an answere vnto his demaunds which argues that the reuelation made to the Priestes was also manifested to the party solemnely and in sincerity of heart proposing the questions whereof hee desired to be resolued 5 That the Priest had no such priuiledge or absolute promise of Gods infallible presence as the Pope challengeth is apparant from the law of temperance prescribed And the Lord spake vnto Aaron saying thou shalt not drinke wine nor strong drinke thou nor thy sonnes with thee when yee come into the Tabernacle of the congregation lest yee die This is an ordinance for euer throughout your generations that yee may put difference betweene the holy and vnholy and betweene the cleane and vncleane and that yee may teach the children of Israel all the statutes the Lord hath commanded thee by the hand of Moses If these Priests themselues were vnholy and vncleane they could not infallibly discerne betweene the holy and vnholy betweene the cleane and vncleane if they liued not according to this they could not teach the children of Israel the rest of Gods expresse lawes much lesse could they infallibly manifest vnto them his will in all doubts and controuersies But the Pope so absolute is his prerogatiue which the Iesuites attribute vnto him must bee thought to bee infalliby assisted by the holy spirit albeit hee lead a most vnhallowed vnclean polluted life 6 But for the promise made vnto Leui and his seede God himselfe by his Prophet Malachy most expresly interpretes the meaning of it And now O yee Priests this commandement is for you if yee will not heare it nor consider it in your heart to giue glory vnto my name saith the Lord of hostes I will euen send a curse vpon you and will curse your blessings yea and I haue cursed them already because ye do not consider it in your heart behold I will corrupt your seed and cast dung vpon your faces euen the dung of your solemne feastes and you shall bee like vnto it and yee shall know that I haue sent this commandement vnto you that my couenant which I made vnto Leui might stand saith the Lord of hosts My couenant was with him of life and peace and I gaue him feare and hee feared me and was afraide before my name the law of truth was in his mouth and there was no iniquity found in his lippes hee walked with mee in peace and equity and did turne many from iniquity for the Priests lips shall preserue knowledge and they shall seeke the law at his mouth As if hee had saide Such Priests I haue had in former times and such might your prayses from my mouth and your estimation with men haue beene had you framed your liues according to the rules which my seruant Moses had set you But were these Priestes against whom hee here speakes infallible in their doctrine still because Gods promise was so ample vnto Leui If they were not why doth Bellarmine bring this place to proue the Popes infallible authority in teaching diuine vntruthes If they were why doth the Lord complain in the words immediately following But ye are gone out of the way ye haue caused many to fall by the law yee haue broken the couenant of Leui saith the Lord of hastes Therefore haue I made you also to bee despised and vile before all the people because you keepe not my wayes but haue beene partiall in the law 7 This place alone though many others might be brought clearely euinceth Gods promise vnto Leui and his posterity during the time of their priesthood to haue been condititionall not absolute And as Gods promise of infallibility was vnto him his seed such was the obedience due to thē their authority not absolute but conditional where the precepts may seem vniuersal yet are they to be limited oftimes by the conditiō of the priests life 8 But sundry propositions there bee in Scriptures for their forme vniversall which are also absolutely true in their proper subiect whose full extant or limits notwithstanding are not alwayes euident Whence many mistake in stretching them too farre others seeing them faileS in some particulars which seem comprehended vnder the vniuersality of their forme suspect the absolutenesse of their truth and account them rather morally probable or conditionally true then necessary and certaine yet are they most absolutely necessary and certaine onely their vniuersality is to bee limitted by their proper subiects This is a common difficulty in all arts though lesse apparent in the Mathematickes or Metaphysickes or other like abstract contemplatiue sciences But in Philosophie as well naturall as morall many generall rules there bee most true and euident to such as know the nature or quality either of the subiect or matter whereunto they are applied or of these particulars whence the induction was gathered and yet are obscure and doubtfull vnto others who marke the vniuersality of their form not so well acquainted with the nature of those subiects in which their tru his principally and most euidently seene nor so able to discerne the identity or diuersity the proportion or disproportion which other subiects may haue with the former but of the triall of rules in arts if God permit elsewhere I will now instance in Scripture onely what proposition could bee for the forme more vniuersall what precept conceiued in words more generall then that of sanctifying the Sabaoth In it thou shalt do no wanner of workees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non facies vllum opus The Scribes and Pharisies putting a Religion in the letter of the Law as the Iesuites now doe when it may make for their aduantage did conclude from the generality of this precept that our Sauiour brake the Sabaoth when hee healed the sicke vpon it Their pretences if we respect the vniuersality of the proposition onely were farre more probable then the Papists can picke any for their purpose Yet Iewish skill in that they consider not the end of the Sabaoth which might haue limited the vniuersall forme of the precept and restrained it vnto some kind of workes onely for not all but onely all those workes which were repugnant to the end of this precept were forbidden The end of the Sabaoth was to sanctifie themselues vnto the Lord to set forth his praise both in words and workes Such workes then onely are here onely forbidden as did distract the mind or make men vnapt to heare read or meditate on heauenly matters all workes of secular vocation or priuate consequence which might hinder mens endeauours for procuring the health or wel-fare of others not works of charity or present necessity not works tending to greater publike good or to the auoidance of greater harmes which could not be preuented but by present working for men are to read heare and meditate vpon Gods word that by it they may bee fruitfull in good deeds by which Gods name is more immediately glorified then onely by speaking well and
heauenly doctrine For the experiments that giue vs the seale and assurance of liuely faith must of necessity bee within vs euen in our hearts and in our soules and these are they Had this people without miracles beene dicto audiens as they were enioyned by Moses in that they tooke him for a Prophet they might in short time haue knowne what Peter confessed Verba vitae aeternae habes Thou hast the words of eternall life whose sweetnesse once inwardly tasted was much more then all the miracles that could bee wrought without his hearers or vpon them But of such workes these proud Iewes neuer dreamed as not knowing the Scriptures nor the vertue of their Messias who as the Prophets had foretold was to preach the Gospell vnto the poore to comfort such as mourned in Sion to whom no miracles could be more welcome then such as hee did for what could be more acceptable to the blind then restitution of sight to the lame then right vse of his limmes what more gratefull message could bee vttered to the deafe then ephata to haue his eares opened what to the dumbe then vntying of the tongue what to the possessed then to be freede from the tyranny of Sathan or his Ministers Finally as the Euangelist notes hee did all things well and vnto the best contentment possible of euery afflicted soule farre aboue the exigence or significations of their peculiar necessities but further beyond their expectation In euery worke he shewed his willingnesse in all his power to ease refresh all that were wearie and heauy laden but vnto such as thought themselues so whole and sound as no way to neede his Physicke rather desirous to feed their curious fancies with superfluous or vnnecessary wonders hee was not willing to giue satisfaction by turning Gods graces into wantonnesse or vaine ostentation of his power or skill Another especiall occasion of this peoples stumbling at this stone elect and pretious was their not considering that many of Moses greatest wonders were types partly of those glorious miracles which Messiah was to worke secretly by his spirit manifested onely to their hearts and consciences in whom they were wrought partly of that his glory and power which was outwardly reuealed to his Disciples and might so haue beene to more had they not stumbled as the Prouerbe is in the very entrie and so departed from him in despaire bred from a foolish preiudice that no great good could be expected from a Nazarite of parentage birth and education so meane CHAP. XI Confirming the truth deliuered in the former Chapter from the very law giuen by Moses for discerning the great Prophet further exemplifying the vse and â—orce of miracles for begetting faith The manner of trying prophesies Of the similitude betwixt Christ and Moses 1 ASwell for farther discouerie of Romish blasphemie as ratification of our formar assertion let vs view with diligence that place of Moses wherein such strict obedience and attention to the Messias doctrine is enioyned as no where else such as no other may exact without incurring the curse there threatned to the disobedient The Lord thy God will raise vp thee a Prophet like vnto me from among you euen of thy brethren vnto him yee shall hearken According to all that thou desiredst the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly when thou saidest Let me heare the voyce of my Lord God no more nor see this great fire any more that I die not And the Lord said vnto me they haue well spoken I wil raise them vp a Prophet from among their Brethren like vnto thee and will put my words in his mouth and hee shall speake vnto them all that I shall command him And whosoeuer will not hearken vnto my words which he shall speake in my Name I will require it of him This prophesie by ioint consent of best interpreters as well moderne as ancient Pontificians as Protestants may bee truely and literally applyed to other Prophets whether of the old or new Testament according to that measure of the spirit they had from him of whose fulnesse all as well such as in time went before him as those that came after him had receiued grace for grace True it is if wee rightly value the strict propriety of euery word or clause in the whole context what all historicall circumstauces put together import or the full extent of S. Peters paraphrase on the last sentence it cannot bee exactly fitted vnto any but Christ vnto whom onely the whole discourse is as fully commensurable as a well made garment to the body that weares it yet is this no impediment why the same rule taken according to some literall circumstances might not vsually serue for certaine discretion of true Prophets from false as wee vse to notifie lesser but indefinite quanties of things by the known parts of some greater measure commensurable if wee take the whole to substances of a larger size 2 Euident it is out of the literall meaning of this law acknowledged by all that Israel was strictly bound to hearken vnto such Prophets as God at any time