dyed in this hope Let us thinke so the Priest used to preach upon the Wake dayes that Christ dyed in the Este and therefore let us pray besely into the Este that we may be of the nombre that he dyed for Also let us thinke that he shall come out of the Este to the doome Wherefore let us pray heretily to him and besely that we may have grace of contrition in our hearts of our misdeeds with shrift and satisfaction that we may stonde that day on the right honde of our Lord Iesu Christ c. It is said indeed But of that houre it is not said but of that place knoweth no man Yet not to be so particular as to point out the very Mountaine or Valley or to take care with the Doctour in the Jerusalem Talmud how the bones of Wise men shall rowle under the earth into this place most manifest it is that this great assise is to be holden upon the Holy Land Here the World may be said to have been created and here it was redeemed Here the Sunne rose first and here the Sunne of righteousnesse here he dyed and was buried and the third day he rose againe from the dead ◠h◠ascended up into Heaven from hence and shall come thither againe at the end of the world to judge both the quicke and the dead And therefore Quid non statis viri Galilaei Why stand you not gazing ye men of Galilee this same Jesus which is taken upon from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seene him goe up into Heaven Act. 1.11 I reinforce all that hath beene said with an ancient profession of the Easterne Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commentar Arab. MS. in Pentateuch c. 5. in Archi. Bodleianis We pray say they towards the East for that our Lord Christ when he ascended into Heaven went up that way and there sitteth in the Heaven af Heavens above the East according to that of David the Prophet in his Psalter Praise the Lord which sitteth upon the Heaven of Heavens in the East And in very deed we make no doubt but that our Lord the Christ as respecting his humane nature hath his seate in the Easterne part of the Heaven of Heavens and sitteth with his face turned toward this world To pray therefore or worship towards the East is to pray and worship towards our Saviour And that all this is to be meant of the Aequinoctiall East which also is to be considered it is made to appeare by Moses their Bishop of Bethraman in his discourse of Paradise l. 1. c. 13. He saith there that the place towards which they prayed is that over which the Sun riseth in the month Nisan which is the Vernall Aequinox CHAP. XIX Exod. 23.19.34.26 Deut. 14.21 Thou shalt not seeth a Kid in his Mothers Milke THe Chaldee renders this Thou shalt not eat flesh with Milke So the Arabick of Erpenius his Edition That of Saadi◠Gaon not much differently Thou shalt not seeth or dresse flesh with milke The Hierusalem Targum is It is not lawfull for you O my people the house of Israel to seeth or to eate flesh and milke mixt together This sense may seeme to have a ground from the like prohibition of Linsey-woolsy garments and the sowing of a field with mingled seed Levit. 19.19 besides the present observation of the Jewes who have practised this sense of the Tent immemorially for ought we yet know And this seemes to be a strong argument for this Reading to be right for it is not readily to be suspected but that the thing which is now and hath been so long done by them must of necessity acknowledge it selfe upwards to some uncontroleable Tradition of theirs For it can hardly be thought that a whole profession of Worshippers should possesse themselves of such an opinion without a generall and confest witnesse of their Ancients The Jewes Kitchin as if there were a sex in meates and dishes too is divided as their Synagogues where the Women pray by themselves in another Roome They are indeed of the Congregation but not of the Company And this should be so But to keepe the Milke-pan from the company of Flesh-pots To have one dish for Flesh and another for white meates and to have a supernumerary knife for Cheese and Butter for these and flesh may not be cut with the same and to quote for all this the Prohibition here spoken of Thou shalt not seeth Kid c. is to make the word of God of none effect by their Traditions Mat. 7.13 'T is more then I need to doe to set downe the particulars of this Superstition or all their distances twixt flesh and milke See Maimon in the Halaca of forbidden meates c. 9. Sect. 1. Shulean Aruc in Halac Basher Vecbelch Numb 87. If not Leon mode de gli Rit Hebr. part 1. c. 3. n. 3. part 2. c. 6. n. 12. see the Late Rabbin in his Booke of moderne Rites or the Learned Buxtorf Synagog Jud. c. 26. The summe of it is that by this law they may not seeth or eat flesh and milke together But did not Abraham their father when he entertained Angels instead of men under the Oake of Mamre take butter and milke and the Calfe which he had dressed and set it before them and they did eate c. Gen. 18.8 If this practise of the Jewes be grounded upon a misinterpretation of the Text then the more ancient and universall it is the Errour is the greater That the Text is absolutely misunderstood is a cleare and granted case Mat. 15.3 and will be plainer yet anon And how these men use to transgresse the Commandement of God by their Traditions is beleev'd enough I will here set downe but this instance Psalm 17.14 We render it as we should Whose belly thou fillest with thy hidden things They read it and the North shall fill their bellies and misapply it to the matters of generation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. whosoever say the Doctours in Beracoth Talm. in Beracoth fol. 5. b c. 1. shall set his Bed North and South shall beget male children Ps 17.14 c. Therefore the Jewes hold this Rite of Collocation and by these very words of the Psalme to this day Therefore also at the Celebration of their Nuptialls the Bride is appointed to stand with her face turned towards the North or South as an Omen of happy procreation both for the Number and Sex of Children They tell you also of Davids harpe hung up upon the Tester of his Bed which being every midnight constantly blow'd upon by the Northerne winde warbled of it selfe Talm. in Berac fol. 3. b. As if Davids Bed had beene set in this posture too And yet all this how much soever pretended is none of the right reason why the Jewes place their Beds North and South They are bound to place their Beth Haccisse or house of office in
the Saints and the meanes whereby to purchase it The Gospell of the Kingdome as it is therefore so called Mat. 9.35 which compare with Luke the 16.16 This Inheritance was bequeathed to and equally divided betwixt the Jew and the Gentile in a Christian way of Gavealkin It was first offered to the Jew to take his Halfe but which the Jew refusing to doe the Apostles cast off the dust off their Shooes and turned to the Gentiles And so the Gentile like a good Ben Hamtsen or Sonne of violence tooke his owne share and the Jewes too CHAP. VI. Noah's Lent And the Raine was upon the Earth forty daies and 40 nights Gen. 7.12 During this time Noah and his Sonnes so I finde it in the Easterne Traditions kept a Solemne Fast taking meat but once a day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Catena Veterum praecipue Orientalium in Penâ—ateuâ—hum Arabiâ—e MS. in Arch Bibl. Bod. And Noah was the first who made the 40 dayes Holy or instituted the Quadragesimall Fast in the Arke Caten Arabica Cap. 24. If it be as the Tradition pretendeth to The Institution of Lent is ancienter then we tooke it for CHAP. VII Caeci Claudi And the Jebusite spake unto David saying Thou shalt not come up hither unlesse thou take away the Blind and the Lame saying with themselves David shall not come up hither And David said in that day Whosoever smiteth the Jebusite and recovereth to the Fort and smiteth the Lame and the Blind hated of Davids Soul Therefore they said The Blind and the Lame shall not come into the house 2 Sam. 5.6.8 So the Originall expresly To prepare for that meaning of the words which I intend to take upon me I shall insist a while upon some unobserved superstitions of the Ancients in the foundations and assurances of their Cities Forts c. 'T was a Rule the trembling Heathen went by to undertake nothing nothing anew especially inauspicato without some ominous performance we may call it what we please but they did it upon grounds throughly concern'd in experience and effect still attaining their end by what darke and secret wayes of cooperation soever brought to passe as undiscovered to themselves as us To the matter in hand the first was the propitiation of the place by reconciling the Genius with a respective Sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. saith Hesychius Milesius concerning the foundation of Byzantium Like Ceremonies were performed by Alexander at the building of Alexandria Arrian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 52. as Arrian in the third booke of his Expedition Such are often remembred by Joannes Antiochenus and out of him repeated by the Fasti Siculi George Cedren and others But I chuse to instance a lesse knowne passage out of Abdilphaker in his Arabick History of the Foundation of Antioch When this was laid by Antiochus the King it happened that whatsoever the workemen dug up by day was againe throwne in by night and they were affrighted from the worke by a dreadfull Apparition The King call'd for the Astrologers and wisemen who after Sacrifice rightly performed discovered an appearance of Almarick or Mars Abdilphaker Arab. MS. in Arch. Laudin It was agreed therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that a magnificent Temple should bee erected to his name and his statue there set up and that the foundation of the City should be laid under his Ascendent ct Also an Anniversary of three dayes festivall was instituted c. and the Author saith that these things continued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untill the Manifestation of Jesus the son of Mary Peace and the Prayer of God be upon him This Tradition of the Arabian includes another manner of the Ancients laying the foundation of their Metropolitan Cities under a certaine Configuration of the Heavens the most propitious that could be erected for the time being So Muazzus the Toppe of the Fatimaean family caused the City of Gran Cairo to be set up under the same Ascendent of Almarick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that as Mars had a coerâ—ive power in the superior world so the City might be Coactrix Orbis here below therefore the name of it was called Alchahira as the Note upon Elmacinus in the Tarich Mulstiminorum lib. 3. p. 227. Hali ad Carpum Pâ—ol ad verb 15. The Ascendent of a City saith Haly is that signe cujus ascensione quis incipit collocare primarium lapidem which riseth in the Horoscope at the laying of the first stone The Art of this is to be taken out of the first part of Apotelesmaticall Construction called by Ptolemie Catholicon Tetrabib 1. Where he appointeth his Astrologer in giving judgment of the Accidents of a City to take knowledge of the Sunne and Moones place in the Zodiaque which they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ptol. Tetrab l. 5.6.4 5. at the laying of the foundation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but especially of the Ascendent as the most principall Angle According to these Rules Tarucius Firmicus cast the Nativity of Rome and Vectius Valens an Astrologer of Antioch that of Constantinople the figure whereof is extant in a Greeke Manuscript in the Vatican The Horoscope was Cancer and the Astrologer judged by the appearences that the City should stand 702 years as the Vatican booke as Cedren and others 696. which if it be taken of those yeares Zonaras Annal. tom 3. in Constant Mag. p. