God said unto him by a dream I know that thou didst this even with an upright minde and I kept thee also that thou shouldest not sin against me therefore suffered I not thee to touch her Now then deliver the man his wife again for he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee that thou mayest live but if thou deliver her not again be sure that thou shalt die the death thou and all that thou hast And Moses witnesseth the ordinarie Prophecie of Ancient times to have consisted of dreams and visions Numb 12. 6 7. If there be a Prophet of the Lord amongst you I will be known unto him by a vision and will speak unto him by a dream My servant Moses is not so that is he is no ordinary Prophet unto him will I speak mouth to mouth and by vision and not in dark words but he shall see the similitude of the Lord. 3 These allegations sufficiently prove that night-dreams and visions were frequent and their observation if taken in sobriety to good use in Ancient times even amongst the Nations until they forgot as Joseph said That interpretations were from God and sought to finde out an Art of interpreting them Then night-visions did either cease or were so mixt with delusions that they could not be discerned or if their events were in some sort fore seen yet men being ignorant of Gods providence commonly made choice of such means for their avoidance as proved the necessary occasions or provocations of the events they feared 4 Much better was the temper of the Nations before Homers time They amongst other kindes of prophecyings and Sooth-sayings held dreams and their interpretations as all other good gifts to be from God As no evil was done in the Grecian Camp which the Gods in their opinion did not cause so Homer brings in Achilles advising Agamemnon to consult their Gods interpreters with all speed for what offence committed against them they had sent the Pestilence into their Camp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But to what Priest or Prophet shall we wend Or Dreamer for even Dreams from Jove descend All those kindes of Predictions had been in use amongst the Heathens as they were amongst the Israelites albeit in later times they grew rare in both for the encrease of wickednesse throughout the World the multiplicity of businesse and solicitude of Humane affairs and mens too much minding of politick means and other second causes of their own good did cause the defect of true dreams and other divine admonitions for the welfare of mankinde 5 This cause the Scriptures give us 1 Sam. 28. 6. Saul who had followed the Fashions of other Nations not the prescripts of Gods Word asked counsel of the Lord but the Lord answered him not neither by dreams nor by Urim nor by Prophets His sins had made a separation between him and the God of Israel who for this cause will not afford his presence to his Priests or Prophets that came as mediators betwixt Saul and him much lesse would he vouchsafe his Spirit unto such Priests or Prophets as were carnally minded themselves This was a rule so well known to the people of God that Strabo from the tradition of it for Moses his story he had not read reckons up this as a special point of Moses his doctrine concerning the worship of the God of Israel his words are to this effect Moses taught that such as lived chastly and uprightly should be inspired with true visions by night and such men it was meet should consult the Divine Powers in the Temple by night-visions but others who were not so well minded ought not to intrude themselves into this sacred businesse or if they would they were to expect no true visions but Illusions or idle Dreams from God they were not to expect any Yet may it not be denied but that the Heathens were oft-times by Gods permission truly resolved by Dreams or Oracles though ministred by Devils of events that should come but seldome were such resolutions for their good So the Witch which Saul most Heathen-like consulted when God had cast him off did procure him a true prediction of his fearful end This is a point wherein I could be large but I will conclude As the Heathens relations of sundry events usual in Ancient times confirm the truth of the like recorded in Scripture so the Scriptures give the true causes of their Being Ceasing or Alteration which the corrupt and Polypragmatical disposition of later Ages without revelation from the cause of causes and disposer of times could never have dreamed of as may partly appear from what hath been said of Dreams more fully from that which follows next of Oracles CAP. X. Of Oracles I Have often and daily occasion for the satisfaction of my minde in sundry questions that might otherwise have vext me to thank my God that as he made me a Reasonable Creature and of a Reasonable Creature a Student or Contemplator so He did not make me a meer Philosopher though Plato thought this deserved the greatest thanks as being the greatest benefit bestowed upon him by his God but never was I more incited in this respect to blesse the day wherein I was made a Christian then when I read Plutarchs Tract of the causes why Oracles ceased in his time Whether Heathen Oracles were all illusions of Devils or some uttered by God himself for their good though oft-times without successe by reason of their curiosity and superstition I now dispute not That Oracles in ancient times had been frequent that such events had been foretold by them as surpassed the skill of humane reason all Records of unpartial Antiquity bear uncontrollal le evidence Nor did the Heathen Philosophers themselves which lived in the Ages immediately following their decay call the truth of their former use in question but from Admiration of this known change they were incited to search the cause of their ceasing Plutarch after his acute search of sundry causes and accurate Philosophical disputes refers it partly unto the Absence of his Demoniacal Spirits which by his Philosophy might dy or flit from place to place either exiled by others more potent or upon some other dislike and partly unto the alteration of the soyl wherein Oracles were seated which yeelded not Exhalations of such a divine temper as in former times it had done and without a certain temperature of exhalations or breathing of the Earth the Demoniacal Spirits he thought could not give their Oracles more then a Musitian can play without an Instrument And this decay or alteration of the soyl of Delphi and like places was in his judgement probable from the like known experience in sundry Rivers Lakes and hot-Baths which in some places did quite dry up and vanish in others much decay for a long time or change their course and yet afterwards recover their former course or strength either in the same places
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
Carelesnesse Sloth Negligence and want of zeal to the Truth 6 And after this Composal was once so wrought that men had felt some intermission of publick Dissention which they feared most such as were industrious in the search or would have been expert in the Knowledge of Scriptures were esteemed of but as Souldiers in the time of Peace and ease alwayes suspected lest they should raise new Broils And for this reason debarred of free accesse unto this Armory But how soever the Practise of examining the Churches Authority by Scripture was for many generations rare till Luther arose yet during all this time that of our Apostle Acts 14. 17. was in this Case most true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 GOD did not leave himself without a Witnesse In all these ages he had his Martyrs who in the fervency of their Zeal earnestly sought the dissolution of the coagulated Masse and extraction of Celestial Quintessences therein buried offering their Bodies as fuel to the flames of persecutions that were to effect it 7 Nor can you in reason demand we should give particular Instances of such Martyrs in every Age. For no man of sense but will easily conceive that your Church would seek by all means possible to obliterate their Fame and Memory upon whose Bodies she had exercised such extream Tyranny left their Example might encourage Posterity to like Resolutions Unlesse DRIFDO had unawares I think acquainted me with the Provost of STENELDA'S Epistle to S. BERNARD I had not known either your Cruelty against the Albigence's or Picards as I suppose or their Constancy in suffering Tortures in themselves most grievous yet attended with Usages as disgraceful both for the manner or form of Proceeding as injuriously inflicted as the ground or matter of Accusations brought against them were unjust and impious The Provosts Epistle was to this effect 8 I would gladly be resolved Holy Father might I enjoy your presence whence it is that in Hereticks the Devils members there should be so great Resolution for defence of their Heresies as the like can scarce be found in very religious and faithful Christians There are saith he amongst us Hereticks which put no confidence in the Suffrages of men deceased or Prayers of Saint Fastings and other afflictions of the Body usually undertaken for Sin are not in their Opinion necessary to the righteous Purgatory after death they acknowledge none Denying the making of our Lords Body in the Sacrament of the Altar the Church they affirm to be amongst them having neither fields nor possessions Of such we have known divers by the multitude misled with too much zeal violently haled agaiâ—… our will unto the flame whose Torments they not only indured with patience but entertained with joy I would therefore be resolved by you Holy Father whence so great Resolution in the Devils members should spring 9 No question but this Provost which esteemed no better of them then as of Hereticks or Satans members did relate the worst Opinions then known to be held by them and yet He as I would have the Reader note living in their time laies no such odious Tenents to their charge as those that lived long after or were imployed by the Romish State to write against Wickliff Husse or Jerome of Prage have charged them and their followers with Driedo tels us he finds no direct Answer by way of Epistle or writing unto this venerable mans demand in particular But out of S. Bernards Doctrine else-where delivered concerning like Hereticks he finds this Resolution The Constancy of Martyrs hath no affinity with the Stubbornnesse of Hereticks Pietie breeds contempt of Death in the one Hardnesse of heart in the other Such good minded men as S. Bernard I think had least to do in the Examination of such men most obnoxious to mis-information in the particulars of their carriage with which the Civil Magistrates of France though Romish Catholicks better acquainted have given them laudable Testimonies for their honest and religious Lives and whether these mentioned by that Provost were such as S. Bernard spake against in the place late cited is more then Driedo knew Howsoever in matters of this nature it is most true Bernardus non vidit omnia being as easie in his life time to be abused by crafty Politicians as his Authority is now by modern Jesuites He that will believe these men were such Hereticks as Driedo would make them only because Driedo sayes so may easily be perswaded that their Resolution did not spring so much from true and lively Faith as from Humorous Obstinacy or stubborn Pride But while we consider all Circumstances well though many we take from your Relation who in this Case relate nothing so well and truly as you should we have just cause to think they were not Hereticks but men rightly Religious fearing God more then men and more observant of his Laws then of humane Traditions For at this time as the Glory the temporal Power and Authority of your Church was exceeding Great so were the Hopes of these poor souls lesse either of purchasing Glory by contradicting or private Gains by disobeying your Decrees To attempt the one was the readiest way to procure their utter Disgrace the other an infallible provocation of greatest Danger Your Church had the whole Multitude of Nations as ready at her beck to applaud your cruel designs against them as the High-Priests and Elders had the Jewish People to approve our Saviours Condemnation The manner of their Tortures accompanied with such certainty of Ignominy and Disgrace were dreadful to the setled and deliberate cogitations of Flesh and Bloud their Memory for ought they could in human probability foresee was either to sleep with their Bodies and lie buried in their ashes or if surviving them to be perpetually scourged by the scurrilous pens and tongues of their bitter Adversaries No hope they had of being Canonized for Saints in the vehement desire whereof some in your Church have solicited the procurement of their own violent death by others hands 10 All these and many other like circumstances whiles we consider ye may brag of the Multitude and Universality as a Note of the true Church and we will easily grant you to have been at that time far more in number then these silly Sheep whose admirable Constancy neverthelesse in the heat of such extream Tyrannie and alwayes matcht with such harmlesse Simplicity doth make us think that albeit you were the greater yet these were that little Flock unto whose hearts our Saviour by his holy Spirit of comfort had said Fear not for it is your Fathers will to give you a Kingdom lands and possessions as your Adversaries truly object here on earth ye have had none But the Losse is little or rather your Gain exceeding great For these because these you have forsaken for the Gospels sake and mine you shall receive lands and possessions an hundred fold with life everlasting in the world to come
