A TREATISE OF THE FOUR DEGENERATE SONS, VIZ. the ATHEIST the MAGICIAN the IDOLATER. and the JEW. Wherein are handled many profitable questions concerning Atheism, Witchcraft, Idolatry, and judaisme: and sundry places of Scripture, cleared out of the Original Tongues. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Math. 7.6. Quaerite & invenietis. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id est. Non laboravi, & inveni: ne credito: Laboravi & non inveni: ne credito: Laboravi, & inveni, credito. Seneca. Lectio varia delectat, certa prodest. Being the fourth Volume, of the Works of Mr. JOH. WEEMSE of Lathocker in Scotland, and Prebend of Dunelm. LONDON Printed by Thomas Cotes and are to be sold by john Bellamy, dwelling at the three golden Lions in Cornhill, near the Royal Exchange. 1636. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, AND RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, WILLIAM Lord Bishop of London, and Lord High Treasurer of England, etc. Right Honourable THe Church of God in the Scriptures is not unfitly compared unto a Kingdom, and unto a family; And first unto a Kingdom, wherein there are filij regis Kings sons, who succeed to their Father as heirs of the Kingdom; secondly, filij regni the children of the Kingdom, who sometimes mendaciter se subijciunt regi, Psal. 18. Thirdly, exteri who do not acknowledge the King, nor he them for his subjects. So in the Church there are filij regis, who are the true children of God, and heirs of eternal inheritance, and filij regni, who make a show and profession of Religion, yet many of them may be cast out of the Kingdom into utter darkness Mat. 8.12. Lastly, there are exteri, who live altogether without the Church and hate her, those doth God abhor Secondly, she is compared to a family wherein there are some who are begotten of the same father, borne of the same mother, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, sucking one milk, and those are said to be borne at home, or home borne Levit. 18.9. Jer. 2.14. Those were heirs succeeding to their father's inheritance. Secondly there were those who were borne of the same mother, but not begotten of the same father, and those were called foris nati Levit. 18.9. because familia matris (as the Hebrews say) non est familia; and thirdly, those who are cast out of the family and belong not to it, as bastards; such a one was Jepthe Judg. 11.5. who got no possession with his brethren in his father's inheritance. So it is in the spiritual family the Church, those who are begotten of the immortal seed of the Word by God their Father, and borne in the Church their mother, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nursed upon the sincere milk, 1 Pet 2.2. those are borne at home, or home-born; There are others who are borne of the same mother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mother's children, but not begotten by one father, and many of them are foris nati, when they are members of the visible Church only, who if they be not begotten of the immortal seed of the word, and are not members of the invisible Church also, the Lord reckons them not as his children. The Church their mother bestows some outward favours upon them, but yet they are not those true children who shall be partakers of the inheritance, and those mother's children only oftentimes persecute their brethren, Cant. 1.6. My mother's children were angry with me; but the third sort are those who are altogether out of the Church, and those the Church acknowledgeth not as her children. Such are those four degenerate sons, the Atheist, the Magician, the Idolater, and the Jew, whom the Lord acknowledgeth not for his children, but will have them cast out like Hagars brats. Those four do hate the true Church most, persecute her, and detest her; and the Church to them is like a speckled bird or Owl jer. 12.9. who all set themselves against the Church; these four are mightily increased now in the world, they are the bane both of the Church & Commonwealth, seeking like the Boar in the Forest to root out the Lords Vineyard; but the Lord hath put a hedge about his Vineyard to save it from them, and he hath set up a watchtower within her, to discover those enemies; he hath set the magistrate about her as a wall to defend her, and the Pastors as watchmen to observe them, and it is a blessed thing when these two agree for the safety of the Church, than Moses and Aaron meet together and kiss one another, Exod. 4.16. there is a great relation betwixt these two, the Church and Commonwealth, and they have not been unfitly compared to Hypocrates twins, when the one laughed so did the other, and when the one wept so did the other; so when the Church of God prospereth so doth the Commonwealth, and when the Commonwealth decayeth so doth the Church, but when the care of both these is matched in one worthy person, that is an happy union, than they are like the two eyes in the head, which although they be two, yet they look both one way, and although they be two, yet the radij visuales draw both to one object. Your Lordship hath an interest in both, you are a chief 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Church, an under rower under our Lord jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 4.1. and in the Commonwealth another Eliakim, in whose hands much of the government is committed, Esay 22.21. and the key of the house of the Kingdom is laid upon your shoulder, verse 22. and upon whom all sorts of vessels great and small do hang, ver. 24. I have endeavoured my Lord to describe those four sons according to that gift which God hath bestowed upon me, that men may abhor those vile sons, and learn to become Christians; And I have done here as the Painters do when they draw their draughts, they draw first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, some dark lineaments, and afterward they add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and last they superinduce the vive colours, and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: I have drawn the first draughts and lineaments of those four lewd sons, but if any would be pleased to add to those first draughts the vively colours, he shall do a good work, and profitable to the Church of God. I have taken the boldness to Dedicate these my travels to your Lordship desiring that you would be pleased to accept of them, remembering that Apologue of the jews; Cholin folio 92. 1. the Vine grapes of Babylon upon a time sent to the Vine trees of Judea and begged some of their leaves to cover their grapes (for if there were not leaves to cover them, the grapes would quickly perish; If such as your Lordship do not favour our poor grapes, they will suddenly go to decay; accept therefore (my Lord) of these my travels, and look upon them with a favourable eye, and when I shall see that they shall profit any thing the Church of God, and be approved by your Lordship than I have obtained my end. Your Lordships in all Duty. JOHN WEEMSE. An Alphabetical Table, wherein are contained the chief matters and principle heads of the whole Treatise, together with the Hebrew and Greek Words. A Aaron made the golden calf, 189. he sinned not of ignorance, ib. the greatness of his sin, ib. Aaron's Idolatry teacheth the infirmity of the Leveticall Priesthood 190. how the Lord spared Aaron, though he was an Idolater Abel, what it signifieth. 203 Abraham an idolater. 179 he left his father and Country for God's cause 181 Abimelech, what judgement befell him for robbing of his idol. 228 Achab how wicked a King he was. 256 Acheron by the Hebrew is called an Atheist. 3 Accursed, what it is to be accursed. 322 Achaz plays the Politician. 283. A comparison betwixt Achazaz and Amaziah and what proverb the Hebrews apply to them. 284 Adder, how the deaf Adder is said to stop her ears. 42 Adjectivum perpetuum and adjectivum distinctionis what. 176 Adoption, a difference betwixt God's adoption and man's 298 Adorare what 265 Age to dye in a good old age what it signifieth 225 Alexander why he is called hircus caprarum 114 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, what. 7 Angels never call themselves men in the Scripture, 37. the Angels in working of miracles are not coworking causes, 96 how good Angels differ from bad angels in hurting. 107 how they take up things 117. they have a threefold motion 136. Angels refuse divine worship, 168. the difference betwixt angelus mali and angelus malus, 107. what Angel buffeted Saint Paul ibid. Apollo, why he was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 22 Apostles, how they are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Christ 97 Apparitions, how true apparitions are distinguished from false 39 Aramite, why he is put for an idolater by the Syriac 177 Archimedes his quickness of wit 106 Ark, how long it was in Gilgal, Shilo, Nob, and Gibeon, 249. Ark called ariel lion of God. 257 Articles, some articles of faith proved and believed, some believed only 10 Asa, a comparison betwixt David, josias and Asa 277. betwixt Amazziah, Vzziah and Asa 278 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 7 Astrology, of judicial astrology and the diverse names of it 43. Astrology proceeded first from idolatry, 54. it takes away God's providence 55. it takes away liberty of will in civil things from man and that which he hath by grace 58. it is subordinate to no other science 61 how judicial astrology borroweth from other sciences and hath nothing of its own 61. whether it be a science or not 62 Asuphim or collecti who. 298 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 59 Atheism, the causes which lead men to Atheism 3. Atheism the ●enter of all sin. 16 Atheist, the word Atheist diversely taken 5. how many sorts of Atheists there are, ibid. they deny in their jollity that there is a God 8. when we dispute against Atheists, although we use natural middles, yet we conclude not as Physicians but as Divines 10. a comparison betwixt a Christian, a Devil, and an Atheist, 14. So betwixt Baalam and the Atheist ibid. So betwixt the Atheist and the Saduce 15. So betwixt the Epicure and the Atheist ibid. So betwixt the Devil and the Atheist ibid. The Atheist should be put to death 16. B. Baal whether he was a Prophet or not 128. why his house was turned to a Privy 195 the Lord would not be called Baal 215 three sorts of people diversely affected towards Baal 220 Baalberith what 227 Baalim a common name to all idols 214 what it signifieth ibid. Baragar what 133 Barbarism whence it is derived. Before, to be before the Lord what it signifieth in the scripture 114 Beresheth, what the Hebrews call opus beresheth 92 Beth signifieth sometimes contra and not in ib. Borne, what were the privileges of the first borne 295 Bowing, Cajetan makes two sorts of bowing 270 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 7 Bukera sacla what it signifieth. 297 Burial, Moses burial most honourable 209 C 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it is 59 Caph giminatum quid valet apud Hebraeos 279 caph by the Hebrews is taken three ways 279 Captivity the difference betwixt the jews former captivity and the captivity now 332 Cemarim what they were 289 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 79 Chiun what it signifieth 200 Christ as he was man wrought no miracles 97. the difference betwixt Christ and his Apostles in working of miracles ibid. how often the Devil tempted Christ 150. a threefold error concerning Christ 304. Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for us, reasons proving that Christ is come 306 Church was first in a family then in a nation, then scattered abroad 178. three sorts of gifts bestowed upon the Church 156. two sorts of effects in a Church 180. how the jewish Church was divided 190 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 133 Circumcision a defence against witchcraft 153 circumcision a seal of the covenant of the jews 302 Cohen and Cumar how they differ 235 Conscience what it is called in the Syriack 9 how an erroneous conscience bindeth 229. four privileges of a good conscience when it stipulates with God, 227. four sorts of consciences 272 Consecrate, who did consecrate when the Priesthood was in the wrong line 234. Idolatrous Priests could not consecrate ibid. Contingency, three sorts of contingency 119 Covenant, we must not covenant with hell, the devil the world and death, 26. the indirect covenant with the devil 42. what they do who enter into the direct covenant with him 30 Conception twofold in the scripture 106 Corpus purum, impurum and non purum how they differ 73 Craft of the Devil 131 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 88 Cruelty, Of the cruelty of the Devil. 141 D Dan committed idolatry 243. how long idolatry continued in the Tribe of Dan ibid. Darts, why they are called fiery darts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 3 Devil, a great sin to lie with the Devil 32. how many ways he appears to men 34. why the Devils are called hoary ones 34. the word devil taken three ways in the scripture 88 of the power of the devil 90. of the knowledge of the devils 111 four things makes him to have great knowledge 112. whence the devils had knowledge to foretell things to come 122. there are not devils more milder than others 146 divers names given to the devil 151. the devils when they assume bodies, they are not affected as our bodies are, 154. he tempted the woman first in her irascible faculty, 20. in her intelligible & concupiscible faculty, 21. how he corrupts our understanding, 22. how he worketh in and upon a body, 101. how he assumes bodies 102. The Devil cannot beget a child, and why, 106 he can transport bodies and how, 104. what knowledge the devil hath of the Scripture, 123. he flatters when he foretells things to come, 124. his responses were doubtful 125. how he strikes the bodies with diseases, 107. he cannot move the will, 110. he seethe the effects in the cause, 116. his great employment breeds him great knowledge, 117 he pursueth the weakest first 138. he observes our predominant sin 139. our age, 140. what are the means to resist the devil 152. why he is called diabolus 148 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it is 109 Diseases, how to discern diseases that come from God, those that come from the devil, or natural causes, 108. the jews ascribe disease's to evil spirits 110 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 150 Divine, to divine by the intralls of beasts is unlawful. 87 Doctrine, errors of the Church in doctrine threefold 180. Dreams are of four sorts, 63. divine dreams of two sorts, 66. what the breaking of a dream signified, 66. how Solomon could ask any thing in a dream, 67. why the Lord revealed himself to heathen Kings in a dream, 67. how we shall know dreams to be from God, 69. how we shall know dreams to be from the devil, 72. whether all impure dreams are diabolical or not? 70 E Ear, the Lord takes great pains about the ear, 149 Egypt, the increase of idolatry when the Church was in Egypt, 185. the Lord reckons up ten times this benefit of bringing his people out of Egypt, 186. In what sense it was forbidden that the people should go back to Egypt, ibid. many plagues they got out of Egypt, 188. what league it was when the Church gave her hand to Egypt, 280. why the Egyptians put the Elephant in their colours 280 Elders, how the 70 elders of Israel were chosen 79 Eliah, what care the Lord had to preserve him from dearth and famine 263 Elisha, his answer to Hazael whether it was doubtful or not 127 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how they differ 45 Ephod, three sorts of Ephods 235 Erasistrates the Physician, his skill. 119 Error conditions what 320 Etzrephennum what 221 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what, 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what, 59 Exorcising, a temperate gift bestowed upon the Church 156 Extasis what it is 72 Ezekias, what things he did for the removing of Idolatry 284 F Faith, The Devil tempts us in our faith 149 Faithful parents who have bad children get comfort by looking upwards to their godly parents of whom they are descended 240 Fast, why Christ took the defence of his Disciples when they fasted not 158 Fire, the fire in the second temple was humano divinus 262. the jews are uncertain concerning the fire of the second Temple, 262. Foot, what is meant by a firmented foot 145 Fowls, of divination of fowls 83. what things fowls can foretell 89. they cannot compare things distinctly as men do; ibid. what things we may learn from fowls 85. to take up contingent events by fowls is devilish, ibid. when this divination by fowls ceased, 87 G. Gentilism, when the jews turned from Gentilism to Christianity, how they were called 301 Gentiles, three sorts of Gentiles were out of the covenant 337 Generation, three things concur in generation 102 Gergasites fell from the jewish Religion to the heathenish 302 Gibeah, a filthy fact committed in Gibeah 81 Gideon, whether he tempted God in ask a sign or not. 222. whether he set up an Ephod to make an Idol thereof 225. what is meant when it is said that the jdol became a snare to Gideon 226 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, what 3 Gnalma what it signifieth. 303 Gnal panai, what 171 Gnarum, taken in a good sense and in a bad 132 God, reasons proving that there is a God, 10. 11. 12. 13. what are the privileges of God in working 70. he useth artificial means in curing of diseases 48. how God, Nature, and Art worketh 89. he only worketh miracles 91. a twofold work of God 92 whether God concurres as a mediate or immediate cause the very effect 93. God worketh according to nature, besides nature, but not contrary to nature, 95. God although he useth instruments in working of miracles yet it is he who doth the work, 96. God in working exceeds Art, Nature, and the Devil. 101. men fanized Gods according to their several inclinations 165. God can make Satan an instrument for the good of his Saints, 113. God reserveth three things to himself, which he will communicate to no creature, 166. A threefold taking up of God, 173. God chooseth some to himself out of all places except hell, 182. New Gods what 221. a judgement upon those who rob the true God. 230. how the word God is taken in the story of Micah's Idolatry, 232 he teacheth his people by silly creatures, 204. Groves, why they are called Ashera. H. Heart, what is a sincere heart, 276. how one is said to have a heart and a heart, ibid. In what respects a man is said to have a sincere heart, 277. Humour, Satan observes the humour of the body in tempting him 132 I jamlicus Proclus his divination by souls 86 jacob, how Idolatry took increase in the family of jacob, 183. how it is said that the Lord brought jacob out of Egypt, seeing he died there, 208 Idolatry, whence it had the beginning, 163. how great a sin it is, 167. the effects of Idolatry, 175. how Epiphanius divideth Idolatry, 177. how vile a sin it is, 245. Of Idolatry in the time of the Kings, 247. the Lord punisheth the Idolatry of the Father upon the children, 255. the jewish Idolatry was buried in the captivity 292 Idolaters, choose the most vilest things to worship, 167. how the Lord mocked Idolaters, 169. a twofold Idolater 174. Idolaters pretend the example of Saints for their Idolatry, 218. Idolaters should not rob their Idols, 228. Idolaters carried their children about the fire, and then passing through it burned them in the fire 281 Idol, how they honoured their Idols, 166. Idols are nothing. 176. Idols a dangerous treasure, 183 the Lord will not communicate with Idols in any thing, 216. to whom it is sacrilege to rob an Idol, 229: Whether it be lawful to be present at Idol service or not, 170. Popish Idols is a let of the jews conversion, 350 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what. 7 jeroboam changed four things in the worship of God, 213 jerusalem anagogicè what it signifieth, and things without jerusalem catagogice what they signify, 290 jews, of the threefold estate of the jews, 297. jews' ruled by judges, patriarchs and Kings, 178. jews who worshipped Idols were of three sorts 221. they prayed with their heads covered, 264. they turned their faces towards the temple, when they worshipped publicly, 265. they lifted their eyes to idols, 266. they kissed their idols ibidum. they praised God three manner of ways ibid. they held up their hands to their idols, 267. they stood barefooted before their idols, 268. they leaned down before their idols, 270. they bowed their knees to them, 167. what dignities the jews lost when they were not his people, 300. they hate the Samaritans above all Apostates, 302. they know not the time of their visitation 305. three sorts of jews differ concerning Christ's coming, 306. they deny john the Baptist to be Christ's forerunner, 313. they despise Mary our Lord's mother, ibid. they acknowledge not two natures in Christ, 314. they mock his officers, ibid. they detest his name and surname, 315. they mock Christ's cross, 318. they despise his imputed righteousness, 318. his resurrection, his sacraments, and us Christians, ib. what they hope their Messiah will do for them when he comes, 321. Of the curses which befell them since the kill of Christ, 328 the Lord gave them sundry warnings of their rejection, 335. whether they are to be suffered in a Christian common wealth or not. 337. what benefits they may enjoy amongst us Christians, 339. which are the lets of the jews conversion. 344 The jews prefer Mishna and the Talmud to the Scriptures, 349. God's mercy to Paul a bloody persecutor showeth that he may be merciful to the jews, 355. Reasons of their calling, ibid. objections which seem to deny the conversion of the jews, 362. of the manner of their calling, 363. their lamentation after their conversion will be great, 364. who were the cause of Christ's death, 366. what hatred was betwixt them and the Gentiles of old, 368. what joy there will be when they shall be gathered, 369. the jews and Gentiles make up one Church 370. they hope their Temple shall be built, 372. of the end of their calling, 377. reasons why Christians should be earnest for their conversion 378. how thankful they ought to be for their conversion. 381. Image, the devil persuaded people that Images were sent down from heaven 164. and that they had divine power. ibid. josias, what care the Lord had of him though he was killed in battle, 207. joaz in a better case than Abimelech. 228 jonathan the Grandchild of Moses, 238. Israel, in Israel there were sundry dialects. 242 Israelites, how they were charged for worshipping the Host of heaven in the wilderness, 196. their pilgrimage through the wilderness resembles the estate of a Christian man's life, 203. they tempted God ten times in the wilderness. 204 Ittariad what it signifieth, 220 judah whether the Idolatry of judah or Israel be greatest, 254 julian fell from Christianity to Paganism. 255 K Kings, when the first increase of Idolatry under the Kings was 249, what things are to be observed when the Kings of Israel are set down for examples 252. Kingly government the best government, 236 three Kings of judah, most excellent Kings 247 A collation betwixt the Kings of Egypt, Israel and judah. L Lamentation of the jews for the death of Christ, 335. Leagues, what leagues with Idolaters are unlawful, 278 Levite, how there could be a Levite in the Tribe of judah. 236. the calling of Levits and Priests, two distinct callings 237. a Levite sought to be a Priest that he might eat bread, ibid. Life, man hath a threefold life, 144. in what respect a man is bound to lay down his life for another 358 Lots, the end why lots were institute, 74. how many sorts of lots there were, 75. what caveates are to be kept in a divisory lot, 75. what is a consultary lot, 76. whether the lot cast for jonas was a divine lot or not, 77. whether the lot which fell upon jonathan was a Divine lot or not, ibid. a lot for divination was diabolical, 80. why Mathias was chosen by lot, 78. why the Apostles afterward were not chosen by lot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what. 113 M. Magic, how many sorts of magic there be, 59 In what respect men are called magicians 40 Manasseh, how the Hebrews read this name Manasseh and Moses, 238. Of the increase of idolatry under Manasseh 287. Mamluchim who are called by the Turks, 303 Mamzer, what it is, 298 Marks imposed for four ends. 31 Maymorides rule of religious outward worship, 264 Media are operantia or deferentia 35 Merlin not begotten of a devil. 204 Michaes many irregularities in consecrating a Priest, 233 Malefactor how he was a type of Christ Ministry, how base a thing it is to enter into the ministy for gain, 238 Miracles, are of three sorts, 91. what is a miracle within a miracle 47. the difference betwixt the miracles of the Apostles and the miracles of Satan, 99 Molech what, 199 Moses why he caused beat the calf to powder, 195. his body signifieth not the ceremonial law, but his body indeed, 24. whence he is called Moses, 207. Moses body buried by the Angels, 208. Musellanus mocked divination by fowls, 87 N. Naaman, how the Lord deals with him although there be many infirmities in him, 274 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, what. 88 O Oath, a representative oath binds all people, not a personal. 77 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, what, 83 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, what, ibid. Ostracismus, what, 79 Ox, whether it was an Ox or calf, which was worshipped, 197. how the Ox was marked, 198. whether it was the whole Ox or his head which they worshipped. 197 P Paul, how he wisheth to be anathema for his brethren 361 Parang, what 302 Parents, can transmit nothing to their children but original sin. 241 Petalismus, what 79 Peace, go in peace, what it signifieth, 271. Pesulim, who were 298 Peffercorne, how many times he changed his religion, 303 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, what 71 Pollute, what it is to pollute a place 289 Power, two sorts of Power, 89. what doth limitate God's power, and what the devil's power, 39 Prophets, how the Prophets of God differed from the Prophets blasted by Satan 38. the Prophets understood things past, present, and to come, 120. they are called Chozim, ibid. Prophecy is not habitus sed actus transiens, 121. two sorts of Prophecy, 122 Philacteries, institute as helps to prayer, 152. the jews used them as remedies against witchcraft. 153 R. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what. 83 Rabsakeh, a comparison betwixt Rabsakeh and the Papist 185. Rabsakeh turned from judaisme to Paganism, 301. Religion, the Devil hates Christian religion 150. Rempham what it signifieth 200 Rekim, what 228 Reuben, why the tribe of Reuben changed their idolatrous names of Nebo and Baalmeon, 216 S Samuel, whether he appeared to Saul, or Samuel in show only, 34. what the jews held concerning samuel's apparition, 35. wherefore the scripture calls him Samuel. 36 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, what 34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who 134, the difference betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, ibid. Shepherds, why they are called Punctatores 31 Shields, whereof they were made of old 157 Sichor, what it signifieth 188 Sight is deceived by Satan three manner of ways 138 Signs, how many sorts of signs there be 48 Sin, four things in every sin to be considered, 210 two sorts of sins, 255. Salomons throne had six steps which were called admonitiones graduum, 219. what blessings the Lord bestowed on him before his fall, 249. he wrote his book of Ecclesiastes after his fall, 250. he was not a reprobate, 251 Sorodaemones what they were, 133 Sorcerers are more dangerous instruments than witches, 139. what sorcerers should be put to death 160 Soul whether it goeth out of the body and returneth or not, 73. what the Hebrews do mean by gathering of the soul, 243 Spirit, four illapses of the spirit, 219. to he clothed with the spirit what, 220 Saints, what duties are to be performed to the dead bodies of the Saints, 206. Of the care that God hath of his Saints in their birth, in their death and after they are dead. 207 Stars, whether they produce alteration in religion or not, 56. why they are called Mozalim and Meshartim, 58. what use we are to make of them ib. Superstition, is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and why 17 Superstition the mother of ignorance, 18. a comparison betwixt the superstitious and religious. ibid. Symmachus from what religion he fell. 302. Synedrion when it was removed out of jerusalem, 308 T Tentation two fold 71 Teraphim, how they were made 88 it is taken three ways in the Scripture, ibid. what sort of Teraphim was kept in David's house. ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what, 118 Tephilim whence it comes, 152 Theodosius, it is fabulous that he sent a letter to chrysostom after his death 36 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what. 133 Thunder is the voice of God the Lord used to speak in the thunder 247 Tophet, a resemblance betwixt tophet and hell 290 Transportation twofold 105 Some deny real transportation, 107 Tradition, of the tradition of the house of Elias. 310 Tunica molesta what 144 Tympanum what ibid. Types of the calling of the jews 353. types showing to the jews their restitution from the captivity of Babylon 351 Tzijanacke what it is, 124 V Verbum sublatum and verbum Absolutum what, 215 Vitia creationis and vitia accidentis 107 Vivicomburium, what, 124 FINIS. A TREATISE OF THE FOUR DEGENERATE SONS, The ATHEIST, the MAGICIAN, the IDOLATER, and the JEW. ISA. 1.2. I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. IT is very well known, and miserable experience teacheth us, that many who are anciently descended, and come of Noble parents fall into vile sins and degenerate from their antecessors, not following their footsteps. Not unlike unto those are the degenerate children of God, (Ephes. 1.15. Of whom the whole family of heaven and earth is named) who are fallen from that first estate in the which they were created, and are not to be reckoned as his genuine, and natural children; but as unnatural, not worthy to be called his sons. These degenerate children are four. There rests the fift son, who is God's natural son, who worships God in purity and sincerity. The Atheist denies his Father. The first disobedient and degenerate son is the Atheist, who denieth God his father. The second is the Magician or Sorcerer, The Magician renounceth his Father. who after that he had solemnly vowed himself to God in baptism, yet after he renounceth the true God, The Idolater misknows his Fa her. and giveth himself over to Satan, and enters into covenant with him. The third ungracious and degenerate son is the Idolater, who gives the creature that worship which is due only to God. The jew killed his Father. The fourth lewd son is the jew, who cruelly murdered the Lord of life. The fifth son is the Christian, The Christian acknowledgeth and worshippeth his father sincerely. who fears God and worships him sincerely. And from these comes Atheism, Magic, Idolatry, judaisme, and Christianity, which are the subject of this Treatise following. Of the first degenerate son the ATHEIST. SAthan that crooked Serpent turning himself into divers shapes, hating always that which is good, he studies always to turn men out of the right way. Now to draw them into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, That is unto superstition. Sometimes again he persuades them to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is to Atheism; but he never draws them to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is the true worship and the golden mediocrity. The Hebrews call the Atheist Acheron, because he is altogether alienate from God. And the Poets in their Mytheologies call him the son of the earth. And this Atheism they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the fight of the Giants. SECT. 1. Of the causes which leads men into Atheism. When the shallow brain of man cannot comprehend the infinite God, The first cause that moves men to be Atheists. because he cannot comprehend him with his poor understanding, he begins by and by to despise him: and so Satan leads the poor wretch to Atheism, Thou canst not comprehend him, therefore reject him. That which should most dissuade man from Atheism, and lead him most to worship the true God: Satan uses it as a snare to draw him from God; for if we could comprehend God, he could not be God: And if our mind could comprehend God, we should not be finite but infinite; and so consequently we should be Gods. We do not comprehend God, but apprehend him only, as the Schoolmen speaks. The second cause. Secondly, when men commit wickedness, they study by all means to escape the punishment, He lieth in wait to catch the poor, and says in his mind, God hath forgotten, he hideth his face he will never see it. Psal. 10.9. And even as rebels after they have conspired against their sovereign being guilty of Laesmajestie, they study to destroy all the rolls and registers, and that the King himself be put from his throne, that they may escape all punishment which they are liable unto. And as those who are addebted to others, wishes all the bonds and obligations, (whereby they are bound to repay) were burnt. So Atheists, and those who despise God, casting off the yoke of obedience, that they may work sin with greediness, denies altogether God and his scriptures. The third cause. Thirdly, if it fall out that sometimes the Atheist be stirred up from this his Lethargy, and begin to seek any thing at the hand of God, he doth it but coldly and faintly. And if the Lord grant not to him his desire according to his mind; either he denieth God altogether, or doubts at least whether there be a God or not. job 22.15. What is the Almighty that we should serve him, and what profit shall we have if we pray unto him. So when the Israelites wanted water in the wilderness, Exod. 17.7. they began to say, Is the Lord amongst us or not. The fourth cause. Fourthly, the constant course of nature, and the wheels moving one within another, and turning about in the self same manner, moves the Atheist to Atheism, 2 Pet. 3.4. Where is the promise of his coming, for since the Fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. But to those who looks more nearly to the works of God's providence, and to the connexion of causes; It is manifest, that the second causes are always moved by the first cause. And those who acknowledged the world to be created (as they did) must acknowledge also that he hath power to dissolve it. SECT. 2. Of the divers ways how the word Atheist is taken; and of the sundry sort of Atheists. FIrst, this word Atheist is taken for him who worships not the true God, Ephes. 