should raise them vp though with most attention and greatest reuerence to heare the Prince of Prophets But the question is vpon what tearmes or how farre they were bound to heare all Absolutely and at first proposall of their doctrines without examination of them by the written law So might hee that could haue set the best legge foremost and stept vp soonest into Moses chaire haue kept the rest of his profession in awe by thundering out Anathemaes thence as the Pope doth from Saint Peters to all gaine-sayers priest or people By what rule then were true Prophets to be distinguished from false By miracles These were meanes oftimes effectuall but as was intimated more vsuall for enforcing men to an acknowledgement of the truth in generall then for trying particular controuersies by amongst true professors in respect of whom they were subordinate to that rule giuen by Moses in the words immediately following But the Prophet that shall presume to speake a word in my Name which I haue not commanded him to speake or that speaketh in the name of other Gods euen the same Prophet shal die And if thou think in thine heart How shall wee know the word which the Lord hath not spoken When a Prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord if the thing follow not nor come to passe that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken but the Prophet hath spoken it presumptuously thou shalt not therefore be afraid of him 3 Before this or any other part of the law was written somewhat in proportion answerable to it did alwayes necesssarily concurre with miracles for distinguishing true professors from seducers When the controuersie was betwixt Moses and Pharaohs Enchanters the Lord confutes his aduersaries by an ocular demonstration of his power yet further ratified by their confession whose words were
the man Christ Iesus not excepted This conclusion followeth immediately out of three positions generally held and stifly maintained by that Church The first that the Pope liue hee as hee list cannot erre in matters of faith and manners when hee speaketh ex Cathedra that we are bound infallibly to belieue whatsoeuer he so speakes without examination of his doctrine by Gods word or euident externall signe or internall experiment of Gods spirit speaking in him The second that wee cannot assure our selues the Scriptures are the Oracles of God but by the infallible testimony of the Visible Church The third that the true sense and meaning of Scriptures in cases doubtfull or controuersed cannot be vndoubtedly known without the infallible declaration of the same Church CHAP. I. What restraint precepts for obedience vnto the Priests of the Law though seeming most vniuersall for their forme did necessarily admit And how vniuersall Propositions of Scriptures are to be limited 1 SEing wee vndertake to proue that no such authority as the Romish Church doth challenge was euer established on earth The answering of those arguments drawne from the authority of the Priestes in the olde Testament may to the iudicious seeme at the first sight needlesse yet because such as they set the fairest glosses vpon if wee looke into the inside or substance are fullest fraught with their owne disgrace and ignominy It will not be superfluous to acquaint the Reader with some particulars prefixing some generall admonitions to the yonger sort for more commodious answering of all that can be brought of like kind 2 Their common places of consening the world especially smatterers of Logicke or schoole learning with counterfeit proofes of Scripture is either from some vniuersall precept of obedience to the people or generall promises of infallibility made to the Priests in the old Testament Such as come vnto the Scriptures hauing their mind dazled with notions of vniuersale primum or other Logicke rules true in some cases thinke the formerprecepts being for their forme vniuersall may admit no exception limitation or restraint otherwise the holy Ghost might breake the rule of Logicke when as they admit many restraints nor alwayes from one but ofttimes from diuerse reasons from these following especially God sometimes inioynes obedience as wee say in the abstract to set vs a patterne of such true accurate obedience as men should performe vnto authority it selfe or vnto such gouernours as neither in their liues nor in the seat of iudgement would decline either to the right hand or to the left but square all their proceedings to the exact rule of Gods word Vnto such gouernours continuall and compleat obedience was to bee performed because the parties gouerned vpon examination should alwayes finde them iumpe with the law of God vnto which absolute obedience as hath beene shewed is due Nor doth the word of God in setting out such exact obedience lie open to that exception which Polititians take against Philosophers as if it as Philosophers doe did giue instructions onely for happy men of Aristotles making or for the Stoickes wise men who can no where bee found but in Platoes common-wealth whose Metropolis is the Region of Eutopia For the ancient Israel of God had this prerogatiue aboue al the nations of the earth that their Priests lips whilest they themselues were clothed with righteousnesse and bare holinesse vnto the Lord in their breasts should still preserue knowledge and bee able to manifest the will of God vnto the people not onely by interpreting the generall written law but by reuelations concerning particular facts of principall moment as may bee gathered from that law Also thou shalt put in the breast plate of iudgement the Vrim and the Thummim which shall be vpon Aarons heart when hee goeth in before the Lord And Aaron shall beare the iudgement of the children of Israel vpon his heart before the Lord continually 3 To omit the various interpretations and diuers opinions of this brest-plates vse why it was called the breast plate of iudgement Iosephus and Suidas in my mind come neerest the truth That the Reuelation by it was extraordinary that Gods presence or iuridicall approbation of doubts proposed was represented vpon the pretious stones that were set therein is probable partly from the aptnesse of it to allure the Israelites vnto Idolatry partly from that formality which the Egyptians in imitation of the Ephods ancient vse amongst the Iewes retained long after in declaration of the truth in Iudgement For Diodorus tels vs that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or chiefe Iudge in that famous and venerable Egyptian high Court or Parliament did weare about his necke in a golden chaine Insigne a tablet of pretious stone or if the Reader bee disposed to correct the translator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they called as the Septuagint did Aarons breast-plate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on which hee stedfastly looked while matters were debating as Suidas saith the High Priest did on his breast plate whilest they asked counsell of God and whilest hee gaue sentence turned it vnto the beter cause exhibited as the fashion was in that Court in writing in signe the truth it selfe did speake for it that the Vrim or Thummim were more then an Embleme yea an Oracle of iustice and right iudgement is apparant out of Scripture When Ioshua was consecrated to bee Israels chiefe gouernour in Moses stead he was to stand before Eleazar the Priest ordained to aske counsell for him by the iudgement of Vrim before the Lord So did Abiathar certifie Dauid of Sauls malitious resolution against him and the Lords of Keylahs treachery if hee should trust vnto them So againe Dauid is assured of victory by the iudgement of Vrim and I Thummim if he would follow the Amalakites that had burnt Ziglag 4 Such Priestes as these were to bee absolutely obeyed in answeres thus giuen from the mouth of God And it is most probable that the parties whom these answeres did concern had perfect notice of the Reuelation made to the Priests howsoeuer the truths of such answeres being confirmed by experiment in those dayes they were to vndertake what the Priests appointed and to obey his aduice at least by cautelous obedience vntill the euent did proue the truth But neither was this certaine manifestation of Gods will so absolutely promised vnto the Priests but not liuing according vnto the direction of Gods law hee might faile in his Oracles Nor was this peoples prerogatiue aboue others without all limit that if they liued no better then others did they should as often as they asked counsell of God infallibly know whether the answere were from him or no albeit there were no defect in the Priest For this reason the Lord answered not Saul when hee asked counsell of him neither by dreames nor by visions nor by Vrim nor by the Prophets for Saul was now cast off by God not willing to vouchsafe
Pope ouer his own family then why the Pope of Rome should bee a father of all christian congregations an absolute Iudge of Scripture or master ouer mens faith Saint Paul commands children to obey their fathers in all things for that is well pleasing vnto the Lord which is as much as if he had said in obeying them you obey the Lord. Again he commands seruants to bee obedient vnto them that are their masters according to the flesh in all things not with eye-seruice as men pleasers but with singlenesse of heart fearing God Both these precepts are conceiued in tearms as generall as any precept for obedience to spirituall gouernours In the precept concerning wiues obedience to their husbands the note of vniuersality is omitted for he saith wiues submit your selues vnto your husbands as it is comely in the Lord not in all things had the Apostle made any mention of obedience vnto spirituall gouernours or were there any hope to comprehend Pastors vnder the name of fathers or masters it would quickely bee inferred the note of vniuersality was purposely added by our Apostle in these latter precepts that men might know absolute obedience without limitation or examination was due vnto the Pope 17 But the holy men of God whose mouthes alwayes spake out of the abundance of their hearts as the spirit gaue them vtterance and were not curious to cast their words in such exact scholastique mouldes as men addicted to artificiall meditations hauing their braines more exercised then their hearts in Gods word vsually doe euen where they seeme to speake most vniuersally for the former are to bee vniuersally vnderstood onely in that subiect or matter which for the present they mind most As when our Apostle commands seruants and children to obey the one their masters the other their parents in all thinges the meaning is as if hee had said yee that are christian seruants be ye most willing to yeeld all obedience that is due vnto masters yee that are Christian children to yeeld all obedience vnto your parents which is conuenient for any children to yeelde to theirs So that the vniuersall note doth rather inioine a totality of heartinesse and cheerefulnesse a perfection of sincerity in performing that obedience which other children ought to their fathers or seruants to their masters then any way extend the obiect of christian childrens or seruants obedience to more particulars then others were bound vnto at the least hee doth not extend the obiect of their obedience to any particulars which might preiudice the sincerity of their obedience due vnto other commanders whilest hee enioyneth seruants to obey their masters in all things he reserues their allegiance intire vnto Princes and higher powers Such must bee obeyed both by masters and seruants by fathers and sonnes Much more doth God when hee inioynes obedience in most ample forme vnto Kings or spirituall gouernors reserue obedience due to himselfe most intire and absolute 