most probable which Iosephus holds that Ioshua Eleazar and some of the elders of Israel went up with Moses to the mount Nebo but after his death that the Angells carried his body to the valley of Moab and then it was buried where no man knoweth The Angels buried Moses his bodie The Angels are ministring spirits to the godly in this life and at their death they carrie their soules to heaven but they carry not their bodies to the grave This was a singular favour showne to Moses that the Lord buried him by the ministrie of Angels They attended Christs grave but yet they buried him not as they did the body of Moses Not to be buried is a great judgement Eccles 6.3 An untimely birth is better than he that gets no buriall It was a great judgement upon Iehojakim Ier. 22.18 who got insepultam sepulturam and no man lamented his death saying Ah my brother ah my sister or ah my Lord ah my glorie vers 18. The Iewes pray to deliver them from foure things first from the circumcision of the Sechemites Gen. 34.26 Secondly from the Religion of the Samaritans Thirdly from the death of the uncircumcised Ezech. 28.10 And fourthly from the buriall of Iehojakim that they get not the buriall of an asse Ierem. 22.19 Moses his buriall was the most honourable buriall that ever was it was more honourable than their buriall who got the burning of their fathers 2 Chro. 21.19 1 Chro. 16.14 And more honourable than the burial of Gamaliel for whom Onkelos burnt an hundreth pound of frankincense for the honour of the dead It was a more honourable buriall than the buriall of those who were buried in the garden of their fathers buriall 2 Kin. 21.18 It was more honourable then these who were buried in the citie of David But consider the attendants who attended his buriall Abner his buriall was an honourable buriall when all the people mourned for him and the King himselfe followed the hearse and wept 2 Sam. 3.31 But here the Angels waited upon his buriall and God himselfe attended the hearse to the buriall and was the chiefe mourner there When a private man died lamentation was made but seven dayes for him Syrac 22.13 but they lamented for Moses thirtie dayes and they cryed out ah our brother ah our Lord ah our glorie Ier. 22.18 thus God honoureth them who honour him He buried him in a place where no man knew He buried his body Where no man knew ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the abolishing of Idolatry yet Moses was present with Christ at the transfiguration Mat. 17.3 So these who are buried in the sea blowne in the aire and burnt to ashes and no man knoweth what is become of their bodies yet they shall appeare before the Lord in the day of the resurrection Michael buried the body of Moses What if the Church of Rome had the body of Moses now and knew it to be his body would they burie it or not Whether would they stand for Michael or the devill They might say that it was a fit thing to burie it at that time because the people was an ignorant people then and Satan was ready to move them to Idolatrie But now seeing they would give no worship to it but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they might safely set it up to be worshipped In the time of Ioshua Idolatrie did not so increase the elders who out lived Ioshua and who were in age when they came out of Egypt and remembred what the Lord had done for Israel the iniquitie of Baalpeor did not cleave unto them but the rest were not cleansed from the iniquitie of Baalpeor Iosh 22.17 Is the iniquitie of Baalpeor to little for us from which we are not cleansed unto this day they committed no new Idolatrie but the filthinesse of Baalpeor clave unto them because they repented not of that iniquitie In every sinne there are foure things to be considered first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the transgression of the Law secondly reatus the guilt which obligeth the partie who sinneth to undergoe the punishment Thirdly macula the blot which defileth the soule and lastly the punishment it selfe The first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the transgression of the Law and the consequents of the transgression are the guilt the blot and the punishment The guilt of sinne bindes a man to answer for the transgression of the Law and it stands in the middest betwixt the sinne and the punishment and goeth immediately before the punishment and it is more terrible than the punishment Cap. 4. de divinis nomi nibus part 4. Therefore Dionysius said well non est malum puniri sed fieri poena dignum that is it is not evill to be punished but to deserve punishment yet wretched sinners are affraid of the punishment but not of the guilt but the martyres of God chose rather to indure the greatest torments then to incurre the guilt of sinne If we would escape the punishment we must first looke that the guilt be removed Manie thinke when the sinne is past and forgotten in their mindes then there is no more punishment to follow but if the guilt lie still unpardoned the sinne remaineth still Iosephs brethrens sinne lay over twenty yeares and this sinne which they committed at Baalpeor lay over a long time unrepented of but as long as the guilt remained so long were they subject to punishment the punishment alwaies followeth the guilt as the shadow doth the body The Apostle 1 Cor. 11. faith ye shal be guiltie of the body and bloud of Christ that is of the punishment which he deserveth who abuseth the body bloud of our Lord. The third thing considerable in sinne is the blot or staine of sinne in the soule This staine blots the soule as Inke cast upon a Laune cloath defileth it and even as in bodily things spots taketh away that nitor and brightnesse which is in the body so doth sinne deprive the soule of grace and makes it deformed Saul was as comely and proper a man as was in all Israel and he was Tobh bonus id est pulcher Tobh 2 Sam. 9.2 Yet this blot of sinne so defiled him that he was no more the sonne of Kish the Benjamite Kish Kush but the sonne of Kush the Blacke-more or Ethiopian Psal 7. in the inscription The Lord that he may take away this guilt and this blot he opened a fountaine in the house of David for sinne and uncleannesse Zach. 13.1 for sinne to take away the guilt and for uncleannesse to take away the blot Christ was not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the price of our redemption Math. 20.28 but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Laver of regeneration to wash away these spots Ephes 5.26 Tit. 3.5 He came not by blood onely nor by water onely but both by blood and water by blood for our justification and by water for our sanctification He that is washed