2.12. Having no hope, How many ways this word atheist is taken. and without God in the world. Secondly, those who worships the true God, and false gods; are Atheists, as the Samaritans. Thirdly, those who worships the true God, by false means are Atheists, as the jews, and Turks. But those properly are Atheists, who hath no God at all, and there are sundry sorts of them. First, some Atheists, who denies altogether that there is a God, as Diagoras. Secondly, others doubted whether there was a God or not, as Protagoras. Who said, Si Deus est unde prodeunt mala, si non est unde bona. That is, if there be a God, whence cometh evil, and if there be not a God, whence cometh good things. Thirdly, those who granted that there was a God, but denied that he had any care of things below here. But enjoyed himself quietly in the Heavens, Such was Epicurus. Fourthly, Democratus, and Leveippus, and those who held that all things were ruled by a fatal necessity. The contradicting Atheist. Those Atheists again are divided into the contradicting Atheist, who denies God and all religion. The second is the sceptic Atheist, The sceptic atheist. The physical atheist. The stupid atheist. disputing by way of Problem, whether there be a God or not. The third is the Physical Atheist, who measures all things by the law of nature. The last is the stupid or blockish Atheist. The first sort of Atheist denying God altogether, are directly opposite to the Christian, and in part only to the Physical Atheist. The Physical Atheist, and contradicting Atheist, are semiantipodes, half opposite: but the Christian is directly opposite to him, and they are very antipodes. The second Atheist is the disputing Atheist, or sceptic, he propones whether there be a God or not, and while he hangs in aequilibrio, between the two, yet he inclines more to the negative than to the affirmative part; and him we call dubitabundum Atheum, the doubting Atheist, and he is in the midst as it were betwixt the contradicting Atheist, and the Physical Atheist. The third is the Physical Atheist, who is so taken up with those things which he perceives by sense, that he never lifts up his mind to those things which savours of metaphysics, and far less to those things which savours of divinity, and he is so drowned in natura naturata, that he never thinks of natura naturans; that is, he is so drowned in nature below here, that he never looks up to God, who is the God of nature. And the common saying may be applied well to him, Where there is three Physicians there are two Atheists. And as those who are borne in the bordering Country, ye can hardly discern by their language what country men they are. So it is hard to tell whether this Physical Atheist comes nearer to the sceptic or contradicting Atheist. The fourth is the stupid Atheist, who by stupidity and blockishness quenches that light of nature, which is inbred in all men. And if it fall out at any time (which seldom happeneth) that he stir up this inbred light, than it befalleth him as it doth those who hath some Lucida intervalla, that is, some clear intermissions, in the midst of their madness, but afterward they are more mad than they were before. So those Atheists, after they have quenched those sparks of light, they are more stupid than ever they were. This Atheist is a midst as it were, betwixt the disputing Atheist, and the Physical Atheist. Men are most discerned by their tongue, The atheists are discerned by their language. what country men they are, and whence they fetch their pedigrees. The Christian man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, who speaks the language of Canaan, who praises God, and worships him, and the Atheist is opposite to him, who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and of a strange language. Although the Atheists be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inter se, of one language amongst themselves. The contradicting Atheist is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Who setteth his mouth against the Heavens, Psal. 73.9. Such as was that beast Diagoras. The second is the Physical Atheist, who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, sive impeditae linguae, who lisps sometimes, and stammers, that there is not a God. The third is the sceptic Atheist, and he is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disputing, pro & contra, on both sides. The fourth is the Stupid Atheist, who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scarce having a tongue, and dumb when he should praise God. By what arguments atheists are to be reluted only by reason. All these Atheists which we have reckoned up, must be refuted by the principles of nature only, for all other arguments they scorn. When we dispute against a Turk, we may bring the Alkoron against him, when we dispute against a jew, we may bring the old Testament, and the Thalmud against him, when we dispute against a Saducee, or a Samaritane, we may bring the five books of Moses against them, When we dispute against a Pagan, we may bring the wise sayings of the heathen against him. But nothing will serve against the Atheist, but only to bring him to the bar of Reason, and God hath left this reason within him to convince him, and make him inexcusable. How Atheists denies the first principle, that there is a God. Object. But we cannot dispute against him who denies the first principles, the Atheist denies the first principle, that there is a God: Therefore we cannot dispute against him. Answ. The Atheist denies this first principle, only in his jollity, and wantonness; But when he is put to it in distress, and God begins to frown upon him, than he is forced to confess, that there is a God. The fool saith in his heart that there is not a God, Psal. 14.1. The heart is taken three ways in the Scriptures, first, for the reasonable faculty of the soul, The Lord is said to give Solomon a heart like the sand of the sea, 1 King. 4.29. that is, a heart that could understand and apprehend all things, the fool labours to obscure this principle, in his understanding: Secondly, the heart is taken for the will and affections, Psal. 119.36. Incline mine heart to thy law, and not to covetousness, that is my will and affections; So 2 Cor. 6.11. My heart is enlarged to you Corinthians, that is my will and affections. And in this sense the fool wishes in his heart that there were not a God to punish him, and to take order with him for his offences. Thirdly, the heart is taken for the conscience, David's heart is said to smite him, 1 Sam. 24.5. that is, his conscience smote him. The fool can never get this principle, blotted out of his conscience. But still he must be enforced to grant that there is a God, when his conscience is wakened. The conscience in the Syriack is called Tira, Tara 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conscientia from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 figuravit. Rom. 2. forma mentibus impressa, there are some lineaments drawn in the conscience which cannot be blotted out, which jamlicus de mysterijs, chap. 11. calls a touch of the deity. Things are not hidden in the conscience, as in sinking paper, where the letters can never be read, but they are written in the conscience, as letters are written with the juice of an Onion, where the letters at the first are not legible, but hold them to the fire a little, and then they begin piece and piece to be legible; So the things written in the conscience, although at the first they seem not legible, yet hold them a little to the fire of God's wrath, they begin presently to be legible: as the letters which were written upon the wall with a finger to Belthasar; there sin is written with the point of a Diamond, and with a pen of iron, jer. 17.1. Solomon says, Prov. 26.3. that the whip is for the fools back: when God begins to whip these fools, the Atheists, than they confess that there is a God. In their jollity amongst their companions they can propound this question, whether there be a God or not? but when they are brought to the gallows, and the rope about their necks, than they begin to cry peccavi, and confess that there is a God indeed. There was controversy betwixt the Stoics, and Peripatetics; The Stoic held that man had no passions in him, and that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; the Peripatetics held the contrary: Now, it fell out upon a time, that a Stoic and an peripatetic were sailing together in one ship; there arose upon a sudden a great tempest upon the sea, the Stoic begins to look pale, the Peripatetic marked this, and reasons this ways against the Stoic, thou looks pale Stoic, therefore thou art not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, without passions. He could not free himself of fear when he was in danger to be cast away. So, although Atheists given to their lusts, belch forth sometimes that there is not a God, yet in their distresses they are enforced to grant it. And as Tertullian writing against the Gentile. (who worshipped many gods) observeth well in sport, ye worship many Gods, but when ye are in distress ye look not to the capital, where your many gods are, but ye look up to the heavens, where the only true God dwells. So Atheists are enforced to grant, that in their perplexities, which they denied in sport. Object. But how can we prove by reason against Atheists, that there is a God, seeing to believe that God is, is an article of our faith; and that which we believe, is not taken up by reason, but by faith? Ans. Some articles of our faith are only believed; as the mystery of the Trinity, and the Incarnation of Christ: reason hath never place in these: There are other articles of our faith again, that are both believed and taken up by reason; as the creation of the world, and the immortality of the soul, these may be proved by reason, and that there is a God. Quest. When we dispute against an Atheist proving that there is a God; whether dispute we against him as Divines; or as Physicians do, who brings their proofs from nature only? Answ. We dispute against them as Divines, although we use natural midses to this purpose, Some articles of our faith are both believed and taken up by reason. we dispute not as Physicians: Round wounds or circular are hardlier cured then long wounds, although the Chirurgeon prove this by principles of Geometry, yet he cures not the wound as a Geometritian, but as a Chirurgeon: So although the Divine proves there is a God by midses taken from nature, yet he concludes not as a Physician, but as a Divine. There are devils, therefore there must be a God. Argu. 1. Atheists cannot deny, but that there are devils, and if they grant that there are devils, they must grant also that there is a God. But perhaps they will deny that there are devils, what will they say then to the Demoniackes that are possessed, and in strength surpasses many men; and sometimes they speak both Greek and Hebrew, being Idiots, and unlearned, and if there were not such a spirit in them, how could they do these things, and the devils being of such power, and so malicious and cruel, if there were not a superior power to bridle them, and to restrain their wickedness, they would presently turn all things upside down. Socrates being accused of Atheism, answered, that he believed always that there were genij, both good and evil. Argu. 2. The conscience of man proves that there is a God. The second reason to prove that there is a God, is taken from the conscience of man; when a man commits a secret sin, which none is privy to, justice requires that this sin be punished, and punished it cannot be unless there be both a witness, a judge, and a sentence given out. This witness bears record, but before whom? not before man, for no man knows the fact. This witness than must testify before a higher judge, before whom all things are known. Darius' made a decree, Ezr. 6.11. that whosoever should alter his word, that the timber should be pulled down from his house, and being set up, that he should be hanged thereon. So the great King of Kings, ordains, that men should be tried by their own conscience, and the timber of their own house to torture them before him, who is the great judge. Bernard de interiore domo, cap. 14. It was well said by Bernard, In domo propria, & propria familia, habeo accusatores, testes, judices & tortores, accusat me conscientia, testes est memoria; judex substitutus est ratio, voluptas est carcer: Timor torture, oblectamentum tormentum, quotquot enim fuerunt oblectamenta mala, tot erunt tormenta dira in paena nam inde puniuntur, inde delectantur, In my own house, and at home, I have the accusers, witnesses, judges, and torturers, my conscience accuseth me, my memory is the witness, my reason is the subordinate judge, pleasure is the prison, fear is the torturer, delight is the torment; for in whatsoever pleasure a man hath taken delight in, with as many torments shall he be punished. The Lord the great judge hath appoinied this conscience as his deputy, to testify for him, and to convict the evil doers. Argu. 3. The diversity of the faces of men proves that there is a God against the Atheist, The diversity of the faces of men proves that there is a God. for look upon a company where there are ten thousand men, ye will see them all distinguished by their faces, this distinction of the faces of men is most necessary for the preservation of the society of men. The diversity of tongues was a great judgement to the world, Gen. 11. that one of them could not understand another. But this distinction of faces is a great blessing to the world, for without it no society could stand; then the husband should not know his wife from another woman, neither should the father know his children from other men, and if the malefactor were not taken in the very fact he needed not to be afraid. S. Austin cap. 8. adversus paganos. Saint Augustine writing against the Panims, calls this diversity of faces a great miracle: Men are distinguished from other, sometimes by some mark, as the jews who lives amongst Christians. But these marks may alter and be changed: So men are distinguished by their languages, and by their dialects, as amongst the jews, some said Shibboleth, and others said Sibboleth, judg. 12.6. So these about jerusalem had a proper dialect to themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Act. 2.8. So Peter was known to be a Galilean, by his speech, Matth. 26.73. and so the Levite, judg. 18.3. was known by his dialect, but these may soon , and so doth not the faces of men. Many things distinguisheth man from man but the face above all. This diversity of the faces of men, proves that there is a God, for this diversity of faces comes, either from nature, from chance, or from God; here is not a fourth. This diversity of faces comes not from nature, for nature endeavours always to bring forth things alike, as in a bushel of barley, This diversity of faces comes neither from nature, nor from chance, but only from God. or wheat, we see all the grains alike: This diversity of faces, proceeds not from chance; If a man throw a die, and desire always a divers number to fall out to him, yet not withstanding, the same number shall occur to him often, which argues that this diversity of faces, comes not from chance. It rests then that this diversity of faces comes only from God, who hath only distinguished the faces of men, for the preservation of society amongst men. Object. But if they say that this diversity of faces comes from fancy; then I would ask them, seeing fancy is seen more in beasts than in men? what is the reason that there is no such diversity amongst beasts, as there is amongst the faces of men; therefore it rests, that it is only God who makes this diversity of faces. Argu. 4. Non datur progressus in infinitum, We cannot be led from judicatory to judicatory, therefore at last we must stay at the bar of the judgement of God. we cannot make an infinite progress in things, but we must rest in one chief and supreme cause. If a man be condemned by an inferior judge, and the sentence be just, than it is altogether unlawful for him to appeal; but if he be wrongfully judged by an inferior judge, he may appeal to his superior, as Saint Paul did to Cesar, Act. 25. Nam appellatio est defensio justa & innocentiae praesidium: An appeal is a just defence and a safety of ones innocence; and the law of nature teacheth us this, that a man is bound to stand in defence of his own life, as fare as he can by lawful means, neither doth he wrong to any, when he stands thus in his own defence; and as in natural causes, the inferior causes, are subordinate to the influx of the superior. So in cases moral, the inferior judges, are subject to the superior, and if they proceed not aright in judging, than they are not their deputies, and the party wronged may seek for redress at the superiors hands; and because men should not be led from judicatory to judicatory, there are in all well constitute common wealths, some supreme judicatory, from the which men may not appeal, as in judea the great Synedrion, in Athens, Areopagus, and in Rome, the Senate; but because all men may do wrong and err in judgement; the last and supreme judge is God himself, to whom men appeals. He is the judge of the whole earth, who cannot but judge rightly, Gen. 18.25. He when he inquires for blood, forgets not the blood of the poor, Psal. 9 Who says, Bene appellatum sed male judicatum: He approves the appeal, but dislikes the wrong judgement. By this the Atheist may understand that there is a God, who is the judge of all. A comparison betwixt the Christian, the Devil, and the Atheist. Let us make a comparison betwixt the Christian, the Devil, and the Atheist: The Christian by a justifying faith, believes that there is a God, and he works out his salvation with fear and trembling: The devil by an historical faith, believes, that there is a God, jam. 2.19. and fears and trembles, but hopes not for salvation; but the Atheist he trembles only, neither believes he by a justifying faith as the Christian doth, neither by an historical faith, as the devils doth, therefore he is worse than the devil in this point. A comparison betwixt Balaam and the Atheist. Secondly, let us compare the worst of men, and the Atheist together, let us compare the Atheist and Balaam the Diviner; Balaam said, Num. 23.10. Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his. Balaam believed the immortality of the soul, and the happiness of the life to come; but the Atheist believes neither of these two; therefore the Atheist is worse than Balaam the Diviner. Thirdly, A comparison betwixt the Saducee and the Atheist. let us compare the Atheist with the Saducee; the Saducees believed not the immortality of the soul, neither the resurrection of the body, yet when they were demanded, Why then study ye to keep the commandments of God, they answered, That it might go well with them in this life; they admitted also the five Books of Moses: but the Atheists, they acknowledge not the immortality of the soul, neither study they to observe the commandments of God, that it may go well with them in this life; neither admit they any Scripture, therefore they are worse than the Saducees. Fourthly, A comparison btwixt the Epicure and the Atheist. let us compare the Epicure and the Atheist: the Epicure denies all Religion, that he may prove the soul to be mortal; as Lucretius did, following Epicurus: Therefore he falls upon this conclusion, 1 Cor. 15. Let us eat, let us drink for to morrow we die; That is, we shall be quite extinguished in soul and body, and there shall be no more of us than of beasts when they are knocked in the head: But the Atheist goes further than the Epicure; for he denies all Religion, and the immortality of the soul, that he may come to his conclusion that there is not a God; these three go always inseparable together. If the soul be immortal, then there must be a Religion, and if there be Religion, there must be a God. Lastly, A comparison betwixt the d●vill alone and the Atheist. let us compare the Atheist and the devil alone, the devil acknowledged Christ to be the Son of the most high God, Mark. 5.7. Secondly, he worshipped, vers. 6. Thirdly, adjures Christ, v. 7. and acknowledged, that an oath is the bond of the soul, Num. 30.2. Lastly, he knows that there is a day appointed, when God shall come to judge the world, Matth. 8.29. but the Atheist, neither acknowledge Christ to be the Son of the most high God, neither worships he Christ. He cares not for an oath, which is the bond of the soul, neither expects he the last day of judgement; therefore in these he is worse than the devil. The Atheist should die the death. These Atheists should die the death; Whosoever worshipped strange Gods should die the death, Deut. 13.9. And Asa, 2 Chro. 15.15. enlarges this threatening; Whosoever would not seek to the Lord God of Israel, should die the death: Much more than should these die the death, who denies the true God. And the Heathens judged that Atheists should die the death, as Laertius witnesseth of that wicked Theodorus, who was condemned in Areopago propter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. he was condemned for Atheism: and Socrates (as this same Laertius witnesseth) quod non eosdem, atque civitas deos pictaret, & quod nova numina inveheret, he because he believes not in these gods which the rest of the city believed in, and studied to bring in new gods amongst them. When there was no king in Israel, every man did that which seemed good in his own eyes, judg. 17.6. So when men believe that there is no good, what marvel is it that they run not into all sins and abominations? Atheism is the centre of all sins. This Atheism, is the centre of all sins; and the Atheist is the vilest of all creatures, wherefore let us abhor Atheism above all other sins, and shun the company of these damnable Atheists, who are appointed for hell and damnation. SECT. 3. Of Superstition. THe ignorance of God hath two rivers proceeding from it; the one is Atheism, The ignorance of God breeds Atheism and superstition. and the other is Superstition; and as seed sown in some hard ground, brings forth no fruit at all, but in other ground it grows so rank and luxurian, that the labourer reaps no profit of it. The Atheist is like unto hard ground where no corn grows; the Superstitious again exceeds in his worship, and runs as fare unto the other extremity. This superstition is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, timeo, metuo, & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 numen. It is a good observation of Tertullian, Verity in the midst suffereth between two extremes. that as Christ suffered betwixt two thiefs; so verity suffereth betwixt the two extremes. The Heathen held a multitude of gods to be worshipped, and they denied unity. The jews again holds unity worshipping one God, but denies the Trinity of persons: Here trinity and unity suffereth in the midst betwixt the two extremes as Christ did in the midst betwixt two thiefs. So Eutiches confounded the persons; and Nestorius divided Christ into two persons, verity suffered in the midst here: so in the Church of Corinth, 1 Cor. 1.12. Some held that they were only Christ's, others called themselves after Apollo, and others Cephas; verity suffered in the midst here; for we must fo●●●nour Christ, that we despise not his Ministers; and we must so respect his Ministers, Atheism and superstition are the two extremes, and true religion suffereth in the midst. that we depend not upon them in matters of salvation, and so here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Atheism and Superstition are the two extremes, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the true worship of God suffers in the midst. This Superstition exceeds in worship, and offers more to God than he requires at their hand, Esa. 1.12. and as the Lord forbids to be too just, Eccles. 7.16. so he forbids men to exceed this way, and to run into superstition. Quest. How can a man exceed in the worship of God? Answ. in theogicall virtues, as they are theological, a man cannot exceed but only in the circumstances, as when a man hopes he must take heed what he hopes for, how he hopes, and when; so a man cannot exceed in justice, in respect of justice itself, but in respect of the circumstances. This justice may degenerate, and may exceed; as when the judge considers not where or whom he should judge, or how he should judge. No theological nor moral virtue can exceed in itself but only in respect of circumstances men does exceed. This superstition the mother of it is ignorance, joh. 4. Ye worship ye know not what; the companion of it is hypocrisies, the daughters of it are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, will worworship, and idolatrey; and it is found more in women then in men, Act. 13.50. and in the ignorant more than the learned; and it is like wine which runs into a man's head, and makes him giddy, whereas true worship is like wine which goes to the heart and cheers it. What are the mother and daughters of superstition. This superstition is hardly rooted out, jealousy, frenzy, and heresy, and superstition are hardly rooted out; take but the example of the jews, who will not eat of the hollow of the thigh never since jacob halted upon his thigh, saith Moses, until this day, Gen. 32.32. and it continues amongst the jews until this day now, for they will not eat of that at all, but sells it to the Christians, Superstition is hardly rooted out of the heart The superstitious are sinistrous in their conclusions. and if the Christians will not buy it, they throw it to the dogs. The superstitious are most sinistrous in their conclusions, because the nails pierced the Lords hands, and feet, and the whip whipped him, therefore they will worship them. The Philistines will not set their foot upon the thresholds of the door, 1 Sam. 5.5. because Dagon fell and broke his neck upon the threshold of the door; but they should rather have set their foot upon the neck of Dagon, and tread upon him, because that Dagon could not preserve himself, that he break not his neck. Let us compare the religious, A comparison betwixt the religious and superstitious. Plutarch de superstitione. and the superstitious together; the superstitious finds no comfort in his Religion, as the religious doth. The Church to the religious is a place of pleasure, but to the superstitious, it is a place of torment; and therefore their Idols are called terriculamenta, jer. 50.38. & tormina, in the temple he is punished and vexed, there he holds up his trembling hands, and he goes no otherways to the temple, than if he were going to the den of Bears or Lions. The labourer after his labour finds his sleep comfortable unto him, Eccles. 5.12. but the superstitious is as much troubled, when he sleepeth, The superstitious is troubled as well in his sleep as when he awakes. as when he waketh. Heraclitus was wont to say, that there was one common world for all men, and that men when they sleep, they go every one into their several world; but the superstitious, when he sleepeth is still in the common world, because he is not freed from that which troubled him when he was awaked, dormit ratio sed vigilat semper metus, his reason is asleep, but his fear always waketh. It is a terrible thing to live under the power of a tyrant, but to live under a good king, or free common wealth, this is most comfortable: but those who fear God as though he were a tyrant; whether shall they fly from him? If they take the wings of the morning, and fly a fare off, yet he is before them, and where shall they hide them from him? The Law grants this to servants, when they are desperate and out of hope of liberty, they may beg that they may be sold and changed from a harder master to a more gentle; but the superstitious can find no such change, neither shall he find a God whom he shall not fear servilly, and from whose service he may exempt himself: Let us not fly superstition so that we fall into Atheism. Let us therefore fly superstition, but not as some men use to do, who when they are flying from robbers and wild beasts, they fall inconsiderately into some dangerous ways, where there are steep rocks, or dangerous pools, wherein they may be drowned; so some men flying superstition, they pass by plenty, which is the midst, and fall into damnable Atheism and impiety. Of the second degenerate Son the MAGICIAN. THe prince of the world, saith Christ, joh. 14.13. had nothing in me, he found no sin in Christ; therefore when he tempted him he prevailed not, Aggressa est hic tentatio, sed non ingressa est. The temptation assailed Christ, but prevailed not, because there was no sin in him. When Satan tempts us, he finds a way how to enter, he espies our nakedness, and looks where he may most conveniently enter to tempt us. When Satan tempted Eva, first he began to tempt her, When Satan tempted Eve what faculty of the mind began he at first. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in her irascible faculty, which of all the faculties is most easily stirred, and suddenly kindled, when he said unto her (hath God said?) as if God's commandment had been an unlawful commandment, and he had been injurious to man and woman to forbid them to eat of that fruit; but because Satan perceived that he could not prevail that way with the woman, and that she did adhere close to God's interdiction; therefore Satan leaving the irascible faculty, he turns himself to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to the intelligible faculty which Moses shows in these words (And the woman saw the fruit was pleasant) she saw it, to wit, in her mind; therefore the Apostle, 1 Tim. 2.14. calls the first transgression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a disception, then followeth the corruption of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, of the concupiscible faculty (she desired the fruit;) and thirdly, he came back again to tempt her in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in her irascible faculty: And lastly, he corrupted her in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in her sensitive faculty. So Satan deludes the Magicians, and Witches; sometimes in their understanding faculty, sometimes in their irascible faculty, sometimes in their concupiscible, and sometimes in the sensitive faculty. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Satan endeavours first to tempt us in our understanding faculty. First, he endeavoures to corrupt them in their understanding faculty: Man after his fall hath a desire to know more than God hath revealed unto him, and more than is fit for him to know, and he seeks after Satan that he may inform him, and teach him. And that saying of S. Augustine may be fitly applied to these, Multi propter arborem scientiae amittunt arborem vitae. Many lose the tree of life for the tree of knowledge; Example of this we have Act. 19.19. And many of those who believed, came and confessed and shown their deeds; many also of them who had used curious, Arts, brought their books together, and burned them before all men. This curiosity and desire of knowledge drew them to this Magic. Men are desirous likewise to know things to come, and therefore they consulted with Satan. Apollo was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, because they used to consult with him of things to come. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So he tempts us in our irascible faculty. Men are given much to revenge, and Satan is ready to blow the bestows, and moves men to seek for revenge; therefore they consult with him, 1 King. 21.6. Manasses used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizzardes, and vers. 16. he shed much innocent blood; here Magic and murder are joined together: Men consults with the devil, that he may show them the way how they may the more fitly murder. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. He tempts us in our concupiscible faculty. Men are much given to their vile lusts, and fleshly pleasures; therefore they run to Satan to further them in their beastly desires. An example of this we have in S. Cyprian (who afterward by the mercy of God proved a Martyr) he lusted after a virgin justina, Nazianzen oratione. 8. and when by no means he could attain to his purpose, at length he incals for the help of the devil that he might enjoy her. And Plutarch testifies in hi●●ooke, De oraculorum defectu; Tripoden deorum oppletum impiis & obscoenis questionibus & responsis. That they would try Apollo sometimes with Sophistry, and sometimes as bad, they would demand him of incestuous marriages and adulteries, and such like; and he would be as ready to answer them, which things civil and honest men (saith he) would have been ashamed to have heard of, so men for filthy lucre runs to the devil, Act. 16.16. A man kept a Damsel possessed with a spirit of divination, because she brought her master great gain by soothsaying. Lastly, men seeks after Satan for their health, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He tempts us in our sensitive faculty. as Ahaziah when he was sick he sent to Baalzebub the god of Eckron to inquire for his health. SECT. 1. How Satan hath abused the most part of the world by his Magic and Sorcery. When the Lord had planted a Church in judea, How Satan hath abused the most part of the world by his Magic. and chosen Israel for his inheritance; Satan envying this; first he infected Syria with Sorcery and Witchcraft, and from thence the people of God learned it. Esay 2.6. because they be replenished from the East, that is, of the sorcery of the Syrians; such as Balaam was, who dwelled in Syria. Secondly, they learned this Magic, from those who lay upon the West, as from the Philistines, Esay 2.6. So this Magic abounded amongst the Ammorites; therefore the Hebrews saith, In quocunque est aliquid de medicina & nihil est de via ammoriorum hoc licitum est: that is, when men use natural means; there is no sorcery then as was amongst the Amorites. T●●●dly, this Magic abounded in the South of Canaan in Egypt, as we see in jannes' and jambres who resisted Moses, 2 Tim. 3.8. they used a proverb or taunt unto Moses (as it is written in the Talmud) Tu stramen portas in Afra. Afra was a place in Egypt where straw abounded most; their meaning was, that there was magic enough in Egypt already, and therefore it was needless for them to practise their magic in Egypt. So they said, In urbem oleribus abundantem olera, venalia importas; Thou carries herbs to sell to a town that abounds with herbs. So this magic abounded in Samaria, where Simon abused the people by witchcraft, Act. 9 To whom all gave heed from the least to the greatest, and they called him the great power of God. So this sorcery abounded in Ephesus, Act. 19.19. Therefore they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. This magic was professed there, and they had Libraries of great price there, which afterward they burned. So this sorcery is very fare spread in these parts of the world where we live now, and where the Gospel is preached. The Prophet Esay speaking of the calling of the Gentiles, saith, Esay 43.5. I will bring thy seed from the East, and gather thee from the West, I will say to the North give up, and to the South keep not back: so we may say now, that neither the North, nor the South withholds, but they run from all parts of the world to the devil, and he hath his synagogue where the Gospel is preached, and there he sets up his throne; Look to Lapland, Findland, and to the mountains of Savoy, and here amongst ourselves how they abound: Is not this a just judgement for the contempt of the Gospel? SECT. 2. How fearful a sin it is to enter in covenant with the devil. When men bind themselves one unto another, What a sin it is to covenant with the devil. they bind themselves either by promise, or by an oath, or by a covenant. They bind themselves by a promise: A promise is obligatio fidei, and here they pawn their fidelity and honesty, but in an oath, there is obligatio animae & salutis, In it they pawned their fidelity, honesty, and soul, and then by covenant which is confirmed by write, by oath, and by some solemn rites, as when they confirmed their covenants of old, they used to divide a beast in two: and those who entered into the covenant used to pass betwixt the parts of the beast divided, Gen. 15.10. jer. 34.18. and they wished, that if they broke that covenant; they might be parted and cut as that beast was into pieces: And the Hebrews say, scindere faedus; David saith, scissores faederis mei, Psal. 50.5. that is, who made a covenant with me because a beast was cut, when the covenant was made; and this covenant they called Berith. To promise to the devil is a great sin, but to bind ourselves by an oath to him is a greater sin; but to enter in covenant, with him is the greatest sin of all, to deliver up to him soul and body to be tormented and cut by him at his pleasure. Secondly, in all covenants fidelity is most to be respected: There are four great liars with whom a man must not covenant, hell, death, the world, and the devil. These who covenants with death, with hell, and the world, makes lies their refuge. These who covenants with death and hell: as the Prophet Esaiah speaks, Esay 28.15. They make lies, their refuge, and under falsehood they shadow themselves. There are two things that secure sinners are most afraid of, the jail, and the jailer, first of the jail hell, and next of the jailer death. The deceitful heart of man promiseth to the secure sinner immunity from both these, and makes an imaginary covenant with man, and promiseth to secure him from them both; first, that he shall be free from hell, and promiseth to him peace, when his destruction is at hand: when a man makes this kind of covenant with his deceitful heart, he makes lies for his refuge, and his covenant is nothing. Secondly, he is afraid of death the jailer, and in comes the deceitful heart of man, and makes this imaginary covenant, and puts the evil day fare from him, and so he makes lies his refuge. Hagag said, 1 Sam. 15.32. when he flattered himself that the bitterness of death was past, when as samuel's sword was hanging over his head. Secure sinners when death is near to them, they put it fare from them, both in respect of preparation and expectation, and upon a sudden it surprises them, and in a sudden they go down to hell, wherefore we should never covenant with them. The third liar that we should not covenant with is the world: The world is like that Olive tree, which Habbacuck speaks of, Hab. 3.17. mentita est oliva; the Olive tree made a lie. It promised fair in the spring when it blossomed, but it brought nothing to perfection. So the world promiseth much, but performs nothing really to men; and it is like jonah his Gourd, when he thought to have sheltered himself under it, a worm did consume it. So it fareth with the world, when men thinks to shelter themselves under it, than it vanisheth; therefore we must never covenant with this liar, the world. But above all to covenant with the devil, To covenant with the devil the father of lies, that is a fearful covenant. who is the father of lies, joh. 8.44. This is the greatest madness of all, who can trust him? or what fidelity is in his promises? he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, who promiseth much in words, but performs nothing, Magis blandus quam benignus: so he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, ready to praise and flatter us, when he minds no such things, he holds out bread to us, but he gives us a stone, he presents a fish to us, but he gives us a Scorpion, therefore we should never covenant with him, he is ready to entice us to sin, and the first to accuse us: He is like unto joab who would have persuaded the man to have killed Absalon the King's son, and if he had killed him, he would have set himself first against him, 2 Sam. 13.18. therefore we should never covenant with him. Thirdly, It is not lawful to make a covenant of peace with the devil, where God hath proclaimed war. God hath put an enmity betwixt the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent; he hath not put anger betwixt them, for those who are angry one with another, they may be reconciled again, but he hath put this enmity and deadly hatred betwixt them therefore they should never be reconciled. It is an unlawful thing to make a league of peace where God hath proclaimed perpetual war. This war is a most lawful war: Two sorts of war amongst the jews. The wars amongst the jews were either bell● spontanea, or bella praecepti: Bella spontanea were these, which they undertook willingly at their own hand, but bella praecepti were those which they undertook at the commandment of God: This war is bellum praecepti, and not spontaneum; It is bellum praecepti. Therefore the Lord saith, jam. 4.7. Resist the devil and he will fly from you: A war may be unlawful three manner of ways; A War may be undertaken three manner of ways unlawfully. first, when it is rashly undertaken, without authority or command. Secondly, when it is prosecuted cruelly, & cum medicina excedit modum, when the physic exceeds measure. And thirdly, when the end is unlawful, when men respects only vain glory, gain, or revenge. But this war is lawful, both in respect of the commander, secondly in respect of the manner; we cannot be too eager in prosecuting this war against this enemy, And cursed is who doth this work of the Lord negligently, jer. 48.10. The Lord proclaimed a perpetual war betwixt Israel and Amalecke, Exod. 17.16. and he caused him to write a book of this for a memorial; and the reason was, because the Amalekites cut off the tail of the host of the Israelites, that is, the faint and the sick, and the straggling that came behind. The Chaldee paraphrast paraphraseth this place after this manner: Targum jonath. cap. 25. v. 18. the Amalekites cut of from the jews that part in which they were circumcised, and wherein they bore the mark of the Covenant of God, & threw it up in despite against the Lord. And doth not this Amalekite Satan, hate the badge of God's Covenant in God's children, and in contempt exposes the bodies of the Saints baptised to all shame and ignominy. Therefore the Lord hath registered this in his Book, that there shall be perpetual war, with this Amalekite the devil; and herein we should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, implacable, never to be reconciled, or to make a covenant with him. God hath promised us the victory against Satan; therefore we should never take peace with him. Fourthly, God in this war hath promised us the victory, Rom. 16. The God of peace shall tread Satan under your feet. And shall we be so base minded then, as to yield to Satan, when God hath promised us the victory. In other wars the event is doubtful; and therefore the Scripture saith, Ne glorietur induens arma sed exuens, 1 King. 20.11. but in this fight we are sure of the victory when we strive earnestly against the devil. And here we may rejoice when we put on our armour, and when we lay them not aside, and prefer justissimum bellum injustissimae paci. Fiftly, We contend for an everlasting inheritance, therefore we should be earnest in this fight against Satan. the thing which we contend for should move us to be earnest in this fight. Non controvertitur de limitibus sedde ipsa haereditate, we contend not here for the landmarks, but for the inheritance itself. When Themistocles was to fight againg the Barbarians, he saw two Cocks fight most keenly, and then he took occasion to speak to his Soldiers after this manner; High neque pro patria neque pro paenatibus nec pro sepulchris majorum, neque pro libertate aut filiispugnant; sed tantum ne vincantur neuter cedit alteri. His ergo dictis Atheniensibus ingentes animos fecit. These poor creatures neither strives for their country nor for their gods, nor for heir father's sepulchers, nor for thet liberty of their children; but they strive only for the victory. In this combat with the devil we strive not for an earthly kingdom, nor for our parents, nor for the sepulchers of our antecessors, nor for our liberty, or for our children, but for an immortal inheritance and incorruptible; and should we not then be most eager in this fight. Sixtly, when people who hath been long at variance, If we take truce with Satan, nothing will serve in hostage, but our souls, what can we offer to him then in a final peace. minds to make peace first, they make inducias seu treugas; and here they use to give in hostage their children which are called filii oppignorationis, 1 King. 1.14. When we enter in parley of peace with the devil, what can we lay in hostage to him, will we offer him rivers of oil? that will not content him, Mic. 6.7. if we offer him our first borne, that will not content him, until we offer to him unicam nostram, or our darling, Psal. 22. and what can he seek more of us. Therefore these who concludes a final peace with him, are most desperate. It is well said by Cajetan, the conversing with the Angels in this life, is the beginning of eternal happiness; so the conversing with the devils in this life is the beginning of eternal damnation. SECT. 3. Of the sorts of Covenants made with the devil, first of the direct covenant, and then of the indirect. THese who enters into the direct covenant with the devil; first, they expressly renounce God. Our baptism saith S. Peter, 1 Pet. 3.21. Est stipulatio bonae conscientiae; These who expressly covenant with the devil renounces God. The answer of a good conscience towards God: where the Apostle alludes, to the custom that was in the Primitive Church, for these who were catechised were demanded of the catechist after this manner, Credisne, believest thou? And they answered Credo, I believe. So abrenunciasne, dost thou not renounce the devil? And they answered, abrenuncio, I do renounce him. Therefore Tertullian in his book the resurrectione, saith, Anima non lavatione sed responsione sancitur; the soul is not established by washing but by answering: And the devil being God's Ape, when he draws his slaves after him, he initiates them this ways. Dost thou renounce the true God: They answer, I renounce him. His second demand to them is this, Believes thou in me? They answer, I believe: this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, when one promises, and the other restipulates. These who enters into the direct covenant with him kisses him. Secondly, these who enter into this direct covenant with Satan, they give him the kiss of homage; as the children of God are bidden to kiss the son, Psal. 2.12. Thirdly, they offer gifts to him. Thirdly, they who enter into this direct covenant with Satan, offer gifts to him; as the three wise men offered gold, incense and myrrh to Christ, Num. 22. The jews used to offer to their new crowned kings gifts. 