Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	book_n	great_a	king_n	1,806	5	3.5242	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A05370	Ravvleigh his ghost. Or a feigned apparition of Syr VValter Rawleigh to a friend of his, for the translating into English, the booke of Leonard Lessius (that most learned man) entituled, De prouidentia numinis, & animi immortalitate: written against atheists, and polititians of these dayes. Translated by A. B.; De providentia numinis, et animi immortalitate. English	Lessius, Leonardus, 1554-1623.; Knott, Edward, 1582-1656.; Raleigh, Walter, Sir, 1552?-1618.	1631 (1631)	STC 15523; ESTC S102372	201,300	468

seuerall fortunes are allotted vnto men according to the quality of their workes neither can any one decline auoid the power of the sayd Prouidence In which point the sacred Write of God differeth from all prophane histories for that being written by the peculiar incumbency and direction of the holy Ghost relateth humane matters as they are gouerned by diuine prouidence Whereas these other as penned by a human spirit make narration of them ●● they proceed only from mans prudence and industry Therfore that forme● teacheth diuine wisedome by the which man with a godly worship of him adhereth vnto God these later humane wisdome and certaine small trifling cautions and obseruations inuented through the wit and industry of man which for the most part are but of little power yet often are accompanyed with danger and destruction Wherefore it may be iustly concluded that nothing is more agreable to the education framing of Princes then the reading of sacred and diuine histories especially of the bookes of the Kinges for there they shal be instructed that the foundation ground-worke of a kingdome and of true policy is seated in true religion and iustice without which any Christian state cannot expect any firmenes or tranquility This very point was most profitable to Charles the fift vnto whō Adrianus his Schoolemaster did read the bookes of the Kings from whence he tooke those principles misteries and documents of gouernemet which made him not only vertuous but also a most great potent and fortunate prince Now that these bookes are to be altogether credited as being written by the concurrency and direction of the holy ghost is aboue made most cleare and euident THE 15. REASON TAKEN FROM THE secret punishing of Blasphemy Periury and Sacriledge CHAP. XVII THESE sinnes of blasphemy periury and sacriledge are directly against the reuerence of a Deity and diuine power wherefore seing it is euident from the experience and obseruation of diuers exāples that these are more seuerely punished by Gods inuisible hand then other sinnes are we therefore may infallibly conclude that there is a Deity and a diuine Power which hath a sense and feeling of these iniuries indignities cōmitted against it For if there were no diuine power then were these former actions no sinnes as it is no sinne to speake cōtemptuously of a chimera or imaginary thing or to sweare by it or to cōculcate with disgrace to tread the signe of it vnder our feete Againe if these former things be no sinnes thē is there due to them no castigation or punishment But the contrary to this is euident by many examples Pharao the King of Egipt when he misprised God and spake of him with contempt in those words Quis est Dominus c. VVho is the Lord that I should heare his voice and let Israell goe I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel goe was for such his offence afflicted with many Calamityes in the end vtterly ouerthrowne with his whole army Sennacherib the King of the Assirians inuading Iudea with a powerfull army commanded it to be related by his captaines to Ezechias the King that in vaine he reposed his trust in any diuine power for seeing said he the Gods of other nations were not able to defend their worshippers against the puissance and might of the King of the Assyrians therefore neither could the God of Israel For which horrible blasphemy God in one night destroyed almost his whole army there being a hundred eighty fiue thousand armed men slaine by an Angell And the King himselfe after his returne into Niniuy his citty and sacrificing to his Gods who could not defend him was murthered by his owne sonnes Nabuchodonos●r King of Chaldaea when in his fury he cast the three children into the burning Furnace for that they refused to adore a Statua erected by him and further blasphemed against God in preferring his owne power before the power of God in these words Quis est Deus VVho is God that can take you out of my hāds did immediatly after acknowledge the contrary and confessed a Deity through the sight of that stupendious miracle by the which the children being in the middest of the flames remained vnhurt not burned But after when he had forgot the same and bare himselfe with his former elation and pryde of mind maintayning that his power and glory stood obnoxious or subiect to none he was suddenly punished by God a voyce from heauen rushing vpon him and speaking thus Tibi dicitur Nabuchodonosor rex c. O King Nabuchodonosor to thee be it spoken thy