saith Christ hath no neede but that his feete be washed that is he who is washed in the blood of Christ hath no neede to bee washed over againe but yet he hath neede that his feete be washen â—hat is the remnants of sinne which cleaves dayly unto us hath neede to be washed away by the water of sanctification and here he alludes to the custome of those who went into a bath to bee washed when their bodies were washed the filth ranne downe to their feete and they were last washed The fourth is the punishment which is dew for the transgression of the Law The fourth is the punishment every sinner violates an order set downe and therefore is justly punished by him whose ordinance he breakes The will of man is subject to three superiors Gershon par 3. First it is subject to reason Secondly it is subject to the magistrate and lastly and above all to God Therfore man is justly punished by al those three and first he is punished by the sting of conscience because he transgressed against reason Secondly he is punished by the magistrate because he disobeyed him and thirdly by God himselfe in tormenting him in the hels Nam quaecun que res aberratab uno ordine impellitur in alterum ut quod aberrat ab ordine misericordiae reponitur in ordine justitiae unde non minus ordinate collocatur damnatus in inferno quam beatus in paradiso i. e. that which declines from one order is brought into another as that which declines from mercy is reduced to justice and therefore the damned are as justly placed in the hels as the blessed in the heavens The Israelites in Ioshua his time were guilty of the sin which their fathers committed with Baal Peor because they did not begge pardon for it therefore the Saints pray Ps 97.8 RemeÌ„ber not against us the faults of our predecessors that is which we have allowed and not repented of being taught by the example of our predecessors Of the increase of Idolatry in the time of the Iudges When they forgat the great workes of the Lord they served Baalim and the groves Iudg. 3.7 All their Idols were called Baalim and it was nomen transcendens amongst them and sometimes it was contracted into Bel All their Idols were Baalim and some had a proper name for distinction sake Esay 46.1 and for distinction sake some of the particular idols were called Baal Peor some Baal berith and some Baal zebub Baal signifieth him who hath power and dominion over one Man was made a free creature onely to serve the Lord and for him to become a slave to an Idoll what a base subjection was this This word Baal so displeased the Lord that hee refused to be called any more Baal but Ishi The Lord refused to be called Baal Hos 2.16 17. The first was nomen dominii the second familiaritatis Names that are degenerate Verbum sublatum men will not be content to be called by them Magus was a good name at the first but now it is degenerate and no man will be content to be called a magitian So Idiota at the first signified a private man 1 Cor. 14.23 If there come in the unlearned In the greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idiots but now this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is degenerate and taken for a foole and no man will be content to be called an Idiot The Christians at the first were called Nazarets Acts 24.5 but because this name did degenerate into a sect therefore it was changed and they were called Christians Act. 11.26 So words that were exoleta and out of use Verbum exoletum may now be used being come in use againe there was no name more hated of old then to be called wise Rom. 1.22 Professing themselves to be wise The most excellent men of old would not be called wise men but Philosophers Lovers of wisedome they shunned that name of wisdome they took not that title to themselves nor would be content that others should give them it but now it is come in use So this word mysterium was at the first a heathenish word used in their heathenish worship But now the Lord hath sanctified it and it is come in use This word Baal was so degenerate that God would not be called after it any more God charges his Church not to take this name Baal in their mouth and as God would not be called by this name Baal So he charges his Church not to take the name of their heathenish gods in her mouth Exod. 23.13 Psa 16.4 I will not take their names in my mouth To take their names in her mouth signifieth the naming and retaining of their names as they conduced any way to the upholding of their superstition even as on the contrary by Putting of the true Gods name unto a place Deut. 12.5 signifieth the placing of his religion and ordinances there and his name is said to be forgotten when false worship is set up Psal 44.20 To name the names of Idols for distinction sake and for a civill use is no sinne To name the names of Idols for civill use and distinction but not for religion that was a thing lawfull and not forbidden as Daniel named often the name of Baalthasar although he had his name from Baal So Nabuchadnezzer although he had his name from Nebo that Idoll Esay 46.1 and Paul himselfe named Areopagus Mars streete Acts 17.19 for distinction sake in a civill use as he sailed in a ship which had the badge of Castor Pollux Act. 28.11 when Rabsekah called God Iehovah Esay 36.7 he honoured not God So they dishonored not God when they used these names for a civill distinction Why the tribe of Reuben changed the names of Neb and Baalmeon Ob. But the tribe of Reuben changed those Idolatrous names of Nebo and Baal meon Num. 32.38 why did they not retaine those names and keepe them for a civill use and distinction Answ This they did because now they had made a new conquest of the Land and the ancient inhabitants were to be cast out of it they gave these names now as if it had never beene possessed before It is not unlawfull to call a man Balthasar for distinction sake but if a man were to baptize his child and should call him Balthasar that were to Initiate him to Baal and to use this name not in a civill use but in a religious And thus he should honour Baal The Lord would not communicate in any thing with Idols The Lord would not be named by the Idoll Baal He would not communicate with Idolls in any thing First in the name as he refused to be called Baal Secondly he would not be worshipped in the same place with the Idoll therefore when Dagon was set up beside the Arke he threw it downe and brake the necke of it Thirdly he will not be worshipped with
A difference betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must put a difference betwixt these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were those who any wayes were possessed by the devill they were called also arrepticij 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were those whom Sathan possessed in the full moone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were those who were Christians but for their abuse of the holy mysteries of God they were possessed by Sathan for a time and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was a naturall disease which wee call madnesse Those Daemoniackes and Lunatickes were onely cured by the Lord himselfe and his power Those who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were cured by the exorcistes in the Primitive Church and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 madnesse was cured by Physicke and naturall meanes Heat and moist makes the braine to swell Sathan observing this vexes the Lunatickes Satan knowing well the naturall cause of things and that the moone is hote and moist it is hote as the sunne although not in so high a degree Psal 121.6 〈◊〉 sunne shall not burne thee by day nor the moone by night He knew also that she was humide and moist and fit to nourish things Therefore the Scriptures call herbes protrusiones lunares the pretious things brought foorth by the moone Deut. 33.14 Because the moone is humide and hot she workes upon our braines and makes them to swell up heate and moysture causes things to swell up as wee see in leaven Therefore the scripture cals pedom fermentatum a swelling foote Deut. 8.4 neither was thy foote fermented that is it was not swelled so heate and moisture causeth the braine to swell in the full moone and Satan observing this troubleth the braine of the