intimately and indivisibly present with all and with every thing Nay thus He is also present with Nothing if so we are to call that vast Receipt without the Universe comprehending infinitely this created Nature of Things which needing not to be argued from any actuall operation or conserving causality sufficiently followeth the Nature of Immensity 'T would imply a Contradiction to say he could be actually present with that which is not or with that which shall be before it is yet not to say that He is there where Nothing else is or shall be but himselfe is to say he is not Infinite Nor is it otherwise answered by those Doctours which pretend to the contrary sentence for though they cannot be gotten to say that God is present without yet they confesse He cannot be comprehended within the Vniverse making all up with a Negative Extra and Potentiall existence as to no purpose they may be seene in 1. Thom. q. 8. 1. Sent. dist 37. Relating to this first Respect of Presence Power and Essence we say that God equally disposeth of himselfe to all things and men and that he cannot thus be more in one place then another But the Respect of Grace and Spirit superinduceth a Speciall influence and Immediation of blessings and imprinting the Nature or Being whatsoever with a much more intimate and more excellent Relation Thus God is said to be nearer to this man then to that more in one place then in another Thus he is said to depart from some and come to others to leave this place to abide in that not by Essentiall application of himselfe much lesse by locall motion but by Impression of Effect It may be said of all places Deus hic est God is here But of some as Jacob of his Bethel Verè Deus hic est Truly God is in this place Verè that is saith Saint Bernard Certiùs Evidentiùs by a more evident and more effectuall presence With just men saith he God is present in veritate In deed but with the wicked dissemblingly 't is the Fathers expression in dissimulatione As he is to all in all places he is called in the Holy Tongue Jehovah He that is or Essence but as he useth to be in Holy places he is called Shecinah is taken by some of them as R. Menahem for the presence of the Messiah by others for the Ruach hakkados or presence of the Holy Spirit as the Chaldee Paraphrast upon Gen. 45. 27. And so the Hebrew Schoole maketh even with ours for Jehovah signifyeth the first member of the distinction for Presence Power Essence Messiah for the Last or Hypostaticall union and the Holy Spirit for the second Indeed the most generall and constant sence of this word Shecinah to the Jewes meaneth still a more intimate application of the presence of God to such a Person or Place then that of his common and equall Abode He is said to dwell there saith Maimon where be putteth the markes or evidences of his Majesty and presence And he doth this by his Grace and Holy Spirit Therefore Churches are said to be the Houses of God and good Men the Temples of the Holy Ghost This is the Reason why Michael the Archangel is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Princeps faciorum or the Prince of the presence in the Books of Zorâ—babel for in their account he is so neare to the King of Heaven as to be admitted to fit down by him and register the good Acts of the Israâ—lites 'T is in his power also to blot them out againe as occasion shall be given him Talmud in Chagigah fol. 1◠〈◊〉 As to the respect of Gods applying himselfe to a person they have an old saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the Shecinah will dwell with the meeke and Humble Men but flyeth away from the prâ—â—d and angry Which seemeth to me to cast a light upon those words of Saint James C. 4 6. God resisteth the Proud but giveth grace unto the Humble The Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God sets himselfe in array against the proud The words are quoted out of Prov. 3. 34. The Syriacke translation whereof is deturbabit He will cast downe but the Chaldee is illusores propellet that is He will cast the proud or scornefull men farre away out of his sight but giveth Grace to the humble that is draweth neare unto them and dwelleth there by his Grace and Holy Spirit And thus also you may the better understand the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the verse before going where the spirit that dwelleth in us is said to lust to envy One of the wise sayings of Ben Syra is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Mitte panem tuum super faciem aquarum super aridam invenies eum in fine dierum i. e. Cast thy Bread upon the face of the Waters and upon the dry Land and thou shalt finde it in the end of dayes To this the Perush or Exposition faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Let thy Table alwayes be prepared for whosoever comes that thou mayest be accounted worthy to have the Shecinah rest upon thee So that they account God will dwell with such a man as keepeth good hospitality They say also that the Shecinah will not rest upon a sad or sorrowfull man but upon a wise a valiant or a rich man it will And many like recesses they have to this purpose capable enough of a good construction As to the other respect of Gods application of himselfe to a place The Son of Halaptha said Wheresoever 2 or 3 are â—itting together and conferring together about the Law there the Shecinah will be with them 'T is the meaning of our Saviour where he promiseth Wheresoever two or three are gathered together there am I in the midst of them As if he had said The Shecinah shall be there or there I will be by my dwelling presence or speciall exhibition of my selfe by signes of Blessing and Grace In other places he is only said to bee but in Holy places to be wonderfull Psal 68. 35. The face of God is every where alike Quo fugerem a facie tua said the Psalmist whither can I fly from thy face He said not quo fugerem c. whither shall I fly from thy Back parts for these are more visible in one place then another 'T is there as every where The Lord. But here the Lord mercifull and gracious siow to anger and aboundant in goodnesse and truth Therefore even the most high thus dwelleth in Temples made with hands and though Heaven be his Throne and Earth his Footstole yet we men can build him a House A House of prayer as it is called unto all Nations And this is the place where his Honour dwells We say it againe not more essentially here but more gratiously 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. as the blessed Maximus by the Grace of his holy Spirit 〈◊〉
