have been so frequent among the Nations presently after Jerusalems destruction and the Extirpation of the Jews were added as so many Seals to assure the Truth of the Prophets and Gospel and to testifie both to Jew and Gentile That if either the one did follow his Jewish Sacrifice or the other his wonted Idolatrie after the Truth of Gods new Covenant with Mankind was Sealed and proclaimed There remained no more sacri fice for sins but a fearful looking for of judgement and violent fire that there was no other name under Heaven able to save them from such everlasting Flames as they now had seen some Flashes of but only the Name of Jesus whom the Jew had crucified So the Prophet Joel concludes Whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord that is of Jesus for now all Israel might know for a surety that God had made that Jesus whom they had Crucified both Lord and Christ He shall be saved The fruits of calling upon the name of the Lord and that distinction betwixt the state of the Elect and Reprobate intimated by the Prophet in the last Verse of that Chapter shall be most fully manifested in the Day of Judgement For such as have watched and prayed continually alwayes expecting their Masters Coming shall upon the first apprehension of his approach lift up their Heads as knowing that their Redemption draweth neer But for the Riotous or carelesse liver he shall not be able to stand before the Son of Man instead of calling upon his Name he shall cry unto the Hills Cover me and to the Mountains Fall ye upon me Yet was the same distinction between the Reprobate and the Elect truly notified by the confident Carriage of the Christians in those fearful times lately mentioned which did so much affright the Heathen as we may gather from Antoninus the Emperours Decree inhibiting the Christians persecution by the Commons of Asia It seems the other had accused the Christians as Hurtful Persons and offensive to the Gods unto which the Emperour makes Reply in this manner I know the Gods are careful to disclose hurtful persons for they punish such as will not worship them more grievously then you do those whom you bring in trouble confirming that opinion which they conceive of you to be wicked and ungodly Men It shall seem requisite to admonish you of the Earthquakes which have and do happen amongst us that being therewith moved ye may compare our estate with theirs They have more Confidence to God-wards than You have I will shut up this Discourse for the present with that Saying of our Saviour Remember Lots Wife and His Exhortation Take heed to your selves lest at anytime your Hearts be oppressed with Sâ—rfetting and Drunkennesse and Cares of this Life and lest that Day come on you unawares for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the Face of the whole Earth So did the former Calamities in Titus and Trajans time which were as the Dayes of Noah They ate they drank and rose up to play and when they said Pax tutaomnia suddain destruction came as an unexpected Actor upon the Stage For as you heard before one Cause of the great Concourse unto Antioch at that direful Season was to see Playes and Prizes and in the former under Titus two whole Cities were overwhelmed with the Tempest of Gods Wrath while the Citizens were sitting in the Theatre So must all such Fruitlesse Spectacles or pleasant but unseasonable Comedies be concluded with their Spectators Tragedie in the Catastrophe of this great and spacious Amphitheatre All that follows till you come at the 9th Paragraph was An APPENDIX in the former Edition yet set before the whole Book and so must be accounted and allowed for in the Reading ALbeit Lawful in every Age it hath been to Vary if without dissension from former Interpreters in unfolding divine Mysteries without Censure of Irregularity so the Explication be Parallel to the Analogie of Faith yet partly to clear my self from all Suspicion of Affecting Novelties partly more fully to satisfie the ingenious and unpartial Reader I have thought good to acquaint him with Some Observations which have almost beâ—â—othed my mind unto that exposition of our Saviours Words related by Saint Matthew and Saint Luke which I here commend to his Christian consideration That happily will cause others to suspend their Judgements which for a long time did retard my Perswasion and inhibit my Assent unto the Truth I here deliver For albeit the Reasons alledged seemed very probable whilest weighed apart but far more pregnant from comparing the Concurrence of all Circumstances which led me to that opinion yet on the other side strange it seemed that my best grounds being borrowed from the relation of Antiquity no Ancient Writer living shortly after those times should have observed the like But whilst I considered again how the Almighty whether in his just Judgement for the Sins of that present or in his Wisdom and Mercy for the greater good of future Generations had deprived us of all their sacred Meditations that lived about Titus's time or immediately after both Effects as I conceived might have One the same just Cause though secret and onely known to God not fit for us to make any further Inquiry after theâ—… might stir us up to true Admiration of his Wisdome And truly Admirable his Wisdom seemed in this that the Canon of the new Testament being finished in the most known Tongue then extant in the World in which respect besides others The Gospel of the Kingdom might be truly said to be preached through The Whole for a witnesse to all Nations he would have it Severed from all other Writings as well by the Subsequent as Precedent Silence of Ecclesiastical Sacred Writers He that would not have any Prophet in Israel after the Erection of the Second Temple would not for the same Cause onely known to Him have any Writings of men otherwise most religious and devout to be extant in the Age immediately following the Gospels Promulgation that it thus shining like a Solid or compact glorious Star in the Transparent Sphere Environed every where with Vacuity might more clearly Manifest â—t Self by its own Light to be Supercelestial Necessary it was the Period of that Generation wherein our Saviour lived and died should have the Divine Truth of his Gospel confirmed unto them by Signs as the Prophet speaks In the heavens and in the earth to increase their Care and diligence in commending it to Posterity who were to rely on it immediately not on their Fore-fathers relation of Signs past The like or more effectual and as fully answerable to the Rules set down in it they could not want so long as they carried souls or minds careful to observe and practise what is prescribed And who knows whether the Lord had not appointed that the serious consideration of those Prodigious Signs which followed the publishing of the