of penitency unto Saint Peter for his former personal offence He had found extraordinary mercy at his Lord and Masters hands and was to communicate the like unto his fellow servants more guilty of his offence Christ after his faith had failed did convert and strengthen him against the like temptation and he converted was commanded to convert and strengthen others Whom Not such as by conversion might become his brethren or rather his children in Christ but rather such as were hewn out of the same rock and could truly call Abraham their father Sarah their Mother joint professors with him of Moses Law and the Prophets more then his brethren and associates in denying him of whom Moses and all the Prophets bare testimony 4 To subtract all matter of calumniation from men too much disposed to cavil without any probable cause or just occasion notwithstanding his threefold denial of Christ I deny not a triple or quadruple prerogative in Peter in respect of Christs other Apostles yet consisting not in any authority more infallible in it self or more soveraign for superiority over such as were to depend upon him as a chief messenger of the Lord of Hosts but in an extradinary efficacie of his ordinary Apostle-ship In what respect then was his ordinary Ministrie or Apostle-ship so extraordinarily powerful In respect of the universal Church throughout all Ages or of the Jewish Synagogue for the time being only S. Paul confutes the former as evidently as he plainly avoucheth the later When they saw the Gospel over the uncircumcision was committed unto me as the Gospel over the circumcision was unto Peter for he that was mighty by Peter in the Apostle-ship over the circumcision was also mighty by me towards the Gentiles James and Cephas and John which were counted to be pillars knew of the grace that was given unto me they gave to me and to Barnabas the right hands of fellowship that we should preach unto the Gentiles and they unto the circumcision 5 Here the lesse in speech I amplifie the more in heart and mind I tacitely admire the unspeakable power and wisdom of our God that by the extraordinary offences or infirmities of one or two can firmly establish the faith of all his Saints Albeit he used the Ministerie of every other Apostle in reconciling the world unto himself yet Paul and Peter were as the two principal intermediate elements proportioned and qualified of purpose for the more apt connecting this mixt inferiour Globe with the Heavenly Sphere the sons of men with the son of God the one by symbolizing with the Jew the other with the Gentile in his sin both with Christ in true wisdom in all good gifts and graces of the spirit Saint Pauls offences against God manifested in the flesh have the same proportion to Saint Peters that the ignorance infidelity or idolatry of the Gentiles had with the Jews delinquency or Apostacy from the God of their Fathers Saint Paul had not known our Saviour in the flesh ignorant of his wisdom in teaching or power in working and in his ignorant zeal unto Moses and the Law did persecute his followers and disciples after his resurrection hereby made a fitter Symbole for reconciling the Gentiles unto God whom they had not known usually misled in a blind devotion to their dumb Idols and traditions of their elders to hate and persecute the Jews the only professors of true Religion the only servants till that time of the everliving God S. Peter had long conversed with our Saviour heard him teach as never man taught seen him do what no man else could ever do his eyes had beheld the brightnesse of his excellent glory and out of his apprehension of his Deity he had professed more then ordinary love ‖ Lord I am ready to go with thee into the Prison and to death yet when he comes unto his trial flatly denies that ever he knew him hereby more fitly qualified for recovering the backsliding Apostatical Jews who had known the Lord and all the wonders which he had wrought for Israel they had professed such love and loyaltie to him as no people could do more unto their Gods posterity stil retaining the protest ations of their Religious fathers All this is come upon us yet do we not forget thee neither deal we falsely concerning thy covenant Our hearts are not turned back neither our steps gone out of thy paths Surely for thy sake are we slain continually and are counted as Sheep for the slaughter Yet when he came in the similitude of man to exact obedience and allegeance at their hands they wil not know him but as Samuel had foretold cast him off from raigning over them and openly protest against him We have no King but Caesar 6 Answerable to this observation is the successe of their Apostleship registred by the Evangelist We never read so many Jews at once so throughly converted by our Saviour or so seriously affected with his Doctrine in his life time as with that memorable sermon of S. Peter The manner of his reiterated appellations Ye men of Judea and ye all that inhabit Jerusalem Ye men of Israel Men and Brethren Of mentioning Gods promises made to them and to their children of his reply his earnest beseeching and exhorting them that had appealed joyntly to him and the other Apostles argue these were the brethren he in particular was injoyned to convert confirm and strengthen And like a skilful Surgeon that knew by his own recovery how to prick their consciences without giving them a deadly wound he presseth them in the last place with crucifying the Lord of glory The mention whereof had been enough in others judgement to have moved them to despair but this comforter knew by experience that to be throughly toucht in heart as he had been for such foul offences past was the readiest way to that true repentance which he found and such repentance the surest holdfast of lively faith But he that was thus powerful in the circumcision became a stone of offence unto the Gentiles with whom he had to deal at Antioch For by his tripping in an uncouth way as being out of his natural Element he made them stumble justly reproved for his amphibious conversation with men of tempers so contrary by S. Paul under whose hand the edification of the Gentiles did better prosper Yet he nothing so powerful in converting the Jews though his zeal towards them was no lesse then S Peters was his endeavours to sow the seed of life in their hearts as great but with small hope of seeing any fruit of his labours But it wil be worth the Readers pains I am perswaded to observe that albeit he presse the Jews at Antioch with the very same arguments but more forcibly and artificially framed wherewith S. Peter had converted so many yet is enforced to make a contrary conclusion Peter concludes in hope prognosticating successe Amend your lives and
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
this demand Wehn went the â—… the Lord from me to thee As many a proud Prelate would in like â—… upon his poor brother that should crosse his opinion specially â—…er belonging though but a far off unto the State Sirrha I â—… know your place before whom and in what matter you speak Nor did â—… only but 400. more no otherwise discernable for false Pâ—…â—uch trial as we contend for as if they would have bound the â—… followed most voices in besâ—owing victory perswade the King â—… Ramoth Gilead But my former assertion is fully ratified by â—… reply to the others demand When went the c Thou shah see â—… that day when thou shalt go from chamber to chamber to hide thee â—… but such as were neuters before after they see his 〈◊〉 in Ahabs overthrow did take Micaiah for a Prophet as true as 〈◊〉 â—… 3 In like manner when Jeremy a poor Prophet and Priest of Anathoth had â—… Jerusalem among the Prelates and Prophesied the truth but truth â—… to the State beâ—… â—… upon that City and her towns Pashur the son of Immer the Priest which was appointed governour in the house of the Lord intreats him worse then Zidkiah had done Micaiah He could have flouted him with as good applâ—â—se of his complices as the Inquisitors can a Protestant now â—â—u that can read State fortunes a far off can you tell where you shall lodge your self this next night if you cannot take him for a better prophet that can And by Pashurs Prophesie he was to take up his lodging in his way home in the Stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin near unto the house of the Lord whose desolation he had threatned The like entertainment he found again at the whole multitudes hands but by the Priests and Prophets instigation Now when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord bad commanded him to speak unto all the people then the Priests and the Prophets and all the people took him and said Thou shalt die the death Why hast thou prophesied in the name of Lord saying This house shall be like Shiloh and this City shall be desolate without an inhabitant As if the Church of God could possibly erre or the gates of hell prevail against the splendor of it would the Romish Clergie adde should the Lord send a Prophet with such tidings unto Rome And did they not learn this interpretation of Christs promise unto his Church from the hypocritical Jews their predecessors which made the like comment in Jeremiahs time upon Gods words as pregnant for the High Priests succession as S. Peters Come and let us imagin some devise against Jeremiah for the Law shall not perish from the Priest nor counsel from the wise nor the word from the Prophet come and let us smite him with the tongue and let us not give heed to any of his words Away with the Heretick The manifestation of like affection in the Prelates towards Gods Prophets did embolden Shemâ—… the Nehelemite to write from Babylon unto Zephaniah the high Priest and his associates to this effect The Lord hath made thee Priest for Jeâ—oiada the Priest that ye should be officers in the house of the Lord for every man that raveth and maketh himself a Prophet to put him in prison and in the stocks Now therefore why hast not thou reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth which prophesâ—â—d unto you This captivity is long build houses to dwell in and plant gardens and eat the fruits of them 4 But when Pashur found the Omen of that name which Jeremiah gave him when he and his mates proved indeed Magor-Missabib a terror to themselves and all about them when they saw with their eyes all the miseries there expressed then was Jeremiah held for a true Prophet especially by such as out-lived the captivity to see the truth of his Prophesie for their good as exactly fulfilled as this had been for their harm whilest according to his prediction Shemaiah and his seed were rooted out from amongst Gods people happily replanted in their native soil For from the reasons set down before posterity did alwayes better judge of prophesies then the age wherein their Authors lived at the least the younger and meaner sort of that age which out-lived the event usually better digested their doctrine then the ancient or men of dignity that envied them Credit amongst the people yet were not such as lesse maligned them greater believers universally as was said before but only of some few particulars For if a new Prophet should have risen amongst them he was almost as evil entreated by the present Clergie or others whose humors he contradicted This is evident by the Scribes and Pharisees and the chief Rulers of the Jewish Church in our Saviours time They builded the tombs of the Prophets and garnished the sepulchres of the righteous and said as they verily thought If we had been in the dayes of our fathers we would not have been partakers with them in the bloud of the Prophets yet made they the people of their own time so mad as to be partakers with them in the bloud of that great Prophet their long desired Messiah the only Saviour of the world Throughout the whole Story almost of the old Testament the truth proposed may appear that the visible Church if it be taken in such a sence as the Romanists take it was the most corrupt Judge either of the truth or true meaning of Gods word that the people seduced by their goodly shews and glorious titles of Moses successors were stil brought into the combination of bloud until they brought upon themselves their postetity and the holy City All the righteous bloud that was shed upon the earth from the bloud of Abel the righteous until the bloud of their Messiah 5 But though their cruelty and hypocrisie be so notoriously known as it even seems to point out the like in the modern Romanist yet some honestly minded wil perhaps demand how the people of those ages wherein the Prophets lived could possibly know the truth of their Prophesies seeing for the most part they saw a major part of men in Ecclesiastick authority bent against them This happily may tempt unsetled minds to think the Lord had determined his Prophets should have Cassandra's Fates never to be believed till remedy were past The peoples mistaking of their predictions was in a sort Fatal yet not necessary but upon supposition of former neglect God sent them Prophets for their good but their wickednesse turned his blessing into cursings their hypocrisie and folly made them so blind that they could not discem The Signs of the Times until woful experience the fools only School-master began to teach them when their time for lore was ended A prudent man saith the wise-man seeth the plague and hideth himself but the foolish go on still and are punished But wherein doth that prudence consist
proportional Mean between him and lesser Prophets Other in these few gifts wherein they resembled their father came far short of him Christ in all far exceeded him Others were all of Jacobs line raised up by Gods appointment so to instruct their brethren in doubtful cases as they should not need to consult sorcerers or entertain familiarity with wicked spirits Christ to omit the eminency of his Prophetical function till hereafter besides this common fraternity with his people was in more especial manner Abrahams seed and in particular sort raised up by Jehovah his God by intrinsick assumption into the unity of his person not by external assistance or impulsion of his spirit Ruseâ—… likewise he was in a strict and proper sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from amid this people being as it were extracted out of the pure virgin as the first woman was out of the man by Jehovahs own immediate hand from his cradle to his crosse most exactly answering to that delineation of the Great Prophet and Mediatour to be revealed which was exhibited first in Moses when he stood before the Lord in Horeb. His strange deliverance from Herodian butchery whiles all the Infant males besides did perish was fully parallel to the others exemption from Pharaohs cruelty like to Moses he was in the number of his Disciples in communication of his spirit unto them in admitting them to more special participation of his secrets in the peculiar testifications of his familiarity with God in his fasting in his transfiguration in multitude of miracles But these and the like I leave to the Readers observation 10 The peculiar and proper undoubted notes of the great Prophet there spoken of wil be most conspicuous in our Saviour if we compare him first with Moses then with ordinary Prophets according to that difference the Lord himself made between these and Moses If there be a Prophet of the Lord among you I will be known to him by a vision and wil speak unto him by dream My servant Moses is not so who is faithful in all mine house Unto him wil I speak mouth to mouth and by vision not in dark words but he shall see the similitude of the Lord. Wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant even against Moses It is said signanter he should see the similitude of of God not God for as the Evangelist saith No man hath seen God at any time so was it told Moses from the Lords own mouth that he could not see his face and live Yet saw this great Prophet more of God then all the Prophets beside Herein then was Christ like unto him but far above him that He was in the bosome of his father not admitted to see his back parts only and hath declared him to the world Moses from the abundance of his Prophetical spirit so perfectly foretold the perpetual estate of his people from the Law given to the time of their Messias as the best Prophets may seem to be but his schollers From participation of that fulnesse which was in Christ hath that Disciple whom he loved far exceeded Moses as wel in the extent weight and variety of matters foretold as in the determinate manner of foretelling them And I know not whether if it were possible to call both Christ and Moses from heaven their presence though more glorious then it was upon Mount Tabor would be more forcible to illuminate the Jew or Athiest then serious reading the books of Deuteronomy and the Revelation comparing the one with the Jews known misery the other with Ecclesiastical Stories the late abominations of the Papacy and Romanists more then Jewish blindnesse The one shews Moses to have been the father of Prophets the other Christ from whose immensurable fulnesse John had that extraordinary measure of the spirit to be The Fountain of Prophesies whose supereminencies and inexhaustible fulnesse may yet be made more apparent by comparing him not with Moses the Symbol or Mean but with the other extream to wit the rank of lesser Prophets 11 It is rightly observed by the Schoolmen Lumen Propheticum erat aliqualiter aenigmaticum these ordinary Prophets illuminations were not so evident or distinct as certain they discerned rather the Proportion then Feature of truth which they saw but as it were through the cover or in the case not in it self And albeit the event did alwayes prove their answers true oft-times in an unexpected sence yet could they not alwayes give such answers when they pleased Nor did the light of Gods countenance perpetually reside upon them as the Suns brightnesse doth by reflexion upon the stars they had their vicissitude of day and night daily Eclipses overcastings many their chief illuminations came but as it were by Flashes Thus Jeremy in the late cited controversie dares not adventure to give the people a sign for confirmation of his doctrine or other more distinct or determinate prediction besides that of the general event about which the contention was That he knew because the Lord had put it into his mouth would in the end condemn his adversarie of presumption But after Hananiah had outfaced him with a sensible sign of his own making breaking the yoak which he had taken from Jeremiahs neck on which the Lord had put it and boldly avouched in the presence of all the people Thus saith the Lord even so will I break the yoak of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel from the neck of all nations within the space of two years the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah again and sends him back with this message to his adversary Hear now Hananiah the Lord hath not sent thee but thou makest this people to trust in a lie Therefore thus saith the Lord Behold I wil cast thee from off the earth this year thou shalt die because thou hast spoken rebelliously against the Lord. So Hananiah the Prophet died the same year in the seventh moneth Not long after this event were both Prince and people of Jâ—dah rooted out of the land the Lord had given them because contrary to Moses adminition they reverenced the Prophet that spake presumptuously and would not hearken unto the words which the Lord put in Jeremiahs mouth Elisha likewise to whom Elias had given a double portion of his spirit in respect of his fellows of all the Prophets unlesse Elias might be excepted most famous for the gift of miracles a lively type of the Messias in raising from death and giving life had his spirit of Divination but by Fits needed Musick to tune his spirits unto it He gave the barren Shunamite a son of death notwithstanding he knew not as the Lord of life did of Lazarus in his absence nor could he by her unusual gesture or strange signs of sorrow distinctly divine the true cause of her coming only when Gehezi went to thrust her away he said as much as he knew Let her
