called high for its fruitfulnesse and the excellency of goodnesse by which it was advanced above other Lands The Land of Canaan was likewise call'd The Land of Promise because God by a peculiar Covenant promis'd it to the Fathers of the Jews It is written Gen. 12. That God appeard unto Abraham when he came into the Land of Canaan to which he led them by the hand and said to him To thy seed will I give all this Land And in the 15 Chapter In that day the Lord made a Covenant with Abraham saying I 'll give this Land to thy seed This promise was confirm'd to Isaac the son of Abraham 26. Gen. in these words Abide saies the Lord in the Land which I shall name to thee That Land was Canaan For to thee and to thy seed will I give all these Lands fulfilling my Oath which I sware to thy Father Thirdly this was likewise confirm'd in Jacob the son of Isaac The Land wherein thou sleepest sayes the Lord I will give to thee and to thy seed Hence that 104. Psal Remember for ever the Covenant of his speech which he ordain'd for a thousand generations which he promis'd to Abraham and his Oath unto Isaac which he appointed Jacob for ever and Israel for an everlasting Covenant saying to thee will I give the Land of Canaan the lot of thy inheritance God declar'd this Oath himself more openly Exod. 4. I have made a Covenant with the Israelites that I should give them the earth over which I lifted up my hand that I might give it to Abraham Isaac and Jacob Psalm 104. Canaan is call'd The lot of Israels inheritance According to which signification the people blessed God Psal 16. Because their lot had faln in a fair ground That Land of Promise Oath or Covenant which commonly and improperly is call'd Canaan because Canaan was only a regîon or a Province of it I say that Land God describes to Abraham in the 15 of Genesis I will give thee this land from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates And of this God spake to Jacob in the Vision of the Ladder Thou shalt be stretch'd out in it from the East to the West from the South to the North. These degrees are mark'd out in length and bredth Exod. 23. By these words I will put thy bounds from the Red sea to the sea of Palestin from the desert to the River To which adde that of the 89 Psalm Understand also by this red Sea not of the Gulf of Arabia but all that length of the Ocean which is saild about from the Gulf of Arabia to the Gulf of Persia which is either the red or Erythraean sea or more properly the Idumaean from Esau or Edom whose posterity inhabited the borders of that Sea which in the Hebrew is Edom in the Greek Erythraean in the Latin Red from whom this Sea took its name not from the colour but deriv'd from the first Prince Adde likewise Psalm 89. I will put his right hand in the Rivers Understand those rivers Nilus and Euphrates according to Genesis before-cited Chap. 15. I will give thee this Land from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates Nilus by excellency is the River of Egypt For although in the borders of Egypt and the Holy land there is found a little stream which is called The River of Egypt and the River of Nile Yet understand the Nile it self that the borders of the Holy Land may be fair and large from a very great river to a great river from Nilus to Euphrates And take Nilus here not as it divides Africk but the mouth of the Sea of Alexandria into which Nilus flows This mouth of the Sea of Alexandria is call'd Nile because this Sea is said to be changed into Nile and to receive the colour and taste of Nile it self where the Sea here with seven mouths disgorges it self into the Sea so Lucan in the end of his first book Where by the famous Nile the sea is changed The desert is stretched from the border of the sea of Alexandria continued along by the border of the gulf of Arabia which by a name largely taken the Hebrews call the flood of Egypt where it disgorges it self into the Red Sea and that is it which is meant in Exod. 23. I will put the bounds from the desart to the River That is to say from the Border of the Sea of Alexandria which is Nile and the Border of the gulf of Arabia to Euphrates which is here simply called the River These bounds then were appointed to the Holy Land the Red Sea which is the Ocean the Sea of Palestine which is the Mediterranean on one hand Nilus and Euphrates on the other And here really was that fenced Garden of the Jews nor could there be one better fenced then one environed with two Seas and two great Rivers That you may not onely imagine but see plainly this description I will here insert the Map of it First you must take notice That as the Jews were not chosen according to their own desert being made of that common clay but of the meer grace of God So the Land of the Jews was good and chosen not of its own nature but of the pleasure of God who blessed and chose it which Moses tells us in Deuteronomy 11. That Land sayes he is not like the Land of Egypt where after the seed is sown they dig rivers to water it but it is of hills and fields expecting rain from heaven to water it which thy God visits alwayes and his eyes are upon it from the beginning of the yeer to the end of it Therefore that ground was fertile not of its own nature and disposition as the Land of Egypt which is accounted of all Nations the fertillest upon Earth but because God had blest it because he gave it rain in his own time and opened to it his good treasure as it is Deut. 29. and Chapter 33. because the heaven mizled with rain upon it and that I may end in a word because God descended most upon it God provided that elect earth for the elected Jews Ezech. 20. That Israel might dwel in it alone and without fear Deut. 33. That is undefiled with admiration of Nations which ascribe to that chief right of election what we handled in the former Chapter in which God set aside the Jews for a peculiar people and Nation out of all the peoples and Nations of the earth whom being chosen for his portion and the lot of his Inheritance he likewise placed in a choice Land that they might inhabite it alone without fear TERRAE SANCTAE DELINEATIO CHAP. IV. Jerusalem the holy City of the holy Land the Temple placed in Jerusalem on the forked hill of Sion Eternal hills The City of David The City of the great King Of the Kings of the Jews JErusalem which was chief of the Cities of the Holy Land in greatness and
election advanced its Head above the rest was called the Princess of the Provinces in the first of the Lamentations of Jeremiah which God had peculiarly chosen out of all the Provinces and Cities of Israel it was called Jebus which is a treading under foot when it was numbred among the Cities of the Nations but being chosen and made a City of the Jews it was called by God Jerusalem that is The sight of peace Baruc. 5. Her foundations are in the holy mountains and glorious things are spoken of her Psalm 87. For that called the faithful City a City holy and elected and adorned with other great Titles well known in holy Writ The Temple placed in it was adorned with an Elogy of most choice holiness I have chosen and sanctified that place that my name may be there for ever and my eyes and my heart continue there alwayes 2 Chron. 7. That Temple was built upon the Mount of Sion God laid the foundation of the mount Sion for everlasting Psal 48. Hence those eternal Hills Deut. 33. as also Genesis 49. which are probably those two on the forked Hill of Sion upon the which the Temple of the Lord was built as likewise the City of David or of the King for which cause Jerusalem is said to be built upon the holy Hills Psal 87. now cited It was called The Temple of the Lord the rest of the Lord and his foot-stool the place of the Throne of God the place of his footsteps where he dwells in the midst of the sons of Israel Ezech. 43. for which cause the Hill of Sion is called the City of God because God dwelt in it God is great and very highly to be praised in his City in his holy hill This God is our God for ever Psalm 48. Our God is onely excellent in Sion cries out Isaias in the ravishment of his Spirit Chap. 3. onely that is cheifly by excellency and beyond all others excellent In which sence that Hill is likewise called a fat mountain and curdled Psalm 68. For all the rest of the Land of Canaan and Jerusalem flowed with the milk of election and sanctity of the Lord but the Hill of Sion was the cream of that milk that milk thickned and curdled a fat cheese pressed out of the milk of the election and sanctity of the Lord but that City was likewise called The city of the solemnity of the Jews Isay 33. Because all the Jews met there to pay their Vows and Sacrifices to God as also for their solemn joy and festivals according to the command of the Lord Deut. 12. In Sion you shall be joyful before your God you and your families in all wherein the Lord shall bless you there you shall feast before the Lord your God you your sons and daughters and your Levites there shall be the rest of the Lord and your rest The Temple and Jerusalem are for the most part joyned 2 Kingâ— 12. In this Temple and in Jerusalem will I put my name for ever And in Joel In the hil of Sion in Jerusalem there shall be salvation he that calls upon the Lord there shall be sâ—ved We must hear the Prayer of Solomon wherein he attests God in the behalf of Jerusalem and the Temple Kings 1. Chap. 8. Wheresoever said he thou shalt send thy People they shall pray to thee toward the City which thou hast chosen and towards that house which I have built to thy Name and thou shalt hear their prayer in heaven More I will say of the holy and chosen Land of Jerusalem and of the Temple of God when I shall speak of the return of the Jews which shall be their full Election In the top of the hill of Sion stood the Palace of the King which was called The City of David and which the Lord himself call'd the City of the great King Of this David and of this great King we shall afterwards have a great discourse In the mean time we must speak something of the Kings of the Jews who sat upon the high Throne of the City of David of whom this was the original We said before that the Lord God was King of the Jews A God to help them with heavenly assistance A King to stand for them in the battel to advance the shield draw the sword and put to flight the â—nemies of the Jews But because when the Jews began to be very stiff-necked it often came to passe that God turn'd from them and going from home as the Gospel speaks conâ—inued long absent then the Jews wthout a King and a Defender were open to the incursions of their enemies who spoyl'd them and most cruelly did destroy them utterly They fearing lest this might again befall them when Samuel their Judge was deed as also his Sons not walking in his ways requested a King who might judge them according to the manner of other Nations who might go out before them and fight their battels for them Which troubled Samuel Nor did the Lord slight the Petition of the Jews Hearken to them in all that they say to thee for they have not rejected thee but me Sam. 1. Chap. 8. Which open thus I was saith the Lord God and King of the Jews by Covenant And I appointed thee O Samuel by that Kingly power which I had over the Jews and thy sons to be their Judges Therefore having rejected thee and thy sons from being Judges they have not rejected thee but me who appointed thee And in that wherein they trespasse against thee they more hainously and grievously trespassed against me For in this they plainly discover'd their thoughts how little confidence they have in me and how weakly their hopes are fix'd upon me But because they are so unbeleeving and hardned in the foolishnesse of their hearts Harken to them and set a King over them Yet truly God had promis'd before in the desert that he would set a King over the Jews Deut. 17. Yea God had promis'd the Jews Kings at what time he blessed Abraham and the Jews in Abraham Kings shall come out of thee And Jacob prophâ—cying and in his sons blessing all the Jews The Scepter shall not depart from Juda. CHAP. V. The Gentiles elected in the Jews by a mystical â—lectâ—on Esteem'd the sons of God because elected in the Jews And grafted in the Jews AFter we have spoken of the election of the Jews it is fit that in order we should speak of the election of the Gentiles which sprang from the Jews as our Lord Jesus Christ himself most openly expresses to the Samaritan Woman in the fourth Chapter of the Gospel according to St. John Salvation is by the Jews But that which God the Son told this Gentile woman God the Father long before promis'd the Fathers of the Jews first to Abraham Genesis Chapter 12. All the kinreds of the earth shall be blessed in thee Then in the following Chapter That all the Nations of the earth should be