1 Sam. 10.27. And his divination was in his hand, that is, the gift which he offered to the devil when he was divining. So Ezech. 22.7. his divination was in his right hand. And as we may offer nothing to the devil, so we may take nothing from him. The Targum of jerusalem Paraphrasing this place, Eccles. 2.5. [I planted me Orchards, and trees in them of all kinds] is most injurious to Solomon; paraphrasing the place this ways; I planted me trees which the Ptolemy, and the devils brought me out of India: This pharaphrase is most false; for although Solomon fell from the Lord, yet he fell never to covenant with the devil, either to offer any thing to him, or to receive any thing from him: and when he reputes him of all the vanities, he never reckons up Magic amongst them. Fourthly, Fourthly, they take his mark upon them. these who enters into a direct covenant with the devil takes his mark upon them. And as God set his mark of circumcision in the flesh of his children; so the devil sets his mark upon witches. When the false apostles persuaded the Galatians to be circumcised, then S. Paul saith, That they gloried in the flesh of the Galatians, because they were circumcised, Gal. 6.13. So when Satan hath set his mark upon his slaves he glories in their flesh. Marks are imposed for four ends, first, Marks are imposed for four ends. they are notes of property to discern on man's goods from another to whom they belong. Secondly, they are notes of distinction. Therefore neatheardes and shepherds are called punctatores, Amos 1.1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 punctatores. The words of Amos who was amongst the heardm●n of Tekoa, inter punctatores; this was not a note of property, but a note of distinction which they set upon their beasts. Thirdly, for homage, as the mark of the beast, Rev. 16.2. Fourthly, for ignominy and shame. Such was the marks which S. Paul bore about in his body, which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Christi, Gal. 6.17. they inflicted them for his shame, but he thought them to be his greatest honour and credit. These marks of Satan are marks of shame, of property, and of homage, they are commonly in some secret place of the body, and not sensible in that place, although ye thrust a bodkin in the place which is marked; and when he marks them, they have intolerable pain, as they confess, until Satan appear to them the second time, and then the place marked is past feeling, and hath no pain at all. It is true that there may be some natural cause why the part affected is not so sensible. But when this mark, and other presumptions concurres together, it should not be lightly rejected; and it may be Semiplena probatio. Fiftly they eat and drink with him. Fiftly, they enter into such familiarity with him, that they sit down to eat and drink with him, and rise to play. The Apostle forbids the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 5.11. If a man be called a brother and be a fornicator, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, not to eat with such a one; fare less to eat with him who is without, whom God himself judges only, and whom the Church medles not with. To eat with the devil who is judged already, who lies under that fearful Anathema maranatha, 1 Cor. 13.22. and under that eternal curse and malediction of God. Lastly, they lie with him. And lastly, these who lies with the devil. If a man commit incest it is a greater sin than adultery, because he observes not the degrees of consanguinity, Levit: 18.6. If a male lie with a ma●e, this is a greater sin than incest, Quia hic non observatur sexus; because the sex is not observed here. If a man lie with a beast, this is a greater sin, this is confusion, Leu. 18.23. quia hic non observatur species. It was a greater sin in Anah, Gen. 36.24. to set beasts of diverse kinds to engender together, as the horse and the ass, who beget a mule, a monstrous generation. And the Prophet alludes to this sort of generation, Hos. 4.4. [For they themselves are separate with harlots, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mulus. cum merciricibus separationem faciunt] liparedum]; they shall beget bastards such as the mule is, Pered is a mule; or they shall be unfruitful as the mule; much more monstrous is that generation when a man lies with a beast. When all the beasts were brought before Adam, there was not one of them a match for Adam; to teach man that he should never match with a beast. When the Prophet jeremy would express the filthiness of the jews in their whooredomes, jer. 5.8. he saith, Every man neighed after his neighbour's wife. This adultery made them like stoned horses running after a mare. So he compares them to salt bitches, or filthy dogs. The price of a dog shall not come unto the house of the Lord thy God, Deut. 23.17. That is, of a whore or whoremonger, who are filthy as dogs; what is it then for a man to lie with a beast? But if only with the devil, this is abomination of abominations: Quia hic non observatur genus. Quest. An chobher chobharim, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 18.11. Psal. 58.6. be meant here of the express covenant with the devil, because it is said there ligant ligaturas? Answ. They are not said there ligare ligaturas, because they enter in a direct covenant with the devil, the 70. translates it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for the serpents when they are enchanted runs together in a knot, and wimples themselves one within another. SECT. 4. In what manner Satan appears to those with whom he enters into the direct covenant. SAtan appears to his confederates, three manner of ways; Satan appears three manner of ways to these with whom he enters in the direct covenant. First by some visible body in show. First, per apparentiam. Secondly, per assistentiam, and thirdly, per in existentiam. First, Satan appears to his confederates, per apparentiam, when he takes some visible shape of a body upon him, which is not a body indeed, but a body in show, and this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, because a body itself is not presented to the eyes, but only a body in show; this is called spectrum umbra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and by the heathen idolum, Leu. 17.7. Neither sacrifice your children hereafter Lashegnirim hirsutis. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The devils are called hoary ones, because they appeared in the likeness of Satyrs; hence afterward came this word Satire, and he appears commonly to them in some terrible and fearful shape. In the Syriac there is but one word which signifies both the devil and Ink, because commonly he appears to men in some black and terrible shape. The word in the Syriac is daiiva, which signifies both the devil and ink; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chal. debija atramentum. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diabolus Syriace. but yet this subtle Protheus can change himself into any form, he can transform himself in an Angel of light, as he appeared to Saul in the likeness of Samuel. Whether it was the true Samuel or Samuel in show which appeared to Saul. The question may be moved here, whether Samuel himself appeared to Saul? or was it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, only in show. Answ. the most of the Church of Rome holds that it was Samuel himself who appeared to Saul, as Bellarmine, Seir, Lessius, and not Samuel in show. Bellarmine goes about to prove that it was Samuel himself, who appeared to Saul by the testimony of a jew, Rabbi, David, Kimchi. 1 Sam. 28.12. for if it had been counterfeit Samuel which appeared to Saul, he would have come up with his feet foremost. This proof is as uncertain as the thing which is in question, and this is but a begging of the question, when a thing uncertain is proved by that which is as uncertain. The jews held many absurd things concerning these apparitions; first, The foolish dreams of the jews how spirits doth appear. they say when wicked spirits are raised up, and called for by witches, their manner is to ascend with their feet upward, and their head downward, and that the spirit raised by the witch of Endor, came up with his head first contrary to the custom, and that thereby the witch knew him to be the King. Secondly, that the witch saw Samuel but heard him not, and that Saul heard, but saw not, and these that stood by, as Amasa and Abner, neither saw, nor heard. Lastly, they say that men shall rise in the resurrection in the same habit that they were buried in, because Samuel came up with his mantle about him; but these fables are to be rejected. If it had been Samuel himself who appeared unto Saul, than they charge Samuel with a lie; It was not Samuel himself who appeared to Saul but counterfeit Samuel. for this Samuel saith that it was Saul who raised him, and that he was not raised at the commandment of God, and it is clear, that it was this counterfeit Samuel who speaks here; for this Samuel saith, why hast thou troubled me? had it been any trouble for the true Samuel, to have been raised up by the Lord to reprove Saul. Secondly, God never used the ministry of the Prophets after that they were translated to another life to instruct or reprove the people, but only when they were living. Elias when he was yet alive would not reprove joram face to face, but left a letter to be given to him after his death to reprove him, 2 Chron. 21.12. but he never appeared to him visibly after his death; and as Christ when he left this world never intended to return before the day of judgement: so neither will his servants, joh. 21.26. Where I am, there my servants are? There is no intercourse betwixt the living & the dead, neither sending letters from them to us or speaking to us, Nicephorus, lib. 14. cap. 43. or from us to them, Luk 16. Therefore that which Nicephorus writes, seems to be fabulous; That the Emperor Thedosius after his death, sent a letter to chrysostom. So for men to have written to to devil, as Gregory Thaunaturgus sent a letter to the devil, wherein he commanded him to remove out of such a place, (as Gregory Nyssen writes) This seems very ridiculous. And is it likely that the Lord (who would not answer to Saul, neither by the Prophets, nor by Vrim and Thummim) would appear to him after his death; Lastly it appears that it was not the true Samuel, but the counterfeit, because he accepted of that religious worship which Saul gave to him in bowing himself to the ground, which the Saints of God would not have accepted; as the Angel who would not accept of that religious worship which john would have given to him, Revel. 22. The Scriptures speaks of things as they appear to us, or as we conceive of them. Object. But the Scripture calls him Samuel which appeared here? Answ. The Scripture speaks of things as they appear to us, as we take up things, either by sense or in our conception; the Scripture calls the Sun and the Moon great lights, Gen. 1. The Sun is more than any of the Stars; but the Moon is less than any of the Stars except Mercury; and yet the Scripture calls them great lights, because they seem so to us: so the Scripture saith, the stars shall fall from heaven, Matth. 24.29. Rev. 6.13. because they seem so to us. So Christ speaks of the Publicans according to the estimation of the jews, Mat. 18.17. because the jews thought them more vile than other men; so Gal. 2.15. We who are jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles. The Gentiles were not greater sinners by nature then the jews, but the Apostle speaks here according to the opinion of the jews, who thought the Gentles greater sinners than themselves. These things are spoken, as the Hebrews saith gnal derech haganne, per vim turpitudinis, because they speak this of them in contempt; so three men came to Abraham; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Scripture calls the Angel's men here, because they appeared in the likeness of men; and john interprets this form of speech, Rev. 21. saying [the measure of a man which is an Angel] that is, he was truly an Angel, but because he appeared in the likeness of a man, therefore it was said [the measure of a man.] Quest. But seems not this a lie to call an Angel a man. Answ. If the Scripture should bring in the Angels calling themselves men, that should not want some show of a lie. The Scripture never brings in Angels calling themselves men. When the Scriptures brings in some apologues, as judg. 9 2 King. 14.8. The Scriptures brings not in the trees speaking there, but only jothan said this, or joaz said that: But Esop's Fables, and the Proverbes of the Foxes, (which the Hebrews useth) bring in the beast speaking, which although they be not lies, if we look to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or a thing signified by them, yet they have some show of lies: wherefore the Scripture which is free from all show of lies, faith only, that jothan spoke this, and joaz spoke that. The Scriptures call the Angel's men, because they appeared in the shape of men: But we never read in the Scriptures, that the Angels called themselves men: If the three men which appeared to Abraham, whom he lodged all night, Gen. 18.2. should have said to Abraham, we are three men, I pray thee lodge us all night, how could they have been excused from a lie? Satan appears to his confederates when he spoke beside the Idol, by the Priest, but not out of the Idols. Secondly, Satan appears to his confederates per assistentiam, Zach. 10.2. The Idols speak lies: How did the Idol speak lies? Satan did not speak out of the Idols here, but it was the devil that spoke beside the Idol; so the Priests, when they lay upon the skins of the beasts (which they had sacrificed) and sleeped there, Satan blasted them, to belch forth their oracles; Therefore Virgil saith; Pellibus incubuit stratis, somnosque petivit. God himself is said to speak by Urim and Thummim; and yet it was the Priests who gave the answers; so Gen. 41.16. God shall give Pharaoh an answer; how gave he him an answer? by joseph: so 1 Tim. 1.17. false doctrine is called the doctrine of devils: when as the devil himself speak not, but only the false apostles by the devil. Thirdly, he appeared to his confederates when he spoke out of the bellies of the Pithonies' and Witches. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly, he appears to his confederates, per inexistentiam; as when he spoke to Eva out of the serpent: These in the Scripture are called obhoth, Levit. 20. as you would say, bottles or bladders, because their bellies were extended like bladders, and the seventy translate them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, ventriloqui; because the devil spoke out of their bellies, and in the Syriack spiritus tumoris, Act. 16.16. because he gave his answer out of the bellies of those Pythones, which were swelled up. Here let us mark a difference betwixt these who were blasted by the devil, A difference betwixt the Prophets of God when they prophesied and those who were blasted by the devil when they prophesied. and the Prophets of God when they prophesied: the Prophets of God when they prophesied, fuerunt in spiritu, Rev. they were altogether taken up by the spirit, neither were they any ways distracted, or out of their wits: when they prophesied, they were sometimes weakened in body at the sight of the vision, as Daniel, and Ezechiel were, but still they were settled in mind, and free from these passions which might perturb the mind at that time; but when the devil blasted his prophets, as Bar jesus, (Syriace) Bar Shuma-filius inflamationis, they were mad, and distracted; they foamed at the mouth, Hos invasit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. & their necks wried about, and oftentimes they gave their answers out of those parts of the body which modesty wills us to conceal Therefore the Hebrews saith, that spiritus ascendebat per zacuro, & per necebhah; per zacuro, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oraculum delphicum edidit responsa per pudenda puellae. They differed from the true Prophets in the manner of their speech. by that part which shows us to be men; per nekebhah, by that part which shows a woman to be a woman. Secondly, they differed from the true Prophets, in forma vocis, in the form of their voice; for the unclean spirit when he gave his answers, he peeped out of the earth, Esay 8.19. and whispered out of the earth, whereas the Prophets of God lifted up their voice like a trumpet, Esay 58.1. and spoke distinctly when they prophesied. Qu. How are true apparitions distinguished from false? Answ. Gershon in his book entitled, De probatione spirituum, of the trial of the spirits, saith, How are true apparitions distinguished from false. that no transfiguration is to be admitted, but where Moses and Elias are present; where he alludes to the transfiguration of Christ upon the mount, where Moses and Elias were present. When the disciples saw Christ walking upon the sea, they took him to be a spirit, Matth. 14.26. but when he spoke to them and said, [I am he] then they were no more afraid: It is the word that distinguishes the true apparitions from the false. Man is very ready to be deceived by these revelations. When the Lord spoke to Samuel, and called him once, twice, he took it to be the voice of Eli, and not of God, 1 Sam. 3.5. So 1 King. 13. the young Prophet was deceived by the old Prophet: What marvel is it then, if these impure spirits deceive? When Satan by his suggestions would have persuaded Augustine to seek some sign from God, Aug. lib. 2. confessionum de vera religione. because he saw many deluded that way by false apparitions; therefore he often warned us, that we should not trust such follies or delusions. And Gershon in his Book De probatione spirituum, of the trial of spirits, tells how Satan upon a time appeared to a holy man in a most glorious manner, professing himself to be Christ, and because the man was a religious man, and worthy to be respected above many others, therefore he appeared unto him; But what answered the old man unto him, I desire not to see my Saviour here in this desert, it shall suffice me to see him in the heavens, and he said, Sat in alio soeculo, non in hoc, visio tua merces mea: O Lord let thy fight be my reward in another life, and not in this. SECT. 5. What is Magic, and who are Magicians. A Magician is he who useth midses which are only proper to God, either in curing of diseases or working other strange effects. These are magicians who usurps any of God's privileges in curing or acting of their fates. Things appropriate to God, are first to work by his word only: Secondly, to cure by number. Thirdly, by order. Fourthly, he works sometimes only by the situation of the body. Fiftly, he works sometimes by figure and character; Gods sixth privilege is to use one midse to cure all diseases. God's seventh privilege is to use natural means, which notwithstanding hath no force in working of the miracle. God's eight privilege is when he useth one midse to produce contrary effects; so he useth artificial midses, as the brazen serpent, Paul's girdle. God's first privilege to cure by word. First, God useth sometimes only words, when he restoreth the sick to their health: as when he said to the man sick of the palsy, arise and take up thy bed, john 5.8. When the Magician useth words only to cure the sick, this is Magic, usurping that prerogative which only belongs to the Lord. Object. It may be said, that Satan useth the words of the Scripture in curing of diseases, as when one is troubled with the toothache, they bring these words of Scripture, a bone of him shall not be broken? Answ. It is well said by one, in nomine domini fit omne malum; that is, they abuse the name of God, when they are about their Magic tricks: the Scripture useth these words to another sense, and therefore it is but a wresting of the Scripture; fraus dicitur fieri contra legem, vel ipsi legi, Against the Law, when they do a thing which is forbidden in the Law, and studies not to hide the fact with any colour; but fraus dicitur fieri legi, when they do a thing contrary to the meaning of the Law, and yet seems not directly to do against the Law; when Magicians use words of the Law, they use them to another sense than the Spirit of God means, then faciunt fraudem legi. Quest. When the devil hath the chief hand in working these strange things, what is the Magicians part in working here? Answ. The Magician useth these signs which Satan and he had agreed upon, and this makes him guilty of that same fact with the devil. Two robbers lies in wait by the way for a man's life, the one gives the sign, and the other kills, they are both guilty of murder here: So the Magician useth the sign appointed by the devil, either to kill or to heal, and here both are guilty of the fact. Quest. If there be no force in words, what means that, Psal. 58.5. the deaf Adder stops her ear, and hearkens not to the voice of the enchanter? Here there may seem to be some force in words to enchant? Answ. Some saith that these words are spoken only by way of apologue, as judg. 9 The trees spoke and chose them a King, which cannot be understood literally. So the serpent is said to stop her ear, but one thing is said here, another meant, that the crafty courtiers of Saul would not hearken to David's good admonitions but stopped their ears; But the rule of Quintilian is true, All comparisons must be taken from things that are true, but not examples. that examples may be true or false, but all comparisons are taken from things which are true indeed, Gen. 49.27. Benjamin is like a Wolf, who kills his prey in the morning, and in the evening parts the spoil: If the wolf used not to do this, it were not a fit comparison: So if the Adder stopped not her ear, it were not a fit comparison. Quest. How doth the words than enchant the Serpent? Answ. The Serpent by nature, so soon as she hears the enchanter stops her ear, as the chicken new hatched is afraid of the Kite. Satan in the mean time joins himself with the second cause that he benumbs the serpent that she cannot sting: And this we may perceive also in the Lunatics, whose brains are swelled up in the full Moon. Satan marking the second cause here, taketh occasion to work upon the brains of poor Lunatics and makes them mad: so Satan concurres here with the second cause and benumbs, the serpent so that she cannot sting; therefore the Psalmist, Psal. 58.6. useth the same words which are set down in the Law, Deut. 18.11. chobher chobharim; but when the serpent becomes old once & fit regulus, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than he will not be enchanted. God's second privilege to work by number. The second privilege properly only to God is to work his miracles by observing number, 2 King. 5.10. Go and wash thyself seven times in jordan, and thy flesh shall be made whole, 2 Kin. 18.43. Eliah said to his servant, go again seven times; so Iosh. 6.7. but upon the seventh day thou shalt compass the walls of jericho seven times. This number of seven could do nothing of itself; but it was a means appointed by God to work those miracles, when witches in their sorceries useth this number of seven, they usurp that which is only proper to God, therefore it is Magic. Some calls this Magic Magiam geometricam; such was the Magic of Balaam, Num, 23.5. when he caused seven altars to be built: so when the witch bids the sick party to dip his shirt seven times in south running water, this is plain witchcraft using that midse of number which is due only to God. Physicians in curing of diseases which they call chronicke diseases, as in curing their tertian agues, or quartan agues, they observe number, as the third day, fourth day, but here there is a natural cause; but when the Lord commanded Gideon, judg. 6.25. to take the second young bullock of seven years old and offer it, there was another reason that moved him, here he respected not the bare number; Here he commands him to offer the bullock of seven years old, because it was borne that same year that the Madianites began to oppress the people of God. The third privilege of God in working his miracles is by order, God's third privilege to work by order. joh. 5. whosoever went down first into the pool, after that the Angel had troubled the water, was whole and none other: If he had not gone down first and kept this order, he had not been healed; so witches in hurting or curing they observe order. A man is lying sick in his bed, they use usually to take the sickness and lay upon him who comes first in at the door, he dies, and the sick man is cured: this is witchcraft observing order which is only proper to God. God's fourth privilege to work by situation of the body. The fourth privilege of God in working his miracles, is the situation of the body, 2 King. 13.17. Elisha commanded joaz King of Israel, and said unto him, open the window Eastward and shoot. This situation of the body was a means appointed by God in working this miracle. Daniel when he was in Babylon, he opened his window and looked towards jerusalem when he prayed, but this was a part of the ceremonial worship commanded under the Law; for the jews when they were in a strange country were bound always to turn their faces towards the Temple when they prayed, 1 King. 8. And when they were in the temple they turned their faces always to the West when they prayed, because the propitiatory was placed in the West end of the Temple contrary to the worship of the Heathen, who turned their faces always to the East when they worshipped, Ezech. 8.16. Here they respected not the situation of the body, but the manner of the worshipping, but God in working of this miracle would have the situation of the body observed as the situation only. Balaam when he would curse the people of God, Num. 24.19. turned his face towards the Israelites, and his hinder parts to the Moabites, and to the Amonites; therefore they are called Been Sheth, that is, filij natum, because they were behind Balaams' back or posteriour parts. God's fift privilege is to work by figure or character. The fift privilege of God in working his miracles is by figure or character. When the Lord God appointed to destroy jerusalem, these whom he minded to save in this destruction, he caused to mark them in their foreheads with this sign. Ezech. 9.4. The sign of itself had no force, yet it pleased the Lord to use this sign for the preservation of his own. The Magicians in their conjurations and exorcisms useth oftentimes characters and figures. Therefore the Scripture calls them chartumim a charat insculpere, because they engraved their characters. Elimas' the sorcerer, Act. 16.8. In the Arabic is called Chartom, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he used figures and circles in his conjurations, See Dan. 2.2. So the Teraphim were made to the likeness of a man, and engraven with diverse characters and figures. Therefore Aquila translates them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, when Magicians useth circles and figures in their conjurations, they usurp one of God's privileges, and this is Magic. This is also one of the singular privileges of God when he useth one means to cure all diseases, God's sixth privilege to use one means to cure all diseases. joh. 5. Whosoever entered into the pool after the water was troubled by the Angel, he was cured of whatsoever disease he had: This was Gods panaceum or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to cure all diseases. When sorcerers and witches useth one remedy for all diseases, this is plain magic and an usurpation of the privilege which is due only to God. God's seaventh privilege in working of miracles, God's seventh privilege when he useth means to cure, which hath no force in them. is when he used salt, spittle, meal, oil, dust, these midses had no force in working these miracles, and they were not as the Schoolmen speaks, media operantia sed deferentia, and God did not here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, he wrought by these means, but not in these means: When a Fisher is fishing he catches upon the hook the crimpe fish; the crimpe fish-transmits a benumdnesse, first, to the hook, then to the line, then to the goad, and last it benumes the fisher's arm, now because the line and the goad are not capable of benumdnesse; therefore they are but media deferentia. And these mides were of three sorts which the Lord used; first, he used some midses as seemed to have some natural force in them, yet had none. Secondly, he used midses which had no power in them, and seemed to have no power. And thirdly, he used midses which had a contrary power in them. First, he used midses which seemed to have a natural power in them, Why God useth means which hath no power in them, nor seems to have no power. yet had none at all, 2 King. 4.34. And he went up into the bed and stretched himself upon the child, and laid his mouth to his mouth, and his eyes to his eyes, so that the flesh of the child began to grow warm; he did this, non aliquo ritu sed affectus vehementia; and so Paul fell upon Eutichus. Again, he went up and down the house, now this way, now that way, and went up the second time, and stretched himself upon the child, and the child sneezed seven times. The heat of the Prophet's body here might have seemed to have had some natural cause to have made the child's flesh warm, and to have brought life to him again; but there was no natural cause here to help the child to live, but only the power of God. So when the Lord commanded to lay a lump of figs to Ezekias his sore, Esay 38. Figs of themselves would matured the boil: One would have thought that there were some natural power in the midse here to produce this effect to make the boil ripe, but there was no force at all in the midse here when it was applied to the sore, but the hand of the Lord did it only. Quest. Ye will say then, why used God these means if they had no force at all to produce the effect? Answ. God used such means to obscure his power a little in working of the miracle, he cast a veil over his miracle covering it as it were with nature, and by his example taught us, that we should not neglect the second causes and ordinary means. Why God useth means which hath no power in them, nor seems to have no power. Therefore Christ having wrought the miracle of the loaves, he commanded to gather up the broken meat, Mark. 8.8. Secondly, the Lord used means which had no power at all to effectuate these miracles, neither seemed they to have any power in them, as the staff of Elisha, 2 King. 4.29. the girdle of Paul, and Peter's shadow, Act. 15.15. And the Lord used such means as these that his glory might appear the more, and that we should no stick too much to the second causes, as Asa did to the Physicians. Thirdly, Why God useth means which have a contrary power in them. God useth means sometimes which have a contrary effect, and these means he useth that his glory might most appear. And in these miracles the Hebrews saith, that there was miraculum in medio miraculi, that is, there was a miracle within a miracle, 2 King. 2. To make the bitter waters sweet, was a miracle, but to make them sweet by salt, that was a miracle within a miracle; So Num. 17. Aaron's rod brought forth first leaves, and then it blossomed, to bring forth leaves was a miracle, but then to blossom was a miracle within a miracle: for all stonefruites blossoms first, and then brings forth leaves. So to restore the sight to the blind was a miracle, joh. 9 but to cure him by putting clay to his eyes, this was a miracle within a miracle. So 1 King 18.35. to send a fire from the heaven to burn the offering was a miracle, but that the offering should burn when water was poured upon it, and the ditch round about the altar poured full of water, then for the sacrifice to burn, that was a miracle within a miracle; when the sorcerer or witch useth such means in which there is no power to heal, this is Magic, and an usurpation of God's prerogative. Therefore the Hebrews saith, In quocunque est aliquid de medicina in eo nihil est de via Ammoreorum, Leu. 18.3. That there is no witchcraft where we see natural reason or physic to appear; when witches useth means to cure, which hath no natural help in them; this is magic usurping one of God's privileges. God useth sometime one means to produce contrary effects; God's eight privilege when he useth one means to procure contrary effects. as the bitter waters made the guilty woman's belly to rot and consume, but it made the honest woman to conceive, Num. 5.28. When witches useth one means to produce contrary effects, it is the usurpation of God's privilege, and then it is witchcraft. God useth artificial means in curing of diseases. God useth also artificial means in curing of diseases, as the brazen Serpent, Paul's girdle; and here the Hebrews saith, Deus aufert noxam per eum qui noxam infert; as the looking upon the brazen serpent cured these who were stung with serpents, Num. 31.9. In natural things it is the form that works more than the matter, in artificial things it is the matter that works more than the form, but here neither the matter nor the form works. The Magicians useth sometimes artificial means in working strange things; as Gyges' made himself invisible by his ring. Signs are of four sorts. The Magicians also observe signs. Signs are of four sorts; first, there are divine signs; secondly, there are natural signs; thirdly, superstitious signs, and fourthly diabolical signs. Divine signs. First, divine signs Ezech. 37.16. Son of man take thee one stick and write upon it for judah, and for the children of Israel his companions; Then take another stick and write upon it for joseph the stick of Ephraim, and they shall be one in thy hand. Here the joining of the two sticks in the Prophet's hand, was a sign of the joining of the tribes together. So when Agabus took his girdle and bond himself with it, it was a sign to Paul that he should be bound at Rome, Act. 21.11. Natural signs. Secondly, we may observe signs natural, and make use of them as the Physicians doth in a man's sickness; and the jews saith that there are six signs which are good to know when they are found in a sick man; the first is gnatush stermutatio, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sneezing; the second is Seignir, sudor, swetting; the third is Shilshul, sedes sive egestio, when he hath the benefit of the stool; the fourth is, Keri pellatio nocturna gonorea, the shedding of his seed; the fifth is Shena somnus, sleep; the sixth is chalom somnium, a dream. We may observe these natural signs. The third are superstitious signs, Superstitious signs. as if one meet a hare first in the morning, they take that for an evil sign, and people are much taken with these superstitious signs. The last are diabolical signs; when Zoroaster was borne he presently laughed; they gathered by that, that he would prove afterward a great Magician: this was a sign from the devil and not from God. The devil useth sundry diabolical signs with his witches: They take a belt in their hand, Diabolical signs. and measure how many inches long the belt is; If ye name to them the name of the person who is sick, they will tell you presently whether the person will live or die; if the person will die then the belt grows a great deal shorter by so many inches than it was before; but if the person be to live than it is a great deal longer than it was before; this is the common practice of witches. To break off or to dissolve this covenant with the devil is a very hard thing; Simon Magus desired S. Peter to pray for him, but he could not pray for himself, and unless the stronger man come in, and bind Satan and dispossess him, he can never be dispossessed, Luke 11. He that hath a desire to come out of these snares of the devil, How men must break off this direct covenant with the devil. first he must know in what a dangerous estate he stands in, without repentance he cannot enter within the holy city. Secondly, he must know, that upon repentance he may be received into the kingdom of God again, as Manasses, 2 King. 21.6. and those of Ephesus. Act. 19.19. And such was Cyprian, who afterward proved a martyr; then they must confess their sins. Act. 19 and show their deeds, and last burn their magic books, although they were of never so great a price, it is not lawful to keep such books but to burn them, Act. 19.20. We may read the books of Heretics and keep them, but these books we may not keep. Whether it is lawful to remove the sign put by the devil or not? A question may be moved here in breaking this direct covenant with the devil, whether it is lawful to remove that sign which the devil hath put for the hurting of man or beast. Example, the devil bids take a toad, and put it under the threshold of such a man's door, and when the man or any that belongs to him comes over that door, than they shall die; Whether is it lawful to remove the sign, or not, when we know it is put there. This question is disputed by the Casuists sundry ways. Some holds that they may use the help of a witch to remove the sign. If it be lawful for one (say they) to borrow money of an usurer if he be willing to lend it; and if it be lawful to take an oath of him who swears by his Idols, why may we not, say they, use the help of a witch to remove the sign? Answ. There are great odds betwixt these, because witchcraft is intrinsece mala, it is evil of itself; therefore we must never have any meddling with a witch, Rom. 1. They who do such things are worthy of death, and not only they who do them, but also they who consent unto them; but when one takes an oath of him whom he knows will swear by his Idol only, or to borrow money from him whom he knows is an usurer: these are not evil of themselves to take an oath and borrow money: and if they were well affected they would swear religiously by the true God, and lend their money freely; so that these two are but evil as they abuse them, but are not evil in themselves as Magic is. Any Christian man may safely remove the sign which is put by the devil. Object. To remove the sign which Satan hath placed, seems to be an implicit calling upon the devil and a minding of him to perform his promise? Answ. He that removes the sign calls not upon the devil here for his help, neither doth he covenant with the devil that he should cease to hurt, when he removes the sign. If a traitor should make a covenant with the enemy, and confederate after this manner with him; when I hold up this sign, or put up these colours, than ye shall come and scale the walls; now if any good citizen should know this, and should remove the sign, he would no ways be thought to consent to their treacherous covenant, but rather to hate and dissolve it. Object. He who removes the sign that the devil may hurt no more, medles he not here with the covenant which the devil made with the witch, which was this: So long as the sign lies here it shall have power to hurt, but when it is removed, it shall have no power at all to hurt? Answ. Although he that removes the sign should know that the covenant was thus made betwixt the devil and the witch, yet it would not follow that he consented to this covenant, for he desires not the devil here to keep his promise, when he removes the sign, neither enters he in a new covenant with the devil here, but by that means he breaks the covenant which the devil and the witch made, and takes away occasion to call upon the devil hereafter. Object. But when he removes the sign, and hopes that Satan shall not hurt hereafter, either he expects this event from a natural cause, or from the will of man, or from God by a miracle; but he expects none of these ways; therefore he looks to have the event from the devil; and it is all one as if he should say to the devil; thou promisedst so soon as this sign was removed to cease to hurt any more, I remove the sign, therefore perform thou that which thou hast promised? Answ. He who removes the sign expects not here from the devil an positive effect, but only an privitive when we call upon God by faith to save us from the devil, than we know the devil hath no power to hurt us, we expect no positive effect here from him but only that he hurt us not, and the man when he removes the sign he expects nothing by reason of the covenant made betwixt the witch and the devil, but by breaking this sign he breaks the covenant betwixt Satan and the witch. Therefore when he expects that the devil should hurt no more, he doth not: as if he should say, perform thou that which thou promised, seeing I have played my part, but rather thus, I break off the covenant which thou madest with the witch, and hath removed this sign which thou appointedst for hurt, therefore thou must hurt no more. SECT. 6. Of the indirect covenant with the devil. What is the indirect covenant with the devil. He makes the indirect covenant with the devil who useth foolish signs, or write, or words, trusting in them, although he hath not made a covenant directly with the devil: When the Idolaters offered cakes to the queen of heaven, they who offered the cakes made a direct covenant with the Idol, but the little children who gathered the sticks, jer. 7.18. made but an indirect covenant with the Idol. So the witnesses that stoned Stephen, Act. 7. directly killed him, but Saul who kept the of those who stoned him was indirectly guilty of his death; but as Saul became a most cruel wolf and persecuted the Church, Act. 26.10. So these who enters into the implicit or indirect covenant with the devil, may afterward easily enter into the direct covenant with him; he who enters into direct covenant with the devil takes his mark in his forehead; and he who enters into the indirect covenant with him, takes but his mark in his hand. The Casuists of the Roman Church doth not condemn this indirect covenant altogether, for if any use these signs which they use of probable ignorance, they take this to be but a venial sin. SECT. 7. Of the divers sorts of divination. When God forbids his Church to commit any sort of Idolatry, or to worship any creature, he forbids all creatures to be worshipped either which are in heaven or in earth, or under the earth: In heaven, as the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars; in earth, as men, beasts, fowls; neither under the earth, in the waters. So the Lord forbids all sort of divination in the heaven, and this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, judicial astrology is forbidden. or judicial Astrology: So in the earth when men observe dreams, and this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; So when they observed the intrales of beasts, and this was called extispitium; so when they marked the flying of the fowls, and this was called Augurium: So when he gave his answers by lot, and this was called Sortilegium: And lastly when he gave his answers by those who are under the earth by the dead, and this was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; and sometimes he gave his answers by the skull of a dead man, and this was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The Scripture gives divers names to these Astrologers and condemns them: What names are given to these judicial astrologues in the Scripture. F rst they are called Meggnonenin, Mic. 5.1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agnanan, which signifieth a cloud, because they give their answers under pretext of the clouds. Secondly, this judicial astrology is called haiidgnoni, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leu. 20.27. and the 70. translate him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and he is joined with obh, which signifieth ventriloquious, him or her who gave their answer out of the belly, and he is joined often with the Pithonise, and with the Magician, therefore they called this judicial Astrology clavim magiae, the key that openeth the way to all Magic. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly, they are called hachozim bakokebhim, intuentes stellas, beholders of the stars, Esay 47.13. chaza signifieth not only to see, but also to foretell things contingent; and therefore the Prophets were called chozim videntes, 1 Sam. 9.9. Fourthly they were called modignim lachodashim monthly prognosticators, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay 47.13. they made their predictions by the months. They reduced all things which they had to do to several months, observing their Epimerides, and so Haman cast his lot to fall in the twelfe month in the thirteenth day of the month for the destruction of the jews, Esth. 9.1. And they took nothing in hand before they observed those monthly prognostications. These the Chaldees called Astagnine, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. and these were they who said this day is an unlucky day to undergo any business, and this day is a good day; so they said, we will not take a business in hand, but in the first day of the month, or the Kalends. Fiftly, they are called Asaphim, Dan. 2.2. and they were so called because in the twilight they marked the heavens most, Nasaph signifies the twilight. judicial astrology came first from Idolatry. This judicial Astrology came first from Idolatry, for Idolaters worshipping the Sun, the Moon and the Stars, as gods, they ascribed more to them then natural influx, that by them things contingent might be foretold. The religion of the Babylonians was no other thing then the science of the Chaldeans; and they gave the selfsame names to the stars which they gave to their gods. The Babylonian priests in their sacrifices, Vide valesium, pag. 211 said these same things of their Gods, which the ginger said of the stars: When the Priests were asked who had stolen the ox, they said it was Mercury that had stolen him; and the Astrologue said that he was born under Mercury who had stolen the ox. Therefore jer. 10.2. the Idolater and the Astrologue are joined together; Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not afraid of the signs of heaven; here he puts the way of the heathen, their Idolatry with the fear of the stars. As this judicial astrology came from Idolatry; Who enlarged this judicial astrology. so it was enlarged much afterward by the Chaldeans, therefore a Chaldean is put for a Genethliacke, Dan. 2.10. He sent for the Chaldeans, that is, the Genethliackes, as an Arabian is put for a thief, jer. 3.2. Thou lay like a Arabian by the way, that is, like a thief; as a Cananite is put for a merchant, or one that tradeth, Hos. 12.7. and the jews learned much of their judicial Astrology from the Chaldeans, judg. 5. the Stars fight against Sisera. Vide Michol in radice Maschah. They say that these Stars were unlucky Stars to him. And that the Astrologues foresaw his ruin in the Stars and forbade him to go out to battle that day; but the Lord they say hardened his heart and drew him to the river Kison, where he was killed. And lastly, the wicked Mahumitans have much more enlarged this judicial astrology. This devilish art is first injurious to God, This judicial astrology is first injurious to God. for it takes away God's providence and ties all things to a fatal necessity. Secondly, it ascribes to the stars the foretelling of things contingent by them which is only proper to God, Esay 41.23. for when there concurres a number of causes about one effect, which are not subordinate to ascribe the effect to any one of these causes more than to any of the other, it is to ascribe a contingent effect to a cause which it cannot be ascribed to, for when there is no dependence betwixt the effect and the cause, than it is mere contingency; & God only knows such things which are contingent: a child is born at such an hour under such a constelation, therefore such & such things will befall him, to ascribe these effects to his birth because he was borne under such a planet, that is folly, for there is no dependence here betwixt the effect and the cause: And here they had need to look to a nearer cause than to his birth, as to the constitution of the parents who begat the child, and to the nurse who nourished him, and to his food, and they had need more to look to the time of his conception than to the time of his birth; for the stars works more in the time of the conception of the child, and when he is in his mother's belly, than in his birth. Obj. But they will say when they find the hour of the birth, they can easily know the time of the conception. Answ. Are all that are conceived at the same moment borne at the same time? I hope they will not say so, for some are borne in the seventh month, & some in the tenth month; therefore this their observation will not hold: And let them look rather to his education, both by nature and by grace, than to the stars; for these will change him more than Mercury or Venus. They make the stars in their conjunctions to be the causes of men's actions, both natural and moral. And they go further, that they are these which produces alterations in religion. This judicial astrology ascribes the alterations and changes of religion to the stars. They say when jupiter is joined with divers planets he produces divers religions; when he was joined with Saturn, that conjunction bred the jewish religion, & when he was joined with Mars, than he bred the Chaldeans religion, & when he was joined with the Sun that bred the Egyptian religion, and when he was joined with Venus that brought on the Mahumets religion, and when he was joined with Mercury that bred the Christian Religion; and when he was joined with the Moon, that bred the Antichrists religion. But it is strange to see how these men ascribes more to the climates in the heavens and to the stars than they do to the ground wherein they live, or to the air wherein they breath, or to the food whereby they were nourished: And if we should demand of these men what is the reason that it hath fallen out that in these countries where Venus, Mercury, and Saturn were of old worshipped the signs remaining the same still, yet it hath fallen out that their gods hath been expelled, and cast out of these nations again, although the signs remain: So we may demand of them what is the reason although the jews be banished, wandering through the world, and changing so many climates, yet never altered their religion; and what is the reason that the Mahumets religion is professed now, where the Christian was professed of old; and we see sundry religions professed in one place under the same conjunction; therefore this conjunction of jupiter with the Sun, or any other star cannot produce this effect of religion. Thirdly, if religion depend upon the virtue of the stars, when the virtue in that conjunction ceaseth, whether will the religion cease or not, or ceaseth soon after, as the light ceaseth when the Sun is gone from us; whence cometh it then that the Heathenish religion, and the jewish religion hath endured so long, Vide Euseb. lib. 6. c. 18. praeparatione evangelica. when as none of the astrologues can say, that the conjunction of the stars, or the virtue of that conjunction hath endured so long, and what conjunction can they show when the Christian Religion arose to produce such an effect, or what conjunction made this, when the Mahometan religion arose. And we see contrary religions professed where there is but little difference of place. This judicial astrology is injurious to man. As this judicial astrology dishonours God, so it is injurious to man, for it takes away from him, liberty of will in civil things, which he hath by nature, and in religious matters, which he hath by grace, and brings him within the compass of such a necessity. Quando astra non necessitant, sed inclinant; They bring no fatal necessity with them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but inclines only a little. The stars they have their influxes, into the bodies of men: therefore they are called Mozalim by the Hebrews, a Nazal. influere. 2 King. 23. And the Rabbins call them Meshartim, a Sharat ministrare, and therefore they serve somewhat to foretell man's inclination, and manners, for they commonly follow the temperature of the body. But simply to foretell by the stars, what manner of men they will be, that cannot be foretold by the stars Sapiens dominabitur astris: As to say, such a woman will be an whore because she was borne under such a constellation. But only thus much they might say, her inclination would have led her to have been such a woman, but good education, good company, and most of all grace, may restrain her from that sin. So this judicial astrology, brings men under a continual fear. As the Lord threatened, Isa. 66.4. because when the Lord called upon them they would not answer him. Therefore he would choose their delusions, and bring their fears upon th●●. What use we may make of the stars. The Lord when he made the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars he made them for signs, and for seasons, we may observe times by them. It is the commendation of Issachar, 1 Chro. 12.32. that he could mark the times So we may observe the stars to be signs of spiritual events. As sometimes of God's anger in the comets, for although they have a natural cause in them, yet sometimes they signify great changes to happen in the Commonwealth, as war, famine, and other judgements. Christ foretold that before his last coming there should be signs, in the sun, the moon, and the stars, which should be most fearful signs to the wicked, as they should be comfortable to the children of God, but we can never tell things contingent by them. This judicial astrology is injurious to other sciences. This iudicall astrology wrongs other sciences. Let us consider what is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is such a sort of art, or science, which is foolish and altogether vain to lean to, as physiognomy and palmistry, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a liberal science or art, which is profitable to man. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that which is hurtful to a man. As judicial Astrology, and Magic. We are to put a difference betwixt, Magiam divinam, A difference betwixt divine Magic, the Magic of the Mathematician, the physical Magic, and the diabolical Magic. Magiam mathematicam, Magiam Physicam, & Magiam doemoniacam, divine Magic, was that which the Magicians of the East learned from the Scriptures. As from Balaam his prophecy of the star, Num. 24.17. and was confirmed to them by the Mathematics, observing the course of that star, and here the Lord takes them in their own trade because they studied the Mathematics. And this star, they called his star, Mat. 2.2. This was Salutare sidus, for other comets pretended some unlucky thing, but this star led them to Christ. This knowledge of the stars was lawful, the Arabics, call such an astrologue Cachin, which comes from Cohen, Sacerdos, and the Egyptian Priests, who might study n● other arts, yet were permitted to study this sort of Astrology. The second sort of Magic was Magia Mathematica, Mathematecal Magic. which considers the divers aspects and properties of the stars and this is a lawful knowledge. Physical Magic. The third sort is Magia Physica, or ars medendi, and this is lawful. Diabolical Magic. The last is, Magia doemoniaca, sive diabolica, to foretell the events of things contingent by the stars, and this is altogether unlawful. All profitable sciences furthers a man to the knowledge of God, but this draws a man from God. All profitable sciences furthers a man to the knowledge of God, but this draws a man from God. The Mathematics prepares the mind (by abstracting of things,) and makes a way for the mind, to consider things, more separate from the material, and gross bodies. And Moses was bred in this sort of science, Act. 7. When he was learned in all the sciences of Egypt. Secondly, Physic elevates the mind further. As when Solomon wrote of trees and plants, he was led here to the consideration of God's power, and wisdom by them. Thirdly, Metaphysica magis clevat, Metaphysic lifts the mind higher to God; Sed non nectit postremo fini, It ties not the mind to the last end, it considers God as Ens and affectiones entis are unum verum & bonum. This is all that Metaphysicke considereth, but this is nothing, until the soul ascend higher: By divinity, it is led to the highest degree to know God. unum per unionem, & unum per unitatem, one by unity to know the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, one in essence; and one by union, to know Christ, God, and Man, to be one person, to know him Ithiel and Veall, This knowledge of God ties the soul to the last end, to God himself▪ for all the knowledge which Agur had, before he came to this knowledge, he confessed that he was more brutish than any man, and had not the understanding of a man, he had neither learned wisdom, nor had the knowledge of the Holy. That is, of salvation, and life eternal, which only the holy attains unto: This knowledge elevates the mind to the last end, then how brutish is that knowledge, that draws away the mind from the last end. This science is subordinate to no other science, for all subordination is either directa subordinatio, or else subordinatio ratione finis: Directa subordinatio, is this, when one borrows all from the superior science, as the Apothecary doth from the Physician, for he must know of the Physician, what hot things and what cold, what dams, and what scruples, he must put in the physic which he is to give unto the patiented. The second subordination, or indirect subordination, is this which is subordinate only in respect of the end. Example, a Cook is not directly subordinate to the doctor of Physic, therefore he asks not of the doctor, what herbs he should put into a broth, because he is not directly subordinate to the doctor, but ask him the end why he makes the broth, he will answer for the safety of man, here he is subordinate to the doctor in regard of the end, for the doctor gives Physic for the safety of the man, and so doth the Cook, who makes the broth. This devilish art is not subordinate, ratione finis, for the supreme and last science, Divinity serves for the good of man, to lead him to his last end, and to save him, but this science is not subordinate, to this supreme and last end, but it leads a man to his destruction and damnation. This Astrology borrows from other sciences and hath nothing of its own. format ostentiones suas: that is, as he makes his houses in the heavens, he is directly subordinate to the Mathematitian here, and borrows his principles from him: as he foretells natural things, he is subordinate to physic. But when he foretells contingent things (which he ascribes as proper to himself,) than he is subordinate to the devil. The Persian Priests were called Chobharim astrologi prognostici from Chabhar. Isa. 47.5. There is no science into this devilish art; for all sciences are resolved into principles known by themselves, or demonstrate into some other science or known by experience, or revealed by the first Verity. But none of these are found, in judicial astrology, therefore it cannot be a science, that these principles are not known by themselves, or demonstrate in some superior science these two they will grant, but some will perhaps say this skill was revealed by an Angel to Adam, or to Enoch, but who told them this, or out of what Scripture have they learned it. It rests then that they say they know this only by experience, The Chaldees that they might persuade this their art to the Greeks', and to the Romans, said that they had experience of these things; for so many hundred thousand years (as Cicero testifies in his book, de divinatione) And so they said truly, for there is need of many more years than these for to observe the figures, situations and oppositions, of every one of these in particular, before the heavens shall be turned about to the same point again. And all the particular events, which they would demonstrate, by them shall never fall out, although the heavens should be in a perpetual motion for ever. Quest. How could Daniel, be made Master of the Magicians, Astrologers, Chaldeans, and Soothsayers, Dan. 5.11. seeing these were damnable arts? Answ. Daniel, was set over these as they were gaz●rim, Astrologers, foretelling natural things, and not as they were Soothsayers, foretelling things contingent, but these curious and damnable arts, no doubt he condemned altogether, as unlawful. These judicial astrologers were excommunicate out of the Church and banished out of the commonwealth. For this damnable art Aquila (who translated the Bible,) was excommunicate, and cast out of the Church. It hath been condemned by the decrees of Emperors. As Cornelius Tacitus witnesseth, lib. 17. they banished them out of Italy. SECT. 8. Of divination of things on Earth, and first of dreams. THere are four sorts of dreams. The first is a natural or a Physical dream. The second is a moral dream. The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a dream sent from God. The fourth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a devilish dream. A natural dream is that which ariseth from a natural cause, What is a natural dream. as these who dream that they are eating sweet things, they may gather by this that they are subject to Pituit or phlegm. Those again who dream of fire, choler abounds most in them. And those who dream of darkness, melancholy abounds most in them, and their dreams are sometimes praesagientia, foretelling things to come, as Galen in his prognostickes, tells that a man dreamt that his thigh was broken, and was turned into a stone, and shortly afterward he was taken with a dead palsy. So he tells of another who dreamt that he was wallowing in a cistern of blood, He gathered that this man abounded in blood. But if a Physician leaning to such prognostickes, should open a vein, and let blood, he should be holden for an rash and unskilful Physician, for he should use such cures, not by dreams, but by the symtome of the disease. The second sort of dreams are moral dreams which ariseth from the multitude of cares and businesses, Eccles. 5.3. What is a moral dream Gregory Nissen de opificio hominis. and Gregory Nissen hath a fit comparison to express the nature of these dreams, like as he that playeth upon an instrument after that he ceaseth to play, yet the strings trembleth for a while: So our actions in the day time leaves some motions behind them when we are a sleep. These sort of dreams we are to make little use of them, for in the multitude of dreams are divers vanities, Eccles. 5.7. but if we often dream of one thing, we may gather by this what is our predominant sin, When we dream often of one and the selfsame thing, we may know by it what is our predominate sin. for that sin recurres oftenest unto us which we are most given to, and shows itself more in our sleep than when we are awake, for when we are awake our reason watches more over our corruption, and restraineth it that it burst not forth; and this Plutarch illustrates by a fit comparison: A Schoolmaster as long as he is present with his scholars, than they seem to keep good order, but if he withdraw himself a little, to try how they will carry themselves, than they begin to play the wags; So when reason watches our passions they seem to be more settled and quiet, but if reason withdraw herself a little as she doth in our sleep, than our passions begins to be more unruly. What is a divine dream. The third sort of dreams are divine dreams, and these comes only from the Lord; joseph by his brethren is called bagnal hachalmoth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 37.19. which some interprets, Dominus somniorum, the Lord of dreams; but they interpret not rightly this Hebraisme, as though joseph were Lord of dreams, God is only Lord of dreams. for God himself is only Lord of dreams, therefore dominus somniorum here, is a man who dreams often, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the 70. interprets it. A difference of God's revelation by dreams and by vision. There is a difference when God reveals himself to men in a dream, when he spoke to them in a vision, and when he spoke to them in prophecy, when he revealed himself to them in a dream, he revealed himself to their fantasy, when he revealed himself to them in a vision, he revealed himself to their sight, and then prophecy was more intellectual. When he revealed himself to their fantasy and not to their understanding, Sometimes God revealeth himself to the fantasy, but not to the understanding, to his children he revealeth himself in both. that was an imperfect sort of revelation; so he revealed himself to Pharaoh, he saw the vision in his dream, but he understood it not; but when he revealed himself to his children, he revealed himself both to their fantasy and to their understanding, and he makes them to understand their dream, job 33.15. In a dream in a vision in the night when a deep sleep falleth upon men, in a slumbering upon the bed, than he openeth the ears of men and sealeth their instruction. So likewise he revealeth himself in vision to their sight, but this vision came sometime to the sight only, but not the understanding: So Balthasar when he was awake saw a hand writing upon the wall before him, but he understood not what it meant; but jeremy when he saw the vision of the seething pot, and the mouth of it towards the North, jer. 1.13. he understood the meaning of the vision, that the army of the King of Babel should come against the city of jerusalem and burn it: So when Peter saw a sheet let down from heaven with clean and unclean beasts in it; the Lord revealed the meaning of the dream to him. Thirdly, The highest degree of revelation was to their understanding. when God revealed himself to the understanding of the Prophets, it was more intellectual, and the most perfect sort of prophecy; and as vision was a more perfect sort of revelation than dreams [joel 2.28. Your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams] so this intellectual prophecy is a higher degree than vision, when God speaks to our ear by his Word in this life, and by his Sacraments to our senses; this is not the perfectest sort of revelation, but that is reserved to us in the heavens which shall be more intellectual and divine. As these divine dreams was from the Lord, so the interpretation of these dreams was from the Lord, Dan. 2.28. and some of them were harder to be interpreted than others, and were like aenigmata or riddles which had need of much unfolding. Divine dreams were either allegorical or theorematicall. The divine dreams sometimes they were allegorica, and sometimes they were theorematica; these were called allegorical dreams, which were not to be interpreted literally, but had some mystical signification in them, as Pharaoh his dream, and joseph his dream; and Philo holds that Abraham was the first who expounded these allegorical dreams. Theorematicall dreams were these when things fall out plainly without any allegory, as they were foretold in the dream, as when joseph was bidden in a dream to fly to Egypt. Sometime the dream was from the Lord, but not the exposition of the dream, as when joseph dreamt that his brethren's sheaves fell down and worshipped his; so when he dreamt that the Sun, the Moon and the Stars bowed down unto him, we must not think that joseph had the interpretation of these dreams (as he had of the Butlers and Bakers) but when he was exalted in Egypt and saw the event, than he remembered the dream. Secondly, sometimes the Lord revealed the dream to one, and the exposition of the dream to another; as the dream was revealed to Pharaoh, and the interpretation of it to joseph; so he revealed the dream to the Midianite, and the interpretation of it to his fellow, judg. 7.13.14. And this interpretation of the dream is called, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers. 15. fractura somnii, the breaking of the dream, a speech borrowed from the breaking of a nut, for unless the shell be broken, we cannot come to the kernel; so unless the dream be interpreted, Dreams without the interpretation to no use. we cannot understand it: But Daniel exceeded all in dreams, and in the interpretation of dreams, therefore Ezechiel calls him wise Daniel, Ezec. 28.3. who told Nebuchadnezar both his dream (when he forgot it) and the interpretation of it. It was a great skill in Apelles when they were enquiring for a malefactor who was fugitive and could not know him, Apelles having seen him once before drew him so vively, although he had no examplar before him, that so soon as they saw the picture they found out the malefactor; but for Daniel to find out this dream which he never dreamt of before, nor thought of, this was the Spirit of the most high God who taught him. Quest. It is said, 1 King. 3.6. How the Lord bade Solomon ask any thing when he was dreaming. that the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and said unto him, Ask of me and I shall give thee: How could Solomon ask any thing of God in his sleep, or pray to him, seeing oratio est actus humanus cuius principium est ratio libera, prayer is an action of man which hath the beginning from reason and not from fancy, for it is the Spirit of God who moves our reasonable faculty to call upon him, and not our fancy? Answ. Some answer that it was before his sleep when he was offering sacrifices that then he sought this, and that, after that he awoke again, he begged for this wisdom. Others answer, that he verily prayed in his sleep, because of the earnest desire that he had for wisdom, made him to think of it in his sleep; and it was actus rationis ratione causae. Tom. 2.2. qu. 95. art. 6. Quest. What was the reason that the Lord revealed himself in dreams to heathen Kings and Princes, as to Pharaoh, and to Nebuchadnezar? Answ. There may be three reasons given of this; first, for his own glory, he did this to show that his providence did reach as well to the highest as to the lowest, not only in the Church but also without the Church. And this was the reason why he sent his Prophets sometimes even to the heathen, as Ezechiel to Babylon, and jonah to Nineveh, and all to show them that all their good came from him if they feared him, but if they did not, than they should feel his punishing hand. Secondly, the Lord did this both for their temporal and eternal good; for the Lord delights in the conversion of sinners; wherefore he doth not only make his Sun to shine upon the good and upon the bad, and calls them that ways to repentance, but oftentimes by his word and by dreams, and his other benefits he invited them to repentance. And thirdly, he revealed himself thus to the heathen for the good of his Church, Psal. 105.14. He reproved kings for their sake. And thus he revealed himself in a dream to Pharaoh and to Nebuchadnezer for the Churches good. So Dan. 2.30. But as for me this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sake that shall make the interpretation known to the King; that is, both for the jews and the whole Church's cause, who by their prayers obtained from the Lord to me the interpretation of this dream; so that the dream and the interpretation of the dream were both given for the Church's cause. So he revealed himself to Pilat's wife in a dream for Christ's cause. So the Lord sent a Prophet to wicked Ahab, promising him victory against the Aramites for the comfort of his Church: So Elisha prophesied to jehoram for josaphats' sake, 2 King. 3.14. Whether pilate's Wife her dream was a divine dream or not? Quest. What are we to judge of this dream of pilate's wife? Answ. This dream came from the Lord to admonish her and her husband Pilate. Some dreams are from the spirit of God, but not with the spirit of sanctification, as Pharaoh his dream, and the dream of pilate's Wife. Secondly, some dreams are both from the spirit, and with the spirit; as josephs' dream. Thirdly, some dreams are with the spirit, but not from the spirit; As a common dream of the child of God, comes not from the spirit of God, but from the complexion of his body or from the multitude of businesses, and yet it may be with the spirit of sanctification. Fourthly, some dreams are neither from the spirit of God, nor with the spirit of God, as diabolical dreams. How shall we know whether our dreams be of God or not? Quest. How shall we know whether our dreams be from the Lord or not? Answ. We must not take them to be from God, because we have often dreamt them. Secondly, we must not try them by the event, because they fall out as we have dreamt. For God often tryeth us this ways Deut. 13. Neither must we take them to be from God, because the mind is more settled after the dream, than before. For Satan can transform himself into an angel of light. But the dreams which are from God, have some marks to discern them, if so be that they are from him, for there is some internal instinct, whereby men are stirred up to inquire what these dreams mean; as Pharaoh did; and it is the part of the children of God, to pray earnestly to the Lord, to reveal to them, those things which hath been shown to them in a dream, for God openeth the ears of men in a dream, and sealeth their instruction, that he might withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man, job 33.15. God giveth warning to his children, sometimes of those things which are to befall them. Such was that dream, which Theodosius dreamt, that the Bishop set a Crown upon his head; when as he never thought of that business before. Theodoret. ecclesiastica historia. lib. 5. cap. 6. So that dream of Policarp, who dreamt that the pillow under his head was burning, which foretold him of his martyrdom. Of devilish dreams. The fourth sort of dreams are devilish dreams, when Satan moves men to superstitious and false things, jer. 23.25. I hear what those prophets says, who prophesy in my name, false things; saying, they have dreamt a dream, jer. 29.8. For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Let not your Prophets, nor your Diviners that be in the midst of you, deceive you; neither harken to your dreams, which ye cause to be dreamt. Such a deceiver was Semaiah the Nehelamite, or dreamer, jer. 29.32. The Poets feigned that there were two gates, by the which dreams went. The one was cornea, and the other Eburneavia. Homer. odyss. 19 The one of horn, and the other of Ivory gate. The true dreams went by the gate of horn. And the false dreams by the Ivory gate. And they say more dreams passeth by the Ivory gate, then by the horn gate. And therefore they should for the most part not be regarded. Whether all impure dreams be from the devil or not. Quest. Whether may all impure dreams, be called diabolical dreams, or not? Answ. in this sense they may be called diabolical dreams, because they come from the devil, but they come not all immediately from the devil, for out of the heart of man, comes murders, and adulteries, Mat. 15.19. There are some thoughts immissaes, and there are thoughts emissae, these which are cast in, into the heart, come immediately from the devil, but those that come out of the heart, come but mediately from the devil. And Bernard says well, Est morsus mentis, & morsus serpentis, & est malum innatum eque ac seminatum, & est partus cordis preter seminarium hostis. That is, we are bitten with the corruption of our own heart within, as well as we are bitten with the biting of the serpent without. And we have inbred evil into us, as well as that which is sown into us. When Satan put it in the heart of judas, to betray Christ, This was tentatio immissa, a tentation cast in by the devil. So when the devil moved David to number the people, this is immissa tentatio, a tentation cast into his mind. 2 Sam. 21.1. So when he filled the heart of Ananias, Act. 3. But when Christ said to Peter, go behind me Satan. This tentation of Peter, came out of his heart, and was not cast in into his heart. So impure dreams for the most part come out of the corruption of the heart, and are not put in into the heart. Our dreams for the most part are unclean dreams, We had need to pray to God, to pardon us the impurity of our dreams. therefore we had need to pray to God to pardon them. And to pray as the jew did, Heale them O Lord, heal them, as thou didst the waters of Marah, by the hand of Moses; and the waters of jericho, by the hand of Elisha. Arba turim. lib. orach chanic cephillah. 130. And as thou healedst Miriam from her Leprosy, and Naaman from his Leprosy. Seeing the devil is so malicious and so crafty, When we are going to rest then we should especially beg the Lord to save us and to guard us. that he labours to tempt us in our dreams, when we are a sleep. Our greatest care should be when we go to sleep, to beg of God, that he would keep us under the protection of his wings. And to send his Angels to protect us against all the assaults of the devil, Philip. 4.7. The peace of God which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speech borrowed from Kings, who being guarded by their guard, are safe from the assaults of their enemies, So we being guarded by the protection of the Angels, are safe from the tentations of the devil. Alexander was asked upon a time how it came that he sleeped so sound, the enemy being hard by. He answered because Antipater waketh. He who keeps Israel neither sleeps nor slumbers. Psal. 141.4. Therefore we may lie down safely, neither can Satan hurt us at all. We have also gnirim, the watchful Angels. Dan- 4.10. Pitching their tents about us, and we may be more secure than Solomon was, who when he went to bed, had 70. valiant men to watch him, Cant. 2.8. Quest. How shall we know dreams to be from the devil? How we should know those dreams which are from the devil. Answ. If they be contrary to the word of God, than they are from the devil. Such was Semajah his dream contrary to jeremies' prophecy, jer. 29.32. So if they move men to filthiness, or uncleanness, they are unclean dreams, so if their dreams be one contrary to another, ye may know they are from the devil. Catarina Senensis said, that in her sleep it was revealed unto her, that the Virgin Mary, was conceived in original sin. But Brigitta said, that it was revealed to her in her sleep, Petrus Laiserius. lib. 4. de spectris. that she was not conceived in original sin. This contradiction shows that these dreams was from the devil. In libro de probatione spirituum. It is a good observation of Gershon, that men the elder that they grow, they are the more subject to dreams; so says he, when the world is now fallen into the doting, and old age, they are the more given to follow dreams and false illusions than they were before. Two sorts of trances, divine and diabolical. Extasis or a trance, was a higher degree of revelation than a dream, and there were two sorts of them, first, a divine trance, or extasis, secondly, a diabolical. A divine trance was this, when as the Servants of God were taken up in spirit, A divine trance. separate as it were from the body, and out of the body, that they might see some heavenly mysteries, revealed unto them, as St. Peter was in such a trance, when a sheet was let down to him from the heaven, and all clean things, and unclean things in it, and he was bidden eat of them. But S. john was taken up in a higher measure, when he was taken up in the spirit upon the Lord's day, Revelat. 