was not created for sport CHAP. XXIX Jsa 13. 22. And the wild Beasts of the Islands shall cry in their desolate houses and Dragons in their pleasant Palaces c. 'T Was spoken of Babylon and the Prophecy is fulfilled A Dayes journey from hence saith Benjamin Bar Jona in his Itinerary is Babel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. This is that Babel which was of old a City of thirty miles in breadth 'T is now laid wast There is yet to be seene the Ruines of a Palace of Nebuchadnezar but the Sonnes of men dare not enter in for feare of Serpents Scorpions which possesse the place Now you may read the rest of the Prophecy V. 19. And Babylon the Glory of Kingdomes the Beauty of the Chaldees Excellency shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah V. 20. It shall never be inhabited neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation neither shall the Arabian pitch his Tent there neither shall the Shepheards make their sold there V. 21. But wild Beasts of the Desert shall lie there and their houses shall be full of dolefull Creatures and Owles shall dwell there and Satyres shall dance there CHAP. XXX Luk. 15. 10. Likewise I say unto you there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one Sinner that repenteth THese words of our Saviour will sound the lesse strange to you If I helpe you to a counterchange of Easterne Expression Would you thinke that in Heaven it selfe whither when we come all teares shall be wiped from our eyes there should now be weeping and mourning for the dead in sinne because they are not 'T is a Tradition firmely received by the Jewes and from them derived to the Mahumetans In an Arabicke Manuscript of theirs this answer of God to Moses is found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Moses c. Even about this Throne of mine there stand those and they are many too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that shed teares for the Sinnes of Men. If there be teares and sorrow in Heaven for one that is gone astray how much more ought there to be Joy over a sinner that Repenteth And our Saviour was not the first that said it The words have a reflexe upon that old position in the Hebrew Divinity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. That a Repenting man is of greater esteeme in the sight of God then one that never sell away This is the meaning of that expression more then ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance Their Elders talke higher yet of this excellent virtue The Man in Saint Austin might have return'd another answer to him that askt him what God imploy'd himself about before the world was made He was making Hell No such matter The Doctours in the Talmud say He was creating Repentance or contriving all the wayes how he might be mercifull enough to the Man he is so mindfull of and to the sâ—nne of Man so much regarded by him They say more That one day spent here in true Repentance is more worth then Eternity it selfe or all the dayes of Heaven in the other world CHAP. XXXI Isay 57. 15. For thus saith the High and Lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity whose Name is Holy I dwell in the High and Holy Place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones BUt will God dwell upon the Earth the Heaven of Heavens cannot conteine him How much lesse this House which we have built All things are full of God He is therefore called in the Holy Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hammakom the Place Or that Fulnesse which filleth All in All. God as the great Hermes is a Circle the Center whereof is every where and the Circumference no where If I climbe up into Heaven thou art there if I goe downe to Hell thou art there also Nor is He present onely to these reall Capacities of Earth and Heaven but even also to those Imaginary spaces of incomprehensible receipt and infinitely extending He is there where Nothing else is and Nothing else is there where He iâ— not But then are we to thinke that we men have his Company but as the Devils have to trâ—mble at No The Cry there is What have we to doe with thee thou Sonne of the most High Not so here but why art thou so farre from me ô my God Pâ— 10. 1. The Finger of God is there as in the Plagues of Aegypt Exod. 8. 19. But his Right Hand is here Psal 20. 6. They have God Almighty we All-sufficient There He is a consuming Fire He. 12. 29. Here Immanuell God not against but with us Therefore it is that though He were here before yet upon our occasion He is said to bow the Heavens and come downe He was seene at Moria At Peniel Face to Face Gen. 22. 30. The Patriarch Abraham invited him to Dinner and He lay at Lot's House aâ— Night Jacob wrestled with him at Mahanaim got the better and would not let Him depart except He blest him He past once by Moses in the Clift of the Rocke He met him often at the doore of the Tabernacle He wandred with his People in the Wildernesse When the Arke stood still so did He When the Arke set forward He also was spoken to to arise Rise up Lord the Leader said and let thine Enemies be scattered Numb 10. 