worship the Sun in the temple which was dedicated to the Sunne What partes man hath from the starres according to the opinion of some of the Physitians So they worshipped the starres in Manasses time they worshiped the starres first because of their great light and beauty Secondly because of their influxe into the bodies below heere and Thirdly because they thought them living creatures and some Physitians held that man was opus siderum and that in his conception and generation he got his spirit from the Sun his body from the Moone and his concupiscence from Venus and his witt from Mercurie and his desire from Iupiter and his blood from Mars and his humours from Saturne Worshipers of the starres Gnobh de Kohabhim umasaloth cultores stellarum planetarum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of old they called all the gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Buxtor de abreviat pag. 134. who had no knowledge of the true God and now they appropriate this name to those Christians who worship Idoles Lastly Manasses worshiped the infernall spirits and herein he exceeded all the rest of the Idolaters The decrease of this Idolatry was when Manasses repented hartily before his death The decrease when he lay fettered in Babell 2 Chron. 33. and being restored to the Kingdome tooke away the strange Gods and Altars and Images which hee had made and restored in Iudah Gods true religion except onely that the people sacrificed in the high places So the decrease of this Idolatry was in the dayes of Iosias Iosias did sundry things for the purging of this Idolatry 1 King 23. first he put downe the Idolatrous Priests their Chemarim who were blacke with the smoake of their sacrifices secondly he polluted Tophet that is hee appointed it for a place to cast out all their filth and their dead carkasses that so the people should commit no more Idolatrie there Hee polluted that place that is hee appointed it for pollution What it is to pollute a place see Lev. 13. the Priest shall pollute him that is he shall judge him to be polluted so Deut. 20.6 He that hath planted a vineyard and hath not prophaned it that is who hath not turned it to a prophane use for the fruit trees when they were planted in Israel the first three yeares none might eate of them for they were holden uncleane and the fourth yeare they were holy for the Priest to eate of them and then the fift yeare they were common and prophane that the people might eate of them Ier. 31.5 they shall plant vine trees upon the mountaines of Samaria and shall eate them as prophane things Iosias polluted this Tophet It was called before Vallis Hinuom afterward it was called Gehenna there was in it Esh tamid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a continuall fire to burne the bones and the fith which was cast there and because of the cruell torments which was used in it A resemblance betwixt Tophet and Hell therefore Gehenna is called hell and Christ alludes to this Mat. 5.22 He is worthie of the fire of Gehenna so Isa 66.24 seemes to allude to the punishment of hell taken from the punishment of those whose bodies were burnt there And they shall goe forth and looke upon the Carkasses of the men that have transgressed against mee for there worme shall not die neither shall the fire be quenched and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh The carkasses of those that were cast into the valley of Tophet were full of wormes and the fire never died out there so the fire of hell burnes continually and the worme of one evill conscience shall gnaw them continually Ierusalem signifieth Heaven and the places without Ierusalem signified Hell The valley of Tophet was called Gehenna It is usuall in the scripture to compare Ierusalem Anagogice to the Church Gal. 4.26 So those places that are without Ierusalem are compared to hell and to the torments thereof catagogice as the lake of Sodom which burnt with fire and brimstone Rev. 19.20 was a type of hell so Gehenna Mat. 5. So the winepresse of the wrath of God was without the citie Rev. 14.20 so Mat. 8.12 he shall be cast into utter darkenesse utter darkenesse is an allusion to the darke prison which Peter was put in without the city Act. 12.10 And therefore the wicked are said to be excluded out of the holy citie new Ierusalem Le. 20. secondly hee polluted the graves of the Idolatrous Kings Princes and Priests Ier. 8.1 hee caused to take out the bones of the Idolatrous Kings of Iudah of the Princes and of the Priests and spread them before the sunne and the moone and all the host of heaven whom they loved they shall not be gathered nor buried but lie like dung upon the field Thirdly he brake to peeces the images and cut down the groves and filled their places with the bones of men 2 King 25.14 Fourthly he caused to take the bones of the Priests out of the sepulchers burne them upon the altars 1. Kin. 23.18 but the sepulcher of the man of God who proclaimed these things which Iosias did against the altar of Bethel he touched not Iosias made a reformation here of the whole land as well of Ierusalem as of Bethell Iosias did uprightly as his father David had done and trembled at Gods lawes and Iudgements 2 Chron. 34.2 yet the people would not heare the words of the prophets Ier. 25.3.4 calling them from their Idolatrie They sought not the Lord but worshipped the host of heaven Zeph. 1.5 remaining frozen in their dregges ve 12. and shewed themselves to be a nation not worthy to be beloved Zeph. 2.1 The rest of the Kings of Iudah untill the captivity set forward this Idolatrie more or lesse The rest of the Kings of Iudah untill the captivity set forward this Idolatry Lyke a leprosie it overspread them all Pro. 24.30 I went by the field of the sloathful by the vineyard of the man void of understanding loe it was all growne over with thornes and nettles had covered the face thereof and the stone wall thereof was broken downe The Docters of the Iewes by way of Allegorie apply this to the Kingdome of Iudah and to the Kings of it And they say Ahaz was the slothfull man and Manasses was the foolish man Ammon and Iehoiakim planted the nettles and the thornes and last the house it selfe the temple was destroyed in the dayes of Zedekias then the stone was broken downe Now when the Church waxed old in her adulteries God said now shall she and her fornications come to an end Ezechiel 23.43 Now all these things are written for ensamples and they are written for our admonitions upon whom the endes of the world are come 1 Cor. 10.11 that we should not be Jdolaters as they 1 Cor. 10.6.7 This Idolatrie was buried in the captivity and never revived againe At last this Idolatrie was