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which the City flourished under a full state of discipline the Astrologer was not so much out as Glycas thinketh And moreover before the taking of the City by Mahomet the second a great Conjunction was observed under the Horoscope But in assigning the Ascendent of this City the Greekes and Arabians agree not Alkas Cyriac. Tab. Astron Arab MS. in Arch. Laudin Ben. Isaac Geograph Arab. MS. Ibid. nor the Arabians themselves For in the Tables of Alkas Constantinople is set under 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Libra in Ben. Isaac's Geography under 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Taurus and though the same place may have severall Horoscopes yet to so much variety it will be hard to reconcile the matter This Superstition hath been as commonly and more lately practised in the West At the instauration of Rome by Paul the third Gauricus drew the Figure of the Heavens Vincentius Campanatius observed the time by his Astrolabe toward the instant whereof he cryed out with a loud voice Ecce adest hora praecisa decima sexta fere completa Then immediately Ennius Verulanus the Cardinall laid the first stone The curious may see severall Nativities of Cities Forts and Castles with the Judgements given in Gauricus Junctin Garcaeus c. The Figure of the Old Lodging at Merton Colledge is yet to be seene in one of the Wardens Windowes John Chambers I set it not here down because it is already done by another in his Book against Judiciall Astrology These Catholical Nativities
towards the East This Originall Principall and as it ought to have beene everlasting Ceremonie by an Errour of the Persian and Chaldaâ—n worshippers degenerating into an Idolatry to the Sunne Abraham saith the learned Maimon by the instincts of God appointed out the West to his Hebrewes Therefore the Tabernacle and Temple were set towards that side of Heaven God in the meane time seeming to leave his mistaken place in the East and come downe to this stiffe-necked people This was a Literall and Pedanticall Nation and to comply with the secret intended mysterie were so to be dealt with They did and they did not worship towards the West Maim in Jom â—akkip c. 3. Sâ—â—â— â— 'T is true all the sacrifices were offered up towards that way In the Rites of Azazell the two Goates were to stand with their faces the same way The pile set up for the Phara Adumnia or Red Cow was to have windowes in it and the prospect of these was to be towards the West Talmud in Phara fol. 96. a. The 6 Lampes in the Golden Candlesticke were appointed to burne towards the 7th which was that in the middle but the face of this saith Maimon was to burne towards the most holy place and that is was called the Westerne Lampe Beth. babbech C. 3. S. 8. But all this while they worshipped no more towards the West then towards the North. They worshipped towards the Arke it was told you before or towards the place of that They doe so still And they were and they are to do so because the Sun of Righteousnesse was to set upon their Horizon Therefore they were And they are to do so because as to them The man whose name is the East is not yet brought forth Observe but the Oeconomy and dispensation of this businesse throughout and there needeth no more to make good the Ground That this MAN was called the East will appear by the places in Zacharie c. 6.12 c. 3.8 Behold the man c. And I will bring forth my servant c. In the Holy Text it is Behold the man whose name is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsemech that is as not unlearned men have rendred it the Branch It is to be noted that as the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth also germinare so the Hebrew Tsemach signifieth lucere eriri for that which we translate the Brightnesse the Syriacke rendreth the Tsemach of his glory Heb. 1.12 And in the Jewish Astrologie the Horoscope or East Angle is most commonly so called We are to read the prophecy as the Lxx did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. Behold the man whose name is the East Dialog 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 105. Thus it was urged to the Jew Tryphon in the most ancient times of Justin Martyr And thus also to James the Jew in a like conference in the Cetab ol borhan c. 6. 6. meeting The purpose of that booke is to prove out of all the Prophets c. that our Saviour was the Christ c. Cetab ol borhan Arab. MS. in Biblioth Beliolenfi Justus alledged this place among the rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The strong God said by Zacharie the Prophet Behold a man whose name is the East But Saint Luke puts all out of doubt where another Zacharie relating to the former faith of our Saviour that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we render it the day spring from on high or as Erasmus and the vulgar the East Which Bezâ— not knowing how to dislike and yet considering with himselfe that the old Prophecy must be so translated or else the new must not put it down Germenex alto the Branch from on high but which no man accepted of That the Tsemach in Zachary was the same with Saint Lukes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza judged rightly But that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot be rendred by Germen it is convinc'd by the words following To give light unto them that sit in darknesse c. And therefore qui Germen vertunt saith Scaliger of the Tsemach in Zachary imperite faciunt audeo dicere neque mentiar contra verbum Dei who so translate it the Branch doe ignorantly nay I may say and say true too they doe contrary to the word of God The place in Zachary is to be read thus Behold the man whose Name is the East and he shall rise up and shine out from under him that is from under God the Father Jeremie the Prophet would not otherwise be understood c. 23.5 Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will raise up unto David 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsemach Tsaddick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the righteous East as the Lxx that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Severus Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Eusebius who elsewhere is called the light of the Gentiles and the light of the world Tacitus himselfe doth unawares deliver some such thing as this Hist lib. 5. He is there telling of the destruction of Jerusalem how the doores of the Temple flew open on a suddaine and a more then humane voice was heard that the Gods were now upon departing c. These things saith he made some reflect upon an old prophecy that was found antiquis Sacerdotum literis which foretold eo ipso tempore sore ut valesceret Oriens That at such a time the East should prevaile I doubt not but the Prophet who ever he were directed himselfe to the Man Cui Orient Nomen ejus whose name is the East Zach. 6.12 Greg. Mag. Moral in Job cap. 1. In relation to this Name of Christ the Christians also by some have beene called Orientales 'T is Gregory the great 's Morall upon those words of Job That he was the greatest man in the East Referring to the same the blessed Virgin hath beene termed Orientalis porta the Easterne gate as if that were the meaning of Ezekiels vision c. 44. So Saint Ephrem upon those words of Jacob this is the house of God and this is the Gate of Heaven This saying saith he is to bee meant of the Virgin Mary who became as it were another Heaven truly to be call'd the House of God as wherein the Sonne of God that immortall word inhabited and as truely the Gate of Heaven for the Lord of Heaven and Earth entered thereat and it shall not be set open the second time according to that of Ezekiel the Prophet And I saw saith he a Gate in the East the glorious Lord entred thereat thenceforeh that Gate was shut and is not any more againe to be opened Caten Arab. C. 58. It is not to be omitted that his Starre appeared in the East and that the wise men came from thence but which is more to be observed that the Angels sent from God with the Gospell of this Nativity they also came from the East for their Temple is to be seene upon the East of Bethlem as the Nubian Geographer
any hand the Stars could have in this matter we are to receive it at the same rate as that of the Arabian Astrologers to the Aegyptian Caliph They answered that the cause of Noahs floud was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that there happened at that time a Conjunction of all the Planets in ♓ Pisces Sepâ—er Juchasin fol. 148. b. 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 Clouds 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 heap 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. 8.2 which can admit of no other but an miraculous sense 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 Wisdome 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 Hills from this great Abysse when at the flood those Cataracts of Heaven were opened Joel 3.18 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 Hills whatsoever and satisfied the Earth with the fruit of his workes v. 13. I am almost perswaded to thinke that untill Neahs 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. vers 10. But in he 600 yeare of Noah's life in the second month c. Gen. 7.11 Hee 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 bee otherwise how could he then first set his Bow in the Cloud for as Porphyrie said it must have been there before I say the 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 sunk into the Cavernes of the Earth from whence it hath been upon occasion called forth by the heat 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 Richman 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 Talmud in chagig C. 2. as R. Jose in Chagiga fol. 12. a. If it sound ill that any corruptible Nature should be lodged above the Heavens it will bee 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 Tâ—â—ho hath demonstrated in the case of the New Starre To doubt the passage of the Blessed through this great Abysse is an effeminacy of Beleefe 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 marvail at then that the thick 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 places 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 Vid. Scheineri Ros Vâ—sin but that is till I can see how otherwise the Text it selfe can be likely to come off clear 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 Ierusalem remembred of