likewise call the Jews the sons of Adam since they are also called the sons of Jacob the sons of Isaac the sons of Abraham I say for the same reason as Adam was the Father of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. The Jews by name are call'd the sons of Adam Psalm 58. If you truly speak justice and judge rightly ye sons of Adam for ye work wickednesse in your heart and your hands work injustice upon the earth The Kingly Prophet in this place reproves the Jews whom according to the Hebrew text he calls the sons of Adam because professing justice with their mouths they judg'd wickednesse and in their heart and affections wrought the wickednesse of the Gentiles Which reproach you shall often find cast upon the Jews Such is that of Isay 49. This people draw nigh to me with their lip but their heart is far from me and they have worship'd me according to the command of men and doctrine that is they have worship'd me according to the order commands and doctrine of the Gentiles The second reproach cast upon the the Jews in this Psalm is That their hands wrought wickednesse upon earth Which earth is to be understood that choice holy earth and Land of the Saints that is of the Jews Isa 26. It was a great crime in the Jews that they had wrought injustice but a greater crime that they had wrought it in the land of the Lord which was elect and holy which to fill with iniquity as Ezekiel 8 Chap. speaks was to provoke the Lord. Hence that laid upon the Church of the Iews Thou hast polluted the land with thy fornications and wickednesse which in another place he call'd to defile the earth Here the Iews are understood by the sons of Adam who spake justice with their mouthes but judg'd wickedly and wrought iniquities in their heart and fram'd injustice in the Land holy and elect which is as much to the Iews as to live like Gentiles And David to deterre the sons of Adam the Iews from such deeds of the Gentiles shows them what the Gentiles were and what punishment they were to expect for their wickednesse in the same Psalm and in the next words They erre say they being sinners from the womb they are sinners from their from their nativity they have spoken false things which read thus in that place That he meant they were sinners from the womb in the same sense as St. Paul speaks of the Gentiles Ephesians 2. Sons of wrath by nature for by nature is the same as from the womb It is added they have spoken lies which could be only ascribed to the Gentiles For the â—ons of Adam that is the Iews are here sâ—eaking justice and truly If you truly speak justice ye sons of Adam Yea truth was granted to the Iews according to that of Micah Chap. 20. Thou shalt give truth unto Jacob. That truth was the law and justice of God For which cause the Iews who had the Law of God were called a just Nation and observing truth On the contrary understand the Gentiles by those who spake lies according to that of the 5 Psal In the mouth of the Gentiles there is no truth And again Ye sons of men why wander ye in vanity and follow after lies And in the 62 Psalm The sons of men are vain and light in the ballance Vain and Lyars are joyn'd together And when St. Paul writes in the first of the Romans That all the creation is subject to vanity Understand the first creation which of it self is vain flying and like a first dream Wherefore Nature her self being bad made those of the first creation lyers and wicked Therefore the Iews who truly speak justice are the sons of Adam The sinners the Gentiles who spake lyes CHAP. XI The Jews are called by Moses the sons of Adam The 32. Chap. of Deut. is explained And Isaiah and Hoseas of Adam the first Father of the Jews The Gentiles called strangers the Jews a kinde of men distinct in species from the Gentiles The Gentiles earth-born The Psalm 49. is explained Abraham had servants born in his house and also bought who were not of his stock that is of Adam Who are the sons of men who is the son of man The difference 'twixt the brethren of the Jews and other strangers THere is a remarkableâ— place Deuteron 23. which is the song of Moses in which the Jews are prophetically restored into their Land and are separated from all the People and Nations but the people and the Gentiles separated from the Jews And whom the Jews being in the midst of them shall sometime separate are placed on this side and that side bordering upon the Jews where Moses sayes The most high divided the Nations when he separated the sons of Adam he appointed their bounds according to the number of Israel or which is the same according to the twelve Tribes of the Jews which is the number of the sons of Israel And in the 54 Chap. Behold a stranger shall come who was not with me and he who was a stranger to thee shal be joyned to thee The Gentiles shall adhere and be joyned to the Jews shall be neer to the Jews and neer to the borders of the Jews but shall not be mixed with them which observe for that was openly decreed and promised Deut. 33. Israel shall dwell with security and alone that is undefiled with the mixture of the Nations which is not yet but that it shall be we shall show in its due place Moses gave this reason of the separation of the Jews from the Gentiles in the same song and in the words immediately following His people are the inheritance of the Lord and his portion that is Although in that day the Lord bless all the Gâ—ntiles and in his second Election make them partakers of his inheritance although in that day according to the promise made to Abraham all the Nations be blessed in the seed of Abraham Notwithstanding the Jews who are the seed of Abraham blessed first and before the Gentiles shall be a better part and inheritance of the Lord and shall be accounted to God as a peculiar inheritance the most elect are set apart from the less elect as Saint Paul said that he himself was set apart for a most elect vessel for the Gospel of God Chap 1. Epist to Rom. Further these are applied to the Prophesâ—e of Isaiah and are expounded by it Chap. 19. In that day Israel shall be third 'twixt Egypt and Assyria a blessing in the midst of the earth which the Lord hath blessed Blessed be my people of Egypt and the Assyrian the work of my hands and Israel my inheritance Where note That Egypt is beyond Nile and the gulf of Arabia and Assyria beyond Euphrates placed on the one side and on the other borderers upon Israel that Israel is placed in the third plece betwixt Egypt and Assyria betwixt the Bounds of his Rivers I say observe that
which could easily return to its own disposition 18 V. Of the matter of men subject to corruption Of the upright creation of men Of the Return of man to the disposition of his own nature And of his matter given to corruption 22 VI. God restor'd men created upright and turn'd backward to the wickedness of their own nature â—â—to a better estate by a second creation and lifts them up from men to be Gods Of that whâ—ch is produc'd and of that which is made Of mutable and immutable Of mortal and immortal Of tâ—â—e Spirit which is in God and of the Spirit of the world 28 VII Of one God and of one Spirit which is of God Of divers Gods and Spirits 31 VIII Men being misled by evil spirits fell from their right estate wherein they were creâ—â—ed into the wickedness of their own nature Being restor'd by the Spirit of Regeneration who only proceeds from God they know God whom flesh and blood knows not They obtain hâ—liness which they could not have in their first creation and recompence their natural death with a supernatural immortality 37 IX The Regeneration oâ— men is the grace and gift of God It is not granted to all men to be regenerated but only to the Elect. Election is in things natural Divine Election is in Gods Elect. Who are elected And who are called Reâ—robates 43 X. Divine election is consider'd two manner of waâ—es in God and in mystery One is from eternity The other only distributed according to mystical occasions The one admits of all men indifferently The other first chose the Jews and in them all the Nations of the world The Contents of the Chapters in the second Book CHAP. I. OF the election of the Jews The election of the Jews began from Adam the first father of the Jews The fews the first-born because first elected They were not elected of their own deserving but of the meer bounty of God who willed and chused them Made of the same common earth of which other men were created God ioyn'd in marriage to the church of the Israelites Father of the Jews The Jews esteem God because the sons of God Godâ—â—e Mother of the Jews Friend of the Jews The Jews the friends of God 55 II. God King of the Jews Jews the people of God God the Lord of the Jews Jews the servants of God The Jews call'd holy Call'd just The Jews elected for an eternal people Set apart from all the people of the earth for the lot and inheritance of the Lord. 65 III. To the elected Iews an elected Land was given A holy Land because the Land of the holy And the land of Promise because it was promised with an Oath to the Fathers of the Iews A description of the Holy Land That was a choice land not of its own nature but according to the pleasure of God who bless'd and chus'd it The land of the Iews And for the Iews only to dwell in 73 IV. Jerusalem the holy City of the holy Land the Temple placed in Jerusalem on the forked hill of Sion Eternal hils The City of David The City of the great King Of the Kings of the Iews 79 V. The Gentiles elected in the Iews by a mystical election Esteem'd the sons of God because elected in the Iews And grafted in the Iews 83 VI. Gentiles different from the Iews in Kinred and Original in as much as they are ingrafted in them Gentiles call'd Atheists because without a God called simply men and sons of men and foolish wicked c. 88 VII That the Gentiles are called Sinners 94 VIII Gentiles called children little ones pure 98 IX The Gentiles called the sons of wrath The enemies of God Beasts and so esteemed by the Iews yea