35. To allow for all this we are to take knowledge of some considerations according to which it may stand with the divine Immensity to be as differently present in some places as alike in All. We can doe no better then rest our selves upon that ancient and well advis'd of distinction delivered in the Schoole God saith the Master by his presence power and Essence immutably existeth in every Nature and Being indetermin'd by Circumscription or definition He is otherwise and more excellently present with Saints and Holy Men by his Grace and Holy Spirit But most of all and most excellently present by Vnion Hypostaticall in the second person in whom the Fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth bodily c. 1 Dist 37. To these three Molina superaddeth the fourth and fifth difference the one per peculiaria signa giving instance in Jacob's Ladder the other whereby God is present Cum Câ—nciliis summâ—s Pontificibus But these differences are written upon as supernumerary by Nazarius Gonzales c. The two being indeed but one and that no other then the second of the three wherby God is present by his Grace and Holy Spirit By presence power and essence the Doctours generally meane by the first an appropinquity of Vision that all things are open and naked unto his sight by the second an Approximation of power that He worketh in and ruleth over All by the third an Indistance of his Being to all things whatsoever of Actuall or possible existence Thus God is
And because I am falne upon this I will here satisfy something which hath beene objected unto me as concerning this Adoration towards the East how it can be made good upon all positions of the Spheare Suppose Hierusalem to be the Center and the Aequinoctiall East of that to be the East of the whole world because it answers to the Place of our Saviours especiall presence in the Heaven of Heavens It is required that I tell which way they shall worship who live a quadrant of the Equator or more East from the Horizon of the Holy City The answer is ready They are to worship towards the West in respect of the rising of the Sun which is not the thing regarded in this matter for I am not engaged to account for the word but as to this Northerne Hemispheare the Center whereof Hierusalem is to be and the Aequinoctiall East of that the Center of all Adoration and devotion from all degrees of the whole Circle be it where it will For the Stone I mention'd the Originall could not so well be brought off from the Place But Alike to that they can shew you still at Rome in Bibliotheca Domus professae There is a short and admirable Tradition of the whole Creation in Hieroglyphicall Scripture where you may see the great world written all out into a lesser print then that of a Man In the lower Limbe and second Scheme of the Tabula Laudina Hieroglyphica it is the same with that which the Cardinall Bembus had there is set downe the Figure of the Searabaeus or Beetle for the Trunke but with the Head and Face of a Man and holding a little Table with this Copticke Inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 About the Necke a Number of Concentricke Circles to expresse the Orbes and motion of the Heavens upon the top of the Head a Face of the increasing Moone to shew her Monethly Revolution within that a Crosse marke for the foure Elements neare to all this above a winged Globe and wreathed about with two Serpents The meaning of this last is told you by Barachias Albenâ—phi in his Booke of the Ancient Aegyptian learning and in that part thereof where he discourseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Pharoahs Obelisques He saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The winged Spheare wreathed about with Serpents is the Hieroglyphicke of the soule and spirit of the world The Humane face is meant of the Sun and his courses For the Holy Beetle which an old Egyptian durst not tread upon Horus Apollo saith it signifyeth for the Figure of the world and he giveth this reason and secret for it The Beetle saith he when it hath a minde to bring forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Taketh the Excrement of an Oxe which having wrought into small pellets round as the world it turneth them about from East to West it selfe in the meane time as to call up Great Nature to these Travailes turning towards the East The Aegyptian word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 held out in the Table is the same with the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew that the whole frame hangs together by a true magneticke Love that invisible harmony and binded discord of the Parts ¶ I cannot thinke that time sufficiently well imployed which hath beene spent upon the Integrity and distinction of Scripture into Canonicall and Apochryphall There 's no Apochrypha in the Alcoran It is told you in the Synodicum set forth by Pappus that the Councell of Nice made a miraculous Mound betwixt those two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They set all the Bookes in a Church â— little below the Holy Table and prayed God that those of the company which were done by his inspiration might be found above but the spurious part underneath and God did so Doe you beleive this The Canon of Scripture subjoined to the Councell of Laodicea is much depended upon for this matter of distinction And yet this very Canon it selfe is not extant in so me very ancient Manuscripts It is wanting in one Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here and moreover then so it is not to be found in Joseph the Aegyptian's Arabicke Code And there is no man of sence but must thinke that this was a thing more likely to be put in into some Copies then left out of any The Hebrew Canon indeed is a good sure ground And yet you must not thinke that all â—o nor any of the