Kingdome shall departe from thee And they shall driue thee from men and thy dwelling shal be with the beasts of the field They shall make thee to eate grasse as the oxen And seauen tymes shall passe ouer thee till thou knowest that the most high ●eareth rule ouer ●he Kingdome of men and giueth it vnto whomesoeuer he will Which voyce being ended he was presently depriued of reason grew madd Whervpon being driuen from all mens society he begun to liue in the woods among beasts and during seauen yeares liued after the manner of beasts Which period of tyme being ended he was restored to his wits and senses and presently thereupon most excellently confessed a diuine power That this was to happen vnto him God foreshewed it a yeare before in a vision which he had while he dreamed which vision Daniel did interpret Agripp● the elder being in Cesaraea and cloathed with sumptuous apparell and sitting in a high and regall seat began to make a speach to the people but some of his flattters cryed out that it was the voice of some God and not of man which words being gratefull vnto him who could be willing to assume diuine honour to himselfe he was suddenly stroken with an Angell and so his flesh and bowels putrifying he was consumed with lice The 6 Syrians being ouercome in warre by the Israelites in certaine mountanous places ascribed their ouerthrow to the Gods of the mountaines who they sayd did fauour the Israelites Therefore they would fight with the Israelites in the vallies where they thought the God of Israel was not interessed vpon which cause God by his Prophet thus spake to the King of Israel Quia dixerunt Syri c. Because the Syrians sayd the Lord is God of the mountaines and not God of the vallies I will giue all this great multitude in thy hand and you shall know that I am the Lord. And thereupon both their armyes ioyning battel after the Israelites though but few in number killed in one day a hundred thousand footmen And there remained in a neere place twenty seauen thousand Syrians who flying into the citty were killed with the fall of the citty wals doubtlesly this was a manifest reuenge and punishment of the former blasphemy Nicanor being leader of the army of Demetrius the King intending to inuade the Iewes vpon

Ieroboam incensed frankinsence to the Idols a certaine Prophet thus exclaymed forth Altare Altare c. O Altar Altar thus ●●●th the lord behold a child shal be borne vnto the house of Dauid Iosias by name vpon thee shal ●e sacrifice the Priests of the high places that burnt ●●●●nse vpon thee and they shall burne bones vpon thee All which things were accomplished ●●ter as appeareth out of the fourth of the Kings c. 23. 〈◊〉 ●ome 3●● yeares after for as Iosephus wryteth in the tenth booke of his Antiquities c. ● so many yeares passed betwene that prediction and the accomplishment of ● In the 45. chapter of Isay the kingdome of Cyrus who was to be b●●ne some two hundred yeares after is prophesyed his name being expresly set downe as also his power warres victories spoyles riches and his beneficence towards the Iewes are in sinuated which very place of Scripture when the Iewes had shewed to Cyrus he wonderfully admyred the diuination of the Prophet and being incensed with the desire of performing such things as he had there read conferred great benefits vpon the Iewes as Iosephus recordeth in his eleuenth booke of Antiquities c. 1. I omit innumerable other prophesyes which are to be found of Isay In Daniel we fynd many stupendious predictions and interpretations of most difficult things In the second chapter wheras a certaine strange dreame was shewed to the King of the Chaldeans and the King forgetting the same Daniel distinctly opened the vision to him to wit that there appeared to the King in his sleepe a great terrible statua or Image whose head was made of gold his breast and armes of siluer his belly and thighes of brasse his legs of Iron ending in ●eet which were partly of clay and partly of iron Furthermore he told the King that he saw a stone cut out of a mountaine without hands and that it did strike the statua vpon the feete which being broken and shiuered asunder the statua fell downe and was turned into dust and that the sto●e ●●d increase into a great mountaine which filled the whole earth This being thus expressed Daniel further gau●●he interpretation thereof to wit that by the statua were figured foure Monarchies of the which the first was thē in being the other three should succeed one after other in their due reuolution of tymes For the head of gold did signify the Empyre of the Chaldeans which thē was most ample opulent and rich The breast of siluer designed the monarchy of the Persians and the Medes which succeeded the former consisting of two kingdomes as of two legs The belly and thighes of brasse did specify the monarchy of the Grecians the legs of Iron did prefigure the most powerfull monarcy of the Romanes diuided into the Empire of the East and the west The feete being made partly of clay and partly of Iron did signify the monarchy of the Romanes to be partly strong and partly weake The stone cut out of the mountaine without the