Therefore that Gate was shut up and might not be opened any more but to the Prince Ezech. 44. 2. It is generally consessed that the Representations there made cannot be taken for any Temple which before was or which afterwards was to be in Hierusalem also that it is to be meant of the Hierusalem which is above And so the Easterne Gate may be said to be Extra terminâ—s hujus mundi not in this but in the other world as Saint Hierome concluded But whatsoever the Vision describeth whether a Temple made with or one made without hands yet this is plaine That the Glory of the God of Israel was seene to come by the way of the East But of this I make no great matter That in the Revelation Chap. 7. 2. if it looke not this way I know not which else it can The words are And I saw another Angel ascending from the East from the rising of the Sunne having the Seale of the Living God c. Some of the best of the Ancients as Primasius c. doubt not to set downe here Christ himselfe instead of this other Angel Then it was he that ascended from the Rising of the Sunne But because this Booke also is a Peice of Scripture which very few men and the fewer the better have made bold to understand I shall make use of an Authority which is sufficient of it selfe Ps 68. 32 33. David saith Sing unto God ye Kingdomes of the Earth O sing praises unto the Lord. Selah To him that rideth upon the Heaven of Heavens which were of old c. So we translate it or from the beginning This runneth counter with that strange Interpretation of Gen. 2. 8. by the Chaldee Theodotion Saint Hierome and some more Plantaverat autem Dominus Deus Paradisum a principio And the Lord God planted a garden of pleasure first or from the begining Which leaveth the Cabalists in a probable condition for they say that seven things were made before the Creation and they reckon this Garden for one But now since that men have better advised themselves and generally translated the Place as the Lxx did of old And the Lord God planted a Garden Eastward or toward the East It should be so here too which rideth or sitteth upon the Heaven of Heavens Eastward or in the Eastern part The same word Kaedem is used in both places so the Old Saxon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the Lxx 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the Syriacke Arabicke and Aethiopicke Translations Indeed the Syriacke and Arabicke of the Maronites Edition rendreth with some difference and transposition of the Originall c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 audire fecit vocem suam ab Oriente vocem fortem He made his voice to be heard from the East a strong voice And thus I found it also in an Arabicke Manuscript de praecept Relig. quoted hereafter But I have an Arabicke Translation of the Psalmes the possession whereof I am bound here to acknowledge amongst many other favours to the learned Master Selden which rendreth the place closer to the Originall 'T is there Sing unto the Lord riding or sitting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the Heaven of Heavens in the Easterne part They that would have it otherwise seeme to understand it better then the Apostolicall men did for I cannot account the Authors of their Constitutions very much below Then rising up say they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and turning towards the East let them pray unto God which sitteth upon the heaven of heavens in the Easterne part This is the ground I promised to lay downe The superstructions I meane to set up upon it shall helpe to assure the ground it selfe as well as be assured by it This is the reason why God planted a Garden in Eden Eastward The simplest meaning and most resolved upon is that Moses described in respect of Judea But then it had beene sufficient for the Geography to say Beëden for Eastward added nothing to the situation Others therefore comming nearer to the words translate it ab Oriente Edenis referring it to the Country of Eden And so the garden was planted Eastward that is upon the Easterne side of Eden But consider the word againe and you 'l finde that Mikkedem Eastward respecteth to Paradise not to Eden And therefore Mercer nil obstat saith he generaliter accipere in parte mundi Orientali consitum fuisse tunc Paradisum Orientem Solem versus But to lose over no more of that time which hath beene curiously spent upon the Delineations of Paradise note onely what Damascen and the Bishop of Bethraman deliver That at the beginning of March the Sunne alwayes riseth directly over Paradise The meaning of Moses is this that the Garden of Eden was planted towards the Aequinoctiall East of the Holy Land And the meaning of that is that the Sanctum Sanctorum of this Mother Church pointed toward that part of Heaven where the Sunne riseth in the Month Nisan The Sanctuary of Paradise was that Recesse of the Garden which was distinguished and made so to be by the presence of the Tree of Life 'T is said indeed that this Tree of Life was placed Betoch haggan that is as we translate it in the middle of the Garden And S. Iohn seemes to beare us this witnesse too in the Apocalyps But Tremelius knew this was but an Hebraisme in the old and but an Hellenisme in the New Testament And therefore the Woman's answer in his Translation is Sed de fructâ— illius Arboris qua est in horto hoc c. And yet because the conjunction here is disâ—retive But of the Tree one concludeth from thence that therefore it must needes be in the middle of the Garden though the hebrew be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Sed but And of the Tree I know it may be taken for But as elsewhere let it be so Yet the He is emphaticall both to the Tree and to the Garden And so the words are But of the Tree which is in this Garden God hathsaid c. Do we thinke that God spake unto Moses out of the Center of the Bush or that our Saviour would have the man and the milstone throwne into the very middle of the Sea The Tree stood in the Easterne part of the place Otherwise why the Cherubins and the flaming sword upon this side of the Garden to keepe the way of the Tree of life And whither should it respect but this way that Cain went and dwelt in the Land of Nod on the East of Eden Gen 4. 10. Nay the Man himselfe when he was driven out was assigned to dwell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over against the Garden as the Greeke addeth that is on the East of Paradise as the Greeke is rendered by the versio Arab. Ms LXX in Arch Bodl Gen 3. 24. The truth is how strange soever it may seeme to be that Adam worshipped God in