erring is more stedfastly to be believed as more credible in it self then either the Canon of Scriptures or any thing therein contained because these become actually credible unto us onely by the Churches Declaration which cannot possibly ought avail for their belief unless it were better believed 6 Perhaps the Reader will here challenge me that this last instance proves not all that I proposed in the Title of this chapter For it onely proves the Popes supremacie is better to be believed then that Christ is come in the flesh that God did ever speak to men in former ages by his Prophets and â—…tter by his Son But this infers no absolute alienation of our belief from Christ seeing even in this respect that we believe the Church or Pope so well we must needs â—elieve that Christ is come in the flesh and that God hath spoken to us sundry ways for thus much the Pope avouâ—â—eth Yea but what if the Church teach us that Christ is our Lord and Redeemer and â—et urge us to do that which is contumelious to his Majesty What if it teach us that these Scriptures are Gods Word and yet binde us by her infallible dâ—â—â—â—es to break his Laws and give his spirit the lye Should we make profession of believing as the Pope teacheth and yet take his meaning to be only such as Marnixius whom we better believe would make it His Holiness would quickly pronounce us Apostat's from the Catholick faith Or if this suffice not the indifferent Reader for satisfying my former promise let him have patience but for a while and I will pay him all 7 Their first main position That no private man can certainly know the Canon of Scriptures to be Gods Word but by relying upon the present Church infers as much as hath been said much more will follow from their second That no man can certainly be perswaded of the true sense and meaning of particular propositions contained in the general Canon without the same Churches testimony unto whom the authentick interpretation or dijudication of Scriptures â—holly belongs Imagine the former parties now fully perswaded of the Scriptures divine truth in general should by the Consistory which late Câ—â—â—chized them be questioned about the meaning of some particular plaâ—â—â— Consist We hope you adore the consecrated host with Divine worship as oft as you meet it in procession Cat. Desirous we are to do any thing that becomes good Christians and obedient Sons unto our holy mother the Church but we cannot satisfie our consciences how this may stand with the principles of Christianity Your Holinesses for which we rest yours unto death have assured us these sacred volumes are the very words of God and his words we know must be obeyed Now since we know these to be his words we have found it written in them Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve It is we doubt our simplicity that will not suffer us to conceive how the consecrated Host can be adored as God without open breach of his commandement For to our shallow understanding there is no necessity to perswade us Christ God and man should be hid in it These words Hoc est corpus meâ—m may bear many interpretations no way pregnant to this purpose And it is doubtful whether Christs Body though really present in the Sacrament should retain the same presence in procession whereas the former commandement is plain We must worship the Lord our God and him only must we serve Consist Ye think this Text is plain to your late purpose we think otherwise Whether is more meet ye to submit your private opinions to our publick spirits or us that are Pastors to learn of you silly sheep Cat. Therefore are your servants come unto you that they may learn how to obey you in this decree without Idolatry well hoping that as ye enjoyn us absolutely to obey you in it so ye can give us full assurance we shall not disobey the Spirit of God in the former great commandement whose exposition we most desire 8 Would these or like supplications though conceived in Christian modesty though proposed with religious fear and awfull regard of their persons though presented with tears and sighes or other more evident signes of inward sorrow find any entrance into Romish Prelates ears or move the Masters of the Inquisition house to forbear exaction of obedience to the forâ—er or other Decree of the Trent Councel Were the Form of the Decree it self unto private judgements never so contradictory to Gods expresse written lawes or the consequence of practizing as it prescribes never so dreadful to the doubtful conscience How much better then were it for such silly souls had they never known the Books of Moses to have been from God for so committing idolatrie with stocks and stones or other creatures they had done what was displeasing to their Master and justly punishable yet with fewer stripes because his will was not made known unto them But now they know it and acknowledge the truth of this Commandement To what end That they may be left without all excuse for not doing it They see the general truth of Gods Oracles that they may be more desperately blinded in wilfull perverting the particulars For what glory could the allurement of silly ignorant men to simple idolatry be unto great Antichrist Let them first subscribe to the written Lawes of the everliving God and afterwards wholly submit themselves to his determinations for their practise and so the opposition betwixt him and the Deity betwixt his injunctions and the Decrees of the Almighty may be more positive more directly contrary The Heathen or others not acknowledging Gods Word at all are rightly termed unbelievers men thus believing the Scriptures in general to be Gods Word from the testimony of the Church and yet absolutely relying upon her judgement for the meaning of particular places are transported from unbelief to misbelief from grosse ignorance to wilfull defiance of God and his Lawes Finally they are brought to know Gods Word that they may doubt in this and like fearful practises enjoyned that so first doubting and afterwards desperately resolving absolutely to follow the Churches injunction against that sence and meaning of the divine decrees which the holy Spirit doth dictate to their private consciences they may without doubt be damned for not abiding in the truth Like their first parents they hear Gods sentence but prefer the interpretations of Sathans first-born before their own because it must be presumed he is more subtle then they Or to referre the two main streames of thâ—s iniquity to their proper heads The first That we cannot know the old or new Testament to be Gods Word but by relying upon the Church makes all subscribers to it real Atheists or Infidels and Christians onely in conceit or upon condition If the Church whose authority they so highly esteem be as infallible as is pretende Heretofore I have
custome before any other businesse discourse or care of Himself were he never so wet or weary to call for a retiring room to pour out his soul unto God who led him safely in his journey And this he did not out of any specious pretence of Holiness to devour a Widows House with more facility Rack their Rents or Enhance their Fines for excepting the constant Revenue to the Founder to whom he was a strict accountant no man ever did more for them or less for himself For thirty years together he used this following Anthem and Collect commanded by the Pious Founder in Honour and Confession of the Holy and Undivided Trinity Salva nos Libera nos Vivifica nos O Beata Trinitas c. Save us Deliver us Quicken us O Blessed Trinity Let us praise God the Father and the Son with the Holy Spirit let us praise and Super-exalt his Name for ever Almighty and everlasting God which hast given unto us thy servants Grace by the Confession of a true Faith to acknowledge the Glory of the Eternal Trinity and in the Power of the Divine Majesty to Worship the Unity We beseech thee that through the stedfastness of this Faith we may evermore be defended from all Adversitie which livest and raignest c. This he did perform not onely as a Sacred Injunction of the Founder upon him and all the Society but he received a great Delight in the performance of it No man ever wrote more highly of the Attributes of God then he and yet he professes that he alwaies took more comfort in admiring then in disputing and in praying to and acknowledgeing the Majesty and Glory of the Blessed Trinite then by too curiously prying into the Mysterie He Composed a Book of Private Devotions which some judicious men having perused the same much Extolled and Admired as being replenished with Holy Raptures and Divine Meditations which if it be not already annexed to this Book I hope the Reader will shortly enjoy in a Portable Volume by it self Thus have many other Famous Scholars and Polemical men in their Elder times betaken themselves to Catechizing and Devotion as Pareus Bishop Andrews Bishop Usher and Bellarmin himself seems to prefer his Book De Ascensione Mentis ad Deum Of the Ascension of the Soul to God before any other part of his Works Books saies he are not to be estimated Ex multitudine foliorum sed ex fructibus By the multitude of the Leaves but the Fruit. My other Books I read onely upon necessity but this I have willingly read over three or four times and resolve to read it more often whether it be saies he that the Love towards it be greater then the Merit because like another Benjamin it was the Son of mine old age He seemed to be very Prophetical of the Ensuing times of trouble as may evidently appear by his Sermons before the King and Appendix about the signs of the Times or Divine Fore-warnings therewith Printed some years before touching the Great Tempest of Wind which fell out upon the Eve of the Fifth of November 1636. He was much astonished at it and what apprehension he had of it appears by his words This mighty Wind was more then a Sign of the Time the very Time it self was a Sign and portends thus much That though we of this Kingdom were in firm League with all Nations yet it is still in Gods Power we may fear in his Purpose to plague this Kingdom by this or like tempests more grievously then he hath done at any time by Famin Sword or Pestilence to bury many living souls as well of Superiour as of Inferiour Rank in the Ruin of their stately Houses or meaner Cottages c. Which was observed by many but signally by the Prefacer to M. Herberts Remains I shall not prevent the Reader or detain him so long from the Original of that Book as to repeat the Elogies which are there conferred upon Him I cannot forbear one passage in that Preface wherein he makes this profession I speak it in the presence of God I have not read so hearty vigorous a Champion against Rome amongst our writers of his rank so convincing and demonstrative as D. Jackson is I bless God for the confirmation which he hath given me in the Christian Religion against the Athean Jew and Socinian and in the Protestant against Rome As he was alwaies a Reconciler of differences in his Private Government so he seriously lamented the Publick Breaches of the Kingdom For the Divisions of Reuben he had great Thoughts of Heart At the first Entrance of the Scots into England he had much compassion for his Countrymen although that were but the beginning of their Sorrows He well knew that War was commonly attended with Ruin and Calamity especially to Church and Church-men and therefore that Prayer was necessary and becoming of them Da pacem Domine in diebus nostris c. Give peace in our time O Lord because there is no other that fighteth for us but onely thou O God One drop of Christian blood though never so cheaply spilt by others like water upon the ground was a deep Corrosive to his tender heart Like Rachel weeping for her children he could not be comforted His body grew weak the chearful hue of his countenance was impaled and discoloured and he walked like a dying Mourner in the streets But God took him from the evil to come It was a sufficient Degree of punishment for him to foresee it it had been more then a thousand Deaths unto him to have beheld it with his Eyes When his Death was now approaching being in the chamber with many others I overheard him with a soft voice repeating to himself these and the like Ejaculations I wait for the Lord my Soul doth wait and in his Word do I hope my Soul waiteth for the Lord more then they that watch for the morning As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness And he ended with this Cygnean Cantion Psal 116. 5. Gracious is the Lord and righteous yea our God is merciful The Lord preserveth the simple I was brought low and he helped me Return unto thy Rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee And having thus spoken soon after he surrendered up his Spirit to Him that gave it If you shall curiously enquire what this Charitable man left in Legacie at his death I must needs answer that giving all in his Life time as he owed nothing but Love so he left nothing when he Dyed The Poor was his Heir and he was the Administrator of his own Goods or to use his own Expression in one of his last Dedications he had little else to leave his Executors but his Papers onely which the Bishop of Armagh being at his Funerals much desired might be carefully preserved This was that which he left to Posterity in pios usus for
