appointment of the day But why is this day now called the Lords day I answer euen therefore because it is the Lords day not changed by the Churches Constitution Meere as some seeme to hold except by the Churches authority they meane Christ and his Apostles nor descended to vs by Tradition as the Papists maintaine seeing the Scriptures Act. 20.7 1. Cor. 16.21 Apoc. 1.10 mention the name and celebration by the constant practise of the Apostles yea Christ himselfe as he rose on that day so did he vsually appeare on that day to his Apostles before his Ascension Christ therefore and his Apostles are our Authors of this change And the Church euer since hath constantly obserued it The Fathers teach yea the Papists themselues acknowledge this truth So Bellarmine de Cultu Sanct. l. 3. c. 11. saith Ius diuinum requirebat vt vnus dies Hebdomade dicaretur cultus diuino non autem conueniebat vt seruaretur Sabbathum itaque ab Apostolis in diem Dominicum versum est It was in the Primitiue Church called the Lords day the day of Bread and of Light because of the Sacraments of the Supper and Baptisme therein administred called Bread and Light And how it may be ascribed to Tradition Bellarmine the great Patron of Traditions sheweth out of Iustin Martyr who saith Christus haec illis Apostolis Discipulis tradidit Iustin in fine 2. Apolog He there also reporteth That they had their Ecclesiasticall Assemblies euery Lords day The Rhemists which ascribe it to Tradition in Annot. Matth. 15. acknowledge the institution thereof in Annot. 1. Cor. 16.2 Ignatius may be allowed Arbiter in this question of the Sabbath who thus writeth to the Magnesians Non Sabbatisemus Let vs not obserue the Sabbath after the Iewish manner as delighting in ease For he that worketh not let him not eate but let euery one of vs keepe the Sabbath spiritually not eating meat dressed the day before and walking set paces c. But let euery Christian celebrate the Lords day consecrated to the Lords resurrection as the Queene and Princesse of all dayes Now for the particular Commandement which was giuen him as an especiall proofe of his obedience in a thing otherwise not vnlawfull it was the forbidding him to eate of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge For in the middest of the Garden GOD had planted two Trees which some call Sacraments and were by GODS Ordinance signes vnto him one of life if he obeyed the other of death by disobedience Not as the Iewes thought and Iulian scoffed That the Tree had power to giue sharpenesse of wit And although some thinke signes needlesse to so excellent a creature yet beeing mutable subiect to temptation and each way flexible to vertue or vice according as he vsed his naturall power of free-will I see not why they should deny GOD that libertie to impose or man that necessitie to need such monitories and as it were Sacramentall instructions For what might these Trees haue furthered him in carefulnesse if he had considered life and death not so much in these Trees as in his free-wil and obeying or disobeying his Creator These Trees in regard of their signification and euent are called the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of good and euill which was not euill or hurtfull in it selfe but was a visible rule whereby good and euill should be knowne and that by reason of the Commandement annexed which he might by this Precept see to be grounded in obeying or disobeying the authority of the Law-giuer An easie rule and yet too easily broken For when as God did hereby challenge his own Soueraignty by imposing so easie a fine which might haue forbidden all but one as contrariwise he allowed and fore-signified the danger that he might continue his goodnesse to man continuing in obedience yet did man herein shew his contempt in reiecting so easie a yoake and so light a burthen I will not reason whether these two Trees may properly be called Sacraments of which say some the one was but for the bodily life and better neuer to haue touched the other this we know that in eating of this he lost both bodily and spirituall life which the name and institution thereof forewarned and should haue preuented otherwise in eating of the other immortalitie had been sealed both in soule and body to him and his for euer Srange it seemeth that he should need no monitorie signes to preuent that which euen with these helps added he did not eschew CHAP. V. Of the Fall of Man and of Originall Sinne HItherto we haue beheld the Creation of the World and of our first Parents the liuely Images of the Creator and the Creature whom we haue somewhat leisurely viewed in a naked Maiesty delighting themselues in the enamelled walkes of their delightfull Garden The Riuers whereof ranne to present their best offices to their new Lords from which they were forced by the backer streames greedy of the sight and place which they could not hold The Trees stouped to behold them offering their shady mantle and varietie of fruits as their naturall tribute each creature in a silent gladnesse reioyced in them and they enioyed all mutuall comforts in the Creator the Creatures and in themselues A blessed Payre who enioyed all they desired whiles their desire was worth the enioying Lords of all and of more then all Content which might in all they saw see their Makers bounty and beyond all they could see might see themselues comprehended where they could not comprehend of that infinite Greatnesse and goodnesse which they could not but loue reuerence admire and adore This was then their Religion to acknowledge with thankefulnesse to be thankefull in obedience to obey with cherefulnesse the Author of all this good to the performance whereof they found no outward no inward impediment Sickenesse Perturbation and Death the deformed issue of Sinne not yet being entered into the World In this plight did Satan that old Serpent see disdaine and enuy them It was not enough for him and the deuillish crue of his damned associates for their late rebellion to be banished Heauen but the inferiour world must be filled with his venome working that malice on the Creatures here which he could not there so easily wrecke on their Creator And because Man was here GODS Deputy and Lieutenant as a petty God on the Earth hee chooseth him as the fittest subiect in whose ruine to despite his Maker To this end he vseth not a Lion-like force which then had been bootlesse but a Serpentine sleight vsing that subtill creature as the meetest instrument to his Labyrinthian proiects Whereas by inward temptation he could not so easily preuaile by insinuating himselfe into their minds he windes himselfe into this winding Beast disposing the Serpents tongue to speake to the Woman the weaker Vessell singled from her husband and by questioning doth first vndermine her The Woman
some to call the name of the Lord that is after Rabbi Salomo to apply the name of God to Images Stars and Men But the more likely opinion is that when Adam had obtained a more holy posteritie which was now multiplyed in diuers families Religion which before had been a priuate In-mate in Adams houshold was now brought into publike exercise whereof Prayer hath alwaies been accounted a principall part and God himselfe in both Testaments calleth his house a house of Prayer the calues of the lips and the ejaculations of the heart being the body and soule of Diuine worship whereof Sacrifices were in a manner but the apparel fashioned to that infancy of the Church Of the names of the posteritie of Adam and his hundred yeeres mourning for Abel of Seth his remoouing after Adams death to a mountaine neere Paradise and such other things more sauouring of fabulous vanity in the false-named Methodius Philo and others that follow them I list not to write And wel might Genebrard haue spared his paines in searching for the antiquitie of Popery in this first Age of the World Easily may we grant a Church then truely Catholike in the Posteritie of Seth instructed partly by Reuelations partly by Traditions concerning the Creation the fall the good and euill Angels the promised Seed the Vnitie and Trinitie punishments and repentance for sinne publike and priuate Deuotions and other like Articles gathered out of Moses but for the Rabble of Rabbinicall Dreames which hee addeth herevnto we had need of the implicite faith of some simple credulous Catholike to receiue them as namely Purgatory resembled in the fiery Sword at the entrance of Paradise Free-will grounded on that which GOD speaketh to CAINE Thou shalt rule ouer him the prerogatiue of the elder Brother ouer the yonger falsly applyed to the rule of the minde ouer sinfull lusts the choice of meates in the first Fathers abstinence from flesh fish and wine as hee saith which had not beene permitted to them as it is to vs Traditions when as yet they had no Scripture Superstitious Obsequies to the dead because the Iewes in their office for the dead call vpon the Fathers which lye buried at Hebron namely Adam Eue and the rest to open the gates of Paradise Deuotion to Saints because the Cherubins were set betweene Paradise and Sinners as if their Saints were honoured to keepe them out of Heauen and not the bloudie Sacrifices onely in Abels offering but that vnbloudie Sacrifice so they stile their Masse in the offering of Caine wee enuie them not their Founder yea he finds their Sacrifice of Orders in Gods executing the Priestly function of Matrimony in Adam and Eue of Baptisme in the Breeches which they ware of Penance because GOD said Thou art dust and to dust thou shalt returne of Confirmation in those words Shee shall breake thy head the Truth will breake their heads for so reading it of Vnction in that Seth went to the Cherub which kept Paradise and receiued of him three graines of the Tree of Life whereof we reade in the Apocalyps the leaues shall heale the Nations with those graines was an Oyle made wherewith Adam was anoyed and the stones put into his mouth whence sprang the Tree whereof the Crosse of our Lord was made hidden by Salomon in the Temple and after in the Poole of Bethesda Spectatum admissi risum teneatis amici Did not Genebrard deserue an Archbishopicke or if the obseruation be his did not Petrus Victor Palma which set him forth with such Comments deserue the Palme and Victory for Peters pretended Successors which could find such antiquitie for proofe of their Catholicisme Much good may it doe their Catholike mawes with such Dainties Iust art thou O Lord and iust are thy iudgements which because they will not beleeue thy Truth giuest them ouer to such strong delusions to beleeue so grosse and palpable Lyes CHAP. VII Of the cause and comming of the Floud THus wee haue seene in part the fulfilling of the Prophesie of the Seed of the Woman and of that other of the Serpent in the Posteritie of Caine and Seth. The Family of Caine is first reckoned and their forwardnesse in humane Arts as the children of this World are wiser in their generation in the things of this life which they almost onely attend then the children of light As