18 Yet intire and absolute it cannot be vnlesse it depend immediatly absolutely vpon his lawes vnlesse it be exempt from the vncontrolleable disposall or infallible direction of other authorities Nor can Christ be said our supreme Lord vnlesse our obedience to him and those lawes which hee hath left vs doe limit and restrain all other obedience due vnto any authority deriued from him or his lawes more then a Prince could bee said to bee that seruants supreame Lord or Soueraigne which were bound absolutely to obey his Master in all points without examination whether his designements were not contrary to the publike lawes and statutes of his Prince and Country Wherfore as the oath of Allegeance vnto Princes doth restraine the former precepts Seruants obey your Masters in all things that is in all things that are not repugnant to publike lawes nor preiudiciall to the Crowne and dignity of your Soueraigne so must that solemne vow of fidelity made vnto Christ in Baptisme and our dayly acknowledgement of him for our Soueraigne Lord restraine all precepts in ioyning performance of obedience to any power on earth and set these immoueable bounds and limits to them Obey thy King and Gouernour in all things that is in all things that are not repugnant to the lawes and ordinances of the Great King thy supreame Lord and Gouernour Whilest thou obeyest him thou doest well in disobeying them as well as that seruant that takes Armes against his Master in the Kings defence whilest thou disobeyest him all other obedience is rebellion Yee are bought with a price saith our Apostle bee not yee the seruants of men Seruice according to the flesh hee elsewhere approues he strictly inioynes for that is freedome in respect of this seruitude of minde and conscience in being wholly at any other mans disposition 19 Nor is it more difficult for Christs seruants to discern when gouernours sollicite them to disloyalty against him then for seruants according to the flesh to know when their masters seduce them vnto rebellion so Christian men would feare God as much as naturall men doe earthly Princes Such as feare God are sure of a better expositor of his lawes for fundamental points then seruants can haue for their Princes The transgression of both are easie to discern in the beginning of reuolts or apostasies but the latter more difficult when traitors or vsurpers are grown strong and can pretend faire titles vnto soueraigneties or coine false pedegrees yet is it not impossible for sober and obseruant spirits in such a case to foresee what party to follow vnto such the signes of the time and carriage of the seuerall causes will bewray who haue the true title But this difficulty is none in our spirituall obedience challenged by the Church of Rome for that Church in words confesseth Christ to be the true King and supreame Lord no vsurper which is as much as to say the Pope is an vsurper and a rebell that dares in deeds and substance chalenge the soueraignety from him as you heard in the former dispute by making claime to this vnlimited vnreserued obedience Vpon what grounds especially wee are now to examine by these rules hitherto discussed CHAP. II. The authority of the Sanhedrim not so vniuersall or absolute amongst the Iewes as the Papists make it but was to bee limited by the former Rules 1 ONe especiall place on which they stand is from that Law in Deuteronomy If there arise a matter too hard for thee in iudgement betweene bloud bloud betweene plea and plea betweene plague and plague in the matters of controuersie within thy gates then shalt thou arise and goe vp vnto the place which the Lord thy God shall chuse And thou shalt come vnto the Priestes of the Leuites and to the Iudge that shall be in those daies and aske and they shall shew thee the sentence of iudgement and thou shalt do according to that thing which they of that place which the Lord hath chosen shew thee and thou shalt obserue
that blessed mouth which spake as neuer mans did For it is a worke of great iudgement nay of the spirit ouerruling the flesh to make men rellish their doctrine whose liues conuersations they loath And such as are but schollars though neuer so meane to an excellent master will vsually be puft vp with a conceit of themselues from other mens conceit and commendations of him and in this humor scorne to learne of any more meanely qualified or of lesse estimation in the same profession Againe there is a iealousie in most illiterate minds that their Preacher if hee follow not such lessons in his life as hee giues them doth not teach them as they should bee taught nor instruct them sincerely as hee thinkes but rather in policy inioynes them strictnesse of life that hee himselfe may follow his pleasures without partners 5 Hence vsually are many wholesome spirituall medicines disproued ere proued or tasted because the parties vnto whom they are tendred haue no conceit or rellish of any good but what is pleasant to sense or profitable for secular purposes such as none that truely thinke or call good but will so entertaine it in action and resolution neuer willingly preferring the lesse before the greater both being of the same kind If a man should make choice of that bargaine which he would perswade as lesse commodious vnto others none would belieue hee spake sincerely as hee thought but rather cunningly to preuent others or to effect his owne gaine without a sharer But whilest secular good stands in competition with spirituall albeit wee approue the one as truely good and condemne the other as euill yet euen the best of vs is often enforced to take vp that complaint To will is present with me but I finde no means to performe that which is good for I doe not the good things which I would but the euill which I would not that doe I. Rude and illiterate mindes ignorant of this difference betweene sensitiue and spirituall good as altogether vnacquainted with the one out of their owne custom alwayes to act what they intend suspect their Pastors whilest they commend wholesome food vnto them do not thinke because they do not as they say From this sourse issue these or the like mutterings amongst themselues Tush if our Parson were of the same minde out of the Pulpit as he makes shew for in it why should bee not frame his life accordingly Doth he loue vs trow we better then himselfe nay I warrant him hee is old inough to know what is good for himselfe and if he knew that which he bids vs do to be as good for him as hee would make vs belieue it is for vs what a Gods name hinders him from doing it he hath little else to doe besides much lesse I am sure then any of vs. 6 To meet perhaps with all these but especially with this last temptation our Sauiour giues his auditors this preseruatiue The Scribes and Pharises sit in Moses chaire all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe but after their workes doe not As if hee had said Though their liues bee hypocriticall and bad yet bee not too iealous of their doctrine They deliuer that ordinarily vnto you which Moses did teach your forefathers The doctrine is exceeding good howsoeuer these cursed hypocrites do not follow it But this is Gods iudgement vpon them that they should see the truth with their eyes and not vnderstand it by laying it to their hearts 7 This I taâ—e it is the drift of our Sauiours speech whence the vniuersall noâ—e whatsoeuer must bee restrained to such materiall doctrines as the Scribes and Pharises themselues either expresly deliuered out of Moses or whiles they interpreted him commended to others as good in the generall howsoeuer they shrunk backe or shufled when they came to the practise of such particulars as crossed their humors or vnto these precepts of good life whose truth and equity their auditors might easily haue acknowledged either from their conseruancie with the principles of nature or other vndoubted mandates of Moses law or from the authority of bad yet lawfull teachers whose aduise is alwayes to be followed as good vnlesse there be iust suspition of euill or sinister respects of which their bad liues are then onely iust presumptions when they handle particulars that concerne themselues as making for their gaine credite glory Apologies in bad courses or auertment of deserued disgrace 8 If we take this whole vniuersall affirmatiue Whatsoeuer they bid you that obserue and do in that sense our Sauiour meant it it is but equiualent to this or the like vniuersall negatiue Leaue nothing vndone that either Moses or such as sit in his seat commandes as good or your conscience cannot iustly witnes to bee euill albeit they which commend it to you for good are euill and cannot teach themselues to doe it Few Preachers in any well ordered Church are so vnlearned or bad of life but what they solemnely one time or other deliuer out of Moses and the Prophets might be a sufficient rule for their hearers internall thoughts and outward actions did not the flocke preposterously make their Pastors doings the rule of their thoughts and sayings alwayes suspecting that as not good which they see left vndone and accounting all lawfull for themselues to doe which they see done and practised by their leaders When as not the Pastors liues or doings but their sayings are to bee made rules of other mens liues and actions And our Sauiour enioynes the former obedience vnto the very Pharises who spake as well and did as ill as any could doe very patterns of hypocrisie In expounding Moses hey could not but often inculcate the orthodoxal doctrine of good workes of almes deedes and liberality yet retained they the rootes of auarice in their hearts whose bitternesse would bewray it selfe vpon particular occasions All these things heard the Pharises saith Saint Luke which were couetous and they mocked him They often exhorted others to circumcise the heart to be humble and meeke as Moses was yet remained proud themselues ambitious of highest places in the Synagogues inwardly fully of rauen and wickednesse They often taught others as Moses had done to walk vprightly as in the sight of the Lord their God and yet did all their works to bee seene of men They had often taught their auditors to honour father and mother and learnedly discoursed vpon the equity of this precept in generall yet could vpon priuate respects dispense with it in sundry particulars They said well in the former and did ill in the latter And albeit they iustified their practise by tradition of the elders as the Pontificians doe theirs when they absolute subiects from the bond of duet to their ciuil or children to their naturall parents that they may bee more seruiceable to the Church their mother yet their sayings in these Apologies were but accessary to their doings not