a face by himselfe He that shall thus begin to build may perhaps be one of those that will be able to finish The Jewes when they build a house are bound to leave some part of it unfinished in memory of the destruction of Jerusalem The best Master Builder that shall come to this worke will be forc't to doe so too And yet if those that have undertaken upon the whole had instead of that compleated but one small part This House of God and Tabernacle of good men had beene reared up ere this He that goeth upon this with any Interest about him Let him doe otherwise never so admirably he does indeed but translate an Angel of Light into the Devill I would not render or interpret one parcell of Scripture to an end of my owne though it were to please my whole Nation by it if I might gaine the World These Wresters of the Booke are unstable if not ignorant men and it will follow that they must needs doe it to their owne Destruction When all these things are fitly and understandingly resolv'd upon It would be good too to bring these principall matters as neare to a Standard as we can that we might have something to trust to and settle upon Some say that the Heavens could not move unlesse the Earth stood still I am sure since the Earth began to turne about The Kingdome of Heaven hath suffered a violence of Rest and doth not seeme to be so open to all Beleivers as before I am sorry I have so much to accuse my Nation of that ever since the times of Hen. the 8. they should goe about in a maxâ— of Reformation and not know yet how to get either us or themselves out I am not much given to the Admiration and amusements of Astrologicall matters therefore I will not tell you plainely here what Ptolomy Cardan Silen Alchiâ—dâ—s Eshwhid Roger Bacon c. say of us And yet the Sage Gâ—idâ— Boâ—â—te Zoroaster in cheife to some Almanacke men I cannot chuse but give you notice of This Gymnosophist in the 13 Chapter of his First part tels you that Christ himselfe was an Astrologer and made use of Elections The same Man in the third Chapter at his third Part is busy to let you know under what Figure of the Heavens you are to pare your Nailes But that which I indeed intend to say to you is this In the Geographicall Resemblances I finde that Maginus could liken Scotland to nothing But for England 't is fancied by some to come very neare the fashion of a Triangle I am sure 't is farre enough from a Square or that Honest man in Aristotle who falleth still upon his owne Legges The Arabicke Nubian Geographer likeneth us to an Estritch indeed we have digested Iron enough But this is that silly thing which leaveth her Egges in the Earth and warmeth them in the dust and forgetteth that the foot may crush them or that the wilde Beast may breake them She is hardened against her young Ones as though they were not hers her labour iâ— in vaine without feare And why Because God hath depriv'd her of wisedome neither hath he imparted to her understanding And yet what time she lifteth up her selfe on high she scorneth the Horse and his Rider Indeed if ever any Nation perished for want of knowledge we are like to be the Men. NOTES VPON SOME PASSAGES OF SCRIPTVRE CHAP. I. Also he bad them teach the Children of Judah the use of the bow Behold it is written in the booke of Jasher 2 Sam. 1. 18. A Strange Parenthesis to all Respects but especially that of the bow Yet so the Targum reads it and so the Rabbines constantly expound Râ—b Salomons glosse is And David said from henceforth seeing that the mighty in Israel are falne it will be necessary that the men of Judah learne to exercise their armes and to draw the bow Levi Ben Gersom saith that inasmuch as David saw that the death of Saul was caused by his feare of the Bowmen and that there was none in Israel skill'd in this kinde of Artillery he gave order that the men of Iudah as being the principall men at Armes should be taught the use of the Bow c. To the same purpose R. David and others quoted in the Celi Jakar fol. 264. a. et b. And yet R. Isay saith that Saul and Ionathan taught the sonnes of Iudah the bow because the sonnes of Iudah were mighty men and fit to draw the Bow by the blessing of Iacob Gen. 49. 