help of handes did demonstrate Christ our Lord who without any endeauour of man was borne of the most holy pure and immaculate Virgin and proceeded from the prog●ny of Abraham who increased into a great mountaine in that his kingdome was to replenish possesse the whole earth who in the end of the world was to destroy all other kingdomes himselfe only possessing an eternall kingdome Now in shewing and interpreting of this dreame the power wisedome and prouidence of God so clearly shyned that the proud King prostrated himselfe vpon his face before Daniel his seruant and worshipped him and openly confessed the maiesty power of God The foresaid foure Monarchyes which were to succeed in order and the conditions states and proprieties of euery one of them were fore shewed to Daniel by another wonderful vision in the seauenth Chapter vnder the forme and shew of foure beasts then after was signifyed to him the kingdome of the Saints which after all the kingdomes of the world were extinguished should continue and florish eternally For thus doth the Angell interprete this vision vnto Daniel He quatuor be●●iae c. These foure great beasts are foure Kingdomes which shall arise ou of the earth and they shall take the kingdom of the Saints of the most highest and they shall possesse the kingdome for euer euen for euer and euer that is for all eternity And now seing we haue obserued by experience all those things to be accomplished concerning the foure Monarchyes which were shewed to Daniel in the former vision we therefore ought to assure our selues and not to fluctuate in any vncertainty of beliefe but such things as there were prophesyed to him of the kingdome of the Saints shal also be fulfilled in their due tyme. Againe in the eight Chapter as yet the monarchy of the Chaldeans florishing that other monarchyes should succed to the former was also foreshewed to the said Daniel to wit the monarchy of the Medes and Persiās vnder the forme of a R●m with two hornes the monarchy of the Grecians also of a g●a● with one horne as also was foreshewed the manner how the first Monarch was to be destroyed by this other and that this after the first king thereof should be deuided among foure kings out of the posterity of which kings one shall come to wit Antiochus Epiphanes who from a small state becoming great shall after persecute and afflict the Iewes shall profane the sanctuary shal take away the daily sacrifice and shall force al vnto Idolatry for the space of 23000. dayes which is for six yeares three moneths and twenty dayes who in the end without any machination or endeauour of Man shall euen by Gods reuenge only be extinguished All which particulers to be fulfilled in the persecutiō of Antiochus is euidēt euen out of the bookes of the Machabees at least 400 and eight yeares after this prediction of Daniel as Iosephus Antiquit. c. 11. relateth who in his ●● booke c. 8. further sheweth that this prophecy of Daniel touching the King of the Grecians ouerthrowing the Empire of the Persians was related by the Prophets to Alexander then be●●g in Ierusalem and that Alexander reioyced much therat as interpreting this was to be performed by himselfe to wit that he was that Grecian King as indeed he was who should arryue to the Empyre of the Persians In the eleuenth chapter of Daniel many things are in like sort prophesyed first the progresse and good successe of the Persian Empire Secondly the expedition of Xe●xe● against the Grecians Thirdly that the empyre of Alexander the great should succed the Persian empyre fourthly the diuision of the Grecian Empyre into foure kingdomes Fiftly that most bloudly warres should fal out betwene two successours of Alexander to wit betwene the kings of Syria and Egipt during which violent conflict I●●●a as being seated betwene them both should be most miserably afflicted Moreouer in the foresaid chapter are foreshewed the

and the other two only left to the sonne of Salomon with which point Salomon in his life tyme was threatned certainly The prouidence of God appeared wōderfully in the execution of this diuision as is to be seene in the third book of the Kings cap. 11. and 12. 5. Ieroboam aduanced from a meane estate to the Kingdome was mainly bent to fortify settle himselfe by al meanes whatsoeuer he fearing then that if the People went yearely to Ierusalem to sacrifice in the Temple of the Lord that his Kingdome might be lost the people turning thēselues to Roboam King of Iuda therefore for the better preuention hereof he caused two golden calues to be erected vp as Gods and diuulged an Edict whereby the people were commanded not to go to Ierusalem but to sacrifice to those two Idols This proceeding might perhaps seeme much conducing to the preseruation of his politicke state and yet in a mature consideration of the matter nothing could be inuented more sorting fitting to the vtter subuersion thereof for it is said in the third of the Kings cap. 13. For this cause the house of Ieroboam is ouerthrowne and blotted out of the roundnes of the earth He raigned 22. yeares not without great troubles and molestations who being dead his sonne Nadab succeeded