from speaking any good unto the Jewâ—… yet the Oracles of Carmel assure Vespasian of good Successe in all that he should set â—is hand unto 2 As these and many other Presignifications were more then Natural so the means of his Advancement if we respect onely the purpose of men were meerly Casual nor is it possible for the Atheist to imagin their Concurrenâ—e contrived by Policy 3 But herein we may clearly see Gods Covenant of exalting this People and humbling their foes quite Inverted All the Plagues threatned to such as bare ill will to Sion light on her Friends and Inhabitants All the â—lesâ—ingâ— promised to such as prayed for Jerusalems Peace are heaped upon them that work her Ruine More particularly do they verisie that Propheâ—â—e of Mâ—… â—â—â—t 28. 4â— The stranger that is amongst you shall climb up on high and tâ—â—â— shalt come down beneath alow For these Children of the Kingdom taking Violent but false hold upon Gods truest Promises do by their unseasonable desire of exalting themselves above the Nations hoise Him up to highest Dignity that was ordained to pluck them down from their seat and bring them below all other people The manner of it was thus 4 There was a constant Opinion through the East that Jewry about this time should bring forth the Monarch of the World In Confidence of which Prophecie the Jews as the Roman Writers observe did Rebel Vespâ—… otherwise likely to have lived in Danger and died in Obscurity and disgrace whereunto Nero had designed him appointed for reasons afore alledged to Manage these Wars gets Renown for his good Service among the Romanâ— Good wâ—… of the Eastern nations and upon Nero's death and Civil Broiles thence ensuing partly by promise of assistance from the Parthian partly by other unexpected Occurrents had the Empire thrust upon him otherwise backward of himself to entertain Hopes suggested to him from Heaven by many wonderful Signs and tokens Yet after all this being made Emperour on a suddain before he could bethink himself what belonged to so High a Place he wanted 〈◊〉 as the Historian notes Authority and Majesty to countenance his proceedings and these again are confâ—â—med unto him at his first entrance into the Empire by means more Miraculous then the former Since Rome began was it not heard that any Roman had opened the eyes of the Blind unlesse this man had been from God he â—ould have done nothing Why then do the Heathen rage and the people â—…in thing against God and his Annointed The Christ as if He had not Healed him which was born Blind with Spittle when as Vespasian â—…perour dâ—d â—ure one desperately blind by spitting upon his eyes or whence came that vertue into this new Emperours feet that he should â—eal a lame and withered thigh by treading upon it Both these effects were well known unto the most judicious Roman Writers of those times so constantly avouched by them as can leave no place for suâ—pition in Ages following 5 What shall we Christians say to these things Onely this In both these Cures there was the Finger of God pointing out Vespasian to the world as Christs Right Hand appointed for some Extraordinary and Peculiar Service even to inâ—… the Plagues foretold by him upon these Jews which had reviled traduced and crucified the Lord of Glory for the like and infinite other far greater Miracles wrought amongst them These strange Calamities had they fallen in Nero's or other like Emperours time might have been attributed to their Cruel disposition but that Vespasian for his natural Inclination another Moses scarce provocable to revenge Practize of Treason against his Person in private men should work that strange desolation upon a whole Land hath this signification that he was Gods Instrument onely in this Businesse what he did he did impelled by Him not of his own Motion or Inclination And because he had diligently executed that which was right in Gods eyes and had done unto these Jews according to all things that were in Gods Heart he had by what Revelation God best knoweth Jehu's Blessing Sealed unto him That his Son should sit upon his Throne so confident was he in this perswasion as after the discovery of many to scorn all Conspiracies though daily intended against â—… avouching still either his Sons or None must succeed him in the Empire as both of them did Though the later much degenerate from so worthy a Father most dislike unto his noble brother was most unworthy and uncapable of so High a Place but onely from his Fathers deserts which GOD had ordained should be rewarded with this Honour Had either of his Sons rendred according to the reward bestowed upon them more Scepters had sprung from the Flavian Stock But as it Grew â—pace so did it quickly Fade Titus the fairest Branch to all mens seeming being plucked off to his great Hearts grief in the Blossom for what Secret sin GOD knoweth best This One was grievous enough to have deserved a more grievous death that apprehending his Fates approach he durst so Considently look Heaven in the Face and Expostulate his untimely death as unjust seeing he never had offended the Sacred Powers thereof but Onely Once The Signs of those Times were Extraordinary could the Romans have rightly observed them But these Great Conquerours were taken with their Captives â—rrour in not discerning or mis-applying them As the Spring Sun which naturally reviveth all other living Creatures often times prepareth such Human bodies as are fullest of Life and Bloud but most neglective of the opportunity of taking Physick or using diet convenient for that season to hot and desperate diseases never perceived in their Summers growth until they be ripe of death in the Autumn so albeit the Sun of Righteousnesse whose coming into the world was to give life unto it did first arise in Jewry yet by her childrens Confidence in their wonted Temper so whole and sound unto their seeming that of all other people they onely needed no Physitian the very Beames of saving Health did secretly dispose their evil disposed hearts to violent death which burst out in the later end or Autumn of that Age wherein he appeared For that Generation with whom our Saviour Christ Jesus conversed on earth was not fully past until this People began to swell with insolent and proud hopes of Soveraignty over others and by their untimely provocation of the Romans bring suddain Destruction upon themselves as stout and full Bodies by violent and unseasonable Exercises are soonest brought down from the height of their strength unto the grave The Romans again seeing these Jews defeated and themselves possessed of their hopes Vespasian being called to the Empire during these wars which Titus his son did gloriously finish to the utter ruine of that Nation think sure their Gods had been more potent then the GOD of the Jews and apply the Prophecie meant of Christ unto Vespasian as if He