they lay upon the skins of the beasts which they had sacrificed and sleeped there Sathan blasted them to belch forth their oracles Therefore Virgil saith Pellibus incubuit stratis somnosque petivit God himself is said to speak by Vrim and Thummim and yet it was the Priests who gave the answers so Gen. 41.16 God shall give Pharoah an answer how gave he him an answer by Ioseph so 1 Tim. 1.17 false doctrine is called the doctrine of devils when as the devil himselfe speake not but onely the false apostles by the devill Thirdly he appeared to his confederates when he spake out of the bellies of the Pithonies and Witches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly he appeares to his confederates per inexistentiam as when hee spake to Eva out of the serpent These in the Scripture are called obhoth Levit. 20. as you would say bottles or bladders because their bellies were extended like bladders and the seventy translate them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ventriloqui because the devil spak out of their bellies and in the Syriack spiritus tumoris Act. 16.16 because hee gave his answer out of the bellies of those Pythones which were swelled up Here let us marke a difference betwixt these who were blasted by the devill A difference betwixt the Prophets of God when they prophesied and those who were blasted by the devill when they prophesied and the Prophets of God when they prophesied the Prophets of God when they prophesied fuerunt in spiritu Rev. they were altogether taken up by the spirit neither were they any wayes distracted or out of their wits when they prophesied they were sometimes weakened in body at the sight of the vision as Daniel and Ezechiel were but still they were setled in minde and free from these passions which might perturbe the minde at that time but when the devil blasted his prophets as Bar Iesus Syriace Bar Shuma-filius inflamationis they were mad and distracted they foamed at the mouth Hos invasit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their neckes wried about and oftentimes they gave their answers out of those parts of the body which modestie wills us to conceale Therfore the Hebrewes saith that spiritus ascendebat per zacuro per necebhah per zacuro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oraculum delphicum edidit responsa per pudenda puellae They differed from the true Prophets in the manner of their speech by that part which shewes us to be men per nekebhah by that part which shewes a woman to be a woman Secondly they differed from the true Prophets in forma vocis in the forme of their voyce for the unclean spirit when he gave his answers hee peeped out of the earth Esay 8.19 and whispered out of the earth whereas the Prophets of God lifted up their voyce like a trumpet Esay 58.1 and spake distinctly when they prophesied Qu. How are true apparitions distinguished from false Answ Gershon in his booke intituled De probatione spirituum of the triall of the spirits saith How are true apparitions distinguished from false that no transfiguration is to be admitted but where Moses and Elias are present where he alludes to the transfiguration of Christ upon the mount where Moses and Elias were present When the disciples saw Christ walking upon the sea they tooke him to be a spirit Matth. 14.26 but when hee spake to them and said I am he then they were no more afraid It is the word that distinguishes the true apparitions from the false Man is very ready to be deceived by these revelations When the Lord spake to Samuel and called him once twise he tooke it to be the voyce of Eli and not of God 1 Sam. 3.5 So 1 King 13. the young Prophet was deceived by the old Prophet What marvell is it then if these impure spirits deceive When Satan by his suggestions would have perswaded Augustine to seeke some signe from God Aug. lib. 2. confessionum de vera religione because he saw many deluded that way by false apparitions therefore he often warned us that we should not trust such follies or delusions And Gershon in his Booke De probatione spirituum of the triall of spirits tells how Satan upon a time appeared to a holy man in a most glorious manner professing himselfe to be Christ and because the man was a religious man and worthy to be respected above manie others therefore he appeared unto him But what answered the old man unto him I desire not to see my Saviour here in this desert it shall suffice me to see him in the heavens and he said Sit in alio soeculo non in hoc visio tua merces mea O Lord let thy fight be my reward in another life and not in this SECT 5. What is Magicke and who are Magitians A Magitian is he who useth midses which are onely proper to God either in curing of diseases or working other strange effects These are magicians who usurpes any of Gods priviledges in curing or acting of their fates Things appropriate to God are first to worke by his word onely Secondly to cure by number Thirdly by order Fourthly he workes sometimes onely by the situation of the body Fiftly he workes sometimes by figure and character Gods sixt priviledge is to use one midse to cure all diseases Gods seventh priviledge is to use naturall meanes which notwithstanding hath no force in working of the miracle Gods eight priviledge is when he useth one midse to produce contrary effects so he useth artificiall midses as the brasen serpent Pauls girdle Gods first priviledge to cure by word First God useth sometimes onely words when hee restoreth the sicke to their health as when he said to the man sicke of the palsie arise and take up thy bed Iohn 5.8 When the Magitian useth words onely to cure the sicke this is Magicke usurping that prerogative which onely belongs to the Lord. Object It may be said that Satan useth the words of the Scripture in curing of diseases as when one is troubled with the tooth-ach they bring these words of Scripture a bone of him shall not be broken Answ It is well said by one in nomine domini fit omne malum that is they abuse the name of God when they are about their Magicke trickes the Scripture useth these words to another sense and therefore it is but a wreasting of the Scripture fraus dicitur fieri contra legem vel ipsi legi Against the Law when they doe a thing which is forbidden in the Law and studies not to hide the fact with any colour but fraus dicitur fieri legi when they doe a thing contrary to the meaning of the Law and yet seemes not directly to doe against the Law when Magitians use words of the Law they use them to another sense than the Spirit of God meanes then faciunt fraudem legi Quest When the devill hath the chiefe hand in working these strange