but he scarce gouerned two yeares being depriued both of his life and Kingdome by his seruant Baasa who instantly so extinguished the race and family of Ieroboam as that there was not left one thereof And this very thing was threatned to him by the Prophet But such for the most part are the Counsels and proiects of polititians of whome this Ieroboam may serue for an example who make religion to be subiect and seruiceable to policy who imbrace that profession of faith which best sorteth eyther to the obtayning or keeping or encreasing of their States and other such humane respects for although their subtle machinations and plots seeme at the first to be specious fayre and conuenient yet in processe of tyme they commonly inuolue and intangle the Actours with great difficulties such as in the end do occasion their destruction all which proceedeth from the disposall of the diuine Prouidence which euer hath a predominancy and ouerruling ouer mens actions and determinations 6. After the death of Ieroboam and his sonne the Empyre of the Israelites was houlden by Baasa whose indiscretion and madnes was wonderfull for though he knew that Ieroboam with his whole family was vtterly extinct for committing of Idolatry notwithstanding himselfe did not forsake it wherefore the like finall destruction was denounced against him by the Prophet Ie●u the execution whereof was not long delayed For when he had raigned two twenty yeares as Ieroboam did that his sonne Ela succeeded him euen in the secōd yeare of Ela one of his Captaines by name Zamri did ryse vp against him who being killed Zamri inuaded the kingdome and presently by death did extirpate all the family of Baasa Some few yeares after the same fortune happened to King Achab and to his impious wife Iesabel for Achab himselfe after he had tasted of many calamities was slaine in warre against the Syrians and after his death Iehu appointed by God captaine or leader of the warre killed Ochozias the sonne of Achab and successour of the Kingdome as also all his progeny and caused Iesabel the Queen to be cast frō a height headlong downe to be deuoured of dogs Al which miseries God by his Prophets did foretell to fall vnto them by reason of their idolatry and their other sinnes 8. At the length seeing the Kings of Israel and the people would neuer cease from sinning and particulerly from worshipping of Idols notwithstanding so many comminations and threats so many admonitions and increpations and so many chastisements inflicted by God for this their offence they were in the end depriued of their Kingdome Citties houses grounds possessions and liberty themselues being carryed away into Assyria to liue in perpetuall bondage and slauery Iust after this manner the prouidence of God carryed itselfe towardes the Kinges of Iuda and that people for as often as they yielded to the committing of Idolatry they were worne out with diuers warres and calamities till they became penitēt of their former sinnes but when they worshipped God truly and religiously then they enioyed great prosperity and were honoured with many victoryes as also flowed in all opulency and wealth as it falled out in Abia Asa Iosaphaet and Ezechias For against Abia King of Iuda Ieroboam came with fourescore thousand men but Abia finding himselfe much inferiour in forces put his sole confidence in his prayers to God beseeching his help and ayde whereupon God sending a terrour into the army of Ieroboam forced it to flight the which Abia following killed fifty thousand of his men and tooke many of his citties But Asa had a farre more famous victory for Zara the Ethiopian with a huge army consisting often hundred thousand armed men made warre vpon Asa who though farre inferiour in force yet putting his trust in our Lord met him in the field and vpon his humble prayers made to him the Ethiopians were suddenly affrighted and dismayed and thereupon began to fly but Asa following them killed most of the army and returned enriched with in finite spoiles of the enemy Neither was lesse wonderfull that victory of Iosaphat who only with his prayers vertue and assured hope of Gods assistance without any weapons at all ouercame a mighty army which was gathered of three very populous nations to wit the Ammonites Moabites and the Idumeans For his small forces being drawne out against the enemy he commanded his Quiristers who did sing diuine seruice laudes to go before his souldiers singing at which sight the Enemies were by Gods speciall prouidence possessed with such a fury as that they killed one another leauing a great valew of spoyles to the Iewes To the former may worthily be adioined the victory of Ezechias who as being brought to great extremities by the Assyrians made his recourse to God by prayer who hearing him sent an Angell to assist him who in one night killed one hundred sourscore and fiue thousand Assiryans I omit the captiuity of Babilon the history of Esther the history of Iudith the history of ●obias the warres of the Machabees the besieging of the Romans and the vtter ouerthrow of the Iewes in all which the prouidence of God hath wonderfully appeared It were an infinite labour to set downe all those examples in which the Diuine Prouidence hath helped succoured and extolled the godly and vertuous and on the other side hath depressed humbled chastised punished the impious and wicked For indeed the chiefest subiect of the holy Scripture is this seeing all their narrations doe tend to this end to wit to instruct men that prosperity and aduersity do depend of the prouidence of God and that both these