mourned neither gathered nor buried but shall be as the dung upon the ground Howl ye sheep-herds and cry and wallow your selves in ashes ye principal of the flock for your dayes of slaughter are accomplished and of your dispersion and ye shall fall like Precious Vessels And the flight shall fail from the sheep-herds and the escaping from the Principal of the flock Thus when the City and Temple was first destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar all the Nations round about them were enforced to taste of the same Cup. Babylon her self that begun the Carouse which she meant not to Pledge hoping to make her self Sport to see others drunk with the Bloud of their slain was compelled at length to drink so deep of the dregs till as the Prophet speaketh all her strong-men did fall and her Princes slept their Everlasting Sleep This Prophecy notwithstanding concerns the Second Destruction of Hierusalem as literally as the former and sundry plagues here mentioned for ought that can be gathered from any History Sacred or Profane were not in any degree verified of the Nations in the dayes of Nebuchadnezzar or his Son But scarce any Nation was free from such calamities as are here described in the time of Titus and his Successors as shall be declared anon Rome her self which had rejoyced at Judahs misery and triumphed in Israels wo troden Hierusalem under her feet and given her dust and ashes for a covering to her Nakednesse was shortly after Pinched at the Heart with like Sorrows how soever her outward Robes of Majesty did cover her secret Wounds from their eyes that lived after or beheld her estate onely a-far off not acquainted with her inward Gripes or smothered Out-cries All is not Sound within that is Fair without nor they furthest from Danger who feel least pain for the Present such as since have lived securest neither regardful of Hierusalems misery nor the calamities of other Nations that ensued them altogether unacquainted with any like sorrows of their own times shall have their deepest share in the Horrors of that Dreadful Day whereof these were but Shadows and Maps to represent unto us in some proportion the Inconceiveable Affrightments that shall then appear But as no man knows of that Day and Hour so neither did the Prophets themselves distinctly conceive the manner of it They did see it onely in these Adumbrations which in processe of time grew still more lively The second destruction of Hierusalem and the Signs following it exceeds the former in the distinct prefiguration of the later day as much as a Map of a particular Country taken at large doth the representation of the same in a general Map of the whole Earth of like quantity And as Maps have a distinct quantity of their own easie to be known by sense but which no man measures so much for it self as for to know the Capacity of the Country which it represents so have most Prophecie of the old Testament a distinct Peculiar Natural or Literal sense Verified in the time of the Law which is not so much to be respected as the Mysteries of the Gospel or matters of the world to come prefigured by these Events past the most secret of which Mysteries after some one or few Circumstances be revealed may be distinctly known For the proportion of one Circumstance or Event with another is all one in the later and in the former so that by the distinct knowledge of the former we may discern the later after it be Parallel'd in any one part as by the measure of a Map we find out the quantity of the ground represented For this reason hath our Saviour Christ pictured us out The Last Day by the calamities of Hierusalem onely For under correction I should think that no one part of his Prophecy Mat. 24. from the 15. to the 36. Verse but is literally meant and hath been verified of Hierusalems Fatal Day and the times ensuing For so our Saviour concludes Verily I say unto you this generation shall not pass till All these things be done All what All he had spoken of before What did the Sign of the Son of mâ—n appear did he send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet to gather the Elect from the four winds No. Christ is not yet come the Elect are not thus gathered Yet upon Hierusalems destruction they had the Watch-word given the nations had then a glimpse of his Last Coming in Glory Then it Sounded the first time unto judgement and the Sun and Moon were seen in Tragical Attire that the whole world might take notice of such a Woful Tragedy towards as we expect wherein the whole Frame of Nature even the earth it self this Stage of Mortality shall be Actors and all Mankind were Then set to Learn their Parts Our Saviours coming with power and great glory mentioned in the ninth Verse must be understood in such a sense as he is said to have Come in his Kingdom or with Power at his Transfiguration And that first Verse of the ninth of Mark will best interpret the place above cited Mat. 24. 34. Sundry learned Interpreters I know expound both places otherwise But to omit the former for this present the continuation of our Saviours speech doth enforce this my Interpretation of Saint Matthew For having spoken of the calamities that were shortly to fall out in Judah and Hierusalem as all agree in the former verses he addeth Verss 29. And immediately after the tribulations of those dayes shall the Sun be darkned and the Moon shall not give her light and the Stars shall fall from heaven and the powers of heaven shall be shaken And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven and then shall all the kindreds of the earth mourn and they shall see the Son of man come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory and he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the four Windes and from the one end of heaven to the other Now learn A Parable of the Fig-tree when her bough is yet tender and it bringeth forth leaves ye know that Summer is near so likewise when ye see all these things know that the Kingdom of God is near even at the doors Verily I say unto you This Generation shall not passe till all these things be done Some refer these words immediately after to the troubles of the Church as if their meaning were this And immediately after God hath made an end of the troubles of his Church these Signs shall follow But who knows when that shall be whereas our Saviours words must be referred to those dayes whereof he had spoken which were comprised within determinate and set Bounds and would shortly manifest themselves so as all men might be certain when to expect those Signs which he promised to all the world for the confirmation of His Doctrine and their Faith The full