from speaking any good unto the Jewâ—… yet the Oracles of Carmel assure Vespasian of good Successe in all that he should set â—is hand unto 2 As these and many other Presignifications were more then Natural so the means of his Advancement if we respect onely the purpose of men were meerly Casual nor is it possible for the Atheist to imagin their Concurrenâ—e contrived by Policy 3 But herein we may clearly see Gods Covenant of exalting this People and humbling their foes quite Inverted All the Plagues threatned to such as bare ill will to Sion light on her Friends and Inhabitants All the â—lesâ—ingâ— promised to such as prayed for Jerusalems Peace are heaped upon them that work her Ruine More particularly do they verisie that Propheâ—â—e of Mâ—… â—â—â—t 28. 4â— The stranger that is amongst you shall climb up on high and tâ—â—â— shalt come down beneath alow For these Children of the Kingdom taking Violent but false hold upon Gods truest Promises do by their unseasonable desire of exalting themselves above the Nations hoise Him up to highest Dignity that was ordained to pluck them down from their seat and bring them below all other people The manner of it was thus 4 There was a constant Opinion through the East that Jewry about this time should bring forth the Monarch of the World In Confidence of which Prophecie the Jews as the Roman Writers observe did Rebel Vespâ—… otherwise likely to have lived in Danger and died in Obscurity and disgrace whereunto Nero had designed him appointed for reasons afore alledged to Manage these Wars gets Renown for his good Service among the Romanâ— Good wâ—… of the Eastern nations and upon Nero's death and Civil Broiles thence ensuing partly by promise of assistance from the Parthian partly by other unexpected Occurrents had the Empire thrust upon him otherwise backward of himself to entertain Hopes suggested to him from Heaven by many wonderful Signs and tokens Yet after all this being made Emperour on a suddain before he could bethink himself what belonged to so High a Place he wanted 〈◊〉 as the Historian notes Authority and Majesty to countenance his proceedings and these again are confâ—â—med unto him at his first entrance into the Empire by means more Miraculous then the former Since Rome began was it not heard that any Roman had opened the eyes of the Blind unlesse this man had been from God he â—ould have done nothing Why then do the Heathen rage and the people â—…in thing against God and his Annointed The Christ as if He had not Healed him which was born Blind with Spittle when as Vespasian â—…perour dâ—d â—ure one desperately blind by spitting upon his eyes or whence came that vertue into this new Emperours feet that he should â—eal a lame and withered thigh by treading upon it Both these effects were well known unto the most judicious Roman Writers of those times so constantly avouched by them as can leave no place for suâ—pition in Ages following 5 What shall we Christians say to these things Onely this In both these Cures there was the Finger of God pointing out Vespasian to the world as Christs Right Hand appointed for some Extraordinary and Peculiar Service even to inâ—… the Plagues foretold by him upon these Jews which had reviled traduced and crucified the Lord of Glory for the like and infinite other far greater Miracles wrought amongst them These strange Calamities had they fallen in Nero's or other like Emperours time might have been attributed to their Cruel disposition but that Vespasian for his natural Inclination another Moses scarce provocable to revenge Practize of Treason against his Person in private men should work that strange desolation upon a whole Land hath this signification that he was Gods Instrument onely in this Businesse what he did he did impelled by Him not of his own Motion or Inclination And because he had diligently executed that which was right in Gods eyes and had done unto these Jews according to all things that were in Gods Heart he had by what Revelation God best knoweth Jehu's Blessing Sealed unto him That his Son should sit upon his Throne so confident was he in this perswasion as after the discovery of many to scorn all Conspiracies though daily intended against â—… avouching still either his Sons or None must succeed him in the Empire as both of them did Though the later much degenerate from so worthy a Father most dislike unto his noble brother was most unworthy and uncapable of so High a Place but onely from his Fathers deserts which GOD had ordained should be rewarded with this Honour Had either of his Sons rendred according to the reward bestowed upon them more Scepters had sprung from the Flavian Stock But as it Grew â—pace so did it quickly Fade Titus the fairest Branch to all mens seeming being plucked off to his great Hearts grief in the Blossom for what Secret sin GOD knoweth best This One was grievous enough to have deserved a more grievous death that apprehending his Fates approach he durst so Considently look Heaven in the Face and Expostulate his untimely death as unjust seeing he never had offended the Sacred Powers thereof but Onely Once The Signs of those Times were Extraordinary could the Romans have rightly observed them But these Great Conquerours were taken with their Captives â—rrour in not discerning or mis-applying them As the Spring Sun which naturally reviveth all other living Creatures often times prepareth such Human bodies as are fullest of Life and Bloud but most neglective of the opportunity of taking Physick or using diet convenient for that season to hot and desperate diseases never perceived in their Summers growth until they be ripe of death in the Autumn so albeit the Sun of Righteousnesse whose coming into the world was to give life unto it did first arise in Jewry yet by her childrens Confidence in their wonted Temper so whole and sound unto their seeming that of all other people they onely needed no Physitian the very Beames of saving Health did secretly dispose their evil disposed hearts to violent death which burst out in the later end or Autumn of that Age wherein he appeared For that Generation with whom our Saviour Christ Jesus conversed on earth was not fully past until this People began to swell with insolent and proud hopes of Soveraignty over others and by their untimely provocation of the Romans bring suddain Destruction upon themselves as stout and full Bodies by violent and unseasonable Exercises are soonest brought down from the height of their strength unto the grave The Romans again seeing these Jews defeated and themselves possessed of their hopes Vespasian being called to the Empire during these wars which Titus his son did gloriously finish to the utter ruine of that Nation think sure their Gods had been more potent then the GOD of the Jews and apply the Prophecie meant of Christ unto Vespasian as if He
hath fulfilled his word that he had determined of old time he hath thrown down and not spared he hath caused thine enemies to rejoyce over thee and set up the Horn of thine Adversaries Arise cry in the night in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord lift up thine hand towards him for the life of thy young children that famish for hunger in all the corners of the streets These words perhaps were meant in divers measures of both Calamities but the Complaint following of the later only under Titus Behold O Lord and consider to whom thou hast done thus Shall the women eat their fruit children of a span long shall the Priest and the Prophet be slain in the Sanctuary of the Lord the young and the old lie on the ground My Virgins and my Young-men are fallen by the sword thou hast slain them in the Day of Thy Wrath thou hast killed and not spared Thou hast called as in a Solemn Day my Terrors round about so that in the day of the Lords wrath none escaped or remained Those that I have nourished and brought up hath mine Enemy consumed 2 Many particulars here set down by Ieremy are not so much as once intimated by the Sacred Story which describes the Siege by Nebuchadnezzar But no calamity either intimated by any Historical Relations of those times or prefigured in Ieremies complaint but in this later Siege by Titus is most exactly fulfilled as if the Lord had but sown the seeds of destruction desolation by Nebuchadnezzar which now being come to their ful growth ripeness this People must reap according to the ful measure of their Iniquity They are as dry Stubble the Romans as a consuming Fire Nebuchadnezzars Host perhaps slew some but had no occasion to make a General Massacre in the Temple destitute of Defendants ere it was taken the King and his greatest Cōmanders being first fled into the Wilderness nor was it destroyed until the heat of war was past and most of the People lead into Captivity But whilest in this later destruction by Titus it fel by the furious Heat Brunt of War the number of such as were either willing or forced to end their days with it was of all sorts exceeding Great and which was most Miserable many who had taken their Farewel of Life had bid Death Welcome revived again to renew their more then deadly Sorrows to reiterate their bitter Complaints which This Lamentable Accident could only teach them to Act aright and utter with such Tragical and Hideous Accent as was befitting a Calamity so Strange Fearful as never had been known before Even such as Famin had caused to faint having their Vocal Judgements clung together and their Eyes more then half closed up with death upon sight or noise of the Temples crackling in its last and Fatal Fire rowsed up their spirits and resumed their wonted strength to proclaim unto all Neighbour-Regions in shril and lowdest Out-cries That there was Never Any Sorrow like unto this Sorrow wherewith the Lord had afflicted them in the Day of his Fierce Wrath and yet they blow the fire which it had kindled ventilating and inlarging the devouring flame whose extinction the abundance of their Bloud did otherwise seem to threaten by violent Breathing out their last Breath into it The gastly Confusion of this Fearful Spectacle and hideous noise are so lively expressed by Josephus and others that they may well serve the Christian Reader as a map of Hellish misery I onely prosecute the fulfilling of Jeremies Prophecy in particulars related by Josephus as of The Womans Fating Her Child a Thing never heard of in that or any Nation before of the Priests Slaughter both in the Temple and after the destruction of it For Titus otherwise inclined to Mercy seeing it consumed by Fire which he sought by all means to save commanded such of the Priests as had escaped the flame in a By-room adjoyning to be Executed telling them It was fit they should perish with the Temple for whose sake might it have stood he willingly would have saved their lives Again the Massacre of the promiscuous multitude of women and children unfit for War are particularly described with all the circumstances by Josephus Book 7. Chapt. 11. of the Jewish Wars Of six thousand perswaded by a False Prophet to repair unto the Temple there to expect Signs from God of their deliverance not one Man Woman or Child escaped 3 Thus Moses fore-shews the grievous Plagues which hung over this Nations head but then a-far Off Jeremy after points out the Very Place where they shall fall our Saviour Christ onely knew the distinct Period of Time wherein Both the former Prophecies should be accomplished I will not trouble the Reader with Rehersal of particular Calamities fore-told by Him their observation is already made unto his hand by Eusebius and will apply themselves being compared with Josephus so perhaps will not some places of Scripture following though as much concerning the same times For the better understanding of which we must call to mind what was observed before That Hierusalem was the Lords own Seat and the Jews a People set apart by Him and distinguished of purpose from others to Exemplifie his Mercy and Justice in their Prosperity and Distresse Consequent hereunto his pleasure was that in the desolation of Jewry and destruction of the Temple other Nations should be put in mind of their mortality and not think in their hearts that these were Greater Sinners then any other Nation but rather that he who plagued them was Lord of the whole Earth as well as Jewry that the like and more Fearful Judgements did hang over their heads unlesse they would learn by the known Calamities of this People to avoid them So saith the Lord to All the Earth without Exception For Lo I begin to plague the City where my name is called upon and should you go free ye shall not go quit for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth saith the Lord of Hosts Therefore Prophecy thou against them all these words and say unto them The Lord shall roar from above and thrust out his voice from His Holy Habitation he shall roar upon his habitation and crie aloud as they that presse the grapes against all the inhabitants of the earth The sound shall come to the ends of the earth for the Lord hath a controversie with the Nations and will enter into judgement with All Flesh and he will give them that are wicked to the sword And thus saith the Lord God of Hosts Behold a plague shall go forth from Nation to Nation and a great whirl-wind shall be raised from the coasts of the earth and the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth they shall not be
this noble Historiographer hath said of this Event Id malum Divinum potius quam Humanum fuit this was a Calamity more then Humane in which the Finger of God was Evidently seen And as it was a Type of the last Day so may it and the like following confirm the truth of Sodoms Destruction Nor did God speak onely once in this Language to the Roman to omit other wonderful works of God in these times to be recounted in their proper place The like fearful Earthquakes with other Prodigious Concomitants fell out in Trajans time at Antioch But the harms not terminate within her Territories or the Cities about her herewith destroyed For abundance of Souldiers and multitudes of other people did repair from all quarters to the Emperour Wintering there some in Embassages some for Suits some upon other Businesses some to see Plays and Pageants Whence the dammage as this Author saith did redound to all that were Subject to the Roman Empire This out of question was the Lords doing That all the world might Hear and Fear his Wondrous Works and wondering enquire after the true Causes and meaning of them Thus Antioch as well as Edom and Babylon is overtaken with the Psalmists curse for Rejoycing in the Day of Jerusalem Besides â—he Massacres of the Jews there committed when Titus came unto that City â—he Inhabitants after their Insinuating Gratulations petitioned with all Humility and Policy that the Reliques of this People for whom there was no place left in their own land might be Extirpate thence comprising the Christians no doubt under this Name 6 Many particulars then known are not registred by such Heathen writers â—…s now are extant many Signs of those Times not regarded by any Heathen all which might witnesse the Truth of our Saviours Predictions and exâ—…ound their meaning were they as well known to us as to the Faithful then â—…ving whose Meditations it seems were so wholly taken up with these Contemplations that they had no leisure to leave their Comments in writing â—…o Posterity That dreadful Wo directed against the women of Hierusalem with child and giving suck did take these Antiochians at the rebound Women in such cases could not die but a double death and yet how many such â—…re slain none can tell Of an infinite company of all sorts starved by their â—…se imprisonment in houses whose foundations were sunk the roof remaining Onely one woman was found alive which had sustained her self and her child by her milk Another child found in the like concavity alive sucking his deceased mothers Duggs In fine saith the Author there was no kind of violent Disaster which did not at this time befal men For the Earthquakes being caused by the Divine Power mens Wits were not their own nor knew they what Medicine to seek for these Miss-haps Such as were on the House-tops had no List to descend to fetch any thing out such as were in the Field had no Mind to return back to fetch their clothes Trajan himself was drawn out at a window by no Mortal Creature as this writer thinks so astonished with this disastrous Sight that for many dayes after the Earthquake had ceased he durst not come into any House See Dion l. 68. 