Lunaticke then Every one that is Lunaticke is not a doemoniacke or possessed by a devill All Lunatickes are not doemoniackes neither are all Lunatickes upon whom the moone shines in her brightnesse If this disease depended simply upon the moone then all men should be doemoniackes Therefore to make them doemoniackes it was necessarie that the body should bee affected thus and thus so that the moone might afterward produce in the body this disease The moone workes nor so upon bodies that she produceth this effect upon them unlesse they be so affected before that the moone may produce this effect upon them and when the devill affects the body so that he makes it subject to such an operation of the moone then hee that is Lunaticke is arreptitius and possessed by the devill The secohd sort were those whom Satan vexed not monethly but whensoever the fit tooke him There were others that Satan vexed at sundrie times but not monethly hee threw him in the fire or in the water Observe here first the devill vexed him who was possessed from his infancie secondly he vexed him both within and without without he threw him into the water and into the fire within wheresoever he taketh him he teareth him and he fometh and gnasheth with his teeth and pineth away Marke 9.18 He vexeth him from his infancie as the devill vexed this miserable creature from his infancie so the Lord hath his good Angels waiting upon infants to preserve them in their infancie Math. 18.10 Take heede that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that in heaven their Angels doe alwayes behold the face of God Angells have a care of all Gods little ones but especially of his little ones in age whom he sets downe as examples of imitation to all his little ones Math. 19. Secondly he threw him into the fire and into the water fire and water are the two elemens which are most necessarie for the use of man therefore those who were proscripti of old interdicibantur igne aqua Sathan abuses these two elements to the hurt of man either when he throwes him into the fire or into the water and the good Angels have a speciall care over young ones that they fall not into the fire or water this is a speciall part of their charge to preserve the sonnes of men Angels have a threefold motion first motum circularum their circular motion secondly they have motum rectum a straight motion up and downe and thirdly they have their reflexe motion Their circular motion they make to be this Dionysius areopagita de divinis nominibus cap. 4. when they are alwayes taken up in beholding the face of God who is Alpha and Omega without beginning and ending their direct motion they hold to be this when the Angels comes up and downe upon the Lord Iesus Christ to be the ministring spirits unto the Saint Iohn 1.51 And their reflex motion they make to bee this when one of the Angels cries to another and sayes Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts Esay 6.3 The devill threw him into the fire and water Ithiel Pro. 30.4 Who gathereth the wind into his fists who binds the waters in a garment and puts a bridle in the mouth of the sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marke 4.39 It is he that can bridle and restraine the Devils that they cannot hurt when and where it pleaseth them The Devill made him foame at the mouth and gnash with his teeth Marke 9. and teare himselfe if Satan can vexe so poore creatures when they are but as warders what will he doe to them when he hath them close prisoners in hell And if he hath so vexed the greene tree as Iob and the daughter of Abraham and this young child what will he doe to the withered trees and if his little finger have beene so heavie on poore creatures on earth here how heavie will his loynes be on them in hell where there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth Math. 13.42 This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or veterator labours to deceive our sight and that three manner of wayes The Devill deceives our sight three manner of wayes first by the object secondly by the mids and thirdly when he vitiates the organ it selfe first by the object when he shewed to Christ the glory of the whole world he thought to have deceived him by the object Math. 4. When the Moabites tooke the water to have beene blood when the sunne shined upon it 2 Kings 3.22 here the deceit was in the object secondly the deceit is in the mids when we put an oare in the water that part which is in the water seemes to be broken and that out of the water seemes to be whole the deceit is in the mids when we see a fish in the water the fish seemes more to us and nearer by reason that the thinner and rarer midse is next to our eye but the remote midse from our eye the water is more thicke and grosse but if a man were in the water and beheld another standing upon the brinke of the River he should seeme to the beholder much lesse than he is The
said that the Pharisees and Iohns disciples fasted but not Christs disciples the meaning is they fasted not usually as Iohns disciples and the Pharisees did but yet they fasted The third weapon to beate the devill is the sword of the spirit Ephes 6.16 take the sword of the spirit which is the word of God Cant. 2.8 It is called the sword of the spirit because it is directed immediately by the spirit and because this sword pierceth to the heart This sword differeth from the magistrates sword this sword proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord Rev. 1.10 and it is called the rod of his mouth Esay 11. but the magistrate carries his sword onely in his hand Thirdly this sword is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a two edged sword it can both kill and save The Magistrates sword can onely kill but never quicken to restore a man to life Sauls sword never returned emptie from the bloud of the slaine 2 Sam. 1.20 It alwayes killed but it could never quicken but this sword can doe both therefore it hath not beene unfitly compared to the bitter waters when the woman that was guiltie of adulterie dranke them her thigh rotted and she died but if shee had beene an honest woman then having dranke of these bitter waters she conceived and brought forth a child so this sword both killeth and quickneth This sword divides betwixt the soule and the spirit but the Magistrates sword divides onely the head from the body This sword is of greatest force against the devils tentations It was by this sword that Christ beat Satan and all his tentations Mat. 4. when the disciples returned backe from the preaching of the Gospel then Christ saith Luke 10.18 I saw Satan fall as lightning from heaven the preaching of the Gospel is the speciall meane to make Satan fall when David gat the sword of Goliah in his hand having experience of it before he said there is no sword like that 1 Sam. 21.10 so there is no sword like this sword in the spirituall combate against the devill Quest What if the Lord should suffer Satan to appeare to us in a visible shape whether might wee use the sword of the word against him or not Answ We may not Satan is a very subtill enemie and can easily circumvent us therefore wee should not reason with him did hee not deceive Eva in her best estate when she reasoned with him how shall wee be able then to resist him Our part onely then in such a case is this to turne about our faces to the Lord and weepe upon him and desire the Lord to rebuke him Object If it be said why may wee not use this sword