4.2. and saw so many heavenly visions, of those things which should befall to the Church afterward. But S. Paul was in the highest degree of all when he was taken up into the third heaven, and saw and heard, such things which he could not utter, and whether he was in the body or out of the body than he could not know. Quest. Whether goes the souls out of the body at any time, The souls goes not out of the body in a trance. and returns to them again in this mortal Life? Answ. If the soul be once a glorified soul, It comes never back again to a sinful body, to dwell in it again, I say to a sinful body, To put a difference betwixt the glorified souls, which hath returned to their bodies again, and those souls which hath not been glorified, and hath returned to their sinful bodies again. The glorified souls, Glorified souls when they come to the body again, they come to a body without sin. when they returned to their bodies again, they returned not to those bodies as sinful and impure bodies, as Moses when he was in the transfiguration, and those who rose when Christ suffered; their souls came not into impure bodies again, Those bodies were corpora non pura, Souls not glorified comes to a sinful body again. but they were not impura. They were like to our bodies when they lie in the grave, Corpus purum impurum non purum. They are not sinful bodies any more, but yet they lie under the consequents of sin, corruption, and mortality, and they were not to abide in those bodies, but shortly to return to glory again. But those souls that returned to their bodies again, and were to abide there, were not glorified souls, they entered again into sinful bodies, Such as was the soul of Lazarus, Eutichus, Act. 20.9. and the soul of the widow's son of Naum, These souls came again into sinful bodies, for that hypostatical union betwixt the soul and the body, was not perfectly dissolved, as our souls and bodies are separate by death, neither were the souls glorified then in heaven. A diabolical trance is that which Witches and Sorcerers falls into when they lie dead and senseless for a time, and their souls seems for a time to be out of their bodies, yet this union betwixt the soul and the body is not dissolved now as they believe, but the act of vivification is only suspended for a time; Satan cannot bring a soul into a body again as the Lord doth. So Sorodemones or Larvae sepulchrales haunts about the graves, to make men believe that their ghosts walks here after they be dead. SECT. 9 Of Lots. THe Lord who is the righteous judge of the world, Gen. 18.25. and would every man to enjoy his own, amongst other means he hath appointed lots to cause strife to cease amongst men, Proverbes 16.33. Quest. But lots are cast into the lap, and moderated by the Lord, Prov. 16.33. then what needs any other means to decide controversies but lots? A twofold providence of God, a general and a particular. Answ. There is a twofold providence of God; first, a general providence, and then a more particular providence; Possessions and inheritance are from the parents, but an understanding wife is from the Lord, Prov. 19.14. A good wife is given by the special providence of God, where we may see the ruling hand of God, more than when he bestows inheritance by his general providence; hath God regard of oxen, 1 Cor. 9.9. that is, he hath not this special care of them as he hath of men. The lot was reckoned among the inferior sort of manifestation of Gods will. This distribution by lot was reckoned amongst the inferior sorts of manifestation of Gods will. Therefore when joshua divided the land by lot, Iosh. 19.51. he divided it in Shilo before the Lord, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation where Eliazar the Priest was present: They rested not here in a lot, but they consulted also with the Lord by Eleazar the Priest concerning this division; saul's election was by lot, but not David's: Mathias his election was by lot, but not Saint Paul's; the lot was but an inferior degree of the manifestation of the will of God, 1 Chro. 23.5. the Lord speak by lots, Num. 26.56. secundum es sortis, according to the mouth of the lot, but this was but an inferior determination by his mouth. These lots were of three sorts, either they served for division, or consultation, Lots were of three sorts. or divination: A divisory lot. This divisory lot served for to divide possessions inheritances and goods amongst men by this divisory lot, the tribes got their possessions in the land of Canaan: And others got their possessions by this sort of lot, and therefore a lot is put for an inheritance, Psal. 16.5. Psal. 125.3. In these divisory lots these caveats must be looked unto; first, What caveats must be kept in a divisory lot. when lots are cast to divide controversies betwixt men, than they must have equal right to the things that are to be divided; In Israel if the question had been amongst brethren for the dividing of their father's goods, this could not have been divided by lot, for the eldest should have had a double portion; and the lot keeps medium rei & non personae, a lot might have been cast for deciding amongst the rest of the brethren, because they had all alike right to their father's goods. When the two Goats were presented before the Lord, Leu. 16.8. (they were just alike in all things) which of them should be killed, and which of them should escape, here the Lord bids cast a lot for them: So who should dwell in jerusalem and who not, Ezr. 2.11. and so the priests service was by a divisory lot. Secondly, in these divisory lots this caveat must be observed, that the lots be not cast on things unlawfully gotten by robbery (See joel 3.3. Naum. 3.10. & Obadiah 11.) or theft; such was the lot that the soldiers did cast upon the coat of Christ. Thirdly, in these divisory lots, men must take heed that this be not their chief end to know the will oh God (for then they are not divisory lots, but consultory lots) but their chie e end must be in casting the lots that stri e may cease amongst brethren. Consultory lots. The second sort of lots are consultorie lots, when men consults with the Lord by lots, what should be done in such and such cases. This lot differeth much from a divisory lot, for a divisory lot was only about division of inheritances, and deviding of goods, but a consultory lot was used in higher matters, as who should live and who should die: Such was the lot which was cast for the trial of him who had the excommunicate thing, and it fell upon Achan, josh 7.18. this was commanded by God himself. This lot observes medium personae, as the divisory lot observes medium rei. Quest. Whether is it lawful now to inquire for a guilty man by lot or not? Answ. It is not lawful, for judges now are bound to judge per scrutinium, per teste, by confession and such, and not by lot. But if in a camp all the soldiers should transgress the king's Edict, and should commit a thing worthy of death, yet the King willing to show mercy, might he not cause a lot to be cast to try who should live and who should die, this the king may safely do, because all are guilty alike here; and so of old they used decimare exercitum (when all were alike in the transgression) that some might live and some might die. When the mariners caused the lot to be cast to try who was guilty in the ship, this was an extraordinary trial which is not lawful for judges to follow. Quest. Whether may we call this a divine lot or a diabolical lot which they did cast here for finding out the guilty man? Whether the lot which was cast for jonas was a divine lot or not. Answ. Although the mariners when they did cast the lot, did it not by inspiration from God, but expected the event from the devil and not from God, yet the Lord moderate the lot that it fell upon jonas. Quest. What are we to think of the lot that fell upon jonathan, 1 Sam. 14.42. was it a divine lot or not, Whether the lot which fell upon jonathan was a divine lot or not, seeing it fell upon an innocent man? Answ. It was a divine lot directed by the hand of God, to show how much he respected an oath, and would not have it violated; and although Saul exacted this oath rashly of the people; yet he would have it observed as he would have the oath made to the Gibeonites kept, although it was procured by their deceit, because his holy name was interposed there. Object. But jonathan knew nothing of the oath which the people had made to Saul, 1 Sam. 14.28. The representative oath binds all, but not a personal oath. Answ. When an oath is exacted of a multitude, it binds every one in particular if it be a representative oath, as we see in the Gibeonites, therefore many years afterward saul's sons were hanged for the breach of of this representative oath. So the jews took upon them, and bond not only themselves, but their posterity to keep the feast of Purim, Est. 9 29. So the Israelites were bound to carry away josephs' bones out of Egypt, because their father jacob had sworn it, Gen. 49.29. So jonathan was bound for to keep this representative oath which the people had made, although he was not present when the oath was made. Here we may observe first how much the Lord regards an oath. Secondly, how Princes edicts and commands should be observed, although they seem strict and hard to us. And thirdly, it is a fearful thing to meddle with things devoted or anathematised, whether wittingly as Achan did, or ignorantly as jonathan did. Secondly, consultorie lots served to decide who were fittest for callings in the Church, as when joseph called Barsabas and Mathias stood for the Apostleship. It was decided by lot; the Apostles calling were immediately from God, therefore this was decided by lot which was immediately from God. Why the Apostles at the first were chosen by lot, and why not afterward. Object. But the rest of the Apostles were not chosen by lot? Answ. Beda upon the first of the acts gives the reason of that, why Mathias was chosen by lot, and not the rest, because the holy Ghost was not come down upon them before the Pentecost, but the seven deacons were chosen afterward, not by lot, but by consent. The canons hath condemned all Ecclesiastical election by lot; Men are to be admitted neither to Ecclesiastical callings, nor civil offices by lot. Capite fin. de sortelegis, tit. 21. lib. 5. & can. non statim. therefore Zeno the Emperor tempted the Lord in this case, for when the Bishop of Constantinople died, the Emperor was careful that another should succeed in his place: And what doth he? He caused a write to be laid upon the altar, having these words written in it, Si quem domine censes dignum hoc ministerio inscribe nomen ejus in hac charta, Lord writ the name of him whom thou thinkest fit for this Bishopric into this paper; and he caused to shut the gates of the temple, Neciphorus lib. 16. c. 18. leaving the paper upon the altar: On Flavitias corrupting the Sexton of the Church with money, caused him to open the gates of the temple in the night and went in and wrote his name upon the paper and shut the door again, and so was chosen Bishop of Constantinople. But men are not to be admitted to any ecclesiastical calling, but for the fitness of their gifts. This election was as bad as if it had been by a consultory Lot and worse, and it was a tempting of God. So men are now not to be admitted to civil callings by a consultory Lot, but only for the fitness of their gifts, and by the sole choice of the Prince, or by the suffrages and voices of the people, as the Athenians gave their voices of old per Petalismum, by holding up of an Olive branch. So per ostracismum, by holding up an Oyster shell, when they would have any banished, and sometimes per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by holding up of their hands, but they made not their choice by a Lot, The reason why they should not be chosen by a Lot is, because Lots are uncertain and casual. Object. And if it be said, that Prov. 16.33. The Lot is cast into the lap, but the disposing thereof is from the Lord. Answ. When a man hath other means to try by, than it is a tempting of God to use Lots, Solomon wils not men here to use Lots, because they are directed by the hand of God, but rather he wils this, if men be forced to use a Lot, than God should be called upon, by earnest prayer, that he would direct the casuality of the Lot, and moderate it. Quest. How were the seventy Elders of Israel chosen, Num. 11.26.27? Of the conceit of the jews how the 70. elders of Israel were chosen by lot. Answ. The Hebrews in Pesikta, says that they were chosen by a consultory Lot, after this manner. That day that God said to Moses, gather me seventy men of the tribes of Israel. that I may choose of them for to be Elders. Moses said, how can I do this, If I shall choose six out of every tribe, than there shall be two more than seventy, and if I shall choose five out of every tribe, than there shall be ten wanting of the seventy. And if I shall choose six out of this tribe, and five out of another tribe, that will make but strife amongst the tribes, what doth Moses in such a case, he chooses six out of every tribe, and brings out seventy two papers, and upon seventy of the papers, he writes Zaken (Elder) and upon two of the papers, he writes cheleck (part) and he putting them all in a box, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith to them, come ye and draw forth your Lots. And he who drew forth Zaken Elder, Moses said unto him, the Lord hath sanctified thee for this calling, to be an Elder. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he who drew out cheleck (part,) he said unto him, thou hast no part in this business, Therefore the Hebrews says that Eldad and Medad, were inter conscriptos, but they were not those which were written, they got cheleck only (part,) and not Zaken Elder, but this seems to be but a rabbinical dream. A lot for divination, is a diabolical lot. The last sort of Lots is a Lot for divination, to foretell things to come, and this lot is diabolical and altogether unlawful. Such was the Lot that Haman did cast for the subversion of the jews First, he enquired by Lot what day of the month was fit for this. And secondly, what month of the year, whether the second, third, or fourth month. And the Lot shown that the twelfth month, and the thirteenth day of the month, was the fittest time for this execution. Here we may observe the great providence of God, who overruled this Lot, and made it serve for the good of his Church, that he would have the Lot to fall, neither in the ninth, tenth or eleventh month, but in the twelfth month, that the jews might get leisure to gather themselves together to stand for their lives, and to send letters through all the provinces for the retreating of those wicked letters, which were given out for murdering of all the jews, And most of all they had this leisure granted to them, as Rupertus saith, that they might send to a fare country to the heavens, their legates, their prayers, their fasting, their tears, to cry for help from heaven in such a distress. Haman did cast purim, in the translation of the 70. the supplement is, God made two lots, one for his own people, and another for the wicked; and so the rod of the wicked rested not upon the lot of the righteous, Psal. 125.3. Such a lot of divination was that which Nebuchadnezar used, Ezech. 21.21. when he stood at the parting of the way at the head of two ways to use divination, he made his arrows bright, and he consulted with Images, Saint Jerome shows the way how he divined by his arrows, he wrote upon the arrows the names of jerusalem and Rabath; and when he pulled forth the arrow on the which the name was written, that town he began first to besiege; and because Rabath came forth first, therefore he began to besiege Rabath first, Cabbhal here signifieth expolire to polish. The Hebrews holds that he made the heads of the arrows bright and the names Rabath and jerusalem did appear in them, as in a looking glass. The Prophet Hosea saith consulunt lignum which they applied to this sort of divination, this they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. SECT. 9 De augurio, or of the divining by souls. THis divining by fowls the Lord forbids in his Law, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Num. 24.1. Such as Balaam practised, he went not as at other times to seek for enchantments; the 70. translate it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, id est, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 augurs. in occursum avibus, that is, to take a divination by the fleeing of the fowls by their chirping, by their feeding, by their number, and such like: Such was the diviners amongst the Philistimes, 2 Sam. 6.2. What things the fowls can foretell. Although the fowls be not domini actionum suarum, cannot command their own actions as man doth, yet by a secret instinct they can foretell these things which are agreeable most to their nature as sensitive things, for their bodies being subject to the influx of the superior elements, and exercised only about organicke things, therefore by the influx of the superior bodies they can foretell rain, tempests, and such like, which man cannot do by the constitution of his body so well, because man's fantasy is carried to more sublime and high things, for man's sense is not governed by external things, as the beasts and fowls are. Hence it is that we see that these who are fools and stupid, who are not so much ruled by reason as by sense, are apt to divine of natural things than the wise, and they who sleep, rather than they who walk, because their bodies are not only more affected with these external changes, but also in these the fantasy is stronger than in wiser men. The fowls by a natural instinct and temperature of their bodies foretell storms to come, and Summer and Winter: We compare things three manner of ways; first, we compare things singular to make up the universal; How many ways we compare things. the fowls cannot do this. Secondly, we compare on thing with another; the fowls cannot do this. Thirdly, we compare things and time distinctly together in our mind, I say distinctly, because the fowls confusedly can take up the times and seasons of the year, but they cannot distinctly discern the time from the thing itself, as we do: These natural inclinations we may observe and make use of them. God hath appointed the fowls to teach us, as to learn the time of our visitation, jer. 8.7. What we should learn of the fowls. The Stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times, and the Turtle, and the Crane, and the Swallow know the time of their coming, but my people know not the judgement of the Lord: So the Lord sets down the example of the Stork, which is called Ghasida, or pity, Levit. 11.19. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, because the young ones feeds the old; so should children learn from these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to feed their old parents, and sometimes by their example, he teaches us, what we should decline, and shun, jer. 17.11. as the Partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool, the Partridge many times sitteth upon the eggs, which she gathered, but never hatcheth them: So covetous men enjoys not the fruit of that which they toil for. Thus fare we have a warrant to make use of the fowls. Quest. What use are we to make of these fowls which are called inauspicatae aves, as the Owl, and the Skrich-owle? Esay 13.21. An. We may only make this use of them when they dwell in such places which are desolate, that th●se places carries the mark of God's wrath upon them, when the inhabitants of them are spewed out for their sins. But to take up the contingent event of things by them is altogether devilish, as to mark their number, We must not take up contingent events by the fowls. their fleeing, eating, or chirping: to foretell contingent things by these, that the Lord forbids altogether, Deut. 18. and they are joined with Augurs coeli, Esay 46. Because of the great affinity which was betwixt them; the one observeth the starry heaven, the other observeth the neither region of the air, and the fowls that flies in it, augurs, the 70. translates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the heathen called the fowls nuncios deorum; and first, they observed their number, as Calcas foretold Agamemnon by the number of the Sparrows which did fly before him; how many years the Trojan war should last: So they marked the crying, and eating of the fowls; If they refused to eat, they took that for an unlucky sign; so they marked their terrae pavium or trepudium, their tripping upon the ground. There are signs given from God to man, as the Lord bade joash smite the ground so often, and he should have victory against the Syrians, so from man to man, as jonathan his arrow shot to David, and judas kiss to the jews, whomsoever I kiss, Matth. 26.48. so from the devil to man; as when they foretell by the flying of the fowls, the events of things, and things contingent; and so when they called upon the Fly, dominus muscae, the devil answered them, 2 King. 1.4. There was one sort of divination by the fowls very strange amongst them; they caused to write twenty four letters in the ground, and laid a grain of barley upon every letter, and the Magician set forth a cock, using certain conjurations in verses, and marking what grain the cock did pick up, Pecerus pag 322. these letters they joined together; The master of jamlicus Proclus by this sort of divination would know who should be Emperor after Valence, and when as the cock had picked up only the grains of the four letters, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was uncertain, whether this was Theodosius, Theodotus, Theodorus, or Theodectes; Valence being uncertain who was meant, caused to put to death many who were named by these names, fearing that some of them should surprise him in his Empire, and jamlicus fearing the Emperor's wrath, drank poison and made himself away. There was something natural in this action, as for the cock to eat, something casual, as to pick up such a grain, and something ex instituto humano, by man's appointment, that the letters being joined together should signify such a name; and something diabolical, as who should be Emperor. This kind of divination hath been derided by sundry; It is memorable which is reported by Herateus of Mausellanus, how he mocked these diviners by the fowls; for when he was travelling towards the red sea with Alexander the great, Vide Petrum Cunaeum. pag. a Diviner seeing a bird sitting by the way, desired the army to stay for a while, and he should shortly tell them what success they should have in the war; Mausellanus being skilful in archery, bends his bow, and killed the bird, and this way mocked the Diviner, saying, how could this poor bird foretell what should become of the army, when it could not foretell its own death: Cato was wont to say, that he marvelled when one of these diviners met another, that they could abstain from laughing, who so deluded and mocked the people. This kind of divination by the fowls, When the divination ceased. ceased most when the Roman Empire ceased, the Romans were much given to it. So to divine by the intrales of beasts good or bad success is unlawful, Ezech. 21.26. To divine by the intrals of beasts is unlawful. he looked into the liver; this is extispitium: the Priests of the Lord when they were to sacrifice a beast, they looked first whether it was whole and sound or not: Secondly, whether it wanted horns and hooves or not, Psal. 69.21. if it wanted these, they would not sacrifice it. Thirdly, if it was not found within, they would not offer it: And lastly, when it was burnt they observed whether it was wholly burnt to ashes or not, than they took this for a good sign, therefore David prays, Psal. 20.3. Remember all the offerings, and turn thy sacrifice to ashes: So the heathen counterfeiting them, looked to the intrals of beasts, and to try the events of things contingent by them. The last sort of divination forbidden is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they asked counsel of the dead, or did divine by the skull of a dead man's head, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and this the Hebrews calls Begolgola, and by Teraphim; Elias in Tishbi tells, the manner how these Teraphim were made, they took a child uncircumcised, whose head they pinched off with their nails, and they put a little plate of gold under his tongue, and wrote upon the plate the name of the spirit which they called upon. How many ways this Teraphim is taken in the Scripture. This word Teraphim is taken three manner of ways in the Scripture; first, univoce; for the Teraphimes, which the Magicians used, such was Laban's Teraphim, which he consulted with, Gen. 31.19. Secondly, this word Teraphim is taken Analogice, for the Idols which the Idolaters worshipped, judg. 18.14. These were not like Laban's Teraphim, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but by way of analogy, they are called Teraphim, for the worshipping of idols, is the worshipping of devils, 1 Cor. 10.21. Thirdly, the word Teraphim is taken aequivoce; Such was the Teraphim which Michol kept in her house, 1 Sam. 19.13. made only to the form of a man; for it is not likely that David, who had a care to purge his house of all abominations, Psa. 101. would have suffered his house to have been polluted with Teraphim, either in the first or second sense: Theodoret turns it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which seems to contain the corpse of the dead man, and yet the corpse is not there: So this Teraphim was like unto a man, yet there was nothing within it to resemble a man: This word devil is taken three ways in the Scripture. So this word devil is taken three ways in Scripture; first, univoce, as the devil put it in the heart of judas, joh. 13.2. Secondly, Analogice, joh. 6.70. judas analogice is called a devil there, And thirdly, aequivoce, when Christ calls Peter Satan, Math. 16.23. SECT. 10. Of the power of the devil, what Satan can do by himself, and by his instruments. THere is a twofold power, an absolute power, There is an absolute and a limitate power. and a limitate power: God's power is an absolute power, therefore power is put for God, Matth. 26.64. At the right hand of the power, that is, at the right hand of God; and Satan's power is a limitate power: How Gods power is limitate, and the devil's power is limitate. God limitates his own power, sometimes ad intra, as Gen. 19.22. he saith he could do nothing while Lot came to Zoar: God by his absolute power might have destroyed Lot in Sodom, but by his limitate power he could not, because it made more for the glory of God to save Lot, then to destroy him; but the devil's power is a limitate power from without, for God who is more strong and mighty than he, linitates and binds him, and fare exceeds the devil in power. First, God can only create things of nothing, God can only create things of nothing. Satan cannot do this; God when by his mighty power he doth create, presupposeth nothing to work upon, and his action in creation depends upon no other thing, for if he presupposed any other thing, than he should not create absolutely by himself; How God, Nature, and Art worketh. This his action must be answerable to his infinite power: Art, when it worketh, must have some subject actually to work upon; nature must have some thing potentially to work upon, but God when he worketh, needeth nothing; either actually or potentially to work upon. The Serpents which were brought before Pharaoh by the Magicians, either they were but serpents in show only, as Tertullian holdeth when he saith, Moses veritas devoravit Magorum mendacia, or else they were serpents brought there by the slight of the devil, but they were not serpents newly created. There is as great distance, inter ens, & non ens, betwixt that which is, and that which is not, as there is inter non ens & ens, betwixt that which is not, and that which is, but, the devil cannot change a body which is, unto that which is not at all, he can dissolve a body into the four elements, but he cannot turn it to nothing, because he cannot abolish the four elements: and as the devil cannot reduce that which is, to nothing: so he cannot create a thing and make it of nothing to be some thing. God only then, who is the cause of causes can create: There is in all the elements some seeds or seminary virtues, and when fit time and opportunity serves, they show themselves in their own kinds: Now when the devil draws forth these, he cannot be said to be the creator of them, no more than the husband man, who although he observe the fit times and occasions of sowing the corn that it may grow, yet he cannot be called the creator of the corn; so neither can the devil be called the creator, when he draws out any thing out of the elements which is virtually in them. God only can change one substance into another. So God likewise by his power can only change the substances of things, as he changed Lot's wife into a pillar of salt, Gen. 19 and water into wine, joh. 2. God only can change one essence into another, but he cannot change one substance into another, so long as the form and substance of the first endureth: Therefore the devil when he would take a proof of Christ, whether he were God or not; he bids him change stones into bread, Matth. 4. Satan may delude our senses, and show us counterfeit shows for true, but he cannot change one substance into another; S. Augustine lib. 18. de civitate Dei. therefore Saint Augustine proveth well, that Iphyginia was not turned into a hare, neither was the companions of Diomedes turned into fowls; As Satan would have had the people believe. God only can work miracles, Psal. 135. God only can work miracles. Thou Lord only works marvellous things: Satan cannot work a miracle, for a part of nature cannot exceed nature; Satan is but a part of nature, and a miracle is above nature: Therefore Satan cannot work a miracle, & quod est totaliter sub-ordine constitutum, non potest ultra istius Ns. ●rae ordinem agere, Mira operatur Satan, sed non miracula, and the Angel did wonderouslie, judg. 13.19. So satan can do wonders, but no miracles. There are Three sorts of miracles, Miracles are of three sorts. Miracles in the highest degree, and Miracles in the second degree, and miracles in the lowest degree. Miracles in the highest degree are these in which nature had never a hand, nor never could have, Miracles in the highest degree. as to make the Sun stand still in the firmament, or to go back so many degrees. Miracles in the second degree, are those, Miracles in the second degree. when nature had once a hand in producing of such things, But when they fail, nature cannot help them again: Example, nature bringeth forth a man seeing, but when he becomes blind, nature cannot restore him to his sight again: And therefore when Christ restored the blind to their sight, it was a miracle in the second degree. Miracles in the lowest degree. A Miracle in the third degree is this, when nature in time could do such a thing, but when it is done in an instant, than it is a miracle in the third degree. When Peter's Mother in Law was sick of a fever, Mat. 8.13. nature in time could have evicted this malignant humour, and cured her, but because upon a sudden Christ cured her of this fever, therefore it was a miracle in the third degree▪ So when Ezekias lay sick, God bids lay a l●●pe of figs to the sore: figs in time would have matured the boil, but Ezechias being cured in a sudden by the Lord, this was a miracle in the third degree. The Devil cannot work miracles in the highest degree: Therefore it is false which they writ of the witches of Thessaly, that they could stay the course of the Sun by their enchantments, and bring the Moon out of the firmament. Satan can work no miracles in the second degree▪ Christ proved himself to be the Saviour of the world by this, because he restored sight to the blin●▪ and the lame to their limbs, and the deaf to their hearing, and cleansed the Lepers, Mat. 11.5. But Satan cannot restore sight to the blind, john 10.21. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind. Satan can work no miracles in the third degree; Such as was the curing of Peter's Mother in Law upon a sudden; Satan hath more skill than a Physician hath to give sovereign physic to a Patient, and so to cure him the sooner; but this he cannot do upon an instant as Christ did. The Hebrews marks a twofold work of God, opus Beresheth, A twofold work of God opus beresheth and opus Merkebha. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and opus Merkebha; They call gods ordinary working in nature, opus Beresheth, from the first words of Genesis; They call Gods miraculous works, opus Merkebha, from Ezekiel's chariot, Eze. 1. ● God in ruling natural causes he rules from the highest to the Lowest, and from the top of the Lather to the foot, When God works in natural causes he rules from the highest to the lowest. Hos. 2.21. I will hear the heavens, and the heavens shall hear the earth, the earth shall hear the corn, and the corn and the wine, shall hear jezreell. Here God rules from the highest to the lowest. Some of the Schoolmen maintained that God touched only the first cause, the Heavens, and the Heavens sent down the influence to the earth, and so to the rest: As when the crimp fish toucheth the fisher's hook, It sends a benumbedness to the hook, and the hook transmitts it to the line, and the line to the goad, and the goad sends it to the fisher's arm: Here the crimpe fish works not immediately upon all these, but only upon the hook: but God doth not work so upon these subordinate causes, but is immediately with every one of them. Quest. Whether then doth God concur as a mediate or immediate cause with every effect. Whether God concurres as a mediate or in immediate cause with every effects. Ans. That is called a remote cause which is farthest distant from the effect, and which touches not immediately the effect by the virtue of it: God is called a remote and mediate cause if ye will respect the order of causes; as he is nearer to the Heavens then to the corn or jezreell: But if ye will consider distance from the effect▪ If we respect the causes God works mediately, but if ye respect his blessing he works immediately. by his virtue, God is immediately with every offect. But here we must take heed that we say not as some say, The sun shines not, but God in the sun, the fire burns not, but God in the fire, for than we should ascribe many things to God which should be unworthy to be spoken of him, and we should take away the subordination of causes. But when Satan worketh, he never worketh immediately, but by some second cause, but when God works, Satan never works immediately. sometimes he works nullo mediante supposito, no means intervening, as when Christ cured the woman of the bloody flux by virtue which went out of him, Mar. 5.30. Sometims again he worketh mediante supposito & immedietate virtutis, that is by a mean which intervenes immediately by his power, as when he feeds us with bread, when we look that all the virtue is in God, than we say that man lives not by bread only, but by every word that cometh out of the mouth of God, Mat. 4.4. but when we look to the bread, as to a second cause, feeding us, than we say, that bread strengthens man, Psal. 104.15. and wine cheers his heart. God only worketh from the highest cause to the lowest, It is he only that sends rain, Acts 14.17. He left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from Heaven, and fruitful seasons▪ It is he who gives the first and the latter rain, and it is he that can hasten the rain, 2 Kings 18.44. And it is he that can send a general rain to destroy the world; but Satan can do none of these, for Satan's power goes no higher than the air: He is called the Prince of the air, and can raise storms in the air, hail, and fire, and so can the Witches at God's permission. He can applicare hic activa passivis, as we, (when we make powder) use to put brimstone and salt-peter together: So can Satan raise storms by applying contraries one to another, but he cannot bring down fire from Heaven as Elias did, 2 King. 1.10. Quest. Seeing Satan works only by natural causes, by touch and influx▪ how is it said that the evil eye of the Witch doth bewitch, How doth the evil eye of the witch bewitch? Gal. 3.1. O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, here is properly spoken of those who bewitcheth by the eye? Ans. It is not the eye here which doth the hurt, but Satan; As he hurteth sometime under the pretext of the enchanting word, so here he hurts under the pretext of the eye, and makes the witch believe, that it is her eye which hurts, when as it is satan in the mean time, who doth the hurt. What are we to judge when a murderer is brought before a dead corpse and bleeds. Quest. What are we to think of that sort of trial; when a man is killed and the murderer is not known, if the murderer come before the dead man, the corpses bleeds▪ Hear there is neither a physical touch nor a natural cause▪ and God worketh not miraculously now? Answ. Some hold, as there is a secret antipathy betwixt some living creatures, as the Elephant, when he is mad, beholding a lamb becometh tame; and the Lion is afraid of the cock, so there may be an antipathy betwixt the living and the dead, and the blood is moved when the murderer is presented before it; but this seems to carry but little reason with it, when a man was killed in Israel and no man knew who had murdered him, If this trial had been a lawful trial, why would not the Lord have set it down for the discovery of the murderer? Vide Lessium. pag. 384 Iun●●● writing upon this place hold● this trial altogether to be unlawful. God when he works upon the subordinate causes, he works ordinarily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, according to nature, and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, pra●●r n●tur●m, as when he directs the creature another way, than their natural instinct would carry them, as when the kin● of the philistines were yoked in a cart, 1 Sam. 6.7. they carried strait, (leaving their calves) the ark to Bethsh●●●sh: So when the Raven brought daily flesh to Eliah, This was pr●ter naturam, besides nature; for the Raven is cruel to her own young ones, and will scarcely feed them, see job 48.41. Satan cannot move the creatures against their proper instinct, to do any thing, but he may hinder their natural instinct by some natural means, by an antipathy. Plutarch in Sympor. The wild bull if he be tied to the fig three it calms him: The devil by such means can hinder the creatures. God never works contrary to natural means, God never works contrary to the superior course of nature. for the God of nature is never contrary to nature; And although the Lord sometimes seems to be contrary to the second institution of nature, yet he is never contrary to the first institution of nature▪ This is the supreme course of nature, that all things should obey the first cause, and God never works contrary to this first institution of nature. I will clear this by this similitude. The inferior course of nature appoints every heavy thing to go to the centre, yet lest there be any vacuum in rerum natura, an emptiness in nature, the superior course of nature draws heavy things upward to supply this emptienes: Others expresseth the matter thus. There is a common nature, and a particular nature, and the particular gives way to the common: the water by its own proper course runs down, but by the common course; the water of the sea flows and ebbs, and this it hath from the common course; Satan cannot stop the inferior course of nature, farlesse the superior course of nature. God's miraculous sorts of working. God's second manner of working is opus Merkebha, when he worketh miraculously; God in working of his miracles useth instruments, but it is he alone who wrought the miracles; When God works his miracles by instruments, it is he only who does the work. he communicateth not this his power with any, when the dead man was cast into the grave of Elisha, and touched his bones. 