not recover because Hazael dipped a cloath in water and layed it on his face that he died There is but one sense in the prophets answere to Hazael Answ There is but one meaning of the Prophet here answering to Hazael but the Critickes amongst the Iewes found out another sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non reading in the margine Lo ei for Lo non So they would show a diverse reading of the prophets words Ob. Ezekiel 12.14 The Lord threatened Zedekiah with a Iudgment which might seeme to be given out very doubtully I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans and yet he shal never see it although he die there Answ Because this perfidious King Why the Lord gave a doubtfull answer to Zedekias would not beleeve the Prophets of God who told him so plaine that hee should bee carried to Babel therefore the Lord tells him this closelie which soone after he understood when his eyes were pickt out of his head at Riblah and he carried to Babell Quest. What are we to thinke of Balaam Whether Balaam was a Prophet of God or Diviner whether was he a Prophet of God or a Diviner only Answ First he was a Diviner onely but afterward the Lord put a parable in his mouth Moses Gerundensis 162.2 Balaam primum divinus postea prophetes deinde rediit ad primum ponere sermonem in illis 2 Cor. 15.19 caryeth a notable Emphasis with it whereby is signified that the Lord ruled their tongues directed them what they should speake and sanctified them So the Lord guided the tongue of Balaam and opened his eyes to Prophesie Thus farre the Lord put this parable in his mouth but he sanctified him not for he following the wages of iniquity returned to bee a diviner againe And the Iewes applyeth this proverb to him Camelus cornua quaerens aures amisit That is Baalam hunting for honour and seeking after riches lost the gift of Prophecie and amongst the rest who were killed in the battell it is said that Baalam the Diviner was killed Ios 13. This gift which Baalam had was onely from the spirit of illumination And there was a great difference betwixt him and the holy Prophets of God A difference betwixt these the Lord appeared to Balaam and the word of the Lord was to Ieremie Luke 1.70 and the Hebrewes observe when it is said the Lord appeared to Laban to Balaam and to Abimelech there is lesse meant here then when it is said the word of the Lord was unto Isay to Ieremie to Ezekiel for that implyed that the oracles of God were concredit to them as to faithfull witnesses but he did not concredit his word this way to Baalam hee was but like a trunke through the which the Lord spake Quest How differ the predictions of the Prophets from the Predictions of Satan and his instruments The differences betweene the predictions of the Prophets and the predictions of Satan and his instruments Answ The predictions of the Prophets were for the most part of spirituall things and they prophesied but of temporarie things in the second place but the predictions of the devils were never of spiritual things Secondly whē the Prophets of God foretold good things they added alwaies conditionem crucis that is some temporarie crosses to be added to them they shall receive a hundred fold but with persecutions Marke 10. 30. but the false Prophets prophesied alwaies placentia pleasant things Thirdly when the Prophets foretold Iudgements to come this condition was alwaies reserved if the people repented not this Iudgement shall come but the false prophets foretold all things to fall out by a fatall necessity Fourthly when the Prophets foretold Iudgements to come although they tooke not effect yet they were not holden for false Prophets such was the Prophesie of Ionah to the Ninevites and of Isaiah to Ezekias for God is mercifull when men repent But the false Prophets when they prophecied good things to come and they came not to passe then they were holden for false prophets So Ieremiah convinced Hananiah that he was a false Prophet Ier. 28. when hee promised to Icconiah his returne out of Babell The Prophets had certaine signes by which they demonstrated to the people what should befall them as when the Prophet Isay went naked and bare-footed This was called Siman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this was a note to discerne the Prophets by but it was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the false Prophets used also these signes as Zedekiah made him hornes of iron and said thus saith the Lord with these shalt thou push the Aramites 1 King 22.11 The Prophets of God were distinguished from the false Prophets for the false Prophets wrought sometimes marvellous things before the people but they could not work miracles These miracles in show were called ostenta mopheth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were miracles in show but they were not true miracles If there arise a Prophet amongst you and give you a signe or a wonder Deut. 13.1 These were but lying wonders but the Prophets of God they gave Oath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 venit a true signe 2 King 20.9 this signe shalt thou have of the Lord This Oath comes from atha venit As I am a true Prophet this shall verilie come to passe So Moses confirmed himselfe to be a Prophet by his true miracles which he wrought before Pharaoh And last the true Prophets alwaies prophecied according to the law and never against it Isa 8.20 If they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them The knowledg of the devill serves onely to the dishonour of God to hurt poore man The Apostle 1 Cor. 13.1 sheweth if a man could speake with the tongue of men and Angels and have the gift of prophecie and understand all mysteries and had all knowledge faith so that he could remove mountaines and have not charity it profiteth nothing Although Satan speake all languages foretell things to come have the knowledg of all mysteries and could remove mountaines yet this is all nothing because he wants charity All this his skill he imployes onely to the destruction of man Therfore his knowledge serves but as a barrell of pitch to cause him to burne the faster in hell fyre his knowledge wants charity and nothing which hee knowes is profitable to man untill he reveale it unto him he is compared unto Stellio which every yeare casts the skin of it as Aristotle and Plinie testifieth this skin being drunke in a little wine is a soveraigne remedie against the falling sicknes but this envious creature presently eates it up againe least man should reape any benifit by it so the envious devill hides from man all that can profit him Satans knowledge is most hurtfull to us When a