Excesses of Compassion used to goe under this form 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sim ego expiatio ejus or that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecce me in expiationem Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let me be or behold I am his Expiation That is Sanhedâ—in C. 2. fol. 18. a. saith the Aruch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold I am in his place to beare his iniquities So all the people to the High Priest in Cohen Gadol of the Sanhedrin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be we thy Expiation that is saith the Glosse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be we in thy stead for whatsoever is to happen unto thee Rabbi Samuel said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sonnes of Israel be I their Expiation c. that is their Redemption as Rambam and 't is a form of speech saith he to expresse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the exceeding greatnesse of his love This will make you the lesse marvaile at that strange ejaculation of Moses when for the same people of Israels sake he wished to be blotted out of the Booke of God Not without reference to this form of Devotion is the Apostles wish here that he might discharge the unhappy condition of his Brethren all upon himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for I could wish my self to be an Anathema from Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Hesychius and Phavorinâ—s a man accursed or not to be kept company with or as Pohtius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man separated The Arabick Translatition is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that my body were Moharrama an unlawfull thing or forbidden from Christ The word it self as the sense respecteth to the Haerem which was the second degree of Jewish excommunciation whereof the first was Nidui the third Shammatha and wheresoever in the New Testament the Reference is made to the second degree Anathema is singly named as where to the third Maranatha is added which is but the Syriack Interpretation of Shammatha Dominus venit which is therefore called by the Talmudists the Anathema or excommunication of the God of Israel Stephanus in his Booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath a Tradition more concerning the word Maranatha then to bee left out in this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heee tels of a Shepheard belonging to the Syrian Laodicea who being thunder-stricken cryed out Ramanthas that is God from above for Raman signifyeth Above Athas God So Philo. Phavorinus indeed saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifyeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 High Things And 't is true it doth so and in the Syriack too He saith also that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the God above 'T is almost so indeed and then Ramanthas or Ramas Atha might be the same as the High God cometh But by a smarter guesse which some men have made Heinsius in Nâ—vâ—m Testament Ramanthas was but a common Country pronunciation of the right Syriack words and served the Shepheards turn instead of Maranatha So he would have said Dominus venit And so it seemes the Imprecation was more familiarly used among the Syrians then we knew before For these three kindes of Anathema see others but especially the learned Buxtorfe in his Lexicon Talmud The Condition of a man lying under the censure of Haerem is delivered by the Doctours in Moed Katon Rabbi Ioseph saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Talmud in Moed Katon fol. 15. a. Iore Dea. num 3.4 Sect. 2. An excommunicate by Nidui may teach or be taught hire or be hired but the Muchram or excommunicate by Haerem may neither teach nor bee taught neither hire nor bee hired but hee may study alone that hee forget not his learning and he may make himself a little Cottage for his necessaries Maimon saith that he is not permitted to have any manner of conversation with any man onely he may buy himselfe victuals Madda c. 7. but no man might eate or drink with him Shulcan Aruc in Iore dea Numb 334. Sect. 5. From whence that of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with such a one no not to eat 1 Cor. 5.11 CHAP. XXXVI Act. 11.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Disciples were called Christians first in Antioch THey were called Nazarites before the Mahumetans call them so stil from Iesus of Nazareth as now Christians from Christ Ioannes Antiochenus can tell tell you who gave them that Name And now you may know whence Suidas had it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. At the beginning of the Reigne of the same Claudius Caesar ten yeares after Iesus Christ our Lord and God was ascended up into Heaven Evodus received the Episcopall Imposition of hands and was made Patriarch of Antioch the great in Syria immediately succeeding to Saint Peter the Apostle In whose times the Christians were first so called for this Bishop at a conference held with them named this name upon them whereas before that they called Nazarites and Galilaeans But that which I have most an eye upon here is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were called Christians 'T is an expression below the moments and circumstance of the matter We doe not now name the least Child of the Company so farre as we can stretch our Interest without a full appointment and congregation of witnesses and doe we thinke that they baptized the whole profession with so narrow a regard of Ceremony and Solemnity The word will approve it selfe otherwise to you then so And the meaning of this Joannes Antiochenus can best of all tell you When the Provinces submitted themselves to the Imperiall Government the use was for the Emperour to cause a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or publique Edict to be drawne up and proclaimed openly upon the place The tenour whereof was first to entitle himselfe to all respects of dominion and supremacy over that people and then to abate from this by a popular insinuation of all possible sacrednesse and liberty of the Subject This Latter indeed was ad faciendum c. but these men were as good as their words An instance of this manner of Nun cupation I know not what to call it else in English take here from the Author I promised you of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joan. Antioch Ms Chronograph lib. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When the City of Antioch had yee Ided it selfe up into the subjection of the Roman Empire an Edict of the Liberties thereof was sent by Julius Caesar and openly proclaimed at Antioch upon the twentieth of May the Tenour of the Edict was At Antioch the Holy Sacred and free City the Metropolitan Queene and President of the East Cajus Julius Caesar c. The Provinces used to returne the honour of these Priviledges back upon the Emperour by this way of acknowledgement To keep the Emperours Grace in perpetuall memory they reckoned all their publique affaires ever after from the time of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore saith the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to goe for this Doxology And if that be so the Testimony is beyond all exception for then the Clause was of the Prayer in Trajans time or which was not much under it the time of Marcus Antonius Philosophus and that was lesse then two hundred years after the prayer was made And that this should be the meaning of Lucian is the more likely because the Interlocutours in that Dialogue make it their businesse to cast a scorne upon the Christians and their Profession for first they fall upon the Holy Trinity Deum alte regnantem magnum aethereum atque aeternum Filium Patris Spiritum ex Patre procedentem unum ex Tribus ex uno tria which how well soever it soundeth is but a Jeere there And of Saint Paul they say what thinke ye For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see Julius Pollux his Onomasticon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot be rendred as it useth to be justo naso praeditus therefore I have guessed at it by the Characters of the Greeks and Trojans in Joannes Antiochenus quoted out of Dictys Cretensit But doe you see Isacius Porphyrogenet in Janus Rutgers var. Lect. L. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The bald-ill-nos'd Galilaean that was carried up through the Aire into the third Heaven and taught there very marvellous matters c. Then having spoken their pleasure of the Lords prayer too and sufficiently despised our wayes they lastly addresse themselves as such fellowes should doe to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or unknowne God at Athens See the end of the Dialogue But I promised you another Reason you shall have it Note that our Lord gathered up his Forme of Prayer out of the Traditions of the Elders It must not seeme strange to you If you know how to consider of it you will perceive that nothing could be more purposely done That it was so will be easily evident from this Recollection out of their owne Euchologues Pater noster qui es in Coelis fac nobis gratiam Nomen tuum Domine Deus noster sanctificetur memoria tua glorificetur in Coelo desuper super terram inferne Seder Tephill Lusitan p. 115. Regnum tuum regnet super nos in seculum in â—ternum Sepher Hammussar 49.1 Pii priores dicebant remitte condona omnibus iis qui vexant me Com. in Pirk. Avoth fol. 24. Ne inducas nos in manus tentationis sed libera nos ab occursu malo Seph Hummussar 9.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quia tuum est regnum regnabis gloriose in secula seculorum i.e. Our Father which art in Heaven be gracious unto us O Lord our God hallowed be thy Name and let the remembrance of thee be glorified in Heaven above and upon Earth here below let thy Kingdome reigne over us now and for ever The holy men of old said Remit and forgive unto all men whatsoever they have done against me And leade us not into Temptation but deliver us from the evill thing For thine is the Kingdome and thou shalt reign in Glory or power for ever and for evermore Therefore there is the same reason for the Clause as for the whole Prayer and the reason as from hence is very full and following You finde such a kinde of Doxology at the end of Noah's Prayer and you will generally meet with some such thing in the Common formes of Easterne Devotion CHAP. XXXIX Matth. 