2 King. 13.21. there was no power in the dead bones to quicken the man again; so there was no power in the apostles girdle, or shadow, to cure diseases, neither into the Apostles themselves was this power, they were moral means here, but they were not Physical causes, they prayed to God, and told that all was done in his name; but there natural skill helped nothing here in producing the effect. So john 5.4. when the Angel stirred the waters, and they that stepped in first were healed, the power was neither in the Angel here to heal, nor in the water when it was stirred: When the Physician stirs his potion, here he useth his skill, and there is a natural power in the potion; but when the Angel stirred the water, it was neither the skill of the Angel, nor the power of the water that healed the sick person. The Lord communicates not his power, no not with the humanity of Christ: Christ as man did not work these miracles: Christ as man wrought not miracles. The father's disputing against the Arrians, and Nestorians shows us this: Gregory Nyssen writing against Eunomius says, Non vivificat Lazarum humanitas, nec deflet in latibulis jacentem potentia▪ The humanity raised not Lazarus, neither did the divinity weep for him. God then did not communicate this his power of working miracles to any creature. Ob. If it be said Mark 16.20. that the Apostles did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, with Christ in working of the miracles, How the Apostles are said to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Christ. A difference between Christ's working of miracles and the Apostles. than they might seem to be coworking causes with Christ in the miracles. Answ. this is only spoken in respect of the end, when as God only did work the miracle; so men are said to help God, judg. 5.23. Christ in working of his miracles, differed fare from the Apostles and Prophets, when they wrought the miracles. When Christ wrought his miracles, he wrought far greater works than any other could do, joh. 15.24. If I had not done amongst them the works which no other man did, they had not had sin, which saying is to be understood; If he had not wrought more e miracles, greater miracles, and more frequent, Mark. 1.32. they brought unto him all that were diseased, Mat. 15.30. they brought to him those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and they cast them at jesus feet, and he healed them; but when the Apostles and Prophets cured the diseases, the virtue went not from them, as it did from Christ, Mar. 5.30. they ascribed never this virtue to themselves, but reserved the honour to Christ, Luke 10.17. as joab reserved the honour to David, when he was about to take the cit●e of Rabbah, 2 Sam. 12.28. Secondly, they could not cure when and where they pleased, as Christ could, as Saint Paul left Trophimus sick at Miletum, 2 Tim. 4.20. Thirdly Christ's miracles were greater than theirs, yea when they wrought one and the self same miracle: Peter cured Aneas who was eight years sick of a Palsy▪ Acts. 9.33. but Christ healed a man who was thirty eight years impotent. john 5.5. So Peter raised up Dorcas who was newly dead, Act. 9.37. But Christ raised Lazarus when he had laid four days dead in the grave, john 11. Fourthly, Christ cured 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. the imfirmities of the stomach by miracle, Mat. 5.23. But Saint Paul used only the ordinary remedy to cure this disease in Timothy, drink a little wine for the weakness of thy stomach, 1 Tim. 5.23. Miraculous works fare exceed the works of Nature, as the sight restored to the blind by Christ, fare exceeded the ordinary sight, & the wine miraculous in the Marriage of Cana, far exceeded the natural wine. So Christ cure here exceeded fare Saint Paul's. Lastly, none of the Apostles confirmed themselves to be the messias by their miracles, as Christ did Mat. 9 that ye may know that the son of man hath power to remit sins, I say unto thee, take up thy bed, Mat. 9 The witch is concausa into the work, and not causa sine qua non. But when the devil works by witches and sorcerers, he works by them as by coworking causes, They are not causae sine quibus non, for Causa sine qua non, is not reckoned amongst causes, neither by the divines nor by the Philosophers; for that is properly called a cause which concurres to the producing of the effect. When a man sets fire to a house, the setting of the fire to the house, is not the cause why the house burns, but it is causa sine qua non: So when I open the window that I may see the light; the opening of the window is but causa sine qua non, that I see the light; when Satan useth the witch in his malicious and devilish enchantments, the witch is not causa sine qua non here, but she is concausa, and helps all that she can to the destruction of the creature. The miracles which the Apostles wrought differed fare from the miracles which Satan wrought, which was not miracles indeed, but had a show of miracles, and therefore they are called lying wonders; And first, they are lying wonders, ratione causae, The difference betwixt the miracles of the Apostles and the miracles of Satan. as proceeding from the devil who is the father of lies. Secondly, ratione formae, in the manner of their working, they are but delusions. And thirdly, in respect of the end, for they serve only to confirm lies, 2 Thes. 2.9. But the Apostles miracles were true miracles wrought by the spirit of God, they were no delusions, when Aeneas was healed, he arose presently, and made his bed; and all that were at Lydia and Saron saw it, Act. 9.35. So when Peter's mother in law was healed of a fever, she arose and ministered to Christ, Mark 1.31. and as many as he touched were made perfectly whole, Matth. 14.36. Lastly, in respect of the end, the Lord cured their bodies, to make way for the curing of their souls, as Mar. 2.5. when he had cured the man of the palsy, he said unto him, Thy sins are forgiven thee. So joh. 5.14. when he cured the man of the palsy, he said unto him, Sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee; But Elimas' the sorcerer sought to turn away Sergius Paulus the deputy from the faith, Act. 13.8. The Apostles ascribed all the power to God; but sorcerers and witches, ascribe the power to themselves, Simon Magus said, he was the great power of God, Act. 8. So the witches will have the sick to believe in them, and that they have power to heal or to hurt (as they say) otherways, they can do them no good? Quest. Whether can the devil do more with the help of the witch, than he can do himself alone. Wherefore the devil can do more by the help of the Witches than he can do alone. Answ. Some holds that he can do more by the service of the witch, than he can do alone, Mirum est (inquit) & mysterium, Fransciscus de victoria rel. 1. de arte magica sub finem. quod cum daemones nocere per se non permittantur, tamen, non adeo impediuntur nocere per homines, ut magos, lainas, & alias maleficas; It is a strange thing (saith he) and a great mystery, seeing the devils oftentimes are hindered to work by themselves, yet notwithstanding they are not so hindered to hurt by men, as by sorcerers and by witches; and oftentimes he saith, the devil cannot work, unless the malice of man concur to the helping forward of his devilish practice. God himself saith, I was angry with my people, Zach. 1.15. but ye helped forward mine anger; much more may we say, that the witches with their malice helps forward the malice of the devil, and makes the fire to kindle the faster; for the devil is but a finite creature, and his power is not infinite; therefore the more that concurres to help him forward his work is the more. Let us compare Art, the Devil, nature, and God together; A comparison betwixt Art, Nature, the Devil, and God. Art can do strange things, yet it doth only imitate nature: Architas Tarentinus made a Dove so cunningly, that he mnde it fly in the air, as if it had been a living dove; and the Egyptians made their gods so cunningly, that they seemed to laugh, to smile, and to frown: And Xeuxes painted grapes so vively, that he made the birds come and fly upon them: Vide Cael●um pag. 54. and Apelles painted a horse so vively, that he made the horses passing by, to neigh, and the dogs so vively, that he made the dogs passing by to bark, when they saw the painted dog: but Archimedes surpassed all, he made a heaven of brass so curiously, that one might have seen in it the seven planets, and all the motions: but the devil can fare exceed Art; and all the skill of man, yet the secrets of nature can fare exceed Art or the Devil: The stone Carystius of old erat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive netelis, Caelium pag. 305. fit to be spun as wool or flax, and they made napkins of it; which when they were unclcane, they cast into the fire, and then they became as white as they were before, and yet the fire burned them not: when the Romans burned the bodies of the dead to ashes; Regum funera in ejusmodi adurebantur tunicis ne corporis favilla came reliquo miscer●tur cinere Plin. l. 19 cap. 1. & ha●mortu●les vocabant quib●s cadavera induebantur. how preserved they the ashes of the bodies, from the ashes of the wood which burned the bodies? they had this sort of linen which they called Asbestinum, which they did wrap the bodies into, which cloth burned not, but transmitted the fire to the bodies, and preserved the ashes of the bodies by themselves; this was a great force in nature; so the hair of the Salmander cast into the fire will not burn, but when the hairs of Servius Lucullus were cast into the fire, the devil could not preserve them from burning, without some natural means: and here nature exceeds Satan fare, but God the chief and supreme cause fare exceeds Art, Satan, and Nature: When the three children were cast into the fire, by faith they quenched the flames of it, Heb. 11.34. and their bodies were not burnt which were combustible in themselves, neither was there any means to hinder the fire not to burn them, but only God's power: So the bush burned but consumed not, Exod. 3.3. by this power of God▪ There is conjunctum instrumentum, & remotum instrumentum: When the Physician cures by physic, The devil can exceed remotum instrumentum the physician, but not conunctum instrumentum the Physic. the physic is conjunctum instrumentum of the cure, and the Physician is only remotum instrumeneum of the cure: Satan cannot cure as the physic doth, yet he can fare exceed the Physician. Now follows to show how Satan can work in a body and upon our bodies. When Satan takes a body upon him, the spirit here is not united to this body; to make up one person with it, How Satan worketh in a body, and upon a body. and to dwell in it, as our souls doth in our bodies. Secondly, this spirit is not united to this body, ut forma informans, which is tota in toto, & tota in qualibet parte corporis, which is all in the whole body, and all in every part of the body; but he is there only ut forma assistens, Cum angelus sit completa substantia & integra non est alterius rei pars substantialis non, igitur est, forma in formans quia effectus causae formalis sine causa formali fieri non potest, corpus autem informanre est effectus causae informan●is, ergo non poest fieri ab angelo qui naturae sua est substantia, completa non forma informans & naturae unita non sunt hic analogae. he moves and directs that body only, but he informs not that body, he is but in that body, as a Pilate is in the ship, or the Coachman in the coach. We have three sort of spirits, Animales, Vitales, and Naturales; Our animal spirits come from the brain, as to move, to see, and to hear; our vital spirits from the heart, as our breathing, beating of the pulse, and such like; our natural spirits proceed from the liver, as our concoction, digestion, generation, and such like: Satan hath these, secundum substantiam actionis, but not secundum modum actionis, because they proceed not, a principio vi●ente & informante: so he can lie with a woman, as these Incubi doth, but he cannot beget a child, because he hath not this principium vivens; and if artificial things, can give a sound, and be made to move, to laugh and to smile, what marvel is it, that the devil can do such things in a body, which comes a principio communi; these are common to things without life, and when the devil eats, assuming a body, his meat is not turned into blood, nor nourisheth his body, this meat is resolved but into the air again, as the Sun resolves the vapours of the earth into air again, and converts them not into itself: Thomas 1. part. questione 51. art. 2. ad. 5. So Christ after his resurrection did eat, yet that meat did not nourish his body, but was resolved into the air; so their meat which they eat, Angelorum species servatur in singulis individuis, ut species solis & lunae, sed hominum species servatur in multis & ob corruptionem singulorum similium compensant generatione. was not turned into seed for generation and preservation of their kind, f●r they are immortal spirits and beget not; daemons nullam habent individi, vel speciei mulciplicationem. The Philosopher marks that three things concur ingeneration. The common cause, the proper cause, and the material cause; the common cause is the heaven; Sol & homo generant hominem, the proper cause is the father who begets, begets, and the material cause is the seed. Satan cannot be called the father of the child as the proper cause; for every thing that is begotten, is either begotten a simili genere, or a simili specie: a simile genere, Satan cannot be called the proper cause of generation. as the Mule which is begotten betwixt the horse and the ass; a simili specie, as a child begotten by a man, but if Satan could beget a child, he should neither be a simili genere, nec a simili specie; for Satan is a spirit, and hath but an assumed body; but the child hath a body that is begotten of the father; and therefore our fathers are called the fathers of our flesh, Heb. 12.9. This is proper to a natural father; and Satan cannot be called a father in this sense; If Satan could beget a child, than this child were bound to honour his father, but no creature is bound to honour the devil; Satan cannont be called the material cause of generation. neither is there any material cause of generation here; for all generation is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Heb 11. ex commixtione seminum, jer. 31.27. I will sow the house of Israel, and the house of judah, with the seed of men; but Satan hath no seed. The Scripture acknowledgeth only two sorts of conception, first, Two sorts of conception only spoken of in the Scripture. when a woman conceives by her husband, this is natural generation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is borne of a woman, and begotten of a man; and the second was that miraculous conception of the manhood of Christ in the womb of the Virgin Mary, conceived by the holy Ghost: Another kind of conception the Scripture acknowledgeth not. Object. But they say that Satan may steal the seed of a man, and that will be a fit matter for generation. The devil's seed is not a fit matter of generation. Answ. How can Satan keep in the vital spirits in the seed, when it is not in the proper place of generation? If a man's blood be let out of his veins, can Satan keep in the vital spirits in the blood, when it is out of the vessels of it, the devil when he lies with a witch his nature is cold, as they confess, therefore his seed is not a fit matter for generation, and is the mother able to nourish such a conception nine months in her belly? Object. And if it be said that the devil hath begotten a child upon a woman, as Merling. Answ. If there was such a one as Merling, the devil beget him not by generation; but it is more probable, which Serarius holds, writing upon Tobias, that Satan can first make a woman's belly to swell, as though she were with child: Secondly, in the time of her delivery, when she appears to be delivered, Satan can by slight present a child, and make the people believe that the woman hath brought forth this child, as he brought serpents, and laid them before Pharaoh, making him believe that they were newly created serpents, and the devil bringing the matter thus fare to pass, than some evil spirit takes a body upon him; and that body he directs and guides, non ut forma informans, sedut forma assistens, and he doth strange things in this body. Many of old were deceived by this, thinking that Satan lay with women, and begat children, and they misapplied that place of Gen. 6.2. The sons of God saw the daughters of men fair, and they went in to them, and begat giants upon them: and the Poets from thence fabuled also, that Hercules was the son of jupiter, and his mother was Thetis the goddess of the water; and Alexander the son of jupiter Hammon. Now let us consider what Satan can do upon the body of man, What Satan can do upon the bodies of men. and upon the soul when it is in the boby, and upon the soul when it is out of the body First, upon the body, he can transport the bodies of men out of one place to another, Satan transports bodies. and he can strike the body with divers diseases. He can transport the bodies; Transportation is 'twould imaginary and real. transportation is twofold, first, imaginary transportation; and then real. Imaginary transportation is, when one is only transported in mind. When jeremy was in jerusalem, he was bidden go, and hide his girdle at Euphrates in Babylon, jer. 13.4. this was but an Imaginary transportation. So when the Lord carried Ezekiel from Babylon to jerusalem, that he might see there the vile abominations, and Idolatry, which they were committing in the temple of jerusalem, Ezech. 8.1. this was an imaginary transportation, and not a real. A real transportation is this, when a man is locally removed from one place to another, by a good spirit or by a bad: by a good spirit, as when the Angel transported Philip to Azotus, Act. 8.40. and 1 King. 18.12. When I am gone from thee, the spirit shall carry thee to some place that I do not know: by a bad spirit; as the devil transported Christ out of the wilderness, to the pinnacle of the temple, Matth. 4. And in this sort of transportation, this is to be observed, that Satan in an instant cannot transport a body out of one place to another, Psal. 14.4. Non de ventis sed de Christo loquitur propter a●tic ulum gracum qui affigi solet subjecto, non praedicato. the spirits of themselves flies nimbly as the winds doth, Psal. 18. compared with Heb. 1.7. showeth this. And as the lightning goeth from the East to the West in a sudden, so doth the spirits quickly: but when they carry bodies, they must fit themselves to the condition of the bodies, for bodies cannot be carried but more slowly, by reason of their weight and heaviness; How Satan applies himself to the condition of the bodies when he transports them. and so the spirits must f●t themselves to their condition, and carry them the more slowly: so when the Angel wrestled with jacob, he fitted his strength to jacobs' strength. The fire upon a sudden flies, yet in green wood we see it burns but slowly; so Satan must but slowly move the bodies when he transports them. There are many who denies such transportation of witches from place to place; Those who denies real transportation are injurous both to Ecclesiastical judicatories and civil. and they hold that it is only an Imaginary transportation, and that Satan only represents to their fantasies such imaginations: but this opinion is most false, and hurtful to the common wealth, and it is contrary to experience, and innumerable, examples of those who have been really transported: and then it is contrary to reason, for what lets, but that one evil angel may transport bodies from one place to another, as well as good Angels may do; when as the evil angels have lost nothing by their fall, either of their strength or nimbleness. And this opinion of theirs, is contrary both to the judgement of the Church and the commonwealth, and it favours to much this horrible and great sin, that it is not punished condignly as it deserveth; for the judges who are of this mind, either they punish not the witches at all, or else but lightly, sparing their lives, and so they spare those, whom the Law of God commands to be taken away. And this opinion brings a blot upon Christian judicatories, both Ecclesiastical, and civil, accusing them both of ignorance and rashness, as though they could not discern what were done indeed, and what by imagination, and to accuse them of cruelty and injustice, as though they should condemn harmless and innocent persons to death for such things, which they never committed, but only being deluded by Satan, they seem only to have done such things, yet in judging of other crimes, there we presume there is no delusion, when they have the guilty persons confessing their faults, if they be in their right wits, and stand to their confessions made before. Moreover, these also may be put to death, who are deluded by Satan in their sleep, for when they were awake they made the covenant with the devil, as also because they desire most earnestly these things to be done, which they seem to do in their dreams: and they are most glad when they see these things performed. Secondly, Satan can strike the bodies of men with diverse diseases the devil can strike the bodies of men with divers diseases; he can strike them both vitijs creationis, and vitijs accidentis. Vitia creationis are such, which men have from their conception; as to be crook backed. So with such diseases as befall men after they are borne, which are called vitia accidentis: so he strooke job with botches and boils: so he bowed down a daughter of Abraham's eighteen years, and we read in the Gospel of a dumb devil, Mat. 8.23. So of a deaf devil, Mar. 9.25. and of a blind devil Matt. 12.22. He may hurt all the senses and the tongue. Here we must put a difference between the hurting of the good Angels and the bad. How the good Angels differ from the bad Angels in hurting. The good Angels doth hurt the wicked and preserveth the godly: the good Angels were sent to Egypt to kill the Egyptians, but to save the Israelites: but the evil Angels do hurt the godly as the devil hurt the body of job, and the Angel of satan buffeted Saint Paul. Ob. But it may be said that David called the Angels who hurt the Egyptians evil Angels, Psal. 78.49. and he sent evil Angels amongst them. Ans. We must put a difference betwixt Angelus mali, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angelus mali in regimine, They were Angels of evil, but not evil Angels, who smote the Egyptians, and saved the Israelites and angelus malus; they were Angels of evil, but not evil Angels, they were Angels of evil, because they inflicted punishments upon the Egyptians, but they were good Angels protecting, and sparing the Israelites. Quest. What Angel was that which buffeted Saint Paul? Answ. Some hold that it was concupiscence and lust, against the which Saint Paul strove. Others hold, that it was some great enemy of Saint Paul's; such as was Alexander the Coper-smith: And some that it was a disease in his body which vexed him; But it seems more probable, that Saint Paul was beaten and buffeted by some Angel of the Devil: for Saint Paul describes here such a sort of affliction, that might diminish something of that pride, and high conceit which he had with the many revelations made unto him by God. This prick was given him in the flesh, to diminish those high conceits. Now neither the calumnies of the adversaries nor the diseases of the body were fit to do this; and least of all concupiscence was fit to diminish those high conceits, for one vice cannot be cured by another: S. Paul glories in this infirmity; therefore it was not a vice, and if there was such a power granted to the devil over the body of Christ, that he might transport it here and there; why might not the devil have power over the body of Saint Paul to buffet it, seeing he had such power over the body of job, to strike it with botches and sores. Quest. How are those diseases which are sent from God, discerned from those which proceed from the Devil or from natural causes? How we are to discern those diseases that come from God, from those that come from the Devil and from natural causes. Answ. It is more easy to discern those which are sent from God, than those which are from the Devil at God's permission. When diseases are sent upon men in the very time of their sinning, than we may think that the disease proceeds from no natural cause, 2 Cron. 26.19. When Vzziah had his censer in his hand, to offer incense, and was stricken with a Leprosy in the mean time; there was nothing natural in this Leprosy. So when the King's hand dried up upon a sudden; when he stretched it out to take the Prophet; this was a punishment inflicted immediately from God. So we may know by the long endurance of the plague, that it is from God; As when the jews carried the Leprosy out of Egypt with them to the Desert, and to Canan, it might be known also by the colour that it was not natural; sometimes it appeared red, Levit. 14.36. sometimes half red, sometimes green; and sometimes in the flesh of man, and in their , and in the walls of their houses. This variety of colours shows that it hath been from God immediately. Last it was remitted to the Priest to try this disease, and not to the Physicians: which argues that it was sent from God, and not from nature. So when he smote the Egyptians in their hinder parts to their perpetual shame, Psal. 78.66. this disease came not from nature, but immediately from God. But sometimes the Lord inflicts a disease which proceeds from a natural cause; As when he smote jehoram with an incurable disease in his bowels, 2 Cron. 21.18. This disease the Physicians call Diarrhaea, when the Liver and the Lungs rots, and are dissolved piece and piece, and so are evacuate: This disease had a natural cause, and a moral; Valesius de sacrae. Phil. pag. 238. The natural cause of it was evil diet, which corrupted both the Liver and the Lungs: therefore the text saith, his bowels fell out, by reason of the sickness day by day, for this disease piece and piece consumes the Liver and the Lungs, and ver. 19 it was two years before he died of this disease. The Moral cause of his disease was this, because he made judah to go a whoring after Idols, ver. 13. if he had not committed those sins he had not so erred in his diet, neither would it have hurt him so (for it is the Lord that wounds and the Lord that heals.) God's will is the first cause preceding all other causes, yet it takes not away natural and subordinate causes. But those diseases which are inflicted by satan, at the permission of God, it is hard to know them. All the Physicians could not tell what it was that bowed down the daughter of Abraham eighteen years, Luke 13.11. Therefore in such cases, when the diseases are not known whence they proceed, we should ever look up to the first cause: When job was rob of his goods by the Chaldaeans, he looked up to the first cause, and he said, the Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken; So no doubt when satan struck him with such sores, he said, The Lord woundeth, and the Lord healeth: people commonly when they are stricken with some diseases they say, some witch hath done this, but they never look up to the first cause, the hand of God, but the greatest witch that bewitches them is their own infidelity. The jews marks two sorts of spirits which hurts men. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The jews for the most part ascribes all sudden diseases to evil spirits, and they make two sorts of spirits, one sort that kills in the night; And this they call Debher; And another which kills in the day time, and this they call Ketebh: and all the ground which they have for this is that which they take out of Psal. 91.6. he will deliver thee from the pestilence which walks in the darkness, and from the destruction which wastes in the day time; And the Targum following the jews opinion Paraphraseth it thus. A caetu daemonum perdentium in meridie, that is, from the company of the devils who destroyeth in the noonetyme of the day; a●d the 70. translates i●, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, & daemonio meridiano; that is, from a devil that flies in the day tyme. As Satan can hurt the bodies of men, so he can hurt the soul, Satan can hurt the soul when it is in the body. To strike the soul with madness. when it is in the body; as the evil spirit of the Lord came upon Saul, and strooke him with madness and this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and opposite to this is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mar. 5.15. So he can strike the heart with blindness, and hardness; but for the will of man it is moved by no external cause, but only by God himself: The Lord persuaded japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem, Gen. 9.27. It is the Lord only who can peswade the will: Satan cannot persuade the will, God only doth this. satan propounds and suggests tentations to the will, but cannot enforce the will. Hence it followeth that the devil cannot be said to be the cause of sin, directly moving the will, as God moveth the will to good: the will is a free working cause, and determinates itself to sin: therefore the Devil cannot necessitate the will to sin, unless the will give its own consent, non cogendo, sed suadendo nocet, non extorquet consensum, sed petit: Therefore it is, that the scripture so often exhorts us to resist the devil, Ephes. 6. and james 4. Resist the devil, and he will fly from you: And if the devil should draw men necessarily to sin, than it should be the devil's sin only; and not man's, when as all sin is willingly committed: Therefore he is but indirectly the cause of sin, Satan is indirectly the cause of sin by the will. propounding and suggesting such objects which may affect the senses, and draw the will at last to give consent willingly to the sin. When the soul is out of the body, the devil can do nothing to the souls of the children of God, What Satan can do to the soul when it is out of the body. for they are bound up in the bundle of life, 1. Sam. 25. but he can punish the souls of the wicked, according to that power which is granted unto him; and so much the more as the soul is the more immaterial than the body: So the punishments of the soul are more fearful than the punishments of the body▪ and although the bodies be more passable than the soul, yet the spirit hath more understanding; and when there is more understanding, there the pain and the grief is the greater; And there is the greater harmony betwixt spirits and their delights, then betwixt the senses and their pleasures, and consequently there is more grief in the soul then in the body. Reason's moving us to acknowledge the power of the Devil. If we would consider either the number, strength, order, or agreement of the devils amongst themselves, we must acknowledge their great power. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The order of the devils. First, there order: There is Belzebub the prince of the devils; & there are also inferior devils, as Rev. 12. the Dragon fought & his Angels, and Ashmodeus Lucifer princeps daemoniorum: Augustinus Nyphus in his book de daemonibus, cap. 17. saith Omnis multitudo dictat ordinem, & maxim in perpetuis substantijs; Every multitude requireth order, but especially those immortal substances; for as it is ordained (saith he) that men may live the more quietly and peaceably, that there be superiors to rule, and inferiors to obey: So amongst the devils that they may hurt & annoy man the more, there are some superiors, and others inferiors; which power and superiority of theirs shall cease, when they can hinder no more the salvation of man: And as all principalities shall be given up then, 1 Cor. 15. So shall also (saith he) this principality of the devil cease then. When we consider their number. If we consider then there number we may see what great power they have; A Legion possessed one poor man. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are called Gibborim potestatés. Thirdly, consider that they are called Gibborim; potestates, strong ones, Psal. 78.25. he fed them with the bread of the strong ones, that is with the bread of Angels. There agreement. And lastly, consider their agreement: It is not Regnum divisum, a divided kingdom, they all conspire together for the overthrow of man: by all this we may understand what power the devil hath to trouble and molest poor man. Now to conclude this point concerning the power of the devils, this is our comfort, that there power is a limitate power, and that they can go no further than God permits them, 1 Sam. 18.10. It is said that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul; why is he called the evil spirit that came from God, because he was sent by him, and restrained by him at his pleasure. The Lord can rule the devils at his pleasure, he cannot only restrain them that they hurt us not; but can make them instruments to serve for the good of his Saints. 1 Cor. 5. the Lord bids deliver the incestuous Corinthian over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, that his spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord jesus; The Lord makes the devil here his instrument for the mortifying of the corruption of the incestuous Corinthian, 1 Cor. 5.5. So he used the messenger of Satan to buffet Paul, that he might humble him, 2 Cor. 12.7. The Lord can make Satan an instrument for the good of his Saints. The planets the nearer that they are to the first mover, the more they are carried about with the motion of the first mover; and the less they follow their own motion, and those that are farther from the first mover, follows more their own motion, and less the motion of the first mover: and they that are farthest of all from the first mover, most swiftly perfects their own motion; And yet for all that, they follow the motion of the first mover also: Saturn that is nearest to the firs● mover, followeth his own motion very slowly, and finishes both his own course in thirty years. The sun that is farthest from the first mover than Saturn, finisheth his own course more swiftly (in a year) than Saturn doth: But the Moon although she be the lowest of all the planets, and finisheth her course in twenty eight days, yet she follows the course of the first mover, and is carried from the East to the West. The Angels and the glorified spirits, are most carried and directed by God the first mover, and followeth not their own motion: The regenerate in this life they are too much busied about their own motion, and yet they are ruled and guided by the spirit of God; But the devilles who are farthest of all from him, and followeth their own motion most, yet they are enforced to follow the Lord and his will. When Balaam would have cursed the people of God Num. 23.23. he was enforced to say that there was no enchantment against Israel; When the Lion had killed the Prophet, yet he tared not his flesh, nor broke his bones. Beth here is (contra) and not (in) 1 King. 13.24. So the Lord restrains this raging Lion the devil, that he make not altogether havoc of his Church, Pro. 30.31. there be four things which are comely in going, A Lion which is the strongest amongst beasts, and turneth not away for any: a horse girt in the loins: a he goat also: and fourthly a King, against whom there is no rising up: Satan is a strong Lion, who turneth not away for any, he is that strong horse girt in the Loyres, which rusheth into the battle, and none is able to withstand him. jer. 8.6. he is also that he goat; Alexander was called Hircus caprarum Dominus duorum cornuum, Dan. 8.6. The strength of a beast lies in his horns, Quando animaeli cuipiam additur Gen. Plur. foemin, tunc significatur animal illud tenerum esse, Gen. 38.17 Psal. 113.4. Eze. 45.23. and Dan. 8.21. He was called Hircus caprarum, to signify, that he was but a young goat when he pushed the world, and none was able to withstand him: what strength then hath this old he goat, to push the children of men: And he is that King against whom there is no rising: Therefore we should be afraid of his strength always: But this is our comfort, that hell and destruction are before the Lord, Prov. 15.11. to be before the Lord signifieth not only that things are known to him; but also that they are under his power and subjection, Gen. 13.9. Is not the whole land before thee? Coram aliquo quid significat. so Cant. 8.12. my vineyard which is mine is before me; that is, it is in my power, and belongs to me; So hell and perdition are before the Lord: That is hell, and the devilles who are tortured there, howsoever they resist, yet they are subject to the Lord. These spirits must always be at the Lords command, and subject unto him. The Apostle saith, Heb. 2.8. That he hath put all things under his feet; but we see them not as yet put under him; sed tandem proferet victoriam injudicum, and then his enemies shall be quite trodden under his feet, Mat. 12.20. SECT. 12. Of the knowledge of the devils, and of their predictions of things to come. THe devils hath great knowledge, The devils have great knowledged. and therefore they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Four things make them to have great knowledge. Four things makes them to have great knowledge. The devils know things uno intuitu. First, they know things, uno intuitu, and they are intelligentes creaturae, sed non ratiocinantes, they know not, as the Schoolmen saith, Hoc ex hoc; they reason not as we do, gathering this of this, but because they know not all things together, therefore they learn, hoc post hoc, this after this. When we behold the face of a man whom we know, here we rest without any reasoning to inquire who he is; but if we have forgotten the man whom we have seen before, than we begin to recollect, and bring ourselves to a particular knowledge of the man, as where we have seen him before, how they call him: The first sort of knowledge which we have of the face, is, minus universalis, & magis distincta, but the second is magis universalis, & magis confusa. When the devil looks upon things he knoweth them, uno intuitu, as when we look upon a known face. Our knowledge again is more confused, and therefore we come to it by reasoning this and that way. Satan when he looks upon the effects, and the cause, he doth not abstract and separate them as we do when we foretell by the causes, the effects following, neither looks he by the effects unto the cause. Our sight is quicker than our hearing, and therefore we see the lightning before we hear the clap of the thunder; but the devil takes them up both at one time. A comparison betwixt man and man how far one exceeds another, and how far the devil exceeds man. The devil being a spirit knows many things which man knows not, and he apprehends them sooner than man, both for the impediment of his senses, and dulness of his wit, when we consider how fare one man differeth from another in quickness and understanding; and how dull another is in conception and understanding; by this we may be led to take up what difference there is betwixt the knowledge of the devil, and the knowledge of man; and that he fare surpasseth man in understanding: Vitruvius' lib. 9 de architec. cap. 3. compare but Archimedes his quickness of wit, with Croesus his dulness, and then ye may see what difference there is betwixt man's knowledge, and the devils: Archimedes could find out to tell how much base mettle was in the King of Siracuses crown, which was made to him, although he broke not the crown. This was an admirable and great skill: Croesus again was as dull in his conception, when he caused to take the flesh of Testudo the shell crab, and the flesh of a lamb, and boil them in one vessel to try which of them should be soon boiled, and whether the shell crab would be as slow in boiling as in going, and come as fare behind the lamb now, as before; therefore Tyrius said of him, Caelua pag. 51. that he was Regum stultissimus, & coquorum infaelicissimus, of all kings the most foolish, and of all cooks the most unskilful; Archimedes his skill fare surpasseth Croesus his dulness, so the wit of the devil fare surpasseth man. The Angles knoweth not this by this, as we do; when the doors was sprinkled with the blood, they reason not after this manner as we do, this is the sign, therefore such a man dwelleth here; but the blood was sprinkled upon the doors, for to assure the Israelites, that none of their houses should be killed. Object. But ye will say, How the Angels take up things. if the Angels compone not things, but apprehend only simple things, they have the basest sort of knowledge, for children apprehend first simple things, than they compone things; and thirdly, they reason; and thus they proceed from the imperfect to the more perfect, & posteriora origine, sunt dignitate prima; and these things which are last taken up, are most excellent; now the Angels taking up things only simply, they seem to have the basest sort of knowledge. Answ. The Angels by their simple essence know things, and not by passion, as we apprehend in our mind. Secondly, the Angels when they apprehend simple things, it is without any kind of imperfection (as it is when we apprehend them) & eminenter includunt perfectionem compositionis, & discursus. Secondly, The long life of the devil makes him to have great skill. their long life makes them to have great skill: Satan is an old Serpent, therefore his skill must be very great. Let a man live but Nestor's days, and have good wit, together with long experience, he cannot choose but to be wise: Satan saw from the creation of the world, and shall see to the last judgement; he saw the first world drowned with water, and shall see the second destroyed with fire, therefore he must understand much. It is a long time ere a man come to knowledge, and he spends a great time in folly, and if he live long he forgets as fast and faster than ever he learned: But Satan Nescit quid sit oblivisci, and therefore great must be his knowledge. Thirdly, The great employment of Satan breeds him kill. the great employment of Satan hath bred him great knowledge: he saw the rising, the height, and the fall of the four Monarchies, he had a hand in them all, & quorum pars magna fuit. He was at the consultations of all the tyrants against the Church, and no wicked deed was ever achieved, but Satan was at the plotting-of it: and therefore great must be his skill. Fourthly, his great intelligence that he hath abroad; makes him to understand much; His great employment abroad makes him to have skill. for the evil spirits from all parts give intelligence one to another; and as the Cherubims were painted in the temple with their faces one to another, signifying that their is a correspondency amongst the good Angels, for the propagating of the Kingdom of God; so the devils agree one with another, to give mutual intelligence for the upholding of their kingdom, & Regnum non est divisum, Mat. 12.25. The Lord knows only the secrets of the heart; God only knoweth the secrets of the heart. as when Sarah laughed within herself, Gen. 18.12. and the Pharisees reasoned within themselves, Luk. 6.8. 