and natural meaning of the place is as if he had said When you have seen Hierusalems Fatal Day then look for such Signs in the Sun and Moon as I have told for the one doth Prognosticate the others Approach as certainly as the Budding of the Fig-tree doth Summer The like connexion of these fearful Signs with Hierusalems desolation we have in Saint Luke chapt 21. 25 Having spoken before onely of the tribulation of Hierusalem he continueth his speech Then there shall be signs in the Sun and in the Moon and in the Stars and upon the earth trouble amongst the Nations with perplexity the Sea and the Waters shall roar and mens hearts shall fail them for fear and for looking after those things which shall come on the world For the Powers of Heaven shall be shaken and then shall they see the Son of man come in a cloud with power and great glory And when these things begin to come to passe then look up and lift up your Heads for your Redemption draweth near And he spake to them a Parable Behold the Fig-tree and all trees when they now shoot forth ye seeing them know of your own selves that Summer is then near so likewise ye when ye see these things come to passe know ye that the Kingdom of God is near Verily I say unto you this generation shall not passe till All These Things be done As we are bound by Christian Faith to Believe that this Prophecy is not yet but shall be Fully accomplished at the last Day so in truth I should suspect my Heart of Infidelity if I did not acknowledge it truly verified in such a sense as I have intimated immediately after the destruction of Hierusalem The former Distinction of Our Saviours Coming in Power or to present the terrors of the last Day and His last coming unto Judgement Indeed he himself hath intimated for he gave his Disciples infallible Signs when they might certainly expect the former verse 33. Heaven and earth shall passe c. but of that day and hour to wit of the last judgement no man no not the Angels of Heaven but my father only knoweth As if he had said This last day shall not come with such Observation as the former will the Signs here described shall not Prognosticate but accompany it In the Former there were signs in the Sun and Moon but in the Later both Sun and Moon shall cease to â—e In the Former the powers of Heaven were shaken the Earth did tremble and the Sea did roar in the Later The Heavens shall be gathered like a scroll and passe with away a noise the elements shall melt with heat and the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt the Sea shall be no more the whole Frame of Nature shall be dissolved on a suddain and such as until that time mind earthly matters confining their thoughts within this Sphere of Mortality shall be intrapped in the ruines and prest down to Hell with the weight of it Onely such as being In this world are not Of it but have their Conversation in Heaven where their Redemer sits at the right hand of GOD shall escape these suddain and fearful dangers as Birds that are without the Compasse of the Trap when it begins to fall Seeing it will be too late for men to begin their Belief Then too late to flie from death when destruction hath surprised them or to cry for Mercy first when Gods Judgments begin to seize upon the World The Atheist or carelesse Worlding may gather both the Terrors and Calamity of that Day from the often-mentioned lively representation of it under Titus for even in his time the Heavens and the Earth did threaten to passe away that all the world might know Christs words should not passe away The fire of Gods wrath which Moses had foretold should eat the Foundations of the Mountains in Jewry and such as Josephus tels us had been krndled in the Holy Mount did devour the Foundations of the Mount Vesuvius in Campania The Consequences thereof with other Prodigious Concomitants were so strange and fearful that if we compare the Ingenious Heathen Historiographers description of them with the fore-cited place of S. Luke his Relation doth as fully answer our Saviours Prediction as the Historical narrations of Events past contained in Scripture do the Prophecies that had gone of them before 4 The suddain Earthquakes were so Grievous that all the Valley was sultering hot and the tops of the Mountains sunk down under the ground were noises like Thunder answered with like Bellowings above The Sea roared and the Heavens resounded like noise huge and great Crashings were heard as if the Mountains had fallen together great stones leaped out of their places as high as tops of Hils and after them issued abundance of Fire and Smoke in so much that it darkened the Air and obscured the Sun as if it had been Eclipsed so that night was turned into day and day into night Many were perswaded that the Giants had raised some Civil Broyls amongst themselves because they did see their Shapes in the smoke and heard a noise of Trumpets others thought the World should be resolved into the old Chaos or consumed with Fire some ran out of their Houses into the Streets others from the Streets or High-wayes into their Houses others from Sea to Land some again from the Land to the Sea So Dion 〈◊〉 66. 5 These questionlesse were The Signs of the Son of Man that made all the Kindreds of the Earth thus Mourn For the Calamity was Publick the Abundance of Ashes and Dust was such that it over-spread Egypt Africk and Syria choaking not onely Men but Beasts and Birds poysoning Fishes and spoyling the grounds where it came The inhabitants of Rome whither this infection came a few dayes after the fire kindled in Campania thought that the Frame of the World had been out of joynt that the Sun did fall down to the earth and the earth ascend up to heaven And albeit the ashes and dust did not such present harm there as it had done every where else yet it bred a most grievous Pestilence breaking out not long after and in the year following whilest Titus went to view the calamities of Campania a great part of Rome was burnt by fire issuing out of the ground Amongst other harms these following were most remarkable It consumed the Temple of Serapis of Isis of Neptune the Pantheon the Diribitorium the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus unto which the Jews were not long before enjoyned to pay that Tribute which they formerly had done to the Temple of Hierusalem Thus though the Ark be taken yet will it be the Downfal of Dagon their chief God that took it and though Hierusalem lay buried in her Ruines for her Peoples grievous Sins yet shall hers as All Sacred Pensions Sacrilegiously employed devour the Seats of their possessors But what can we more say then