unclean beasts The opposite comparison betwixt the Iews and the Gentiles 107 X. The Iews form'd by God in Adam The Gentiles created by God And created by the word of God as other creatures as also on the same day when other creatures were created The Iews peculiarly form'd by the hands of God God call'd the fashioner of the Iews Adam first Father of the Iews The Iews are call'd the Sons of Adam 112 XI The Iews are called by Moses the sons of Adam The 32 Chap. of Deut. is explained And Isaiah and Hoseas of Adam the first Father of the Iews The Gentiles called strangers the Iews a kind of men distinct in species from the Gentiles The Gentiles earth-born The Psalm 49 is explained Abraham had servants born in his house and also bought who were not of his stook that is of Adam Who are the sons of men Who is the son of man The difference 'twixt the brethren of the Iews and other strangers 118 The Contents of the third Book CHAP. I. THe original of the Gentiles is proved to be different from the original of the Iews out of Gen. The Gentiles were created in that creation which is mentioned Chap. 1. All creatures and all men male and female were created on the sixth day of the creation as plants trees and flying fowls upon their own dayes through all the woold Why upon that day one man and he alone from whom all should arise was not created 129 II. Adam was created apart from other men in that creation which is mentioned Gen. 2. Adam was the first and father of the Iews not of all men The framing of Adam was altogether different from the creation of the first men Eve could not be created the same day as Adam was made 135 III. Of the marvellous framing of Adam Of the marvellous conceptions of Isaac and Christ Adam was made a type of Christ in all things like him but his justice Eve the wife of Adam was likewise a figure of the Church who was the spouse of Christ 140 IV. Cain a tiller of the ground Abel a shepherd and a keeper of sheep Cain having kill'd his brother Abel is afraid Flies the punishment of fratricide Flies like all guilty men to the East of Eden Marries a wife begets a son and in the same East of Eden builds a City Adam is said to have begotten sons and daughters from the birth of Seth to the death of Adam himself It is not written that he begat either sons or daughters from the death of Abel to the birth of Seth. 146 V. The Genâ—tles prov'd different from the Iews out of the monuments of the Gentiles from the stock of Adam The argument of eternity divided into two classes by the antients Of time Of the bundles of years which the Chaldaeans had made up Of the Periodical year Of the returning and great year Years signified by Serpents Of the cave of age decipher'd by Claudian Of the age of ages 153 VI. Men know not their first histories originals Of the Chaldaeans Of the stupendious number of years which the Chaldaeans are said to have set down in the computation of their Astronomical Tables Of the Aegyptians And of the myriads
God so intimate with the Jews that he entrusted them with his laws and decrees that they were admitted to the secrets of God that they were called a wise and understanding people Deut. 4. Nor was there any other Nation so honourable which had those Ceremonies just Judgements and the whole Law In the same Chapter What is all flesh that it should hear the voice of the living God which speaks out of the fire and can live cries out Moses Deut. 5. where observe the prerogative of the chosen Jews and of the second creation of men which is not granted unto flesh that is to say to the first creation for flesh the first creation consumes at the hearing and sight of God here the same Moses in the same Ch. Behold the Lord our God shews unto us his Majesty and his greatness ye have heard his voice from the middle of the fire we have found this day that a man can speak with God and live The holy Prophet could not be satisfied thinking upon the beginnings and first fruits of the Jews regeneration what should be their full election by force of which they received the fery words of God into their eyes and ears and by which they shone and did not burn with that holy lightning Enquire of the days of old which were before thee from that day on which God created man upon the earth from the height of heaven to the foundation of it if at any time there was such a thing done or was ever known that a people should hear the voice of God speaking out of the middle of the fire as thou hast heard and lâ—v'd Hence it is that they were the chief and choice in Gods esteem that the Jews were called a Nation drawing near unto God that they were stiled a great Nation nor that there was any other Nation so great which had Gods drawing near to it Ch. 4. For this cause you shall read That God carryed them upon Eagles wings Exod. 9. and very often that he freed them and took them with a strong hand and stretched out arm What Nation is like thy people Israel for whom thou hast done so great and horrible things upon earth to redeem them Sam. 2. Chap. 7. And that was the matter that God appointed the Jews to be the head and not the rail of the Nations Nor did God only chuse the Jews for a time according to the distiny of empires and people but God did chuse his people for ever Thou hast confirmed Israel to thy self for an eternal people As David prophecies Sam. 2. Chap. 7. And many things to that sense we read in the Prophets which I must handle another time and which was a special token of their election The Lord would not have the Jews defil'd by mixture of Nations but set them apart for an inheritance out of all the Nations of the earth 1 Kings Chap. 8. I have set you aside from all people that you might be mine Lev. 20. Hence it is that God is said to have hedg'd enclos'd and as it were with a wall of fence surrounded Israel his possession his land his vine Hence it is that the Church and the Israelitish Spouse is called a fenced garden and a sealed fountain in the Canticles least being plac'd in the high-way it might be trodden by passengers nor the South wind spoyl her flowers nor the Boar spoil her waters Because the Nations were not partakers of that mystical Election by which God had elected the Jews Neither would God that the Jews should enter into fellowship with the Nations either in body or mind either in Matrimony or Religion either in civil affairs or in divine Thou shalt not enter into a league with the Nations or joyn thy self in marriage with them Deut. 7. Thou shalt not give thy daughter to his son nor take his daughter to thy son that the Jews might not be mingled with other Nations who taught the worshipping of Idols CHAP. III. To the elected Iews an elected Land was given A holy Land because the Land of the holy And the land of Promise because it was promised with an Oath to the Fathers of the Iews A description of the Holy Land That was a choice Land not of its own nature but according to the pleasure of God who bless'd and chus'd it The land of the Iews And for the Iews only to dwell in TO the elected Jews God gave elected ground which was likewise called holy because the Land of the Holy That there is elected and blessed earth as likewise rejected and cursed earth is witnessed in the Epistle to the Hebrews Chap. 6. A land says he drinking the shower that comes upon it and bearing seasonable fruit to them who tills it receives a blessing from God But that which brings forth thorns and bryars is rejected and almost curs'd the end of which is to be burnt Which the Gospel according to St. Matthew express'd in these words Chap. 13. God loves not that earth which is in the way that is commune trodden and unclean nor that which is full of briars but he loves good ground in which the son of man may sow good seed Nor am I ignorant that these things are allegorically spoken of the hearts of the Elect but we must likewise know that Christ here meant literally the Holy Land in which the sanctified Jews who are meant by good seed shall be sown by Jesus Christ which sowing we shall have occasion to set forth more at large That the Land of Canaan which the Jews inhabited was that choice blessed earth and belov'd of the Lord is set down in the 8. of Deuteronomy where Moses call'd it A Land of rivers waters and fountains in the fields of which should break out pools of water A Land of corn barley and vines in which grow olives and pomgranats A Land of oyl and honey where the Iews should eat their bread without want and should enjoy abundance of all things A Land which Ezechiel Chap. 20. calls An excellent Land amongst all Lands and chief of all Lands Which therefore God call'd a high land Deut. Chapt. 32. God hath plac'd Israel upon a high land to eat the fruit of the field to suck honey out of the rock and oyl out of the most hard rock butter from the heard and milk from the sheep with the fat of the Lambs and Rams of the sons of Basan with the marrow of wheat and that he might drink the most choice bloud of the grape Canaan was call'd a high land not for the lying of it for it is a Valley according to that in Numb 14. The Canaanite and Amalekite dwell in the valleys which he had said in the former and thirteenth Chapter By the Sea and near the streams of Iordan For which cause Esdras called that Land a Furrow Book 4. cha 5. Thou hast saies he of all the world chosen one furrow that is Canaan which is a valley Therefore it was
original of the Jews out of Genesis The Gentiles were created in that creation which is mentioned Chap. 1. All creatures and all men male and female were created on the sixth day of the creation as plants trees and fleeing fowls upon their own days through all the world Why upon that day one man and he alone from whom all should arise was not created BUt go to that I may leave nothing un-essay'd that may conduce to the clearing of this famous Argument I 'll prove out of Genesis it self that the Gentiles are different in stock from he Jews which being understood it shall appear â—leares thâ—n the Suâ— That 〈◊〉 of the first But indeed to read that which â—erlwaded by your Ottinâ—onâ— of 〈…〉 with superstition you dare nor will not understand is not to read it Hereâ—â—en 〈◊〉 of such Pâ—itâ—â— as in holy mysteries is entertained and betake my self to that Faith which is the Sister of a good Understanding and which loves right Reâ—son Henâ—e then those ill contriv'd and ill hanging together miracles which such fain to themselves who use to have their recourse to needless Faith and the power of God not necessary in such cases when there own reason is weak This they gain that without choice believing every thing no body believes them in any thing for where reason is absolutely weakened there Faith is quite destroyed especially in those things where there is a natural rational or historical connexion such as are related in the first Chapter of Genesis of the Creation of the first men of the framing of Adam and of the framing of Eve his Wife as also of Cain and Abel brothers the chief heads of which I shall only touch here It is clear then from the beginning of Genesit in that sixth day wherein the earth brought forth all Creatures That God upon the same day 〈◊〉 man and created the male and femal◠〈…〉 Oenesis speaks here of the species 〈…〉 them and relates the individuals Mate and Pemale he declares that every Male was created with the Female for the Male and Female are taken for one man