for the Iewish Dreames that Lamech was blind and by the direction of Tubalcaine his sonne guiding his hand slew Caine supposing it had beene a wilde beast which when he knew so inraged him that he killed his sonne also they that list may follow Moses reckoneth the Generations according to the first-borne in the Posteritie of Seth as enioying the Principalitie and Priest-hood that so the promised Seed of the Woman after such a World of yeares comming into the World might iustifie the stablenesse of GODS promises his Lineall Descent from Adam with a due Chronologie beeing declared After Seth Enosh Kenan Mehalaleel Iared was Henoch the seuenth from ADAM who walked with God whom God tooke away that he should not see death This before the Law and Helias in the Law are Witnesses of the Resurrection being miraculously taken from the Earth into Heauen not by death but by supernaturall changing of their bodies That hee should bee still in an Earthly Paradise and that hee and Elias should come and preach against Antichrist and of him be slaine is a Popish Dreame the Scripture saying that HENOCH was taken away that he should not see death of Elias that he is alreadie come in the person of Iohn Baptist the Spirit and power or spirituall power of walking with GOD reforming Religion and conuerting soules beeing communicated to many of those Ministers which haue lien slaine in the streets of that great Citie This his Assumption is supposed to be visibly done Hee was a Prophet and Iude doth in his Epistle cite a testimonie of his which eyther by Tradition went from hand to hand as it seemeth the whole Word of GOD was deliuered before the dayes of Moses GOD by Visions and Dreames appearing vnto the Patriarkes or else it was written and since is lost Some hold it was penned by some Iew vnder the name of Enoch Augustine thinketh that the Booke entituled Enoch was forged in his name as other Writings vnder the names of Prophets and Apostles and therefore calleth it Apocrypha as Hierome doth also Chrysostome and Theophilact account Moses the first Pen-man of Holy Scripture Although it seemes that Letters were in vse before the floud if Iosephus his testimonie be true who affirmeth that Adam hauing prohpecied two vniuersall destructions one by fire another by water his Posteritie erected two Pillars one of bricke another of stone in both which they writ their inuentions of Astronomie that of stone was reported to remaine in his time Some ascribe this to Seth as
Passeouer Pentecost or Whitsuntide the Feast of Tabernacles These were chiefe to which were added the Feast of Trumpets of Expiation and of the Great Congregation To these we may reckon the seuenth yeeres Sabbath and the yeere of Iubilee These Feasts GOD had prescribed to them commanding that in those three principall Feasts euery male as the Iewes interpreted it that were cleane and sound and from twenty yeeres of their age to fiftie should appeare there where the Tabernacle or Temple was with their offerings as one great Parish Deut. 16. hereby to retaine an vnitie in diuine worship and a greater solemnitie with increase of ioy and charitie being better confirmed in that Truth which they here saw to be the same which at home they had learned and also better strengthened against the errors of the Heathen and Idolatrous feasts of Diuels To these were after added vpon occasions by the Church of the Iewes their foure Feasts in memory of their calamities receiued from the Chaldeans their Feast of Lots of Dedication and others as shall follow in their order They began to celebrate their Feasts at Euen so Moses is commanded From Euen to Euen shall yee celebrate your Sabbath imitated in the Christian Euen-songs on holy Euens yet the Christian Sabbath is by some supposed to begin in the morning because Christ did rise at that time As for the causes of Feasts many they are and great That the time it selfe should in the reuolution thereof be a place of Argument to our dulnesse This is the day which the Lord hath made let vs reioyce and be glad in it And what else is a festiuall day but a witnesse of times light of truth life of memory mistresse of life A token of publike thankfulnesse for greatest benefits passed a spurre to the imitation of our Noble Ancestrie the Christian Worthies a visible word to the Ethnicke and ignorant which thus by what we doe may learne what we beleeue a visible heauen to the spirituall man that in festiuall ioyes doth as it were open the vayle and here fides is turned into a vides whiles in the best exercises of Grace he tasteth the first fruits of Glory and with his Te Deums and Halleluiahs begins that blessed Song of the Lamb whiles time it selfe puts on her festiuall attire and acting the passed admonish the present ages teacheth by example quickneth our Faith strengthneth hope inciteth charitie and in this glimpse and dawning is the day-starre to that Sunne of Eternitie when time shall be no longer but the Feast shall last for euerlasting These the true causes of festiuall Times CHAP. V. Of the Festiuall dayes instituted by God in the Law AS they were enioyned to offer a Lambe in the morning and another in the Euening euery day with other Prayers Prayses and Rites so had the SABBATH a double honour in that kinde and was wholly sequestred and sanctified to religious duties Which howsoeuer it was ceremoniall in regard of that seuenth day designed of the Rites therein prescribed of that rigid and strait obseruation exacted of the particular workes prohibited and of the deadly penaltie annexed yet are we to thinke that the Eternall Lord who hath all times in his hand had before this selected some time proper to his seruice which in the abrogation of Ceremonies Legall is in Morall and Christian duety to be obserued to the end of the World euen as from the beginning of the World he had sanctified the seuenth day to himselfe and in the Morall Law giuen not by Moses to the Iewes but by GOD himselfe as to all creotures is the remembrance of that sanctification vrged Friuolous are their reasons who would renue the Iewish Sabbath amongst Christians tying and tyring vs in a more then Iewish seruitude to obserue both the last and first dayes of the weeke as some haue preached and of the Aethiopian Churches is practised Neither can I subscribe to those who are so farre from paying two that they acknowledge not the debt of one vpon diuine right but onely in Ecclesiasticall courtesie and in regard of the Churches meere constitution and haue thereupon obtruded on many other dayes as Religious respects or more then on this which yet the Apostles entituled in name and practice The Lords day with the same spirit whereby they haue equalled traditions to the holy Scriptures Thus Cardinal Tolet alowes on the Lords day iourneying hunting working buying selling Fayres Fencing and other priuate and publike workes by him mentioned and saith a man is tyed to sanctifie the Sabbath but not to sanctifie it well a new kinde of distinction the one is in hearing Masse and ceasing from seruile workes the well-doing it in spirituall contemplations c. Another Cardinall is as fast as he is loose affirming That other holy daies also binde the Conscience euen in cases voide of contempt and scandall as being truely more holy then other daies and a part of diuine worship and not onely in respect of order and politie But to returne to our Iewish Sabbath Plutarch thought that the Sabbath was deriued of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to keepe Reuell-rout as was vsed in their Bacchanals of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is interpreted Bacchus or the sonne of Bacchus as Coelius Rhodiginus sheweth out of Amphithaeus and Mnaseas who is therefore of opinion That Plutarch thought the Iewes on their Sabbaths worshipped Bacchus because they did vse on that day to drinke somewhat more largely a Sabbatizing too much by too many Christians imitated which celebrate the same rather as a day of Bacchus then the Lords day Bacchus his Priests were called Sabbi of this their reuelling and misse-rule Such wide coniectures we finde in others whereas the Hebrewes call it Sabbath of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth To rest because of their vacation to Diuine Offices and not for idlenesse or worse imployments And for this cause all the festiuall solemnities in the Scripture are stiled with this generall title and appellation as times of rest from their wonted bodily seruices Likewise their seuenth yeere was Sabbathicall because of the rest from the labors of Tyllage In those feasts also which consisted of many daies solemnitie the first and last were Sabbaths in regard of the strictnesse of those daies rest Luke hath an obscure place which hath much troubled Interpreters with the difficulty thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our English reades it The second Sabbath after the first Isidore saith it was so called of the Pascha and Azyma comming together Chrysostome thinkes as Sigonius cytes him it was when the New-Moone fell on the Sabbath and made a double Festiuall Sigonius when they kept their Passeouer in the second Moneth Stella takes it for Manipulus frugum alledging Iosephus his Author Ambrose for the Sabbath next after the first day of the Easter Solemnitie Hospinian for the Octaues or last
circumcised Both sexes are circumcised at eight dayes old and the males fortie dayes after the females fourescore vnlesse sicknesse hasten the same are baptized As for the rites of their Christianitie it belongeth not to this place to expresse Their circumcision Zabo saith is not obserued as if it made them more worthy then other Christians for they thinke to bee saued onely by Faith They vse this and distinctions of meates and Mosaicall rites yet so as he that eateth should not despise him that eateth not and not condemning others that refuse them but yet thinking that neither Christ nor the Apostles nor the Primitiue Church had disannulled them interpreting also the Scriptures to their purpose Of their agreeing with other Churches in the most points of substance the Author of the Catholike Traditions hath written and when I make a Christian Visitation of these parts it shall bee further discouered The succession is not tyed to the eldest but to him whom the father appointeth For Dauid which sent his Embassage to Portugall was the third sonne in order and for modestie in refusing to sit in his fathers Throne which in the same triall his other brethren had accepted was preferred to that which he had refused the other reiected for their forward acceptation The King offered the King of Portugall an hundred thousand drammes of gold and as many Souldiers towards the subduing of the Moores besides other things meete for the warre It seemes the difference of the Ethiopian and Popish superstition was the chiefe hinderance in this businesse neither partie being able if willing to reconcile their long-receiued differences from each other and the truth Eugenius the Pope and the King then named The