Church and chosen be as we acknowledge it to bee infinite and euerlasting if these or the like arguments make any things for the infallibility of the present Romish they proue as much and as directly for the ancient Iewish Church For that was a visible company of men not of oxen and Asses and of them God had a care also Nay they were his owne peculiar people and without al controuersie the onely visible Church which hee had on earth Wherefore all the former arguments if they conclude any infallible authority in the present Romish Church they conclude much more for the like infallibility of the Iewish And by necessary consequence if I proue that the Church had no such authority my assertion stands sure That this infallible authority which the factors of the Romish Church doe challenge is greater then any visible Company of men had before our Sauiour time And by the same proofe shall the Romish Church bee debarred for euer of both the two former pleas either drawne from the authority of the Priests or from the best forme of gouernment CHAP. V. That iustly it may be presumed the Iewish Church neuer had any absolute infallibility in proposing or determining Articles of faith because in our Sauiours time it did so grieuously erre in the fundamentall point of saluation 1 FOr proofe of the Conclusion proposed that Ierusalem had no such absolute infallibility as Rome pleades for I tooke it for a long time as granted by all that if any such authority had beene established in the law it should not haue varied vntill the alteration of the priesthood For Gods couenant with Leui was in this sence euerlasting that it was to endure without interruption vntill his sacrifice was accomplished that was a Priest after a more excellent order His oblation of himselfe was the common bond to the law and Gospell the end of the one and the beginning of the other Nor did the legall rites or ceremonies themselues though these most obnoxious to corruption vanish by little and little as this sacrifice did approch neerer and neerer as darkenesse doth before the rising of the sunne rather that consummation wrought vpon the Crosse did swallow them vp at once as virility doth youth youth childhood childhood infancy Seeing then our aduersaries suppose this infallibility was annexed as a prerogatiue royall vnto the Priesthood they cannot imagine any tollerable reason why the one should expire before the other was quite abolished Hence it is that most of them hold the Scribes and Pharises in our Sauiours time were absolutely infallible in their Cathedrall consultations And I had iust reasons to presume Bellarmine had been of the same mind For besides his vrging that place without all sense or reason vnlesse grounded on this opinion They sit in Moses chaire All therfore whatsoeuer they bid you that obserue and do these other words of his seemed to imply thus much It cannot be shewed that the Sinagogue of the Iewes did faile in saith vntill Christs comming at what time it did not faile but rather become better by change By his speeches elsewhere I perceiued by the Synagogue thus changed hee meant the Church planted by Christ not the Consistory of the High-Priests and Elders not the Catholike representatiue Iewish Church For sayeth he as it is not necessary the Popes Vicar should bee inerrable when the Pope himselfe doth guid the Church and defend it from error so neither was it necessary that the Iewish high Priest should not erre when Christ the High-Priest of the whole Church was present and did gouerne his Church in person 2 This example were it true might illustrate though ill-fauoredly his assertion once supposed as possible but no way argues it to be probable Herein his similitude failes that the High Priests in our Sauiours time were Aarons lawfull successors their Priesthood as entire then as euer it was and they Deputies to none in this ranke or order That their Predecessors had such infallibility hee faine would proue Can he or any for him shew vs when or by what meanes it should determine whiles the Priesthood lasted To take away the Popes infallibility euen in this last age of the world were in thier construction to deny Christs promise made vnto Saint Peters chaire And was not the former like prerogatiue as inseparably annexed to Moses seat did our Sauiour before his Passeouer either by doctrine or practise derogate ought from any lawfull authority established on earth much lesse from that which God had expresly instituted The greatest prerogatiue the Scribes and Pharises Priests or Rulers euer had was that they were Aarons successors and possessed Moses place and this authority was neuer disanulled but rather ratified by our Sauiour after hee had vndertaken his ministeriall function They sit in Moses seat all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you that obserue and doe And elsewhere Goe and shew thy selfe vnto the Priest c. 3* Yet this Sophister would perswade vs that Isaiah and Daniel had foretold the expiration of this prerogatiue in latter times They both indeed foretell this peoples extraordinary generall blindnesse about the time of our Sauiours conuersation on earth But this directly proues what wee obiect not what Bellarmine should haue answered at least to vs who contend the Priests and Rulers of this people were not infallible in our Sauiours time nor doth Isaiah or Daniel or any Prophet of God say they were at any time such Let any Iesuite proue what easily hee may out of Isaiahs words cited by Bellarmine that the Iewish church representatiue was not infallible in our Sauiours time and from the same wee shall as clearely euince it palpably erroneous in Isaiahs owne dayes or immediately after For the selfe same words which the Euangelist saith were fulfilled in the vnbeleeuing Iewes that heard our Sauiours doctrine were literally and exactly veriâ—ied of their forefathers before the captiuity of Babylon as the Cardinall himselfe would hee take the paines to reade the whole Chapter and reuiue the place cited by him I know would not deny His wordes are these And hee said go and say vnto this people Yee shall heare indeed but yee shall not vnderstand yee shall plainely see and not perceiue Make the heart of this people sat make their eares heauy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and conuert he heale them Then said I Lord how long And he answered vntill the Cities be wasted without inhabitant and the houses without man and the land be vtterly desolate and the Lord haue remoued men far away and there be a great desolation in the midst of land The truth of our assertion is so pregnant that Maldonat the most iudicious expositor amongst the Iesuites takes it as granted the words late cited were literally meant onely of that generation with whome the Prophet liued and brings this very Text as
continuall faithfulnesse in that seruice whereunto they knew him appointed Albeit after all the mighty workes before-mentioned wrought in their presence they had beene bound thereunto the meanest handmaid in that multitude had infallible pledges plenty of his extraordinary calling lockt vp in her own vnerring senses But from the strange yet frequent manifestation of Moses power and fauour with God so great as none besides the great Prophet whom hee prefigured might challenge the like the Lord in his all â—acing wisdome tooke fiâ—te occasion to allure his people unto strict obseruance of what he afterwards solemnly enacted as also in theâ— to forwarne all future generations without expresse warrant of his word not absolutely to belieue any gouernour whomsoeuer in all though of â—ried skill and fidelity in many principal points of his seruice That passage of Scripture wherin the manner of this peoples stipulation is registred well deserues an exact 〈◊〉 of all especially of these circumstances How the Lord by rehearsall of his mighty workes forepassed extorts their promise to doe whatsoeuer should by Moses be commanded them yet will not accept it offered vntill hee haue made them eare-witnesses of his familiarity and communication with him First out of the Mount he called Moses vnto him to deliuer this solemn message vnto the house of Iacob Yee haue seene what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you vpon Eagles wings and haue brought you vnto mee Now therefore if you will heare my voice indeed and keepe my couenant then yee shall bee my chiefe â—easure aboue all people though all the earth be mine After Moses had reported vnto God this answere freely vttered with ioint consent of all the people solemnly assembled before their Elders All that the Lord commanded we will doe was the whole businesse betwixt God and them fully transacted by this Agent in their absence No hee is sent backe to sanctifie the people that they might expect Gods glorious appearance in Mount Sinai to ratifie what he had said vpon the returne of their answere Loâ— I come vnto thee in a thicke cloud that the people may heare whilst I talke with thee and that they may also belieue thee for euer They did not belieue that God had reuealed his word to Moses for the wonders hee had wrought but rather that his wonders were from God because they heard God speake to him yea to themselues For their principall and fundamentall lawes were vttered by God himselfe in their hearing as Moses expresseth These words to wit the Decalogue the Lord spake vnto all your multitude in the mount out of the midst of the fire the cloud and the darkenesse with a great voice and added no more And lest the words which they had heard might soone bee smoothered in fleshly hearts or quickly slide out of their brittle memories the Lord wrote them in two Tables of stone and at their â—ranscription not Moses onely but Aaron Nadab and Abihu with the seuenty Elders of Israel are made spectators of the diuine glory rauished with the sweetnesse of his presence They saw saieth the Text the God of Israel and vnder his feet as it were a worke of a Saphire stone and as the very heauen when it is cleare And vpon the Nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand also they saw God and did eate and drinke After these Tables through Moses anger at the peoples folly and impiety were broken God writes the same words againe and renewes his Couenant before all the people promising vndoubted experience of his diuine assistance 8 Doth Moses after all this call fire from heauen vpon all such as distrust his words Aaron and Miriam openly derogate from his authority which the Lord confirmes againe viua voce descending in the pillar of the cloud conuenting these detractors in the dore of the Tabernacle Wherefore were you not afraid to speake against my seruant euen against Moses Thus the Lord was very angry and departed leauing his marke vpon Miriam cured of her leprosie by Moses instant prayers No maruell if Korah Dathan and Abirams iudgements were so grieuous when their sinne against Moses after so many documents of his high calling could not but bee wilfull as their perseuerance in it after so many admonitions to desist most malitious and obstinate Yet was Moses further countenanced by the appearance of Gods glory vnto all the congregation and his authority further ratified by the strange and fearefull end of these chief malefactors foretold by him and by fire issuing from the Lord to consume their confederates in offering incense vngratefull to their God Tantae molis erat Iudaeam condere gentem So long and great a worke it was to edifie Israel in true faith but without any like miracle or prediction such as neuer saw him neuer heard good of him must belieue the Pope as well as Israel did their Law-giuer that could make the sea to grant him passage the cloudes send bread the windes bring flesh and the hard rocke yeeld drink sufficient for him and all his mighty hoast that could thus call the heauens as witnesses to condemne appoint the earth as executioner of his iudgements vpon the obstinate and rebellious yet after all this hee inflicts no such punishments vpon the doubtfull in faith as the Romish Church doth but rather as is euident out of the places before alleadged confirmes them by commemoration of these late cited and like experiments making Gods fauours past the surest pledges of his assistance in greatest difficulties that could beset them To conclude this people belieued Moses for Gods testimony of him wee may not belieue Gods word without the Popes testimony of it Hee must bee to God as Aaron was to Moses his mouth whereby hee onely speakes distinctly or intelligibly to his people CHAP. VII That the Churches authority was no part of the rule of faith vnto the people after Moses death That by experiments answerable to his precepts and predictions the faithfull without relying vpon the Priests infallible proposals were as certaine both of the diuine truth and true meaning of the law as their forefathers had beene that liued with Moses and saw his miracles 1 TO proceed vnto the ages following Moses How did they know Moses law either indeed to bee Gods word or the true sence and meaning of it being indefinitely knowne for such By tradition Yes By tradition onely No But how at all by tradition As by a ioint part of that rule on which they were finally to relie Rather it was a meane to bring them vnto the due consideration or right application of the written rule which Moses had left them So hard were their hearts with whom this great Law-giuer had first to deale that faith could not take roote in them vnlesse first wrought and subacted by extraordinary signes and wonders but once thus created in them