2. King. 8.26. joh. 2.25. Heb. 4. all things are naked before him, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speech borrowed from the Priests under the Law, who when they killed the beast, all things that were within the beast were laid naked before the Priest, and he saw what was found, and wh●t was corrupted: so all our thoughts are naked before the Lord, he knoweth which are good, and which are bad; and therefore the Arabians say, Tu solus domine, nosti substantiam pectoris; and thus they call upon him; O thou who knowest the thoughts of men, when they hold their peace; that knowledge is the most excellent knowledge, which we attain to by knowing the cause: but God knoweth all things as they are in their causes, originally, but our thoughts are in the heart, as causes: and therefore it is most fit that God should know them, who is rather said to understand intelligible things then visible, because they come nearer to his nature, & magis sunt in actu, & ille est purus actus. This knowledge of the heart Satan hath not, but only by effects, Satan knoweth what is in the heart only by the effects and here he knoweth this of this, and this after this, because he hath no knowledge of the cause but by the effect here; he conjectures what is in the heart, as the Physicians by the pulse can tell the disease. Valerius lib. 7. Erasistratus the Physician was much commended, who perceived by the countenance of Antiochus King of Seleucia his son, that he was taken in love with his mother in law; if a Physician by the beating of the pulse, and countenance can take up this, much more can the devil do; and if the Fisher by stirring of the cork, knoweth that there are fishes in the net, much more may the devil know what is in the heart by signs. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of our heart a fare off, which the devil doth not, The Lord knows the thoughts of our heart a fare off. Psal. 139.17. and as the Gardener in the Winter foretells, that this root will bring forth such an herb, and this tree such a fruit long before the Spring. So the Lord seethe the thoughts of the wicked a fare off. When the Prophet foretold Hazael▪ that he should be King of Israel; and foretold also▪ what cruelty he should exercise upon their women and children, that he should rip up the bellies of the women with child, what man or Angel could have foreseen this? When it was told Hazael, he wept, and said, Am I a dog, 2 King. 8.13. that I should prove such a cruel monster, but yet he proved such a monster, as the Lord foretold; because from the wicked comes wickedness, 1 Sam. 24.13. The Lord can foretell contingent things. The Lord only can foretell contingent things. There are three sort of contingent things. Contingens natum. There are three sorts of contingent things, as the Schoolmen observes: the first is contingens natum, the second is contingens rarum; the third is, contingens indefinitum. Contingens natum, they make to be that which usually falleth out, as a man when he is old to have white hairs. Contingens rarum. Secondly, there is contingens rarum which falleth out very seldom; as when a man is digging the ground, he findeth a treasure: Satan can hardly foretell this, because he knoweth not perhaps where the treasure is hidden, no more than he knew where the body of Moses was buried, Deut. 34.6. Thirdly, there is contingens indefinitum; Contingens indefinitum. as whether Peter will run the morrow or not? This Satan cannot foretell. These contingent things God only can foretell, Tell us what is to come, that we may know that ye are gods; that is, if ye can foretell things contingent: Therefore james Chap. 4. (because all contingent events depend upon the Lord) willeth us to say, we will do such and such things, if the Lord will. A man and a maid are married together, to foretell that they will have children, this is easy to do, because it is contingens natum; for usually young folks beget children: but to foretell how many children they will have, whether ten, or twelve: The devil more hardly can foretell this, because it is contingens rarum. But lastly, whether they will prove wise men or fools, that is, contingens indefinitum: Solomon himself could not foretell that, Eccles. 2.19. and the devil himself cannot foretell this. The Prophets understood things past, present, and to come. 1 Sam. 1.9. The Prophets illuminate by the Spirit of God, understood things, past, present, and to come, for he revealeth his secrets to his servants, Amos 3. therefore the Prophets were called Chozin videntes. The Prophets understood things past. Satan may understand things well enough, ab exord●o temporis, from the beginning of time, and remember them very well. But he cannot know exordium rerum, the beginning of things; for God hath them only written in his book, Satan can understand things ab exordio temporis but not ab exordi● rerum. Psal. 139.16. In thy book are all my members written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them: So he hath the book of life, in the which men's names were written before the foundation of the world, Rev. 3.5. and these whose names are written in this book, he revealeth to his servants the Prophets, Phil. 4.3. I entreat you to help these my fellow labourers, whose names are in the book of life; but all this knowledge is hid from Satan. Secondly, the Prophets know things present, How the Prophets knew things present when they were absent although they were absent from those places where they were done, 2 King. 5.26. Was not my Spirit with thee, when the man in his chariot turned to meet thee. So Elisha knew well enough the secrets of the King of Syria, and what was done in his secret chamber, 2 King. 6.12. although he was absent. So Paul, although he was at Ephesus in Asia, yet his spirit informed him what was done a fare off in Corinth, 1 Cor. 5.3. yet the Prophets could not foretell such things, Prophecy is not habitus sed actus transiens. when the Lord revealed not himself unto them, as 2 King. 4.27. Her soul is vexed within her, and the Lord hath hid it from me; for prophecy was not habitus sed actus transiens; and as the lute ceaseth to give a sound when he that playeth ceaseth to play; so they could not prophesy when the Lord illuminate them not. But Satan and his sorcerers cannot foretell things when they are absent, unless they be informed by other spirits, or see the effects in the cause; as Satan can foretell that the river of Nilus will overflow, when he seethe the rain in Ethiopia like to fall. Thirdly, The Prophets foretold things that were always hidden from man. the Prophets being illuminate by the spirit of God, foretold things that were always hidden, and which no ways depended upon any natural cause, such as was the incarnation of Christ, and his resurrection, and such like: which mysteries the Angels themselves desire to look into, 1 Pet. 1.12. But they understood them not, before they were revealed to them; fare less could the devils understand them: So the Prophet foretold three hundred years before the birth of josias, 1 King. 13.2. that he should offer upon the altar the bones of the Priests that burned incense at Bethel. And Elias foretold the death of joram, and what disease he should die of, to wit, of a disease in his bowels, 2 Chron. 21. These things Satan and his sorcerers could not foretell. How did the prophets foretell things which never took effect. Object. But the Prophets of God foretold many things which never took effect, Esaias foretold Ezekias that he should shortly die, and yet he lived fifteen years: So jonah foretold the Ninevites, that within forty days Nineveh should be destroyed, and yet Nineveh was not destroyed, as jonah foretold? Two sorts of prophecies. Independens & absoluta prophetia. Ans. There were two sorts of prophecies: the first was independens & absoluta prophetia; which was called the prophecy of prescience; and this always took effect. Comminationis prophetia. The second sort of prophecy was the prophecy of commination or threatening, which was conditional, and respected always the second causes, and this took not always effect. If this sort of prophecy be considered in the second causes, it may be said to take effect, as, Set thy house in order, for thou shalt die; if ye will respect the disease itself, or the constitution of Ezekias' body, Ezekias shall die, but look into the first cause, to Gods will, who appointed to prolong Ezekias his life, he shall not die. Quest. Whence hath the devils this their knowledge to foretell things to come? Ans. They have not this knowledge by experience and observation of natural things only, but they learn also many things from the Scriptures; for although the Scriptures be a sealed book to them, in respect of the spiritual knowledge of it, The devils have the knowledge of the Scripture, but not the spiritual. yet they have a literal knowledge of the Scripture: The good Angels learn from the Church daily, Eph. 3.6. and they desire to look to the mystery of the incarnation with our stretched necks, 1 Pet. 1.12. they grow daily in the spiritual knowledge: But the devils who are bound in chains of darkness, jud. 6. are more and more darkened in spiritual knowledge daily: when a man comes out of a great light into a dark place, that weakens his sight much, but take him out of a dark place, and put him in a clear place again, than it will make him quite blind: Dionysius the Tyrant of Sicily, above his prison built a very lightsome and white chamber, which he whitened over with lime, and when he had a long time detained his prisoners in a dark dungeon, he suddenly brought them into this bright place, wherein instantly they became blind, because their eyes were not able to bear so sudden a change: The devils are more and more blinded in spiritual knowledge. So the Devils were in a place of great light in the Heavens, than they were cast down into the low hells, and there they were fettered with the chains of darkness; But when the light of the Gospel was revealed, It made them more & more blind, that they have eyes now and sees none, and they have no spiritual understanding of the mysteries of the Gospel; But when they see the Scriptures, they may have the literal knowledge of them well enough, and foretell things to come by them; and many things which should befall to the Church; they might foreknow the rising and the falling of the mornarchies out of Daniel, and they might foretell the nativity of Christ by searching the Scriptures, and many things which should befall the Church in their latter times, by observing the book of the Revelation. The Oracle of Delphos gave this answer to Alexander, Invictus eris Alexander; This was easy for the devil to foretell, because Daniel foretold the fall of the Medes and Persians by the Greeks': So the Oracle of Delphos foretold to Croesus, that his Kingdom in the fift generation should perish: This the Devil might easily learn out of the Scriptures; for God visits the sins of the father upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation, and the children filling up the measure of their father's iniquity, than his Kingdom was shortly to come to an end. A man murders another and escapeth. It is easy for Satan to foretell what death he should die out of the Scriptures; he who kills by the sword, shall be killed by the sword: and sometimes the Lord useth the devil as his executioner and hangman; It was easy for the devil to say to Saul, to morrow thou shall be with me; because the Lord used him as his executioner in this judgement. Satan when he foretelles' things to come, he speaks with a low voice, and out of the ground; and he pipes as chickens do when they are new hatched, Isa. 8.19. sometimes he flatters the party who expects the revelation of him; and therefore Demosthenes said that the Oracle of Apollo did but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is flatter Philip of Macedon: So when Alexander came into the temple of jupiter Hammon, the priest called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Plutarch in vita Alexandri. fair child, which Alexander took to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, jupiter his son. But when the Devil was doubtful of the events of his prophecies, than he gave his answers doubtfully, that they might admit a double sense; Such was those answers which he gave by his false Prophets to Ahab King of Israel, when he was going to besiege Ramoth Gilead, They demanded of him who should prevail? He answered the King should prevail, but he tells not which King, whether Syria or Israel. 2 Cro. 18.11. Satan's responses were very doubtful. His responses were so doubtful, that the wisest amongst the heathen could not tell what to make of them. All his responses were doubtful, therefore he was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apollo; Satan is a great Sophister in his answers. He being asked how the gods should be worshipped, gave this answer, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mittite capita jovi, hominem vero Saturno. The fallacy lay here in the accent, for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being accented (accentu gravi) signifieth a man, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being accented (accentu circumflexo) signifieth a torch or a light; but they mistaking the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they sacrificed a number of men to him in stead of setting of lights before him. When the plague was very hot at Athens, Plutarch de Ei apud delphos. they asked the Oracle of Apollo how it might be remedied: the Oracle answered and bade them duplare aram, which neither Plato nor Aristotle understood; Plato by Geometry, went about to find out how the Altar might be doubled; But the Oracle meant, that they should double their sacrifices to the gods, and then the plague should cease. Example the third. Aio te Aeacida Romanos vincere posse, the words imply a double sense here, either that the Romans might overcome, or that they might overcome the Romans. Some hold, that by the placing of the negative particle, the devil deceived Eve, as when he laid unto her, non moriendo morieris; for they say, when the negative with the Hebrews is placed before the finite and the infinite verb, than it neither certainly affirmeth, nor denyeth, but leaves the matter in doubt. This (say they) is the affirmative. Moriendo morieris. This is the Negative. Moriendo non morieris. This is the doubtful. Non moriendo morieris; perhaps ye may die, and perhaps not: Vide grammaticum ●unij. Thus Satan deceived Eve (say they) when he saw her begin to doubt, perhaps we shall not die: But this rule holds not; for (non) being set before the finite and the infinite, doth flatly deny, Psal. 49.7. Non redimendo, redimet fratremsuum, that is, he can no ways redeem his brother from death. And so when this particle (non) is set betwixt the finite and the infinite, it denieth only in part, jer. 46.28. I will chastise thee in judgement, Sed evacuando non evacuabo te, that is, I will chastise thee in judgement, but not destroy thee, here the particle (non) being set betwixt the finite and the infinite denieth not flatly, but only in part, yet being placed here before the finite and the infinite, it is altogether negative; wherefore non moriendo morieris, flatly denieth here, and not doubtfully. He hath likewise deceived some, by doubling the negative particle: when Manfredus did contend with Charles, about the Kingdom of Naples, he got this answer from the devil, Non non gallus superabit. Fiftly, he manifested his deceit by the similitude of words: Such was the Oracle which Thusidides makes mention of. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Here they read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and they could hardly discern, whether to prepare themselves against the war, or to use remedies against the sickness. Sixthly, the deceit lay in the words themselves, which suffer a double interpretation, Gen. 3. That day that ye shall eat of this fruit, your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall know good and evil: We know good and evil two manner of ways, first in theory, and then by miserable experience; they knew good and evil in the first sense before their fall, but by miserable experience, when they did eat of the forbidden fruit. Vide Morne ꝑlcsse. pag. 389. These Oracles hath very often deceived men: Therefore Oenomaus the Philosopher wrote a book against them, which had this inscription, De oraculorum falsitate; As Plutarch wrote a book de oraculorum defectu; And Porphyre testifieth, when as the Oracle of Delphos could not divine by the stars, what should befall them, the Oracle desired them, that they would ask him nothing at all, and he told them that if they ceased not to ask him, he would tell them lies. Object. But the Lord seemeth by the Prophet Elisha, to give a doubtful answer to Hazael, 2 King. 8.10. To whom Elisha said, go tell him that he shall not recover at all, for the Lord hath told me that he shall certainly die, The words seem also to carry another sense; Go tell him that he shall recover, although the Lord said that he shall die: He shall recover, because the sickness of itself is not deadly, he shall not recover, because Hazael dipped a cloth in water, and laid it on his face that he died. There is but one sense in the prophet's answer to Hazael. Answ. There is but one meaning of the Prophet here answering to Hazael; but the Critics amongst the jews found out another sense, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ei. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non. reading in the margin, Lo ei, for Lo non; So they would show a divers reading of the prophet's words. Ob. Ezekiel 12.14. The Lord threatened Zedekiah with a judgement, which might seem to be given out very doubtully; I will bring him to Babylon, to the land of the Chaldeans, and yet he shall never see it, although he die there. Answ. Because this perfidious King, Why the Lord gave a doubtful answer to Zedekias. would not believe the Prophets of God, who told him so plain that he should be carried to Babel; therefore the Lord tells him this closely, which soon after he understood, when his eyes were picked out of his head at Riblah, and he carried to Babel. Quest. What are we to think of Balaam, Whether Balaam was a Prophet of God or Diviner. whether was he a Prophet of God or a Diviner only? Answ. First he was a Diviner only, but afterward the Lord put a parable in his mouth, Moses Gerundensis 162.2. Balaam primum divinus postea prophets, deinde rediit ad primum. ponere sermonem in illis, 2 Cor. 15.19. carrieth a notable Emphasis with it, whereby is signified, that the Lord ruled their tongues, directed them what they should speak, and sanctified them: So the Lord guided the tongue of Balaam, and opened his eyes to Prophesy; Thus fare the Lord put this parable in his mouth; but he sanctified him not, for he following the wages of iniquity, returned to be a diviner again: And the jews applieth this proverb to him, Camelus cornua quaerens aures amisit; That is, Baalam hunting for honour and seeking after riches, lost the gift of Prophecy; and amongst the rest who were killed in the battle, it is said, that Baalam the Diviner was killed. Ios. 13. This gift which Baalam had was only from the spirit of illumination; And there was a great difference betwixt him and the holy Prophets of God, A difference betwixt these, the Lord appeared to Balaam, and the word of the Lord was to jeremy. Luke 1.70. and the Hebrews observe, when it is said the Lord appeared to Laban, to Balaam, and to Abimelech, there is less meant here, then when it is said, the word of the Lord was unto Isay, to jeremy, to Ezekiel, for that employed that the oracles of God were concredit to them, as to faithful witnesses, but he did not concredit his word this way to Baalam, he was but like a trunk, through the which the Lord spoke. Quest. How differ the predictions of the Prophets, from the Predictions of Satan and his instruments? The differences between the predictions of the Prophets, and the predictions of Satan and his instruments. Answ. The predictions of the Prophets were for the most part of spiritual things, and they prophesied but of temporary things in the second place; but the predictions of the devils, were never of spiritual things. Secondly, when the Prophets of God foretold good things, they added always conditionem crucis, that is, some temporary crosses to be added to them; they shall receive a hundred fold, but with persecutions, Mark 10. 30. but the false Prophets prophesied always placentia, pleasant things. Thirdly, when the Prophets foretold judgements to come, this condition was always reserved; if the people repent not, this judgement shall come; but the false prophets foretold all things to fall out by a fatal necessity. Fourthly, when the Prophets foretold judgements to come, although they took not effect, yet they were not holden for false Prophets, such was the Prophecy of jonah to the Ninevites, and of Isaiah to Ezekias; for God is merciful when men repent; But the false Prophets when they prophesied good things to come, and they came not to pass, than they were holden for false prophets: So jeremiah convinced Hananiah that he was a false Prophet, jer. 28. when he promised to Icconiah his return out of Babel. The Prophets had certain signs by which they demonstrated to the people what should befall them, as when the Prophet Isay went naked and ; This was called Siman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, this was a note to discern the Prophets by, but it was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the false Prophets used also these signs, as Zedekiah made him horns of iron, and said, thus saith the Lord, with these shalt thou push the Aramites, 1 King. 22.11. The Prophets of God were distinguished from the false Prophets; for the false Prophets wrought sometimes marvellous things before the people, but they could not work miracles: These miracles in show were called ostenta, mopheth: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were miracles in show but they were not true miracles: If there arise a Prophet amongst you, and give you a sign or a wonder, Deut. 13.1. These were but lying wonders, but the Prophets of God they gave Oath, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 venit. a true sign 2 King. 20.9. this sign shalt thou have of the Lord: This Oath comes from atha venit; As I am a true Prophet this shall verily come to pass: So Moses confirmed himself to be a Prophet by his true miracles which he wrought before Pharaoh. And last the true Prophets always prophesied according to the law, and never against it Isa. 8.20. If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. The knowledge of the devil serves only to the dishonour of God, & to hurt poor man. The Apostle, 1 Cor. 13.1. sheweth if a man could speak with the tongue of men and Angels, and have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and had all knowledge & faith; so that he could remove mountains, and have not charity it profiteth nothing. Although Satan speak all languages, foretell things to come, & have the knowledge of all mysteries, and could remove mountains, yet this is all nothing, because he wants charity: All this his skill he employs only to the destruction of man, Therefore his knowledge serves but as a barrel of pitch to cause him to burn the faster in hell fire: his knowledge wants charity and nothing which he knows is profitable to man, until he reveal it unto him: he is compared unto Stellio which every year casts the skin of it (as Aristotle and Pliny testifieth) & this skin being drunk in a little wine is a sovereign remedy against the falling sickness; but this envious creature presently eats it up again, lest man should reap any benefit by it, so the envious devil hides from man all that can profit him. Satan's knowledge is most hurtful to us; When a Physician studieth physic, only to know his science, that is Curiositas, when he studieth to know his science, only that he may be known, this is ambitio. When he studies his science that he may cure others, this is Charitas; but if he should study his science to poison others, this were Crudelitas. All the study of Satan is under fair pretences to destroy man, Revel. 17.4. The whore is said to have in her hand a cup of gold, full of abominations, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Plenum philtris impuris, for these philtra and pocula amatoria, were mixed commonly with most impure and filthy things, tending to bewitch men. So when Satan presents a gilded cup to us, wherein he promiseth most wholesome Physic to us, and most skilfully tempered, yet mors est in olla. SECT. 13. Of the craft of the Devil. THe Scripture saith, Let no man deceive you in sublime discourse, touching the worshipping of Angels pressing to that he knoweth not, Col. 2.18. Here is forbidden the adoration of Angels, and an opinion Fantastical of them, either to extol them further than appertaineth to the degree of a creature, or to extol a man's knowledge of them further than he hath a ground, but to inquire so far as the Scriptures teacheth us, or nature itself, either of the good angels, or of these revolted Devils, that is not forbidden: To converse with them, to employ them, to covenant with them, or to worship them that is forbidden, but the contemplation of their nature, their power, their illusions, either by scripture or reason, is a part of spiritual wisdom; for the Apostle says we are not ignorant of his stratagems, We may inquire of the nature of the devils, although we may not covenant with them, or worship them. and it is no more unlawful to inquire the nature of evil spirits, than it is to inquire the force of poison in nature, or the nature of sin and vice in morality. First let us consider what instruments Satan made choice of, to deceive the woman by; he made choice of the Serpent, the craftiest beast in the field: As joab made choice of the wise woman of Tecga, and put a Parable in her mouth, for to beg pardon for Absalon at the King's hand, he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes taken in a good sense gnarum, Prov. 27.12. the crafty seeth the Plague, and hideth him: and sometimes in a bad sense jer. 4.22. they are crafty to do evil. Satan is crafty in this sense. Satan makes choice of the subtlest heads to be his instruments: Satan makes choice of the subtlest heads to be his instruments. And as the moth breeds in finest cloth, so Satan commonly employs the craftiest and best wits, to be his instruments to trouble and vex the Church of God; As he choosed Ulpian that great Lawyer to write books against the Christians; so he made choice of Porphir that great philosopher, to write against the Christians; and Galen the Physician, and Lucian the scoffer, and julian the Apostate: But God makes choice of the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; the Angel spoke out of the mouth of Baalam's Ass, these crafty tentations of Satan are called his snares. 1 Tim. 3.7. Satan observes the humours of the body. Satan in his tentations he observes the humours of the body of man, and that humour which predominates most in the body, that humour he observes and takes occasion to tempt men by it. When God converts a man to grace, he doth not take away the natural humours of the body, but only rectifies them; But Satan perverts the humours of the body, that by them he may work man's destruction, and especially he works by melancholy upon the body; and therefore melancholy is called esca diaboli by the Fathers; such was the melancholy of Saul, the devil wrought upon his constitution, and troubled him sundry times, and Math. 17.15. this melancholic in the Syriac is called Bar Agara, and they translate it commonly filium agri, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Extra tectum. the son of the field, but not rightly, for filius agri signifieth properly an husband man, as filius civitatis signifieth a Citizen, Luke 15.15. Therefore they translate it better, who translate it Bar extra, & agar a domum; because the unclean spirits made the melancholious man fly out of the houses; and to live amongst the graves. These devils they call Sorodaemones, that is sepulchrales larvae, who drove the melancholickes to live amongst the graves, Math. 8.29. and tombs of the de●●. These sometimes are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: and the Greek Physicians call this disease 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Nebuchadnezer was vexed with this. When Satan possesseth these melancholickes there is some natural thing in this disease, and some spiritual, When Satan possesses the melancholic the natural cause would be helped by physic, and the devil cast out by prayer. and both would be removed, both the next cause, and the remote cause: A man is taken with a fever; the chief cause, is the abundance of choler, and the second cause is, because he hath walked too much in the heat of the sun; first his choler must be purged, and then he must be removed to a place where there is more shadow, and not so much heat: These melancholickes are not cured but by prayer, and fasting, as by a spiritual Antidote; There must also Physic be used for the purging of this melancholy, which is the Devil's bait; An evil spirit came upon Saul, and David played upon his Harp, and then the evil spirit left him, Vtimur musica vel pro disciplina, vel pro delectatione, vel pro aenimi purgatione, vel pro sedandis affectionibus & morum composit one. 2 King. 3.15. 1 Sam. 16.24. David used a double remedy here to help this trouble of Saul; first the sweet singer of Israel sang Psalms, 2 Sam. 23.1. by his calling upon the name of the Lord, he cast out this devil. Secondly by his music he settled his melancholy; Tarantula i●ti quam primum audiuntur instrumenta musica levatur dolour; Mathiolus in Dioscoridem, lib. 1. 57 when the Physician prescribed to the melancholean, to abstain from such and such meats, because they either increase or at least doth irritat this humour of melancholy; They may do this, not only because it is wholesome to the body; but also because it is the Devil's bait; therefore they prescribe abstinence from such; No sort of diet displeaseth or pleaseth Satan, but by accident, because by them the humour is increased, which makes way for his tentation. Satan observes the full moon, and then vexeth the Lunatics: The second sort were those whom Satan vexed not monthly as he did the Lunatics, but oftentimes whensoever it taketh him, it casts him into the fire, Mark. 9.18.22. Those whom he vexed in the full moon, were called Lunatici or Siderati. A difference betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. We must put a difference betwixt these, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were those who any ways were possessed by the devil, they were called also arrepticij, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were those whom Satan possessed in the full moon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were those who were Christians, but for their abuse of the holy mysteries of God, they were possessed by Satan for a time, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was a natural disease which we call madness. Those Daemoniackes and Lunatics were only cured by the Lord himself, and his power. Those who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were cured by the exorcists in the Primitive Church; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 madness was cured by Physic and natural means. Heat and moist makes the brain to swell Satan observing this vexes the Lunatics. Satan knowing well the natural cause of things, and that the moon is hot and moist: it is hot as the sun although not in so high a degree. Psal. 121.6. 〈◊〉 sun shall not burn thee by day, nor the moon by night. He knew also that she was humid and moist and fit to nourish things. Therefore the Scriptures call herbs protrusiones lunares the precious things brought forth by the moon, Deut. 33.14. Because the moon is humid and hot, she works upon our brains and makes them to swell up: heat and moisture causes things to swell up as we see in leaven. Therefore the scripture calls pedom fermentatum a swelling foot Deut. 8.4. neither was thy foot fermented, that is, it was not swelled, so heat and moisture causeth the brain to swell in the full moon, and Satan observing this, troubleth the brain of the Lunatic then. Every one that is Lunatic is not a doemoniacke, or possessed by a devil. All Lunatics are not doemoniackes neither are all Lunatics upon whom the moon shines in her brightness. If this disease depended simply upon the moon, than all men should be doemoniackes. Therefore to make them doemoniackes, it was necessary that the body should be affected thus and thus, so that the moon might afterward produce in the body this disease; The moon works nor so upon bodies, that she produceth this effect upon them, unless they be so affected before, that the moon may produce this effect upon them; and when the devil affects the body, so that he makes it subject to such an operation of the moon; then he that is Lunatic is arreptitius and possessed by the devil. The secohd sort were those whom Satan vexed not monthly, but whensoever the fit took him, There were others that Satan vexed at sundry times but not monthly. he threw him in the fire, or in the water. Observe here first the devil vexed him who was possessed from his infancy: secondly, he vexed him both within and without; without he threw him into the water, and into the fire; within wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him, and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away, Mark 9.18. He vexeth him from his infancy: as the devil vexed this miserable creature from his infancy, so the Lord hath his good Angels waiting upon infants to preserve them in their infancy, Math. 18.10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones, for I say unto you that in heaven their Angels do always behold the face of God. Angels have a care of all Gods little ones, but especially of his little ones in age, whom he sets down as examples of imitation to all his little ones, Math. 19 Secondly, he threw him into the fire, and into the water, fire and water are the two elements which are most necessary for the use of man, therefore those who were proscripti of old, interdicibantur▪ igne & aqua; Satan abuses these two elements to the hurt of man, either when he throws him into the fire, or into the water: and the good Angels have a special care over young ones that they fall not into the fire or water, this is a special part of their charge to preserve the sons of men. Angels have a threefold motion; first, motum circularum, their circular motion: secondly, they have motum rectum, a strait motion up and down: and thirdly, they have their reflex motion. Their circular motion they make to be this, Dionysius areopagita de divinis, nominibus. cap. 4. when they are always taken up in beholding the face of God who is Alpha and Omega without beginning and ending: their direct motion they hold to be this, when the Angels comes up and down upon the Lord jesus Christ to be the ministering spirits unto the Saint, john 1.51. And their reflex motion they make to be this, when one of the Angels cries to another and says, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts, Esay 6.3. The devil threw him into the fire and water, Ithiel. Pro. 30.4. Who gathereth the wind into his fists, who binds the waters in a garment, and puts a bridle in the mouth of the sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 4.39. It is he that can bridle and restrain the Devils that they cannot hurt when and where it pleaseth them. The Devil made him foam at the mouth, and gnash with his teeth, Mark 9 and tear himself, if Satan can vex so poor creatures when they are but as warders, what will he do to them when he hath them close prisoners in hell. And if he hath so vexed the green tree (as job, and the daughter of Abraham and this young child) what will he do to the withered trees; and if his little finger have been so heavy on poor creatures on earth here, how heavy will his loins be on them in hell, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, Math. 13.42. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or veterator labours to deceive our sight, and that three manner of ways; The Devil deceives our sight three manner of ways. first by the object; secondly by the mids, and thirdly when he vitiates the organ itself: first by the object, when he shown to Christ the glory of the whole world, he thought to have deceived him by the object, Math. 4. When the Moabites took the water to have been blood, when the sun shined upon it, 2 Kings 3.22. here the deceit was in the object, secondly the deceit is in the mids, when we put an oar in the water, that part which is in the water seems to be broken, and that out of the water seems to be whole, the deceit is in the mids, when we see a fish in the water, the fish seems more to us and nearer, by reason that the thinner and rarer midse is next to our eye, but the remote midse from our eye, the water is more thick and gross, but if a man were in the water, and beheld another standing upon the brink of the River, he should seem to the beholder much less than he is; The reason is, because the next midse to the eye is thicker and grosser, and the remote midse is rarer and thinner: When Simon Magus seemed to fly in the air, Here the deception was in the midse; for the devil put some false midse betwixt their eye and the object, that he seemed to fly. Thirdly the sight is vitiat when the orgaine is vitiat; Satan can deceive when the organ is vitiat. as when one hath the yellow-jaundies, than all things seem yellow to him: So when the humours are gross, and hinders the sight from being carried to the Nerve optic; then the impediment is in the Organ: When Satan possessed a man with a dumb and a blind devil, than the organ itself was corrupted, Math. 12.22. The Devil can deceive the sight, therefore these jugglers who delude the senses, should not be suffered in a Christian Commonwealth; for it is the first degree to witchcraft. Satan deludes the fantasy. Fourthly, as this crafty Satan deludes our senses, so doth he our fantasy: The fantasy is a midse betwixt sense and understanding: Therefore the devil troubleth our fantasy more than our sense; and because fantasy is the next gate to understanding, therefore he troubleth it most. Satan deceives the understanding. Fifthly, this crafty devil deceiveth our understanding 2 Cor. 11.13. But I fear least by any means, as the Serpent deceived Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted. Mentem hominis per substantiam nihil implere potest praeter creatricem trinitatam, implet vero Satanas cor non quidem illud ingressus, sed callida deceptione in malitiae affectum animam trahens per cogitationes vitiorumque incentiva. The evil angels can put into the heart evil thoughts, stir up evil passions, to obscure the understanding, to deprave the will, and trouble the fantasy: they can oppose themselves to the good Angels, when they are about to illuminate the fantasy, and represent good thoughts to it: but they cannot directly enter into the understanding. This Serpent hath yet more dangerous tentations, which are called Profunda Satanae, the depths of Satan. Revel. 