Seed of Iacob had written to each other and Aluarez yeelded obedience to the Pope in the name of the Prete at Bologna in the presence of Pope Clement the seuenth and Charles the fift But all this sorted to none effect For Pope Paul the fourth sent an Ambassage to Claudius then the Abassine Emperour employing in the same thirteene Iesuites one of which was made Patriarke and two Bishops in their hopefull Ethiopian Hierarchie Ignatius the Founder of the Iesuites wrote a long Letter also which Maffaeus and Iarric haue inserted at large Thus in the yeere 1555. Iohn the third King of Portugall vndertooke the charges to conuey them thither and sent Consaluus Roterigius to prepare them way by a former Ambassage to Claudius whose eares hee found fast closed to such motions Whereupon the new Patriarke stayed at Goa and Ouiedus one of the Bishops with a Priest or two went thither where when they came they found Claudius slaine and his brother Adamas a cruell man and an Apostata sometimes from his Faith in the Throne Hee cast the new Bishop into bands and drew him into the warres with him where the Emperour was discomfited and he taken and stripped of all and at last miserably dyed and with him the hope of Romish Abassia Iohn Nounius Barretus the designed Patriarke refused as Maffaeus saith the Archbishoprick of Goa where his brother was Vice-roy and remayned subiect to the Iesuiticall Societie to his death In the yeere 1559. Ioannes Bermudesius returned to Lisbone He wrote a discourse of his Ambassage from the Ethiopian Emperour to Iohn the third King of Portugall and of his aduentures in those parts befallen him In which he relateth that Abuna Marcos being at the point of death An. 1535. the Emperour willed him to nominate his Successor whereupon hee appointed this Bermudez and ordered him with all sacred Orders which hee accepted vpon condition of the Popes confirmation whereto the Emperour consented desiring him to goe to Rome to giue obedience to the Pope and from thence to Portugall to conclude Tagazano so he calleth him his Ambassage Paul the third confirmed him Patriarke of Alexandria Hee apprehended Tagazano as Onadinguel enioyned and clapt Irons on him His Emperours request was a marriage to be had with the Kings sonne of Portugall the Ethiopian succession to remayne his Dowrie also to send men against Zeila and Pioners to cut thorow a Hill thereby to bring Nilus to annoy Egypt Foure hundred and fiftie were sent accordingly by Garcia of Noronya But Onadinguel was dead and Gradeus was Emperour who ouer-threw the Moores and slue the Kings of Zeila and of Aden This Emperour fell out with the Portugals and sent to Alexandria for another Abuna whose name was Ioseph so that none acknowledged Bermudez but the Portugals Sabellicus saith hee had conference with some Ethiopians which said that their Lord ruled ouer threescore and two Kings They called him Gyam which signifieth Mightie They wondered why the Italians called him a Priest seeing hee neuer receiued Orders onely he bestowed Benefices and is neither called Iohn nor Ianes but Gyam Some report of him things incredible as one Web an English man in his Tales of his Trauels Hee hath gold enough shut vp in a Caue to buy the moytie of the world as L. Regius affirmeth and can rayse an Armie of ten hundred thousand saith Sabellicus Yet the Pesants are not employed in militarie seruice but onely the Cauas which are men brought vp thereto They warre not in the Lent except against themselues with extremitie of fasting so weakning their bodies that the Moores make that their Haruest of Abissine captiues Of this their fasting Aluares saith that they begin their Lent ten dayes before vs and after Candlemasse fast three dayes in remembrance of Niniuehs repentance many Friars in that space eating nothing and some women refusing to suckle their children aboue once a day Their generall fast is bread and water for fish is not easily had they being farre from Sea and ignorant to take it Some Friars eate no bread all Lent long for deuotion some not in a whole yeere or in their whole life but feede on herbes without oile or salt that I speake not of their girdles of Iron and other their hardships which my pen would willingly expresse if my method forbade mee not This fasting as exposing their State to hostile inuasions and insolencies may finde place and mention here Their Friars and Priests in Lent eate but once in two dayes and that in the night Queene Helena that sent her Ambassadour to King Emanuel was reported to eate but three times a weeke on Tuesday Thursday and Saturday On Sundayes they fast not In Tigray and Tigremahon they fast neither Saturday nor Sunday and they marry because they haue two moneths priuiledge from fasting on Thursday before our Shrouetide They that are rich may there marry three wiues and the Iustice forbids them not onely they are excommunicated from entring the Church Some affirme that the Princes of Egypt haue time out of minde payed to Prester Iohn a great tribute continued by the Turkes which Luys saith is three hundred thousand Zequis euery Zequi being sixteene
à religendo of choosing againe Hunc eligentes vel potius religentes amiseramus enim negligentes vnde religio dicta perhibetur This word Religens is cited by Nigidius Figulus in Aulus Gellius Religentem esse oportet Religiosum nefas Religiosus being taken in bad sense for Superstitiosus The same Father elsewhere in his booke de vera Religione acknowledgeth another originall of the word which Lactantius before him had obserued à religando of fastning as beeing the bond betweene vs and GOD. Ad Deum tendentes saith Augustine ei vni religantes animas nostras vnde religio dicta creditur Religet ergo nos Religio vni omnipotenti Deo Lactantius his words are Diximus nomen religionis a vinculo pietatis esse deductum quòd hominem sibi Deus religauerit pietatè constrinxerit quia seruire nos ei vt Domino obsequi vt patri necesse est Melius ergo quà m Cicero id nomen Lucretius interpretatus est quia ait se religionum nodo exoluere And according to this Etymologie is that which M. Camden saith Religion in old English was called Ean-fastnesse as the one and onely Assurance and fast Anchor-hold of our soules health This is the effect of sinne and irreligion that the name and practise of Religion is thus diuersified else had there beene as one GOD soone religion and one language wherein to giue it with iust reason a proper name For till men did relinquere relinquish their first innocencie and the Author of whom and in whom they held it they needed not religere to make a second choice or seeke reconciliation nor thus relegere with such paines and vexation of spirit to enquire and practise those things which might religare bind them surer and faster vnto God and in these respects for seuerall causes Religion might seeme to be deriued from all those fountaines Thus much of the word whereby the nature of Religion is in part declared but more fully by the description thereof Religio est saith Augustine quae superioris cuiusdam naturae quam diuinam vocant curam ceremoniamque affert Religion is here described generally whether false or truely professing the inward obseruation and ceremoniall outward worship of that which is esteemed a higher and diuine nature The true Religion is the true rule and right way of seruing GOD. Or to speake as the case now standeth with vs True Religion is the right way of reconciling and reuniting man to GOD that hee may be saued This true way hee alone can shew vs who is the Way and the Truth neither can we see this Sunne except he first see vs and giue vs both eyes to see and light also whereby to discerne him But to come to Adam the subiect of our present discourse His religion before his fall was not to reunite him to GOD from whom he had not been separated but to vnite him faster and daily to knit him neerer in the experience of that which nature had ingrafted in him For what else was his Religion but a pure streame of Originall Righteousnesse flowing from that Image of GOD whereunto he was created Whereby his mind was enlightened to know the onely very GOD and his heart was engrauen not with the Letter but the life and power of the Law louing and proouing that good and acceptable and perfect will of GOD. The whole man was conformable and endeauoured this holy practise the body being plyant and flexible to the rule of the Soule the Soule to the Spirit the Spirit to the Father of Spirits and God of all Flesh which no lesse accepted of this obedience and delighted as the Father in his Child in this new modell of himselfe How happy was that blessed familiarity with God societie of Angels subiection of Creatures enuied onely of the Deuills because this was so good and they so wicked Nature was his Schoolmaster or if you will rather GODS Vsher that taught him without learning all the rules of Diuine Learning of Politicall Oeconomicall and Morall wisedome The whole Law was perfectly written in the fleshie Tables of his heart besides the especiall command concerning the trees in the middest of the Garden the one being an vniuersall and euerlasting rule of righteousnesse the other by speciall authority appointed as the manifestation of GODS diuine prerogatiue in commanding and a triall of mans integritie in obeying For the first part hereof since it was so blurred in our hearts it was renued by the voyce and finger of God on mount Sinai giuen then immediately by GOD himselfe as GOD ouer all whereas the other parts of the Law containing the Ceremoniall and Politicall ordinances were immediately giuen by the Ministerie of Moses as to that particular Nation Neither know I any that make doubt of this whole Law naturally and originally communicated saue onely that some make question of the Sabbath Howbeit I must confesse that I see nothing in that Commandement of the Decalogue prescribed but is Naturall and Moral for both the Rest is so farre Morall as the outward acts of Diuine worship cannot be performed without suspending for a while our bodily labours although Rest as a figure bee Iewish and in it selfe is either a fruit of wearinesse or idlenesse And that the seuenth dayes obseruation is naturall I meane the obseruing of one day of seauen in euery weeke appeareth both by the first order established in Nature when GOD blessed and sanctified the seuenth day the streame of Interpreters especially the later running and ioyning in this interpretation the Elder beeing somewhat more then enough busied in Allegories by the reason in the Commandement drawne from Gods example and Sanctification in the Creation by the obseruation of a Sabbath before this promulgation of the Law Exod. 16. and by the diuision of the dayes into weekes both then and before by Noah Gen. 8.10.12 by the necessitie of a Sabbath as well before the Law in the dayes of the Patriarkes as in the times of Dauid or Salomon by the perfection of the number of seuen in the Scriptures by the generall consent of all that it is Morall to set apart some time to the Lord of times and an orderly set time to the God of order which men might generally agree on for their publike deuotions which the Patriarkes practised in their Sacrifices and Assemblies the Heathens blindly as other things in their Feasts Thus saith Philo This is a feast day not of one Citie or Region but of the whole world and may be properly called the generall birth-day of the world And Clemens Alexandrinus sheweth out of Plato Homer Hesiod Callimachus and Solon that the seuenth day was not sacred alone to the Hebrewes but to the Greekes also and how mysticall was the number of seuen not onely among the Iewes but also among the Heathens both Philosophers and Poets as Philo Macrobius and others haue related Hereunto
