rule as wel of theirs as of all other mens Faith in their several Vocations For as mens Callings are divers and Gods Gifts to men in their divers Callings in nature and qualitie different so likewise is the Measure of his like gifts to men in the same calling not one and the same To some he gives more Knowledge to others lesse yet all he commands not to presume above that which is Written and every man to limit his desires of knowing that which is Written by the distinct Measure of Gods Gifts in himself not to affect or presume of such skil as they have unto whom God hath given a greater Talent And besides this that the Scripture is the inexhaustible store-house â—hence all men have their several Measures of Divine Knowledge as wel he that hath most as he that hath least even in this again it is a perfect rule that it commands all sapere idque ad sobrietatem to be wise according to that Measure of Knowledge which God hath given them and not to seek to know at least not to say why should I not know as much as any other of any Profession For this were Pride and Arrogancie the fatal enemies of all true Christian Knowledge if so his Gifts be lesse then others And for the avoidance of these main Obstacles of Christian Knowledge or true Interpretation of Scriptures the Scripture hath commanded every man to think better of others than of himself and not to be wise in his own conceit 12 From the former General will follow this Particular Albeit some Parts of Scripture be very obscure unto some the same perspicuous unto other Ministers or Preachers of the Word yet may the whole Canon be the infallible Rule of Faith unto both according to the diverse Measure of their Gifts rightly and unpartially taken If the one either fail in the Exposition of sundrie Places which the other rightly expounds or cannot apprehend so much in them as the other doth he is in Sobriety of Spirit bound to acknowledge his own Infirmitie and content himself with that knowledge which is contained within the Measure of Gods Gifts bestowed upon himself and this again he is to take by the same Rule So that the Scriptures are a perfect Rule to both to all for Direction in the search of Divine Knowledge for limitation of mens desires whiles they seek it or Conceit of what they have gotten That they do not so thorowly instruct or furnish some as others though all men of God for exact performance of their Ministerial function can be no argument of their Insufficiencie to make all such in their Place and Order competently Wise unto Salvation more than it would be to prove Eâ—clides Elements or other more absolute Mathematical Work an insufficient and imperfect Rule for instructing Surveyours or other Practical Mathematicians whose skill lies onely in measuring Triangles Circles or other plain or solid Bodies because containing many Questions of higher Nature and greater Difficultie as of the Circles Quadrature of Lines or Numbers Surd or Asymmetral well befitting the exercise of speculatorie learned Mathematical Wits CAP. XIII The true state of the Question about the Scriptures Obscurity or Perspicuity unto what Men and for what Causes they are Obscure 1 THe Question then must be Whether the Scriptures be an absolute Rule of Christian Faith and Manners to every Man in his Vocation and Order according to the Measure of Gods Gifts bestowed upon him We affirm It is such to all None are so cunning none so excellent or expert in Divine Mysteries but must take it for a Rule beyond whose Bounds they may not passe from which they daily may learn more none so sillie but may thence learn enough for their Salvation so they will be Ruled by it And yet even of those Points which are perspicuously set down to the diverse Capacities of Men in the same or several Professions the Question is not Whether any can fully comprehend their intire Meaning Certain it is In this life they cannot But neither will our Adversaries I hope avouch that the infallible Authoritie of their Church can make us so comprehend the full meaning of Mysteries contained either in Scriptures or her pretended unwritten Traditions Of Scriptures the best learned Christian may say wth the Heathen Socrates Hoc unum scio me nihil scire I know this one thing that I know nothing Nothing as I should or as fully as I then shall when I shall know as I am known for in this life we know but in part and we propâ—… in part 2 Lastly even in respect of Places though containing Points of Salvation onely thus imperfectly known though as perspicuous and clear as can be required the Rule of Faith should be the Question is not whether they be very Obscure and Difficult unto some or unto the Major part of Mankind if we consider them as they are or may be not as they should or might be that is if we consider them as disobedient to the Truth known or carelesse to amend their lives by this light of Scripture For unto all such as hate it this very light it self proves an occasion of falling Nor could any thing be more plainly or perspicuously set down in any other Rule of Faith imaginable than this very Point we now handle is