against Satan if he should visilby appeare to us as wel as when wee are commanded to use it against his tentations Answ His tentations are not so subtill when hee tempts us as when hee appeares visibly to us face to face for his tentations are mixed with our corruptions which are not as subtill as Satan himselfe is and therefore it is easier to resist these tentations by the word than to resist Satan himselfe SECT 16. That Sorcerers and Witches should be put to death THere are three sorts of people whom Satan tempts first those whom he tempts contrary to their will as those who were possessed in the primitive Church called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those should not be put to death those they pittied and placed inter Catechumenos amongst those who were catechized in the Church The second sort are those who enter in an indirect covenant with the devill those were not put to death sed admonebantur tantum they were onely admonished Those who enter in direct covenant with the devill should die the death The third sort were those who entred into the direct covenant with the devill and those were to die the death Deut. 18.11 For all that doe these things are abomination to the Lord. So Lev. 20.27 The Iewes in their thirteene rules of expounding of the Scripture this is the eight rule when a precept is set downe it is not set downe ut doceat de se non exivit sed ut docrat de toto universâ— exivit Their meaning is if a thing be spoken generally elsewhere and then be explained more plainely this clearer explanation is to be referred to the generall Example the Magitians indefinitely are commanded to die the death Exo. 22.18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live But Lev. 20.27 A man also or a woman that had a familiar spirit or that is a wizzard shall be surely put to death they shall stone them with stones and their bloud shall be upon them Hence they conclude that all sort of Magitians should die the death The diviners they hold should not die the death first they say that Kesem who is a diviner and who takes upon him onely to foretell things to come hee should not die the death but be admonished onely Secondly they say that Menaches Maimonides hujusmodi artium sectatores vel lapidibus obruendi erunt ut lidgnom Bagnal Oâ—h Mekasheph vel mitiori poena mulctandi ut Cosem Menaches Megnonan who markes the flying of the foules ought not to die the death hee is to be admonished and other wayes censured Thirdly incantator the charmer is not to die the death non facit opus peccatoris as they say in phesikta that is they doe not any thing that deserves death Fourthly Hamegronen qui observat nubes he is not to die the death and they say of him Non moritur est liber etiam a plagis that is hee should not die and he is free from stripes And lastly they say Qui perstringit â—oâ—lâ—s who deceives the sight as Inglers non moritur sed admonetur he is not to die the death but onely to be admonished But these three were alwayes to be put to death first Mekasheph malefitus or pharmacus they are called veneficae Exod. 22.18 Secondly Obh those who had a familiar spirit Thirdly Iidgnoni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui multa novit praedicit Targum translates him Ariolus these were alwayes put to death as in Sauls dayes he cut off the wizzards and those who had familiar spirits 1 Sam. 28.9 and Iosias tooke away the workers with familiar spirits and wizzards 2 King 23.24 Saul who caused before familiar spirits and wizzards to be taken away now because he falls to consult with them againe therefore justly he falls into the hands of the Philistines and is killed When Tiberius was Emperor hee caused to hang up those sorcerers and put them to death ad sacros lucos suspendebantur Magitians should lose their temporary estate As the Magitians should be put to death so should they lose their temporall estate and inheritance the Canaanites for their same was cast out of Canaan Deut. 18.12 Because of these abhominations the Lord thy God did drive out the
shieldes of brasse in the temple whereas in the first age they had shields of gold 1 King 14.27 The third age was the yron age when they stole out of the house of God the sieling sieled their own houses with it Ier. 22.14 so when they dwelt in houses of Cedar but the Lords house lay wast Hagg. 1.4 and when they robbed him of his tithes Mal. 3.8 wee live now under this yron age If any man bestow any cost now for the maintenance of the worship of God misers cry out with Iudas Marke 14.4 what needes this wast and they thinke it like bread cast upon the waters Eccles 11.1 But the Lord meetes with those who robs his Church for when they have sowne much they find but little encrease because they defraud him Rabbi Alsack writing upon Malachi telles us of a certaine man who had a peece of ground which brought forth yearely a thousand measures of graine and when the time of paying his tythe to the Priests came he payed but nintie bushels where he ought to have payed a hundred The next yeare his increase was not so great wherefore hee withdrew so much from the Priests at last his increase came but to an hundreth which was the first tenth that he was bound to pay the Priests an old man by chance meeting with him said unto him that he was glad of the late dignity that was befallen to his house how that God had gotten the increase and he became the Priest of his familie to get the tenths Idolatrie is a great sin because it is committed immediately against God at which words he was ashamed and repented him of his former sacriledge The greatnesse of this sinne of Idolatry which they committed heere may be considered by the worthines of the person against whom it is committed for as in bodily diseases those are most hurtfull that doe annoy the originall of our life most as the heart so in sinnes those are the greatest which are committed against God the fountaine of life There are some carnall sins and some spirituall sinnes Againe we may know the greatnesse of this sinne by the nature of the sinne it selfe There are some sinnes that are carnall sinnes and some spirituall Ephes 6.12 and these are greater then carnall sinnes Idolatrie is a spirituall sinne and adulterie is a carnall sinne The spirit being delighted with Idolatrie is a greater sinne then when the flesh is delighted with Adultery and there is a greater aversion from God in Idolatry Where there is a greater motive to sinne the sinne is the lesse then the conversion and adhaering to sinne in Adulterie Againe where there is a greater motive to sinne the sin is the lesse But these carnall sinnes hath Concupiscence which drawes them away and moves them to sinne but in spirituall wickednesse there is no such concupiscence to draw men to sinne their sinne resembles the sin of the devill more who is not led with lust or concupiscence to sin He that killes a man in passion he sinnes not so fearefull as hee who killes him in cold blood therefore those sinnes must bee the greatest which men are not led to by Concupiscence Notwithstanding Aaron committed Idolatrie in setting up this calfe yet the Lord spared him alwaies shewed great tokens of his mercy to the tribe of Levi as to Aaron Deut. 9.29 to the posterity of Corah Numb 26.11 and to Abiathar 1. King 2.26 and so Iosias when the Priests had committed Idolatrie in sacrificing in the high places hee did not kill them as hee did the Idolatrous Priests who were not called by the Lord 1 King 23.20 but onely commanded that they should eate of the unleavened bread amongst their brethren 2 King 23.9 which was injoyned to those that had any blemish in their bodie and they were forbidden to eate the bread of their God Levit. 