for he manifests that without interruption and by one action and the same tenour of creation man were created by God Male and Female they two being one man but Genesis called that one man being Male and Female Adam for if the Scripture at any time has occasion to mention one man indifferently or all mankinde it uses to express them all in the same word by the proper name of Adam Moreover for the same reason as the earth brought forth grass and trees and all things were enlivened I say as all things were created according to their own species and in their own dayes in the self-same progressive Creation upon the whole earth whether known to our Fore-fathers or but lately or not yet known According to the same Analogy of Creation we must believe that men were made by God Male and Female in one day with an uninterrupted Creation and upon the whole earth and that there was no place in the whole earth which brought forth grass fostered trees cattel which before the sixth and last day of the absolute Creation had not its own men and its own Lords Besides these things were certainly created to serve man their Lord speaking in specie or men their Lords mentioning the individuals and God would have seem'd to have created something in vain inconvenient if upon that same day when he ordained these things for the service of men he had not created men at the same time who had either used them or might have used them wheresoever they were But if we affirm Adam to be the first and the onely man by whom afterwards the colonies of men were drawn out and dispersed over the earth to what purpose in that vast space of time in which the whole earth must needs receive its people from one man I say to what purpose should the Countries of Mesopotamia the Antipodes bring forth grass and herbs for what Lords use should the fruit have hung upon the trees in those Countries the cattel of them whom should they have helped being meerly created for that purpose to help men for either in that long space of time you must confess that they were created in vain or created to an use that God had never appointed them for or else that men were there created to make use of them The world was created in the beginning every way perfectly adorned every way perfectly good every way perfectly fair But the World had been created in the beginning every way without ornament every way imperfect in fairness every way imperfect in goodness which is a sin to think if all the places in the earth had at first wanted their own men The earth had been deformed if it had wanted grass trees and creatures but they had been absolutely deformed indeed if they had wanted at the beginning their comliness and ornament their men for whom the earth was created and all that therein is and if the ground had wanted Tillers as it requires What was the intention of God in the Creation of the world is found by God's Decree in the preservation and Government of the World It is written Exod. 23. That God when he led Israel out of Egypt to lead them into the Land of Canaan did thus provide for him I will not throw on t the people of the Land of Canaan before thy face least the Land become waste and wild beasts multiply against thee I will by little and little drive them out of thy sight till thou be encreased and possess the Land That is likewise written in Deut. 7. these words The Lord shall consume these Nations in thy sight by little and little thou canst not overthrow them at once least the wilde beasts encrease against thee Here is a two-fold condition why God would not in one year and at one push throw out all the Nations of the Land of Canaan in whose place he was to settle the Jews The first was because he would not have that earth which he was about to bless to become ugly and ill-favoured for there is horror not comliness in desolation yea solitariness is a mark of cursing Therefore did the Prophet weep when she was cursed Why dost thou sit a solitary City that was full of people And afterwards All the comliness of Sion is departed from her her Princes her young men and her virgins are gone into captivity And Isaiah ch 64. The city of the holy one is laid waste Jerusalem is desolate The second caution was Lest the Beasts should grow and multiply in Canaan against the people of God The first caution was for comliness the second for security God would not as hâ— might easily have done quite destroy the Nations of Canaan but drive them out by little and little till the people of the Jews might encrease and that Land might have its ful number of its own men
brought to Adam all the creatures of the earth and all the fowls of heaven Which it is not likely he did in half a day For thither must the Elephants come from the furthest parts of India and Africk who are of a heavy and a slow pace What shall I speak of so many several species of creatures and fowls unknown to our Hemisphere who must swim so much Sea pass over so much Land to come from America to Mesopotamia and there receive their names Seventhly He saw what he would call them He saw that is that he took notice that he should fitly call every one of them and in every name he disputed with himself that is he had those operations of mind which are distinguishable discursively and in time Nor is it possible that Adam could in one half of a day see all the creatures of the earth and the fowls of heaven and then premeditately give every one of them a convenient name which neither in pronouncing of their names not in a continual rehearsing of them he could have perform'd in so short a time Eighthly God sent a deep steep upon Adam and when he had slept a long and deep sleep God took one of his ribs and filled up the flesh for it Ninthly He made a â—oman of the rib Nor did the Grecian Jews believe that the rib of Adam was made a woman the same day that Adam was made for they affirm That Adam was made in the New Moon that is the first day of the Moon But Eve was made the second day of the Moon Which the famous Salmasius has mentioned in his Climacterical years and refuted the superstition of the Jews and withall has cleared their Opinion who believ'd that there was the distance of a day betwixt their creation Tenthly God brought Eve to Adam If you all reckon these things severally not half a day not a week not a moneth will suffice for half of them Nor is it to be overslip'd that Adam called that Female a woman as being taken out of a man nor call'd her man as the females were in the first creation He created them male and female For this man in the second creation did so much excell all other men who were created before and begotten till his time for which cause he was to be the first and the Father of a Nation chosen by God and by which he was to represent by Gods decree all mankind That he could find no fit helper for him amongst all the women of the former creation But a woman must be fram'd for him more excellent than all oother women And hence it comes to passe that Marriages with the rest of the Nations are strictly forbidden the Jews and that the marriages of the sons of God must not be made with the daughters of men left the holy and elect people should be defiled with the prophane Nations and those that were created altogether in a huddle CHAP. III. Of the marvellous framing of Adam Of the marvellous conceptions of Isaac and Christ Adam was made a type of Christ in all things like him but his justice Eve the wife of Adam was likewise a figure of the Church who was the spouse of Christ THey which take pains in reading of the holy Scripture and are serious in the perusal of them find three men marvellously and peculiarly brought forth The first is Adam The second Isaac The third Jesus Christ The first was Adam whose mother was the Earth God his father The second Isaac whose father was Abraham God was his mother for it left off with Sarah to be according to the manner of women Gen. 18. To which God alluding Isa 46. speaking to the Jews the sons of Isaac says he carryed them in his womb The third is Jesus Christ whose mother was a Virgin and whose father God God was father both to Adam and Christ under whose imputation all the world was sometimes to fall God was the father Adam was the son of God Christ was the son of God and God the son Adam was a sinner Christ was just In all other things Adam and Christ were alike Adam was a type of Christ and opposite to Christ Isaac was a type of Christ and in the middle 'twixt Adam and Christ Christ was a Prototype of Isaac and an Antitype of Adam The common Opinion is That Adam was created by God of a full age of the perfect stature of a man and that the day wherein he was created he might be a man of thirty yeers of age at which age Christ died Truely I shall rather think that Adam was in all things like Christ except the justice of Christ as Christ was made in all things like Adam except the sin of Adam and that Adam not streight nor the first day but by leisure and by several ages successively grew from infancy and youth to man's estate by as many degrees as Christ arived at the same state at which Isaac arived at it being himself likewise miraculously brought forth and as other men begotten after the ordinary manner arise from children to be men And he shall finde this to be most probable whosoever shall seriously peruse the History of Adam from the framing of him till the framing of his wife Eve for God framed Adam out of Paradise whom he afterwards carried into Paradise that he might manure it sayes Genesis Hence I gather that Adam was framed an Infant without Paradise because I read that he was carried into Paradise to till it at such time of his age and strength as he was able to perform it Again I believe that that Paradise was that place of the Holy Land which is called Arabia felix for it is bounded Chap. 2. Genesis By Tigris and Euphrates two Rivers joining their streams in their course towards Arabia fall into the Bay of Persia Arabia felix is likewise to be understood the Paradise of the Lord in that place of Gen. 12. where Lot lifting up his eyes saw all the Region about Jordan which was altogether watered like the Paradise of the Lord and like Egypt as thou comest from Segor for it is probable that Genesis has compared and joyned to Arabia felix and Egypt two neighbouring Regions and two of the most pleasant I think that Adam was brought to that Holy Land even as I finde Abraham led to the same Land that Adam might have the first natural possession of it the first and the father of all the Jews and which by a stricter title and a more peculiar obligation God might afterwards promise give Abraham and to the Jews his posterity being Adam's seed and his own Adam being a young man and cultivating of Paradise God thought of giving him a Wife and being as it were uncertain whom he should bestow upon him he brought unto him all the creatures of the earth and all the Fowls of heaven that he might see what he would call them for every thing whatsoever Adam called it