fore-staller of the fish to her owne delicate tooth Mopsus a Lydian after drowned her in the lake of Ascalon where this fish-deuourer was of fishes deuoured They yet esteemed her a goddesse and offered vnto her fishes of gold and siluer and the Priests all day long set before her true Fishes rosted and sodden which after themselues did eate and it is not to be doubted but the metall-mawes of those Ostriges could also digest the other Diodorus Sieulus That hard by a lake full of fish neere vnto Ascalon was a Temple dedicated to this Fish-woman her Storie followeth That shee yeelding to the lust of a young man had by that copulation Semiramis whom now too late repenting of her follie shee exposed on the rockes where shee was nourished by Birds of which Birds called in their language Semiramis shee receiued that name The Shepheards after espying this hospitalitie of the Birds found the childe and presented her to Simma the Kings Shepheard who brought her vp as his owne daughter The mother not able to swallow her shame and griefe cast her selfe into the lake to bee swallowed of the water but there by a new Metamorphosis was turned into a Fish and hallowed for a goddesse and for company the fishes of that lake and the Birds of that Rocke were canonized also in this deifying deuotion In Ascalon was a Temple of Apollo and Herod Father of Antipater Grandfather to Herod the Great hence called Ascalonita was seruant to Apollo's Priest At Accaron was worshipped Ballzebub that is the Lord of Flies either of contempt of his idolatrie so called or rather of the multitude of Flies which attended the multitude of his sacrifices where from the sacrifices of the Temple at Ierusalem as some say were wholly free or for that hee was their Larder-god as the Romane Hercules to driue away flies or for that forme of a Flie in which he was worshipped as Nazianzene against Iulian reporteth He was called Swinthius and as some say Myiodes and Myiagrus howsoeuer one of these names commeth from Mice and the other from Flies such mouse-eaten flie-blowne diuinity did they professe Nec Muscam quarent deum Accaron saith Nazianzene of this Baal or Beelzebub The Arcadians sacrificed and prayed to Myiagrus and by that meanes were freed from danger by Flies Plinie reporteth that at the Olympian games they sacrificed a Bull to Myiodes which done clouds of Flies departed out of that territorie And in another place he sheweth that the Cyrenians sacrificed to the god Achor haply the god Accaron here mentioned when the multitude of Flies caused a pestilence all which Flies thereupon presently dyed The Iewes in detestation of this Idoll tearmed him Beelzebul that is dung-hill or dung-Iupiter Yea Scaliger saith the name Beelzebub was in disgrace also and that the Tyrians and Sydonians did not so call him Baal or Belus being a common surname to their gods which they distinguished with some addition as Iupiter was named Beelsamen Lord of Heauen but the Hebrewes and not the Phoenicians in contempt called him Beelzebub or fly-Lord This was Iupiter Olympius So Iuno was intituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Heauenly Shee was painted at Carthage sitting on a Lyon with a Thunderbolt in her right hand in her left a Scepter But for Beelzebub he was there Aesculapius or Physicke-god as appeareth by Ahaziah k who sent to consult with him in his sicknesse And perhaps for this cause the blaspheming Pharisies rather applyed the name of this then any other Idoll to our blessed Sauiour whom they saw indeed to performe miraculous cures which superstition had conceiued of Baalzebub and if any thing were done by that Idoll it could by no other cause bee effected but by the Deuill as tending like the popish miracles to the confirmation of Idolatrie What the deuill had at Beelzebubs shrine to this end performed blinded with rage and malice they imputed to the miracles of Christ which in regard of the Efficient were more excellent then could be Satans impostures as countermaunding him and all his proiects for the matter were meerely supernaturall in the Forme were acted by his will signified by his naked word and for the end which is the onely touch-stone for vs to trie all miracles were to seale no other truth then was contained for substance in the Law and the Prophets which hee came not to destroy but to fulfill If an Angell from heauen yea with heauenly miracles if it were possible should preach vnto vs otherwise Paul biddeth vs to hold him accursed and cursed be that deuill of Hell that vnder colour of miracles one of Antichrists ensignes hath taught the Wolrd to worship the Lipsian Lauretan and I know not what other Ladies not that Virgin on Earth holy in Heauen glorious but their Idol-conceits and idol-blockes of her Our Lord hath taught vs plainly in Matthew to serue God only without sophisticall distinctions As for the Heathenish and Popish and all those other packets of miracles which we receiue by the Iesuits annuall relations from the East and West Indies I esteeme them with Doctor Hall a hall of Elegance That they are either falsly reported or falsely done or falsely miraculous or falsely ascribed to Heauen But I know not how pardon it Reader I am transported to Hale Zichem and Loretto from our Phoenician ports The name of Beelzebub hath beene occasion of this parenthesis But the power of Beelzebub I feare hath induced Bellarmine to fall downe and thus to worship him for his purple aduancement For amongst the Notes of the Church he hath reckoned for one this of miracles maius ipse miraculum a greater miracle hee that now will not beleeue without miracles that Gospel which at first was thereby sufficiently proued We reade that the Iewes seeke for signes and are therefore called an euill and adulterous generation and not onely false Christs and false prophets and Antichrist himselfe but the heathens had their Legends of miracles as the whole course of our Historie will shew Goe now and reckon a Catalogue of miracles through all Ages euen to the time of blessed Ignatius and his Societie and aske of vs miracles for proofe of our doctrine Our doctrine hath alreadie by the Apostles and Prophets Pen-men of holy Scriptures beene prooued that way and we leaue to you the stile of Mirabiliarij Miracle-mongers which Augustine for like bragges of things miraculously wrought by them giueth the Donatists With vs Miracles must be prooued by the Truth and the Church and not they by miracles But let vs come backe to Phoenicia The Phoenicians are accounted first Authors of Arithmeticke and Astronomie as also of the Art of Nauigation Prima ratem ventis credere docta Tyrus saith Tibullus and obserued the North-starre to that Sea-skill The Sydonians are reputed first authors of Weights and Measures Herodotus affirmeth that the Phoenicians which
the writing being cancelled should bee neglected and perhaps the Name of God cast with it on the dung-hil the wise-men abolished that order on the third of Tisri which they instituted a holy-day As for the name of Maccabees Iunius saith it came from the inscription of those foure letters M. C. B. I. in the banners of those Princes which deliuered the Iewes from the Macedonian thraldome Scaliger saith that Iudas onely and properly was so called but by abuse of speech was not onely giuen to all of that kindred but to all which suffered in those times persecution for Religion as the seuen brethren and others The name Hasmonaei began with that Hircanus Scaliger thinketh because in the sixty eight Psalme it is by the Iewes interpreted Prince Aristobulus sonne of Hircanus first after the captiuitie called himselfe king and raigned one yeere Ioannes Alexander his brother twentie seuen after him his wife Alexandra nine Hircanus her sonne three moneths Aristobulus his brother three yeeres Ierusalem was taken of Pompey and Hircanus recouered the Priest-hood which he held two and twentie yeeres Antigonus by aide of the Parthians possessed Iudae a fiue yeeres and in his second yeere Herod was proclaimed King by the Romans who tooke the Citie the fift yeere of Antigonus and raigned foure and thirtie Scaliger ascribeth to Herods kingdome the number after Eusebius account reckoning from the birth of Abram 1977. he died 2016. Archelaus his son was made by Augustus Tetrarch of Ierusalem 2016. was banished 2025. Agricola was made king by Caligula 2053. Agrippa his son by Claudius 2060. and died 2116. thirtie yeeres after the destruction of the Temple The Dynastie of the Herodians lasted 139. yeeres Thus Scaliger He attributeth the Natiuitie of Christ to the 3948. yeere of the world Here we must leaue the Chronologers contending of the yeere of the world in which this blessed Natiuitie happened some adding many more yeeres some not allowing so many It is certaine by the Scripture that he was borne in the one and fortieth or two and fortieth of Augustus baptized in the fifteenth of Tiberius then beginning to be about thirtie yeeres of age in the thirtie three yeere he was crucified In the seuentie two as Baronius and seuentie one yeere of Christ as Buntingus and Liuely account Ierusalem was destroyed by Titus in the second of Vespasian Arias Montanus reckoneth this the yeere of the World 3989. and saith that the Hebrewes reckon it the 3841. which must needes be false The fault ariseth from the false computation of the Persian and Graecian Monarchies Iosephus counteth from the time of Herod to the destruction of the Temple twentie eight high Priests and a hundred and seuen yeeres After Scaliger in his Can. Isag. l. 3. this yeere 1612. is the 1614. of Christ of the World 5461. after the Iewish account of Hillel 5372. of the Armenians 1061. of the Iulian Period 6325. of the Hegira 1021. Anno 4. Olymp. 