the incorruptible seed therof might by meanes ordinary easily be propagated vnto posterity with whom it was to grow vp and ripen not by bare credence to their ancestors traditions nor by such miraculous sights as they had seene but by assiduous and serious obseruation of Gods prouidence in their owne times For all his wayes to such as marke them are euer paralell to some one or other rule contained in this booke of life The Israelites in euery age might haue discerned the truth of his threates or promises alwayes fulfilled according to the diuersity of their wayes though thus much the best amongst them would seldome haue obserued perhaps not so much as once haue compared their course of life with either part of Gods couenant of life and death vnlesse thus forwarned by their Ancestors The tradition then of former was of like vse for begetting true beliefe in latter generations as the exhortations of tutors who haue already tasted the sweet of helicon are vnto their pupils for attaining true knowledge in good arts of whose pleasantnesse they neuer conceiue aright vntill they taste it themselues though taste it but vpon the others commendation they would not without their direction ordinarily they could not 2 This Methode Moses himselfe prescribes Consider this day for I speake not vnto your children which neither haue known nor seen the chastisement of the Lord your God his greatnesse his mighty hand and his stretched-out arme and his signes and his acts which he did in the midst of Egypt vnto Pharaoh the King of Egypt and all his land For your eyes haue seene all the great acts of the Lord which he did Therefore shall yee keepe all the commandements which I command you this day that yee may be strong and goe in and possesse the land wither ye go to possesse it Gods wonders past they were to consider to what end That they might lay vp their Law-giuers words in their hearts and in their soules bind them as remembrances vpon their hands that they might bee as frontlets betweene their eyes or sights whereby to leuell their steps lest they trode awry Gods word so rooted in the fathers as thus to fructifie in their carriage gesture speech and action the seed of it was to bee sowne in the tender supple hearts of children as Moses in the next words ads And yee shall teach them your children speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest down and when thou risest vp And thou shalt write them vpon the posts of thine house and vpon thy gates Thus was Gods couenant with his people first briefly drawne in signes and wonders and vttered by a mighty voyce in mount Horeb as it had beene a demise Paroll afterwards conceiued in more ample sort and written in more speciall tearmes by Moses but was to bee sealed to euery generation by their sure experience of Gods mercy and iustice the one infallibly accomplishing their prosperity for obeying the other their calamities for transgressing it as in the same place followeth For if ye keepe diligently all these commandements which I command you toe doe that is to loue the Lord your God to walke in all his wayes and to cleane vnto him then will the Lord cast out all these nations before you and yee shall possesse great nations mightier then you All the places whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours your coast shall be from the wildernesse and from Lebanon and from the riuer euen the riuer Perah vnto the vttermost Sea No man shall stand against you for the Lord your God shall cast the feare of you vpon all the land that yee shall tread vpon as hee hath said vnto you 3 Euery light or formall obseruation of this couenant suffised not to auert Gods threates or make them capable of those bounteous promises which hee neuer failed to fulfill as long as in heart and deed they vsed Moses writings for their rule nor weighing the foolish traditions of the Elders When he slew them sayth the Psalmist they sought him and they returned and sought God earely And they remembred that God was their strength and the most high God their redeemer Proportially to their repentance but far aboue or rather without all proportion of deserts did the Lord deale with them For as their hearts though in some sort turned vnto him were not vpright with him neither were they faithfull in his couenant so hee being mercifull thus farre forgaue their iniquite that hee destroyed them not but oftimes called backe his anger and suffered not his whole displeasure to arise 4 The whole historicall part of the old Testament vntill Dauids time epitomized by this Psalmist witnesseth what way soeuer this people went either the blessing or the curse which Moses there sets sets before them did alwayes surely meet them Behold I set before you this day a blessing and a curse the blessing if yee obey the commandements of the Lord your God which I command you this day and the curse if yee will not obey the commandements of the Lord your God but turne out of the way which I command you this day to goe after other Gods yee haue not knowne In these terms of blessings and cursings hee enstiles the former disâ—unctiue couenant If yee shal hearken therfore to my commandements which I shall command you this day that you loue the Lord your God and serue him with all your heart and with all your soule I also will giue raine vnto your land in due time the first raine and the latter that thou mayest gather in thy wheate and thy wine and thine oyle Also I will send grasse in thy fields for thy cattell that thou mayest eate and haue enough But beware lest your heart deceiue you and lest yee turne aside and serue other Gods and worship them and so the anger of the Lord be kindled against you and hee shut vp the heauen that there be no raine and that your land yeeld not her fruit and yee perish quickly from the good land which the Lord giueth you To stirre them vp to more strict obseruance of the former couenant the blessinges and cursings here mentioned were to be pronounced with great solemnity at their first entraÌ„ce into the land of Cannan When the Lord thy God therfore hath brought thee into the land whither thou goest to possesse it then shalt thou put the blessing vpon Mount Gerizim and the 〈◊〉 Mount Eball And elsewhere Moses chargeth the people saying These all sonnes of the free-woman shall stand vpon Mount Gerizim to blesse the people when yee passe ouer Iordan Simeon and Leui and Iudah Issachar and Ioseph and Beniamin and these sonnes of the bond-woman shall stand vpon Mount Ebal to curse Ruben Gad and Asher and Zebulon Dan and Nephtali and the Leuits shall answere and say vnto all the men
of Israel with a lowde voyce Nor was this rehearsall more strictly enioined by Moses then faithfully performed by Ioshuah And all Israel and their Elders and Officers and their Iudges stood on this side of the Arke and on that side before the Priests of the Leuits which beare the Arke of the Couenant of the Lord as well the stranger as hee that is borne in the Country halfe of them were ouer against Mount Gerizim and halfe of them ouer against Mount Eball as Moses the seruant of the Lord had commanded before that they should blesse the children of Israel Then afterward he read all the words of the Law the blessings and cursings according to all that is written in the book of the Law There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Iosuah read not before all the Congregation of Israel aswell before the women and children as the stranger that was conuersant among them The like solemnity was to be continued euery seuenth yeare as Moses commanded them saying euery seuenth yeere when the yeere of freedome shall bee in the feast of tabernacles when all Israel shall come to appeare before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall chuse thou shalt read this law before all Israel that they may heare it Gather the people together men and women and children and thy stranger that is within thy gates that they may heare and that they may learne and feare the Lord your God and keepe and obserue all the words of this law and that their children which haue not known it may heare it and learne to feare the Lord your God as long as yee liue in the land whether yee goe ouer Iorden to possesse it 5 Children were to bee instructed first priuately then publikely that the solemnity of the spectacle might worke in them a modest feare and reuerence without whose precedent impression true faith hardly findes entrance into the heart of man And without miracles it seldome takes but where the seedes of it haue been sowen in tender yeares nor doth it vsually sinke in yonger breastes vnlesse sucked in with admiration All that Moses all that Iosuah all that Priests and Leuites all that Parents or other Instructers priuate or publike could doe to such all they aimed at was to propose the infallible word in such sort as might stir vp their hearts to receiue it with attention and admiration afterwards to make sure triall of it alwayes sufficient to proue it selfe by their practise No instructer in that people euer taught his hearers either finally or iointly to relie vpon the infallibility of his proposals 6 But the Iesuites heart though his mouth will not vtter it thus indites Did all this stirre these Scripturians would seeme to make or tatling parents daily inuitation of their children to strict obseruance of this rule take such effect as Moses dreamed of in posterity No But the reason why it did not was because they sought not in time to supply the defect or rarity of miracles in latter with more frequent and solemne memoriall of such as had happened in former ages or with more abundant meditation vpon their written law and diligent obseruation of their ordinary successe alwayes correspondent thereunto Take heed to thy selfe sayeth Moses and keepe thy soule diligently that thou forget not the things thine eyes haue seen and that they depart not out of thine heart all the dayes of thy life but reach them thy sonnes and thy sonnes sons forget not the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb when the Lord said vnto me Gather me the people together and I will cause them to heare my words that they may learne to feare me all the daies that they shall liue vpon the earth and that they may teach their children The necessity of this and like premonitions was too well manifested by the euent The people saith another Penman of the sacred Canon ha◠serued the Lord all the dayes of Iosuah and all the dayes of the Elders that outliued Iosuah which had seene all the great works of the Lord that he did for Israel Not the auouchment or presence of infallible teachers but their sure experience of Gods power and mercy did more surely fasten this peoples assent vnto the truth of that which Moses had left written then Moses liue personall proposall could doe their Fathers to his words vttered in their audience But after that generation with whom Iosuah had conuersed was gathered vnto their fathers and another generation arose