thing can affect the devill as we are affected with such beauty affects not his sight musicke affects not his hearing nor odours his smell for he being a spirit nothing affects him but similitude of manners Therefore that is fabulous which is set downe in Tobit 6.14 That the devill was in love with Sâ—â—ah for her beauty he loved her not for the gifts of her mind for then he should have loved them best who exceede most in graces but he hated Christ above all others Therefore he doth not love any for the graces of their minde but hates them more when the devill beholds the goodnesse of the creatures as their beauty comelinesse honesty c. although in the generall hee see them to be good yet he is so carried with his habituall malice that he cannot like the good that is in any creature And even as these wretches who make themselves away have a generall liking of their life by the very instinct of nature yet through griefe and despaire they put often hands on themselves so the habituall malice of the devils suffers them not to like any good that is in the creature The counterfeit weapons in the Christian Church So the Christian Church useth false meanes to expell the devils as the Church of Rome useth salt spittle holy water and consecrate oyle the primitive Church first used this oyle in working of miracles then the fathers afterward used it by imitation and last the Papists use it as viaticum to further them to heaven So they use exorcising of devils Christ himselfe cast out devils by the power of the spirit and so he left this power of exorcising for a while in the Church for the establishing of the Gospell when it was new planted he doth otherwayes in constituenda ecclesia than hee doth in constituta ecclesia And even as a Gardiner when he removes a tree out of one ground to another he sets so many stayes to it to hold it up and he powres water against the roote of it daily but when it hath once taken roote hee pulls away the stayes from it and leaves it to the ordinary course of growing as other trees So the Lord bestoweth at the first in the infancie of the Church these miracles as stayes to confirme and uphold lâ—er but now when shee is setled he takes away these helpes and makes her to grow by the ordinary course of grace and if these miracles should have indured still in the Church of extraordinary things they should have become ordinary and nothing regarded In the Primitive Church these gifts lasted for a while but now to use this exorcising in the Church is to use that which is out of date and it is now but a carnall weapon which Satan cares not for Vrim and Thummim were two precious stones set in the breast plate of Aaron by the which hee answered the people when hee asked him of matters doubtfull these two stones were not in the second temple now if the priest should have put in two counterfeit stones in the breast plate and had given his answers to the people By them when as the Lord answered not by Vrim and Thummim would he not have beene holden for a deceiver So he who professes himselfe now to be an exorcist when as the gift ceaseth in the Church now hee is to be accounted an imposter and deceiver There were three sorts of gifts bestowed upon the Church some simply necessary as the Word and Sacraments some were necessary for her in statu legali when she was under the rudiments of the Law which are not necessary now under the Gospell as the ceremonies of the Law Thirdly some gifts were bestowed upon the Church in the infancie of the Gospel such as were the gift of tongues of healing and of exorcising and these now are abolished The matter may be illustrate by this comparison The Prince when hee is a child he hath a tutor to teach him and a regent or administrator to rule and governe him and thirdly hee hath his counsellers but when he comes to majority he hath no master any more he hath not a regent or administrator any more Exoreismus fuit apud â—udae osante Christi ad ventum sed postea una cum religione desiit apud ipsos translata est ad ecclesiam Christi Act. 19. but onely his counsellers who abides with him So the Church in her infancie was under Moses law as under 〈◊〉 pedagogue And when the Gospel was first planted the Church had these extraordinary gifts as a time for a regent or administrator but she hath the Word and Sacraments to remaine with her as her counsellers perpetually The true meanes to resist Satan The true meanes to resist Satan are first the shield of faith Ephes 6.16 Above all taking the shield of faith whereby ye shall be able to quench all the fierie darts of the wicked where the Apostle alludes to the custome of old for when they dipped the heads of their arrowes in poyson and shot them at their enemies they fired their flesh So Satans tentations are fiery darts and the shield of faith is said to quench them The souldiers of old had their shields made of raw neates leather as Polibius testifies and Vigetius writing de re militari and when the fiery darts lighted upon them they were presently quenched so these fierie tentations of the devill when they hit the shield of faith they are presently quenched abiunt in spicas Psa The next true meanes for the casting out of the devill is prayer and fasting Mat. 7.21 This kinde of devill is not cast out but by prayer and fasting Fasting and prayer are two excellent meanes to banish Satan therefore it is that the Lord alloweth the husband and the wife for a time to goe asunder that they may give themselves to fasting and prayer and then come together againe that Satan tempt them not to incontinencie and the Lord Ioel 2.16 wills the bridegroome and the bride to goe forth of their bed-chamber to sanctifie a fast Quest How did Christ Math. Chap. 9. ver 14. take the defence of his disciples when they fasted not as the Pharisees and Iohns disciples did seeing fasting is such an excellent meane for to banish Satan How excuseth hee them for intermitting this dutie Answ Christ takes the defence of his disciples here because it was not time for them to fast so long as the bridegroome was with them but elsewhere he reproves them for not fasting It is a good rule of the Schoolemen that affirmativa ligant semper sed non ad semper that is affirmative precepts bind us but not alwayes and at all times The Lord commands them to fast but not when the bridegroome was with them See Nehe. 8.10 Paul prayed thrice against the temptations of Satan and Christ blamed his disciples because they had not joyned fasting and prayer together to cast out the devill and where it is