8. Where it is prophecied that the hand of Iudah shall be in the necke of his Enemies that is saith Chimhi as some of our wisemen expound the Bow Therefore they take the Booke of Iasher to be the first of Moses called Genesis in which the Acts of Abraham Isaack and Iacob the Ieshirim or upright men are recorded but especially they take the booke to be Beracoth Iacob or the Blessings of Iacob Thus the Jewes Though we have wisemen of our owne to follow them in the Interpretation of the Bow Yet they will appeare to be as idle in this as in their conceipt of the booke Is it a thing to be thought that the men of Iudah were now to learne the use of the Bow 'T was the common Tacticke practice The Hebraisme of Bow is like that of bread It nameth for all other kinde of Ammunition And where 's the consequence here that because Saul and Ionathan excellent Archers themselves for the Bow of Ionathan turned not backe fell downe before the Arrowes of the Philistines that therefore the men of Iudah should be taught the use of the Bow But the Coherence is worse And David c. The Author of the Booke bringeth David in beginning an epicedium upon the death of Saul and Ionathan and immediately breaketh him off with an impertinent command to the sonnes of Iudah that they should learne to handle the bow And where is it or why is it that this should be written in the Booke of Iasher Therefore Mariana very understandingly stept aside out of the common Road of Interpretation and considered with himselfe that the Bow here might be taken for the Title of the Song which cannot be strange to them that will compare this with the granted superscriptions upon David's Psalmes as Psal 69. To the cheife Musitian upon Shashannim Psal 67. Upon Neginoth Psal 59. To the cheife Musitian Altashith c. So here to the cheife Musitian Kesheth or the Bow For so the Text is to be read And he bade them that is the cheife Musitians Heman Ethan Ieduthun to teach the ignorant people how to sing this Lamentation of David upon the death of Saul and Ionathan It was entitled Kesheth or the Bow because it was occasioned by the Philistin Archers 1 Sam. 31. 3. But especially respecting to the Bow of Ionathan which returned not backe from the bloud of the slaine as the Song it selfe expresseth And David could
these parts are called by Varro in Festus Deorum Sedes The Gods Abode for Cincius and Cinnius Capito gave this reason why the left that is the Easterne Omens were more prosperous then the Right But more expresly and excellently the Philosopher himselfe The First Mover saith he meaning God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. must of necessity be present either to the Center or Circumference of his Orbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but motions are most rapid in the nearest distance to the Impression Therefore the Mover ought there to be But that part of the Spheare is most rapâ—ly moved which is most remote from the Poles therefore the Movers place is about the middle line It is the reason as I thinke why the Aequinoxes are beleived to have so sacred an import and signification in Astrology for by them it is judged saith Ptolomy as concerning things divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and the service belonging to the House of God But the Philosopher's meaning is not as if the Mover presented himselfe alike unto the whole Circumference but assisting especially to that part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence the motion doth begin that is Orienti to the East as Aben Rois rightly Vnde quaedam Leges adorant deum versus Orientem Which is the Reason saith he why some Religions worship God that way But the Aequinoctiall East passeth through the whole Circle Of Necessity therefore 't is to be meant of some certaine position nor is it possible to meane it but of the Horizontall segment of the then Habitable world the uttermost bounds whereof from Sunne to Sunne they absolutely termed East and West In the Philosopher's time the Circle of this Horizon passed through the Pillars of Hercules in the West and the Altars of Alexander in the East Those of Hercules if as it is most received and probable and which I my selfe have seene saith Aben-Rois they were the Calpe and the Abyla raised up at the letting in of the Sea It is the place where the Arabians fixe their great Meridian but in honour to Alexander unto whom not as others unto Hercules they ascribe this Labour For those of Alexander as both himselfe and his Geometers Beton and Diognetus deliver it the River Hyphasis or as Ptolomy calleth it Bipasis was Terminus itinerum Alexandri Alexander's Non Vltra Exuperato tamen Amne arisque in adversa ripa dicatis which yet he transpassed and set up Altars on the other side whereabouts they are found in the Emperours Provinciall Chart with this Adscription Hie Alexander Responsum accepit usque quo Alexander that here the Oracle should say Alexander no further Tabul Peutingerian Segment 7. The Arabicke Meridian passeth through the tenth degree of Longitude from that of Ptolomy so Abulfeda the Prince in the beginning of his Geography The River Hyphasis Ptolomy placeth in 131. 35. The difference of Longitude is about 120 degrees The second part of this is 60. And because the Meridian of Hierusalem is 70 degrees from that of Ptolomy that is 60 from the Arabian the Holy City was as it was anciently termed Vmbilicus Terrae the Navell of the Earth precisely placed betwixt the East and West of the Habitable world Therefore the Equinoctiall East of Hierusalem is the Equinoctiall East of the whole and answering to the First Movers Receipt which therefore was said to be in Orienti Aequinoctiali This is faire for the Heathen The Christian hath farre greater reason to beleive it and yet beleiveth it lesse But for late resentments they are not much to be valued This is not the onely old truth which is overgrowne with Time and Interests Some men purposely yeild themselves intractable to such things as they are not willing to heare of This is the strongest and most impertinent kinde of unbeleife fitted onely for this or that Generation and getting up for the present to a repute of wisedome above that of the Children of Light There is a foolishnesse of God which is wiser then all this For the matter the best and the oldest of the First Times were fully satisfied of this Article for it may be reckoned among those of their substantiall beleife The Notion of Paradise in the Christian acception was that part of Heaven where the Throne of God and the Lambe is The Notion is elder then so 'T was the Reverend Say of Zoroaster the Magician in the Chaldaean Oracles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seeke Paradise that is as the Scholiast Pletho 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The all enlightened Recesse of Soules The Scholiast Psellus yet more sagely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Chaldaean Paradise saith he is a Quire of divine powers incircling the Father This grave saying of Zoroaster holdeth very well with Irenaeus his Tradition He delivereth That the Receipt of Just and Perfect Men is a certaine Paradise in the Easterne Part of the Third Heaven And moreover he saith that he received this Tradition from the Elders that is as he himselfe interpreteth ab Apostolorum Discipulis from those which heard it from the Apostles See Saint Basil Dâ— Sp. Sanct. 