in Scriptures to wit that such Parts of them as contain matters necessary to Salvation are most easie to some most hard to others And albeit they might through the Iniquity of Mankind prove difficult to all or impossible to be understood of most now living living as for the most part we do yet were this Difficultie or Impossibilitie of understanding them aright upon these Suppositions no hindrance at all why they should not be a complete Rule of Faith to all no just reason for admitting any infallible Authority besides theirs 3 For of such as admit any Authority equivalent to theirs it must be further demanded whether the Infallibilitie of it can take away that Blindnesse of heart which by Gods just Judgement lights upon all such as detain the knowledge of God or his sacred Word in Unrighteousnesse If for their sins God punish them with this spiritual darknesse in discerning his Will revealed in his written Word no other infallible Authority as we suppose can take away those scales from their eyes which hinder their sight in the means of their Salvation If men have been called to this Light and prefer Darknesse before it either they must receive sight and direction from it again or continue still in ignorance and the shadow of death but doth God look up all or most mens eyes in such darknesse No for this blindnesse by our Doctrine befals onely such as have deserved it by the forementioned sins which once removed by Repentance the
partly Lucians partly Jeroms partly Theodotions the Heretick partly anothers he knows not ‖ whose Do we think the Trent Councel did examin every part of that translation or did they know as much as Bellarmin hath confessed that it should call so many Fathers and one Heretick amongst the rest Doubtless this is a miraculous Power of their Holy Church that the Holy Ghost doth but keep men from errour whilest they are living but the Pope and his councels Infallibilitie can keep an Heretick whom they knew not living from having erred after he is dead And whereas the Almighty Creatour of Heaven and Earth did but make Light shine out of Darknesse the incomprehensible Omnipotence of the Popes Infallibilitie can make Darknesse Light and Light Darknesse For otherwise why might not the Pope and the Councel have yielded the assurance of their Omnipotent Spirit unto some then living for authentick Translation Or why did they not admit Franc. Foreriâ—s Correction of the Vulgar for authentick seeing his skil in the Hebrew and good wil to the old Vulgar was so great The Reason sure why they would admit of this hodgepodge Translation before any better was as I have said to shew hereby the Popes Infallibilitie to be more then most Omnipotent and Incomprehensible They contend for the Vulgar under the Title of Hierom and yet where it is evident that Hierom did not translate the Psalmes which they use they wil not admit that Translation of them which is every where extant and without controversie is Hieroms own 7 Yet thus much I perceive by Bellarmines Answer That as an Heretick or unknown Author may erre in a Translation because he is not infallibly assisted by the Holy Ghost but yet it must be Believed that an Heretick did not erre in that Translation which the Pope and Councel hath approved So a Jesuite may perhaps commit a Murder because his order is not so holy as can warrant him from falling into mortal Sin but if it should please the Pope or Clergie of Rome to interpret the sixth Commandment otherwise we must Believe that no Jesuite doth commit any Murder in that man-slaughter or bloud-shed which the Church approves albeit he treacherously stab his Soveraign Lord the Lords anointed If it please the Pope he may antedate his Pardon or legitimate such hellish brood ere it come to light as wel as authenticate an Heretick's Translation a thousand years after his bones be rotten These are the sweet fruits of this supposed infallible Rule of Faith and Manners but of the Villanies included in this Position hereafter I now only give the Reader notice of the ridiculous Use of the same amongst themselves For what a sweet Decision was that concerning Grace and Free-Wil but lately so eagerly controversed in Spain to the publick scandal of that Church First Silence was enjoyned all for four years and afterwards Vasquez set as a brach to hunt a prey for the Romish Lion to take if he could have rouzed any to his liking Is this the Use of your infallible Rule Should Christians trouble the Turk with their Contentions he could decide as wel on this fashion as the Pope The Moscovite already hath far surpassed him in this kind of composing or rather avoiding Controversies For he not many years ago how affected now I cannot tell would have no preaching in his Dominions lest Schismes and Heresies might thereby be occasioned 8 Were not the Consequences of this Opinion so commodious to the Roman Clergie for matters of this life and so prejudicial to all other good Christians Hopes of attaining that other far better life I should have thought that Valentian Bellarmin and other such as have been most copious in this Argument