the Sabaoth was admonished that in honour and reuerence to God who seeth all things he shoud forbeare that sacred day to the which aduise he thus answered Estne potens quispiam in caelo c. Is there a Lord in heauen that commandeth the Saboth day to be kept to whom when it was answered Est dominus viuus c. There is a liuing Lord which ruleth in heauen who commanded the seauenth day to be kept he replyed Et ego potens c. And I am mighty vpon earth to command them for to arme themselues and to performe the Kings busines Vpon which occasion the day of warre being begun though Nicanor had a most powerfull army furnished with all kind of munition and armour yet was he ouerthrowne by very few with the losse of thirty fiue thousand men His blasphemous tongue likewise was cut of and by small peeces cast vnto birds and his hands which he lifted vp against the Tēple were set vp in an opposite place to the Temple In the 24. of Leuiticus the Lord commanded that the sonne of an Israelite woman who had blasphemed against God should be stoned to death and euen in that place this law of stoning is established and two seueral tymes repeated in these words Qui blasphemauerit c. He that blasphemeth the name of the Lord shall bee put to death al the congregation shall stone him to death aswell the stranger as he that is borne in the land VVhen he blasphemeth the name of the Lord let him be slaine Certainly this repetition doth intimate insinuate the firme and resolute will and mind of the law giuer herein All what tyme Achior cōmended the power of the God of heauen and auerred that the Iewes were secure and safe in that they worshiphed God religiously at which words Holofernes in great indignation thus answered Quoniam prophetasti c. Because thou hast prophecyed among vs to day that the people of Israel is defended by their God I will shew thee that there is no other God but Nabuchodonosor c. For which blasphemy pa●●d deare for his owne head was cut of by the hand of a woman and his army being driuen to flight a great part therof was put to the sword by the Iewes Antiochus for his pryde and blasphemy was stroken from God with an inuisible and incurable disease for first suddenly a violent payne of his bowels inuaded him and then quickly after he fell out of his charriot wounding himselfe dāgerously lastly his body putrifying with a filthy consumption and breathing out a most loathsome smell was consumed aliue with wormes The Philistians were oppressed with most heauy afflictions from God in that they handled the Arke of the Lord vnworthily and except they had sent it backe againe within a short tyme perhaps they all had then perished but within seauen moneths they restored it with honour and reuerence vpon which their so doing the plague afore among them instantly ceased When the Bethsamites behoulded the Arke of the Lord curiously with smal reuerence contrary to the diuine precept in that behalfe expressed in the fourth booke of Numbers there were slaine of the chiefest among them seauenty men and of the common multitude fifty thousand thus did the Diuine Prouidence of God punish with death that curious and irreligious sight of theirs Balthazar King of the Chaldeans when he commāded the holy vessels to be brought to him which were taken out of the temple of the Lord at Ierusalem and did drinke in them with his noble men and his Concubines for such his prophaning of thē did presently feele Gods iust reuenge for in the middest of the banquet and iollity with his guests it is said apparuerunt digiti c. There appeared fingers of a mans hand which wrote ouer against the candlesticke vpon the plaister of the wall of the Kings pallace And this appeared in the sight of all men and with great consternation of mind and feare to the King himselfe The words there writtē were these three Mans Thecel Phares Of which words according to the interpretation of Daniel this was the meaning Mane that is God hath numbred thy Kingdome and hath finished it Thecel thou art weighed in the ballance art found too light Phares thy Kingdome is diuided and giuen to the Medes and Persians To conclude that very night the Citty was taken and the King with infinite multitude of men with the greatest part of his nobility was ●laine Now three obseruations we collect from this one fact first that there is a certaine period of tyme giuen by God to all Kingdomes the which being once expired the Kingdomes are changed and the Souerainty of them transferred to others Secondly that the workes of euery Prince and King are to be expended and weighed and that for the most part the tyme of their gouerment is appointed by God Thirdly that the beginning of principalities and Kingdomes their destructions