6. 27. Gregory Nyssen orat 5. in Orat. Dominic Euseb Hist Ecclesiast Lib. 9. C. 17. or fol. 97. b. of the Greeke Gregentius in Bibliotheca Patr. Anastas Sinait in Hexaëmeron C. 7. c. in all which you shall finde as much as this comes to But you have Scripture for it also The Sunne of the Morning said I will ascend up into Heaven and sit in the sides of the North that is if Hieronymus Magius may expound it in the left side of the North or Easterne part of Heaven where the Throne of God is thought to be He makes himselfe the surer of this because of that horrible vision in Esdras the appearance whereof was from the East But the vision in Esdras hath no greater Authority then a Latine Translation corrected by no Originall besides what Interpolations there be not coming so neare to Canonicall Scripture as to be taken for Apocryphall But the fault is not so much in the Booke it selfe The Originall we know whatsoever it were is given over for lost as yet But the Arabicke Translation hath escaped The Manuscript I meet with entitleth two Bookes unto Ezra the writer of the Ancient Law The second containing the Canonicall and received Ezra and Nehemiah The first is this fourth Apochryphall but very cleare of the suspected passages No mention here of the two strange Beasts Henoch and Leviathan No dividing of the Age into twelve parts c. I have cause to beleive that it is the most authenticke remaine of this Booke though for the horrible vision it availeth me nothing for it beginneth at the third Chapter of the Latine and endeth in the fourteenth not imperfectly but acknowledging no more In the Visions of the Temple The Glory of the God of Israel passed through the Easterne Gate
Paradise toward the East and so did the whole world till Abrahams time The Hebrewes deliver that God created Adam with his face towards the East I cannot tell that but that he was no sooner dispatcht out of the dust but he fell downe to the same earth againe and adored his maker this same way there is this great probability Besides the commonly used words for East West c. in the holy tongue there be 4 other Names assigned to the 4 Cardinall points of Heaven of a more especiall and sacred Imposition and expressed from the measure of a man The East is otherwise called Mizrach i. e. the rising the West Maarab that is the setting of the Sunne c. But in the Holy way the East is called Kedem that is the face or fore-part the West Achor the backe-part The North Smol i. e. the Left the South Teman that is the Right hand But the Heaven could not be said to have a Right hand or a Left or if it could then seeing the East was Kedem the face or forefront the North must have beene the Right hand not the South Indeed Kedem properly signifieth not the face but that which is before the face It is the same with Kibla in the Arabicke It is certaine therefore that these Impositions respected either the making of the first man toward the East which amounteth to as much or rather the Religious posture of that time and that Adam called the North the Left hand and South the Right because he himselfe in the service of God turned his face towards the East I know there be that will tell you that the reason of this Imposition was the Shecina bammaarab or sitting of Gods presence upon the Arke in the Westerne part of the Tabernacle and Temple with his face towards the East as if these names had not beene imposed long before the Arke was knowne or thought of in the world Nay before Abraham was these were and yet this passeth with some sot a very happy Criticisme But however that not onely Adam but the whole world also worshipped towards the East till Abraham's time my Authors are not onely Maimon in his More but the great Saint Ephrem also and others in the Arabicke Catena The Tradition there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. from Adam till Abraham's time which was the space of 3328 yeares they worshipped towards the East I depends from the very same ground that the most solemne peice of all the Jewish service I meane that great attonement but once a yeare to be made by the Highest and most Holy man and in the most Holy Place was performed toward the East quite contrary to all other manner of addressement in their devotion So I interpret that place Leviticus C. 16. 14 15. It is commanded there that the High Preist shall do with the bloud of the Goate as with the bloud of the Bullocke and that he shall take of the bloud of the Bullocke and sprinckle it with his finger upon the mercy seate Eastward Strange it is to see what shift the Expounders have made to make good this place They are much troubled to know how the Preist can be said to sprinckle the bloud Eastward they may well enough for they suppose the Preist to have stood with his face towards the West Tawos the Persian paraphrast rendreth it super faciem propitiatorii in Oriente upon the mercy seate in the East Meaning I thinke as an Arabicke Translation of the Greeke On the Easterne side The Greeke it selfe is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eastward as the English So the Chaldee the Syriack Saadiah Gaons Arabicke c. All word for word for indeed the Text could be no plainer then it is That the Bloud was to be sprinckled Eastward The meaning is thus It is knowne that the sprinckling of bloud this bloud especially was the Figure of him who by his owne Bloud entered in once into the holy place and obtained eternall Redemption Heb 9. 