had but sought to set out Commentum aliquo â—… ridiculum some artificial Foolerie to make the World sport For what better merriment could an ingenious Student wish then in his hours of recreation to descant upon their serious pains in setting a shew of Gravity upon idle foolish Arguments as uncapable of Theological as an Ape of Tragick attire But why should we consort with Hell which no doubt makes it self merry at these great Disputers Folly thus unwittingly employed to purchase the miserable solace of infernal Powers by their own eternal Sorrow without Repentance As the Opinion it self is most ridiculous to any unpartial judgement so even for this reason is the Consequence most lamentable to any indued with Humane Affection For what greater or more just Occasion of most grievous Sorrow could be presented to a religious true English Heart then to see so great a part of the Christian World especially so many of his Native Countrey-men for such ridiculous apish Impostures and false pretences of bringing Gods People under such a Government in matters of Faith as is usually in Secular States increase old Israels Rebellion and incur their grievous Curse not yet expired by casting off their Redeemer the Wisdom of God and judge of quick and dead from being their King or Supreme Judge of Controversies in Religion For why should it seem uncouth unto any Christian that Christ himself though sitting in his Throne of majestie in Heaven should be the onely Supreme infallible Judge in all Controversies concerning his own or his Apostles Precepts or Gods Laws in general For who could justly except against us if we should say That to most Physitians thorow Europe Hippocrates or Galen to Lawyers Justinian were the sole Authentick Judge No Physitian in any other Countrey exacts Subscription to his Opinions of any living in this further then upon examination they shall prove consonant either to Galen or Hippocrates or be evidently grounded on Reason Or do we exclude all use or certainty of Juridical Decisions in matters of Right and Wrong though the Judges be but ordinarie because Lawyers have no Authentick living Judge to determine infallibly of such Controversies as may arise amongst themselves in speculative points of their Profession 9 It is supposed that good Students in any Facultie have wit and art with other good means for finding out their classick Authours Sentence alreddie given whose Writings in this respect may be truly said to be their followers Judges though every one of them be a private Judge in matters of Practise Yet is it a Paradox in us to say Gods written Word is the Judge of such Controversies as arise amongst professed Divines or Ecclesiastick Judges themselves What if all of them do not agree about the true Sense and Meaning of that Word whereto all appeal No more do Physitians alwayes in their interpretations of Hippocrates or Galen yet have not their disagreements for ought I have read bred Civil Warres in the Countreys wherein they live nor doth their variance bring any danger to wise-mens Bodies but rather all dangers are by this means discovered and safer choice left others what Opinions or Prâ—… to follow or refuse or in what Cases it is most safe or dangerous to
manifested to the peoples consciences was to over-sway the contrary proposals of known Prophets though never so peremptory Nor was it impossible for Prophets to avouch their own conceits under the name of divine Revelations more immediately sent from God then the Pope pretends witnesse the †man of God that went from Judâ—h to Bethd seduced by his fellow Prophets faigned revelation from an Angel counselling him to divert into his house contrary to the Lords commandment given before The ones dealing was I confesse most unusual so was the others death yet a lively document to cause all that should hear of it until the worlds â—nd take heed of dispensing with the word of the Lord once made known unto themselves upon belief of more manifest revelations or instructions by what means soever given to others either for recalling or restrainingâ— Hence may the Reader desâ—ry as wel the height of our adversaries folly as the depth of their impiety making their Churches authority which by theâ— own acknowledgement cannot adde more books to the number of the Canon already finished but only judge which are Canonicâ—… which not â—ar greater then theirs was that did preach and write these very books which both we and they acknowledge for Canonical For the Prophets words were no rule of faith until examined and tried by the written word precedent or approved by the event the Popes must be without trial examination or further approbation then his own bare assertion CAP. XIX That the Church representative amongst the Jews was for the most part the most corrupt judge of matters belonging to God and the reasons why it was so 1 â—… Ut was the neglect of Moses law or this peoples inward corruption abounding for want of restraint by it the sole cause of their dulnesse in perceiving or of their errour in perverting the things of Gods spirit This overflow of wickednesse