to Moloch The second thing which Ahaz is blamed for is this that hee caused to bring the paterne of the altar of Damascus and to make the like and set it up at Ierusalem We must add nothing to the worship of God Ahaz is blamed heere for adding to Gods worship In measuring of things the Lord commands that there be a just measure and that the thing sold bee sufficient in quantity and qualitie a thing may be sufficient in quantitie but not in qualitie As when they mixed their wine with water and their silver with drosse Isa 1. heere they sold enough in quantitie but the qualitie was badde So when they sold that which was good but not enough of it with a Leane measure as the Prophet calles it The Lord requires the full measure heere and hee would have it to runne over Luke 6.38 But hee that had any thing superfluous in his body could not bee a Priest to the Lord Lev. 21.18 So no beast that had any superfluous part might be offered to the Lord Lev. 21.18 That is that which the Lord himselfe forbiddes Deut. 4.2 The worship of God must be kept in puncto mathematico Yee shall neither adde nor pare from my Law Prov. 30.16 put nothing to his words least hee reprove thee and thou be found a lyer They say that morall vertues admitt Latitudinem quandam But Gods worship must be observed in puncto mathematico there must nothing be added to it or taken from it Ahaz removed the Altar of God and put the altar of Damascus in place of it Ahaz caused the Altar to be removed hee tooke away the Altar and put the Altar of Damascus in the place of the altar which was the speciall place of Gods worship therfore the Lord appropriates it to himself and calles it his altar Mal. 1.10 as they are called his Priests and Prophets Psal 105.15 The Altar was the place that sanctified the sacrifice and not the sacrifice the Altar Mat. 23.19 The Altar was the place where God shewed signes of his mercy Jsa 6.6 and there slew one of the Seraphimes unto mee having a live coale in his hand which hee had taken with the tonges from off the altar and layed it upon my mouth and said Loe this hath touched thy lippes and thy iniquitie is taken away and thy sinne purged heere the altar was a type of Iesus Christ of whom we get all sanctifying graces This was done in the dayes of Ahaz Isa 6.10 and yet Ahaz nothing respects the Altar The altar was the place of refuge to save poore men yet Ahaz was not afraid to meddle with it He reserved the Lords altar to his owne private uses 2 King 16.15 But Mica reserved the altar of Damascus for all the sacrifices both of the King and of the people Ahaz plaies the politician making religion to serve policie onely this is a just paterne of politickes who make religion but a handmaid to them they will use it how and where they list he will keepe the brasen altar still but it was of no great request with him hee will not thrust it out of dores least he might seeme altogether to dsepise the religion of his fathers yet he preferres the altar of Damascus to it as being more glorious in show and for friendship with the King of Damascus The third thing which Ahaz is blamed for is this Ahaz offered to the gods of Damascus who smote him that hee offered to the gods of Damascus who smote him 2 Chron. 28.23 This is that Ahaz verse 22. kimhi writing upon the 119 Psal notes when This is set before some names in Scripture it signifies some great Apostasie and defection as Gen. 36.49 This is Esau the father of the Edomites So Num. 26.9 This is Dathan So 2 Chron. 28.22 This is Ahaz The Hebrewes compare Ahaz and Amaziha together which points that he was a notable Idolater and the Hebrewes compare Ahaz and Amaziah together and they apply that proverbe to these two Kings We have weeped unto you and yee have not mourned wee have piped unto you and yee have not danced I was angry with Ahaz and gave him into the hand of the King of Damascus yet he went and worshipped his gods there was all the mourning which I got for my weeping Then I piped to Amaziah and gave him that was King of Edom captive into his hands yet hee went and worshipped his gods when he had taken them captive and there was all the dancing which I got for my piping The decrease The decrease of this Idolatry was in the dayes of Ezekias 2 King 18.4 He removed the high places and brake the Images and cut downe the groves c. Why God deferres the judgements of wicked men Ezekias succeeded Ahaz Moses Gerundensis commenting upon Deut. 7. saith that God deferres to punish wicked men in this life for three causes First hee gives them this way leasure to repent them of their sinnes Secondly he deferres their judgements because of some act which they have to doe as the Iudge spareth the malefactor with child untill she have brought forth her birth Agricola non excidit spinam prius quam inde asparagum procerpserit And thirdly because some good men are to come of them And so he deferred the punishment of Ahaz because Ezekias was to come of him and of Shimei because Mordecai was to come of him Ezekias did foure things in reformation of religion There are foure things recorded of Ezekias his zeale First this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he brake the brasen serpent because the people worshipped it although it was a type of Iesus Christ who was the serpent lift up in the wildernesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nun diminuit in fine Ioh. 3.14 and calls it in contempt Nehushtan that little peece of brasse for the Hebrewes when they forme their diminitives they adde Nun to them as Ieshurun Deut. 33.5 Et fuit Rex apud rectulum So Ishon pupilla Sabbaton Sabbatulum The second thing which Ezekias did was when he took away the booke which Salomon wrote of Hearbs and Physicke which was affixed on the gates of the Temple Ezekias pulled it downe Vide Suidam in Ezekia because the people neglected the Lord to seeke their health of him and did trust too much in this booke The third thing which Ezekias did was that he shut the gates of the temple that the King of Ashur might not enter into them The fourth thing which he did was quod traxerat ossa patris sui super lecto funium he caused a bed of cords to be made and drew his fathers bones up and downe in it he did this in detestation of his fathers Idolatry he would not burne his bones as he did the bones of the Idolatrous Kings Ier. 8.1 Nor let them lye unburied but this much he did to them and then buried them againe this