28.19 Goe and teach all Nations and baptize them in the Name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost FOr the Gloria Patri It is most commonly beleeved that this Hymne was composed by the Councell of Nice The Cardinall Baronius is of opinion that it is more ancient then so and that from the Primitive times it was appointed by the Apostles themselves to be sung by the new converts in Baptisme and Saint Basil seems to him to say as much but it is to be presumed that this Hymne was not ancienter then the cause of it and that was the Arian blasphemy though otherwise it is most true that the Antiquity thereof is to be fetcht out of the ancient forme of Baptisme so farre the Cardinall was right I goe about to make up what is wanting on his part The forme of Baptisme set downe by our Lord himselfe was In the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost It was purely observed untill such time as that Heresy brake forth which durst to say of the second person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was a time when he was not then it was added unto by the Church with sicut erat in principio As it was in the beginning c. So the order in the Euchologue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then the Priest holding the N. upright and turned towards the East himselfe also turning the same way saith The Servant of God N. is baptized in the Name of the Father Amen and of the Sonne Amen and of the Holy Ghost Amen now and for ever and for evermore Amen The very same was to be acknowleded by the N. in his own person Severus Patriarch Alexandrin In Ordine Baptismi Syrico for so in the Syriack order 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then turning towards the East he saith I such a one doe confesse and beleeve and am baptized in thee and in the Father and in the Holy Ghost now and for ever and for evermore Amen Of a confession it soone became to be a Hymne and then it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We give Glory to thee the Father and to the Sonne and to the Holy Ghost now and for ever and for evermore Amen And thus it was uttered at the first onely by the new Converts and the rest which happened to be present at the Baptisme It was afterwards annext to the Antiphones The Te Deum is a kind of Creed expressed in the fashion of a Gloria Patri c. and after that to all the Psalmes and Hymnes The Te Deum for a speciall reason excepted Gregory the great annexed it to the Versicle Domine ad adjuvandum nos festina O Lord make hast to helpe us c. as in our owne Liturgie where also we finde it in the Letany In the Greek Services we meet it very often and no lesse then 6 or 7 times in their Order of Baptisme the Church it seemes taking all other but especially that occasion to inculcate unto her Children the Incomprehensible and unbeleeved Article of the Trinity Therefore the first matter of the Gloria Patri were the words of our Saviour In the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost And because at the uttering of these words the Priest and the N were to stand up and turne themselves towards the East therefore also the Hymne it selfe was to be said or sung the same way And so we observe it In the Letany our owne I meane we seeme a
the reason saith he why some religious 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 and 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 ultra 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 Ptolemy Abulfed Arab. MS. in Arch. Biblioth publ Cantabrigiens so Abulfeda the Prince in the beginning of his Geography The River Hyphasis Ptolemy 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 Ptolemy that is 60 from the Arabian the Holy City was as it was anciently termed Vmbilicus Terrae the Navell of the Earth Ptol. Geog. l. 7. Asiâ— Tab. 10. 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 beleeve it and yet beleeveth 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 yeeld themselves intractable to such things as they are not willing to heare of This is the strongest and most impertinent kinde of unbeliefe fitted onely for this or that Generation and getting up for the present to a repute of wisdome 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 beliefe 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 Zoâ—oaster the Magician in the Chaldaean Oracles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seeke Paradise that is as the Scholiast Pletho 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The all enlightned 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 Irenaeus adv Hâ—es Lib. 5. C. 5. 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 De 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 Hexatmeron 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 entituleth two Bookes unto Ezra the writer of the ancient Law Cod. Arab. MS. in Arch. Bod. The second containing the Canonicall and received Ezra and Nehemiah The first is this fourth Apocryphall 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 beleeve 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 Therefore that Gate was shut up and might not be opened any more but to the Prince Ezech. 44.2 It is generally confessed 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 terminos 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 Relation Chap. 7.2 If it looke not this way I know not which else it can The words are And I saw another Angell 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 in stead of this other Angel Then it was he that ascended from the Rising of the Sunne But
because this Booke also is a Piece 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 beginning 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 Easterne part The same word Kaedem is used in both places so the Old Saxon fram eastdaele So the Lxx 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the Syriack Arabick and Aethiopick Translations Indeed the Syriack and Arabick 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 Arabick Manuscript de praecept Relig. quoted hereafter But I have an Arabick 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 fitting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the Heaven of Heavens in the Easterne part They that would have it otherwise seem 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Constitut Apostol l. 2. c. 61. 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 Bieden 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 Moses Bar Cepha de Paradis lib. 3◠◠13. not onely what Damaseen 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 the 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. John 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 fructu illius arboris quae est in horto hoc c. And yet because the conjunction here is discretive But of the Tree one concludeth from thence that therefore it must needs 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 hath said c. Doe 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 thrown 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. 4.16 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 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 they 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
He was borne too in the Easterne parts of the world Nay he was borne in Orientali angulo Civitatis Bethlem Eccl. Hist lib. 5. c. 17. in the Easterne part of Bethlem as the Venerable Bede out of Adamannus The Heavens also met the Earth at this time for the Autumnall intersection one of the Equinoctiall Easts was the ascendent of his Nativity But of this there is more to come The holy men of Hierusalem hold a Tradition generally received from their Ancients that he was buried also with his Face and Feete towards the East It is affirmed by the Geographers of the Holy Land But that he ascended up into the Easterne part of Heaven it hath had the most ancient and full consent of the whole Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Damascene when he was received up into Heaven he was carried up Eastward It was the cause why they read that place of the Psalmist Qui ascendit super Coelum Coeli ad Orientem utpote saith Origen a mortuis post passionem resurgens in Coelum post resurrection ad Orientem ascendents Who rose from the dead after his passion and ascended up into Heaven towards the East after his Resurrection So the Aethiopick who ascended up into the Heaven of Heavens in the East In like manner the Syriack and some Arabick Translations But then the Greek should have beene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in the 18 of that Psalme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ascendisti in Altum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not properly said but of him that ascendeth his Horse or his Asse upon which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is said to sit Say unto the daughter of Sion behold thy King cometh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sitting upon on Asse Mat. 21.5 It fully answereth to the Prophets Laroceu which the older Translation rendred very fitly as concerning the letter who rideth or fitteth upon the Heaven as it were upon a Horse ver 4. So the Oracle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. O thou that sittest or ridest upon the Heavens But the Prophet Esay is plaine for the Ascension as I finde him cited in the Cetab ol barhan cap. 4. 1 meeting Cetab el borhan Ms Arab. in Archiv Bibl. Baliolens James the Jew urgeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. as the Prophet Esay saith The Lord alone shall be exalted and lifted-up above the East The strong Lord shall be exalted in Righteosnesse So he readeth the 16. ver of the 5 Chapter But the Originall as now received maketh no mention of the East or lifting up If then it had not a Jew must needs have knowne it and I see not with what face it could be urged in this Conference but I beginne to thinke what Justin Martyr charged upon this people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Liber Ms Arab de praecept Relig. part 1. c. 14. de Oratione Liber excat in biblioth D. Henrici King Epi. Cicesâ—rensis He makes it appeare to Tryphon that the Jewes had circumcised their Scripture too p. 83. of the Dialogue If our Saviour ascended into Heaven by the Easterne part we need not doubt but that he will returne by the same way which he went The Angels intimate as much I meet with an Author which testifieth that he himselfe said that he would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Furthermore saith the Author we are to turne our faces toward the East in the time of prayer because that is the Coast concerning which the Christ unto whom be glory said that he would appeare from thence at his second comming And I thinke he referreth himselfe to those words of our Saviour Mat. 24.27 sicut exit fulgur c. Heare therefore what Saint Damasâ—ene delivereth as from the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thus shall he come againe in like manner as he was seen to goe up answerable to what He himselfe said For as the lightning cometh out of the East and shineth even unto the West so shall also the coming of the Sonne of Man be We worship him therefore towards the East as expecting him from thence And this saith he is by unwritten Tradition from the Apostles A Canon to this purpose I finde ascribed to their Name in the Arabick Code Cod. Conciliorum Arab. Ms in Arch. Roan Biblioth Bodlei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When ye pray say they turne your selves towards the East For so the words of our Lord import who foretold that his returne from Heaven at the Latter day should be like the lightning which glittering from the East flasheth into the West His meaning is that we should expect his coming from the East I was ready enough to thinke that the mention here made of Lightning was to intimate the