either Antichristian blindnesse not to see or impudency of no meaner stock not to acknowledg that the Pope by this mean might appropriate unto himself the honour due unto God play upon his Creator in such sort as if a corrupt Lawyer having evidences committed to his trust should by vertue of them take up rents and let leases to the Land-lords dammage and Tenants overthrow And what is most villanous unto whatsoever prerogatives though most prejudicial to the divine majesty his Parasitical Canonists shal blasphemously entitle this most holy Father The Son of God and his faithfullest servants Apostles or Prophets must be brought forth to abet the forgery as if evidence given in Court by infamous Knights of the Post should in the final day of hearing be produced under the hands and seals of free Barons or other chief Peers of the Land for as was intimated before whatsoever the Pope though in his own cause shall say it must by this doctrine be supposed that Christ doth say the same Yea if it should please his Holiness to avoach ex Cathedra that these words Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melechisedech are truly and literally meant of himself as Christs Viâ—ar or of perpetual succession in Peters Chair the evidence must be taken as upon the Almighties oath who in that place hath sworn as much as these words import but what that is the Pope must judge That then he permits Christ the title of his soveraign Lord and urges others to subscribe unto his laws as most divine is just as if some Polititian should solicit the whole body of a kingdom solemnly to acknowledge one othewise lawful heir unto the Crown for their Monarch most omnipotent and absolute whose wil once signified must be a law for ever inviolable to all his subjects not with intent that he should in person retain such perpetual soveraignty over them but that he might have absolute power to dispose of his kingdom as he pleased unto the worlds end or to nominate others as absolute in his place whilest he spent his dayes as a sojourner in a forrain land Finally not the most treacherous and detestable plot the most wicked Pope that hath been is or shall be could desire to effect but may by this device be countenanced with as great and sacred authority as were the best actions our Saviour ever undertook which as may better appear from what shall be said in the next Section is to make every Popes authority as much greater then our Saviours as their lives and actions are worse then his was 3 Suppose some Devil should possesse the Popes place in similitude of a man as some Papists think the great Antichrist who shall challenge as great authority as the Pope doth shall be a Devil incarnate or the son of a Devil might he not hold his dignity by the same plea the Jesuites make for their Lord and Master Could he not be content to pretend Christs name or succession from S. Peter as Simon Magus might he have obtained what he desired would have done for his own advantage could he not urge the authority of Gods word to confirm his own over it and all that is called Gods If in such a case it might not be permitted men to examin his allegations out of Scriptures how could the devil himself be convinced by Scriptures or deposed from his supremacy thence pretended And can we doubt whether he which makes no other plea then the Devil were he in place might is not that Filius Diaboli The great Antichrist Were we not taught that the sons of this world are wise only in their own generation we might justly wonder that any men indued with natural wit could be so blind as at the first sight not to descrie the politick Sophisins used by the Romanist to cozen Christ of his kingdom As their whole Religion is but the image of the old Roman policy so their main plot of Templum Domini Templum Domini the Church the Church as if all were rebels against Christ that wil not swear absolute fealty to the Church Romish may be most fully paralleled by the like practise of such cunning States-men as having alwayes one eye to the advancement of their own private fortunes live under an absolute Monarch of himself royally minded but not much intermedling in the affairs of greatest moment Opportunity of high place under a king upon what occasion soever thus sequestred that poor mens complaints cannot possesse his ears tempts politicians to effect their own purposes under pretence of his right and to condemn all of treason or disroyalty that will not obey their designs directed in their Soveraigns name though most abhorrent from the disposition of his Royal heart were he acquainted with such lamentable grievances of his poor Subjects as are the usual consequents of Princes gracious Favours upon great Ones The more absolute such a Princes lawful authority the greater is native subjects love unto him is the more may both be abused by such unthankful officers As it is the Soveraign conceit all men have of Christs kingdom which keeps the silly in such servility unto the Pope his pretended agent 4 This is the only difference in these two cases otherwise most like An earthly Prince may live and die deluded of his Machiavillian States men over whom he hath no power after he himself is once subject But Christ lives and reigns a King for ever and though his throne be in the highest heavens beholds the things done on earth He sees and yet suffereth his pretended officers to detain such as love darknesse more then light in grossest ignorance and blind subjection to the Prince of darkenesse and his associates he sees and yet suffers them detain all such as delight in lies more then in truth from acquaintance with his Holy spirit He sees and yet suffers their foulest villanies to be countenanced by his sacred laws he sees and yet suffers his holy name to be abused to the establishing of Antichristian Heresies he sees and yet suffers his glory made a stale for maintenance of their secular pomp He is the keeper of Israel and cannot so slumber as any abuse should escape his notice his indignation shall not sleep for ever but in due time he wil rouse himself as a Lion awaked to take vengeance upon all the workers of iniquity on them above others who have thus usurped his throne on earth taking that judgement during the time of his supposed absence wholly into their hands which beloâ—…nly unto him Even so come Lord Jesu Holy and True and with the breath of thy mouth destroy him that hath destroyed truth and sincerity from amongst the Sons of men SECT III. Containing the second degree of great Antichrists Exaltation in making his authority more absolutely infallible then any the visible or representative Church of the Jews Moses or the Prophets ever had Finally in making it greater then Christs or