7 Neither of these strange Signs of the Son of Man fell out in any corner of the world but the one in the Chief the other in the Second City of the Empire at that time the Emperours Court so that the whole Worlds Representative as we may so speak was in Danger and all men at least men of all sorts at their Wits End by their terrors all mankind had publick warning to prepare themselves against That terrible and dreadful Day These being such Types of it as the First Destruction of the Holy City and Temple by Nebuchadnezzar was of the Second by Titus so as that which is truly said of the one may in an higher degree be truly avouched of the other 8 Of these times again was that of the Prophet meant I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth Bloud and Fire and Pillars of Smoak the Sun shall be turned into darkness and the Moon into Bloud before the great and terrible Day of the Lord come But whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved If we rightly observe the Prophets Method in this place it will both Justifie and Illustrate the former Interpretations of Jeremy and our Saviours Prophecy First he speaks none can deny of Christs coming in the Flesh and Effusion of the Holy Ghost upon all people I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh By The Spirit the Gospel was to be communicated to all Nations and thus as the Evangelist witnesseth at the first descending of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles there were resident at Hierusalem men that feared God of every Nation under heaven and all these at their Baptism received the gift of the Holy Ghost whereby they might manifest the Power and Vertue of the Gospel unto the Countries where they lived If we compare the generality of Saint Lukes speech in that fifth verse with our Saviours Mat. 24. 14. And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached throughout the whole world for a witnesse unto all Nations and then shall the End come We cannot doubt but our Saviours prophecy was verified before the Destruction of Hierusalem which was the End he meant should come But why should the Prophet Joel immediately after his description of the time of Grace adde in the second place I will shew wonders in the Heavens and in the Earth bloud and fire and pillars of smoak Doth he call the people of God again unto Mount Sinai to fire blackness darkness and tempest unto the sound of Trumpets the voice of words which they that once had heard should not desire to hear any more No but he would have the world understand That after the Gospel was once proclaimed throughout It the Lord would shew himself as terrible a Judge to all such as did not embrace the Glad Tidings thereof as he had done before to the Israelites at the promulgation of the Law Both that fearful sight in Mount Sinai and those other Prodigious Appariti in Italy and Syria were Types and representations of That Dreadful Day The former was seen and testified by the Israelites onely because the Law was onely revealed to them the horrors of the later are registred by Heathen Writers known and felt by the principal Nations of the World and from them diffused to all others as Earthquakes which begin at the Centre leave their Effects upon the whole Surface of the Earth because the Gospel was at that time communicate to all the inhabited or frequented Parts of the World Those Prodigious Signs then which the Prophet Joel describes and the Heathen witnesse to
that his stroke should be a little broken Out of such Fathers as lived in the Ages following it is evident the Calamities of these times had been such as did threaten the worlds end many reliques of that grievous disease wherewith the world was sick almost unto death remained until Saint Cyprians time But as Jerusalems Plagues did Prognosticate the Storms of Gods Wrath which were shortly after to be showred upon the Nations so these Cast-away Jews prefigure the Heathnish Temper of whom that saying of our Saviour holds as true They are like unto children sitting in the market place and crying one to another and saying we have piped unto you and ye have not danced we have mourned unto you and ye have not wept In our Saviours time God invited them with Peace and Plenty which they foolishly attribute to their gods or their own Policy after his Death he threatens them with the former Calamities all which they falsely ascribe as the Superstitious in like cases usually do to the Alteration of Religion and the decay of Idolship Would God the temper of this present Age were not much worse then either the Jews or Gentiles was not such as did threaten the Final Destruction of the World from which Faith hath utterly perished But of this Argument as far as befits Christian Sobriety to enquire by Gods Assistance in its proper place Thus much in this place I have added to perswade the Reader that For ought any man knows or for any precedent Sign can be expected it may This Night sound to Judgement Watch we therefore and pray continually that we may be Counted Worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and that we may stand before The Son of Man 9 Thus much of the Prophecies concerning Hierusalems Destruction and the Signs of those Times Ere we return to survey the Jews estate since it shall not be amisse to Note how upon the Expiration of their Interest in Gods promises confirmed unto their father Isaac the Seed of Ismael began to enter upon the other Moiety of his Promise made to Abraham CAP. XXV That the Saracens are the true Sons of Ismael Of their Conditions and Manners Answerable to Moses Prophecy 1 THat the sons of Isaac and Ismael for more then 3000 years after their Fathers Death in Countries almost as many Miles distant from their Original Seat whither scarce any other Asiaticks come should Kithe each other with as little Scruple as if they were Full Cousin Germanes to me hath seemed an Argument That the Lord had appointed Both for Continual Signs unto the Nations the more whiles I consider with what Difficulty of Search Variety of Conjectures and Uncertainty of Resolution the best Antiquaries amongst the Natural Inhabitants of those Countries assign either their first Planters there or the Regions whence they came 2 But howsoever such as we call Saracens are best known to the modern Jews of Spain by the name of Ismaelites yet in these later dayes disposed to quarrel with former Ages some begin to Suspect others to Contradict the Common received Opinion as well concerning the Saracens natural descent from Hagar and Ismael as their pretended Original from Sarah Abrahams lawful Wife Unto which bold Assertion or needlesse Scruple though utterly devoid of all Ground either of Reason or Authority we are thus far beholden it hath occasioned us to seek the Ground of the contrary out of Antiquity as well Secular as Ecclesiastick Whose pregnant Consonancy with the Sacred Oracles is Pertinent to this Present Necessary for Subsequent Discourse in it self neither unpleasant nor unprofitable to the Judicious Christian Reader 3 Of Abrahams Base Seed some in Scripture are denominate from their Mother known by the name of Hagarens Others from her Son their father are called Ismaelites some take their names from his Sons as Kedar Duma Naphish Jetur c. Not any people in Scripture to my remembrance take their name from Nebaioth his eldest Son Which addes probability to their Opinion who think such as the Heathen called Naâ—athaei were in Scriptures tearmed Ismaelites as sole Heirs to their first Progenitors Name Their seat was in the best part of Arabia Petraea near unto the Midianites as is probable from the Story of Joseph who in one place is said to be sold unto the Ismaelites in another to the Midianites these being near Neighbours as it seems and Copartners in Traffick As the Nabathaeans are not mentioned in Scripture so neither do I find the name of Ismael in any Ancient Heathen Writer All of them I think being of Strabo his mind who Book 16. professeth That he omits the Ancient name of the Arabians partly because in his time they were out of Use partly for the Harshnesse of their Pronunciation unto which Exception the name of Ismael was most obnoxious 4 The Seat of such as the Scripture cals Hagarens was in the Desert Arabia betwixt Gilead and Euphrates as we may gather from 1 Chron. 5. 9 1â— This people were called by the Heathen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agraei a name more consonant to their name in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then the Latin Hagareni rightly placed by Ptolomey in the Desert Arabia and by Strabo Book 16. in that very place which the Scripture makes the Eastern Bounds of Ismaels Posterity their Metropolis or chief City in later times was Atra or Atrae and the Inhabitants thereof Atreni unlesse both Dion and Herodian either mistook or have been mistaken to have written Atreni for Agreni But to omit the particular denomination of Ismaels Seed they were best known to Ancient Heathens from the manner of their habitation in Tents and Scenitae Arabes was a name General and I think Equivalent to his Race unlesse perhaps the Midianites or Idumaeans might share with them in this Name as they were partakers of their Quality which is not so to be appropriated unto either as if they had neither House or Town for the Tents of Kedar are most famous in Scripture yet saith the Prophet Let the Wildernesse and the Cities thereof lift up their voice the Towns that Kedar doth inhabit Isaiah 42. 11. Nor did he mean as many Tents as would make a Town for even in Moses time they had their places of defence as appears Gen. 25. 16. These be the sons of Ismael and these be their Names by their Towns and by their Castles twelve Princes of their Nations or rather twelve Heads of so many several Houses Tribes or Clans which kind of Regiment they continued till four hundred years after Christ And the Heathen Writers both Greek and Latin better expresse Moses words in the fore-cited place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then sundry Modern Interpreters do who call them Dukes or Princes being to the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Latins Phylarchi Arabum or to the later Writers Saracenorum albeit some Latin Writers call them
Peoples distraction in following some one false Prophet some another fewest of all the true Prophets most their High-Priests and men in Authority might exempt any from acknowledgement of such Prophesies as in the issue proved Divine for the Rule of their Belief If that People either upon the Variety of Opinions or the Authority of the Priests or others might reject the Word of God either preached unto them by the Prophets or read by others or appeal from It to any visible company of men on whose decrees they might safely rely then may the Romanists with some probability teach men to rely upon the decrees of their Church for their infallible Rule not upon Scriptures only But if the People of those times were bound to rely upon MOSES Law and the Prophets Writings against all the World besides albeit joyntly conspiring to teach them otherwise though with Glozes and pretences of Moses Authority then much more must these Writings be of like Authority unto us And all the Mimical Objections which the Jesuites can frame to this or like purpose If the Scripture be the Rule of Faith and must be discerned by private Spirits how comes it to passe that Calvin expounds it one way Luther another Zwinglius a third and yet all think they have the Spirit are the very same in effect with the false Prophet Zedekiah's Exception against Michaiah When went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee 5 Zeclekiah had four hundred more of his opinion and this People had been very dull if conscious of their own factious greatnesse they could not have pleaded all the Papists Arguments against Michaiah all that can be drawn from the Universality or Authority of the Church All which have meer ignorance or incogitancy of a Divine Providence for their Root but branch themselves in their after-grouth into positive Atheism and contradictious Infidelity First their Authors the Priests and Jesuites erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the Power of God able to lead men unto Life by this written Way though narrow and private yet straight and plain Afterwards as if they were Satans sworn Takers or authorized Purveyoâ—â—s to furnish Hell with guests observing some who rather idly wish or loosly profer then seriously purpose or earnestly strive to enter in at the streight Gate either sail in their first Adventures or finally miscarry they watch hence all opportunities of haling Passengers to their broad beaten Catholick Way which almost all heretofore have gone as they brag wherein a blind man so he will follow his Guide cannot easily trip so I think until both come at the very Pit-brink of Destruction whereunto it tends directly and infallibly But is this your Catholick Way more plain or better beaten then rebellious Israels or Judahs was Could not these also whilest backed by their blinded Guides have mockt at private Spirits and bestowed Titles upon Gods true Servants because in number fewest and most opposite to their Prelates as foul and odious as Sectaries Schismaticks or Hereticks Or did these willingly and wittingly go astray as knowing their wayes to be the wayes of death Therefore my people is gone into captivity saith the Lord because they had no knowledg Ignorance the Nurse of your Devotion was the true Mother of their Superstition and Idolatry yet was this want of Knowledge which thus proved the fertile Seed of all their insuing Misery the native Fruit of their former Negligence in not practising the known Precepts of Moses Law And because increase of Ignorance in Gods Word did breed in them a greater delight of hearing Lies and pleasant things then the Truth he gave them their Lust as he had done their Forefathers Quails in his displeasure Son of man saith the Lord unto his Prophet these men have set up their Idols in their heart and put the stumbling Block of their Iniquity before their face should I being required answer them Therefore say unto them Thus saith the Lord God Every man of the House of Israel that setteth up his 〈◊〉 in his heart and putteth the stumbling Block of his Iniquity before his face and cometh to the Prophet I the Lord will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his Idols That I may take the House of Israel in their own heart because they are all departed from me through their Idols 6 This evidently proves that unlesse the Moral Law be duly practised and those stumbling Blocks which the wicked set before their faces removed to seek after such a facile inerrable Rule as the Papists have framed for direction in points of Faith is to solicit a snare for their own Souls as no doubt God gave the Romans for their distast of his Word and that longing after Genulism before mentioned this broken Reed whereon to this day they rely as he had done the Israelites a King in his wrath And though in every Age since the Goths and Vandals over-ran the Empire God hath raised up some poor Michaiah to withstand their state-Prelates Yet those lying Spirits which possessed Ahabs Prophets have ever born greatest sway in that Church seducing Princes and People as they had done Ahab by multitude of Voices to their own Destruction That the Romanists can produce men of great fame and note through many Generations for their defence in some one point or other it skils not much For as God in times past suffered Prophets or Dreamers to take opportunity from their strange Predictions of inticing his people to Idolatry forbidden by his written Law so in every Age his Providence permits men of excellent Gifts and great skill in Scriptures to have yea to seek to establish their plansible Errours under pretences of Revelations secret Assistance or abundant measure of his Spirit that by this means he may try our Fidelity in searching Scriptures and Diligence in trying Spirits as he did the Israelites by such presumptions of Divine Prophesies or Visions And if amongst this great Variety of Opinions I might deliver mine as freely as I willingly submit it to each sober Prophets Censure much more to the Correction of my lawful Superiours I should for ought I yet see to the contrary avouch first that no Christian in any Age but is oft put upon his Trial Whether he love God or the great Ones of this world more Whether he will Confesse or Deny Christ before men Secondly That during these dayes of Peace and Security which we now enjoy our Acquital or Condemnation in both the Two former main Interrogatories stands especially upon our abandoning or abetting their Errours in some points of Danger whose Worth in others we justly admire So much addicted are we for the most part to such mens persons as have been Gods Instruments for our good that upon often experience of those wholesome Medicines wherewith their shops are plentifully furnished we swallow down whatsoever there we find when as perhaps the disease they had to deal with or some other