suddennesse and praecipitation of that coming but not being able to devise any speciall reason other then what is here given why the Lightning should rather come from the East I had the lesse to say against the Tradition Paul de palataio saith that this meaning of the words is made good by the common consent of all Christians Credentium quod in Oriente Humanitas Christi sedeat Ab eo ergo loco veniet ubi nunc est beleeving that our Saviour as respecting his humane Nature sitteth in the Easterne part of Heaven There he is from thence therefore he is to come Therefore that signe of the Sonne of Man that other Baptist as it were of his second coming is expected to be seene in the East A signe of the Crosse it is to be as the Fathers Chrysostome and Saint Ephrem promise And the Aethiopian Church is so sure of it that as their Zebo saith it is profest among the Articles of their Creed That it shall appeare in the East it is undertaken by Hippolytus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For a signe of the Crosse saith he shall rise up more glorious then the Sunne it selfe shinning from the East into the West to give notice unto the World that the Judge is coming Considering all these things I am altogether of their mind who perswade themselves that the Seate and Tribunall of that last Judgement shall be placed in the Aire over against the Mount Olivet Jeel the Prophet is thought to have foretold as much when he saith that all Nations shall be gathered into the valley of Jehosaphat and his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount Olivet which is before Jerusalem towards the East I cannot devise saith one for what reason the Prophet should make so particular a Description of this unto them that knew it so well It is certaine saith another spectare haec ad diem judicii that these things are to be meant of the day of judgement c. And if Clemens may be trusted the Apostles themselves understood no otherwise Lib. â—estivalis in Dedicatione Ecclesiae Our Fore-fathers lived and
not hoppe about like your Grashoppers they flye here like Birds Me thought I saw here fulfilled in mine eyes that of the old Prophets In many places they will destroy you all the Corne in one night The Country people fight very stoutly with these Locusts they bring them home by whole Cart loades to Fesse and then eat these enemies when the have done but for my owne part I am so tender palated that I had rather have one Partridge then twenty Locusts for that these Locusts have devoured this whole Country And this indeed was the thing to be spoken too for as the coursenesse of the Raiment so the slendernesse of the dyet is equally to pretend towards a rigid and austere condition of life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Com. Arab. MS. in Alcoran a wernero citatus And as to this sense I shall make you this new Note out of an Arabick Commentary upon the Alcoran The Tradition is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That John the Baptist when he was yet a Child being in company with some of his fellowes they askt him to play with them but he said unto them I was not created for sport CHAP. XXIX Isa 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 and 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 fold 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 Luke 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 Arabick Manuscript of theirs this answer of God to Moses is found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Moses c. Lib. quaest Arab. MS. a â—aul citat 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 reflex upon that old position in the Hebrew Divinity R. Chimhi in Isay 57.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. That a Repenting man is of greater esteeme in the sight of God then one that never fell 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 vertue 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 Talmud in Joma fol. 86. or contriving all the wayes how he might be mercifull enough to the Man he is so mindefull of and to the sonne 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 evere 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 is not But then are we to think that we men have his Company but as the Devils have to tremble 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 O my God Psal 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 Heb. 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 all Night Jacob wrestled with him at Mahanaim and 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 adviz'd of distinction delivered in
auribus tuis imbibe Templo exclusus Et avitâ Relligione Jam senescente nè dicam sublatâ Mutavit Chorum altiorem ut capesceret Vade nunc si libet imitare R. W. The Particular Titles of this Book I. A Discours of the LXX Interpreters the Place and Manner of their Interpretation II. A Discours declaring what Time the Nicene Creed began to bee sung in the Church III. A Sermon upon the Resurrection from 1 Cor. 15. ver 20. IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a Disproof of him in the 3d of S. Luke ver 36. V. Episcopus Puerorum in Die Innocentium VI. De Aeris Epochis shewing the several Accounts of Time among all Nations from the Creation to the present Age. VII The Assyrian Monarchie beeing a Description of it's Rise and Fall VIII The Description and Vse of the Terrestrial Globe A DISCOURS OF THE LXX INTERPRETERS The Place and manner of their Interpretation JVstin Martyr saith that the Translation was performed not in the Citie of Alexandria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the description whereof let it bee given according to Philo Judaeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 448. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that is The Ile Pharos lieth under Alexandria stretching it self toward the Citie wash'd about not with a deep but for the most part a shallow Sea which considered with the largeness doth verie much abate from the streperous nois and turbulencie of the waves This Isle of all other places thereabout beeing judged the most convenient for privacie and quietness and where the Law might bee best attended by everie man in his most retired meditations here the Seniors remained and taking the holie Bible into their hands they lifted both it and them up into Heaven beseeching Almightie God not to fail them in their purpose c. So Philo. Aristaeas speaketh more distinctly for the Place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that is Three daies beeing passed Demetrius took the Seniors along with him and having gotten over the Heptastadium and the Bridg hee brought them to the North parts of the Isle where hee placed the Assemblie in a höus fitted for them standing upon the shore free from all inquietude and having all the conveniences of situation c And it seemeth to mee that by these words of Aristaeas somthing more may bee discovered concerning the Place for the probabilitie from hence is good that the Hous here spoken of should bee meant of that famous Tower which Sostratus of Cnidus set up in this Isle Pharos to direct the Mariners in the dangerous Seas about Alexandria And the situation verie well agreeth becaus the Tower also stood North and upon the Sea side And the Nubian Geographer where hee describeth this Tower telleth us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that there were certain Cels erected in it But Justin Martyr putteth us out of doubt for hee saith That the Place where the Cels were set up was * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ubi Phari speculum aedificari contigit which is all one with that wee believed And wee have caus to think that seeing the King intended this matter of the Translation with so much Princely care and providence that hee would make chois of such a Seat as might most eminently adorn his purpose and therefore it was answerably don to chuse the Tower which was everie waie worthie of this glorious emploiment for the Arabick Geographer saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the whole world cannot shew such another Building as this Tower whether wee consider it for the Materials or for the manner of the Structure The Reader may see a large description of it in this Autor in the third Part of the third Clime But seeing the thing was don in Egypt let the Storie of it also bee delivered in their Language and set down in Hieroglyphicks And did it not well becom the business that the Scripture should bee translated in this Place In a Tower to note out to the Interpreters the Sublimitie of those things which they had now in hand that when they went up to their work everie step they asscended might elevate their Mindes one degree nearer to the Contemplations of Heaven And how fitly was it don by the Sea-side that but a little of Earth might bee seen to those who had now to deal with such things as had nothing in them that was Terrene But most of all convenient it was that it should bee don in this Tower For that which hung out a Candle to the doubtful Mariner in the perillous Seas did it not well that it should also hold out A light to the Gentiles The Coast of Alexandria was dangerous for anie least of all for the Natives becaus they were acquainted with the Passages but a stranger durst not venter without som direction from this Beacon Such was our waie to Heaven intricate enough to all Nations yet more obvious to the Jew becaus to him were committed the Oracles of God But wee the Gentiles having no other direction but the light of Nature could not so well tell how to pass the Streits to Heaven without som help from the Word which though it were alwaies a Light yet was it never held out unto us till this time of the Translation and therefore was it verie singularly congruous that from this Place from whence the Sea-faring men took their notice by a Light to escape the hazard of those waies they knew not that it should pleas God also by the Lantern of his Word to give aim to the People that sate in Darkness Musaeus in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore when ever thou shalt chance to go that waie enquire out for Pharos Anie remainder of this Tower would bee worth the seeing and Justin Martyr though there were but a stone left upon a stone yet hee went purposely to take notice of it Why the King should make chois of the Isle for the Interpretation rather then the Citie one reason was to avoid the disturbance of the multitude for Alexandria was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Citie full of Inhabitants as it is observed by the Scholiast upon Dionysius Afer And in times past even before it was Alexandria it had been verie much frequented with a confluence of People for so it is noted unto us by the Prophet Nachum where hee would know of Nineveh Whither shee thought her self Better then Populous No that is saith Chimki 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alexandria in Egypt as it is also interpreted by that Antient Chaldee Paraphrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Art thou better then the great Alexandria c. Taâ—gum in Hac which was performed by the son of Vziel seventeen hundred years past Another Reason was for the safetie of the Translators and this is given by Philo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. where hee urgeth