be certaine whether ever there had been such an Emperour as they plead succession from or at least how far his Dominions extended or where they lay This manner of plea in secular controversies would be a mean to defeat him that made it For albeit the Christian World did acknowledge there had been such an Emperour and that many parts of Europe of right belonged unto his lawfull heir Yet if it were otherwise unknown what parts these were or who this heir should be no Judge would be so mad as finally to determine of either upon such motives Or if the Plaintiffe could by such courses as the World knows oft prevail in judgement or other gracious respects effect his purpose he were worse then mad that could think the finall resolution of his right were into the Emperours last Will and Testament which by his own confession no man knows besides himself and not rather into his own presumed fidelitie or the Judges apparant partiality So in this Controversie whatsoever the Pope may pretend from Christ all in the end comes to his own authority which we may safely believe herein to be most infallible that it will never prove partiall against it self or define ought to his Holinesse disadvantage 10 Here again it shall not be amisse to admonish younger Students of another gull which the Jesuite would put upon us to make their Churches Doctrin seem lesse abominable in this point lest you should think they did equalize the authority of the Church with divine revelations Valentian would perswade you it were no part of the formal object of faith It is true indeed that the Churches authority by their Doctrine is not comprehended in the object of Belief whilest it onely proposeth other Articles to be believed No more is the Sun comprehended under the objects of our actual sight whilest we behold colours or other visibles by the vertue of it But yet as it could not make colours or other things become more visible unto us unlesse it self were the first and principal visible that is unlesse it might be seen more clearly then those things which we see by it so we would direct our sight unto it so would it be impossible the Churches infallible proposal could make a Roman Catholicks Belief of Scriptures or their Orthodoxal sence the stronger unlesse it were the first and principal credible or primary object of his Beliefe or that which must be most clearly most certainly and more stedfastly believed so as all other Articles besides must be believed by the belief or credibility of it This is most evident out of Sacroboscus and Bellarmines resolution or explication of that point how the Churches proposal confirmes a Roman Catholicks belief To give this Doctrine of their Churches infallibility the right title according to the truth it is not an Article of Catholick Belief but a Catholick Axiom of Antichristian unbelief which from the necessary consequences of their assertions more strictly to be examined will easily appear CAP. XXIX What manner of casual dependance Romish Belief hath on the Church that the Romanist truely and properly believes the Church onely not God or his Word 1 THe two main assertions of our Adversaries whence our intended conclusion must be proved are these often mentioned heretofore First that we cannot be infallibly perswaded of the truth of Scriptures but by the Churches proposal Secondly that without the same we cannot be infallibly perswaded of the true sence or meaning of these Scriptures which that Church and we both believe to be Gods Word How we should know the Scriptures to be Gods Word is a Probleme in Divinity which in their judgement cannot be assoiled without admission of Traditions or divine unwritten verities of whose extent and meaning the Church must be infallible Judge It is necessary to salvation saith Bellarmine that we know there be some books divine which questionlesse cannot by any means be known by Scriptures For albeit the Scripture say that the Books of the Prophets or Apostles are divine yet this I shall not certainly believe unlesse I first believe that Scripture which saith thus is divine For so we may read every where in Mahomets Alcoran that the Alcoran it self was sent from heaven but we beliefe it not Therefore this necessary point that some Scripture is divine cannot sufficiently be gathered out of Scriptures alone Consequently seeing faith must rely upon Gods Word unlesse we have Gods word unwritten we can have no faith His meaning is we cannot know the Scriptures to be divine but by Traditions and what Traditions are divine what not we cannot know but by the present visible Church as was expresly taught by the same Authour before And the final resolution of our believing what God hath said or not said must be the Churches Authority To this collection Sacroboscus thus farre accords Some Catholicks rejected divers Canonical Books without any danger and if they had wanted the Churches proposal for others as well as them they might without sin have doubted of the whole Canon This he thinks consonant to that of Saint Austin I would not believe the Gospel unlesse the Churches authority did thereto move me He addes that we of reformed Churches making the visible Churches authority in defining points of faith unsufficient might disclaim all without any greater sin or danger to our souls then we incurre by disobeying some parts of Scripture to wit the Apocryphal books canonized by the Romish Church The Reader I hope observes by these passages How Bellarmine ascribes that to Tradition which is peculiar to Gods providence Sacroboscus that to blind belief which belongs unto the holy Spirit working faith unto the former points by the ordinary observation of Gods Providence and Experiments answerable to the rules of Scriptures 2 Consequently to the Trent Councels Decree concerning the