12. Aaron therefore though at other times he still turned his face towards the West Nay though at the killing of this very Goat and this Bullock he not onely turned his owne but even their Faces also towards the West As the Talmud in Joma yet when he was to execute this greatest Course of the Mysterie he placed himselfe on the wrong side of the Arke and turning his backe to the beggerly Ruâ—â—â—ments of the world he sprinckled this bloud Eastward The Hierusalem Isychius understood his meaning It was done saith he to represent the Man Cui Oriens nomen ejus Whose Name is the East You may perceive also that the Scripture intimateth enough that the Man Christ came downe to us from the very same Easterne part The ground layed is able to put a like understanding upon the places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—aith Baruch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Looke about thee O Hierusalem towards the East and behold the Joy that commeth unto thee from God Baruch 4. 36. I know there be that loose this prophesie upon the captivity I am not certaine but that Cyrus may be pretended by the Letter but I assure my selfe that our Saviour lyeth hid in the Mystery Olympiodorus perceived this Looke about thee O Hierusalem towards the East c. that is saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Towards Jesus Christ our Lord the Sonne of Righteousnes c That the Messias is aim'd at will be certaine to any one that will but consider the prophesie for none else could be called the Everlasting Saviour verse 22. But â—e that saith looke about thee toward the East appointeth them to a certaine place and not nigh but then why toward the East It is evident that he meanes it of that part from whence the Saviour is said to have come downe from Heaven and was made man Therefore the Father is said to have raised up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esayâ—1 â—1 2. That is as Procopius Hierome and Cyrill Christ our Righteousnesse The more part I know crooke the Prophesie to the Patriarch Abraham He is called indeed by the Apochryphall Wisdome the Righteous but more duely the faithfull Abraham Galat 3. 9. But Righteousnesse it selfe is too great and abstract a Name In the 46. Chapter He calleth a Bird from the East v. 11. Some ancient Copies read it I call a just one from the East Cyrus is certainely to be meant by the out-side as the Jewish expounders rightly If our Saviour be included as by Saint Hierome and Cyrill it is presumed the insolency of the Metaphor is taken off by Malachy where the Sunne of Righteousnesse is promised to arise with healing in his wings Mal 4. 2. W. Tindals Note I thinke 't is his upon that place of Esay is a good old truth The Prophet meanes saith he King Cyrus which should come swiftly as a Bird flyeth and destroy Babylon and set the Israëlites at liberty He should fullfill that which
Or if it were found that these Orgia were first or most celebrated at Maiuma the sea side of Gaza 't is possible that the place might give name to the celebration which hath the more colour for that in the Tetramphodus or Quatrefois of that Citie upon an Altar of stone there stood a marble statue of Venus representing the figure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a naked woman c. as Marcus Diaconus in vita Porphyrii Gazâ—orum Episcopi otherwise the Authors owne derivation must be taken If the Prophet may at all be understood in the sense of the Midbar it soundeth not much unlike to that which the Emperour Julian told the Antiochians in his Misopogo◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There 's none of you all saith he but can willingly spend upon your private banquetings and feasts and I well know how much many of you can throw away upon the Maiuma but for your owne or the Cities safety no man offereth up any thing either in private or in publike The word of Amos is Wo to them that are at ease in Zion c. That stretch themselves upon their Couches and eate the Lambes out of the flocke and that chaunt to the sound of the Violl c. That drinke wine in bowles c. But they are not greived for the afflictions of Joseph CHAP. XXII The meaning and Considerations of Light in Scripture GOD is Light and in him there is no darkenesse at All. John 1. The Reflexion of this Originall Glory shining upon the dust the dust became Light that is man for so the Antients termed him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Phavorinus we call a man light but the opacous body of sinne interposing it selfe betwixt this borrowed Light and the Fountaine cast a shadow the shadow of death The darknesse being so thicke and so exceeding that if we regard what the Master of the Sentences hath said the Sun it selfe shined 7 times brighter before the fall then ever it did since To bring the world out of that darkenesse into this Marveilous Light the day spring from on high was to visit us To prepare for this day there first appeared a Burning and a shining Light John 1. but he was not that Light but came before to beare witnesse of the Light Soone after Jesus that is as in the China Tongue it signifieth the rising Sun that Sun of Righteousnesse himselfe arose with healing in his wings Malac. 