Apocthyphall Bookes were first written in the Greeke The Hebrew Edition by the Jewes at Constantinople is the undoubted Text of Tobit Saint Hierome saith as much for Iudeth Libellus vere aureus as Munster said truly of it For that of the Sonne of Syrach it is confessed in the Preface where I must tell you by the way that this Booke of Syracides was heretofore accounted among the Hagiographa I know not what else to make of that in Baba Kama where the Talmudists quote this Proverb out of the Cetubim which is the same with Hagiographa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Every Bird sorteth it selfe with one of the same kind Birds of a Feather c. and so every man to his like The Tosephoth say to this that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. perhaps it is in the Booke of Ben Syra was Ben Syra reckoned for Canonicall too but sure enough there 's no such saying in that Booke In the Booke of Syracides you meet indeed with it C. 13. v. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the Wisedome of Salomon a Booke worthy enough of that name and comparing with any that was ever writ by the hand of Man That this Booke was written in Chaldee is certaine for R. Moses Ben Nachman quoteth it so out of Chap. 7. v. 5. c. v. 17. c. in the Preface to his Comment upon the Pentateuch One of the Bookes of the Macchabees are known to be in Hebrew and the worst of all the company and excepted against by Bellarmine himselfe though appointed to be read in our Churches that is the fourth of Esdras will be clearely of another credit and Reputation to you if you reade it in the Arabicke The story of the Woman taken in Adultery hath met with very much adversity Saint Hierome noteth it wanting in severall Copies of his time The Paraphrast Nonnus had nothing to say to it Not is it noted upon by Theophylact c. The Armenian Church as one of their Preists informed me allow it not a place in the Body of the Gospell but reject it to the latter end as a suspected peice The Syriacke Paraphrast leaveth it out that is the Printed Paraphrast But in some of the Manuscripts it is found to be though not received as the rest of Scripture but written upon with this Asterisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That it is not of the Text. But the Arabicke hath it and in the Greeke Manuscripts it wanteth but in one of seaventeene sed ita
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which though not seene by us is yet alwayes resident in the Holy Church So the Apostolicall forme of consecration as we receive it of the Metaphrast May it please thee mercifull God that thy most holy spirit may inhabit in this House which we have built in thy name c. The presence of this Holy spirit applying to the Place consecrate by a secret and invisible kinde of incubation dischargeth it of all those black incumbrancies which the Prince of the Aire might intrude upon it and bringing it under the shadow of the Almighty exalteth it to a Reverentiall state of holinesse and Divinity which intermixing with that Space and Site of Gronnd not by grosse adhaerence but by Energeticall Communion induceth a Nature and condition apt to quicken and assure devotion and disposeth the Acts there done to more Illustrious and infallible effects of blessing and successe In regard unto this great and glorious presence I am moved to reflect upon two principall inconsiderations The singularity of some and the irreverence of allmost All. The first is theirs who preferre the Barne before the Church as if God would be more at home in their out-houses then in his owne dwelling Mansion He heareth indeed whatsoever prayers wheresoever made but his eares are said to be arrect and intent only to those that are made in this place I know that our Father is to be prayed to in secret but that is that he is not to be prayed to in the Corners of the streets that is those ends and corners of the streets where the Gates are as the Aethiopicke very well rendereth For the Easterne fashion is to have a Gate almost to every street so that these Corners of the streets where eminently open and the fittest places that could be chosen for one to pray in that did it therefore that he might be seene of men The King Hezikiah was heard upon his bed but his prayer what was it but that he might goe once more to Church 2 Chron 20. 5. And even then though in that extremity he could not goe up into the house of the Lord yet at least he turned himselfe in his Chamber that way supplying what he could not doe by bodily remotion with holy Extasie and transportation of minde But the greatest fault is committed by those that come for as we demeane our selves 't were much better for us not to be there or if we be that God himselfe were away How unreverently we enter and depart and yet how fearefull is this place But in the Businesse it selfe how most unseasonable we are and strangely impertinent By the Constitutions called Apostolicall the Deacons charge was to over looke the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that no man whispered that no man laughed nay that no man so much as nâ—dded his head or twinckled his eye Tâ— vero saith Saint Ambrose to his Virgin in ministerio Dei tusseâ— excreatui abstiâ—â— he would not suffer her in time of Divine service no not to cough or to spit aloud Instead of any such severe appointment we sit like those in Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sâ—râ—gging yawning and benumm'd with dulnesse And would â—t were no worse then so Our whole deportment there is so intollerably notorious and desperately prophane that if Saint Pauls Iâ—fidell should come in he would be so farre from falling downe and worshiping that he would presently be bound to report God is not in you of a truth 1 Cor 14. 