asuphim collectos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those were called Collecti by the Hebrewes who were cast out by their parents but yet others tooke them up when their father and their mother left them Psal 27.10 my father and mother have left me but the Lord hath gathered me up Those by the Greekes were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cast out by their mothers and projecti Psal 71.9 Cast me not off Thirdly naturall and not Legitimate sonnes were those who were not begotten in lawfull marriage yet the mother contented her selfe with one and was not common to many And those children were called beni neker 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 144. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filii extranei The fourth were those who were neither naturall nor Legitimate Spurius filius non filius Ben Syra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were borne of common harlots Such a one the Hebrewes called mamzer from mum zer aliena labes and the Latines called them incertos and filios vulgi and varit Quia ex vario semine and from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia nihil divinum in illis The Lord adopted them When God chose them to be his sonnes he adopted them Adoption was found out for the comfort of those who had not children 2 Sam. 21.8 Barren Micoll had five sonnes that is five legall or adopted sonnes So the daughter of Pharaoh adopted Moses Act. 7. But God although he had a naturall sonne of his owne yet he adopted the Iewes for his sonnes When men adopt children it is for want but Gods adoption of his children comes of abundance of his grace As the Lord adopted them so hee would have them brought up under his law as under a tutor Gal. 4. He taught them And as a man teacheth his sonne so the Lord taught them Deut. 5.5 And as Pharaoh his daughter when she adopted Moses to be her sonne Act. 7. caused him to bee brought up in all the sciences of Egypt So the Lord when he adopted the Iewes for his children he taught them by his Law When they were his people many were converted from Gentilsme to Judaisme and they were called Proselytes This they thought to be the greatest honour to be made members of the Church the Queene of the South came from a farre Country to see the wisedome of Salomon and the order of his house and of his servants 2 Chron. 9.4 So the proselytes came from farre Countries to heare the wisedome of God and to see the order of his house and the comelinesse thereof David thought the swallow and the sparrow happie that built their nests neare the Altar of God Psal 84.3 might not they then thinke themselves happie who came so neare to the house of God as to heare his Law expounded unto them and to have these mysteries of salvation revealed unto them which the Gentiles knew not of The proselytes were those The Proselytes that came to the Iewish Church of the Madianites Iethro of the Huzzites Iob of the Syrians Naaman the Syrian of the Iebusites Arauna the Iebusite of the Hittites Vriah the Hittite of the Gittites Ittai 2 Sam. 18.2 of the Canaanites the woman of Canaan of the Ethiopians Ebedmelech the Blacke-moore and the Eunuch of the Queene of Candaces an Ethiopian Act. 8.27 of the Philistines David had the Cherethites for his guard 2 Sam. 15. of the Moabites Ruth of the Samaritanes the tenth man of the Lepers Luke 17. and the Samaritane woman Iohn 4. of the Idumeans Herod and of the Gibeonites the Nethinim who hewed the wood and drew the water for the Temple Iohn 9.21 And at the birth of Christ the three wise men that came from the East to worship Math. 2.11 And the Grecians from the West Iohn 12 20. of the Romans Cornelius the centurion and from Antioch Nicolas a proselyte Act. 6.5 and on Kelos the sisters sonne of Titus who pharaphrased in Chaldee the prophets Women proselytes So the women proselytes as Hagar the hand-maid of Sara Ashuer the wife of Ioseph Zipporah Moses his wife Siphrah and Puah the two mid-wives of Egypt so the daughter of Pharaoh Rachab Ruth Iael the wife of Heber the Kenite Now the whelps beganne to eate of the crummes which fell from the childrens table but it was a miserable case when the children refused the meate which was set upon the Table and began onely to gnaw the bones as Ierome speakes of them SECT 2. The second estate of the Iewes when they are lognammi not my people Lognammi What dignities they lost when they were not his people WHen they are lognammi now they are the tayle and not the head Deut. 28.37 now the crowne is fallen from their head Lam. 5.16 and now the Lord hath made them a by word amongst the heathen and a shaking of the head amongst the people Psal 44.14 when the Iewes of old used to imprecate any thing they used their imprecations wishing that such things might befall them as befell most miserable men Ier. 29.22 and of them shall bee taken up a curse by all the captivitie of Iudah which are in Babylon saying The Lord make thee like unto Zedekiah and like unto Ahab whom the King of Babylon rosted in the fire because they committed villanie in Israel and adultery with their neighbours wives So the Iewes now are become a parable and a hissing to all nations and when they wish any misery to a man they wish that hee may be like a miserable Iew and the name is now in detestation to all the world When they were his people the Lord forbade them to marrie with the heathen but now no man will marrie with them no not the Turkes Of old they detested the Publicans as most vile sinners but now they are the onely Publicans who serve under the Turkes no man will trust them now they are so perfidious and their faith is punica fides and they carrie the markes of gods vengeance When men turne from darkenesse to light A bappie change when men turne from darkenesse to light this is a happie change as when they turned from Paganisme to Iudaisme and then they were called prosylites So when they turned from Iudaisme to Christianitie they were called fratres Iudaei Act. 15. and beleevers of the circumcision Act 10.45 So when they turned from Gentilisme to Christianitie they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3.6 But when men fall from light to darkenesse that is A miserable change when men fall from light to darkenesse a miserable change as when they fell from the Iewish religion to Paganisme so when they fell from the Iewish religion to the Samaritans So when they fell from the Iewish religion to Saducisme so when they fell from Christian religion to Iudaisme Iosephus lib. 13. tit cap. 18. To fall from the Iewish religion to Paganisme so when they fell from Christianitie to Turkisme and lastly when