597. The Dionysian account which wee vsually follow was not generally receiued till after the time of Charles the Great CHAP. XII Of the Iewish Talmud and the Composition and estimation thereof also of the Iewish Learned men their succession their Cabbalists Masorites their Rabbines Vniuersities Students Rabbinicall creations their Scriptures and the translations of them §. I. Of the Talmud RAbbi Mosche Mikkotzi in a worke of his set forth Anno 1236. as Buxdorfius citeth him saith that the Written Law which GOD gaue to Moses and Moses to the Israelites is obscure and hard because it speaketh some things contradictorie which hee seeketh to proue by some places mis-interpreted and because it is imperfect and contayneth not all things meete to be knowne For who shall teach vs saith he the notes of Birds and Beasts a Franciscan might answere him out of the Legend of Saint Francis the Patron of his Order who shall teach them the proprietie and nature of points accents of Letters Also what fatte might be eaten what not c. Many such things are defectiue in the Law and therefore there is neede of some other Exposition of the written Law whence these things might be learned This Exposition for-sooth must be their Talmud the generation of which Viper touched before we will here more fully declare They say that Moses on Mount Sinai was not with GOD fortie daies and fortie nights to keepe Geese And GOD could haue written those Tables of the Law in an houre and sent him away with them so to haue preuented that Idolatrie with the Golden Calfe But GOD brought Moses into a Schoole and there gaue him the Law in writing first and then in all that long time expounded the same shewing the cause manner measure foundation and intention thereof in the true sense This vnwritten and Verball Law did Moses teach Ioshua be the Elders from these it was deriued to the Prophets After Zacharie and Malachie the last of these it came to the great Sanhedrib and after them by Tradion from father to sonne And Rabbi Bechai saith That Moses learned the Law written in the day time and this Traditionall Law by night for then he could not see to write Rabbi Mosche Mikkotzi sheweth the cause why God would deliuer the same by mouth onely and not in writing lest I wisse the Gentiles should peruert this as they did the other which was written And in the day of Iudgement when GOD shall demand who are the Israelites the Gentiles shall make challenge because of the Law written but the Iewes onely shall be acceped as hauing this Simani this verball exposition GOD also say they gaue them Chachamim Wise-men authors of diuers ordinances amongst them as to blesse GOD at the Sunne-rising and Sunne-setting And of Schooles where children should be taught the Law of Moses in euery Citie and where the Law of Moses should be read weekely and that the Israelites should not eate or drinke with the Gentiles nor what they had dressed after the example of Daniel c. But when the Temple was destroyed and the Iewes carried away captiues then arose vp Rabbi Iuda Hannasi who is called for his humilitie and godlinesse our Great Master to whom GOD procured such fauour in the eyes of Antoninus the Emperour that hee had authoritie to assemble out of all places of the Empire the most learned Iewes to consult in this their almost desperate Estate what course to take for the preseruation of the Law amongst the people And although this Kabala or Law giuen by word of mouth might not bee committed to writing yet in consideration and commiseration of their miserie whatsoeuer thereof was remayning in memorie hee writ in a booke which hee called Mischna that is a Deutronomie or Law reiterated contayning sixe summes diuided into sixtie lesse parts or tractates and these into fiue hundred thirtie two Chapters Thus farre R. Mikkotzi The contents of the sixe summes and their seuerall Tractates
then biggest when they haue nothing but wind to fill them Euen their glorious Titles so much insisted on in this Discourse then seeme to haue had beginning or at least to be in greatest vse when they were neere the end and Sun-set of their glorie and since haue encreased to this rabble of Rabbinicall stiles here deliuered and that which in these dayes is of greatest reckoning the Title Morenu our Doctor hath beene hatched saith Buxtorfius in Germany within these two hundred yeeres and thence passed into Italy in imitation of our Academicall degree of Doctors say some or else as others it was ordayned to be a speciall Title of honour with a kind of Iurisdiction ouer other R R. to preuent their lauish loosenesse in granting Bils of Diuorce that this power should bee appropriated to the Morenu The first which enioyed this Title in this proper sense for in a common it was common before as in Rambams Moreh Nebuchim appeares were Maharasch and his Scholer Maharil who dyed Anno Dom. 1427. §. IIII. Of the Scriptures and their Interpretations BEfore we shake hands with the Learned Writers of the Iewes it is not vnmeete in my opinion heere to meete with some question which some haue mooued concerning them and their dealing in and with the Scriptures For since that the Councell of Trent hath decreed in the yeere 1546. both the diuine authoritie of Scriptures Canonicall to the Apocrypha-bookes which the Iewes receiue not nor euer did and hath made the vulgar Translation Authenticall in publike Lectures Disputations Preachings and Expositions that none vnder any pretence whatsoeuer shall presume to reiect it it is wonder to see how eagerly that I say not impudently diuers of them haue sought to slander the originall Text and haue blamed as Authors thereof in the New Testament Heretikes and in the Old Iewes couering their malice to vs with pretence of the malice of Heretikes and Iewes and forgetting the true Rule That it is a shame to belie the Diuell Thus haue Canus and Pintus and Gregorius de Valentia Sacroboscus and others traduced the Iewes in this behalfe themselues refuted by their owne which yet by consequent ouerthrow that former Decree Sixtus Senensis Ribera Cardinall Bellarmine himselfe Andradius Andreas Masius Arias Montanus Isaac Leuita c. Besides of ours many and especially our owne learned Countrimen Whitaker Reynolds Morton c. Bellarmine hath both taught vs the vanitie of their opinion that hold That the Scriptures were all lost in the Babylonian Captiuitie and were by Ezra renewed miraculously who is rather commended for his industrie in interpreting and obseruing them and for ordering and compacting them in one Volume then for such needlesse reuelation to finde that which was neuer lost an Author rather as Hierome hath obserued of the present Hebrew Letters then of their ancient Scriptures and hath also prooued the absurditie of their conceit that imagine the Hebrew Fountaines corrupted First by the Argument of Origen and Hierome That such corruption must haue beene either before or after Christ if that Christ would haue reproued and not commended the Scriptures to their search if this how commeth it that the Testimonies cited by him and his Apostles are found now in Moses and the Prophets as they were then cited Secondly out of Augustine That it is not likely they would put out both their eyes in depriuing their Scriptures of truth that they might put out one of ours nor was it possible that such a generall conspiracie could be made Thirdly from their more then reuerent estimation of their Scriptures for which they would die if it were possible an hundreth deaths and euen still as Isaac answereth B. Lindan his Scholler they proclaime a Fast to expiate if by some accident that Booke but falls to the ground Fourthly some places in the Hebrew are more strong against the Iewes then our Translations are and the Prophesies which make most against them remaine there vncorrupted And lastly the prouidence of GOD would neuer herein faile his Church but hath left them with their bookes to bee dispersed through the world to beare witnesse to that Truth which they hate and persecute These are Bellarmines Arguments which because they are the Truth are also ours and therefore we haue beene bold with the Reader to insert them Leuita addes that the Hebrew Texts concerning Christ are more cleere and perspicuous then in any translation whatsoeuer who affirmes also of himselfe that reading the fiftie third Chapter of Esaias 1000. times by which he was conuerted to the Christian Faith and comparing it diligently with many translations he found a hundred times more touching the mysterie of Christ in that then in these Many Prophesies are in the Hebrew which make for the Christians and yet in the 70. are omitted The Iewes hold it a crime inexpiable to alter any thing therein which if any say they should doe but in one word of ignorance or malice it would bring the whole world in danger of perishing They will not lay their Bible but in a pure place nor touch it but with pure hands and are not religious alone but superstitious also in respect thereto As for that Emendation or Correction of the Scribes which Galatinus mentioneth wherein they haue corrupted the Text hee proueth it to bee a late dreame of the Talmud and answereth the Arguments of his fellowes herein not so Catholike as himselfe Now although this may seeme more then enough to conuince that folly yet it shall not bee impertinent to adde out of Arias Montanus somewhat touching the same because it openeth another mysterie touching the Hebrew Learning and the Masoreth When the Iewes saith he returned into their Country after the Captiuitie threescore and ten yeeres in Babylon it befell them partly by occasion of their long troubles which did distract their mindes partly by corruption of their Natiue Tongue which was growne out of kinde first into the Chaldee and afterward into the Syriacke that they neither knew nor pronounced so well the words of the Scripture written as the manner was without vowels Whereby it came to passe that in the writing of them there crept in some fault either through iniurie of the Times or by reason of troubles which fell vpon the People or by negligence of some Scriueners But this inconuenience was met withall afterward by most learned men such as Esdras was and afterward Gamaliel Ioseus Eleazar and other of great name who prouided by common trauell with great care and industrie that the Text of Scripture and the true reading thereof should bee preserued most sound and vncorrupt And from these men or from their instruction being receiued and polished by their Schollers in the Ages following there came as wee iudge that most profitable Treasure which is called Masoreth that is to say a Deliuerie or Traditionall because it doth deliuer aboundantly and faithfully all the diuers Readings that