their continuance and translations are disposed by the Prouidence of the Almighty 3. When Heliodorus endeauoured to rob the sacred Treasury by prophaning the sanctuary of the temple the Iewes praying deuoutly to God for the preuenting hereof he was not only restrained by God of his purpose but was greatly punished with stripes for such his sacrilegious attempt and his souldiers which he brought with him to that end were possessed with a great feare and dismayednes For there appeared vnto him a horseman of a terrible aspect and rich in apparell whose horse comming violently vpon Heliodorus with his former feet did greatly hurt him then there were seene two yong men of excellēt strength and beauty who on each side inuading Heliodorus did so whip him as that he dispayred of his life But sacrifice being offered vp for his recouery he was presently cured And thus much of these examples which are taken out of the holy Scriptures for if we should insist in all other examples of this subiect which do occurre in prophane Histories and other Ecclesiasticall wryters we should find almost infinite of them for there is no Nation no Prouince no citty no village where blasphemyes sacriledges and periuries haue not very often beene most dreadfully punished by Gods owne hand In so much that the very terrour and feare of his chastisements heere in hath beene sufficient to deterre many men from the perpetrating of so heinous sinnes It may perhaps seeme strange to some that we do often read those who were contemners not only of one true and supreme diuine power but also euen of false Gods to haue been punished most strangely Answerably hereto we find that the souldiers of Zerxes who through hope of spoyle entred into the temple of the Cabiri in Thebes wherein Ceres was worshipped became al presently madd some of them casting thēselues into the sea others of them hurling themselues precipitately downe from the top of high rocks as Pausanias in his Beotici● relateth

that euen in this respect that if an Intelligence by its owne peculiar force knoweth one thing to come●● kn●weth all things Therfore this prenotion and fortelling of ●uture things is an euident signe of a Diuinity and for that cause this kynd of prediction is called Diuination as if to tell what euents are to happen were a proper signe of a Diuinity or deity and therefore vpon this ground the Gods of the Gentils are refuted by Isay in that they had not the ability to fore tell future euēts for thus he saith Annunciate quae vētura sunt c. Shew the things that are ●come hereafter that we may know that you are Gods That there is a prenotion of future things is clearly proued from innumerable predictions which from their euents are found to be most true for prediction or foretelling euer presupposeth prenotion and foreknowledge This prenotion the Prophets had not from themselues and from their owne industry or perspicacity and clearnes of iudgment since prenotion far transcendeth mans capacity but they receaued it from some superiour power which hath it by its owne vertue from it selfe and not from another Now many of these predictions are 〈◊〉 in the holy Scripture out of the which I will alledge some which to haue bene accomplished is most euident First the● Genesis 3. it is foretold that the seed mea●ing the of springe of the woman should c●ush the head of the Serpent that is shall ouerthrow the power domination and rule of the Diuell which 〈◊〉 is accomplished partly already by Christ abolishing in most places the worship of Diuels wherin the world afore did lye plunged and partly ●esteth to be further 〈◊〉 by Christ at the day of iudgment w●●● the power and sway of the Diuell the 〈◊〉 vtterly extinguished In Genes 〈…〉 18. and 22 it is prophesyed that a ●hold shal be borne to ●bra●●m by the benifit of whom all nations shall obtaine benedictiō and solicity which is euidently performed in Christ throgn whom the world is withdrawne from idolatry and pernicious errours to the worship knowledge of the true God and shall by him obtayne the hope of eternall saluation Againe in the 40 chapter of the said booke there is a wōd 〈…〉 prediction of Ioseph which was to be 〈◊〉 within three dayes as also in interpretation of certaine most obscure dreames touching three stocks of a vyne and three baskets and c. 41. an exposition of Pharoes dreame touching the twyce seauen beasts twice seauen ears of corne Where we are to consider how expedite●y and with what cōfidence are expounded all the particulers of the according to their euents Now those d●●ame● being pre●ages and ●ignes of things to co●ne cannot proceed but only from a diuine Power from whose prouidence all 〈◊〉 matters 〈…〉 disposall neither can the 〈◊〉 construction of them 〈…〉 but only by reuela●ion of 〈◊〉 diuyne Power Againe c. 49. Iacob the Patriarch 〈…〉 before his death did prophesy to euery 〈…〉 of his sonnes what should happen to them posterity especially so far forth as con●erned their ofspring their riches and the diuision of the land of Promise which all particulers were after a long deuolutiō of Yeares fulfilled as appeareth out of the sacred Scripture But among other things