served as a tide to carry them but the continual blasts of such vain doctrine Templum Domini Templum Domini the Church the Church was like a boisterous wind to drive them headlong into those sands wherein they alwayes made shipwrack of faith and conscience The true Prophets never had greater opposites then the Priests and such as the Papists would have to be the only pillars yea the only material parts of the Church representative Not withstanding whom the Fathers had traduced for impostors or Sectaries and oft times murdered as Blasphemers of the Deity or turbulent members of the State the Children reverenced as men of God and messengers of peace unto the Church and common-weal What was the reason of this diversity in their judgement or doth it argue more stedfast Belief in posterity No but more experience of the events foretold oft-times not fulfilled until the Priests and other opposits either coaevals or ancients to the Prophets were covered with confusion The childrens motives to believe particulars oppugned by their parents were greater and the impediments to withdraw their asâ—â—nt from them lesse That the children should thus brook what their fathers most disliked in the Prophets is no more then we may observe in other Writers Few much reverenced in any faculty by posterity but had eager detractors in their flourishing dayes Vicinity alwayes breeding Envy And even of such as did not aemulate them for their skil nor would have been moved with envy at their fame or glory they were not esteemed as they deserved being defrauded of due praise by such of the same profession as better pleased the predominant Humor alwayes next in election to the lavish Magnificats of present times but usually rejected by posterity when that particular humour evermore shorter lived then the humorous began to change Thus in every Faculty have those Authors which most applied themselves to solidity of truth neglecting new-fangle tricks or flashes of extemporary wit endured in greatest request and best Credit throughout all ages as meats strongest and most nourishing not most delicate are fittest for continual diet What the Latin Poet said of his Poems every Prophet might have more truly applied unto his writings Mox tibi si quis adhuc pretendat nubila livor Occidet meriti post me referentur bonores Though clouds of envy now may seem thy splendent rayes to choak These with my ashes shall dissolve and vanish as their smoak What whilst I breath sharp censures blast when my leaf fals shall spring Thy fame must flourish as I fade Grave honour forth shall bring It was a method most compendious for attaining such eternity of fame as the continual succession of mortality can affoord us which is given by another Poet but in Prose Dum vivas virtutem colas invenies famam in Sepulchro He that hunts after Vertue in his whole course of Life shall be sure to meet with Fame after Death but hardly sooner least of all could these Prophets be much honoured in their own Country whilest men of their own profession carnally minded possessed the chief seats of dignity sometimes the best stay and pillars of faith in Gods Church most capable of that infallibility which their proud successors did more boast of Yet were even these seducers alwayes willing to celebrate the memory of ancient prophets because the authority given to their sayings or reverence shewed unto their memory by the present people over whom they ruled did no way prejudice their own dignity or estimation which rather increased by thus consorting with the multitude in their Laudatoes of Holy men deceased Thus from one and the same inordinate desire of honour and praise from men did contrary effects usually spring in these masters of Israel The dead they reverenced because they saw that acceptable unto most and likely to make way for their own praise amongst the people but fear lest the living Prophets should be their corrivals in Suites of Glory whereunto their souls were wholly espoused did still exasperate and whet the malice of impatient minds conscious of their own infirmities against their doctrine which could not be embraced but their estimation must be impaired their affections crossed their politick projects dashed The higher in dignity the Priests and Rulers were the more it vexed them such poor men as the true Prophets for the most part were should take upon them to direct the people Their objections against those men of God their scurrilous taunts and bitter â—… their odious imputations forged to make way for bloudy persecutiâ—… are most lively represented by the like practises of the Romish Clergâ—e â—…d almost as many years against the Albigeans Hussites and geâ—… against all whom they suspect to have any familiarity with the Spirit â—… testimony against them is as authentick as evident only overâ—…gh Gods permission in the worlds sight by prejudice of privateâ—… Thus when poor Michaiah would not say as the King would have â—… the politick State-Prophet Zidkiah son of Chenaanah gave him a â—… the cheek to beat an answer out to