after them which neither knew the Lord nor yet the works hee had done for Israel then the children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the Lord and serued Baal Whence it came to passe that whither soeuer they went out the hand of the Lord was sore against them as the Lord had said and as the Lord had sworne vnto them so he punished them sore Notwithstanding the Lord raised vp Iudges which deliuered them out of the hands of their oppressors yet when the Iudge was dead they returned and did worse then their fathers in following other gods to serue them and worship them they ceased not from their owne inuentions nor from their rebellious way What rule then was left to reclaime them the infallible proposals of their Priests Though these or an Angell from heauen should haue proposed any other doctrine then what was consonant to their written law whose true meaning in this respect euery one of them should haue knowne Moses curse before mentioned had ouertaken them following it So much were they addicted vnto Baals Priests proposals that Angels could scarsly be heard though suggesting nothing but what their Lawgiuer had taught though assuring them by their presence of such assistance from their mighty God as he had promised Thus when the generall of these heauenly souldiers sought to encourage Gedeon The Lord is with thee thou valiant man Hee replies Ah my Lord if the Lord be with vs why then is all this come vpon vs and where be all his miracles which our fathers told vs of and said Did not the Lord bring vs out of Egypt but now the Lord hath forsaken vs and deliuered vs into the hand of Midianites As if hee had said I will not deny but the Lord hath done of old as our fathers haue declared vnto vs Moses story I distrust not but am sure he hath dealt farre otherwise with vs. 7 But doth this defect of faith in him conuince the law of imperfectiō rather the obiect of his distrust might haue taught him to haue belieued the perfection of Moses law which had so often forewarned them of such oppression by their enemies when they forsooke the God of their fathers These forwarnings had Gideon belieued aright hee had not distrusted the Angels exhortation What was the reason then of his misbelieuing or rather ouerseeing that part of the law Not ignorance of Gods
mans mind is sometimes more accustomed to shew more then seauen Watchmen that sit aboue in an high Tower And aboue all this pray to the most High that he will direct thy way in truth Had they thus done without partiality to their corrupt affections or without all respect of persons in which Christian faith cannot bee had Moses law had beene a lanterne vnto their feet for the discerning of true Prophets and those discerned had beene a light vnto latter ages for discerning the true Messias 6 The euidence of this truth not without cause so often inculcated will better appeare if wee consider â—ow most propheticall predictions of particular alterations were but determinations of Mosaicall generalities out of which they grow as branches out of the stocke As for example The Lord told Moses before his death and he gaue it to Israel for a song to be copied out by all That when they went a whoring after the Gods of a strange land forsaking him he would forsake them and hide his face from them After Ieâ—oiadahs death Zechariah his sonne seeing the Princes of Iudah leauing the house of the Lord to serue Groues and Idols albeit hee were moued as the Text saith by the spirit of God yet onely applies Moses generall prediction to the present times Thus saith God Why transgresse yee the commandement of the Lord Surely yee shall not prosper because yee haue forsakeu the Lord he also will forsake you Saint Paul himselfe vseth his own aduise not the Lords authority in such points as were not euidently contained in Moses law Vnto 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 speake not the Lord If any brother haue a wife that belieueth not if shee be content to dwell with him let him not forsake her And againe concerning Virgins I haue no commandement of the Lord but I giue mine aduise as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithfull This was his iudgement and as he thought warranted by the spirit of God yet hee prescribes it not as a generall rule of faith to all but rather leaues euery man to bee ruled by his conscience and the analogie of Moses law So likewise though God vse an extraordinary reuelation to instruct Saint Peter in the free vse of meates forbidden by Moses yet hee perswades him it by manifesting the true meaning of another clause of the same law for what hee vttered vpon this instruction and the experiment answerable thereto was but a further specification of what Moses had said I perceiue of a truth saith S. Peter that God is no accepter of persons Moses had said 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 vnto the fatherlesse and widdow and loueth the stranger giuing him sood and rayment 7 These passages sufficiently enforme vs that the extraordinary spirit wherewith the Apostles themselues were aboue the measure of Gods former messengers inspired oftimes 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 naturall growth it did not alwayes bring forth new ones in an instant as the earth did at the first creation Much more vsually did prophesies during the standing of the first temple spring out of Mosaicall predictions If wee compare his writings with latter prophesies not long before the Babylonish captiuity though hee had departed this life before their fathers entred into the land of promise yet hee speakes vnto this last generation as an intelligencer from a farre Country that great preparation was made against them but who should bee the executioners or managers of mischiefe intended hee leaues that to such Prophets as the Lord should raise them vp for the present Ieremy and Ezechiel vpon his admonition following his direction are sent by God as it were to scowre the coast to discrie when the Nauy comes for what Coast it is bound and how neare at hand Here had the people faithfully examined their hearts by Moses law whether not guilty of such sinnes as deserued the plagues threatned by him they had quickly assented vnto Moses writings and the Prophets words For as consciousnesse of their sinnes in generall might cause them feare some plague or other indefinitely threatned by their Lawgiuer whose writings they best belieued so might the diligent obseruation of their particular transgressions and their progresse in them haue taught them to presage the determinate manner of their plagues and punishments foretold by the present Prophet For God in his vsuall course of iustice so suites his punishments to the most accustomary habits or predominant sinnes as vnto men religiously obseruant of times and seasons the growth and processe of the one will giue a certaine crisis of the other Besides euery age hath peculiar signes subordinate to the generall predictions of good or euill foretold by Gods messengers whereby the faithfull learne to know the day of their visitation and as Salomon saith to hide themselues in latibulo altissimi from the plague if not by their hearty repentance godly prayers and religious endeauors to preuent it And because wee in this age are not so well acquainted with the particular signes of former times wherein true Prophets liued it is hard for any liuing now though easie to all the faithfull then to giue any certaine or particular rule how the truth of their prophesies might haue beene at least probably knowne before the euent did finally and absolutely approue them Would to God wee could discerne the signes of times present and the Lord of his infinit mercy giue vs 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 Sauiours doctrine was by the same meanes to be discerued CHAP. X. That the Soueraignety giuen by Iesuites to the Pope is greater then our Sauiours was 1 IT is a Rule in Diuinity whatsoeuer can rightly be conceiued as an absolute perfection hath reall existence in the Almighty From this notion of the Deity swimming in the braines of such as in heart deed make the Pope their Lord God doe the parties thus affected vsually take whatsoeuer power might possibly be deligated by God to any as actually granted vnto his holinesse And thus I imagine some Iesuite or other when hee shall bethinke himselfe will except against our disputes in this present cause Deny you cannot that God can and what if hee should expresly grant such authority as the Pope now challengeth would your arguments conclude him to bee Antichrist or the doctrine we teach to be blasphemous On the contrary seeing our Sauiour Christ did neuer either practise or challenge seeing neither Moses
that heard him preach was as immediately from those words of eternall life which issued from his mouth as ours is from the Word preached by his messengers To what other vse then could miracles serue saue onely to breed a praeuiall admiration and make entrance for them into his hearers hearts though his bodily presence at all times was not yet were his vsuall workes in themselues truely glorious more then apt to dispell that veile of preiudice commonly taken against the meannesse of his person birth or parentage had it been meerely naturall not occasioned through willfull neglect of extraordinary meanes precedent and stubborne opposition to present grace most plentifully offered His raising others from death to life was more then sufficient to remoue that offence the people tooke at that speech If I were lift vp from the earth I should draw all men vnto me To which they answered Wee haue heard out of the Law that the Christ bideth for euer and how sayest thou that the sonne of man must be lift vp Who is that sonne of man 18 To conclude then his distinct and arbitrary foretelling euents of euery sort any Prophet had mentioned many of them not producible but by extraordinary miracles withall including diuine testifications of farre greater glory ascribed to him then Moses or any Prophet euer challenged was the demonstratiue rule according to Moses prediction whereunto all visible signs and sensible miracles should haue beene resolued by their spectators as knowne effects lead contemplators vnto the first and immediate causes on which their truth and being depends That Encomium This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased Heare him with the like giuen by Iohn Baptist Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world vnto all such as tooke him for a true Prophet did more distinctly point out the similitude peculiar to him with Moses expressed in the forecited place of Deuteronomy literally though not so plainly as most Readers would without direction obserue it seeing euen interpreters most followed either neglect the words themselues in which it is directly contained or wâ—est their meaning Vnto him shall yee hearken according to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly Their request then was Talke thou with vs and we will heart but let not God talke with vs lest we die Here the whole multitude bound themselues to hear the word of the Lord not immediately from his mouth but by Moses For whiles the people stood a farre off he onely drew neere to the darkenesse where God was This their request and resolution elsewhere more fully expressed the Lord highly commended I haue heard the voice of the wordes of this people which they haue spoken vnto thee they haue well saide all that they haue spoken Oh that there were such an heart in them to feare me and to keepe all my commandements alway that it might goe wel with them and with their children for euer If we obserue that increment the literall sense of the same words may receiue by succession of time or