former Precept except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you as peremptorie as any can be for communicating as well sacramentally as spiritually in both kinds it were uncharitable to mistrust Gods mercie towards such poor souls as long for the Cup of Salvation which no man giveth them yea which the Romish Church hath by Decree as peremptorie as she could make denied to all the Laitie without exception to all the Clergie except such as may by a peculiar right challenge his blood as their own by way of exchange because they have made him a Bodie which he had not before 14 Yet is it a small thing with this great Whore to deprive the Christian World of the Lords unlesse she urge it instead thereof to pledge her in the cup of Devils full of the wine of fornication coloured with her adulterate Scriptures authorized no doubt for such purposes Where our Apostle Saint Paul saith that he and his Ministers were Stewards of the mysteries of God the vulgar Roman Edition renders the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Latin Dispensatores and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rightly rendred in this place elsewhere upon carelesnesse rather then any intention of harm as I am perswaded by the Latin Sacramentum Whether upon set purpose of some more learned in that Councel presuming to gull the simple and illiterate by their cunning as Chemnitius probably thinks or whether the mysterie of iniquitie as is more probable wrought unawares in the brains of the ignorant which were the major part and as some have related did oversway the learned uncapable of such impudencie as should give countenance to this ignominious Decree partly from the equivocation of the Latin Dispensatores partly from the synonymical signification which the vulgar hath made of Mysterium and Sacramentum the Beetle-heads have hammered out an interpretation of Saint Pauls words before cited so scurrilously contrarie to his meaning that the Black Dog which is said to have appeared unto Cardinal Crescentius might he have spoken in the Councel could scarce have uttered it without blushing For the Apostle meant such Dispensatores or Stewards as our Saviour speaks of in the four and twentieth of Saint Matthew such as should give their Fellow-servants their just portions without purloining such as daily expected their Masters Return to call them unto a strict Account of their Stewardship For so it is expressely added Moreover or as much as belongs unto our office it is required of Stewards that they be all found faithfull 1 Cor. 4. 2. 15 Not to dispute of the Churches Authority in disposing of Sacraments nor to exagitate the impietie of this decree be the one for the present supposed as great the other as little as they list to make it onely this I would demand of any that is so himself whether he can imagine any men sober or in their right mindes would not assoon have urged that text The fool hath said in his heart there is no God for establishing Atheisme or S. Peters check unto Simon Magus to prove Simonie lawful as derive the Churches authoritie for detaining the least part of the Word of life much lesse the Cup of Salvation from these words Let a man so think of us as of the Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God What secrets of the Gospel before hid but now to be published to all the World of which the same Apostle elsewhere had said A necessity is laid upon me and wo unto me if I preach it not Of the use or necessity of the Lords Cup not a word in this place not a syllable for the Lord had sent him not to administer this Sacrament but to preach the Gospel of which the Doctrine of the Lords Supper was a part indeed but where expressely and directly he delivers that doth he intimate by any circumstance that either it had been was or might be otherwise administred then according to the patern prescribed by our Saviour at the first Institution Rather his often repetition of these conjunctives This bread and this cup eating and drinking the bodie and bloud c. argue he never thought the one should be received without the other that this prohibition of the Cup was a particular branch of the mysterie of iniquitie not to break out till latter Ages hid from his eyes that had seen the Mysterie it self begin to work As often as ye shall eat this bread saith the Apostle and drink this cup ye shew the Lords death till â—e come Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink the cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord. Let a man therefore examine himself and so let him eat of this bread and drink of this 〈◊〉 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh his own dâ—… tion because he discerneth not the Lords Bodie Yet unto the Trent Councel Saint Paul in the former place where he had no such occasion as not speaking one word either of the Doctrine necessitie or use of the Sacraments seems to intimate and that not obscurelie the Churches Authority in dispensing them as the Trent Fathers have done What then might every Minister of Christ every distributer of Gods secrets have used the like authoritie before the Church representative did at least by tact consent approve the practise This place doubtlesse proves either altogether nothing or thus much for the Apostles words are indefinite for their literal sence equally appliable to every faithfull Minister or private dispenser of such secrets not appropriate to the intire publick bodie Ecciesiastick or the Capital or Cardinal parts thereof Of the Corinthians to whom he wrote one said I am Pauls another I am Apollos the third I am of Cephas all boasting in the personal excellencies of their first Parents in Christ as the Papists now do in Saint Peters and his successours Catholick Primacie To asswage these carnal humours in his children their Father that great Doctor of the Gentiles seeks more in this then in any other place of all his Epistles to debase himself and diminish others high esteem either of his own worth or of his calling Who is Paul then and who is Apollos but the Ministers by whom ye believed and as the Lord gave to every man I have planted Apollos watered but God gave the increase So then neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giveth the increase And he that planteth and he that watereth are one and every man shall receive his wages according to his labour For we together are Gods labourers ye are Gods husbandry and Gods building And after a serious incitement of master builders to fidelitie with the like admonition to Gods husbandry or building not to rejoyce in men he concludes as he had begun Let every man esteem us such as I have said
be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gifts of the Holy Ghost For the promise is made unto you and to your children And the same day were added to the Church about three thousand souls Saint Paul for Conclusion takes his Farewel of them as no part of his peculiar charge only tels them it was his and his fellow Barnabas duty to admonish them Then Paul and Barnabas spake boldly and said It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken unto you but seeing you put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life lo we turn to the Gentiles For so hath the Lord commanded us saying I have made thee a light of the Gentiles that thou shouldest be the salvation unto the end of the World And when the Gentiles heard it they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained unto eternal life believed Thus the Word of the Lord was published throughout the whole Country But the Jews stirred certain devout and honourable women and the chief men of the City and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them out of their Coasts Acts 13. 46. 7 Thus it is as true of graces as natures ordination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the power and efficacy of Christs chief Apostles is restrained unto their proper and limited Sphere God alwayes blessing those endeavours best that are imployed within the precincts of that peculiar charge whereto he appoints us By that which hath been said it may appear that Saint Peters and Saint Pauls prerogatives how great soever were both personal to expire with themselves although a title of supremacy over the Gentiles might be pretended with much greater probabilitie from S. Paul then from S. Peter whose peculiar charge was the Jew as may be yet further manifested by the place most urged for his and his Successors oecumenical jurisdiction bequeathed as the Romanists suppose in these words Peter feed my lambs Peter feed my sheep 8 But the natural circumstances of that place compared with the late exposition of the former deads all their blows thence intended against us ere they can rightly frame themselves to fetch them A little before these words were uttered Peter desirous to approve his excessive love to our Saviour and manifest more then an ordinary desire of his company that had appeared unknown unto him but from Johns notification girt his coat about him and cast himself into the Sea whiles the other Disciples not above two hundred Cubits from Land came by ship to meet him After a short dinner passed as the text seems to insinuate in silence at least not entertained with such variety of discourse as might either interrupt some private intimation made to Peter of future conference or put the former occasion of this following exhortation out of the other Apostles memory our Saviour enjoyns Simon the son of Jona to feed his Lambs and again and again to feed his Sheep He sees him then like a loving Souldier desirous by his adventurous approach unto him to recover his former reputation much impaired by denying him Whether our Saviour check or cherish this desire I question not much lesse determin His speeches with the former circumstances import thus much Thou hast made profession of more then ordinary love unto me of readinesse to lay down thy life for my sake though all others even these thy fellows should forsake me willing I see thee by thy present hazard of it to make thy former words good But wouldest thou have me yet to shew thee a more excellent way I have told thee it long since Thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren SIMON the Son of JONA if thou desire to prove thy self a CEPHAS or testifie the sincerity of thy faith and love which by the powers of darknesse were of late so grievously shaken Feed my Lambs Feed my Sheep Yea seeing thou thrice deniedst the Shepheard of thy soul I say unto thee the third time Feed my sheep Let the memory of thy fore-passed threefold sin also let this my present threefold admonition excite thee unto triple diligence in thy charge to shew such pitty and compassion as I have shewed to thee unto that lost and scattered Block which have denied me or consented to my crucifying Let thy faithful performance of what I request thee at my farewel be the first testimony of thy love to me to be lastly testified by the losse of thy life which thou didst promise me when I gave mine for my sheep but shalt not pay until thou hast fulfilled this my request Verily verily I say unto thee when thou wast young thou girdedst thy self and walkedst whither thou wouldst but when thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thine hands and another shall gird thee and lead thee whither thou wouldest not John 21. 18. 9 But here Bellarmin alwayes exceeding witty either to elude Scriptures whose natural meaning is evidently against him or to collect a gulling sence from such as nothing at all make for him would infer that the Possessive Mâ— necessarily refers Peters charge or jurisdiction unto all the flock that called Christ their Lord Owner For seeing after his resurrection there was but one Fold for this great Shepherd to say My sâ—… could not distinguish one sort from another and therefore none to be exempted from Peters oversight But the Flock though One in respect of the Oâ—… which had purchased all with one price did consist of sheep much different in Breeding and Retaining their several Marks some were of the Circumcision others of the Uncircumcision the former had been our Saviours peculiars charge in his life time for he was not sent but unto the lost sheep of Israel these he might with note of distinction call My sheep As if a Shepherd raised to better fortunes should purchase a great many more sheep then he was wont to look to himself and refer both sorts to severall keepers though both to Fold together in the evening he might Signanter say to the one look well to my sheep though both Flocks were his by right of possession but onely the one his by a peculiar relation of former charge or over-sight And thus as we have said before the Jews were committed peculiarly to Saint Peters care Albeit consonantly to the former exposition of both places alledged our Saviour by My sheep might onely intimate his tender care over his flock without distinction that Peter might more carefully feed as many as he could personally look to seeing the proof of his love to his Lord and Master and of his fidelity which had failed did consist herein As for Bellarmines other collections that our Saviour by mentioning his sheep should mean Prelates or Superiours by his little sheep so their vulgar distinguisheth inferiour Pastors by his lambs meer Laicks such as have Fathers but