over Satan himself then in Moses over his Schollers the Enchanters especially whiles compared with known Prophesies of the Messias did point him out to be The womans Seed ordained of old to bruise the Serpents head to be the Son of man appointed to erect the everlasting Kingdom foretold by Daniel unto whose and other prophesies he refers his enemies in that speech But if I by the spirit or as S. Luke reads by the Finger of God cast out Devils then is the Kingdom of God come unto you Yet were not all his miracles of this kind thus considered so effectual to confirm the faithful or so pregnant to condemn all unbelievers as the former Rule of Moses For this cause after the former dispute ended he gave his adversaries such a Sign as if it did follow would infallibly prove him to be that great Prophet Moses there speaks of and consequently leave them liable to Gods heavy judgement without excuse for not hearkening unto him Of which hereafter 6 Here I may once for all conclude that the power of doing miracles was as effectual to assure such as did them of salvation as sight of them done was to establish spectators in saving faith But the power of casting Devils out or doing greatest miracles was no infallible pledge of salvation to such as did them much lesse could the acknowledgement of this divine power in them breedful assurance of true faith in others but only serve as a means to cause them rely upon the Law and Prophets as their only rule and to taste and prove the bread of life proffered to them by our Saviour which alone could ascertain them their names were written in the book of life But to proceed by the former rule 7 If others by Experiments answerable to it were known to be true Prophets Christ likewise by his known supereminency in that which approved them was to be acknowledged for The Prince of Prophets Now if we revise the History of the old Testament how few Prophets shall we find endowed with the gift of miracles such as were did exercise their power rather among Idolaters then true professors So when Gods messengers were brought to as open competition with Baals Priests in the King of Israels as Moses had been with the Enchanters in Pharaohs Court Elias makes his Calling as clear as the light by calling down fire from heaven which Baals Priests attempting in most furious manner could not effect but Elias professed thus much before as Baals Priests no question had done so as the event answering to his prediction not to the others did by Moses rule demonstrate him to be them not to be Prophets of the living God But when the like controversie was to be tried between Zidkiah and his four hundred complices on the one part and Micaiah on the other before King Ahab in whom Elias late miracles and later threats had wrought such a distaste of Baal and such a liking of the truth in general as he would not consult either any professed servant of the one or open oppugner of the other for his future successe Micaiah as was observed before appeals to this law of Moses as most competent Judge between such as joyntly did embrace it If thou return in peace the Lord hath not spoken by me as if he had said what Moses there doth he hath not put his word in my mouth And having brought his controversie to this trial he desires the people to contestate the issue thus joyned and he said hearken all ye people From this and many like cases ruled by the former express and pregnant law of Moses Jeremy pleads his warrant being born down by the contradictions of Hananiah a professed Prophet of the Lord as he was but of greater favour in the Court because he prophesied peace unto the present state and good successe to the Projects then on foot Even the Prophet Jeremiah said So beâ—it the Lord so do the Lord confiâ—…ly words which thou hast prophefied to restore the vessels of the Lords house and all that is carried Captive from Basel into this place But hear thou now this word that I will speak in thine ears and in the ears of all the people The Prophets that have been before me and before thee in times past propheted against many Countries and against great kingdoms of war and of plagues and of Pestilence And the Prophet which prophesieth of peace when the word of the Prophet shall come to passe then shall the Prophet be known that the Lord hath truly sent him Ezechid likewise refers himself to the same trial amongst such as were professed heared of the word in general which they would not obey in particular And to thou art unto them as a jesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can sing well for they hear thy words and do them not And when this â—oweth to passe for lo it will come then shall they know that a Prophet hath been among them 8 From these debatements we may gather in what cases the former rule held for certain First negatively it was universally true for he that prophesied any thing which came not to passe did sufficiently prove himself to be no true Prophet but a Counterfeit So did not every prediction of what afterwards came to passe necessarily argue it to have been from God Yet as the force and vertue of many things not such of themselves