25. Some Christians do more Reverence to the out-side of a Church then we to the presence of God within it Those of Habassia if in a journey though upon the speed they are to passe by a Church no man is so unreverent as to sit still upon his horse ma dismonta fin che passe a piâ—dâ— la chiessa el cimiterio per uâ— grand pezzâ— but dismounting himselfe saith Alvarez he walketh on foot till he hath left not the Church onely but the Church-yard also very farre behinde him Will you take an example from the Turkes while it is called to day and ere yet they rise up in judgement against us Their Church behaviour is after this another manner Called to prayers by the Illah Illahi or the voice of him that cryeth for they have no Bells they first wash themselves then puting off their shoes at the threshold of the Mâ—sque doore summe cum silentiâ— discalceati ad instratum pavimentum accedunt Emamus sive Antesignanus Orationem incipit omnes sâ—quuntur dum flectiâ— gâ—nua alii idâ—m praestant illâ— erecto â—aâ—â—ri sâ—â—â—igunt ipsum vocem attollâ—nteâ— vel deprimâ—ntâ—m adstantes iâ—itantur ubi neminem tussientem oscitantem dâ—ambulantem ant confabulantem inveniaâ— sed summe â—ilâ—ntio â—ratioâ—â— pâ—râ—ctâ resumptisque calceis discedunt i. e. They draw neare with great reverence to the Pavement of the Mosque covered over with Carpets or Mats as it may Then the Emam or High Preist beginneth prayers and all the Company follow him and when he kneeleth downe they do the like and when he standeth up they do so too imitating his voice throughout either in elevation or depression of the Tone And here you must not thinke to finde any one coughing yawning walking or talking but having performed the service with all possible silence they put on their shoes and depart Nay a Turke â— Turke I tell you should he but scratch his head in time of Divine service would be verily perswaded that he should loose â—he benefit of comming to Church for that time But the very Heathens themselves will go before us into the Kingdome of Heaven Saxo Grammaticus telleth us of the Preist of Arcon that he had the house of his Idol-God in so much Reverence that he held it not lawfull for him not so much as to fetch breath in that place quo quoties capessendâ— vel emittâ—ndâ—â—pus habebat toties ad Januam procurrâ—bat ne videlicet Dei prâ—sentiam mortalis halitûs câ—ntagio pollueret and therefore as oft 〈◊〉 he had occasion so to do he was to go to the Church doore and doe it there lest happily the presence of God might receive some pollution from the breath of a man When I think of these things I cannot but remember my selfe of those words of our Saviour quoted out of the Moralities of these lost men as we reckon the matter whatsoever you would that men should do unto you do you the same unto theâ— But that this should be The Law and the Prophets His other words elsewhere It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah at the day of Judgement c. put me to 〈◊〉 great a stands What do you tell me of Christians Get to be Heathens first I 'le tell you what an Arabick Commentatous upon the Turkish Alcoran hath said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. He that desireth to escape Hâ—ll fire and go into Paradise lâ—t him beleeve in God and
I confesse where he turnes the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by tributa or vectigalia though it be fearefully false yet is not so foule an escape as some others there There is a vast difference 'twixt Tributes and Telesmes for so the word ought to have beene rendred and yet might be easier mistaken by him as at that time then it can now be done right by some others CHAP. XXXVII Heb. 3. 12. Take heed lest there be in any of you an Evill heart of unbeleife in departing from the Living God THe Arabicke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An obdurate and unbeleiving heart and which goeth farre or quite away from the Living God 'T is a fearefull thing too to fall out of the hands of God The Imaginations of mens hearts are only evill and continually therefore the Spirit of God doth not alwaies strive with them if it did our Spirit would faint under him and the Soules which he hath made If a man doe start aside as we all and often doe like a broken Bow God puts us together againe and fastens us unto himselfe as soone and taking as good hold as he can And these things saith Holy Job God will doe once and twice that is oft times for a man To day if we will heare his voice To day that is whensoever a sinner c. He will turne and repent his heart will be turned within him and his Repentings rouled together And all this that our hearts may not be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Every man whatsoever hath this long day allow'd him And ô that thou hadst knowne even in this day of thine but now it is hid from thine eyes This is that hard heart of unbeleife which we are bid here to take heed of this looseth all our hold and utterly estrangeth us from the Life of God and leaveth us altogether without him in the World Our other back-slidings and variations from him how wide and distant soever yet may be thought to be but like those of the Compasse more or lesse according to a lesse or greater interposition of earthly mindednesse but this is like to that of the Magnet it selfe which while it lyeth couched in the minerall and united to the Rocke it conformeth to the Nature and verticity of the Earth but seperate it from thence and give it free scope to move in the Aire and it will desperately forsake its former and more publike instinct and and turne to a quite contrary point So as long as a man is fastened to the Rocke Christ and keepeth but any hold there he will still be looking lesse or more towards the Author and finisher of his Faith but broken off once from thence and begining to be in the open Aire and under