21.17 They worshipped the calfe The oxe was a signe of plenty where the oxe is wanting the cribbe is emptie but much increase is by the strength of the oxe Prov. 4.4 Ioseph who provided corne in the time of famine is called Gods oxe Deut. 33.17 Lib. 1. Sacrae scripturae chap. 15. which booke is holden to be Augustines His glorie is like the firstling of a bullocke because he provided for the Egyptians and for his fathers family in the time of famine therefore it is said that the Egyptians placed the similitude of an oxe hard by Iosephes buriall place Whether the Idoll which they worshipped was a calfe or an oxe It may be asked whether this Idol which was set up was made in the forme of a calfe or an oxe And the reason of the doubt is because somtimes this Idol is called an oxe Ps 106.20 And they changed their glorie into the similitude of an oxe that eateth grasse And sometimes it is called a calfe vers 14. they made a calfe in Horeb. Answ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word gnegel vitulus with the Hebrewes signifies either vitulum subrumum that is a sucking calfe or it signifies vitulam tertiam Ier. 48.34 when it is three yeares old and then it is called indifferently Shor or gnegel bos or vitulus but when it is seven yeare old then it is onely called Shor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not gnegel that is an oxe and not a calfe Iudg. 6.4.6 Againe it may be asked whether it was a cow calfe or an oxe calfe which they worshipped The reason of the doubt is because Hos 10.5 he calls them gnegloth in the feminine gender which they worshipped in Dan and Bethel and they were made after the forme of this calfe which they worshipped in the wildernesse Answ David Esal 106.20 calls this calfe Shor an oxe calfe which they worshipped and the 70. convertes it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies an oxe calfe and they plowed with oxen and not with kine And whereas Hos 10.5 puts them in the feminine gender calling them gnegloth this was spoken per Ligragnon per contemptum as the Iewes speak that is in contempt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Tob. 1.5 this calfe is put in the feminine gender sacrificantes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrificing to the Cow it should not be reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu potestati for what power is in an Idoll In contempt this calfe is called a cow calfe and not an oxe So Rom. 9.5 I have reserved to me 7000. men who have not bowed their knee to Baal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the feminine gender and he understands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noting the infirmitie of the sexe So Virgil in his 9. booke when hee exprobrates to the Trojans their cowardlinesse he calls them not Phryges but Phrygias So Homer calls them not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie how farre degenerate and effeminate they were Whether it was the head of a calfe which they worshipped or not Thirdly it may be asked whether they worshipped the
necke and his sonnes were kilâ—ed Idolaters thinke that they have all happinesse and prosperity by their Idols Ier. 44.18 Since wee left off to burne incense to the queene of heaven wee have wanted all things But marke what the Lord sayes of these Idols and makes the Israelites confesse the same Ier. 3.24 Shame hath devoured the labour of your fathers from your youth that is from your Idols their flockes and their heards their sonnes and their daughters Micah when he set up his Idols flattered himselfe Iudg. 17.13 Now I know that the Lord will doe me good But the Lord sayes Deut. 27.15 Cursed bee the man that maketh any graven or molten Image an abomination unto the Lord and all the people shall say Amen But happie is the Church when she sayes Hos 2. I will goe and returne to my first husband for then it was better with me then now At this time there fell out a filthy fact in Gibeah in the tribe of Beniamin A filthy fact committed in Gibeah at this time for there the men of Gibeah abused the Levites concubine so that she died by the violence done unto her there the ten tribes made warre against the Beniamites The Beniamines prevaile against the Israelites because of their Idolatrie although Beniamin were the children of iniquitie yet they prevailed against the ten tribes because the ten tribes at this time were infected with Micha his Idolatrie Idolatrie is a viler sin then the sin of Gibeah Ho. 10.9 Idolatry exceedes the sinne of Gibeah and the sinne of Sodom and matcheth bestialitie It is a viler sin then the sin of Sodome Eze 16.46 It is a sin like unto beastialitie when a man lyes with a beast Eze. 23.20 what sinne then can be greater then Idolatrie And thus they committed Idolatry from age to age while the Iudges ruled them untill God was wroth and greatlie abhorred Israel Psal 78. In Samuels dayes they worshipped Baal Of the increase of Idolatry under Somuel and Ashta 1. Sam. 7. The decrease of this Idolatry was 1 Sam. 7.6 when the people gathered themselves together to Mizpeh and drew water and powred it out before the Lord and fasted on that day and said there What is signified by powring out water before the Lord. we have sinned against the Lord to powre out water in the Scripture signifies to powre out a thing abundantly Deut. 12.16 ye shall not eate the blood but powre it out upon the ground like water So Gen. 49. Reuben is powred forth lik water that is he hath given himselfe over altogether to lust And the Scripture expresseth this their repentance by powring out of water rather then by powring out of any other liquor for although ye should powre out oyle or honey out of a vessel yet some of the liquor would still remaine in the vessell the smell also But when water is powred out of a vessell nothing remaines no not the smell By this powring out of water they signifie that they would altogether renounce their Idolatrie and that not so much as the tangue or smell of it should remaine among them Samuel reprooves them for choosing of a King then they are terrified with thunder in the time of the wheate harvest Lastly hee diswades them from Idolatrie 1 Sam. 12.12 and 17.21 Hee rebukes them for choosing of a King Kingly government was the government which God was minded to erect amongst them they had three commandements given to them when they were to enter into Canaan first to cast out the Canaanites the second to choose a King and the third to build the temple The Lord was minded then to give them a King but hee was angry with them because they would have had a King such as the nations had Againe hee was angry with them because they were weary of Samuels governement and likewise for anticipating the time the Iewes said of them comederunt immaturum avam they eate the grape before it was ripe He terrifies the people calling upon the Lord to send thunder in the wheate harvest when it was the most cleare and faire season of the whole yeare at the Pentecost or about the Pentecost therefore it is called festum messis If it had beene in the time of the Barley harvest at the Pascha it had not seemed so strange a thing to the people to have heard thunder for then the clouds abounded more and