Quest How did the Iewes tollerate Herod to be their King being an Edomite Answ The Edomites were their brethren Deut. 23.7 thou shalt not abhorre an Edomite for he is thy brother the Edomits might enter into the congregation unto the 3. generation Deu. 23.8 that is they might marry with them and they might have a charge among them but the Moabites might not enter into the congregation unto the tenth generation Deut. 23.3 that is they might neither marrie with them neither might they have any charge in Israel Now let us consider what benefits the Iewes may enjoy among us christians and what not What benefits the Iewes may enjoy amongst us Christians Tertullian ad Scapulam First the Iewes are not to be compelled to christian religion Tertullian Non est inquit religionis cogere religionem quae sponte suscipi debet non vi It is not the part of religion to compell a man to religion which should be willingly professed and not by compulsion So Bernard fides inquit suadenda est non cogenda so they should not be compelled to be baptized Cransius lib. 5. cap. 14. for many of them who have beene compelled to bee baptized have fallen backe againe to their vomit of Iudaisme Quest Whether may they be tollerated to circumcise their children now or not How the Iewes may be tollerated to circumcise their children now for Paul saies Gal. 5.4 If yee bee circumcised Christ is become of no effect to you and yee are fallen from grace Answ Those who have received the Gospel and have beene baptized if they bee circumcised they are fallen from grace but these Iewes who stand still in Iudaisme their circumcision to them is not a falling from grace but a confirming of them in their former Iudaisme One who useth alwaies to eate poyson from his infancie If hee eate a poysonable thing it will doe him no harme But if one who is bred with wholesome meates should eate poyson it would presently poyson him So circumcision to those Iewes who are bred in judaisme is not deadly but to these who are baptized and professe christianity it is deadly When christians do tollerate the Iewes who dwell amongst them to circumcise their children this makes not their circumcision lawfull but only tollerable there are two sorts of relaxation of a law the first is when that is permitted lawfully to be done Two sorts of relaxation of a law which was unlawfull before Example 1 King 5.6 Hiram commands wood to be cut for the building of the temple of Ierusasalem that is he permitts it to bee done here his permission makes it lawfull which was not lawfull before There is another sort of relaxation of a law when that is permitted or tollerated to be done which is not lawfull to bee done although it bee permitted no more then it was before thē permission as when a magistrate tollerates a thing which he cannot hinder this thing becomes not lawfull by his tolleration but he tollerates it because he cannot hinder it As Moses did tollerate the bill of divorce for the hardnes of the Iewes hearts So when the christians tollerate the Iewes to circumcise their children this is for the hardnesse of the Iewes hearts for the Iewes would not live amongst christians unlesse they were tollerated to circumcise their children things commanded are bona things forbidden are mala and things permitted are non bona as circumcision is to them when they use it Their Synagogues may be permitted to them Their Synagogues should also be permitted to them and their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or oratories for when there is a permissiō to them granted to worship there must be a place granted also to worship in this is not the tolleration of a false religion to permitt them to reade the law as if they should tollerate the Alkaron to bee read in their synagogues for the word of God is still the word of God although they abuse it to a wrong end Iustinian in constitutione clxvi The Iewes had a priviledge granted by the Emperor Iustinian to reade in their synagogues either the Hebrew or the 70. translation and howsoever the Iewes abuse this word to a wrong end in reading of it yet it is the word of God stil and they should be tollerate to reade it providing that they bring not in their blasphemous interpretations upon it Christians may not tollerate forcerie amongst them because it is evill in it selfe yet they may tollerate an Idolater to sweare by his Idoll in making a covenant with them because that is but vitium personae for to make a covenant is not unlawfull and to sweare is not unlawfull It is but a thing unlawfull to them and if they pleased they might sweare by the true God so the reading of the word of God is unlawfull to the Iew but per accidens It was forbidden to the christians to marry with them Canon cave Christiane 15. cap. 17. siquis Iudaice Eze. 28. quest 1. ex concilio Tolitano cap. 4.62 but if it fell out that they were both Iewes who married and one of them were converted to the christian faith then the Church ordaines Transibunt filij minores in infidelitate nati in favorem fidei a parente infideli separabuntur ne ejus involvantur erroribus that is if one of the parents become a christian then he or shee who are christians shall have the charge in bringing up the young ones that they be not nuzled up in the infidelitie of the parent who remaines an infidell As for their servants Concilio Tolitano Tom. 4. cap. 59. cap. 11. it was forbidden that a christian should serve a Iew Prohibitum christianis cujus cunque sexus famulitio domestico inservire Iudeis Amongst the Iewes an Hebrew might serve an Hebrew secondly an heathen might serve an Hebrew thirdly an Hebrew might serve a converted gentile but hee might not serve a Gentile not converted A Christian might not serve a Iew yet they tollerate that a Iew may serve a christian Quest What if a Christian had three serving him a Iew a Turke and a Christian the Turke observes the fryday the Iew the Saturday and the Christian the Sunday might the master compell his Christian servant to worke upon the Sunday as hee might compell the Turke to worke upon the Fryday and the Iew upon the Saturday Answ There is not the like reason in these for the observing of the Sunday is Gods ordinance and the Church determinate so The observing the Saturday was one of Gods ordinances but not now and the observing of the Fryday was never Gods ordinance On that day the servant is the Lords freeman The Hebrews call slaves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sen. lib. 3. de beneficiis Rev. 18.13 because their bodies are only subject to their masters but not their soules Seneca servitus in totum hominem non descendit pars melior ejus est