the Prince of that he presently turneth aside from the living God and pointeth to a Pole of his owne CHAP. XXXVIII Mat 6 2. For thine is the Kingdome c. Glory be to the Father c. I Am going about to conclude this small matter of Booke with some notice upon these two Doxologies For the first the question hath beene made up so high as to leave us in doubt whether it be a peice of Scripture or no Beza confesseth it to be magnificam illam quidem sanctificam a most high and holy forme of expression sed irrepsisse in contextum quae in vetustissimis aliquor Codicibus Graecis desit but to have crept into the Text and to be wanting in some very ancient Copies That it should be wanting in some others is the lesse wonder because it is not to be found in that Vetustissimus Codex given by himselfe to the Vniversity Library of Cambridge It is not a full booke of the New Testament but conteining only the foure Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles The Booke is written as well in Latine as Greeke but both in the same greeke Character And it is that of the great Capitall kinde which in their opinion who use to judge of these things is the uttermost reputation of antiquity which could be pretended to In this booke the Clause is not to be found so farre as possibly I can remember either in the Greeke or Latine I had occasion once to say as much as this amounts to before the most Reverend and Learned the Primate of Armagh and the Doctour of our Chaire the now worthy Bishop of Worcester but was forc't to yeild to so great a presence with this only answer that even this Copie too was corrupted by the Heretiques I knew it might be and deny not but it may in some other part of Genealogy or the like but how any Haeresie could possibly serve its turne upon this Clause I know that of the Trinity at least to me the way doth not so easily approve it selfe I confesse the Syriacke hath it but I know not what then The Arabicke hath it too not onely the printed Copie by Erpenius but a Manuscript too of very good and gallant note in Queenes Colledge Library Yet in the Medicean Copie I do not meet with it And in that which Kirstenius hath noted upon the Clause indeed is set downe but not running along with the Text. T is written above in Red letters and pointed to by this Note in the Margin Non hâ—c in Aegyptiaco sunt in Romano Syriaco So that there is no more to be gained by this then that the Clause is extant in the Syriacke and the Roman that is the Greeke here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alrumi signifieth so too which is no more then we knew before for the Adversary part and so much lesse too that it is not to be found in the Copticke or Aegyptian forme which also may be known to be so bythat Specimen in Athanesius Kircherms The Mahumedans have another Lords Prayer called by them the Prayer of Iesus the sonne of Mary But that endeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And let not such a one beare rule over â—e that will have no mercy upon me for thy mercies sake O thou most mercifull But this is not materiall enough Indeed the Mahumedan formes of prayer are more for then against the thing But it moveth not a little that the Clause should not be extant in the Gospell of the Nazarites or that secundum Hebraeos as it useth to be called This Gospell was commonly beleeved in Saint Hieromes time to be ipsius Matthai Authenticum Very ancient however it was And that the Prayer it selfe was there I am sure for Saint Hierome upon those words Panem nostrum quotidianum c. noteth that the Hebrew in this Gospell was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mahar panem crastini da nobis hodie who because he takes no notice of this clause doth as good as say it was not there for if it had so substantiall a variety and concerning him so much could not possibly have escaped his Annotation The whole engagement of the Latine Church
for a long time defended the people but when at the command of Aâ—hmâ—t Ben Tâ—lon the Caliph the leaden Image was melted the Crocodiles returned to their owne malice againe The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fortune of Byzantium stood with one foot in a ship of brasse the Statue concern'd the generall Genius of the whole City The Ship was a Telesme erected against the dangers of that tempestuous Sea and while it stood entire stilled the rage but some parts thereof being none knew how broken off and conveyed away the Sea began to be as unruly as before The cause whereof being curiously enquired after and discovered the broken peeces were sollicâ—tously searched sound out and pâ—t together againe and forthwith the windes and seas obeyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. And that it might be certainly knowne that this indeed was the cause why the ships could not safely arrive the peeces of the brasse were againe taken away Thenceforth whatsoever vessels toucht upon the Coast were driven backe by the violence of the winds This confirm'd them in opinion that the breaking of the brasen ship was that which hindred their Carriages from coming up to the City They therefore caused the ship to be most carefully repaired These Consecrations for so also they are called were more usually but not onely practised in the East For Gregory of Tours reporteth that at the repairing of a Bridge in Paris there was found the Images of a Serpent and Dormouse in brasse and that at the taking away of these the Serpents and the Mice came up in great number More might be added of the Serpentina columna and the Statue Equestris ahenea set up this latter against the Plague in Constantinople the destruction whereof hath beene followed with fearefull and periodicall mortalities But enough hath beene said Mizaldus may be seene and the late Author of the Curiosities