as they respect the body not the type both which they iointly signifie the best reason can be giuen of Gods approuing the former petition and Israels peculiar disposition at that time aboue others will bee this That as posterity in reiecting Samuel reiected Christ or God the second person in Trinity so here the Fathers in requesting Moses might bee their spokesman vnto God requested that Great Prophet ordained to bee the author of a better couenant euen that promised womans seed their brother according to the flesh to be Mediator betwixt God and them to secure them from such dreadfull flames as they had seene so they would hearken as then they promised vnto his words as vnto the words of God himselfe esteeming him as the Apostle saith so farre aboue Moses as he that builds the house is aboue the house And in the Emphasis of that speech Whosoeuer will not hearken vnto my words which he shall speake in my name I will require it of him purposely resumed by Moses with these threates annexed as if hee had not sufficiently expressed his mind in the like precedent Vnto him yee shall hearken the same difference betweene Moses and the Great Prophet then meant is included which the Apostle in another place expresseth He that despiseth Moses Law dieth without mercy vnder two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye he shall be worthy which treadeth vnder foot the son of God and counteth the blood of the Testament as an vnholy thing Vntill the soueraignety of the Law and Prophets did determine that EncomiuÌ„ of Moses did beare date There arose not a Prophet since in Israel like vnto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face but vanished vpon the Criers voice when the kingdom of heauen beganne to appeare The Israelites to whom both promises were made did farre exceed all other nations in that they had a law most absolute giuen by Moses yet to bee bettered by an euerlasting Couenant the former being as an earnest penny giuen in hand to assure them of the latter In respect of both the name of a Soothsayer or Sorcerer was not to bee heard in Israel as in the nations which knew not God much lesse expected a Mediator in whom the spirit of life should dwell as plentifully as splendor doth in the body of the Sunne from whose fulnesse ere hee visibly came into the world other Prophets were illuminated as those lights which rule the night are by that great light which God hath appointed to rule the day at whose approch the Prince of darkenesse with his followers were to auoide the Hemisphere wherein they had raigned In the meane time the testimonies of the Law and Prophesies serued as a light or candle to minish the terrors of the night Euen Moses himself and al that followed him were but as messengers sent from God to sollicite his people to reserue their alleageance free from all commerce or compact with familiar spirits vntill the Prince of glory came in person 19 Thus without censure of their opinion that otherwise thinke or teach albeit the continuance of Prophets amongst this people were a meane to preuent all occasions of consulting forcerers or witches yet the chiefe ground of Moses disswasion from such practises acording to the literall connexion of these words The nations which thou shall possesse hearken vnto those that regarde the times and vnto sorcerers as for thee the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so with those following hitherto expounded The Lord thy God will raise vp vnto thee a Prophet was the consideration of their late mighty deliuerance by Moses the excellency of their present law and their expectation of a greater law-giuer when the first couenant should waxe old and Prophesies for a long time faile vnto strict obseruance
Saint Peters loue to truth that hee would haue so fastned it to all faithfull hearts as none should euer haue failed to follow it in following which hee could not erre Doubtlesse had any such conceit lodged in his breast this discourse had drawne it out his vsuall form of exhortation had been too mild his ordinarie stile too low This doctrine had beene proclaimed to all the world with Anathemaes as loud and terrible as the Canons of any Papisticall Councell report 2 But hee followed no such deceitfull fables when hee opened vnto them the power and comming of Christ whose Maiesty as hee had seene with his owne eyes so would hee haue others to see him too But by what light By Scriptures What Scriptures Peter feede my sheepe Nay but by the light of Prophesie That is a light indeed in it selfe but vnto priuate spirites it is no better saith Valentian then a light put vnder a bushel vnlesse the visible Church doe hold it out Where did the visible Church keep residence in those dayes In Saint Peter I trow How chances it then hee saith not fixe your eyes on mine that haue seene the glory of the Lord and the Prophets light shall shine vnto you If by his commendation and proposall it were to shine hee had said better thus Ye do well in that you giue heede vnto me as to your onely infallible teacher that must confirme you in the truth of Propheticall Writings and cause them shine in your hearts but now he saith Yee doe well in that yee take heede vnto the Prophets as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place vntill the day-starre arise in your hearts This light of Prophets illuminated the eyes of Peters faith albeit with his bodily eyes hee had seene Christs glory For speaking comparatiuely of that testimony which he had heard in the Mount hee addes Wee haue also asurer word of the Prophets That the Lord had beene glorified in the Mount his Auditors were to take vpon his credite and authority nor could hee make them to see this particular as hee himselfe had done but that Christ Iesus whom he saw glorified in the Mount was the Lord of Glory he had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a surer testimony then his bodily sense the light of Prophets This then was the commendations of his flocke that they looked vpon it which shined as well vnto them as him to all without respect of persons that take heed vnto it able to bring them not to acknowledge Peters infallibility but to the day-starre it selfe whose light would further ascertaine them euen of the truth the Prophets and the Apostles taught For Christ is in a peculiar manner the first and the last in the edifice of faith the lowest the highest stone in the corner refused by the master builders or visible pillars of the Iewish Church their faith was not grounded vpon the Prophets whose words they knew not and not knowing them they knew not him but vnto such as rayse their faith by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the true square and line Christ is both the fundamentall Rocke which supporteth and the chiefe corner stone that bindes the whole house of God and preserues it from clifts and ruptures 3. But least his followers might looke amisse vpon this prophetical light rightly esteemed in the general Saint Peter thought it necessarie to advertise them not to content themselues with euerie interpretation or accustomarie acknowledgement of their truth grounded on others relations reports or skill in expounding them or multitude of voyces that way swaying This had beene as if a man that hath eyes of his owne should belieue there was a Moone or starres because a great many of his honest neighbours had tolde him so A thousand witnesses in such a case as this were but priuate testimonies in respect of that distinct knowledge which euery one may haue that list That the Lord should preserue light in Goshen when darkenesse had couered the whole face of Egypt besides seems vnto me lesse strange but more sensibly true then before whilest I consider how in this age wherein the light of his countenance hath so clearely shined throughout those parts of Europe whence the Gospell came to vs Ingolstade should still sit in darknesse enuironed with the shadow of death That her great professor Valentian borne I take it within these fourescore yeeres should grope at noone day as if he had been brought forth in the very midnight of Popery or died well nigh three hundred yeeres ago Scarse Scotus himselfe not Ockam questionlesse though shut vp in a prison where no light of any expositor had euer come could haue made a more dunsticall collection of the Apostles wordes then he hath done Saint Peter meant one of these Three First that there can bee no certaine or probable way of expounding Scriptures by our proper wit or industry or Secondly that one or other place of Scripture cannot be rightly expounded by humane wit or industry but so compared they rightly may or Thirdly that the Scriptures cannot certainely and infallibly be expounded euery where without the sentence of some other common infallible authority which in this respect is to be held as iudge of faith in the Church The Apostle hee inferres did not meane the first or second ergò the third So as the force and wisdome of the Apostolicall admonition is this No man by his priuate industry or study howsoeuer imployed eyther hee thougt not of the holy Ghosts direction or assistance or did not except it no not by any search of Scripture it selfe can certainely and infallibly vnderstand the doctrine of Scriptures in controuersies of which Saint Peter in that place speakes not one word but it is necessary he learne this of some other publike authority in the church by which the Holy Ghost speakes publikely and teacheth all His reason followes more duncticall then the collection it selfe For the Apostle straight subions As the holy men of God did speake in Scriptures not by humane authority but diuine so likewise cannot the Scriptures bee possibly vnderstood by any humane or priuate industry of this or that man but by some other authority likewise diuine by which the holy spirite which is the Author of Scriptures may be likewise the most certain interpreter of Scriptures 4 Had another read thus much vnto me and bid me read the Author or his workes wherein it was found I should presently haue named eyther Erasmus Moriae Encomium Frishlins Priscianus Vapulans or some such like Comedian disposed in meriment to pen some olde Dunces part Cannot the Sun of righteousnesse infuse his heauenly influence by the immediate operation of his spirit or doth his influence want force without coniunction with this blasing Comet or falling starre Was it not the authority of this spirit which made Saint Peter himselfe to be so authentique in his doctrine Is it not the pretended priuiledge of the same