it is said in the book of the warrs of the Lord. As he did in the red sea so shall he do in the brooks of Arnon But that Book of the Wars of the Lord could not be cited by Moses in which there could be mention made of those things which were done at Arnon in the very place where Moses perform'd this exploit Truly I believe that Moses made a Diarie of all those wonderfull things which God did for the people of Israel under the conduct of Moses From which collections the books of the wars of the Lord might afterwards be taken Which for that cause was neither the Original nor the Original of the Original but indeed a Copy from a Copy That which we read in the third Chapter of Dentronomy does manifest that they are written long after Moses Jair the son of Manasses possessed all the Country of Argob and it is call'd after his name Basan Hanoch Jair to this day Moses could never have said to this day For Jair scarcely had possession of his own Villages at that time when Moses is brought in so speaking And hence it manifestly appears that the author intended to shew whence according to the most antient and first original that City was call'd Jair deriving the cause from Moses to his own time and therfore as was fit call'd it Jair from that antient Jair unto this day The like we read in the same Deuteronomy in the same Chapter Only Og King of Basan was remaining of the race of the Giants His iron bed is shown which is at Rabbath of the children of Ammon For what needed Moses to have said to the Jews that his bed was shown at Rabbath of the children of Ammon that they might learn the bignesse of the Giant Why I say needed he to send the Jews to another place to see the bed of the Giant who had seen him in his own Land and overcome him and measur'd him as he lay along in the fields of Basan It is a great deal more likely to think that this Writer to gain credit to what he wrote concerning the King and Giant Ogâ— of whom he made mention spake of his iron bed as a testimony of the wonderfull spoils of that terrible Giant which were not at that time to be seen at Basan where Og lay but in Rabbath of the children of Ammon the succession of ages having changed the place We read also in the 2. of Deuteronomy The Horraeans first dwelt in Seir whom the children of Esau driving out dwelt there as Israel did in the Land of his possession which the Lord gave him In these words it is said That the Idumeans who are the Sons of Esau inhabited Mount Seir driving out the Inhabitants of those Mountains And that the Jews again inhabited this Mount Seir and gain'd Mount Seir as a possession driving out and destroying those Idumaeans Yet it is most certain that the Idumaeans according to Moses himself were not thrown out in his time as it is in Deutronomy in the same Chapter And the Lord said to me saith Moses You shall pass through the confines of your brethren the sons of Esau who dwell in Seir and they shall be afraid of you Therefore take heed you move not against them for I will not give you of their Land one foot for I have given Mount Seir in possession to Esau Therefore Idumaea was not given to the Jews in the dayes of Moses but long time after as David Prophesies Psalm 108. Over Edom will I cast out my shooe that is I will extend my possession over Idumaea For possession is taken by setting down of the foot and the shoe in this place is the foot the thing containing for that which is contained And David made also good his prophecie 1 Chro. chap. 18. where we read that David consecrated silver and gold Which he had taken from 〈◊〉 Nations Edom Moab and Ammon And befides in the same place Abishai the son of Zervia smtoe Edom in the valley of salt eighteen thousand and put a Garrison in Edom that Edom might serve David Therefore in the time of Davâ—d and not of Moses Edom became a land of possession to Israel as God had promis'd as being a lot and part of the Holy Land And hence it is gather'd that these essayes of Deutronomie were written long after Davids time a great while after Moses I need not trouble the Reader much further to prove a thing in it self sufficiently evident that the five first books of the Bible were not written by Moses as is thought Nor need any one wonder after this when he reads many things confus'd and out of order obscure deficient many things omitted and misplaced when they shall consider with themselves that they are a heap of Copie confusedly taken Those things which we read concerning Lamech Gen. 4. are defective Because I have slain a man to my hurt and a young man to my grief For there is no mention made of that young man whom Lamech slew That History which is related in the fourth book of Moses concerning the circumcision of the son of Moses is desicient and is conjectur'd to be deficient because we see clearly what it should be The The 20 Chapter of Genesis of Abrahams sojourning with Abimelech King of Gerar is misplaced For it is not likely that the King would lust after Sarah who was an old woman and with whom it left off to be according to the manner of women and who was not capable of pleasure As also Genesis 26. the same is to be thought of Rebecca Nor must we think that the King was then in love with Rebecca Jacob and Esau being thâ—n of age That which we read in the 10 of Deuteronomy is misplac'd The Children of Israel remov'd their camp from Beeroth of the sons of Jacan where Aaron dyed And in the same place He separated the tribe of Levi to carry the Ark of the Covenant Though long before the death of Aaron the Levites were seperated to look to the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant according to Gods command often iterated both in Leviticus and Numbers Yea whilst Aaron himself was alive yea still after that the Tabernacle was perfected the Levites carried the Ark as often as the Children of Israel remoâ—ed their Camp And if the Reader will take pains let him but run over this tenth Chapter of Deut. and he shall find the death of Aaron preposterously inserted in that Narration having nothing there to do and nothing beâ—onging to the buâ—nesse Yea he shall find it contrary to the computation of time whilst they were talking of the delivery of the Law of Sinai long before Aarons death You shall likewise find that passage in the 18 of Exodus misplaced And Jethro came the Father-in-law of Moses and his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped by Joâ—dan For how could Jethro come to Moses hiâ— son-in-law after the going
Divines think that this darknesse was spred over the face of all the earth Because all the Evangelists agree with one consent that they were upon the whole earth Which notwithstanding the better Interpreters have translated upon all the Land of the Jews according to the Hebrews say they which for the earth mean Palestine Nor was the miracle without a mysterie for there had been a time when dark night covered all the Land of Egypt at the command of Moses but all the Israelites had light in their dwellings Now was the day come at the death of Christ when the light of the Gospel should appear to the Gentiles and all the Land of the Jews and the Jews themselves should be o'r-cast with the darknesse of incredulity Here let us speak of the Star which appear'd to the wise men on the Nativity of our Lord which it is common and ordinary to place in heaven amongst the rest of the Stars which that it never was nor ever could be is made appear thus All other men on the earth had seen it as well as the wise men Herod had seen it among the rest being troubled at this report whom this appearance did more especially concern But Herod neither saw it nor could see it for calling the wise men privately sayes the Evangelist he enquired of them what time the star did appear Therefore it is clear it was neither a Star in heaven nor visible to all as is commonly believ'd but that Star that fire did only shine to the wise men that by the guiding of it they might arrive at Bethlehem and which those wise men did follow as a torch that they might worship the King of the Jews nor did it appear to Herod nor any of the rest Such was that fierie army sent to the help of Elisha from heaven whom the Prophet saw and yet his Servant that stood by him could not see such another miracle though different in the species of it for one man did not see those fires innumerable which Elisha saw The three wise men saw one Star which a great many men could not see It appears out of the Gospel it self that that Star was not fix'd in heaven from these words Behold a star went before them and stood above the place where the child was But if that Star had bin in heaven how could it stand above the place where the child was or how could the wise men draw a perpendicular line from the point of that Star upon the house The wiâ—e men might have discern'd to what Countrey that region of the heaven where in that Star was did answer But to know that small place that manger in which the child lay could not be done by seeing by any count or wit of man Therefore it is certain that Star or that light or fire as I may call it as it is written in the 8. of the Apocalyps It fell from heaven burning like a lamp I say it is certain that lamp from heaven which lighted the Magi was sent from heaven for their particular use after which the Magi should walk and which standing still above the place where the Child lay they should likewise stand still and adore that Jesus Christ whom they sought for Such was that cloud like a white one in the day-time and fierie in the night which no man will say was an apparition in the whole Hemisphaere for it was particularly over the Jews camp and particularly covered the holy Tabernacle They marched according to the particular motion of that cloud and stood still when it stood still as we must likewise believe the wise men did with their Star As also if that Star had been fix'd in heaven it had gon before others also who journeyed from the East to the West which is not written yea only that it went before the Magi. It would likewise have run according to the account and course of other Stars which are about the Tropick from the East to the West But who could have followed it with like swiftnesse Lastly if this Star had been placed in sight all famous Historians would have spoken of it who wrote the memorable things of their own times and ages which none did Therefore it is sufficiently prov'd that most thought not the wisest Interpreters erre who think that that Star appear'd to all men in heaven which appear'd indeed to the wise men onely onely to three men as is written They erre I say because they understand that generally of a Star which ought to be particularly understood of a light or a burning flame CHAP. IV. In the miracle of Ezechiahs sicknesse the Sunne went not back in heaven but in the Dyal of Achaz THat which I shall speak of the miracle which God did in curing Ezechiah being sick is lesse common of greater concernment as it is in the Kings Book 2. Chap. 2. The Prophet Esay being to give Ezechiah a sign that he should be whole and go into the Temple of the Lord calls upon the Lord. And God brought back the shadow by those lines that it had gone down in the Dyal of Achaz back ten degrees Which is written in Esay ch 3â— in these words Behold I will make the shadow of the lines by which it is gone down in the Dyal of Achaz to return in the Sun And the Sun returned ten lines by the degrees that it had gone down In this miracle it is received as current that the Sun went back in the heaven For the miracle which was only in the Dyal of Achaz is put in the Sun and the heaven and because the shadow is brought back in the Dyal the Sun must needs go back in Heaven nor could God make a miracle in the Dyal of Achaz but with a violent motion he must turn the whole heaven and disturb the most general frame This is to fool one with that fine sport as if one would cause remove the chimney and the fire from him that he might not be burnt rather let him goe back himself and let the fire stand still lest the house be undermined by the removing of the chimney Let the miracle be plac'd in the Dyal as is the meaning of the Scripture and then the miracle will be in its own place Nature will stand in its own frame and mens intellects will not be fool'd with vain jugglings For good God what a mistake is this that has befool'd a great many wise men that they believed that the Sun had gone back If the Sun went back either he went back in the Zodiack or that degree of the Ecliptick standing still which he was running that day the primum mobile came backward and with the primum mobile all the rest of the Sphaeres amongst which the Sun was likewise turn'd back If we say that he went back only in the Zodiack and a tenth part of the Zodiack according to the proportion he is said to have gone back in the Dyal of Achaz the Sun must