If we draw all up the Sum will be the Ancient Rite of Averruncation That in case a City or Country should be infested with any plague either of disease or noxious Creature the Talismans were consulted and desired to erect an Image of the plague under a certaine Influence of Coelestiall Configuration And this I say was the cause why the Philistin Astrologers gave counsell that golden Images should be made of the Haemorrhoides and the Mice that marred the Land to give glory to the God of Israel The Telesme against the Mice according to Paracelsus is to have this manner of Consecration Make an Iron Mouse under the Conjunction of Saturne and Mars and in the House of ♃ Imprint upon the belly Alâ—amatatox c. Then place the Telesme in the middle of the House and the Vermin shall instantly leave the place More then so he promiseth Take a live Mouse and tye it to the Iron Image and it shall dye immediately But I undertake not that the golden mice were so ceremoniously consecrated yet that they had a Telesmaticall way of preparation answerable to the beginnings and mediocrity of the Art my owne reason and above that the weight of Maimon's words induce me to conclude I say saith he of that of Samuel concerning the Images of the Haemorrhoides that they were so called not so much from their externall forme as from a secret influence within remediall against the plague in the hinder parts The Astrologers had perceived that this God had beene pleased with the Brasen Serpent which Moses the Talisman so they would account him set up upon a pole in the wildernesse Numb 21. 8. And I need not sticke to affirme that this Brasen Serpent against the fiery Serpents was the first occasion I say not given but taken of all these Telesmaticall practices And thus also we may come to know See Plinie Lib. 10. C 27. Cyrenaici Achorum Deum muscarum multitudine pestilentiam inferente invocant why the God of Ekron was called by the name of Baal zebub that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Lxx or the Fly-God The Greeke Copies of the Evangelists for the most part read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beelzeboul-Deus or Belus Stercoreus So the Printed Arabicke and the Hebrew Translation of S. Mat. But I presume not originally And so Saint Hierome observed for seeing the Idiome of Zebul is Syriacke it would have beene expected that that Paraphrase should not have read as it doth and undoubtedly ought Beelzebub But for the reason if any could be given Scaliger was likely to give as good as another and yet his reason is that the Scripture put this name upon the God of Ekron by way of derision quòd in Templo Hierosolymitano Muscae carâ—es victimarum non liguriebant quum tamen Gentium fana à muscis infestarentur propter nidorem victimarum True indeed it is out of the Pirke Avoth that a Fly was never seene in the Slaughter house of the Temple And 't was a priviledge of the Jewish Sacrifices above those of the Heathen But that therefore the God of Ekron should be call'd the Fly-God is a reason below that mans sagacity He was properly so called as the most learned Selden But for the cause he confesseth Nequeo dicere nec mihi quis alius opinor satis potest But the Ekronites were pestered with noisome flyes To avert this Nusance the Astrologers set up the Image of a Fly Telesmatically endued the people finding the benefit of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made it a God The Israelites themselves did as much to the Brasen Serpent CHAP. IX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 19. 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is falsely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not fully rendred Our owne Translation is And when the Towne-clerke had appeased the People c. But then it should rather have beene as in Thucdyides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The Reader of the common Records as the Scholiast there But a man of this calling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greeke Oratour of Aeschines must not have undertaken upon the unweildy people The Syriacke therefore and Arabicke Translations render it A cheife Man of the City The Aethiopicke as the vulgar simply The Scribe truly enough to the Letter but not filling up the sence nor themselves well knowing what they meane De Dieu findeth in the Glossarie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scriba Tesserarius Therefore saith he Quum hic in Vrbe Epheso designatur aliquis qui absolutè vocatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meritò intelligitur praefectus qui militibus Symbola munia praescribit But none of all this will doe right to the word 'T is thus At that time the Asiarchae so they are termed v. 31. who advised Paul not to adventure himselfe into the Theater exhibited the Olympicks at Ephesus to the honour of Diana which is a reason to me why Paul notwithstanding his purpose in the spirit to goe
to Jerusalem yet staid in Asia for a season to winne the more to his way out of that solemne confluence of Heathen Saints then gathered together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the whole Common of Asia In these Celebrations three principall Officers of Ludicrous but Holy State were concerned The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I learne this of an Ancient Author quoted by Ioannes Antiochenus Melala in the 12 Booke of his Chronography 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That after the reviving of the long intermitted Sports by an Edict from the Emperour Commodus in the same Sacred Sanction Aphronius a Citizen of Antioch and one of the Expraefecti was first named Alytarcha under the person whereof he was daily honour'd and ador'd by the name of Jupiter And during the Solemnitie never came within doores or lay upon