pretend indeed as if wee had no continuing Citie but that wee look for one to com But when I see that our inward Thoughts are that our houses shall continue and our dwelling places to all generations When I see that this their waie is I am readie to think the wise man dieth as the fool and to compare Man beeing in honor unto the Beasts that perish When I see the incomprehensible Patience of God still drawing us as hee did Ephraïm with the cords of a Man with the bonds in the Hebrew 'tis Densis funiculis amoris with the Thick bonds of Love And the infinite Securitie of the People on the other side drawing Iniquitie with Cords of Vanitie Isa 5.18 and sin as it were with a Cart-rope I dare not go about to consider what shall bee the end of these Men. Wee are all readie to wish with Balaam that wee may die the Death of the Righteous and that our last end may bee like His but when I see men live as if they never thought to die and die as if they never thought to live again when I see that instead of shining Lights they go out like Snuffs in the mid'st of a crooked and pervers Generation readie to saie to their departing Souls as that great Unbeliever Animula blandula vagula c. I seem to bee so far from giving an account of the Hope that is in mee that in contradiction of King Agrippa's words to S. Paul I am almost persuaded not to bee a Christian The greatest Argument in our own opinion that wee are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as have no Hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atheïsts or without God in the world is that wee com up to his hous to bee here taught of his waies c. But this word of his hath too truly proved a Mirror wherein wee daily com to behold our selvs but with no greater Impression then wee do our Natural faces wee go awaie and strait forget what manner of men wee were But thou believest thou saiest that this bodie of thine shall rise again Thou dost well the Divels also believ and tremble But wilt thou know O vain Man that this Faith without works is dead The Tree is known by it's fruit And can I think that thou which all this while doest but cumber the ground and bringest forth nothing but wild grapes dost believ that as this Tree falleth so it shall lie But let all this bee a Transportation and Exstasis the best shall bee supposed that there is no man here but knoweth in whom and what hee hath believed and therefore cannot bee thought to boggle at the great Article of the Resurrection But thus much I am sure must bee granted mee that wee all put the daie of our death far from us For it is not possible that they who remember their later end should thus sin The mistrust however of Infidelitie in the former and the certain experience of our supineness in the later moved mee to reflect upon you these two Common but therefore the less noted Considerations 1. The â—â—st is the end of our Life Death 2. The second is the end of our Hope Resurrection And first of the first Fruits expressed here Secondly of the whole Lump implied in the Inference But now But now is Christ risen c. And first of the end of our Life but which I mean to consider of not under the discourageing term of Death but as it is here comfortably secured under the Type and Adumbration of Sleep Sleep and Death are of so near a Kin that Galen saith of them Lib. de caus puls that they are Brother and Sister answerable to that in Homer's Poëtrie where they are both said to have one Mother and to bee begotten of the Night Somnus Mortis imago is the old saying that Sleep is the Lecture of Death And 't is a Masterpiece of which that of the Comoedian may bee affirmed Qui utramvis rectè novit ambas noverit Hee that hath been asleep may know Death at first sight Plato in his Phaedon is not contented to saie they are alike but in a manner the same and that Sleep is a verie kinde of Death When the Scripture speak's of Mens departure from hence the usual Phrase is not to saie such an one died but such an one slept with his Fathers And the same Spirit speaketh to the Dead but as wee would do to those that are not yet stirring Awake awake Sing yee that dwell in the dust Wee are all here but Strangers and Pilgrims and our beeing here wee use to call but This that is no Life but the Passage and Journie to another While 't is called to daie wee travel on through the waies of this World but the Night cometh and no man can work at the approach of this Evening Wee die that is wee rest from our Labors When wee go to take our Natural rest wee enter into our Chambers and shut the doors Such a Room as this is the Sepulcher A Church-yard in the expression of the Antients was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Dormitorie or Sleeping place And in the 36 of Isaiah and the 20 vers the Grave is no otherwise termed where the people appointed to Die are bid to go but into their Chambers and shut the doors about them And wee need not fear to trust our selvs for hee that liveth and was dead and is alive for evermore hath the Keies of Hell and Death Having entered our Chambers and shut the door the next thing wee do is to commend our selvs to God So the Martyr Stephen when hee was to fall into that other sleep first said his Praiers Lord Jesu receiv my Spirit This don wee put off our Clothes So Naked wee came into this World and Naked wee shall go out c. The Raiment of a Man saith a Learned Rabbin is his Bodie And had our Father Adam stood wee had needed no other Thou hast Clothed mee saith holie Job with Skin and with Flesh when therefore wee die wee are said in S. Peter's language to put off this Tabernacle as in S. Paul when wee rise again to bee Clothed upon with our hous from Heaven O're night wee put off this weed of Mortalitie but the Morning cometh and wee shall bee covered again with our skin and put on Incorruption our Better Cloths as to go and see God in this Flesh The same flesh wee put off the night before but with this difference that this Fowl Garment which could not bee kept Unspotted of the world shall in the mean time bee washed clean in the Blood of the Lamb. Our Clothes put off wee laie our selvs down and take our rest And to Die in the Prophet Isaiah's Phrase Isa 43.17 57.1 is but to lie down in our Beds And when thy daies shall bee fulfilled saith Nathan to David and thou shalt sleep with thy Fathers so indeed wee read it as
the most antient yet if it were as Julius saith then were they but som petit governments or els which is most true this Assyrian Monarchie was the first after the Flood R. Aben Ezra which also is the verie minde and speech of a great Doctor among the Jews The second thing to bee don is to finde out the Aera of this Monarchie when it first began which that it may bee the better performed wee must first make sure of the great and grand Epoche of the World's Creätion unto which the most of Nations direct their Chronologies Supposing therefore out of Christian Philosophie that this World had a begining 't is most probable that it began in som Cardinal point of the Celestial Motions either in the Solstice or in the Equinox Gerard Mercator supposeth the Worlds Creätion to have been about the Summer Solstice the Sun beeing in Aries but the Contrarie will appear The greatest controversie hold's to the Equinoxes the most holding that the Creätion was in the Vernal Equinox the best in the Autumnal The Saeder Olam or Jewish Chronologie relates that there was a great disputation between Rabbi Josue and Rabbi Eliezer concerning this Aera Rabbi Josue striving for the Vernal Eliezer for the Autumnal The Latter will bee found to bee the most Orthodox in the opinion as shall thus appear And first no man can Question but that the world began in that Period from whence the old world reckoned their years which hee that maketh trial shall finde to bee from the Autumnal intersection as is most apparant in accounting the time of the Flood Scaliger in Cap. de Cond Mundi This manner of Computation Abraham taught the Egyptians as an Antient Autor Alexander Polyhistor testifieth Euseb l 9. de praep This Custom the Egyptians long reteined the Opinion alwaies for so according to their minde Julius Firmicus the great Astrologer reporteth that this was current that the World was Creäted in posterioribus Librae as wee finde saith hee in the Barbarian Sphear Hee spake with a respect had to the Phaenomena of his time but it appeareth plainly what the Egyptian Sphear which hee calleth Barbarian See for the reason the great Critick upon the Sphoera Barbarica of Manilius had determined for the Epoche of the World's Creätion The like Attestation may bee observed in the Antient Hetrurians whose custom was at the begining of everie Year in stead of other Kalendars to fix a Nail in their great Temple which Festus Rufus and Livie witness to have been don in the Autumn Add hereunto that Moses calleth that the seventh Moneth which in som part answereth to the Autumnal Equinox This Moneth was called Aethanim which the Chaldie Paraphrast expounding confirmeth all that hath been said in these words The Moneth Aethanim which is now the seventh was antiently called the first Moneth Wherefore the Almightie God layed the foundations of this greater World in the first daie of the Week at Even begining the 26 of October the first portion of Aries beeing in the first Hous and the first of Capricorn in the tenth Libra in the seventh and Cancer in the fourth The Sun if then hee had been should have entred the first degree of Libra Mercurie the twelfth and Venus the fourteenth The Moon at the Conjunction Saturn in the first of Aries Jupiter in Virgo Mars in Leo and the Dragons-head in Pisces This was the figure of the Heavens when they were first formed the same beeing Astronomically calculated and erected according to Tycho's Tables See Calvisius The Aera of the Deluge reckoned from hence will easily appear out of Moses who listeth to search his Genealogies of the old World shall finde the summ to bee 1656 years with a fraction of 46 daies The Septuagint accounteth more the Samaritans less 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Computus Samariticus ad Scaligerum id est Min Adam el Mocho Meeth Shanah c from Adam to his death are 130 years c. Saeder Olam Rabba Zâ—tah That which wee have set down is the account of the Hebrews both in their great Chronologie and the less and is most agreeable to their great Prophet Moses These things beeing don wee shall the better finde out to what Aera our Kingdom of Ashur must bee referred which shall bee found out in this manner A priori this cannot bee but à posteriori thus It must bee observed in what year the Citie of Babylon was taken in the time of Alexander the Great and that may easily bee accomplished by the help of the Olympiads and Nabonassar's Aera Calvisius with others hath don it to our hands and it is exact It was saith hee in the 3619 year of the World This year of the World was the 1902 year of the Babylonish Monarchie as the Chaldeans themselvs