of the Iewes The second reason which hinders their conversion is that they looke onely upon Christs infirmities they were offended at the basenesse of his countrie Nathaneel himselfe tooke exception against him for this Can any good thing come out of Nazaret so for his parentage We know whence this man is Ier. 7.27 and Matth. 13.55 Is not this the Carpenters sonne and are not his brethren with us And at his wisedome vers 54. But most of all they stumbled at his infirmities and base estate upon the crosse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ became Ben Adam for us so he became Ben Enosh for us As he became a man for us so he became an infirme and weake man for us cloathed with our infirmities Read the 53. of Isaias and ye shall see what basenesse he was subject to separate and set a part like a Leper that men should turne away their faces from him and not looke upon him and that hee should be a worme and no man Psal 22. Rejected of men a man of sorrowes and acquainted with griefes The ancient Iewes themselves confessed this that the Messias should be loaden castigationibus quasi molaribus lapid bus R. Iacob being asked what the name of their Messias should be Haec in Thalmud hece tractatu de Sanedrim Answered that he should be called Leprosus a Leper alluding to that of the 53. of Isaias These infirmities should not make them to reject him if they looke with a spirituall eye upon him but because they looke with a carnall eye onely upon him they wait for a glorious Messias but the Lord foretold them by Daniel that Christs kingdome should not be a flourishing kingdome by that vision which was shewne to Nebuchadnezar of the foure Monarchies represented by the foure mettals by gold silver brasse and iron yet a little stone hewed without the hand of man should breake them all to peeces It was but a little stone baser than any of the mettals to shew us that although Christs kingdome in outward shew should be a base kingdome wanting all worldly helpe yet it should overthrow those great monarchies The third let of their conversion The third let of the conversion of the Iewes is the misapplication of the Scriptures When the Ethiopian did read the Prophesie of Isaiah Act. 8.34 he doubted whether the Prophet Esay spake of himselfe or of another there and that he might not applie the Scripture falsely therefore Philip was sent to him to teach him but those unstable soules wrest the Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speech borrowed from those who put a man upon a racke which causeth the man to speake that which hee never meant So these make the Scriptures to speake that which they never meant He that churnes milke shortly brings forth butter and hee that wrings the nose brings forth bloud Pro. 30.33 So those who straine the Scriptures bring forth a wrong sense Take but this one example of wrong application Esa 53.8 a praevaricatione populi mei percussio ei infligitur for the transgression of my people was he stricken but the Iewes perversly read the words after this manner for the transgression of my people they were stricken and Abenezra gives the reason because Lamo signifies many and not one So A. Brabaniel commenting upon Esa 53. â—5 saith that Laâ—â—â— is spoken still of moe and not of one but we have proofes every where that moe is spoken of one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not of many Ps 11.7 Esay 44.15 Iob 27.23 and Iob 20.23 The Iewes since they gave Iesus Christ vinegar and gall to drinke the Scripture to them is never sweet as the honie and the honie combe The fourth let of the conversation of the Iewes The fourth reason that lets their conversion is because they reade onely the five bookes of Moses now neglecting the Prophets they are wonderfull ignorant in them where their testimonies are clearest concerning Christ and notwithstanding the Prophets are called mickra from kara legere yet they reade them not and therefore they are justly compared Le almonoth haiioth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vivis viduis to living widdowes whose husbands love strange women but neglect their owne wives at home so the Iewes delight to read their Talmud and Mishna and Cabala and such trash and neglect the holy Prophets The fift let of the conversion of the Iewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fifth reason which hinders their conversion is because they follow not the literall sense of the Scripture but runne into Allegories and they call these allegories dabhor gadol rem maximam And the literall sense of the Scripture they call dabhor caton rem minorâ—s momenti 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thing of little worth and they compare the literall sense of the Scripture to an halfe pennie candle but the mysticall sense of the Scripture they compare to a precious pearle which when it is lying hidde in some darke corner of the house yet by the literall sense the halfe pennie candle they finde out their precious allegories and that every Scripture hath in it keliphoth and labhoth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corda crustas the shell and the kernell the shell they make the literall sense and the allegoricall the kernell The sixt let of the conversion of the Iewes The sixt reason which hinders their conversion is because they preferre the Talmud to the Scriptures and they say that the text of the Scriptures is like water and Mishua like wine and the Talmud like spiced wine Talmud in Masighta cap. 15. halicha 7 sequente 8. and that it is not possible that a man may want water wine or spiced wine but he that is a rich man or a learned scribe should have all the three in readinesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So they compare the Law to salt Mishna to pepper and the Talmud to spices when a child is five yeares old they admit him to reade the bible when he is ten yeares old hee is to read Mishna Mishna they call those traditions which Moses delivered to them by word and when he is thirteene yeare old he is filius praecepti and eates the passeover and observes their purifications but when hee is fifteene yeare old then they will have him to read the Talmud but the high mysterie of Ezekiels chariot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezech. 1. which they call opus Merkabha they will not have him to read before he be sixtie yeares old Therefore when Iohannan offered to teach Eleazar his Schollar opus de Merkabha he answered very modestly Lo kashei non incanui as Aristotle saith Invenis non est Idoneus auditor moralis Philosophiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A young man is not fit to be a scholler in morall Philosophie so they say that young men were not fit to heare that great mysterie of Merkabha before they were sixtie yeares of age