became evident from vicinity or irritution of their contraries so though God permitted some to foretel strange events for trial of his peoples faith yet this power he restrained when the controversie came to a Formal trial then he caused the true Prophets words to stand whiles the predictions of the false and the Princes bloud which relied upon them fell to the ground like Dagon before the Ark. So as the fulfilling of what the one and frustrating of what the other had said did sufficiently manifest the one had spoken of himself presumptuously the other what the Lord hath put into his mouth Hence is the determination easie what means this people had to discem amongst true Prophets which was That Great one in all things like to Moses First if events foretold did sufficiently testifie of his divine spirit his own witnesse of himself would be authentick because a true Prophet could hardly lie or make himself greater then he was This is an argument which directly confutes such as acknowledge Christ to have been a Prophet sincere in doctrine and mighty in deeds and yet deny him to be The Prince of that profession The great Mediator of the new Covenant both which he often avouched Because the quantity of that spirit whose sincere quality manifested him to be a Prophet would notifie his excessive Greatnesse in that rank and order or more directly to the question 9 The great Prophet there spoken of was to be known by his similitude with Moses who was as the Symbol or
as shall be declared in due place The place he means is where he disputes whether the Pope be bound to consult other authority besides his own or use any means to search the truth before he passe sentence ex cathâ—dra that is before he charge the whole Christian World to believe his decision This he thinks expedient but so far forth onely as if it please his Holinesse to enjoyn the belief of some particular point upon the whole World all must believe that he hath consulted Scripture and Antiquity as far as was requisit for that point as you shall after hear 2 That in such Controversies he includes The means of knowing Scriptures to be the Word of God is evident out of his own words in the fore-cited place For the knowledge of Scriptures he would have to be an especial point of faith yet such as cannot be proved by Scripture but by this living and speaking authority as he expressely contends in the eleventh paragraph of the same question His conclusion is If it be necessary there should be some authority though humane yet by divine assistance infallible to sit as Mistresse and Judge in all controversies of faith and not to be appropriated to any deceased as is already proved it remains that it be alwayes living in the Church alwayes present amongst the faithfull by succession he means of Popes Thus you see the present Pope must be Judge and Christ and his Apostles must be brought in as witnesses And yet whether there were such a Christ as Saint Matthew Mark Luke and John tell us there was or whether the Gospels which go under their names be Apocryphal and that of Bartholomews onely Canonical we cannot know but by the Popes testimony so that in the end he is the onely Judge and onely witnesse both of Christ the Apostles and their writings yea of all divine truths at least assisted with his Bishops and Cardinals Which Bellarmine though otherwise a great deal more wary then Valentian hath plainly uttered Unlesse saith he it were for the authority of the present Church of Rome he means the Trent Councel the whole Christian faith might be called in question so might all the Acts and Decrees of former Councels his reason was because we cannot know these Antiquities but onely by Tradition and historical relation which are not able to produce divine firme infallible faith 3 Thus whilest this great Clerk would dig a pit for the blind for he could not hope I think this block should stumble any that hath eyes in his head he is fallen into the middest of it himself by seeking to undermine us he hath smothered himself and buried the cause he was to maintain For if without the Trent Councels testification we cannot by divine faith believe the Scriptures or former Councels to be of Divine authority How can such as were born within these thirty yeers believe that Councel it seâ—t which ended above fourty years ago Few this day living were Auditors of the Cardinals and Bishops decisions there assembled not hearing them their saith must needs be grounded upon hear-sayes Again if it be true the Scriptures cannot be known to be divine but by the Authority of the present viâ—ible Church If this Church do not viva voâ—â— confirme all Christians in this fundamental truth their faith cannot be divine but hu mane What the Pope or his Cardinals think of these points is more then any living knows unlesâ—e they hear them speak and then it may be a great question whether they speak as they think Pope Alexander the sixths decisions should have been negative like the fools bolt in the Psalm Tâ—erâ— is no God No Christ No Gospel for so his meaning might have been interpreted as they say dreams