Iordan did over flow the bankes thereof by the melting of the snow upon the mountaines The Lord caused it to thunder God hath two sorts of voyces by which he speakes to men The first by his voyce in the thunder Psal 29. secondly by his voyce in the Temple Psal 26.9 The first is an inarticulate voyce the other is articulate sometimes he both thundred and spake at once and when they came together then his articulate voyce was called hath col filia vocis He gave his law with thunder Exod. 19. and in sundry of the Revelations shewen to Iohn with the voyce there was thunder Chapter 4.5 and 6.1 and 10.3 therefore we reade Iohn 12.18 when there came a voyce from heaven the people who stood by some of them said it thundereth and others of them said an Angel speaketh unto him the reason of this was because the Lord usually spake to them in the thunder but here when the people were terrified hee spoke not to them in the thunder but terrified them and comforted them by Samuel Lastly he prayeth for the people diswadeth them to turne aside for then they should goe after vaine things which cannot profit nor deliver 1 Sam. 12.21 This Idolatrie spread more in the time of the Kings then it did under the Iudges all the Kings of Iudah committed Idolatrie or else by their oversight tolerated it All the Kings of Iudah sinned except three Syrac 49. David Ezekias and Iosias There were three kings of Iudah most excellent Kings that is all committed Idolatrie or did tollerate it except these three Iehosaphat he did not tollerate Idolatrie yet because he made affinitie with Ahab 2 Chro. 18.2 and joyned himselfe with Ahaziah King of Israel who did verie wickedly 2 Chron. 20.36 because he did these things hee is not reckoned amongst the first three of the Lords worthies amongst the Kings of Iudah David was most zealous for the glorie of God and is set downe as a paterne to other Kings 2 Chron. 29.2 Ezekias did uprightly as his father David did therefore Ecclesiasticus 47.2 David is compared to the fatt of the peace offerings All the peace offerings was the Lords but the fat was his after a speciall manner because it was wholly burnt to him So David exceeded all the rest of the Kings in zeale Therfore the zeale of Gods house did eate him up Ps 69.9 Amongst the Kings of Egypt or Pharaohes some of them were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minime mali they favoured the people of God A collation betwixt
people to this fearefull Idolatry therefore the Lord threatens that none of his posterity shall succeede The Lord punisheth the Idolatry of the fathers upon the children There is a personall sinne The Lord punishes the Idolatry of the fathers upon the children in haereditarie sinnes but not in personall and there is an haereditary sinne A personall sinne is that which the father is onely guilty of and not the sonne an haereditary sinne is that which both the father and the children are guilty of but in a personall sinne the posterity followes not the father it is said of Zelophehad Num. 27 3. That he dyed in his owne sinne that is in a sinne which his posterity was not guilty of it was not that common sinne in murmuring against God through misbeleefe for the which none of them entered into Canaan but it was a peculiar sinne of his owne which his posterity was not guilty of but if they doe follow the foote steppes of their wicked fathers then it is an haereditary sinne and it is imputed to them If the Idolatrous sonne follow the Idolatrous father then he is guilty of his fathers sin as Ammon was guilty of Manasseh his sinne So if they follow the footesteppes of their Idolatrous mother then they are guilry of her Idolatry when the mother 's baked the cakes to the Queene of heaven Ier. 7.18 The children gathered the stickes to kindle the fire here they were guilty of their mothers Idolatry it is a terrible imprecation of David Psal 109.14 Let the iniquitie of his father be remembred and let not the sinne of his mother be blotted out when the Idolaters have to answere both for their fathers Idolatry and for their mothers this is a fearefull case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then they receive Kephalaiim Esay 40. double for all their sinnes that is both for their owne sinnes and for the sinnes of their parents Although the Idolater repent him of his Idolatry yet his sonne may be punished for it And it is to be marked that although the Idolater repent him of his Idolatry yet the Lord may charge his posterity with that sinne Manasseh was a great Idolater and shed innocent blood these sinnes were pardoned in Manasseh yet his posterity were punished according to all that he did that is both for his Idolatry and for shedding of innocent blood and these sinnes were not pardoned in his posterity There was never any decrease of Idolatry in the ten tribes but it overspread all their Kings as a Leprosie The Kings of Israel all of them successively for nineteene generations were Idolaters yet amongst them all there was none like Ahab who did sell himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord 1 King chap. 21. ver 25 Of the sinnes of Ahab the wickedest King in Israel This Ahab persecuted the Prophets of God and killed them Secondly hee threw downe the Altars of the Lord. Thirdly hee intertained foure hundred Priests of Baal at his table and fourthly he worshipped Baal Ahab persecuted the Prophets and killed them First he persecuted the Prophets of God and killed them Those who are most deare to the Lord whom the Lord expresly forbad to meddle with Psal 105 15. Touch not mine annointed and doe my Prophets no harme And they that touched them touched the Aple of his eye Zach. 2.8 He that receiveth a Prophet saith Christ Math. 10.41 in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward Then Ahab who killed the Prophets knowing that they were Prophets what reward got he The Prophets of God most resemble the great Prophet the Lord Iesus Christ who did two things for us first the things which he did from God to us in revealing Gods will to us The second is which he did from us to god interceding at his hands for us So the Prophets of God first they revealed the will of God to us and secondly they interceded for us Gen. 20.7 He is a Prophet and he will pray for thee therefore the Prophets were called the strength and the Chariots of Israel 2 King 13.14 and where prophecie was wanting there the people were naked Prov. 20.12 Secondly Ahab threw downe the Altars of God 1 King 19.10 Quest What Altars of God were in Israel at this time Answ 1 King 18.30 And Elijah repaired the Altar of the Lord that was broken downe which Altar Elijah erected in Carmell There were many that were injurious to the Lords Altars Ahab threw downe the Lords Altar Whosoever medled with the Altar of the Lord the Lord plagued them Achaz caused to remove the Lords Altar Vzziah went about to offer incense at the Lords golden Altar Vriah the high priest offered upon the Altar of Damascus in place of the Altar of the Lord Nadab and Abihu that brought strange fire to the Lords Altar and there was never one of these who medled with the Lords Altar but the Lord plagued them for it The Altar of God was called Arriel Ezch. 43.15 the Lyon of god 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and whosoever medled with this Lyon he devoured them when Esaiah was called to be a Prophet Esay 6. there came an Angell flying from the Altar with a paire of tongs in his hand and a