Lord their God and yet did all their works to be seen of men They had often taught their Auditours to honour father and mother and learnedly discoursed upon the equity of this precept in general yet could upon private respects dispense with it in sundry particulars They said well in the former and did ill in the latter And albeit they justified their practise by tradition of the elders as the Pontificians do theirs when they absolve subjects from the bond of duty to their civil or children to their naturall parents that they may be more serviceable to the Church their mother yet their sayings in these Apologies were but accessary to their doings not comprehended under that universal affirmative All whatsoever they bid you observe and do but under the negative After their works do not for they were more desirous to be honoured as Rabbies and Fathers of the Congregation then to honour the parents of their flesh albeit they usually taught others so to do save onely when their treasury might be enriched or their own honour enlarged by dispensations which the people easily might have discerned for contrary as well to the Law of God and nature as to these dispensators own doctrine when themselves were not parties 9 From the restraint of this universal precept we may easily limit that speech of our Saviour unto Saint Peter which Bellarmin labours to make more then most universal because the surest ground in their supposals of the Popes transcendent Authority I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Matth. 16. 19. By these keyes saith Bellarmin is understood a power of loosing not onely sins but all â—ber bonds or impediments without whose removall there is no possibility of entrance into the Kingdom of heaven for the promise is generall nor is it said whomsoever but Whatsoever thou loosest c. giving us hereby to understand that Peter â—â—d bis successors may loose all knots or difficulties of what kind soever if of lawes by dispensing with them if of sins by remitting them if of controversies or opinions by unfolding them Thus far would this cunning Sophister improve the universal Whatsoever above it ordinary and ancient value in Scripture phrase further then the condition of the partie to whom the promise was made being Christs servant not his equall will suffer For what greater Prerogative could Christ himself challenge then such as Bellarmine for the present Popes sake would make Saint Peters The Universal note in this place as the like before â—includes onely an abundant assurance of the power â—…thed a full and irrevocable ratification of the Keyes right use such a shutting as none can open such an opening as none can shut as often as sentence is either way given upon sufficient and just occasions The proper saâ—ject thâ—â— limits the universall form of this more then princely prerogative is the denâ—… confession of Christ either in open speech in perpetuall actions or resolution as shall be by Gods assistance made evident against Romish assertions without derogation from the royalty of Priest-hood which within these Territories is much more dreadfull and soveraigne then worldlings will acknowledge untill they be made feel the full stroke of the spiritual sword in these our dayes for the most part born in vain 10 Whatsoever reasons else they can from any other places of Scripture pretend for absolute infallibilitie in the High Priests or Church representative under the Law fall of their own accord these fundamentall ones being overthrown But before I proceed to evince the Jewish supreme tribunall most grosly erroneous de facto I must request the ingenious Readers as many as understand Latin and can have accesse unto these great Doctor writings to be eye-witnesses with us or if it please them publick Notaries of their retchlesse impieties Of which unlesse authentick notice be now taken and propagated to posterity by evident testimonies beyond exception this impudent generation in future ages when these abominations growold and more stirred in begin so to stink that for the Churches temporall health the books of modern Jesuites must be purged will surely deny that ever any of their grand Divines were so mad with incestuous love of their whorish mother as to seek her maintenance by such shamelesse grosse notorious palpable written blasphemies as ungracious Judas would rather have choaked with an halter in their birth then have granted them entrance into the world through his throat He in comparison of these Antichristian Traitors ingenuously confessed his foul offence in betraying innocent bloud But even the flower of Romish Doctors Bishops and Cardinals are not ashamed to justifie him in betraying and the Scribes and Pharisees in solemnly condemning our Saviour For if the one sort did not erre in judgement the other did not amisse in executing what they enjoyned yet by that very Consistorie of Priests and Elders brought in by Bellarmin as chief supporters of the Churches infallibilitie was the life of the world censured to death for an Heretick or refractarious Schismatick and the Talmuâ—… taking that Consistories authority but for such as the Jesuites supposed conclude directly from principles common to the Synagogue and the Roman Church that he deserved no lesse because he would not subscribe unto their sentence nor recant his opinions 11 Again if we understand that other place The Scribes and pharisees sit in Moses seat all therefore whatsoever they bid you that observe and do universally as most Papists do and Hart out of his transmarinal Gate hismâ— would gladly have maintained it any Jew might thus aâ—â— me The Sâ—… sees solemnly bid Judas and others to observe our Saviour as a â—… and charged the people to seck his bloud therefore they were in â—… and upon pain of damnation bound so to do Do I amplifie one word or wrong them a joâ— in these collections I appeal unto their own Writers Let Melcbur Canus inferiour to none in that Church for learning and for a Papist a man of singular ingenuitie be judge betwixt us If from his words as much as I have said do not most directly follow let me die the death for this supposed slander Against the absolute infallibilitie of Councels or Synods maintained by him in his fifth Book our Writers as he frames their Argument thus objects The Priests and Pharasees called Councels whose solemne sentences were impious because they condemned the Son of God for such in like sort may the Romish Prelacie give sentence contrary unto Christ Unto this Objection saith Canuâ— the answer is easie Let us hear it The practises of the Priests were indeed against our Saviour but the sentence of man otherwise most wicked was not onely most true but withall most profitable to the Common-weal Yea Saint John the Evangelist tels us it was a divine Oracle
he heal them Then said I Lord how long And he answered until the cities be wasted without inhabitant and the houses without man and the land be utterly desolate and the Lord have removed men far away and there be a great desolation in the midst of the land The truth of our assertion is so pregnant that Maldonat the most judicious expoâ—â—tor amongst the Jesuites takes it as granted the words late cited were literally meant only of that generation with whom the Prophet lived and brings this very Text as one of the aptest instances to illustrate the third kind as he makes it of fulfilling prophesies to wit when that which is truly and literally meant of one is fitly applied unto another matter or sort of people for the similitude of their nature or disposition Although to speak the truth he might have referred it more justly at least more artificially to the fourth kind there mentioned by him For as shal appear hereafter this prophesie was alike literally properly and directly meant of both but verified of the former times more immediately as first in order because that part of its object had precedency in actual existence of the later more compleatly as principally intended by the holy Ghost 4 The blindnesse there spoken of was even then begun but did encrease from that age until the captivity and continued until Christs coming in whole dayes it was augmented and the prophesie fully accomplished as the desolation which followed their blindnesse in putting him to death was greater then that which Nebuchadnezzar brought upon the City and land for the provocations wherewith Manasseh Jehoiachim and other wicked Rulers as wel Priests as Laicks had provoked the Lord by cruel persecution of his messengers sent unto them This was a disease in their Prelates and 〈◊〉 lineally desâ—â—nding to the Scribes and Pharisees who took themselves for infallible teachers and free from oppugning such doctrine as therefore-fathers had persecuted unto the death The sin of these later in crucifyiag Christ was in degree more grievous because his personal worth was much greater then the Prophets but the ignorance was of the same kind in both for as our Saviour saith Mat. 23. 32. the later did but fulfil the measurâ—… their fathers iniquity in murthering Gods messengers And as afterwards shall be declared such as the Romanists account the Church representative most infallible did continually cause or countenance these persecutions The original likewise of this cruelty continued from former to later generations was the very same in both the one distasted Gods words whilest the Prophet spake them the other understood them not whilest they were read every sabbath day unto them both fulfilled them in condemning Gods messengers and thedding innocent bloud upon such gross and palpable blindness as Isaiah describes 5 It wil recreate the attentive Reader to observe how the Lord hath confounded the language of these cunning builders whâ—es they seek to raise up new Babylon from the foundation of the old Synagogue Bellarmin would seem to make a conscience of blaspheming and therefore hath rather adventured to be reputed ridiculous in avouching as you heard before without all ground or shew of reason that the infallible authority formerly established in the Synagogue did expire upon our Saviours entrance into his Ministerial function Many of his fellows knowing how necessary it is for them to defend the publick spirit of the Synagogues and conscious withal how frivolous it would be to say it should vanish by our Saviours presence who came rather by doctrine and practise to establish then overthrow any ordinance of the law resolve though by open blasphemy to maintain the Scribes and Pharisees infallibility until the aboâ—…ing of Aarons Priesthood That they condemned our Saviour was in these mens judgements an â—riour only in matter of Fact not of â—…th or â—…rine and in such case the Pope himself may err whiles he speaks ex Caâ—… That the High Priest did not erre in Faith they take it as proved because the Evangelist saith he prophesied It were good one should die for the people John 11. 50. 6 Such infallibility as this I never shall envy the Pope and I desite no more then that he would confirm this last cited doctrine ex Cathedra For no question but all such throughout the Christian world as bear any love to Christ at all any besides the Jesuites who make no conscience of vilisying their Redeemer for advancing the Popes dignity by desending his insallibilin would renounce his decrees and take him for Antichrist ever after For this was no errour de facto upon false information or privy suggestion Even the High Priests themselves for the inveterate hate which they had born unto our Saviours person and doctrine such as the Romish Church did unto Hus and Jerom of Prage hold a Councel how they might put him to death and so far were they from being missed with false information that they suborn fals witnesses against him and failing in this seek to insnare him in his own confession and finally condemn him with joynt consent for avouching one of the main points of Christian Belief the Article of his coming to judgement I think might Satan himself speak his mind in this case he would condemn Gretzer and his fellows if not for their villany yet for their intolerable folly in questioning whether it were an errour in Faith or no to pronounce the sentence of death with such solemnity against the Judge of quick and dead for professing and teaching the main points and grounds of Faith This villany is too open and evident to maintain the policy of the Prince of darknesse And if neither fear of God nor shame of the world could bridle the Jesuites mouths or stop the pens from venting such doctrine yet certainly this Prince of darknesse their Lord and Master for fear of some greater revolt wil lay his command upon them and make them in this discoursing age speak more warily though they niean still no lesse wickedly 7 Because this is a point worth the pressing let us overthrow not only their answers already given or arguments hence drawn for their Churches authority but in brief prevent all possible evasions If any Papist shal here reply that these High Priests and their assistants did not speak ex Cathedra when they so far missed the cushion this answer as it might perhaps drop from some ignorant Jesuites mouth or pen who is bound by oath to say something and therefore must oftentimes say he knows not what for the defence of the Church so we may wel assure our selves that the Pope himself dare not for his triple Crown deliver it ex Cathedra nor wil the learned Papists hold this point if it be wel urged For as these High Priests errour was most grosse and grievous so was it received upon long and mature deliberation their manner of proceeding was publick and solemn They took Jesus saith the
since to take universality as a sure note of the Church traditions and customs of the Elders for the rule of faith and which is the undoubted Conclusion of such premisses to follow a multitude to any mischief So mightily did the opinion of a major part being all men of the same profession sway with the superstitious people of those times that Ahabs Pursevant conceived hope of seducing Micaiah whilst they were on the way together by intimating such censures of schisme of heresie of peevishneâ—â—e or privacy of spirit as the false Catholick bestows on us likely to befal him if he should vary from the rest The best answer I think a Roman Catechism could affoord would be to repeat the conclusion which Bellarmin would have maintained All the rest besides were Baals Prophets They were indeed in such a sense as Jesuites and all seducers are but 〈◊〉 not by publick profession or solemn subscription to his rites as may partly appear by jehosaphats continuing his resolution to go up to battel against Micaiahs counsel which questionlesse he would rather have died at home then done had he known Micaiah only to have belonged unto the Lord and all his adversaries unto Baal partly by that reverent conceit which even the chief of these seducers entertained at that time of Elias whose utter disgrace Baals servants would by all means have sought for his late designs acted upon their fellows Yet as Josephus records the chief argument used by Zidkiah to diminish Micaiahs credit with both Kings was an appearance of contradiction betwixt his and Eliahs prediction of Ahabs death the accomplishment of both being apprehended as impossible lesse credit as he urged was to be given to Micaiah because so impudent as openly to contradict â—o great a Prophet of the Lord as Elias at whose threatnings Ahab King of Israel trembled humbling himself with fasting cloathed in sackcloth And is it likely he would so shortly after entertain the professed servants of Baal for his Councellors yet seeing the event hath openly condemned them for seducers and none are left to plead their cause it is an easie matter for the Jesuite or others to say they were Baals Prophets by profession But were not most Prieâ—… and Prophets in Judah and Benjamin usually such yes and as afterward shall appear did band as strongly with as joynt consent against Jeremy and Ezechiel as these did against Micaiah The point wherein we desire resolution is by what rule of Romish Catholick Divinity truth in those times might have been discerned from falshood before Gods judgements did light upon the City and Temple He is more blind then the blindest Jew that ever breathed who cannot see how such as professed themselves Priests and Prophets of the Lord as wel in Judah as in Israel did bewitch the people with the self same spels the Papist boasts of to this day as the best prop of his Catholick faith Yet such is the hypocrisie of these proud Pharisees that they can say in their hearts Oh had we lived in the dayes of Jezabel we would not have been her inquisitors against such Prophets as Elias and Micaiah were When as in truth Jezabels impiety towards them was clemency in respect of Romish crueltie against Gods Saints her witchcrafts but as venial sins if we compare them with Jesuitical sorceries But of this errour more directly in the Chapter following of their sorceries and impieties hereafter 3 Unto our former demand whether the society of Prophets were the Church representative whether the people were bound without examination to believe whatsoever was by a major part or such of that profession as â—â—re in highest or most publick place determined What answer a learned Papist would give I cannot tel Then this following better cannot be imagined on their behalf That this supream authority which they contend for was in the true Prophets only that they albeit inspired with divine illuminations and endued with such authority as the Jesuite makes the Popes â—mana divinitas inspirata did notwithstanding permit their declarations for the hardnesse of this peoples heart to be tried by the event or examined by the law not that they wanted lawful power would they have stood upon their authority to exact belief