second assertion Bellarmine thus collects It is necessary not onely to be able to read Scriptures but to understand them but the Scripture is often so ambiguous and intruate that it cannot be understood without the exposition of some that cannot erre therefore it alone is not sufficient Examples there be many For the equality of the divine persons the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son as from one joynt original Original sin Christs descension into Hel and many like may indeed be deduced out of Scriptures but not so plainly as to end Controversies with contentious spirits if we should produce onely testimonies of Scriptures And we are to note there be two things in Scripture the Characters or the written words and the sence included in them The Character is as the sheath but the sence is the very sword of the spirit Of the first of these two all are partakers for whosoever knowes the Character may read the Scripture but of the sence all men are not capable nor can we in many places be certain of it unlesse Tradition be assistant It is an offer worth the taking
Valentian I absolutely deny as the Catholick Doctors upon good reasons generally do that the Pope can erre in such a business The certainty of this his belief he would ground upon those promises by which we are assured it shall never come to pass that the universal Church can be deceived in points of Religion But the whole Church should erre very grossly in such matters should it repute and worship him for a Saint which is none Hereit would be observed how Satan instigates these men unto such Tenents as may occasion God and his Gospel to be blasphemed First they would make it an Article of Faith that all must believe as the Pope teacheth whence it follows that either he cannot teach amiss or else faith may perish from off the earth Which if it could God were not true in his promises The surest pledge the Christian world can have of his fidelity in them must be the Popes infallibility so as from the first unto the last he must be held as true in his dealings as God in his sayings If he fail in Canonizing a Saint whom he cannot possibly know to be such unless he knew his heart which belongs wholly unto his maker God must be a lyar and there is no Truth in him The final issue intended by Satan in these resolutions is this When men have been a long time led on with fair hopes of gaining heaven by following the Popes direction and yet in the end see as who not blind sees not his gross errors and detestable villanies they may be hence tempted to blaspheme God as if he had been his copartner in this cosenage From this root I take it hath Atheism sprung so fast in Italy For whilest faith is in the blade and their hopes flourishing they imagine God and the Pope to be such friends as their blind guides make them But afterwards comming to detestation of this man of sin and his treachery holding his spiritual power as ridiculous they think either as despitefully or contemptuously of the Deity or say with the fool in their hearts there is no God 3 Thus Antichrists followers still run a course quite contrary to Christian religion For if it be true as it is most true that faith cannot utterly perish from off the earth what damnable abuse of Gods mercie and favour toward mankinde is this in seeking as the Jesuites do to make all absolutely rely upon one in matters of Faith For so if he fail all others must of necessity fail with him That is the whole world must be as kind supernatural fools to him as that natural idiote was to his Master who being demanded whether he would go to heaven with him or no replyed he would go to hel with so good a Master seeing any man would be willing to go to heaven with an ordinary friend yea with his enemy Though we should use no other argument but that Avoid ye sons of Satan for it is written ye shall not tempt the Lord your God It should me thinks be enough to put all the Jesuites in the world unto silence in this point did they not as far exceed their father in impudency as they come short of him in wit For this manner of tempting God is more shameless then Divels suggestion unto our Saviour when he was instanly silenced with this reproof A presumption it is more damnable to expect the protection or guidance of Gods spirit in such desperate resolutions as Valentian here brings then it were for a man to throw himself headlong from an high towr upon hope of Angelical supportance For seeing as I said God hath promised that true faith shal not perish from off the earth for all men to adventure their faith upon one mans infallibility who may have less saving faith in him then Turk or Infidel is but a provoking or daring of God to recall his promise Or what more damnable doctrine can be imagined then that all men should worship him for a Saint whom the wickedest man on earth doth commend unto him for such 4 But to proceed As the Doctrine is most impious so are the grounds of it most improbable For how can the Pope or Papists infallibly know this or that man to be a Saint Seeing there is no particular revelation made of it either to the Pope or others I answer saith Valentian that the general revelation whereby it is evident that whatsoever the Pope shall decree as pertaining to the whole Church is most true may suffice in this case Moreover saith he unto the Canonizing of Saints appertain these revelations of Scripture in which heavenly joyes are generally proposed to all such as lead a Godly life For by the Popes determination we know the Saint which he hath Canonized to be contained in the foresaid universal proposition Whence it is easie to frame an assent of faith by which we may perswade our selves that such a Saint hath obtained eternal bliss 5 I would request the Reader by the way to note the Jesuites injurious partiality in scoffing at such of our Writers as without express warrant of particular revelation hold a certainty of their own salvation when as they onely by Gods general promises to such as lead a godly life and the Popes infallibility in declaring who have so lived can be certain defide others are saved But the former doubt is rather removed then quite taken away by this his answer if it stand alone As yet it may be questioned how any can infallibly know the truth of what he cannot possibly know at all but onely by other mens testimonies in their nature the Jesuite being judge not infallible and in whose examination it is not impossible his Holinesse may be negligent For how men live or dye in England Spain or the Indies no Pope can tel but by the information