3. It was then the longest Night in all the yeare and it was the midst of that and yet there was day where he was for a glorious and betokening Light shined round about this Holy Child So the Tradition and so the Masters describe the Night-peice of this Nativity At his Transfiguration a greater Light shined about him His face was brighter then tbe Sun and his very Cloathes whiter then the Light Till now the Father of Lights himselfe dwelt in the thicke darkenesse never shewing himselfe but in a Cloud but in these last dayes he is God manifest 1 Tim 3. 16. and in the Brightnesse of his glory Heb. 1. I do not finde saith Venerable Bede among so many Angels that were sent before the Law that ever any were seene with a Light shining about them Now a Light shineth about S. Peter in the prison and about Saint Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a very great Light Nay a Light shined about the Shepheards too And though it were then the dead of the Night yet the word was brought by the Angel hodie Natus est c. This day is borne to you c. Therefore also at the setting of this Sun which was the Reverse part of the Mystery darkenesse fell upon the Earth the Naturall Sun eclipsed in the midst of Heaven and therefore the Moone making it more then Midnight in the subterraneous position all of the colour of Saturne the signifier of blackenesse who rising from the Horoscope beheld these two Eclipses in a square Malignant aspect Not so only for in the selfe same day which is more perhaps then you have heard of there hapened a naturall defection of the Moone in the 11 of Libra begining at Hierusalem about 6 in the Evening insomuch that the Sun was no sooner gone downe but the Moone appeared in the East Ecclipsed of more then halfe her Light So that as the Light was taken from that day so darkenesse was added to that Night and within the space of 6 houres the Sun was once unnaturally and the Moone twice Ecclipsed The Calculation and Figure of this Lunar Ecclipse you may see if you will in Chronologia Catholica Henrici Buntingij fol. 237. b 238. a See also Sethus Calvisius in Tiberius Caesar ad An post Ch n 33. to the 3 day of April As our Lord himselfe so his Gospell also is called Light and was therefore anciently never read without a burning Taper etiam sole rutilante 't is Saint Hieroms Testimony though it were lighted in the Sun Supposing therefore out of Albumazar that every Religion is governed by some Planet as the Mahumetan by Venus the Iewish by Saturne c. Some Astrologers did not inconveniently to attribute the Christian to the Sun Not the Gospell but the Preachers of it also are called Lights Vos estis Lux Mundi ye are the Light of the World and the first preacher of Repentance was said to be Lucerna ardeus c. a burning and a shining Light The carefull Church perceiving that God was so much taken with this outward symbole of the Light could doe no lesse then goe on with the Ceremony Therefore the day of our Lords Nativity was to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Epiphany or appearing of the Light and so many Tapers were to be set up the Night before as might give Name to the Vigil Vigiliâ— Luminum And the Ancients did well to send Lights one to another whatsoever some thinke of the Christmas Candle The receiving of this Light in Baptisme they call'd not usually so but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Illumination which further to betoken the rites were to celebrate this Sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. with all the Tapers lighted c as the Order in the Euchologue The Neophytus also or new convert received a Taper lighted and delivered by the Mystagogus which for the space of seven dayes after he was to hold in his hand at Divine Service sitting in the Baptistery Who perceiveth not that by this right way the Tapers came into the Church mysteriously placed with the Gospell upon the Altar as an embleme of the truer Light It was imitated againe by the white garment received at the same time in Baptisme as the Emperours expound it in Theodosian's Code Coelestis Lumen Lavacri imitantis novaâ— sancti Baptismatis Lucem vestimenta testaâ—tur Cod. Theod. de Spectae So the Preist in the order of Severus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Change saith he bespeaking the new Converts your Garments
Planets in ♓ Pisces And yet the same Astrologers foretold of a particular deluge to be at such a time in the Deserts of Arabia which if the Story mock not proved true for the Pilgrimes to Mecca so that saith were drowned upon those Sands where others before time had perished for want of waters And to give up that account which the Common People in Philosophy use to doe that these mighty waters could be emptyed out of the bottles of Heaven the Cloudes whatsoever or Condensations of Aire runneth us a ground upon a ridiculous course in Nature or indecent in Miracle whereas if we betake our selves to this other way one onely entercourse of Omnipotency will serve the turne to force downe the motion of these waters by a high Hand which otherwise according to Received Nature must have beene more then 100 yeares in falling What if it rained 40 Dayes and 40 Nights had it rained 40 yeares what could this have done towards such a heape of flouds as prevailed above the highest mountaines 15 Cubits upwards be their perpendicular height taken after the most moderate estimation So that in justice of reason we may conclude that these Decumani fluctus could not be raised without a supply from this great Abysse and unlesse one depth had called another And the Scripture it selfe confesseth as much that the fountaines of the Tehom Rabba or this great Deepe or as the Angel calleth them in Esdras the Springs above the Firmament were broken up Gen. 7. 11. the same Deepe upon the Face whereof the Darkenesse was Gen 1. 