and Tide did serue them But of the particular temptations and opportunities that did first driue the Romanists into this harbour as also of inueterate errors in other points and reliques of Heathenish dispositions whereby they two others after them elsewhere according to my promise if God permit At this time it shall suffice to haue waded thus farre in these vnpleasant passages for discouering the enemies weakenesse in his new Fortifications or Repalliations rather of such breaches as our ancient Worthies haue made in their imaginarie Rock of strength Now as my soule and conscience in the sight of God and his holy Angels can assure me these imputations of blasphemie sorcerie and preposterous Idolatrie I haue laid vpon this fundamentall point of Romish faith are most true though much lesse exaggerated then it deserues so againe I must confesse it hath in some sort euer gone against my conscience publikely to discipher or display her abominations For my little experience of this present ages temper too well instructs me what great offence is oftimes hereby giuen to men as weake in faith as strong in their perswasions of it to slatter themselues in their hypocrisie or make them seeme vnto themselues men rightly religious or throughly sanctified whilest they measure their loue to true religion by their hatred vnto this doctrine of Deuils or compare themselues with Priests and Iesuites as they are painted out in their natiue colours by eloquent and learned Pastors But his iniquitie be vpon his owne head that thus peruerts my labours vndertaken for his good vnto his harme For vnto a quite contrarie purpose haue I set forth this survey of Romish blasphemie in a larger volume then first I meant it euen to stirre vp my selfe and euery Professor of true religion vnto serious amendment of our liues to hold fast our faith by holding vp hands pure from briberie and corruption by lifting vp hearts and mindes void of all guile and hypocrisie ardently zealous of euery good worke vnto the Lord our God continually least such swarmes of Caterpillers and Locusts as haue chosen Beelzebub for their God deuour this land Mortis modus morte peior To thinke such should be the instruments of our woe will vnto most of vs I know farre surpasse all conceipt of any other woe it selfe or miserie that in this life can befall vs. And yet whilest I consider what God hath done of old to Israell his first borne and Iudah his owne inheritance the ouerplus of our ingratitude towards him for all his goodnesse especially our wilfull continuall abusing these dayes of peace more and more sweet and gracious then Ierusalem it selfe the vision of peace did euer see so long together without interruption I am and haue beene as my publique meditations can testifie for these few yeares of my ministerie possessed with continuall dread least the Lord in iustice enlarge his threatnings denounced against Iudah vpon this Land Fearefull was that message vnto Hierusalem I will bring the most wicked of the Heathen and they shall possesse their houses but more terrible is our doome if this sentence be gone out against vs I will plague you by the wickedst amongst the Christians by men more cruell proud and insolent then Babylonian Turke or Insidell or any other enemie of Christs Church hath beene or could be vnlesse Christians or Iesuites in name or shew they were meere Antichristians or Bariesus heart and affection Such titles we readily giue and willingly heare giuen vnto Loyolacs infamous broode But if our wayes shall continually proue as odious vnto our God as these termes import that Societie is vnto vs what haue we done Surely tyed our bodies to the stake of iustice by the wickednesse of our hands and proud imaginations of our polluted hearts whiles our tongues in the meane while haue set our cruell executioners hearts on fire more grieuously to torment to consume and deuour vs. 11 But though likelihood of their preuailing against vs bee without our repentance great and their crueltie if they should preuaile more then likely to be most violent yet this their hope it cannot be long Tu quoque crudelis Babylon dabis impia paenas Et rerum instabiles experiere vices The Lord in due time will turne againe the captiuitie of his people and the now liuing may liue to see these sonnes of Babel rewarded as they haue long sought to serue vs. Their shamelesse Apologies for equiuocation and this old charme of Templum Domini which like vnluckie birds alwaies flocking or frogs croaking against ill weather they haue resumed of late with ioynt importunate cryes albeit with these they bewitch the simple choake the worldling or carelesse liuer that accompts all serious thought of Religion his greatest trouble sound vnto harts setled in grace or minds illuminated with the spirit of truth but as the last cracklings of Lucifers candle sometimes shining in the Roman Lantherne as the morning starre or an Angell of light but now so farre spent and sunke within the socket that it recouers it wonted brightnesse but by flashes nor can his nostrils that is able with the least breath of his displeasure from heauen in a moment to blow it out any long time endure the smell Euen so O Father for thy sonne Christ Iesus sake euen so O Christ for thine Elect and chosens sake impose a period to our grieuous sinnes against thee and our enemies malice against vs infatuate their policies enfeeble their strength and preuent them in their Deuillish purposes that seeke to preuent thee in thy iudgements by setting the world in combustion before thy comming Amen The continuation of matters prosecuted in the first BOOKE THe ingenious Reader I trust rests fully satisfied that for planting true and liuely faith in euery priuate Christians hart experiments answerable to the rules of Scripture without absolute dependance vpon any externall rule thereto equiualent are sufficient the assistance of the holy spirit whose necessity for the right apprehension of diuine truthes reuealed the Romanist nor doth nor dare denie being supposed That Valentians heart did tell him thus much and secretly check him for his ridiculous curiositie to make way vnto his circular resolution of faith before refuted his diffident speeches immediately thereto annexed vpon consciousnesse no doubt of it insufficiencie will giue the Reader though parciall iust cause of suspicion If a man saith hee bee yet further questioned seeing aswell the diuine reuelations as the Churches infallible proposall are obscure and ineuident what should impell him to enter into such a labarynth of obscurities as to imbrace the doctrine of faith by the former methode to wit beleeuing the reuelation for the Churches proposall as for a condition vnto beliefe requisite and the Churches proposall againe for the reuelation being the cause of his beliefe then let him come vnto the second processe or methode and expound the reasons and clearer motiues whereby hee was and euery discreet man may be induced to
intelligitur prophetia nec id quod per illud significatur sed quod illi simile erat omâ—no ciusmodi vt prophetia non minus aptè de eo quam de quo dicta est dici patuisse videatur Nam populus hic labijs me honorat de Iudaeis qui tempore Isai erant Deus dixerat Isai 29. 13. Christus autem in ijs qui suo erant tempore impletum significat Matth. 15. 7. 8. Simile est exemplum Matthae 13. 14. Act. 28. 26. Quarto cum id ipsum quod per Prophetiam aut Scripturam dictum erat quamuis iam factum suerit tamenmagis ac magis fit Tunc enim Scriptura impleri dicitur id est quod per eam dictum erat cumulatissimè fieri Maldonat Comment in Math. v. c. 2. The place cited Matth. 13. and 14. Act. 28. 26. is that very place out of the 6. of Esai which Bellarmine vrgeth to proue the Iewes Church should faile in our Sauiours time a Math. 23. 52. Yee â—iâ—â—enceked and vncircumcised harts and eares yee haue alwaies resisted the holy Ghost as your fathers did so do you which of the Propheâ—s haue not your fathers persecuted and they haue slam theÌ„ which shewed before of the comming of that Iust of whom yee are now the betraiers and murtherers Act. 7 51. 52. * See Chap. 9. Parag. 4. * Act. 13. v. 27. Respo ideo quidam aiunt quaestionem fuisse de facto non de iure quam Concilium illud iudicauit videlicet num Iesus necandus esset in eâ—uâ—modi autem iudicijs Concilia errare posse non dubium est At quaestio illa etiaÌ„si de facto esset tamen inuoluebat quaestionem de fide grauissimam nimirum an Iesus esset verus Messias Dei silius atque adeò Deus verus Quocirca errauit in fide perniciocissimè Caiphas cum vniuerso Concilio cum iudicauit Iesum blâ—sphemâ—sse qui se Dei filium appellauerat Alij dicunt Pontificem Concilium errasse quantum ad errorem propriae mentis non tamen errasse in sententia quam protulit Verè enim Iâ—sâ—s erat reus mortis q. peccaâ—a nostra in seâ—pso purganda susceperat verè expediebat eum mori pro populo Quare Iohan. cap. 11. dicit Caipham prophetasse At licet verba Caiphae bonum sensum recipiant non tamen omnia cum enim ait de Christo Blasphemauit quid adhuc egemus testibus Certè tunc non prophetauit sed blasphemauit Bellar. de Conciliorum auct cap 8. lib. 2. * Iohn 11. ver 50. * That the Pope did erre in matters of saith not onely of fact when they condemned our Sauiour That the High priest with his associates did erre ex Cathedra in the main Article of faith * Math. 26. * Luk. 22. 66 * Math. 26. 65. * Ver. 66. * Math. 27. 25. * Though it were sufficiently proued that the Pope could not teach false doctrine ex Cathedra yet were it not safe to rely vpoÌ„ his authority Vide lib. 2. Sect. 4. cap. 6. Parag. 3. c. * Heb. 3. 12. 3. 5. 6. That the excessiue glory of the new TestameÌ„t argues no greater soueraignety in spirituall gouernors since Christs time then the priestâ— had in the Law * Ioh. 15. 14. 15. Wherein the Popes Soueraignety is made greater-then Moses had any * Psal 106. 28. * Cum igitur oporteret Dei legeÌ„ in edictis Angelorum â—â—erribiliter dari non vni homini paâ—â—cisue sapientibus sed vniuersae genti 〈…〉 coram eodem populo magna â—â—ctasant in monte vbi 〈◊〉 per 〈◊〉 dabatur conspâ—ciente multitudine metuenda ac tremenda quae siebant Non enim populus Israel sic Moysi credidit quemadmodum suo Lycurgo Lacedaemony quòd a Ioue seu Apolâ—â—ue leges quas condidit accepisset CuÌ„ enim lex dabatur populo 〈…〉 vnus iubehatur◠〈…〉 conspectu ipsias populi sufficere diâ—â—a prouidentia iudicabat mirabilibus 〈…〉 signis ac motibus 〈…〉 ad eandem leg 〈…〉 creatori seruire creaturam Aug. de Ciuit. Den. lib 10. cap. 13. * Deut. 4. 1. 2 * Ver. 3. The motiue vsed by Moses for establishing the Israelites faith * Exod. 14. 10. * Ex. 14. 13. 14 Vide Psal 106. ver 10. c. * Exod. 15. 23. a Ver. 26. Faith must bee confirmed by continuall experiments answerable to Gods word a Exod. 16. 4 12. * Deut. 18. v. 3. * Exod. 17. 7. * The Hebrews haue a common saying Ancilla plus vidit ad mare rubrum monteÌ„ Sinai quam viderent omnes Prophetae â—ag in 5 Deâ—t * Deu. 13. 1. c. God in the establishing of Moses authority giue a caueat to future generations for auoiding blind obedience Exod. 19 4. 5. 6. * Ver. 8. b Ver. 7. * Ver. 9. d Deut. 5. 22. Vide. Innâ—t a◠§ ex 〈◊〉 * Exod. 24. v. 1. 9. 10. 11. a Exod. 34. v. 1. b Ver. 10. 11. a Numb 12. 5. 6. 8. 9. d Mumb. 16. 19. e Ver. 33. * Ver. 27. 28. * Deut. 4. ver 2. a Deut. 7. ver 17 18. 19. If thou say in thine heart These nations are more then I how can I cast them out Thou shalt not feare them but remember what thy Lord thy God did vnto Pharaoh and vnto all Egypt The great tentation which thine eyes saw and the signes and wonders and the mighty hand and outstretched out arme whereby the Lord thy God brought thee out so shall the Lord thy God doe vnto all the people whose face thou fearest How farre the traditions exhortations or instructions of parents did steed their children for establishing of faith * Deut. 11. v. 2 a Ver. 18. * Ver. 19. * Ver. 22. * Psal 78. * Ver. 33. 34. * Deut. 11. 26. Ver. 26. Deut. 11 v. 13. 14. 15. 17. Deut. 11. v. 29. * Deut. 27. v. 11. 12. 13. 14. Iosuah 8. v. 33. 34. 35. Deut. 31. v. 10. 11. 12 13. * The Israelites care to instruct their children in the precepts of the Law necessary vnto Christians seeing faith seldome grows without miracles vnlesse planted in tender yeeres Deut. 4. 9. c. Iudg. 2. v. 7. 8. Ver. 10. 11. Ver. 15. 16. Ver. 19. Of Gedeons distrust and the meanes how his faith was established Iudg. 6. v. 13. Gal. 1. 8. Iudg. 6 14. Ibid. v 15. * Iudg. 7. 15. * Iudg. 8. 33. * The peoples experience of such calamities as Moses thretned was their surest ground of such ioyfull hopes as hee had promised * Ier 32. 24. 25. c. * Ier. 30. 13. 14. Ier. 22. 42. 43. c. * Deut. 30. 1. Nehemiah 1. 7. * Nehe. 6. 10. 11. That the company of Prophets had as great priuiledges as any 〈◊〉 can chalenge That the people were not bound to belieue what a maior part of Prophets determined without examination a De Eccles milit l. 3. c. 17. Ad primum 〈◊〉 illos 400. prophetas manifeste