water 's nigh That is 〈◊〉 suffers thirst God could indeed by his miracle in which he is wonderfully powerfull have done all that that the Jews should not be hungry nor dry nor their clothes be worn nor their shoes be spent And there haâ—â—â—en need of these miracles if they had had no wool nor no leather but they wanted none of these things nor was any such miracle needfull Yea this miracle would rather have manifestly evidenced the want of clothes and shoes if for want of clothes and shoes and by the virtue of that miracle they had always put on the same clothes and the same shoes which could never wear out On the other side it shew'd the abundance of clothes and shoes which they had because neither their clothes nor shoes grew old because they chang'd both so often And ascribe this to the providence and care of the Lord by which all things which were necessary for the Jews were provided for them because he led them sometimes through pleasant and plentifull places from whose Inhabitants Deut. 2. and elsewhere They bought mâ—at for money and did eat and bought water for money and did drink for which the Israelites were beholding to the Edomites and Moabites And when Sehon forbad them this privilege they smote him with all his people and all his Cities and took the prey and spoil of his Towns Deuteronomie Chap. 2. And in the third Chapter they destroyed Og the King of Basan And that time they took the land from the Amorites which is beyond Jordan Moses himself would have said On this side Jordan which observe And that amongst the prey and spoils of these two Kings there were garments and shooes found and more than enough of materials to make both clothes and shooes This you may imagin also of the Amalekites oververcom by the Jews Exodus Chap. 17. before the Law given in Sinai To this you may add that the Jews for many years compassed Mount Seir inhabited by the Edomites from whom they bought victuals and water which I made now appear and from whose Cities they had clothes and shooes at a price CHAP. VII That the Flood of Noah was not upon the whole earth but only upon the Land of the Jews Not to destroy all men but only the Jews GIve us leave to discusse this last miracle of the flood of Noah which is believ'd to have overflow'd the kingdoms of the earth with most mighty overflowings and which I rather believe overflow'd only Palestine and the Land of the Jews The causes of this conjecture are chiefly the causes of the Deluge which here I shall mention from their beginnings I show'd you before that the Jews were framed in Adam and esteem'd the peculiar sons of God that they were separated from all other Nations which God had created in the beginning And that those Nations were call'd the sons of men in many places of holy writ I have set forth at large The Lord likewise set the Jews apart from all Nations when he plac'd them in his holy Land as in a fenced garden whither it should not be granted to other Nations to come God then had forbidden the Jews to make any mixture with other Nations Chiefly he suffer'd them not to defile their sons with the daughters of men Against the command of God the Jews had admitted the Gentiles into their land Who sayes Genesis when they began to multiply upon the earth the sons of God seeing the daughters of men that they were fair or which is the same the sons of Adam who were after called Jews seeing the daughters of the Gentiles took to themselves wives of all which they chose and by that copulation Giants were begotten For the Jews being made strong and lively by Gods late framing of them and going in to the daughters of men as strong men are begot by strong and divine seed mix'd with humane begets Heroes the sons of God lying with the daughters of men begat Heroes valiant men as they are set down in that same place by valiant and famous men in their age It repented God being angry at the wickednesse of the Jews that he had made men and wrought the clay of which he fram'd Adam of whom the Jews were born an earthie and corrupt generation of men The cogitation of whose heart was bent upon evil continually at all times that is from their first beginning both in Adam their Father who had transgressed the commandement of God and in themselves who had likewise broken the covenant of God I will cut off saith the Lord in that place man whom I have created from the face of the earth from the man to the beast from the creeping thing to the fowl of the heaven for I repent my self that I have made them Here take notice that by earth we understand Palestine according to the Hebrew who by earth simply express'd mean their own As I observ'd of the darknesse before in the death of the Lord. God then had decreed to destroy man whom he had created from the face of the earth By the man whom he had created understand the Jews the posterity of Adam I say of that Adam whom he had created or fram'd for creation and framing here is the same By living creatures understand also the Gentiles mingled amongst the Jews and causes of the sins of the Jews according to what I formerly set down at large where I made it appear that the Jews are simply call'd men in comparison of the Gentiles that the Gentiles on the other side compar'd to the Jews were call'd beasts and a people which was not a people in holy Scripture And such was Gods anger that he resolved not only to destroy all those Jews and Gentiles but all the men of that Land and all the cattel of it from the creeping things to the birds of the air except only Noe the Jew who according to Gods command fram'd an Ark to escape the violence of the Deluge The treasures of the great depth were opened sayes Genesis and the windows of heaven were opened and it rained upon the earth forty dayes and forty nights And there was a deluge upon the earth and the waters were multiplyed and they lifted up the Ark high from the earth for they increas'd exceedingly and fill'd all things upon the face of the earth And the waters preval'd exceedingly upon the earth And all the high hils were cover'd under the whole heaven The water was fifteen cubits above the mountaines which it had cover'd And all flesh upon the earth was destroyed birds living creatures and beasts and all creeping things All men and all things wherein is the breath of life died And he destroyed all things that was upon the earth from the man to the beast as well creeping things as fowls of the heaven and they were cut off from the earth Only Noe remained and those that were with him in the Ark. All which Genesis prophetically expressing and opening
by any intervening mountain nor rough with any stops through a clear plain as we see in a globe either of Metal or Yvorie very even and smooth so that nothing can hinder those waters slowing along so smooth a channel Then grant that the Country about the Euxin sea is so much drown'd that the waters of it are rais'd from the bottom perpendicularly a whole mile Which height will doubly out-vie the height of the highest hils This being granted it would be found according to that which I said That the sountain of the Danow was higher than the shore of the Euxine sea that that deluge which would rise up to the right and left of that Continent would only touch the brim of the fountain of Danow and not pass those lands and those on the other side would remain untouch'd and dry as before Think so likewise of the deluge of Noah Concerning whose waters we might easily gather how much of Asia they overflow'd beyond the Armenian mountains if we knew the height of the mountain of Ararat which is one of the highest and on the top of which the Ark stood and what risings and what barrs that Globe of the Continent of Asia rais'd against those waters that flow'd down upon them from above from above I say those fifteen cubits by which according to Genesis it was higher than the mountains which it covered Truly I really think that the waters of Noahs floud rose a hundred miles or thereabouts up inthe Continent of Asia because the continent of that Globe being full of risings and stops nay advancing it self with very high ridges as far as the hill Taurus broke as is probable the forâ—â— of the water by the interposition of mountains that the waters could not go any further That the Dove could flee and return one hundred miles to bring that branch with green leaves in a day I guesse from hence because she being out in the morning and came home at night both by reason of the swiftnesse of her wing with which the Dove is naturally endow'd as also by the leading and conduct of God Almighty she went to fetch the pledge of peace by which God was reconcil'd to the Jewish Nation But she had not flown so far if she had intended to pluck a wither'd and a slimie branch for there were enough hard by the Ark. CHAP. IX This same is prov'd by the historie of the sons and posterity of Noah By Eusebius in his Chroniclae There were particular deluges Aegypt never drowned Strabo of the Turdetanian Spaniards Scaliger and Servius concerning the Trojans are cited Solinus of the Indians Sanchoniato Iombal ACcording as it is believ'd that all mankind was o'rwhelmed in Noahs Floud they likewise believe that the losse was repair'd by his posterity And if it could appear that the people of all Lands were propagated since the Floud of Noah from his posterity there were no reason but I should yeeld to them Read but attentively the tenth Chapter of Genesis from whence the reparation of all mankind is ascrib'd to the sons of Noah as also the division of the whole earth by them is asserted And it will appear more clear than day that not all the Countries and regions of the earth were possessed after the floud by the sons of Noah but only those Countries in the Holy land as they are there set down or rather those Countries of the Holy hand and the Countries round about it In that chapter the beginning of the Kingdom of Nimrod was Babylon Assur built Niniveh There is nothing but Babylon and Niniveh said to be possessed in the whole chapter either beyond Euphrates or beyond the River of Egypt or beyond the red sea or beyond the whole Palestine which I determined before the bounds of the holy land and which do environ it every way Yea you shall read in that chapter that the Philistines the Hethites Iebusites Amorrhites Gergesites Hevites