that is very memorable and notorious which is there said Non au●e●e●ur sceptrum de ●uda c. The scepter shall not depart from Iuda nor a Lawgiuer from betweene his seete till he come who is to be sent and he shal be the expectation of the Gentils In which words three things are fore●ould First that regall principality shal be in the tribe of Iuda which was accōplished when it was translated vpon Dauid in whose family and race it continued 520. yeares Secondly that this Soueraingty should continue in the 〈…〉 till the 〈◊〉 of Christ 〈…〉 was also accomplished 〈…〉 that tribe 〈…〉 vpon Herod Ascalonites who was ●o ●●w in the tyme of whose Reigne Christ was borne Thirdly that Christ was to be reiected by the Iewes receaued by the Gentils who for that respect is there called Expectatio gentium the expectation of the Gentils In the 24. of the booke of Numbers Balaam being possessed with a diuyne fury foretelleth many things and among the rest these three First that the King at Israel was to be taken away by reason of agag King of Amalec where we s●e that the name of that King is expressed who was to be borne some fo●re ages after and for whose cause Saul was to be depriued of his kingdome which is fulfilled in the first booke of the Kings c. 15. Secondly that a King should rise out of Israel who like a glorious star was to enlighten the 〈◊〉 world and to haue dominion ouer all men which was performed in Christ. Thirdly that the Romanes were to come 〈◊〉 their gallies and should ouercome the Iewes ●●d t●is was effected vnder Titus Vespasian more then a thousand eares after the 〈◊〉 prediction In the 18. of Deuteronomy Moyses prophesyeth that ●●od would ●aise out of the Iewes a Prophet l●●● to himselfe whom all ought to heare such ●s would not were to be seuerely punished by God where in expresse words he prophesyet● of the comming of Christ and doth intimate his function the incredulity of the Iewes their ouerthrow Now Christ was like to Moyses as the body is to the shadow the 〈…〉 to the figure and the Exemplar of Samp●e to the image in that Morses was a typ● and figure of Christ ●●● Moyses 〈…〉 people from the seruitude of 〈◊〉 Christ the world from the 〈…〉 Moyses brought 〈…〉 the Egiptians being the●e drowned Christ saued his Belieuers through 〈◊〉 which deriueth al its vertue frō the 〈◊〉 of Christ with the submersion and drowning of all their sinnes Moyses gaue to them the old law Christ giueth to the world the new and Euangelicall law Moyses ●ed the people in the desert with Manna from heauen and gaue them to drinke of the rock Christ feedeth his seruants in the Church with his owne celestiall body and bloud for he is the bread that descended from heauen and the hidden Manna he is the Rock of eternall saluation which giueth drinke The people by the endeauour of Moyses ouercame their enemyes comming at the length to the 〈◊〉 of Promise ●ee by the mediatiō of Christ vanquish our soules aduersaries are brought to heauen Thus by reason of these and other such comparisons Christ is called a Prophet like vnto Moyses In the 28. 29. 30. 31. and 32. of Deuteronomy the Idolatry of the Iewes their sins and diuers calamityes which were to fall vpon them for the same cause are prophe●●●d and in the 33. of Deuteronomy Moyses ●●●●telleth the particuler lot to euery try be and diuers euents which Iacob had not expressed in his benediction In like ●ort that Prediction which is related in the th●●● booke of the Kings ● ●● is most wonderfull where when

rest at whose command all the others do moue or rest quyet Now then by force of this reasō there ought much more to be the like order among spirits so as all are in regard of soueraignty ouer them to be reduced to one supreme spirit for by how much any thing is more excellent by so much it ought to enioy a more perfect order in the world but spirits are far more worthy in nature then corporall things therefore among thē there ought to be the perfectest order to wit of subiection and domination For it were most absurd to grant an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and confusion in the noblest ranke of Creatures seeing we fynd the lowest and most inferiour degree of things to be so orderly disposed and distributed This poynt is further confirmed from the most dangerous and imminent inconueniences accompanying the contrary doctrine for if among spirits there were no order that the rest should not be subiect vnto one at the command wherof the power of them were to be restrained then might euery one of them trouble and afflict the world at its owne pleasure might take away mens goods burne and destroy all things might infest mens bodyes with griefes diseases death to be briefe might destroy and ouerthrow all mankynd neither could any redresse be found to the contrary seing there were no supreme spirit to the which this other did stand subiect and so the world could not in any sort long consist For how prone wicked spirits are to hurt and afflict men appeareth both frō the history of Iob all whose substance the Diuell destroyed killed his sonnes and daughters infected his body with most grieuous vlcers as also frō the innumerable