2. for the Spirit of God moved upon the waters And at the abatement of these waters when God remembred Noah the same Fountaines of this Deepe are said to have beene stopped Gen 38. 2 which can admit of no other but a miraculous se nse for we cannot understand it of any subterraneous Abysse without an open defiance to the Principles of Nature Therefore betwixt the Heavens and the Heaven of Heavens there must be a Tehom Rabbah or great Deepe and for this it is that he is said to have layed the Beames of his Chambers in the waters Psalm 104. 3. His upper Chambers it should be as the Saxon rightly and it maketh very much for the matter for it will follow from this that these Chambers were the Heaven of Heavens Where the Lord is upon many or great waters Psal 29. 3. And Wisedome saw him set this compasse upon the Face of the Depth Prov. 8. 27. And he is said to have watered the Hills from these Chambers Psal 104. 13. Not from the middle Region of the Aire for the Tops of some Hills whose heights are his Psal 95. 4. are lifted up above all the Clouds But he watered the Hils from this great Abysse when at the floud those Cataracts of Heaven were opened But let the Hills be taken for such as flow with milke and drop downe with new Wine even thus also it may be said that he watereth them from these Chambers that is from Above The Reconcilers on the contrary part are forced to make use of more unmannerly Constructions But let the Chambers be taken as before v. 3. by result at least it was that from these he watered the Hils whatsoever and satisfied the Earth with the fruit of his workes v. 13. I am allmost perswaded to thinke that untill Noahs time The Lord God had not caused it to raine upon the Earth but a mist went up and watered the whole face of the ground Gen. 2. 5 6. And a River went forth of Eden to water the Garden c. v. 10. But in the 600 yeare of Noah's life in the second month c. Gen 7. 11. He caused it to raine upon the Earth c. v. 4. It is no stranger a thing then to finde the whole Earth in such a case for that time as the Land of Aegypt hath beene ever since or those everlasting Hills which the dayes of Noah set out were never yet wetted with the dew of Heaven If it be otherwise how could he then first set his Bow in the Cloud for as Porphyrie said it must have beene there before I say then that proportioning the perpendicular height of the Mountaines to the Semidiameter of the Earth there is nothing to hinder but that this Aboundance of Waters supplyed from the Springs above the Firmament might be sunke into the Cavernes of the Earth from whence it hath beene upon occasion called forth by the heate and influence of the Host of Heaven And so ever since as Heate and Cold Summer and Winter Day and Night so the Former and the Latter Raine hath not ceased Our Saviour may seeme to have pointed to those Springs above the Firmament where he bringeth in Father Abraham saying to the Rich man And besides all this betwixt us and you there is a Great Gulfe fixed c. Luk. 16. 26. All this is intimated in the Name of Heaven Shammajim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Waters there as R. Jose in Chagiga fol. 12. a. If it sound ill that any corruptible Nature should be lodged above the Heavens it will be answered that the Heavens themselves are in no better condition whose Matter howsoever trusted by some ill husbands in Philosophy to an Inamissible Forme yet hath beene found subject to the like Passions with that here below as the well knowne Tycho hath demonstrated in the case of the New Starre To doubt the passage of the Blessed through this great Abysse is an effeminacy of Beleife for not to say that the Children of Israel passed through the Red Sea upon dry Land These waters are themselves to passe through that fire unto which the Heavens and the Earth which are now are reserved and kept in store 2 Pet. 3. 7. The suspension of these waters in a violent situation if such it be I no more marvaile at then that the thicke Clouds bound up with so many Waters should hang in the Aire unrended under them lesse then at the Stretching of the North over the empty place or the hanging of this Earth upon Nothing Job 26. 7. In all this I must acknowledge that there is something of the Paradox which yet hath beene done over by others too and more elaborately and so I would be taken for the present but that is till I can see how otherwise the Text it selfe can be likely to come off cleare CHAP. XXIV Deut. 22. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lapis errantium And with all lost things which he hath lost and thou hast found shalt thou doe likewise TO this purpose The Great Stone in Jerusalem remembred of by the Gemara in Baba Metzia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. In Hierusalem there was a Stone of the Strayes He that had lost or found any thing was to repaire thither He that had found was to stand there to produce it He that had lost to tell the Signes and Markes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