living coale in it and touched the lippes of the Prophet and sanctified him But when God was wroth with those for medling with his Altar there came a messenger of Gods wrath from the altar and plagued them as the leprosie came flying from the Altar and smote Vzzia and fire came from the Altar and burnt Nadab and Abihu and so upon the rest who medled with this Altar who ever threw it downe or polluted it Ahaz medled with the brasen Altar a type of Christs death and Vzziah medled with the golden Altar a type of Christs intercession therefore God poured out his wrath upon them plagued them both Marke a difference betwixt the Prophets of the Lord and Baals Priests A difference betwixt the Lords Prophets and the Priests of Baal if ye will respect their number they are eight hundreth and fifty The prophets of the Lord were but few in respect of them Obadiah tooke an hundreth Prophets and hidde them by fifties in a cave 1 King 18.4 If yee will respect their fare there was a great difference also the poore Prophets were fed onely with bread and water but the Priests of the groves were fed at the court 1 King 18.19 Thirdly if ye will respect their apparell and the places where they lived yee shall see great difference the Prophets of God went in sheepe skinnes and goate skinnes being destitute afflicted and tormented of whom the world was not worthy of they wandred in deserts and in mountaines and in dennes and caves of the earth Heb. 11.37.38 But Baals priests lived daintily in all plenty But if wee shall looke to their end and how they were miserably killed and how the Prophets of God were delivered
how they were separate for the day of slaughter and all killed in one day then wee would make choise rather with Moses to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season Heb. 11.25 and with David rather to be a doorekeeper in the house of God then to dwell in the tents of wickednesse Psal 84.10 Fourthly Achab worshiped Baall In the scripture wee reade of three sorts that were diversly affected to Baal Three sorts that were diversly affected towards Baal first those who pleaded against Baal as Gideon called Ierubaal of Ierubashâ—th 2 Sam. 9.23 and Elijah secondly those who stoop for Baal as Ahab and Iezebell and the Priests of Baal And thirdly those who halted betwixt God Baal in the politickes they were said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Dion said of Cicero because he now clave to the people and now to the Senate and Homer called such a one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is he who cleaves to this point and now to that and this was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the mind is carried now this way now that way Quest Which of those two was worst An Those who halted betwixt God Baal therfore the Lord sayes Reve. 3. I would thou wert hot or cold but because thou art lukewarme I wil spue thee out of my mouth lukewarmenes here is not the midst betwixt hotte and cold as it is in Physicall things but it is farthest from the vertue heate the Lord detests more the lukewarme then the cold The Phylosopher Ethic. 7. markes foure sorts of men the first is continens temperans The worst sort of all were those who halted betwixt God and Baal the second is incontinens intemperans the third is temperans incontinens the fourth is continens intemperans Continens temperans is hee who bridles his passions suffers them not to burst forth into action Incontinens inteÌ„perans is he who rules not his passions but suffers them to burst forth into action Incontinens teÌ„perans is he who rules not his passion but yet suffers not his passion to burst forth into action as hee that suffers not the sun to goe down upon his wrath Psal 4. Be angry but sin not as if hee should say when ye are angry for to this passion of anger all men are prone sin not that is execut not this your anger with a deliberate purpose the fourth is continens intemperans and he refraines his passion and bridles it yet executes it in action as he who killes in cold blood Quest Which of these foure sorts are worst Answ A man would thinke that hee were worst who were both incontinent and temperate but yet it is not so for hee that is continent and bridles his passions and intemperate and refraines not from the action hee is the worst sort of men for hee does deliberately sinne and not miscarried by his passion so hee that is luke-warme in the service of God is farther from the vertue then he that is cold and hee that halts betwixt God and Baal is by the Lord more abhorred then he who directly stands for Baal The people that were brought from strange nations to Samaria they are said to have feared the Lord and worshipped their owne Gods 2 King 17.33 yet because they worshipped both it is said ver 34. that they feared not the Lord for the Lord detests those most of all so those lukewarme people are most hated of him and as the stomacke cannot brooke lukewarme things so well as it does hot or cold for hot or cold things do contract the stomack and make it keepe things the better but lukewarme things delates the stomacke and makes it spew them out so the Lord spewes out these lukewarme people and cannot brooke them by any people Elijah reproved Ahab to his face Now Elijah who opposeth himselfe to Baal and to Ahab the maintainer of Baal comes and reprooves Ahab to his face and says that it was hee that troubled Israel So Paul came and withstood Peter to his face These are called the faithfull woundes of a friend The Physitians call the woundes opposit to these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unfaithfull Those that are given behind a mans backe as detraction or backbiting are most dangerous wounds Elijah contesteth with the Pristes of Baal for the worship of God The second thing which Elijah did here was his conteste with the Priests of Baal There was a great dispute heere about Religion and to end the controversie they will try it this way that the Lord would be pleased to send downe a fire from heaven to burne their sacrifices who were accepted of him but not upon theirs who were not excepted By this signe of sending down fire upon the sacrifices The people knew that God accepted of their sacrifices when he sent downe fire from heaven to burne them the people of God knew when their sacrifices were accepted it is said Gen. 4. that the Lord looked upon Abel and upon his sacrifice Aquila translates it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee set it on fire so when the tabernacle was erected the Lord sent downe a fire upon their sacrifices and when the temple was erected he sent down a fire upon their sacrifices and ordinarily when there sacrifices were burnt to ashes then they knew that God accepted of them Psal 20.3 Remember all thy offerings and turne to ashes thy burnt sacrifice There came downe a fire burnt Elijah his sacrifice The fire came downe foure times upon the Altar to burne the sacrifices this fire came downe foure times from heaven upon their sacrifices First upon Abel his sacrifice secondly upon the sacrifice of the Tabernacle when they had sacrificed seven dayes Le. 8.33 Then the glory of the Lord appeared on the eight day and the fire came down upon their sacrifice Levit. 9.23 24. Thirdly the fire came down upon their sacrifice when the Temple was erected and fourthly the fire came downe upon Elijah his sacrifice But the fire came not downe in the second Temple to burne the sacrifices Quest. How was their sacrifices then accepted in the second Temple The Hebrewes hold that the fire in the tabernable went up to heaven againe from whence it came downe 2 Chro. 7.1 seeing the fire came not downe from heaven to burne them Answ The Prophets and the Preists consecrated this fire in the second Temple and then it was an heavenly fire and whosoever brought any other fire into the altar that was strange fire The fire in the first temple was divinohumanus ignis How the fire in the second temple was accepted when it came not downe from heaven that is it came from heaven but it was maintained by wood as our fire is but the fire in the second temple was humanodivinus that is it was at the first but humane fire which came not from heaven but being