Sinites Aradites Samarites and Amathites were all Nations of the holy land which appears from the places and journals of that Country And the bounds of Chanaan the Sons of Cham are as one comes from Sydon to Cerar even to Gaza till thou enter into Sodom and Gomorrha and Adma and Zoboim even unto Leza which are either places or Cities of the holy land It is immediatly added After this the Chananites were dispersed But no body doubts of them but that they were a very well known people of the holy land Then thou shalt find it thus written These are the sons of Cham in their kinreds tongues generations lands and people Which if you read suddenly you will imagine that those tongues generations lands and nations had possessed the third part of the earth But take notice that these great names of tongues generations lands and nations are to be understood for their own nations in the holy land divided and distributed amongst them wherein they dwelt according to that description in the tenth chapter Observe too that tongues are here preposterously set down For at that time all the Nations were of one lip The earth was of one lip and of one speech and so of one tongue as it is written in the following chapter the 11 of Gensis Not was that confusion of tongues which follows in in the 11 chapter in the building of Babel The Sons of Sem are reckoned who was the Father of the Sons of Heber And there were born unto Heber says Genesis two sons the name of the one was Phaleg because in his days the earth was divided and the name of his brother Joctan That land which was divided is to be understood the holy land For it is said moreover of these brothers that their habitation was as one goes from Messar to Sephar a mountain in the East which is a meer itinerarie of the holy land These were the families of Noah and according to their peoples and Nations and from them were the Nations divided upon the earth after the Floud For by them was the habitation of the holy land divided For land simply nam'd the Hebrews interpret for their own which I have told you oftner than once before Grant that all the world was at this time divided by Phaleg could it be possible that in five generations for Phaleg is the fifth in discent from Sem that they could inhabite China America the Southland and Greenland and whatsoever land lies betwixt them therefore the name of land must here he streightned to the chosen land only which if the businesse be well look'd into could not be well inhabited and replenished by the offspring of Noah in ten generations But they guesse and rashly too that all the places of the earth were divided and inhabited by the Sons of Noah out of an opinion which as I said before has prepossest all persons that all the men of the world were drowned in Noahs Flood As also from the names of the Sons of Noah which names some having some affinity
some altogether different they have wrested to some the likelihood of the names of some people now remaining or some ancient Nation by meer force and have brought all those Nations from the Sons of Noah by conceited conjectures See other fancies they say it is written in the tenth Chapter of Genesis of the Sons of Japhet From them the Isles of the Gentiles were divided according to their Countries every one according to their tongue and families in their Nations Those Isles some expound such as are scattered all the Sea over both Aegean and Mediterranean and those which the Ocean invirons Britain Ireland the Hebrides the Western Isles of Scotland Shetland and all the rest of the Islands known or unknown They will have the Sons of Noah to have been so numerous in the days of the posterity of Japhet that the whole continent of the earth not being able to contain its dwellers they spread themselves into all the Islands far and near And the Colonies being thronged one upon another they divided the land and dwelt in their own Countries as it is here written which whether or no it could come to passe in the third generation of the posterity of Iaphet let any wise man be judge There are those who by all the earth understand all the earth beyond Palestine and will have Europe in that sense particularly call'd one Island according to Hebrew authors if they conjecture that the Sons of Japhet did sail to Europe and divided those vast tracts of land which that the most famous quarter of the earth contains within the third generation of the sons of Iaphet which observe for here is the third only in the lines ascending to the sons of Iaphet Yea if they conjecture that those sons of the third generation of Iaphet did not only assign themselves Europe because Europe is call'd one Island by the Hebrews and because it is here written That the Islands of the Gentiles were divided in their Countries by the sons of Japhet according to their tongues and families how uncertain a faith do they build upon such weak conjectures especially upon the Hebrew speech which is so much famouus in its signification and so strange that it speaks almost nothing but Figures But if there be any faith in conjectures I rather believe that those Islands of the Nations were divided by the sons of Iaphet according to their tongues and families in their Nations were the Nations of the holy land which the Sons of Iaphet divided according to their tongues and families in their Nations Because the same things are there understood of the sons of Iaphet which are said afterwards of the Sons of Cham These are the sons of Cham in their kinreds tongues and generations their lands and people For it is to be thought that the sons of Iaphet setled themselves in the Countries of the holy land as the sons of Cham did For if the Sons of Cham being reprobates had their lot in the holy land which was the land of the Lord why should not we believe that the Sons of Iaphet had likewise their portion in the same land of the Lord whose father the Lord had lov'd and chosen Truly we have shew'd you that the lots of the sons of Shem and Cham fell in that land why then should only the sons of Iaphet of all the posterity of Noah be dis-inherited from the holy land which was their own or by what title could they have been call'd by their brethren being dis-inherited of that land Take serious notice of these words concerning the Sons of Iaphet By these were the Islands of the Gentiles divided according to their nations For I could easily believe that Islands and Countries are here the same And the Countries inhabited by every one of these Nations are called Islands because hedg'd in by neighbouring Nations as they call those Islands of houses which are hedg'd in by lanes round about why may we not as well say Islands of the Gentiles if we say Islands of houses its properly enough used Eusebius in his Chronicle is a great motive to perswade me that the flood of Noah was particular to the Iews where about the time of Abrahams birth he speaks thus In the three and fortieth year of which Ninus reign Abraham was born amongst the Hebrews It was there the sixteeenth power over the Egyptians which they call a dynasty At which time the Thebeans rul'd who govern'd the Egyptians in the year 190. According to the Greek Jews it was not three hundred years from the floud of Noe to the birth of Abraham How then could it come to passe that the most famous Empire of the Assyrians in the space of three hundred years could be setled and established in the space of forty three years I say the Empire of Ninus whole Original is of such an antient date that it runs back not only to fabulous but unknown times Justine rehearses those that are more antient than Ninus in his first Book Vexor who rul'd Egypt and Tanaus who rul'd Scythia by which means that Government of the Theban Kings over Egypt might be setled which at that time had been strengthned a hundred and ninety years But which is more to be wonder'd at is it credible that within three hundred years so short a time fifteen Dynasties could passe over the sixteenth be begun if we call to mind that the Kings of France have yet but three Dynasties now in the space of about two thousand two hundred years It s likewise known out of the History of Genesis which favours Eusebius very much That Abraham went to Egypt in the Dynastie of the Pharaohs which flourish'd also in the time of Joseph Abrahams great Grandchild and which flourisht four hundred years after Joseph in the time of Moses in whose times the New Pharaoh knew not Joseph whom the old one knew so well which Dynastie of Pharaohs comparable to that of the Caesars for its continuance was also famous in the dayes of Solomon For Solomon was joyn'd in affinitie to Pharaoh King of Egypt Kings 1. Chap. 3. Besides the deluge of Ogyges makes it clear that there have been particular deluges which deluge drowned all Boeotia as also that Deucalions floud which swallowed up all Thessaly and many more particular ones which Plato relates that he had heard from the Egyptian Priest in Timaeus The Chinensians boast also of their deluge The Americans of theirs Both of them according to their accompt far distant from the Floud of Noah and why should we not grant to Palestine their particular deluge Yea the Egyptians the neighbours of the Jews deny that ever Egypt was damnified by any floud They say that Nilus waters and makes fruitfull every year their Land but never overwhelm'd it iâ— a general deluge which by very strong arguments and most approv'd records taken out of their Histories the forementioned Egyptian Priest did make clear in the forementioned Timaeus It will not be
inconvenient to joyn Strabo to Plato in his third Book of Geographie where he relates this of the Turdetans the Inhabitants of Spain These sayes he are held the most learned amongst all the Spaniards they use Grammar and have their monuments of Antiquitie written and Poems and Laws in Verse for six thousand years as they say The Turdetans then had their Laws long before the floud if in the days of Strabo they had then written six thousand years which they being themselves in that deluge untouch'd kept likewise untouch'd for the space of six thousand years continually and us'd and observ'd them Scaliger likewise thinks that the first Olympiad was celebrated in the year of the world 3074 and that the destruction of Troy was four hundred and eight years or thereabouts before the first Olympiad And Servius has observ'd upon that Verse of Virgils Th' old Cities sack'd reign'd in for many years Ancient sayes he or noble because it is said to have reigned two thousand eight hundred years The beginning then of the Kingdom of Troy must be before the beginning of the world and if Troy was rul'd in for two thousand and eight hundred years Phrygia as also Spain must be said to be freed from the floud of Noah Which you may also think of India which Father Liber first enter'd From him says Solinus in his 25 Chap. unto Alexander the great there are reckon'd six thousand four hundred and fifty years and three moneths over accounting it by the Kings who are said in his time a hundred and fifty three of them to have liv'd Salmasius the restorer of Pliny in Solinus and the disperser of his errours sets down this number in Pliny Besides the same Scaliger is author that Semiramis was before the destruction of Troy and places her in the first age after the Floud and sayes that Sanchoniato liv'd in her time and makes Iombal