of others no Popes The Reader perhaps wil prognosticate Valentians answer as in truth I did For when I first framed the doubt before I read it in him me thought it stood in need of such a reply as Bellarmin brought for defence of the vulgar interpreter Altogether as foolish it were to think any private mans information of anothers uprightness in the sight of God as to hold Theodotion the Heretick could not erre in translating of the Bible But though they may be deceived in testification of anothers sanctity yet Valentian tels you supposing the Pope is once induced by their testimonies though in nature fallible to pronounce him a blessed Saint all must infallibly believe their testimonies at least so far as they prove in general that he died a Godly and religious death are true and that the party commended by them is of that number which as we may gather from the general revelations of Scriptures shall be made partakers of everlasting life Again whether the Pope in defining a controversie use diligence or no yet without all question he shall define infallibly and consequently use the authority
estate 117 to 119 Trent Council cited V VAlentian cited Valentian turned Doctor similitude 227 Valentian his Inchanted Circle 291 c. 475 507 Valentians saying of the veil that is upon the Jews hearts 209 252 Vates 43 10 Vesuvius burning a Beacon to all flesh 100 Vespasians expedition against the Jews how and why honoured 83 84 Vespasian advanced beyond policy 84 87 Vespasians service against Jerusalem rewarded as Jehu's was 85. Vespasian another Moses 85 A type of Messiah 86 Vespasian prophesied of by Josephus 83 Vespasian owned by an Ox and a Dog 84 Vespasian cures a blinde and a lame man 84 85 Oracle at Carmel aboads Him prosperity 84 Vespasian confident that his son shall succeed him in Empire or no body 85 Vespasians death foregon by a Comet and the opening of Augustus his sepulchre 87 His dying speech Nunc Deus Fio 86 Nor Vespasian nor Titus titled Judaicus 87 Vicinity breeds envie 423 Visions counterfeited by evil spirits 261 Visions seen to one not to others 34 35 Vision of Queen Bassina 41 At Vitrye in Champaine Jews imprisoned themselves 124 Deus vult Deus vult Rumour of a Voyce from heaven 116 Ubi unum propter aliud ibi unum tantum 493 Evil unity good dissention 277 Vulgar Edition See Translation An universal Text limited 178 Uniuersal precepts promises propositions admitting exceptions 376 c All that the scribes and Pharisees bid you do do limited 391 c. And limitted by Maldonat well 392. That Text unduly extended may be abused to justifie the condemnation of our Saviour Jesus Christ 396 Urim and Thummim what it was 377 m. Urim ceased 200 years before his time sayes Josephus 36. It rather ceased with that generation that came back from captivity soon after the second Temple was finished 36 Gods promise to direct by Urim conditional 378 The Authority of the Keys not absolutely universall 395 Unbelief of curious Artists like Naamans doubtting 141 142 Unbelief of Scripture unreasonable 150 Unbelief may find pretences ib Unbelief Antichristian An Axiom of its 478 W VVIlliam Rufus cruel to the Jews 117 Jewish Womans eating her childe 91 Wood-worship indeed 129 Lots Wife not transformed but candyed over 49 50 Want of Wine complained of as cause of want of courage in souldiers who yet were beaten by water-drinkers 106 Wranglings amongst Christians makes the world doubt of Christianity 19 Writers See Sacred and Romish Whore of Babylon a Witch properly 502 Wormes in the Hoast whence they breed 329 m Written Word sole Umpire 256 Y THe Horrid Suicidium of the Jews at York 122 Z ZIdkiah the Prophets dispute against Michaiah out of Josephus 418 Zachary and Sarah sinned not the sin of proper Infidelity as it is opposed to sides Catholica when they doubted of Gods promises to them because the Revelation was private but of imprudence sayes Valentian 468 A Table of Scriptures Expounded or Illustrated by Observations in these Three Books of Commentaries Out of the Old and New Testament Genesis Chap. Verse Page 1. 26 27 56 2. 14 ibid. 4. 1 25 13 5. 1 2 56 Â 29 14 9. 12 13 14 54 10. 13 14 23 52 11. 1 2 51 12. 2 3 77 16. 12 105 17. 20 110 19. 14 15 49 20. 3 c 28 25. 14 15 16 18 104 Â 18 105 34. 30 c 14 37. 10 11 28 40. 8 12 13 19 ib. 42. 20 c 15 44. 16 c ibid. Exodus 3 2 34 4. 13 446 14. 13 408 15. 1 43 Â 26 408 16. 12 ib. 17. 7 ibid 19. 4 409 20. 10 379 24. 9 439 Â 10 410 28. 30 377 32. 1 c 38 33. 13 59 Leviticus 10. 9 378 26. 14 c 44 81 Numbers 11. 16 439 12. 6 ib. Â 6 7 29 21. 6 48 Â 16 c 47 22. 22 34 23. 22 446 27. 21 377 Deuteronomy 4. 1 2 407 Â 5 c 73 Â 9 413 5. 22 410 Â 28 29 444 6. 6 c 230 10. 16 141 Â 17 426 11. 2 411 Â 13 412 Â 18 19 411 Â 22 26 29 412 17. 8 385 Â 19 387 18. 14 445 Â 15 448 Â 15 c 434 Â 18 438 Â 18 445 Â 19 443 Â 20 435 27. 11 12 13 14 412 28. 29 125 Â 30 127 Â 31 120 Â 32 127 Â 33 120 Â 34 122 Â 37 41 131 Â 43 84 Â 49 c. 52 112 Â 53 82 Â 59 111 Â 62 113 Â 64 131 Â 65 c 130 Â 68 122 29. 19 133 30. 1 416 Â 11 c 304 31. 16 11 12 13 413 Â 16 426 Â 19 44 32. 26 c 80 Â 29 141 Â 36 c 80 Â 39 141 Â 46 44 34. 10 445 Joshuah 8. 33 34 35 413 10. 13 48 Judges 2. 7 8 413 5. 1 c 43 6. 12 34 Â 13 14 414 Â 15 415 Â 22 60 8. 33 415 13. 22 60 16. 17 19 49 17. 15 415 1 Samuel 2. 1 2 c 43 8. 7 11 c 118 15. 22 171 23. 9 377 28. 6 29. 378 30. 7 8 377 1 Kings 9. 7 131 13. 18 422 18. 36 437 19. 11 c 59 20. 36 c 172 22. 24 264 Â 24 424 Â 28 437 2 Kings 1. 24 81 4. 27 440 5. 15 141 6. 17 35 2 Chronicles 24. 20 426 Ezra 2. 63 36 Nehemiah 1. 7 417 6. 16 77 Ester 6. 13 76 Job 19. 25 162 33. 14 c 28 34. 19 140 Psalms 2. 7 448 3. 1 22 9. 8 9 10 23 19. 7 216 27. 1 3 22 34. 8 45 42. 1 21 43. 5 22 44. 1 21 46. 1 2 23 50. 16 354 Â 25 355 51. 1 2 3 10 12 13 20 21 59. 11 117 Â 13 135 66. 16 20 74. 9 21 78. 33 34 412 81. 11 80 106. 39 46 79 119. 98 105 224 Proverbs 16. 7 81 28. 9 ibid. Isaiah 5. 13 264 6. 9 10 11 12 401 11. 2 431 28. 16 352 29. 9 10 11 13 14 209 35. 5 431 40. 3 441 42. 1 431 Â 89 441 Â 11 104 53. 8 9 448 61. 1 431 63. 10 60 Jeremiah 2. 3 67 9. 23 17 10. 2 89 18. 18 424 20 7 c 18 24. 1 2 c 134 25. 29 91 Â 31 100 26. 8 2 424 28. 6 7 8 9 43S Â 10 12 440 29. 26 425 30. 13 14 316 31. 33 32 32. 24 25 c 416 Â 42 43 c ibid. 35. 9 10 14 19 119 Lamentations 1. 12 87 2. 20 21 90 Ezekiel 7. 23 79 14. 3 4 5 264 33. 32 33 438 Daniel 2. 44 358 9. 2 18 20 12. 4 8 201 Joel 2. 28 30 31 96 98 100 Habbakkuk 1. 10 11 c 78 Malachy 1. 11 36 2. 1 2 378 4. 2 33 Â 4 146 Judith 5. 21 76 Wisdome 6. 7 40 Ecclesiasticus 45. 23 24 25 388 39. 24 231 1 Macchabees 2. 36 37 38 380 Â 41 ibid. 2 Macchabees 6. 14