fall on them nor their posteritie nor upon their very houses and therefore they built battlements about their houses that they might not bring bloud upon them Deut. 22.8 David prayed Psalm 51. To free him from blouds The guilt of bloud is not easily washed out The guilt of bloud is not easily washed out when David shed Vriah his innocent bloud the Lord said that the sword should never depart from his house that bloud continued still to the ending of the Kings of Iudah If the guilt of Vriah his bloud did cleave to so many what marvell then that the guilt of our Lords bloud lie so long upon these wretches And if all the bloud that was shed from Abel to Zacharie seized upon them who killed Zacharie much more may the guilt of Christs bloud seize upon their sinfull posteritie It was a miserable leagacy which David pronounced that Ioab should leave to his posteritie 2 Sam. 3.28 that some of them should have an issue and that some of them should be a leper that some of them should leane on a staffe and some of them should die by the sword and some should begge their bread but this was a more fearefull legacie which the Iewes left to their posteritie when they left the guilt of Christs bloud upon them First this curse was upon their soules secondly The killing of Christ left a curse upon their soules bodies personâ— goods and lands upon their bodies thirdly upon their persons and fourthly upon their land First upon their soules The curse entered into shew bowels like water and like oyle into their bones The curse upon their soules Psal 109.18 And as the bitter water made the guiltie womans bellie to rotte and confume so doth this curse of God seize upon them so that their hearts are fat and grosse and past feeling There is no judgement greater than this to have a fat heart and not sensible Esay pronounced this judgement upon them when their hearts beganne to grow fat Esa 6.10 and Christ applies this prophecie of Esay to them when their hearts were growne fatter Matth. 13.15 and last it was fulfilled in S. Pauls time altogether upon them Act. 28.17 Now since they killed the Lord of glorie and shed his innocent bloud Since they killed Christ they are given up to a reprobate sense and become savage Wolves Calius Redoginus pag. 173. ex Dione they are given up unto a reprobate sense and now they are become of all men most savage and cruell I will set downe but one example of their savagenesse and crueltie Dion writes that in the last dayes of Traian the Emperour the Iewes who dwelt in Cyrene Andreas being their Captaine did indifferently so barbarously kill both the Romanes and the Greekes and would set downe their flesh prepared on the tables to be eaten neither would this content them but they pulled out their bloudy intralles and girded themselves about with them as though they had beene girdles and they used their skinnes for cloathes and manie of them they cut in peeces and some of them they threw to the beasts and others they compelled to fight and kill one another and this way they killed moe than 200000. This their barbaritie they exercised also in Egypt and Cyprus Arteinon being their Captaine and they killed above 400000. and therefore afterward it was established by a law that if a Iew upon any occasion came into the I le of Cyprus that he should be presently executed The Lord gave them over to this reprobate sense that they became like Wolves and not men because they shed the bloud of our Lord and for this cruell murther of Christ see how the Lord payes them home againe in the destruction of Ierusalem by Titus and Vaspasian the sword the famine and the pestilence These three great souldiers of the Lord entred into Ierusalem and they strove which of them three should most severely revenge their cruelty Reade but the history of Iosephus of the destruction of Ierusalem and thine eyes wil faile with teares and thy bowels will be troubled within thee for the destruction of poore Ierusalem The judgement upon their bodies The second judgement was the judgement upon their bodies as the Lord set a marke upon Cain Gen. 4.15 and smote his enemies the Philistines in the hinder part Psal 78.56 and the posteritie of Gehezi with a leprosie So it is holden by many that the Iewes have a loathsome and stinking smell and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a stinking breath When Marcus the Prince was going to Egypt as he past through Canaan he was much troubled with a loathsome smell and stinke of the Iewes as Marcellinus calls it and being much wearied amongst them Caelius lib. 5. cap 9. he cried out O Marcomannt O guad O Sarmati tandem alios vobis inertiores comperi O yee Marcomanni O yee Guadi O ye Sarmatians at last I have found out a more loathsome people than any of you The judgement upon their persons The third judgement is the judgement upon their persons that they are miserable catiâ—es and slaves now through the world compare but this captivitie now and their former captivities and this shall be evident First A difference betwixt this captivitie and their former captivitives in all their other captivities the Lord hath set downe a time for their deliverance That in Egypt they should be 400. yeares in Babylon 70. yeares under Antiochus three yeares and ten dayes Dan. 7.25 but the Lord hath set downe no time now when this their captivitie shall end Secondly in their other captivities there were alwayes some Iewes in favour with the heathen Princes as Ioseph with Pharaob in Egypt Daniel in Babylon and Mordecai in Susan but now they have none to speake favourably for them at the hands of Princes Thirdly in their other captivities there were Prophets sent from the Lord to comfort them as Moses and Aaron were sent to Egypt Ezekiel and Daniel were sent to Babylon And Saint Peter writes to the dispersed Iewes in Pontus and Bithynia but now the Sunne is gone downe over their prophets and the day is darke over them Mica 3.6 Fourthly in their other captivities they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rosh hagalloth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prince of the captivitie who ruled and guided them and they had one of them in Babylon which was the chiefe citie of the East 1 Pet. 5.15 And another who dwelt at Alexandria in Egypt but now they have none to rule them Fiftly although they were under the dominion of the Romanes yet they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and had power to judge in matters of their owne religion as we see in the Iewes of Damascus and others else where Act. 18.15 in matters of religion they were subject to the high-priest and they had power to apprehend and to whip Act. 5 4. Hence is that saying of Pilat Goe yee and judge according to your Law but