of the Sabbath and in the land of Israel of which you haue heard their rolling opinion before neither will wee roll this stone to our Reader againe CHAP. XX. The Jewes faith and hope touching their Messias §. I. Of the Signes of the comming of their Messias THe Iewes generally beleeue hope and pray for a Messias but such a one whose Kingdome shall bee of this world and who shall to vse the Apostles phrase who were also euen after Christs death and resurrection partakers of this dreame Restore the Kingdome to Israel And because the Scripture speaketh sometimes of the poore contemptible and deiected state of the promised Messias sometimes of the puissance renowne and glory of his Kingdome they therefore frame to their conceits two Messiahs one poore and simple but a mightie warriour whom they call Messias Ben-Ioseph the other Messias Ben-Dauid after the other in time but before him in glory and the true Messias howsoeuer euen this also bee in their opinions but a meere man and one which shall marry and leaue behind him a remayning and raigning posterity The Cabalists according to their transcendent mysteries out of the name Adam which the Hebrewes write without points Adm gather that the soule of Adam by a Metempsychosis passed into Dauid and that of Dauid into Messias which yet lyes hid for the sinnes of the Iewes The ancient Iewes looked for this Messias to bee sent them about that time when Iesus came in the Flesh as that Prophesie which is fathered on Elias testifyeth to wit that the world should bee two thousand yeeres Tohu empty and without law two thousand vnder the Law two thousand vnder the Messias and accordingly Christ Iesus came into the world about the yeere after the Creation 3963. The Iewes reckon 202. yeeres fewer in all their computations then the Christians Vpon this occasion and in regard of the generall expectation of the Messias about that time rose so many Sects and especially that rebellion of Ben-Cochab before spoken of to whom R. Akibha famous for his foure and twenty thousand Disciples gaue testimony and called him Messias the King But this Ben-Cochab the sonne of the Starre Numb 23. was by Adrian as you haue seene besieged taken and executed and was called after Ben-Cozobh the sonne of lying They therefore when as they found no Messias said that the time was deferred because of their sinnes and after denounced Anathema to him that should set downe the time of his comming And being conuinced in their consciences that the Prophesies of this time were already past and accomplished they affirmed in their writings that hee was then borne but did not yet reueale himselfe because of their sinnes R. Salomon Iarchi writeteh that the ancient Iewes thought he was borne on that day in which Ierusalem was last destroyed but vncertaine where he hath lyen hid Some say that he abideth in Paradise tyed by the haire of a womans head so interpreting that of the Canticles The hayre of thy head is as purple The King is tyed in the rafters by rafters meaning Paradise The Talmudists write that hee lay at the gates of Rome among the Lazars and Leapers according to Esay 53. Before he commeth they write that ten notable miracles shall happen to warne them thereof First GOD shall raise vp three Kings which shall make profession of the true Faith but shall indeed betray it and seduce men and cause them to deny GOD. The louers of the Truth shall flee and hide themselues in caues and holes of the earth and these Tyrants shall pursue and slay them Then shall there be no King in Israel as it is written no Pastor no holy men The heauens shall bee shut vp the people shall be made few for these Tyrants which yet by diuine dispensation shall raigne but three months shall impose ten times as much as was before exacted and they which haue not to pay shall lose their heads And from the ends of the earth shall come men blacke and loathsome the dread of whose countenance shall kill men for they haue two heads and seuen eyes sparkling like fire The second Miracle shall bee a great heate of the Sunne causing Feauers Pestilences and other diseases so that the Gentles shall digge themselues graues and there lye and wish for death But the Israelites shall haue this heat to be as wholesome medicine to them so interpreting the Prophet GOD shall make a bloudy dew fall on the earth of which the people and the wicked of the Israelites shall drinke thinking it to be good water and shall die it shall not hurt the iust who shall shine c. Fourthly GOD shall make a wholsome dew to fall whereof the indifferent meaner sinners sicke of the former dew shall drinke and liue Hos 14.6 Fifthly The Sunne shall be darkened thirty dayes and then receiue againe his light whereby many shall embrace Iudaisme Sixthly GOD shall permit the Edomites or Romans to rule ouer all the world but one especially at Rome shall raigne nine moneths ouer all the world wasting large countries laying heauy tributes vpon the Israelites Then shall the Israelites haue no helper as sayth Esai 49.16 But after nine moneths GOD shall send Messias Ben-Ioseph of the children of Ioseph whose name shall be Nehemias the sonne of Husiel Hee shall come with the race of Ephraim Manasse Beniamin and Gad and the Israelites hearing of it shall flocke to him as Ieremie sheweth Conuert yee to the Lord yee rebellious children I will take yee one of a City and two of a Tribe c. This Messias shall ouerthrow the Edomites and slay their King and destroying the Empire shall carrie to Ierusalem holy vessels reserued in the house of Aelian for a treasure The King of Egypt also shall make peace with the Israelite and shall kill the men about Ierusalem Damascus and Ascalon the fame whereof shall affright all the inhabitants of the earth Seuenthly There is at Rome a marble Image of a Virgin not made by mans hand to which shall resort all the wicked of the world and shall incestuously conuerse therewith Hence shall GOD frame an Infant in the same which shall with breach of the marble come foorth This shall bee named Armillus the wicked the same which the Christians call Antichrist of ten elles quantitie of bredth and length a spanne bredth betweene his eyes which shall bee red and deepe in his head his hayre yellow the soles of his feet-greene deformed with two heads Hee shall professe himselfe the Romane Messias and GOD and shall bee accepted of them He shall bid them bring him the Law which hee hath giuen them which they shall bring with their Prayer-booke hee shall cause them to beleeue in him and shall send Ambassadours to Nehemias the sonne of Husiel and to the people of Israel commanding them also to bring him their Law and to acknowledge him for GOD. Then shall Nehemias
Red because either the ground or the sand or the water thereof is Red as Bellonius hath obserued for none of them are so The people thereabouts take care for no other houses then the boughes of Palme-trees to keepe them from the heat of the Sunne for raine they haue but seldome the cattell are lesse there then in Egypt In the ascent of Mount Sinai are steps cut out in the Rocke they beganne to ascend it at breake of day and it was afternoone before they could get to the Monasterie of Maronite Christians which is on the top thereof There is also a Meschit there for the Arabians and Turkes who resort thither on pilgrimage as well as the Christians There is a Church also on the top of Mount Horeb and another Monasterie at the foot of the Hill besides other Monasteries wherein liue religious people called Caloieri obseruing the Greeke Rites who shew all and more then all the places renowmed in Scriptures and Antiquities to Pilgrims They eate neither flesh nor white meates They allow food vnto strangers such as it is rice wheat beanes and such like which they set on the floore without a cloth in a woodden dish and the people compose themselues to eate the same after the Arabian manner which is to sit vpon their heeles touching the ground with their toes whereas the Turkes sit crosse-legged like Taylors There is extant an Epistle of Eugenius Bishop of M. Sinai written 1569. to Charles the Arch-duke wherein hee complaineth that the Great Turke had caused all the reuenues of the Churches and Monasteries to bee sold whereby they were forced to pledge there Holy Vessels and to borrow on Vsurie Arabia Foelix trendeth from hence Southwards hauing on all parts of the Sea against which it doth abutt the space of three thousand fiue hundreth and foure miles Virgil calls it Panchaea now Ayaman or Giamen This seemeth to bee the Countrie wherein Saba stood chiefe Citie of the Sabaeans whose Queene visited Salomon for so the Iewes reckon howsoeuer the Abassines challenge her to themselues Aben Ezra on Dan. 11. calls this Saba Aliman or Alieman and Salmanticensis Ieman which is all one for all is but the Article signifying the South as the Scriptures also call her Queene of the South For so it was situate not to Iudaea alone but to the Petraean and Desart Arabia The name Seba or Saba agreeth also with the name of Sheba Gen. 10.7 As for Sheba the Nephew of Abraham by Ketura it is like he was founder of the other Seba or Saba in Arabia Deserta the elder posteritie of Chush hauing before seated themselues in the more fertile Southerne countrie and because both peoples these in Arabia and those in Africa were comprehended vnder one generall name of Aethiopia hence might those of Africa take occasion to vsurpe the Antiquities of the other Yea it is more likely that these Abassens in Africa a thousand yeeres after that the Queene was buried were seated in Arabia and thence passed in later ages into Africa subduing those Countries to them For so hath Stephanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Abassens so we now call those Aethiopians in the Empire of Presbyter Iohn are Nation of Arabia beyond the Sabaeans and the Nubian Geographer diuers times mentions Salomons wife in Arabia which I cannot interpret but of that Queene so that out of Arabia they carried this Tradition with them as it is likely into Africa where want of learning and plentie of superstition had so increased their Legend of this Queene as we shall after heare Beniamin Tudelensis writeth likewise that the Region of Seba is now called the Land of Aliman and that it extendeth sixteene dayes iourneys alongst the Hills in all which Region there were of those Arabians which had no certaine dwellings but wandred vp and downe in Tents robbing the neighbour Nations as is also reported of the Saracens neere Mecca which gouernment of Mecca both Beniamin and Salmanticensis adioyne to that of Aliman or the Kingdome of Saba for so saith he the Iewes in those parts still call the chiefe Citie of that Kingdome It hath store of Riuers Lakes Townes Cities Cattell fruits of many sorts The chiefe Cities are Medina Mecca Ziden Zebit Aden Beniamin addeth Theima or Theman a Citie walled fifteene miles square enclosing ground for tillage in the walls Tilmaas also Chibar and others There is store of siluer gold and varietie of gemmes There are also wilde beasts of diuers kindes As for the Phoenix because I and not I alone thinke it a fable as neither agreeing to reason nor likelihood and plainely disagreeing to the Historie of the Creation and of Noahs Arke in both which God made all Male and Female and cōmanded them to increase and multiply I thinke it not worthy recitall One wonder of Nature done in Abis a Citie of this Region will not I thinke bee distastfull cited by Photius out of Diodorus Siculus written in some part of his workes which is now wanting One Diophantus a Macedonian being married to an Arabian woman in that Citie Abis had by her a daughter called Herais which in ripe age was married to one Samiades who hauing liued a yeere with her did after trauell into farre Countries In the meane time his wife was troubled with an vncouth and strange disease A swelling arose about the bottome of her belly which on the seuenth day breaking there proceeded thence those parts whereby Nature distinguisheth men from the other sexe which secrets shee kept secret notwithstanding continuing her womans habit till the returne of her husband Who then demanding the companie and dutie of his wife was repelled by her father for which he sued him before the Iudges where Herais was forced to shew that which before her modestie had forbidden her to tell and afterwards naming himselfe Diophantus serued the King in his warres with the habite and heart of a man and leauing her feminine weaknesse as it seemed to her husband who in the impatience of his loue slue himselfe Our Author addeth also that by the helpe of the Physicians such perfection was added to this worke of Nature that nothing remained to testifie hee had beene a woman he annexeth also like examples in some others Ludouicus Vertomannus or Barthema as Ramusius nameth him tells at large his iourney through all this threefold Arabia he trauelled from Damasco to Mecca Anno 1503. with the Carauan of Pilgrimes and Marchants being often by the way set vpon by Armies of those Theeuish and Beggerly Arabians This iourney is of fortie dayes trauell trauelling two and twentie houres and resting two for their repast After many dayes they came to a Mountaine inhabited with Iewes ten or twelue miles in circuit which went naked and were of small stature about fiue or sixe spannes high black of colour circumcised speaking with a wominish voice And if they get a Moore in their power they flay