was not created for sport CHAP. XXIX Jsa 13. 22. And the wild Beasts of the Islands shall cry in their desolate houses and Dragons in their pleasant Palaces c. 'T Was spoken of Babylon and the Prophecy is fulfilled A Dayes journey from hence saith Benjamin Bar Jona in his Itinerary is Babel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. This is that Babel which was of old a City of thirty miles in breadth 'T is now laid wast There is yet to be seene the Ruines of a Palace of Nebuchadnezar but the Sonnes of men dare not enter in for feare of Serpents Scorpions which possesse the place Now you may read the rest of the Prophecy V. 19. And Babylon the Glory of Kingdomes the Beauty of the Chaldees Excellency shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah V. 20. It shall never be inhabited neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation neither shall the Arabian pitch his Tent there neither shall the Shepheards make their sold there V. 21. But wild Beasts of the Desert shall lie there and their houses shall be full of dolefull Creatures and Owles shall dwell there and Satyres shall dance there CHAP. XXX Luk. 15. 10. Likewise I say unto you there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one Sinner that repenteth THese words of our Saviour will sound the lesse strange to you If I helpe you to a counterchange of Easterne Expression Would you thinke that in Heaven it selfe whither when we come all teares shall be wiped from our eyes there should now be weeping and mourning for the dead in sinne because they are not 'T is a Tradition firmely received by the Jewes and from them derived to the Mahumetans In an Arabicke Manuscript of theirs this answer of God to Moses is found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Moses c. Even about this Throne of mine there stand those and they are many too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that shed teares for the Sinnes of Men. If there be teares and sorrow in Heaven for one that is gone astray how much more ought there to be Joy over a sinner that Repenteth And our Saviour was not the first that said it The words have a reflexe upon that old position in the Hebrew Divinity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. That a Repenting man is of greater esteeme in the sight of God then one that never sell away This is the meaning of that expression more then ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance Their Elders talke higher yet of this excellent virtue The Man in Saint Austin might have return'd another answer to him that askt him what God imploy'd himself about before the world was made He was making Hell No such matter The Doctours in the Talmud say He was creating Repentance or contriving all the wayes how he might be mercifull enough to the Man he is so mindfull of and to the sâ—nne of Man so much regarded by him They say more That one day spent here in true Repentance is more worth then Eternity it selfe or all the dayes of Heaven in the other world CHAP. XXXI Isay 57. 15. For thus saith the High and Lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity whose Name is Holy I dwell in the High and Holy Place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones BUt will God dwell upon the Earth the Heaven of Heavens cannot conteine him How much lesse this House which we have built All things are full of God He is therefore called in the Holy Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hammakom the Place Or that Fulnesse which filleth All in All. God as the great Hermes is a Circle the Center whereof is every where and the Circumference no where If I climbe up into Heaven thou art there if I goe downe to Hell thou art there also Nor is He present onely to these reall Capacities of Earth and Heaven but even also to those Imaginary spaces of incomprehensible receipt and infinitely extending He is there where Nothing else is and Nothing else is there where He iâ— not But then are we to thinke that we men have his Company but as the Devils have to trâ—mble at No The Cry there is What have we to doe with thee thou Sonne of the most High Not so here but why art thou so farre from me ô my God Pâ— 10. 1. The Finger of God is there as in the Plagues of Aegypt Exod. 8. 19. But his Right Hand is here Psal 20. 6. They have God Almighty we All-sufficient There He is a consuming Fire He. 12. 29. Here Immanuell God not against but with us Therefore it is that though He were here before yet upon our occasion He is said to bow the Heavens and come downe He was seene at Moria At Peniel Face to Face Gen. 22. 30. The Patriarch Abraham invited him to Dinner and He lay at Lot's House aâ— Night Jacob wrestled with him at Mahanaim got the better and would not let Him depart except He blest him He past once by Moses in the Clift of the Rocke He met him often at the doore of the Tabernacle He wandred with his People in the Wildernesse When the Arke stood still so did He When the Arke set forward He also was spoken to to arise Rise up Lord the Leader said and let thine Enemies be scattered Numb 10. 35. To allow for all this we are to take knowledge of some considerations according to which it may stand with the divine Immensity to be as differently present in some places as alike in All. We can doe no better then rest our selves upon that ancient and well advis'd of distinction delivered in the Schoole God saith the Master by his presence power and Essence immutably existeth in every Nature and Being indetermin'd by Circumscription or definition He is otherwise and more excellently present with Saints and Holy Men by his Grace and Holy Spirit But most of all and most excellently present by Vnion Hypostaticall in the second person in whom the Fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth bodily c. 1 Dist 37. To these three Molina superaddeth the fourth and fifth difference the one per peculiaria signa giving instance in Jacob's Ladder the other whereby God is present Cum Câ—nciliis summâ—s Pontificibus But these differences are written upon as supernumerary by Nazarius Gonzales c. The two being indeed but one and that no other then the second of the three wherby God is present by his Grace and Holy Spirit By presence power and essence the Doctours generally meane by the first an appropinquity of Vision that all things are open and naked unto his sight by the second an Approximation of power that He worketh in and ruleth over All by the third an Indistance of his Being to all things whatsoever of Actuall or possible existence Thus God is