sacrifices of the heathens in the which the malignant spirits commāded that mens bodyes should be sacrificed vnto thē still making choyce of that which was most deare to the sacrificer as his sonne his daughter or one who was in great estimation in the Common wealth finally frō the warres and tumults to the which the Diuels vnder the shew of diuyne and celestiall powers haue stirred men Now if they are thus cruell and merciles towards men God but giuing them in some sort the bridle for the offences of men what would they not do with what calamities would they not afflict men and what honours worships would they not extort at our hands if they were at their owne power and liberty receauing from no superiour spirit any restraint or inhibition Yea amōg themselues warres emulations dissētiōs would grow if there were not one that could impose a command ouer them For as among Princes who acknowledge no superiour oftētimes wars are stirred vp with the which the world is miserably afflicted because there is none to whose souerainty they stand subiect and who is of power to compose the rising controuersies among them Euen so among spirits there would grow repinings contentions wars with the which the world would be vtterly extinguished if they stood not in subiection to some one supreme power for euery one of them would seeke to aduance himselfe and labour to draw all things to his owne pleasure and desire wherfore Homer most truly did leaue it registred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is It is not good that there be many Princes in one kingdome let one Prince one King be And answerably hereto Aristotle as borrowing it out of Homer thus writeth in the twelth booke of his Metaphisickes c. vlt. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Things in nature do not couet to be gouerned in an euill sort and manner To conclude seeing there are many spirits as is shewed aboue I would here demand from whence this multitude had its begining Or who brought thē into the world They proceed not from bodies in that they are of a more excellent and eminent nature then bodyes are as also in that bodyes do bring forth only bodies Neither is one of them ingendred of another as we see liuing creatures are propagated seeing this kind of generation is peculiar to things which are subiect to corruptiō to wit that by this meanes the species kinds of things may be perpetuated whiles the nature being extinct in the parent is conserued in the issue Neither can it be said that euery one of these spirits haue their being from themselues so as they depend of no other cause granting that any thing receaueth its existence and being from it selfe it is far more probable that this so taking it existēce should be but one not many For it is much more fitting that there should be one certaine Nature independent of any in the which the whole fulnes of beeing resteth eminenter and vnitedly from which one nature the beeing of all things is deriued according to the degree of euery such thing thē to maintaine that there are many Natures which depend not of one supreme nature For where there is a multitude of seuerall species or Indiuidua and particuler things there is also a limitation and imperfection seeing those many things are altogither distinct and seuerall neither do one comprehend the perfection and vertue of another And hence it ryseth that none of those is for it selfe but for another and all together conspyre and meet in one and are as it were parts of one entyre whole which riseth out of them Thus do many bodies make the world many men a Common wealth many spirits one kingdome or cōmon wealth of spirits but what is of it self ought to be altogether perfect and sufficiēt to it selfe needing not the support help of any other thing And what may be the reason thereof Euen this that what is of it selfe is also for it selfe according to that Quod caret principio effectiué caret etiam fine What wanteth an efficient cause wanteth also a finall cause and therefore it selfe becomes the end to it selfe not seeking out of it selfe any ayde light truth ioy or beatitude but hauing all these things in it selfe and from it selfe Therefore that which is of it selfe and independent of another must needes be but one not many to wit a primordiall or illimitable essence sufficient by it selfe being the fountaine of euery thing and of each limitable nature We may ad hereto that to grant a being of many spirits independent of any is to introduce a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or confused company of Gods and many first beginnings as blynd Gentility was accustomed to do assigning proper and peculiar Gods to euery particuler busines affaires of man who should be the authours directours and vpon whome that kind of particuler negotiation should be peculiarly incumbēt So they made Venus the goddesse of loue and lust Diana of hunting Ceres of fruyte Mercury of negotiation Esculapius of curing diseases Mars of warre Pallas of wisedome Apollo and the Muses of Poetry Fortune of casuall euents and the like in diuers other things but all this with a strāge blindnes of iudgment as if one