the light compasseth the Tower of Susa and the religious Temple of Diana Daniel calls it Vlay it seemeth to be or to become the same with Choaspes and so doth Ptolomey confound them they dranke also onely Chalybonian wine made at Damascus in Syria and their bread was made of the wheat of Assos in Phrygia Their sumptuous feasting appeareth in the Scripture beyond what is read in any storie of any King in which was somewhat of euery Nation subiect to him set before him his Salt was brought out of Egypt Amongst the baggage and stuffe of Darius which Parmenio tooke at Damascus were found two hundred seuentie seuen Cookes nine and twentie Scullians thirteene which had charge of white-meates seuenteene which were to minister water seuentie which belonged to the wine-celler fortie which looked to the oyntments and sixtie sixe which made Crownes How many may we thinke were there in his setled Court His dining-roome was full of musicall women whereof one began the song the rest followed three hundred of these creatures singing playing dancing spent the night in his bed-chamber Hee which could deuise any new pleasure was highly rewarded for which purpose Xerxes promised largely to such Epicurean-Masters by an open Proclamation The King vsually sate alone sometimes his mother and wife were admitted other guests sate where hee might see but not be seene of them yea they had slauish sauce to their sweet meates being narrowly watched by the Eunuches whether they cast any liberall lookes towards any of the Kings women Yet the Parthian guests had more seruile entertainment as euen now wee shewed Concerning the multitudes of their women and curiositie of their lusts the booke of Ester yeelds ample testimonie Cicero addeth that they bestowed for the maintenance of their wiues robes and dresses one Citie for their haire another for their necke yea the reuenues of whole countries on such excesse Socrates in Platoes Alcibiades telleth of an Embassador into Persia which was almost a whole day in trauelling through a Region called the Queenes Girdle another called the Queenes Head-tire and so for euery other part of her Wardrobe The Kings children especially the eldest sonne were presently after their birth committed to Eunuches which beside education did compose and order their lims at seuen yeeres of age they learned to ride and hunt hauing skilfull instructers for that purpose at foureteene yeeres they were committed to the discipline of the Royall Masters which were foure choisely learned the first in Prudence which taught the Magia of Zoroastres and the institution of a King the second in Iustice who taught to speake and deale truly the third in Temperance wherein hee instructed his new disciple as the fourth in Fortitude The Persian King had one whose office was to salute the King with these words Arise O King and thinke on such things as Mesoromasdes would haue thee Almost euery day hee performed his holy Rites for which cause were slaine euery day one thousand sacrifices amongst which were Oxen Asses Harts the Magi being present Before their sacrifices they discoursed of pietie and when they went to this their deuotion there were men on both sides the way set in rankes with officers called Mastigophori who suffered none but great personages to enter First were led Bulls foure and foure together which were sacrificed to Iupiter After them were led Horses to bee offered to the Sunne Then followed a Chariot drawne with white Horses hauing a golden beame and crowned sacred to Iupiter after that the Chariot of the Sunne like the former Then a third Chariot the Horses couered with Scarlet after which followed men carrying fire and next the King in his Chariot before which went foure thousand Target men and two thousand Speare-men about it There followed three hundred with Darts on horse-backe two hundred horses with golden bridles and after them three thousand Persians and in the last place the Medes Armenians Hireans Xenophon indeed which writes this in his Institution of Cyrus intends rather the frame of a iust Empire then the truth of History yet professeth to relate no other Rites and Customes then which the Persians embraced neither doth hee in these things disagree from Herodotus and Curtius The Kings Chariot was drawne with white horses the drowning of one of which was the cause of drying the Riuer Gyndes For Cyrus enraged for the losse of his white Palfrey diuided the riuer by force of men into three hundred and twentie rills so that it wilderd and lost it selfe in those many by-wayes an argument what Diuision can doe These horses were of the Nisaean race in Media When the King descended from his Chariot a golden stoole was set him to step on one alway attending his Chariot with such a stoole While hee rode in his Chariot hee spent the time in whitling with a knife not in reading or any graue meditation and therefore was vnlearned When hee went on progresse into Media he enioyned the Countrey to spend three dayes before to hunt Scorpions which there abounded allowing rewards therefore They vsed by themselues or their Legats to visite their officers in the Prouinces and to punish or preferre them according to their merits In iudgements they not onely considered the crimes and accusations but the counterpoise also of their vertues and the clemencie of Artaxerxes in their irreuocable law appeared in cutting off the Tyarae of condemned persons in stead of their heads As often as the King entred into Persepolis euery Matron was to haue a piece of gold giuen her the men also were rewarded which multiplied children but especiall rewards were bestowed on them which were called Orosange which had deserued well of the King whose names and facts were therefore recorded as we reade of Mordecai and his recompence Themistocles receiued of the Kings bountie the Citie Magnesia to finde him bread which Region was worth fiftie Talents yeerely Lampsacum for wine Myus for cates The chiefe gift giuen to any was a mill of gold The Kings birth-day was a solemne feast called Tycta that is perfect for the magnificence thereof in which hee gaue gifts to the people yea hee might not denie any petition then made to him The King nourished so many Indian dogs for hunting that foure great villages in the plaine of Babylon were assigned to their sustenance Artaxerxes caused Megabyzus as Ctesias writeth to bee beheaded for striking a Lyon with his dart which was readie to assault the King because he therein transgressed the Law and preuented the Kings triall of his valour The reuenues of the tributes were 14560. Euboike Talents the siluer and gold were melted and kept in earthen vessels which were broken when they came to vse the same Besides this the subiect prouinces yeelded to the maintenance of the King other things as Armenia horses Babylonia foure moneths victuals and the rest of Asia the other eight and other Regions their peculiar commodities The
to the youths men of riper age as masters of Manners The children come not in the Fathers sight till fiue yeeres of age or as Valerius Maximus hath till seuen and especially learne truth they were taught by these Prefects the rules of Iustice not by bare rules but by examples for which cause also Augustus would haue the Senators children present in the Court Yea a good part of the day was to this end spent by those Prefects in hearing and deciding such cases as fell out amongst these their schollers about thefts reproaches or other wrongs Next to Truth and Iustice they learned Sobrietie Abstinence Continence and Temperance wherein they were well furthered by the examples of their Masters neither might they eat but in their presence and with their leaue and that not of the choisest fare but bread and cresses whereto they added drinke from the next riuer They planted in them a hatred of vices especially of lying and in the next place of debt which cannot but bee attended with much disquiet and therefore wisely did Augustus command to buy him the pillow of a Roman Gentleman that died incredibly indebted as if there had therein rested some sleeping power whereon one so much indebted could take any rest Ingratitude was as little gratefull as the former and by the Persian lawes ingratefull persons were subiect to accusation and punishment as not Xenophon onely but Marcellinus also hath marked howsoeuer Seneca findes such a law onely amongst the Macedonians which perhaps was hence borrowed They hated such as forsooke their friends and country-men in need Their awfull respect to their parents was such that they might not sit in the mothers presence without her leaue the father had tyrannicall power ouer his children for life and death That which was vnto them vnlawfull in deed was not permitted in obscene and filthy words to bee spoken Thus were the Noble-mens children brought vp neere the Palace gates and in the Prouinces neere the gates of the Deputies or Gouernours For bodily exercise they learned to shoot to cast darts to ride and manage vnruly horses and to fight on horse-backe And this was their education till seuenteene yeeres of age at which time they were of the second ranke of Springals and youths and for ten yeeres after did not repaire home at nights but lay and abode in this Court or Colledge When the King went on hunting halfe of them attended him in armour Their dyet was the same but somewhat larger as is before related of the children and in hunting if it continued two dayes had but one dayes allowance They vsed to run long races of thirtie or fortie