are by contraries seeing he never spake as he thought Lastly if the Trent Councel were so necessary for the confirmation of Scriptures and other Orthodoxal writings how detestable was your Clergies backwardnesse to affoord the Christian World this spiritual comfort For whether fear it were the Popes Authority should be curbed on meer sloth and neglect of matters divine that did detain them their shifts to put the Emperour off the Reader may sufficiently conjecture from Sepul veda at that time Chronicler to the Emperour in his Epistle to Cardinal Contâ—râ—â— one of the Popes Legates in that Councel That my intermissâ—â—n of writing and silence in that question concerning the Correction of the â—ear hath 〈◊〉 so long I wish the fault had laid in my slouth or forgetfulneâ—â— that I might have been hence ocâ—asioned to acknowledge and depreccate the blanâ—â— rather then as noâ— I freely must impute the true cause to the negligence of your Romanâ— Priests whom I perceive to wax cold and to think of nothing lesse then of calling the Councel with hopâ— whereof as heretâ—fore I was excited so now â—â—spair hath made me dull For I see well that such as are most bound to have a â—â—gilant care oâ— the Churches publick welfare and not to foreslow any opportunity of increasing her dignity never so much as mention the Councel at this time as necâ—ssary as alwayes usefull but when Christians either are alâ—caay or are likâ—… be at viriance In one word never but then when there is sure hope it may bâ—… hindeâ—ed by their discord For when peace gets it turn and all is quiet not 〈◊〉 word of the Councel So as what they aime at by these unseasonable 〈◊〉 is so manifest as will not suffer the slon est capacity to live in doubt or sâ—â—pition 4 This great Learned Antiquaries Learned advice in â—…â—ile sent to the same Cardinall then imployed by the â—… cel was not to suffer matters Decreed in any former â—… assembled together to be disputed or called in question Sufferance hereof was in his judgement no lesle prejudicial to the State Ecclesiastick then unto the temporal it would be to permit malefactors traverse the equity of publick Lawes established and known after sufficient proof or confession made of Capital offences committed against them The marginal quotations of the Trent Councel compared with this grave admonition which had antiquitie-customes Canonical as the Authour urgeth to give it Countenance may serve as a perfect Index for our instruction with what prejudice the Bishops there assembled came to determine by whose manuduction or set rules they drew their supposed inerrable lines of life Now it is impossible any determination that takes it force from multitude of voyces should be either in it self more certain or more forcible to perswade others then are the motives or inducements that swayed the suffragants so to determine and these in this case could by Bellarmines reason be but historical perswasions or presumptions For no Jesuite I think will say these Bishops had the Popes sentence ex Cathedra to assure them before-hand what Councels had been lawfully called and fully confirmed or whether all the ancient Canons they afterwards reestablished were already as authentick and
were disposed to continue any ancient or hereditarie Fâ—bood with the posteritie of their Predecessors greatest enemies as lineal descents of royal Families out of their personal love unto their Ancestors usually do unto the great damage of their state and Countrie It is significantly spoken by the Evangelist That the ten Kings should give their authority unto the beast thereby instructing us that Antichrist should grow great by Princes favours and gracious priviledges bestowed upon him not as the Jesuite absurdly imagines by taking authority unto himself by strong hand before it was given as the Turks or Saracens or other Barbarians have done But to proceed not the infidelity of Turk of Jew or Saracen not malignant Apostacie is to be compared with this kind of Idolatry and blasphemy we now dispute against The Turk calumniates the Cross the Jew accuseth Christ himself as an impostor but neither make him Author or approver of such impieties as they commit The Jesuit Fathers such prodigious villanies as his soul from Satans suggestion hath conceived upon his Saviour all other Hereticks or Idolaters Turks Infidels or Apostates do then onely or principally offer contumelies unto Christ and Christianity when they open their mouths and vent their bitterness against him But of this Whore and her attendants that Proverb is most truely verified Sive scortum benedicat sive maledicat perinde est The contumelies offered by them to Christ are all one always most grievous whether they bless or curse whether they magnifie or blaspheme his holy Name Whilest they profess such absolute Allegeance to the Pope the Son of perdition Christs greatest enemy in taking our Redeemers praises in their mouthes they do but adde prophane scurrility unto blasphemy using him herein more contemptuously then the Souldiers which bowed their knees unto him but buffet his face salute