more antient than Sanchoniato and sayes that Sanchoniato receiv'd many things from Iombal out of Porphyrius And Eusebius relates that Sanchoniato met with some reserv'd pieces or volumes of the Ammonites which he took out of the Repositorie of the Church where they had lain But how can such stories agree with the time of Noahs floud To this add that neither Sanchoniato nor Iombal antienter than he are reckon'd amongst the sons of Noah And it must needs be that those volumes lay without the Ark and were preserv'd on which Sanchoniato lighted as Eusebius says Here to reckon those things which I set out before more at large That is an inconsistent time which is reckon'd from Adam to Abraham the Chaldaean or to Moses the Egyptian and it is unadviâ—edly set down to be sufficient to gain the knowledge of those arts which Abraham and Moses were exact in But certainly the time 'twixt Noahs floud and Abraham would be likewise a great deal more incompetent if according to the same inconsideratenesse it should be proportioned as sufficient for the attainment of the forementioned disciplines especially Astronomy Theology and Magick The which that they did flourish in the time of Abraham is evidently prov'd because Vr of the Chaldees is call'd by Eusebius Camarina and Camarina is the same with the City of the Chaldaeans And the Camarini were call'd Chaldaeans aswell as Astrologers and Magicians For the name of the Chaldaeans was a token of Nation and Art It is likewise written of the Camarinian Magicians that they raise Leviathan who is the Devil That there is a land and water Leviathan is certain or which is as much that there are land and water Devils â—rom whom Philippus Codurcus a learned man and â—ell skillâ—â— in the Hebrew imagined that those Spirits which we in our mother tongue call Luithons or Luthins have taken their derivation To think that these Theorems of Magick or spels hatefull to God were kept in the Ark that they might not be lost in the floud were a wickedness to believe But to say that the art was invented or repaired betwixt the floud and Abraham were impossible to prove as other things are CHAP. X. Of Eternity before Eternity Of Eternity from Eternity THose who think that the floud of Noah was over all Nations erre much in the ordering of all actions and dispensing of them since that time They are likewise very much deceiv'd in the ordering and dispensing of all actions since the beginning of the world who affirm that the world was made with Adam They have streightned the beginning and the ending in such narrow bounds that it cannot by any means fit to so small room which is read of the world created from eternity and which shall endure to eternity I need not say amongst Historians and Philophers who were Gentiâ—es but likewise amongst the Prophets and Apostles But indeed that little space of time to which they limit the things past and things to come those two eternities how well does it accord with that expression of the short garment in Isay Chapter 4â—28 A short garment sayes he cannot cover both It is written I confesse That God created the heaven and the earth in the beginning That I dare boldly affirm we know not that beginning I know there is a setled number of the stars in heaven there is a determinate number of the grains of sand in the Sea shore But I think to make up a sum of all those stars all those grains all those ages which have bin from the beginning is without the compasse of all Arithmetick and humane account In these numbers there is no number nor need we to comprehend the number of them It is enough that God doth know the number of the stars which he created The times are not hidden from the Almighty Moreover I find two several acceptions of eternity in the holy Scripture The first is by which God is call'd eternal before time and before all things created Another by which eternity is bounded by ages and the beginning of the creation These two â—gnifications of eternity are both together comprehended in that place of the Proverbs where Wisdom is brought in speaking after this manner God possess'd me from the beginning of his wayes before he made any thing Or according to others I had a rule from eternity from the head from the beginnings of the earth or from the creation of the world There appears here a two-fold beginning one before time and before the creation of the earth one from ages from the beginnings of the earth or since the creation of the world The first is distinguished from the second because in the first God is only said to have possessed wisdom in the second place to have ordain'd and install'd her to have a rule over all things created Both beginnings then are eternal but the first antientest The first beginning was eternal by its self eternal before eternity The second begining was eternal in regard of us since our understanstanding cannot reach its number St. Paul hath most clearly
which should be the glory of the earth The Lord would have his people encreased to a full and sufficient number of inhabitants which should be able to defend themselves from the beasts of Canaan and secure the people But if God had a double caution in this case for the comliness and security of the Land of Canaan alone although the Jews then abounded in number and were grown to be many hundred thousands What care shall we think God took in the Creation of the World for the comliness not onely of one Land but also of the Lands of the whole World lest they should be made desolate if he had created one man and one Woman from the beginning in the earth And if God would not expose many hundred thousand Jews to the beasts of one Land shall we think that he would expose one single man and woman to the heasts of all Lands Certainly if the beasts of the Land of Canaan had been so much multiplied against so many hundred thousand Jews that dwelt in 't much more should they have been multiplied against Adam and Eve being alone upon the whole earth CHAP. II. Adam was created apart from other men in that creation which is mentioned Gen. 2. Adam was thefirst and father of the Jews not of all men The framing of Adam was altogether different from the creation of the first men Eve could not be created the same day as Adam was made THe author of Genesis having absolâ—'d in the first Chapter the six dayes of the creation begins the second Chapter from the sanctification of the Sabbath which was the seventh day and rehearses what he had said in the first Chapter of the creation of the whole of which there was no more to be related But because the nation of the Jews was separate and set apart from all the Nations of the earth being elected by God That it might be to him a peculiar people of all the nations upon the earth which we prov'd our of the 7 of Deut Therefore the author of the Pentateuch who was himself a Jew whose end it was to write the original the deduction the Laws and Chronologie of his own Nation apart from the creation of the whole world and of all Nations begins the particular framing of the first Jew from whom that peculiar and choice Nation was deriv'd that is of them by whom salvation should be communicated to all Nations in Christ as to all Nations had come perdition from Adam And God fram'd Adam Gen. 2. Man that is Adam But because this Narration begins with and it is ordinarily received as a more special explanation of the creation of that man in his kind of whom Moses spake in the Ch. 1. Let us make man But they heed not that the particle and in the Hebrew is the introduction of a new matter not a continuation of that which was mention'd before such beginnings of Narrations you shall every where meet with in sacred authors yea books beginning with and as Ezechiâ—l And it came to pass in the thirtieth year And Jonas 〈◊〉 the word of the Lord came to Jonas Hence is it chiefly prefum'd that this framing of Adam was not that which is mentioned in the former Chapter of Gen. Because it is granted by all that â—haâ— first creation in the first Chapter which accoring to my supposition was the creation of the first men was compleated mone day the sixth and the last as is set down in the first Chapter But it is impossble that all those things which are set down in the second Chapter could have been transacted in that time which is receiv'd from morning to evening Therefore much lesse in the half of that sixth day in which God first oreated all creatnres then man Let us tell every minute in which God was pleased to declare that all his works were perform'd with time though he could have done them without time We shal find no such thing in the first creation of men nor the action of the creation of male and female interrupted as it is a long space betwixt the forming of Adam and Eve It is first said That God created Adam of the clay of the earth Where observe that God who in the first Chapter created man not simply of the earth but of that first matter of which he made the earth in this second Chapter fram'd Adam of the dust of the earth Observe that God I say who was in the first Chapter the Creator of man was in the second the framer of Adam For which cause God is also the framer of the Jews Isa 45. Thus says the Lord the holy One of Israel his maker The maker of Israel because the maker of Adam the first Father of Israel But of this enough already Secondly it is said That God breath'd upon the face of Adam the breath of life Thirdly He led him into Paradise Take good notice of these words of Genesis God had planted from the beginning a Paâ— adise of pleasure wherein to place man Understand by that beginning not of that time in which God made Adam but of that beginning long before which is spoken from the beginning of the first Chapter of Genesis In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth In which he likewise created men in their kind who from the beginning did inhabite that earth Certainly if this Adam had been he who was created in the beginning three dayes after the earth was created Genesis had not spoken of this Adam whom the Lord carryed into Paradise God had planted Paradise from the beginning Nay rather upon the third day he made Paradise for the third day dry land appeared and Paradise was planted and the sixth day man was created in his kind Fourthly it is written that God gave this Adam laws what he should eat what he should not eat what he should doe what he should shun Observe here narrowly no Law given to the men of the first creation which is related in the first Chapter of Genesis and no tree forbidden them And God said Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed upon earth and all trees which have in them their seed according to their kind that it may be to you for meat The tree of knowledge of good and evil was forbidden Adam the first man of the second creation which is mentioned in the second Chapter Thou mayest eat of every tree in the garden but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat For in the day that thou eatest of it thou shalt dye the death But those being divers ordinances argue different times Fifthly the Scripture stammeringly shews us That God had learn'd as it were by experience in a certain time passed That Adam being without a helper had neither till'd nor conveniently kept the Garden Therefore God said It is not convenient that man should be alone Let us make him a helper like unto himself Sixthly God