furlongs they exercised the sling leaping and wrestling the King propounding rewards to the Victor The helpe of these were vsed by the Magistrates against robbers murtherers and the like wicked persons as also of the Men which was the third order the Seminary of Magistrates and Souldierie of the Persians till they were fiftie yeeres old or somewhat more at which age they were freed from musters and forraine employments but at home were employed in publike and priuate iudgements None might attaine this honour in Age but by those degrees before expressed nor might any haue that education but the children of the rich which were able to beare the charge It was vnlawfull amongst the Persians to laugh in loud manner openly or openly or by the way to doe the easements of nature by siege vrine or vomit or to make water standing §. V. Of the Persian Luxurie and Marriages Funerals c. BVt this ancient Persian discipline and sobrietie with wealth and loosenesse were afterwards corrupted especially in drinking to represse which the Kings made an order Est. 1. that none should bee compelled to forget their health in remembring of healths or other Bacchanal deuices whereof would GOD wee had lesse cause to complaine The vse of Harlots were also added to their drinkings which when the Embassadors sent to Amyntas King of Macedon to demand Earth and Water which was the Persian custome when they exacted full subiection and possession extended to Matrons Alexander his sonne sent young men armed in womens habite amongst them which quenched their hot flames of lust with their bloud Hence haply it was that Assuerus would needes make shew of Vashti the Queene in his magnificent Feast which occasioned her depriuation and Esters succession Amidst their cups they consulted of warre and weightie affaires but some say they decreed not till afterwards The Persians vsed banquettings vnder Arras hangings before the time of Attalus from whom the Romans first borrowed the vse of them of his aula or hall hanged therewith calling them aulaea But the wals of the richer Persians were hanged with them the floures spread with costly carpets their cupboards furnished with rich plate their bodies shining with curious costly ointments their kitchin stored with garlick as a preseruatiue against serpents and venemous creatures their chambers swarmimg with Concubines yea mothers daughters and sisters wedded and bedded with them their second seruices celled in Scripture The banquet of wine when after the belly full farced with meats with which they dranke water they had other tables set with wine on which they gaue a new onset as a fresh enemy these and the like excesses would glut our Reader Loth were I to bring him to their mourning rites in which they shaued themselues their Horses and Mules they vsed sackcloth and entred not the Court they couered the face of such as incurred the Kings anger as we reade of Haman Their executions were flaying crucifying burning burying aliue stoning cutting asunder c. This pertaineth to their religion their diuination by lots as before Haman they perhaps the Magi cast Phur that is a lot from day to day and from month to month to see which would be the most lucky and fatall time for his mischieuous plot against the Iewes Their mariages they celebrated in the Spring and on their mariage day the husbands eate nothing but an Apple or the marrow of a Camel The Persians are accounted authors of making Eunuches which Petronius Arbiter and M. Seneca impute to the curiositie of their lust which might thus be longer serued of them They vsed in salutation to vncouer or put off the Tiara Here I might lade you with the Persian wardrobe the length and varietie of their garments and I might tell you of their earings and Iewels painting of their faces long haire of their kissing salutations if they were equall and of the knee of the superiour by the inferiour and adoration of the chiefe of their womans womanly detestation in the eagerest degree of hatred and indignation the fingering of wooll of their inhumane crueltie to the kindred of those which had committed some grieuous crime to punish all for the offence of one The Persians made banquets to their gods and gaue them the first fruits thereof
eighteene Cubits depth whereinto the water of Nilus is conueyed by a certaine sluce vnder the ground in the midst whereof is a Pillar marked also with eighteene Cubits to which Officers for the purpose resort daily from the seuenteenth of Iune to obserue the increase which if it amount to fifteene Cubits and there stay it doth portend fertilitie and how much ouer or vnder so much lesse abundance In the meane time the people deuoutly exercise Prayer and Almes-giuing And after the price of victuals especially of Corne is proportionably appointed for the whole yeere The Cities and Townes of Egypt whiles this inundation lasteth are so many Ilands Master Sandys writes that it begins to arise with the arising Sunne on the seuenteenth of Iune swelling by degrees till it mounts sometimes foure and twenty Cubits but that the vttermost Heretofore seuenteene was the most that it attayned to presented by that Image of Nilus hauing seuenteene children playing about it brought from hence by Vespasian and dedicated in his Temple of Peace still to bee seene in the Vatican at Rome That yeere when he was there it did rise at Cairo three and twentie Cubits about two miles aboue the Citie at the end of old Cairo in the beginning of August they cut the bankes for sooner it would destroy the vnreaped fruits the Bassa himselfe in person giuing the first stroke a world of people attending Boates or in Pauillions on the shoare with night triumphs and reioycings welcoming in the Riuer into the Land diuers dayes together The Bassa feasts three dayes in the Castle of Michias In the nights their many lights placed in buildings erected of purpose for this solemnity make a glorious shew These lights are said to succeed the Deuillish Sacrifices of a young Man and a Mayd wonted to be offered at this time to Osiris and Isis euery night they haue fire-workes Euery Turke of account hath a gallant Boat adorned with Streamers Chambers and the Lights artificially set to represent Castles Ships Houses or other formes in the day making Sea-fights others practising like exercises on land The soyle is sandy and vnprofitable the Riuer both moystening and manuring it Yea if there dye in Cairo fiue thousand of the plague the day before yet on the first of the Riuers increase the plague not only decreaseth but meerely ceaseth not one dying the day after which we haue elsewhere ascribed to the Sunnes entrance into Leo. The land is otherwise a very Desart as appeared two yeeres together when Cleopatra raigned Nilus not ouer-flowing and in Iosephs seuen yeeres of famine the Riuer being part of Pharaohs Dreame by which he stood and out of which the fat and leane Kine ascended And thus sayth Herodotus The Land of Egypt doth not onely owe the fertility but her selfe also vnto the slimy increase of Nilus for raine is a stranger in this Countrey seldome seene and yet oftner then welcome as vnwholesome to the Inhabitants Pharus by Homer mentioned farre off in the Sea is now adioyning to the Continent The mouthes or falls of Nilus numbred by the Prophet Esay and other in old times seuen and after Plinie who reckoneth the foure smaller eleuen are now as Willielmus Tyrius out of his owne search testifieth but foure or as other Writers but three worthy of consideration Rosetto Balbicina Damiata where the saltnesse of the earth and shels found in it may seeme to confirme Herodotus opinion that Nilus hath wonne it from the Sea which Goropius laboureth to confute Aristotle g doth not onely auerre the former opinion with Herodotus but addes that all the mouthes of Nilus except that of Canopus may seeme to be the labour of men and not naturall Channels to the Riuer HONDIVS his Map of Egypt AEGYPTUS §. II. The diuision of Aegypt and the great workes of their Ancient Pharaos EGypt was anciently diuided into Thebais Delta and the Region interiacent and these subdiuided into sixe and thirty Nomi which we call Shires whereof Tanete and Heliopolite were the assignement of Iacobs Family them called Goshen from whence Moses after conducted them into Canaan as Strabo also witnesseth The wealth of Egypt as it proceedeth from Nilus so is it much increased by the fit conueyance in the naturall and hand-laboured channels thereof Their haruest beginneth in Aprill and is threshed out in May. In this one Region were sometimes by Herodotus and Plinies report twenty thousand Cities Diodorus Siculus sayth eighteene thousand and in his time three thousand He also was told by the Egyptian Priests that it had beene gouerned about the space of eighteene hundred yeeres by the Gods and Heroes the last of whom was Orus after whom it was vnder Kings vntill his time the space almost of fifteene hundred yeeres To Herodotus they reported of three hundred and thirty Kings from Menas to Sesostris The Scripture whose Chronology conuinceth those lying Fables calleth their Kings by one generall name Pharao which some interprete a Sauiour Iosephus saith it signifieth authority and maketh ancient mention of them in the dayes of Abraham Some begin this Royall computation at Mizraim If our Berosus which Annius hath set forth were of authoritie hee telleth that Cham the sonne of Noah was by his father banished for particular abuse of himselfe and publike corruption of the World teaching and practising those vices which before had procured the Deluge as Sodomie Incest Buggerie and was therefore branded with the name Chemesenua that is Dishonest Cham in which the Egyptians followed him and reckoned him among their gods by the name of Saturne consecrated him a Citie called Chemmis The Psalmes of Dauid doe also thus intitle Egypt The land of Cham which name was retayned by the Egyptians themselues in Ieromes dayes Chemmis after Diodorus was hallowed to Pan and the word signifieth Pans Citâ—â—'s in Herodotus his time it was a great Towne in Thebais hauing in it a Temple of Perseus square and set round with Palme-trees with a huge porch of stone on which were two great statues and in it a Chappell with the Image of Perseus The Inhabitants want not their miraculous Legend of the Appatitions of their god and had a relique of his a sandale of two cubits which hee sometimes ware they celebrate festiuall games in his honour after the Greeke manner Herodotus also mentioneth an Iland called Chemmis with the Temple of Apollo in it Some say Thebes was called in their Holies Chemia or Chamia and all Egypt was sometime called Thebes Lucan saith the Egyptians were the first that had Temples but their Temples had no Images Their first Temples are reported to haue beene erected in the time of Osiris and Isis whose parents were Iupiter and Iuno children to Saturne and Rhea who succeeded Vulcan in this Kingdome They built a magnificent Temple to Iupiter and Iuno and two other golden Temples to Iupiter Coelestis and