him as a King and yet wound his head by putting a crown of thorns upon it 9 But some out of charity not to be blamed will here demand Do all the maintainers of this strange Doctrine expresly and wittingly conceive as meanly or despitefully of Christ as these dissolute Roman Souldiers did though willingly for their own advantage to cloak their secret scoffs and mockery of his spiritual Kingdom with outward demeanure more decent and reverent then the others used Do all the learned of that Religion in heart approve that commonly reported saying of Leo the Tenth Quantum profuit nobis fabula Christi and yet resolve as Cardinal Carafa did Quoniam populus iste vult decipi decipiatur to nuzle the people in their credulity For mine own part as yet I cannot think so though I have been friendly censured for saying the contrary Many of them I am perswaded think they honour Christ as much as the best in the reformed Churches do But doth this their conceit or imaginarie love to him lessen their wrong in respect of those contumelies offered him by the heathen Rather in the learned it is a Symptom of that grievous plague inflicted upon the Jews That seeing they should not see that hearing they should not hear nor understand no sign at all of better reall affection towards Christ but rather a token of greater servility unto Satan or of that strange spiritual drunkennesse spoken of by the Evangelist Their hearts and heads are not acquainted the one endites what Satan suggests and moves their outward members to act what he commands the other interprets all done in honour of Christ as if a man should be so deeply intoxicated with some pleasant poison as to enforce it upon his dearest friend for an extraordinary dainty Finally that these great Clerks should thus acknowledge Christ for the Redeemer of the world and yet admit every Pope for his Compeer and thus devoutly embrace the doctrine of Devils is an undoubted document they are the sworn-followers of Him whose comming is by the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders and in all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse amongst them that perish That which especially causeth many of us to doubt whether the Jesuites do not aequivocate when they speak well of Christ is because their learning and judgement are on the one side so great and this imagination on the other so prodigiously absurd and sottish as one cannot possibly better brook the others company in the same heart or brain then the most flourishing Prince or Potentate in the World could the beastliest sluttish Shee fool living for the onely consort of his bed howsoever these cunning Panders in pride of their nimble wits may hope to betroth more simple souls unto this out-cast of hell And though experience in some sort hath proved it true that no opinion was ever proposed so absurd but found some Philosopher for it Patron yet this imagination of the Popes transcendent authority farre exceeds the limits of any experiments or observation made in Philosophers answerable to the former Axiom Notwithstanding the more their infatuation of whom we speak exceeds the bounds of all folly or vanity meerly natural the more it ascertains to us the truth of the Apostles prediction in the place late cited Doubtless because they received not the love of the truth therefore hath God sent them strong delusions that they should believe lies The fulfilling of which prophecie is most conspicuous in the modern Jesuites the principal maintainers of this doctrin For were they not men of rare wit and exquisit learning were not this opinion withall of all that are or can be imagined the most sottishly improbable and preposterously impious the print of Gods finger thus confounding their brain could not be so eminent or discernable The first bait cast out by Satan was but to draw the Romish Clergie unto practices so suspitious amongst the people that they could not be justified but by a conceit of infallibility and not checking their pride being challenged of error in doctrin and impiety in their dealings the Lord gave them over to believe this monster of falshood and untruth a bottomlesse pit of hypocritical preposterous blasphemies 10 Would to God the daylie ambitious practices of many that are or would be in great place amongst us the pronenesse of most to transgresse the bounds of lawfull authority and their unreadinesse to recall their errours though never so grosse their extream impatience of all impeachment by men as far their Superiours in spiritual graces as their inferiours in secular dignitie did not plainly shew the passage from that point where these mens resolutions anchor unto this new Tyre the Rock of honour and seat of pride to be but short and the transportation easie if opportunities of Time and Tide did serve them But of the particular temptations and opportunities that did first drive the Romanists into this harbour as also of inveterate errours in other points and reliques of Heathenish dispositions whereby they tow others after them elsewhere according to my promise if God permit At this time it shall