declared to Calisthenes the Philosopher who was imploied in this search at the intreatie of his Tutor Aristotle the latter summ beeing deducted from the former Simplicius in Secund. lib. de Coelo there remaineth 1717 the Epoche or Aera which wee sought for within a smal matter And for this wee are greatly engaged to the dextrous care of our great Philosopher whose diligence if it had not here also helped us the begining of this Kingdom had put Chronologers to an endlels labor And now wee dare believe Diodorus hee saith that the state of Ashur stood from the first to the death of Sardanapalus 1360 years from thence to the taking of Astyages by Cyrus Clesius a Physitian of Cnidus accounteth 313 years which thing happened in the year of the world 3391 in the first year of the 55 Olympiad so 313 added 1360 make up the Sum of 1673 which deducted out of 3391 the year of the destruction of the Medes there remaineth for the Epoche of this Babylonish Monarchie 1718. Wherefore from hence wee must begin to reckon the Acts Lives and Successions of these Kings of Ashur wee begin therefore with the first to wit Nimrod NIMROD Annus Mundi 1718. Ante Christ Nat. 2230. Cycle of the Sun 18. Cycle of the Moon 12. Nimrod NImrod was the son of Chus and hee the son of Cham for so saith Moses And Chus begat Nimrod and going forward describeth the Man to bee a Mightie Hunter so famous that it became a Proverb to saie Even as Nimrod a mightie Hunter before the Lord. The Text plainly sheweth that this Nimrod was a King when it saith That the begining of his Kingdom was Babel the same also in the same words declareth that hee was a Babylonish King So that our Monarchie was begun at Babel by Nimrod In that hee was called a Mightie Hunter Aben Ezra expoundeth it in the better part but for that hee is reprehended by Ramban who affirmeth that hee was indeed a Hunter but not to procure Gods Altars Offerings as the other supposeth becaus it is said hee was a Hunter mightie before the Lord but hee was called a Hunter
becaus hee was so indeed but not so onely but an oppressor too his continual conversation with bruit beasts changed his humane disposition into a barbarous and agrestick behaviour and the privilege of Dominion which hee had long used over the beasts hee began to usurp over Men. So Ralbag expoundeth Hee began saith hee to bee Mightie that is saith the Rabbin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 parash Noach becaus hee began to hunt after Domination or Principalitie fol. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same Rabbi in the same place saith that hee was called a mightie Hunter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 becaus hee was mightie to hunt men and to subdue them under him Don Isaac Abarbinel intimateth a reason of mens subjection to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Becaus hee made himself a mightie Hunter of Beasts and subdued them the sons of men seeing that Bears and Lions were subdued before him with all their might they also for fear of him submitted to him It appeareth therefore by the general consent of the Hebrews that this Nimrod was the founder of the Babylonish Kingdom and that by a Tyrannical kinde of absolute power hee subdued the world to this new kinde of Government Among the Greeks hear what Epiphanius hath said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Others have said as much Som have thought this Nimrod to bee Ninus others to bee Belus both unadvisedly for that Nimrod was not Ninus Justin approve's out of his Autor Trogus Pompie for it was saith hee from the begining of this Monarchie till the time of Sardanapalus 1300 years but hee reckon's that begining from Ninus but wee have proved before that the Epoche of this Kingdom comprehendeth 60 years more and therefore cannot begin in the reign of Ninus but 60 years before which 60 years must bee restored to som King before Ninus either to Nimrod or Belus or els divided between them both and that is most likely becaus Eupolemon an antient Autor maketh mention of Belus the second which could not bee without som reference to a Predecessor of the same name and this without all question was our mightie Hunter who after hee had possessed a World of degenerate mindes with the opinion of his greatness easily wrought the unsetled fancies of the Vulgar sort into a necessarie and undoubted superstition The true God they had forgotten or els they never knew him a God they must have quia nulla gens tam barbara c. Nimrod opposeth the fortitude and felicitie of his designs and easily intrappeth a multitude to worship him who must needs worship som one and besides him knew not whom therefore instantly they call him Baal or as wee corruptly write Bel which in our language signifieth a Lord and becaus after his death another succeeded both in his Place and Name hee was called Bel from his Dominion and Bel the second becaus Nimrod had reigned before him This conjecture can produce a Patron to inforce the probabilitie 'T is Abarbinel upon that place in Esaie Bel is bowed down and Neho stoopeth His words are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read the rest in that place The Rabbin saith that the Latine Scribes have written that this Nimrod who raigned first in Babel made himself a God and commanded that they should serv him becaus 't was hee that first had builded Babel c. after this hee made an Idol after his own Image and called it Bel. To this purpose the Rabbin concerning the Stature of Nimrod I had saied nothing had not Methodius said too much who affirmeth and from him Luca Tudensis that this Nimrod was no less then ten Cubits high believ this that will if it were or could bee so the Seventie Interpreters did well to call him a Giant Of the manner of his death Annius hath made Berosus lie Spirits took him awaie and Funccius will needs believ this as appeareth by his Gloss upon the Fiction that is saith hee The Divels took him awaie for his grand Impietie c. Cedrene saith that Nimrod was called Evechous this hee took from an Antient Autor Estiaeus of Miletum whose words are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which either are the words of the Autor wee have said or els Eusebius Vide Eusebium Scaligerianum pag. 14. I finde in one of those Manuscripts which were transported from Baroeïus his most famous Librarie to the Universitie of Oxford an observable abstract of Chronologie deduced from Adam thence I transcribed what I found most convenient for the illustration of that which wee have now in hand First therefore for the life of Nimrod the Abstract saith thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tale aliquod ad Cedrenum Lego ad Chronicon Alexandrinum ubi vide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paulò post 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rursus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Autor wee see giveth a pregnant testimonie to what wee have said See also Cedren for this of Orion and the Chronicon Alexandrinum adding also one thing more then wee knew before that this Nimrod at his death was Deified as in his life wee have proved so that hee seemeth to bee a God of som note but if wee mark wee shall finde that his divinitie transcend's not the eight sphear As his place was changed so his name that from Earth to Heaven this from Nimrod to Orion The Greek Poets would laugh at this as wee will now at them having undoubtedly found the truest meaning of this Constellation I will not burden the discours nor imploie the page with their vain Fictions who list elswhere to see them let him repair to Higinus Aratus Manilius Stoffler upon the Sphear of Proclus and the nameless Scholiast upon Cesar Germanicus that was found in Sicile This onely I may saie that the Conceit was truely Poëtical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is meerly made not told as having no footstep in Storie nor foundation in Veritie save onely their misconceit of the name Orion quasi Vrion This infirm Gloss upon that word however at the best not able to stand by it self was after made far more impotent by their halting between two opinions one while conceiving Orion to bee that hee is another while to bee Arctophylax far widely guessing the one beeing in the North the other in the South See Hesychius in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But how well our Autor accordeth with the truth wee shall see and greatly approve That Orion was a Hunter the Greeks themselvs confess So Theon upon Aratus his Phaenomena page 539 of that which was printed in quarto at Paris Moses recordeth the like of this Nimrod the Fables also saie hee was a King and in Jansson's Globes hee is called Bellator fortissimus The Astronomers of Arabia call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Algebar that is as the Lxx doth the Giant All this agree's Add hereunto his posture in the Heavens highly becoming his
profession to shew hee was a Souldier hee is placed with sword and Buckler and is therefore called by the sweetest Poët 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Musaus in Her Leandro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To beetoken his Huntsmanship hee holdeth in his hand the skin of a wilde Beast and in the Asterisms of Cesar Germanicus hee hath a Bowe readie drawn besides this hee hath a Hare at his Feet and the two Dogs behinde Cisleu fâ—oâ—n Cesil becaus of the inconstant weather which is caussed at the rising of this Star for Cesil signifieth inconstancie of this see R. Benjamin in his Itinerarie Let now the Reader judg nay Homer saith That is Orion's dog in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to which Theon in Aratus addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. becaus Orion beeing a hunter must have his Dog to follow him Of this Orion Moses maketh mention if hee wrote the Book of Job Chap. 9. and 9. yea God himself in the 38 of that Book becaus hee had to deal with an Arabian questioneth him in his own Astrologie Canst thou binde saith hee the swift influence of the Pleiades or loos the bands of Orion The Original in both places as also in Amos who had it from hence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cesil so called from the inconstancie of the weather at the Astronomical Asscension of this Constellation from whence also their Moneth Cisleu That this Cesil here signifieth a Star all agree the difference is amongst them which of all those innumerable Lights this Cesil should bee Hierome by the instruction of his Jew no doubt translate's it Orion Rab Jonah in M. Kimchi saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that by this Cesil is meant that great Star which the Arabians cal Sohel Rab. Jonah in Rab. Kimchi this Sohel is not Orion but Canopus a bright Star that strike's the Horizon of Rhodes and is placed in the Argonavis as James Christman most truly collecteth out of the Arabian Alfraganus and for this caus the learned Linguist turn's head upon the whole strein of Interpreters who translate's with a general consent Orion I will not bee so bold becaus I am not so well able yet I should ask his leav to follow the old interpretation