Bed but slept upon the ground in the open aire lying upon stones covered over with a rush mat and cleane Carpets His Habit was a long guilded Robe white as the Snow upon his Head a Crowne of Carbuncles Pearles and other precious Stones In his hand an Ivory Scepter and white Sandales upon his feete The Grammateus then first chosen by the Senate and People was Pompeianus by Name a Quaestor and descended of the Roman Senatours His habit also was a long white Robe upon his head a Crowne all of Gold made after the Laureat Fashion And Him they honour'd and ador'd under the name of Apollo The same Senate and people chose Cassius Illustrius Amphithales whose habit was in like manner a long white Robe of Silke upon his head a wreath of bayes in the middle or hanging at his breast a golden pectorall upon that the figure of Jupiter He was honoured and adored by the name of Mercurie as I finde all this in the learned Domninus his Chronography c. So Iohan. Antiochenus The office of the Grammateus I conceive to have beene the registring of the Victors names the time and Stile of Rewards c. which were therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Records of the Holy Conquerours as the inscription upon the Farnesian Marble and the Receipt or Office of these Records was answerably termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Faber's Agonisticon Lib. 3. C. 23. 27. And such a Scribe or Actuarie as this was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who when he had appeased the people said yee men of Ephesus c. which how proper it was for him to doe will be easily confessed by them that shall consider what the Tradition hath that the Alytarcha was named by the Emperour but the Grammateus and the Amphithales were chosen by the People themselves And the Grammateus was first in order CHAP. X. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act 19. 35. What man among you is there that doth not know that the City of Ephesus is a worshipper of the great goddesse Diana c. SO wee translate as the vulgar Cultricem Diana The Arabicke Paraphrast doth not seeme to have understood it Junius his Translation of that is Viri Ephesii quis nescit Civitatem Ephesiorum esse Artemidis magna His note in the margin is Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non est hic I had otherwise thought it might be an errour in the printed Copy but I found it so too in a faire pointed manuscript in Queenes Colledge Library For the Greeke the Etymologists notation is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Attically 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One that maketh cleane the Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Phavorinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that sweepeth the Church But Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not one that sweepes but adornes and beautifies the Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Scholiast upon Aristophanes The word is sometimes read in Latine and elsewhere then in the inscription cited by Grutâ—r for Julius Firmicus saith Defluens a. ☿ Luna si plena lumine feratur ad ♃ facit magnes c. Neocoros quoque aut prophetas vel Sacerdotum principes And the same Author in another place Serapis in Aegypto colitur hic adoratur i e. Alexandriae hujus simulachrum Neocororum turba custodit ad memoriam vetustatis errans populus ordinem sacrorum in honorem integerrimi ac prudentissiâ—i hominis constitutum contentiosâ hodie animositate custodit c. Where also it may be noted that in great and frequented Temples the Neocori made up a considerable number and were distinguished therefore into degrees of order as by that in the body of inscriptions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by the vetus Expositio totius orbis C. 18. in the Description of Alexandria The word is by those who doe it most properly translated Aeditua so the Syriacke And it is the uttermost sence the Interpreters have as yet gone downe into We may render it as the Italian Translation by Deodate Sagrestano the Sacrist of the great Goddesse Diana But to be said here in so collective a sense of a whole City is without any knowne parallel in Bookes if men of the greatest conversation in these have sufficiently observed In the marbles though lesse in these but in the Greeke Coynes most frequently it is found from the beginning of the Empire downe to Gallienus The inscriptions are in those of Augustus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Tiberian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antonius Augustinus his note upon the word is Questa parola per intender la d'a molto da fare a quelli che veggono le Medaglie con qualche diligenza That it hath perplexed even those who have perused the Medals with the greatest circumspection and sagacitie Causabon to the Monumentum Ancyranum hath this opinion That when Caesar Augustus and the succession by his example granted to provinciall Cities the erection of Altars and Temples and exhibition of the Olympickes c. for the upholding of common interest and to confesse the honour and Divinitie of the Emperours the Cities so indulged accounted it a speciall grace to be stiled the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sacrist of the Solemnities For other Moments making up to the untying of this hard word I remit you to Master Selden upon the fourth Arundell Marble where I thinke there is as much said as by the revealed stocke of Antiquity could possibly have beene though you may see to the later Petit. variar Lect. Lib. 4. C. 10. But I shall set you downe something out of an antient Author which will reconcile the word to this very sense and requite it to a lesse strange and unlikely sound That the word is a terme of Devotion respecting to these holy Games the mentioned Marble