without delay seeing readinesse to believe the truth proposed is alwayes commended in the sacred Story And no doubt but the people did wel in admitting the true Prophets doctrine before the false at the first proposal the sooner the better But were they therefore to believe the true Prophets absolutely without examination Why should they then believe one of that profession before another seeing seducers could propose their conceits with as great speed and peremptorinesse as the best Nor did reason only disswade but the law of God also expresly forbid that people alwayes and in all causes to trust such as upon trial had been found to divine aright of strange events Yet grant we must that hardnesse of heart made this people more backward then otherwise they would have been to believe truths proposed that oft-times they required signs from their Prophet when obedience was instantly due from them to him that oft-times they sinned in not assenting immediately without interposition of time for trial or respite to resolve upon what terms belief might be tendered Thus much we may grant with this limitation if we consider them absolutely or so wel disposed as they should and might have been not as the Prophets found them For in men inwardly ill affected or unqualified for true faith credulity comes nearer the nature of vice then vertue a disposition of disloyalty a degree of heresie or infidelity rather then a preparation to sincere obedience or any sure foundation of true and lively faith Assent perchance men so affected may more readily then others would unto sundry divine truths yet not truly not as they are divine and consonant to the rule of goodnesse but by accident in as much as they in part confort with some one or other of their affections And the more forward men are upon such grounds to believe some generalities of Christian duties the more prone they prove when opportunity tempts them to oppugn others more principal and more specially concerning their salvation For credulity if it spring not out of an honest disposition uniformly inclining unto goodnesse as Sucâ—… from some unbridled humor or predominant natural affection will alwayeâ— sway more unto some mischief then unto any thing that is good Many 〈◊〉 in Jesus saith Saint John when they saw his miracles It pleased them weâ—… had turned water into wine That he had given other proofs of his power 〈◊〉 driving buyers and sellers out of the Temple did minister hope unto proud hearts he might prove such a Messias as they expected as elsewhere upon the like occasion they said †This is of a truth the Prophet that should come intâ— the world The ground of this their aptnesse to believe thus
which might have prevented this plague surely in reading Gods law and continuall meditation thereon for this gives wisdom to the simple Men in this case should have asked counsel of their own heart for there is no man more faithful unto thee then It for a mans mind is some times more accustomed to shew more thenseven Watchmen that sit above in an high Tower And aboue all this pray to the â—… High that he will direct thy way in truth Had they thus done without partialitie to their corrupt affections or without all respect of persons in which Christian faith cannot be had Moses law had been a lantern unto their feet for the discerning of true Prophets and those discerned had been a light unto latter Ages for discerning the true Messias 6 The evidence of this truth not without cause so often inculcated will better appear if we consider how most prophetical predictions of particular alterations were but determinations of Mosaical generalities out of which they grow as branches out of the stock As for example the Lord told Moses before his death and he gave it to Israel for a Song to be copied out by all That when they went a whoring after the Gods of a strange laâ—â— forsaking him he would forsake them and hide his face from them After Ihoia labs death Zechartah his son seeing the Princes of Iudah leaving the house of the Lord to serve Groves and Idols albeit he were moved as the Text saith by the Spirit of God yet onely applies Moses generall prediction to the present times Thus saith God Why transgresse re ye the commandement of the Lord Surely ye shall not prosper because he have forsaken the Lord he also will forsake you Saint Paul himself useth his own advise not the Lords authority in such points as were not evidently contained in Moses law Unto the married command not I but the Lord Let not the wife depart from her husband for so Moses had expresly commanded But to the Remnant I speak not the Lord If any brother have a wife that believeth not if she be content to dwell with him let him not forsake her And again concerning Virgins I have no commandement of the Lord but I give mine advice as one that hath obtained mercie of the Lord to be faithfull This was his judgement and as he thought warranted by the Spirit of God yet he prescribes it not as a general rule of faith to all but rather leaves every man to be ruled by his conscience and the Analogie of Moses law So likewise though God use an extraordinary revelation to instruct Saint Peter in the free use of meats forbidden by Moses yet he perswades him it by manifesting the true meaning of another clause of the same law for what he uttered upon this instruction and the Experiment answerable thereto was but a further specification of what Moses had said I perceive of a truth saith Saint Peter Acts 10. 34. that God is no accepter of persons Moses had said Deut. 10. 17. The Lord your God is God of Gods and Lord of Lords a great God mighty and terrible which accepteth no persons nor taketh reward who doth right unto the fatherlesse and widow and loveth the stranger giving him food and raiment 7 These passages sufficiently informe us that the extraordinary spirit wherewith the Apostles themselves were above the measure of Gods former messengers inspired oft-times onely made the Stems whether of the Tree of Life or of Knowledge planted by Moses to blow and flourish in them by little and little after the manner of natural growth it did not alwayes bring forth new ones in an instant as the earth did at the first creation Much more usually did prophefies during the standing of the first Temple spring out of Mosaical predictions If we compare his writings with latter prophe â—ies not long before the Babylonish captivity though he had departed this life before their fathers entred into the land of Promise yet he speaks unto this last generation as an intelligencer from a far Countrey that great preparation was made against them but who should be the executioners or managers of mischief intended he leaves that to such Prophets as the Lord should raise them up for the present Jeremie and Ezechiel upon his admonition following his direction are sent by God as it were to scowre the coast to descrie when the Navie comes for what Coast it is bound and how near at hand Here had the people faithfully examined their hearts by Moses law whether not guilty of such sins as deserved the plagues threatned by him they had quickly assented unto Moses writings and the Prophets words For as consciousnesse of their sins in general might cause them fear some plague or other indefinitely threatned by their Law-giver whose writings they best believed so might the diligent observation of their particular transgressions and their progresse in them have taught them to presage the determinate manner of their plagues and punishments foretold by the present Prophet For God in his usuall course of justice so suites his punishments to the most acâ—ustomary habits or predominant sins as unto men religiously observant of Times and Seasons the growth and processe of the one will give a certain Crisis of the other Besides Every age hath peculiar signes subordinate to the general predictions of good or evil foretold by Gods messengers whereby the faithfull learn to know the day of their visitation and as Solomon saith to hide themselves in latâ—bâ—â—lo altissimi from the plague if not by their hearty repentance godly prayers and religious endeavours to prevent it And because we in this age are not so well acquainted with the particular Signes of former Times wherein true Prophets lived it is hard for any living now though easie to all the faithfull then to give any certain or particular rule how the truth of their prophesies might have been at least probably known before the event did finally and absolutely approve them Would to God we could discern the Signes of Times present and the Lord of his infinite mercie give us grace to know the day of our visitation But of this argument elsewhere by Gods assistance It shall suffice in the next place to shew that our Saviours Doctrine was by the same means to be discerned CAP. XX. That the Soveraignty given by Jesuites to the Pope is greater then our Saviours was 1 IT is a Rule in Divinity whatsoever can rightly be conceived as an absolute perfection hath Reall Existence in the Almightie From this notion of the Deitie swimming in the brains of such as in heart and deed make the Pope their Lord and God do the parties thus affected usually take whatsoever power might possibly be delegated by God to any as actually granted unto his holinesse And thus I imagine some Jesuite or other when he shall bethink himself will except against our disputes in this present case Deny
Valentian I absolutely deny as the Catholick Doctors upon good reasons generally do that the Pope can erre in such a business The certainty of this his belief he would ground upon those promises by which we are assured it shall never come to pass that the universal Church can be deceived in points of Religion But the whole Church should erre very grossly in such matters should it repute and worship him for a Saint which is none Hereit would be observed how Satan instigates these men unto such Tenents as may occasion God and his Gospel to be blasphemed First they would make it an Article of Faith that all must believe as the Pope teacheth whence it follows that either he cannot teach amiss or else faith may perish from off the earth Which if it could God were not true in his promises The surest pledge the Christian world can have of his fidelity in them must be the Popes infallibility so as from the first unto the last he must be held as true in his dealings as God in his sayings If he fail in Canonizing a Saint whom he cannot possibly know to be such unless he knew his heart which belongs wholly unto his maker God must be a lyar and there is no Truth in him The final issue intended by Satan in these resolutions is this When men have been a long time led on with fair hopes of gaining heaven by following the Popes direction and yet in the end see as who not blind sees not his gross errors and detestable villanies they may be hence tempted to blaspheme God as if he had been his copartner in this cosenage From this root I take it hath Atheism sprung so fast in Italy For whilest faith is in the blade and their hopes flourishing they imagine God and the Pope to be such friends as their blind guides make them But afterwards comming to detestation of this man of sin and his treachery holding his spiritual power as ridiculous they think either as despitefully or contemptuously of the Deity or say with the fool in their hearts there is no God 3 Thus Antichrists followers still run a course quite contrary to Christian religion For if it be true as it is most true that faith cannot utterly perish from off the earth what damnable abuse of Gods mercie and favour toward mankinde is this in seeking as the Jesuites do to make all absolutely rely upon one in matters of Faith For so if he fail all others must of necessity fail with him That is the whole world must be as kind supernatural fools to him as that natural idiote was to his Master who being demanded whether he would go to heaven with him or no replyed he would go to hel with so good a Master seeing any man would be willing to go to heaven with an ordinary friend yea with his enemy Though we should use no other argument but that Avoid ye sons of Satan for it is written ye shall not tempt the Lord your God It should me thinks be enough to put all the Jesuites in the world unto silence in this point did they not as far exceed their father in impudency as they come short of him in wit For this manner of tempting God is more shameless then Divels suggestion unto our Saviour when he was instanly silenced with this reproof A presumption it is more damnable to expect the protection or guidance of Gods spirit in such desperate resolutions as Valentian here brings then it were for a man to throw himself headlong from an high towr upon hope of Angelical supportance For seeing as I said God hath promised that true faith shal not perish from off the earth for all men to adventure their faith upon one mans infallibility who may have less saving faith in him then Turk or Infidel is but a provoking or daring of God to recall his promise Or what more damnable doctrine can be imagined then that all men should worship him for a Saint whom the wickedest man on earth doth commend unto him for such 4 But to proceed As the Doctrine is most impious so are the grounds of it most improbable For how can the Pope or Papists infallibly know this or that man to be a Saint Seeing there is no particular revelation made of it either to the Pope or others I answer saith Valentian that the general revelation whereby it is evident that whatsoever the Pope shall decree as pertaining to the whole Church is most true may suffice in this case Moreover saith he unto the Canonizing of Saints appertain these revelations of Scripture in which heavenly joyes are generally proposed to all such as lead a Godly life For by the Popes determination we know the Saint which he hath Canonized to be contained in the foresaid universal proposition Whence it is easie to frame an assent of faith by which we may perswade our selves that such a Saint hath obtained eternal bliss 5 I would request the Reader by the way to note the Jesuites injurious partiality in scoffing at such of our Writers as without express warrant of particular revelation hold a certainty of their own salvation when as they onely by Gods general promises to such as lead a godly life and the Popes infallibility in declaring who have so lived can be certain defide others are saved But the former doubt is rather removed then quite taken away by this his answer if it stand alone As yet it may be questioned how any can infallibly know the truth of what he cannot possibly know at all but onely by other mens testimonies in their nature the Jesuite being judge not infallible and in whose examination it is not impossible his Holinesse may be negligent For how men live or dye in England Spain or the Indies no Pope can tel but by the information of others no Popes The Reader perhaps wil prognosticate Valentians answer as in truth I did For when I first framed the doubt before I read it in him me thought it stood in need of such a reply as Bellarmin brought for defence of the vulgar interpreter Altogether as foolish it were to think any private mans information of anothers uprightness in the sight of God as to hold Theodotion the Heretick could not erre in translating of the Bible But though they may be deceived in testification of anothers sanctity yet Valentian tels you supposing the Pope is once induced by their testimonies though in nature fallible to pronounce him a blessed Saint all must infallibly believe their testimonies at least so far as they prove in general that he died a Godly and religious death are true and that the party commended by them is of that number which as we may gather from the general revelations of Scriptures shall be made partakers of everlasting life Again whether the Pope in defining a controversie use diligence or no yet without all question he shall define infallibly and consequently use the authority