for one reason of my own becaus I see the Chaldee Paraphrast render's that word Cesil by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Giant and therefore in all probabilitie intended this mightie Hunter great Nimrod bold Orion The Reader may perchance ask one question why Nimrods name should bee changed into Orion I answer as near as I can conjecture that this is the reason Beeing upon the earth as hee was hee was fitly called Nimrod which signifieth a Tyrant but when hee began to bee numbred among the Stars of Heaven hee was not unaptly termed Orion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or which signifieth the Sun in the plural in Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orin which signifieth the conspicuous Lights of Heaven as these Stars in Orion rise to the elevation of Chaldea glittering * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hipparchus of Bythinia in his Asterismes upon the Equinoctial in the North and South part of Heaven Synchronism The Language is Confounded and the Earth divided And therefore a man of note born at that time was called Peleg that is Division from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dividere In Nimrod's time Serug deserveth to bee remembred if that bee true which Suidas writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Autor saith hee was a Carver of Images nay hee addeth that hee was a teacher of Idolatrie If so then this might bee the man that made Nimrod God see Suidas in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the same in Estiaeus of Miletum whence Suidas had it Eusebii Scaliger pag. 13. Nahor is born in the thirtieth year of Serug hee lived one hundred and fortie eight years and was Abraham's grandfather Nimrod teacheth the worship of the Host of Heaven maketh the Sun the greatest God above and himself below See Abarbinel upon Genesis at these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abarb. in par Noach Of the worship of the Sun wee have alreadie discoursed in the Manners of the Assyrians from these the Idolatrie spread it self to the Egyptians Persians Medes and throughout the whole world No Nation but worshipped the Host of Heaven The Scythians worshipped the North Star and called it the Iron immoveable Nail As for the Planets they were the constant Gods of all Countries to whom the verie Week-daies have been by the most Antient Nations religiously dedicated Wee will instance onely in our own Sun-daie and Moon-daie from the Sun and Moon Tuesdaie from Tuisco Mercurie wednesdaie from Woden Mars Thursdaie from Thor Jupiter Fridaie from Friga Venus Saturdaie from Seater Saturn These were the first Gods the Greeks knew and therefore they called from these all other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because these kept their continual cours without interruption The Paeonians adored the Sun under the form of a Cup-dish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maximus the Tyrian Serm. 38. Becaus the Sun seemeth to resemble that form and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is somtimes taken for Solis Orbis The Reason that moved Nimrod to command the worship of the Sun was first the manifold benefits redounding to Men by this most glorious Planet Secondly becaus the Sun was chief amongst the Planets which these Nations easily knew by their great searches of Astrologie Nimrod teacheth the worship of fire as seeming to bear a great affinitie with the Sun or els becaus it was the custom of Sem's God to answer by fire as at Abraham's offering when the birds were divided and as som think at Abel's offering for this was a great argument of God's acceptance if hee consumed the offering which is the reason that where the English Metaphrase readeth Thou shalt accept our offerings Psal 51. The Hebrew saith Thou shalt consume c. The like was don in the time of King Solomon and in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes under the Maccabees whereof see Josephus in his Hebrew Historie It might therefore com thus to pass that these perceiving that there was a voice came in the fire and the fire onely appeared and consumed the offerings upon this conceit they thought reverently of the fire This Idolatrie also was not conteined within Vr of the Chaldees but the Persian had it in high estimation Herod Diodor. Q Curtius Arrian Strabo c. After these the Trojanes then the Romanes Maximus Tyrius verie elegantly reprehendeth this kinde of Idolatrie in his Sermon aforesaid Suidas and Ruffinus tell a Storie of our Chaldeäns concerning their God Fire Suidas thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The summ is that the Chaldeäns once upon a time carried their God about to trie the masterie amongst all others so it came to pass that the fire consumed all Gods that were made of brass gold silver wood or stone
the Earth as they did from that other Deadnesse of their Mothers wombe Wee our selves grow thus up too like the Grasse of the Field we are not seen but found to doe so 'T is so with these fore-running parts If you draw neare to touch a head or a legge you shall perceive no more of this Resurrection for that time but if you give backe and leave the Miracle to it selfe you shall presently finde it more a man at your returne Because I meane to make no more use of this wonderfull prevention of those that sleep then what I first pretended to I shall be bound to trouple you the lesse with any much repetition of the particulars You may finde a competent store of this matter in Camerarius his Historicall Meditations C. 73. of the first Century I will adde to that this onely out of Simon Goulartius from the Relation of one Steven Duplais an eye-witnesse and a man of very good and sober note in his acknowledgement Il me desoit d'avantage avoir comme aussi firent les autres touche divers membres de ces resuscitans Sim. Goulart Histoires admirabil T. 1. fol. 32.34 c. Et comme il vouloit se saisir d'une teste chevelue d'enfant un homme du Care s'escria tout haut Kali Kali ante materasde c ' est a dire Laisse Laisse tu ne scais que cest de cela i. e. And hee told me moreover that hee had and others had done so too touched divers of these rising Members And as he was once so doing upon the hairy head of a Child a man of Cairo cryed out aloud Kali Kali ante materasde that is to say Hold Hold you know not what you doe That which seemeth to bee wanting to the authority of this strange thing is that there should be no ordinary memory none at all I can meete with yet of the matter in any of their owne Bookes That in the Greeke Liturgies out of the Lesson for the time I know not how to make reckoning of as enough to this purpose in any other Bookes of theirs and some likely ones too I meet not with any notice at all And yet as to that I can retort this answer upon my selfe that a thing of so cheape and common beleefe amongst them could not fitly be expected to bee written out as a rarity by themselves and sent forth into these unbeleeving Corners of the World Which though it may passe for a reason why there should not be any such common report of the thing yet leaveth me scope to think that there is some speciall mention of it in the Arabick or Coptick Histories which when it shall be met with if it be found to referre up the Wonder to some excellent and important Originall it will the better defend this matter of Fact from the opinion of imposture Indeed the rising of these armes and legs otherwise is but an ill argument to be used for the Resurrection of our bodies for 't is easier to beleeve this then that The Arabick Nubian Geographer telleth of a place in Aegypt called Ramal Alt sinem or the Sands of Tsinem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Where there is a great miracle of the most Glorious God And it is that if you take a bone and bury it in these Sands for the space of seven dayes by Gods permission it shall turn into a very hard stone c. Clim 3. Part. 3. And what if all our Bones were buryed in the Sands As if God were not able even out of those Stones to raise up Children unto Abraham If the Phoenix of Arabia should prove to be an Vtopian Bird as I will not now suspect after such a size of Apostolicall Authority and so sufficient a countenance given to that It will be enough for us that the Swallowes know their time too as well as the Storke and after such a manner as if they knew or at least would have us to know it ours too These at the beginnings of winter use to fall down in heaps together into the dust or water and there sleep in their Chaos till hearing the voice of returning nature at the Spring they awake out of this dead sleepe and quicken up to their owne life againe Georgius Major A Commentatour upon the Corinthians to this fifteenth Chapter affirmeth that he himself found a company of Swallowes lying dead under an old Table in a Church at Witteberge which for want of the naturall time of the yeare were by an artificiall heate recovered unto life againe CHAP. XXVIII Matth. 3.4 And the same John had his Raiment of Camels haire and a Leatherne Girdle about his Loynes and his meat was Locusts and wild Honey THe rest is plaine enough but for the Locusts there hath been a great deal of unnecessary Criticisme devised and as it fals out to make the word in a worse case then it was before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word it can signify nothing here but Locusts and the question needs not to be whether these be mans meat or no it is certain that the Jewes might eat them by the law of Moses Lev. 11.22 In Dioscorid Lib. 2. C. 46. And Mathiolus upon Dioscorides saith that this was the reason why John Baptist made use of them as a strict observer of the Law But that they are eaten in the East and elsewhere you may see Kerstenius his Note upon an Arabick Translation of Saint Mathew's Gospell And John Leo in his Description of Africa But that which is here to the purpose is the note of Agatharchides in his Tract upon the Red Sea where he speaks of the Acridophagi or eaters of Locusts He saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That their habit of body is thinne and meager c. So Cleonards Note of the Countrey people of Fez in Africa will be fit to the matter It is in his last Epistle to his Tutour Latomus towards the latter end Nova de Bellis nihil ad Brabantinos neque enim strepitum armorum audietis alius est Exercitus quem Deus his regionibus immisit paucis ante diebus Fesae vidisses Coelum obductum locustarum agminibus quae hic non solum saltant sed avium ritu volitant Jam coram video minas priorum prophetarum multis in locis Nocte una sata perdunt universa bellum strenue cum iis gerunt rustici Nam plaustra plena Locustis advehunt Fesam nam hos hostes vulgo hic commedunt Ego tamen sum tam delicatus ut malim perdicem unam quam locustas viginti quod totam hanc regionem gens locustica devoravit i. e. I can tell you newes of warres but not like yours in Brabant Vid. Eustath in Hexaemeron No noise of weapons here 't is another kinde of Army which God hath sent into these Coasts Within these few dayes you might have seene the whole Heaven clouded over with Troops of Locusts such as doe