2.24. who can find them out, and what have we to oppose against them. Prov. 21. There is no counsel against the Lord; Achitophel his counsel was like the Oracle of God. 2 Sam. 16.23. and yet the Lord turned it all to foolishness. 2 Sam. 15.31. So all these depths of Satan which he plots against the Church, the Lord can turn them to folly. Sixtly, Satan in his subtle tentations pursueth the weaker first. He observes the Sex. The Apostle 1 Cor. 7. sets down a heavenly order; God is Christ's head, Christ is the man's head, and man is the woman's head; Satan in his tentations began with the woman first; Secondly, he tempted man the woman's head; Thirdly, he tempted Christ the man's head; But he d●●stonever assay to tempt God Christ's head; because no unclean thing enters into the heavens, Revel. 21. He tempted the woman first, and then the man: Hence we may learn, that sorcerers, and magicians are more dangerous instruments of the devil than witches are. Satan tempted the woman first, therefore he prevails most with that sex; yet Exod. 22. ye shall not suffer a woman witch to live. Mekashpa in the feminine gender. so Leu. 20.27. and as Satan deceived the woman first; So his instruments are readiest to deceive silly captive women loaden with sins, 2 Tim. 3.6. when they creep into their houses▪ in the Syriac it is damchaldin. Chalda signifieth properly mustellam or viverram, a we fill or a ferret, for as a ferret seeketh out all the corners of the clapper, so the Heretics craftily creep into silly women's houses, and deceive them. And as the devil tempted the woman first and deceived her, and made her the instrument to deceive the man: so he moved jobs wife to tempt him, and Miriam to move Aaron to murmur against Moses; Therefore the text says, obl●cutae sunt Miriam & Aaron, Num. 12.1. She was placed first, because she was chief in the transgression, and drew Aaron to it; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the Jews stirred up devour women to persecute Paul. Act. 13.50. Seventhly in his tentations he observes our predominant sins, and what we are most inclined into, Satan observes our predominante sins. there he layeth the bait before us, o● taken from us these things which he knows the heart is most set upon. As he laid the Babylonish ga●●●e 〈◊〉 t●●●wedge of gold before Achan, josh 7.21. And ●●e presented Ta●ar in a whorish busk before 〈◊〉, Gen. 38.15. and the Moabitish women before the Israelites to ensnare them, and to draw them to whoredom, Numb. 25.1. So he promiseth to the base witches some gain, but to high spirits; as to jannes', and jambres, to Elimas' the sorcerer, and to Faustus; to these he promises the gift of miracles, as it were to make them men renowned: So he takes from them the thing that they love best, as the Gergesites swine from them. Eightly, he observes our ages, our young years, middle years, and old years, and hath a several temptation for every time, in our younger years, he tempts us to lust. 1. Tim. 2.22. In our middle age, he tempts us add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the love of honour, and preferment as sundry of the pope's sought by Necromancy to come to the Popedom as Silvester the second, and many others of them; And in our old age he tempts us to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the love of money, and this makes many in their old age to fall to the Devil: And he tempts us in all our ages add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to self love. Satan observes our worldly estate, and fits his tentations to it. Lastly, he observes our temporary estate, whether we be poor or rich; If we be poor, than he persuades us to steal, and to take the name of God in vain, Pro. 30.9. this is to turn stones into bread, Mat. 4. And if we be rich, than he hath another temptation for us, to deny God, and to say, who is the Lord; The rich men than fall to oppression; and to the grinding of the faces of the poor; And then they turn bread into stones, Prov. 20.17. This is the devil's Alchemy, and as the poor turns stones into bread; Satan hurts more by his craft, then by his strength. so the rich turns bread into stones. Satan hurts more by his craft, then by his strength, when he comes hissing as a Serpent, then when he comes roaring as a Lion: The Egyptians hurt the Israelites more with their wiles, then with their strength, Exod. 1.10. & the Midianites with their wiles vexed the people of God, Num. 25.18. more than all the Moabites and Ammonites did with their strength; and julian the Apostate hurt more the Christian Church with his craft, than all the ten persecuters did with their persecutions: Therefore we should be more afraid of his craft then of his power or malice. Seeing we have so crafty and so subtle an enemy, we should learn to be wise, to defend ourselves against this his craft. Our forefathers at the first thought it enough to arm themselves against the wild beasts, that they might not hurt them: but afterward they learned to eat their flesh, and to themselves with their skins; So should we not only seek to defend ourselves from the Devil, but also to learn by this his craft and subtility to be wise as serpents and simple as Doves, Mat. 10.16. and this is a great point; of wisdom de utilitate capienda ex inimicis, as Plutarch speaketh. SECT. 14. Of the cruelty and malice of the devil. THere are three things which moves us to revenge, Anger, Envy, and Hatred. Anger seeks to be revenged for the wrong done, but with a certain measure that the punishment be answerable to the offence, and it resembles somewhat justice. The envious is grieved at the good which they see in others, and they think that it overshadowes and diminishes their good, therefore it does not so much envy the good of others, as the obscuring and overshadowing of their own gifts: But hatred looks only to the destruction of others, The Devil is not said to be angry with man. The Devil envies the state of man. The devil is not said to be angry with us, but either to envy, or to har● us: He envies the estate of man, and his eye is evil, because he is good, Mat. 20.15. and the reasons why he envies man is, because he hath fallen as a lightning from the Heaven, and hath no hope to be restored thither again, but he seeing God to have mercy upon man, although he fell from his first blessed and happy estate, yet notwithstanding the Lord brings him back again by degrees to a better estate: This grieves Satan to the heart, and he seeks by all means to draw man into that same pit of destruction which he hath fallen into: but most of all he hates man deadly, wishing him all evil. He cannot be revenged upon the Lord, therefore he seeks to be revenged upon man: but this redounds back again to the Lord, justin. institut. lib. 4. cap. de iniuriis. nam Domino per servos laesos fit injuria. There are found in man severity, cruelty & savageness. Asperitas crudelitas & feritas, these are found in man. This severity is when a man pardons nothing of the punishment which is to be infficted by the law, and clemency is opposite to this, which is a sort of pardoning, but not a free pardoning, What is severity. it secludes not all sort of punishment, but only mitigates the severity: This severity is found in the devil, for he is most severe in exacting punishment, and mitigates nothing of the rigour. God who is clement is said, Citra condignum punire, & ultra condignum praemiare; That is God punishes not to the full, but he rewards above our deserts. What is cruelty. Again, there is in man cruelty, which punishes above measure, this cruelty pretends some sort of justice, and presupposeth some power to punish, either by a power indeed, or by an usurped power. This power of the devil is an usurped power, and no marvel if he exercise it upon men out of measure. The last is savageness, Savageness is worst of all. when men delights as beasts in cruelty, not for any justice; but only to satisfy their cruelty; and these were called Savi, Such was that devil, Mar. 9.20. this savageness makes men like unto beasts, and worse than beasts: The Lion when he hath killed a man, is not content to eat his flesh, and break his bones, and suck his marrow; but he will tore his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or claustrum cordis, that he may come to the heart; and that is the sweetest morsel of all in the man to him; yet if the Bear fall down before the Lion and submit himself to him, the Lion hath that generosity in him, that he will spare the Bear: But if man submit himself to Satan; he will tread upon him, insult over him, and tear him most fearfully. Beasts may be somewhat excused, when they kill men, for they are moved to it to satisfy their hunger; but these cursed creatures, such as are serpents, and hornets, and wasps which stings men, and after they have killed them, they can make no use neither of their flesh, nor of their blood to feed upon them; these are worst of all. Such is the hatred of Satan against man, who reaps no benefit by the kill of man: the jews call the devil's Pur-gnanijoth, that is furies, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or revenging devils. These malicious spirits seek always the destruction of man, and they think all to little which befalls man: when the Chaldeans had rob job of his goods, and when fire came down and killed his sheep, and servants, and when the house fell upon his children and smothered them, and when he had stricken job with botches and sores from the head to the foot; when he had done all this (by God's permission) to job, he counts it all but a touch of his finger, job 1.11. But when he shall have full power upon the wicked, how heavy shall his Loins be upon them; the eye hath not seen, the ear hath not heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what the devils have prepared for the vessels of wrath. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nabis et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sugere in act ●xerxe. Plutarch. This savageness of the devil exceeds all the cruelty of the Tyrants of the world: it exceeds Tzijanack navis sugentis, jer. 29.26. which the Greeks called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, when they enclosed a man betwixt two boards, his head being free, and giving him by a cane a little honey and milk to suck, to keep in his life, and anointing his face with honey, & turning him always to the sun, that the flies might molest and sting him the more; and within he was eaten with worms which bred of his own corruption and filth. His cruelty exceeds vivicomburium, jer. 29.3. when men were put quick into the fire and burnt: Vivicomburium. it exceeds the cruelty of Manasseh who caused Esau to be sawed with a saw, Heb. 11.37. It surpasseth the cruelty of Antiochus when he put the jews ad tympanum, Tympanum. 2 Maccab. 19 It exceeds the cruelty of Nero, when he caused the Christians to be put into a coat laid over with pitch and brimstone and burn all the night that they might show light to those that passed by; Hence is that of juvenal. satire. 8. Tunica molesta. Ausi quod liciat tunica punire molesta: It exceeds Vngulam, that sort of torment which Cyprian, Eusebius, and Tertulia: often makes mention of. It exceeds the cruelty of Cyclops, of Bufiris, of Phaleris, of Pyrillus, of Schiron: No cruelty can come near to the cruelty of the Devil, Luk. 22.31. Satanas' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is deposcere ad supplicium vel questionem, that is, he desired that they might be put upon the rack. There is no creature that the Devil studieth to hurt but man or for man's cause, which argues his inveterate hatred against man. Man hath a threefold life. A man hath a threefold life; first his natural life, secondly he hath a civil life, and thirdly a spiritual life. Satan hates all these three, and studies to bereave us of them. First, his natural life, He hath a natural life. Mar. 9.18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to tore and rend as the dog doth, Mat. 7.6. Mark 9.20. discerpit eum, and Luk. 8.29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he made him run violently, as the horse when he is spurred, and made him tear and cut his own flesh with stones Mar. 5.5. The worship which the devils affected, The worship which the devils affected to have man sacrificed to them, shows the great hatred which the devil hath against the natural life of man. shows their great hatred against the natural life of man; of all the sacrifices which was offered unto him, he delighted in none so much as in the blood of men; as when the jews offered their children to him, Psal. 106.37. and in Crete they sacrificed men to him: So did the Phoenitianes': and the Lacedæmonians did offer 300. men to him at one time: This kind of sacrifice was abhorred by the heathen. Eusebius de praeparatione evangelica, lib. 4. Vide Morn Pless. pagina 385. The King of Cyprus changed this sort of sacrifice, and in stead of men he would have oxen offered to the gods; and Hercules travelling through Italy, caused to make so many men of straw to be cast into Tiber, when as before they used to cast men into it, and he is more commended for that, then for danting all the monsters, which he overcame. Satan hateth this our natural life, therefore they are mightily deluded, who run to a witch for their health. As Ahaziah sent to Baalzebub the god of Ekrens for his health, 2 King. 1.2. the tender mercy of the wicked are cruel (says Solomon, Prov. 12.10.) when satan heals the body, and destroys the soul; that is a cruel mercy, wilt thou prefer the vile body, Phil. 3.21. to the precious soul. Pro. 6.26. The soul is called unica mea, Psal. 22.20. my darling, which is fare to be preferred to the body, wilt thou lose thy darling for to save thy poor body? propter vitam horae, wilt thou lose vitam saeculi, thy eternal life. Therefore those who hold that there is some devil's milder, which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a milder sort of devils (that hurts not, but takes away evil) are deceived; and likewise that there are some witches which the common people calls the Losing witches, who does no hurt at all, but removeth only that hurt which the binding witch lays on the sick person: But they are most of all deceived, who think that they can command this malicious and cruel devil, for he will never be commanded with one of his slaves. One blamed Aristippus, that he haunted too much the company of the harlot Thais, & more than became a man of his profession; Aristippus answered to him, who reproved him; This is the difference betwixt me & my corrivals, that she commands all the rest, but I command her; but what replied the man to him? Thou art (saith he) so much the more taken in the Net of Thais: So these who brag that they can command the devil are so much the more his slaves, and they are twofold more the children of hell. The devil is a malicious and subtle spirit: Therefore if a man be possessed, it were not lawful for us to ask any questions of the devil, as Christ posed him, Mark. 5. what was his name? how many was there of them, and why he entered into the man? Christ having absolute power over the devils, might ask him these questions; But we have no such power over them: Therefore we may not oppose them this way; for by this means we might be brought in familiarity with the devils. 1 Cor. 10 20. I would not that ye should have fellowship with the devils and by these means he more easily ensnares us, we should not be ignorant of his deceits, 2 Cor. 2.11. The Casuist Lessius holds, that it is lawful to ask such questions of him, Lessius lib 2. cap. 42. note 70. providing that they be asked Sine ullo sign● benevolentiae, without any sign of good will: Naevarrus cap. 11. not 28. And Navarrus the casuist adds further, that if of curiosity men demand of the devil such questions, it is no mortal sin. So it is not lawful either to seek health of him, or of his instruments the witches, and sorcerers; the casuist Lessius holds, If a witch by certain magical signs given by the devil, hath hurt a man, Lessius lib. 2. cap. 9 not. 48. In this case (if there be no other remedy) he may compel her by beating & scratching of her, to remove this hurt or sickness, which she hath laid upon him; but withal he adds, that she must not remove this evil by another charm, which is as evil; neither must he expect a positive effect from the devil, but only that he cease from hurting of him any more. But we answer, that to seek a cure by scratching of the witch, and shedding of her blood, is a breach of the sixth commandment, and we are only to seek of the Lord that he would remove these evils; for it is he that woundeth, and he that healeth: The Lord Commanded when the Israelites were numbered that every one should pay a ransom to the Lord, half a shekel, Exod. 30.12. that there be no plague amongst them: by this the Lord taught them that it was he who was Lord of their lives. As Satan envies our natural life, so he envies our civil life: when he takes away first our goods, Satan envies our civil life. and then our good name; Man's goods are called his life, Luke 8.43. consumpsit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she spent her whole life, that is, the goods which maintained her life. Vivere est secundis rebus uti job 21.7. So Prov. 27.27. Thou shalt have life for thy maids, that is, thou shalt have maintenance for thy maids; and because our goods are the means to entertain our life, therefore, Deut. 20.19. Ye shall not cut down the tree of the field, Quia homo est arbor agri, because man is the tree of the field, that is, the tree entertains the life of man; and therefore it is called a man. So Deut. 24.6. the over and the neither millstones are called a man's life; because they are the means by the which the life of man is entertained. The Devil took these helps from jobs life; and the witches commonly kills men's cattle, horses, and sheep, when they cannot hurt the men themselves. So he envies our good name: The devil in the Syriac, Vide Buxtor. in radice gnug. Math. 4. is called A kal Kartza, commedens accusationes; and the reason of the name was this, because they gave these Sycophants and accusers, pasties baked with honey that they might accuse and caluminat the more freely. It was he who objected to the Chrians, Thiestaeas' caenas, incestus Oedipodeas, promiscuas libidines, & conjurationes in principes. And therefore he is a most impudent accuser. Satan stood at the right hand of joshua to accuse him Zach. 3.1. (for the accusers stood at the right hand of him whom they accused Ps. 106) The devil is Ptyas, Tertul & quiquid publice utilitati infamis erat. that spitting serpent Psa. 144 who spits his venom a far off; Tam absentes laedit, quam praesentes pungit; And therefore he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 criminator, criminatio non sit sine ve●bis, sed Satan ad●ersotur & verbis & factis a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which properly signifies, traijcere; because with his venomous dart he pierces the children of God: he is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Susurro, who whispers privately against the children of God; but he is an open calumniator; who marks the wants and defects of the children of God; when joshua stood with soul before the Lord, Satan was ready to accuse him. Zach. 3.3. when he was new come out of the Captivity, like a firebrand new taken out of the fire: Satan hath no pity on him, but he is then ready to accuse him; if Ioshua's be sulled, he is ready to mark that, so he watches for our halting jer. 20.10. and is glad when he sees us halt Psal. 35.15. and if there be a hole in our coat, he will say, we are ragged, and if we halt but a little, he will say we are cripples. Therefore we had need to pray, Psalm 120.2. Deliver my soul O Lord from lying lips; and from a deceitful tongue. So he envies our life in the policy, an evil spirit of dissension came betwixt Abimelech, and the men of Sechem, judge 9.23. But above all he envies our spiritual life: Satan above all envies our Spiritual life. Therefore it was that he let Saint Paul that he might not come to the Thessalonians, 1 Thes. 2.18. for he knew well, that where there is no vision, the people are naked, Pro. 29.18. and this was the reason why he was a lying spirit, in the mouths of the false Prophets; And when the pastors are present with their flocks, and sowing their good seed, Satan comes in, and picks up the good seed which is sown Math. 13.19. and when they have sown their good seed, than the wicked one comes and sows his kockell and his darnel; and when the seed hath taken root, Satan leaves not off here; he sought to winnow Peter's faith Luke 22.31. so he labours to corrupt the pastors, to teach heretical doctrine, and this is called a doctrine of Devils, 1 Tim. Satan envies our spiritual life, as our hearing of the Word; he possesseth a man with a deaf devil, Mark 9.25. The Lord takes the greatest pains about our ears, more than any of the rest of all our senses to open our ear, Esay. 50.5. to uncover our ear. job 33.16. To circumcise our ear, jerem. 6.10. To unstop the ear. Esay 35.5. To boar our ear Psal. 40.6. So stillare in aurem, to drop into our ear, Ezeck. 21.2. Deut. 32. Hence it is that so often it is repeated in the Scripture, He that hath ears to hear let him hear. But the Devil shutes the ear, he possessed a man with a deaf devil, Mark 9.25. The ear is janua vitae, the gate of life; Faith cometh by hearing; he stoppeth this sense that he might not hear and so get faith. He tempts us in our faith. 1 Thes. 3.5. I sent to know your faith, least by some means the tempter should have tempted you. Sometimes he draws us to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we have no faith, when he picks up the seed when it is new swoon, Math. 13. here there can be no faith: sometimes he draws us add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to little faith, O thou of little faith, Math. 14.31. and sometimes he draws us add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wavering when the balance goes, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 up and down, and keeps not an equal measure: when Peter said to Christ Math. 26.35. If all should leave thee yet would not I, here the balance goes up; and when he denied him at the voice of a Damsel, Math. 26.69. here the balance goes down. So when he said to Christ, john 13.6. Thou shalt never wash my feet, here the balance goes down, and when he said unto him, wash head feet and all, john 13.9. here the balance goes up: So when he said Master bid me come to thee on the water, Math. 14.28. here the balance goes up, but when he said I sink Master, Math. 14.30. here the balance goes down. But he suffers few to come to this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great faith, Christ gives that commendation but to two, and they were both strangers: to the Cananitish woman, Math. 15.28. and to the Centurion, Math. 8.10. And how earnest he is against our spiritual life, we may see it by his often tempting of Christ; He left him for a season, Luke 4.13. Yet he tempted him again by the Pharisees and Saducees, and by Peter, Math. 16.23. And when Christ was about to offer himself a sacrifice to God his Father, than came the Prince of this world to discourage him, john 14.13. actantius in Alen. So Satan hates the Christians, and the Christian religion above all religion; Lactantius. saith, when the heathen were sacrificing to their gods, if a Christian had been present they facrificed not: Hence was that saying brought in into their mysteries (exeant Christiani) let the Christians go forth; he hated so the Christians, that he could not abide them, nor their religion. The Scripture gives Satan many strange and terrible names, first he is called Satan; The Scripture gives Satan many terrible names. because intestino odio homines prosequitur, he hates man with a deadly hatred: he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a hater of men; but we have to oppose to him Christ, who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Lover of men. Secondly, he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the accuser of the brethten. Revel. 12.10. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not any sort of accuser, but such an accuser who accuses before a King. In the Revel. 12.10. he is called the accuser before the Lord; So he accused joshua before the Lord Zach. 3.3. and opposite to him, we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, who intercedes with the King for us. Christ is our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; or advocate 1 joh. 2.1. Thirdly the devil is called Abaddon, and Apollyon, Revel. 9.12. and the Devils are called Sheddim, Deut. 32.17. Psal. 105.37. from Shadad, evertere, praedari, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 daemon. vastare. Esay 16.22.23. And in the History of Tobias, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vastabit. the devil is called Ashmodeus, from Shamad, vastare; because he makes havoc, and wastes all; and opposite to him is Christ, who is our Saviour and saves us. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dominus muscae. Fourthly, the devil is called Beelzebub, dominus muscarum, lord of flies; the Legions of the devil's flies in the middle Region of the air: But the Lord of Hosts is opposite to him, who hath commandment over all the creatures. Fiftly, he is that old Serpent, Revel. 12.19. And the Serpent opposite to him, is Christ lift up in the wilderness. joh. 3.14. Last Satan is a roaring Lion; and Christ the Lion of the Tribe of judah is opposite to him. Revel. 15.15. When Zacharie saw four horns lifted up to scatter Israel, he saw four Carpenters ready to beat them down, Zach. 1.10. So whatsoever horns Satan lifts up against the Church, The Lord is ready to beat them down, and if there be poison in the Serpent, Christ is our Antidote. In every fight it is most fit that we know our own weakness, and the strength of our adversary: It was of old a most fearful thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to fight with beasts, 1 Cor. 15.32. we have to fight with a roaring Lion, and an old serpent, qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est, who useth both craft and malice in his fight against us: Therefore seeing we are not able to withstand him in this fight, we should pray to the Lord God who is Ish milthama, vir belli, that he would stand for us lest we fall in this combat. SECT. 15. By what means Satan is to be resisted. THe weapons wherewith Satan is to be resisted, are not carnal weapons, 2 Cor. 10.4. for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. First we will handle here the counterfeit and false weapons, by which men have gone about to resist Satan, and next the true weapons by which he is to be resisted. The counterfeit weapons which have been used to resist the devil. The counterfeit weapons by which men have gone about to resist Satan, were either in the jewish synagogue or Christian Church. The counterfeit weapons in the jewish synagogue. In the jewish synagogue, God commanded the jews to wear Phylacteries, to put them in remembrance to observe the Law of God, out they abused these Tephilim, or Phylacteries, they made them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or helps to prayer; as though they were derived from Palal, precari to pray, and not from Taphal, apponere, which is the right root; and the 70. translate them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, if as ye would say immobilia, things that could not be removed, but afterward they abused them to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, remedies against enchantments, which varro called Praebia, quasi brevia; hence comes our word brief which Satan gives to men for to save themselves from hurts. Therefore it was altogether prohibited in the Council of Laodicea to make Phylacteries. The Chaldee paraphrast paraphrasing upon Cant. 3.8. brings in the synagogue of the jews, speaking after this manner, I am beloved above all people, because I bind my Tephilim upon my left hand, and the paper is affixed to my right side, and the third part of it looks towards my bed, that there may be no power in the Devils to hurt me. Here they abuse their phylicteries as a remedy against Magic. Secondly, they abused their circumcision, making it a remedy against Satan, the Chaldee paraphrast paraphrasing upon the words of Soloman Cant. 3.8. (Every one hath his sword upon his thigh for the fear of the night) he notes this word upon the thigh to be the seal of circumcision in the flesh, whereby they prevail and do not fear the devils that walk abroad in the night. Thirdly, they abused incense, making it a means to banish the devil, Cant. 4.6. (I will get me to the hill of incense) The Chaldee paraphrast pharaphrasing upon this place, saith, Omni tempore quo populus domus Israel tenebat manibus suis artem patrum svorum justorum, fugiebant daemones nocentes, tenebriones, & matutini, & meridiani; eo quod majestas gloriae domini residebat in domo sanctuarij, quae aedificata est in monte Moriah, & omnes daemons & spiritus nocentes sugiebant ab odore incensi aromatum; that is, all the time that the house of Israel kept the Art of their holy Fathers, the devils fled away, both the morning devils, and those of the mid day; because the majesty of God dwelled in the sanctuary, which was built upon mount Moriah, and all the devils fled away when they smelled the smell of this incense. Fourthly, they held that roots and herbs had power to expel the devil. josephus' lib. 7. cap. 23. Radix quae bara dicitur, ● statim expellit daemonia; The root called Bara presently drives out the devil. And the same josephus in his book 8. of Antiquity cap. 7. shows, that Solomon had skill in exorcising, and conjuring of spirits; which he got from the Lord, as the rest of his knowledge; and that he used to hold these roots to the nostrils of the possessed, that by the smell or smoke of these, the devils might be driven out. Thus we see how the jews in these times were too much given to magic. Fiftly, they took the Liver of a fish whereby they might cast out Satan. Tob. 7. but these are carnal weapons, and the devil doth no more care for such weapons, than the Leviathan doth, who esteemeth Iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood, job 41.27. The arrow cannot make him fly, slingstones are turned with him into stubble, and he laugheth at the shaking of a spear. Object. But they say, because the Angels assume bodies upon them; therefore bodily things may affect them, and please them, or displease them. Answ. The bodies which they took upon them were not the bodies of flesh and blood, as ours are. Luk 24. a Spirit hath not flesh and bones, Ephes. 6.12. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers: when the spirits assumed bodies they were but Aerial bodies, they could neither be drowned, burned, nor hurt, they were only dissolved again into the Element; No bodily thing could hurt them: when the Seraphin took a coal from the Altar with a pair of tongs, the Seraphin did not this for fear of burning Esay 6. But only to show that he would use the ordinary means which were appointed for the Altar, when he took the coal from it: So the Angel when he appeared in a body to Manoah he went up in the fire, but was not burnt by it, judge 13.20. No external thing can affect the devil, as we are affected with such: beauty affects not his sight; music affects not his hearing; nor odours his smell, for he being a spirit, nothing affects him but similitude of manners: Therefore that is fabulous which is set down in Tobit 6.14. That the devil was in love with S●●ah for her beauty; he loved her not for the gifts of her mind, for than he should have loved them best who exceed most in graces; but he hated Christ above all others: Therefore he doth not love any for the graces of their mind, but hates them more: when the devil beholds the goodness of the creatures, as their beauty, comeliness, honesty, etc. although in the general he see them to be good; yet he is so carried with his habitual malice, that he cannot like the good that is in any creature; And even as these wretches, who make themselves away, have a general liking of their life by the very instinct of nature; yet through grief and despair they put often hands on themselves: so the habitual malice of the devils suffers them not to like any good that is in the creature. The counterfeit weapons in the Christian Church. So the Christian Church useth false means to expel the devils, as the Church of Rome useth salt, spittle, holy water, and consecrate oil; the primitive Church first used this oil in working of miracles, than the fathers afterward used it by imitation; and last the Papists use it as viaticum to further them to heaven. So they use exorcising of devils, Christ himself cast out devils by the power of the spirit, and so he left this power of exorcising for a while in the Church, for the establishing of the Gospel when it was new planted; he doth otherways in constituenda ecclesia, than he doth in constituta ecclesia: And even as a Gardener when he removes a tree out of one ground to another, he sets so many stays to it to hold it up, and he pours water against the root of it daily, but when it hath once taken root, he pulls away the stays from it, and leaves it to the ordinary course of growing, as other trees; So the Lord bestoweth at the first in the infancy of the Church these miracles, as stays to confirm, and uphold l●er; but now when she is settled, he takes away these helps, and makes her to grow by the ordinary course of grace; and if these miracles should have endured still in the Church, of extraordinary things they should have become ordinary and nothing regarded. In the Primitive Church these gifts lasted for a while; but now to use this exorcising in the Church, is to use that which is out of date, and it is now but a carnal weapon which Satan cares not for; Vrim and Thummim were two precious stones set in the breast plate of Aaron, by the which he answered the people when he asked him of matters doubtful; these two stones were not in the second temple; now if the priest should have put in two counterfeit stones in the breast plate, and had given his answers to the people By them (when as the Lord answered not by Urim and Thummim) would he not have been holden for a deceiver? So he who professes himself now to be an exorcist, when as the gift ceaseth in the Church now, he is to be accounted an imposter and deceiver. There were three sorts of gifts bestowed upon the Church; some simply necessary, as the Word and Sacraments: some were necessary for her in statu legali, when she was under the rudiments of the Law, which are not necessary now under the Gospel, as the ceremonies of the Law: Thirdly some gifts were bestowed upon the Church in the infancy of the Gospel, such as were the gift of tongues, of healing, and of exorcising, and these now are abolished. The matter may be illustrate by this comparison: The Prince when he is a child, he hath a tutor to teach him, and a regent or administrator to rule and govern him, and thirdly, he hath his counsellors, but when he comes to majority, he hath no master any more; he hath not a regent or administrator any more, Exoreismus fuit apud ●udae osante Christi ad ventum sed postea una cum religione desiit apud ipsos & translata est, ad ecclesiam Christi, Act. 19 but only his counsellors who abides with him: So the Church in her infancy, was under Moses law, as under 〈◊〉 pedagogue: And when the Gospel was first planted, the Church had these extraordinary gifts, as a time for a regent or administrator; but she hath the Word and Sacraments to remain with her as her counsellors perpetually. The true means to resist Satan. The true means to resist Satan, are; first, the shield of faith, Ephes. 6.16. Above all taking the shield of faith, whereby ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; where the Apostle alludes to the custom of old, for when they dipped the heads of their arrows in poison, and shot them at their enemies, they fired their flesh: So Satan's tentations are fiery darts, and the shield of faith is said to quench them. The soldiers of old had their shields made of raw neat's leather, (as Polybius testifies, and Vigetius writing de re militari) and when the fiery darts lighted upon them, they were presently quenched; so these fiery tentations of the devil, when they hit the shield of faith, they are presently quenched, & abiunt in spicas, Psa. The next true means for the casting out of the devil, is prayer and fasting, Mat. 7.21. This kind of devil is not cast out but by prayer and fasting. Fasting and prayer are two excellent means to banish Satan; therefore it is that the Lord alloweth the husband and the wife for a time to go asunder, that they may give themselves to fasting and prayer, and then come together again, that Satan tempt them not to incontinency; and the Lord (joel 2.16. wills the bridegroom and the bride to go forth of their bedchamber to sanctify a fast. Quest. How did Christ, Math. Chap. 9 ver. 14. take the defence of his disciples when they fasted not, as the Pharisees and johns disciples did, seeing fasting is such an excellent mean for to banish Satan? How excuseth he them for intermitting this duty? Answ. Christ takes the defence of his disciples here, because it was not time for them to fast, so long as the bridegroom was with them; but elsewhere he reproves them for not fasting. It is a good rule of the Schoolmen, that affirmativa ligant semper, sed non ad semper, that is, affirmative precepts bind us; but not always and at all times. The Lord commands them to fast; but not when the bridegroom was with them, See Nehe. 8.10. Paul prayed thrice against the temptations of Satan, and Christ blamed his disciples because they had not joined fasting and prayer together to cast out the devil; and where it is said, that the Pharisees and johns disciples fasted, but not Christ's disciples; the meaning is, they fasted not usually as john's disciples and the Pharisees did, but yet they fasted. The third weapon to beat the devil, is the sword of the spirit, Ephes. 6.16. take the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, Cant. 2.8. It is called the sword of the spirit, because it is directed immediately by the spirit, and because this sword pierceth to the heart. This sword differeth from the magistrates sword; this sword proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord, Rev. 1.10. and it is called the rod of his mouth, Esay 11. but the magistrate carries his sword only in his hand. Thirdly, this sword is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a two edged sword, it can both kill and save: The Magistrate's sword can only kill, but never quicken to restore a man to life; saul's sword never returned empty from the blood of the slain, 2 Sam. 1.20. It always killed, but it could never quicken, but this sword can do both; therefore it hath not been unfitly compared to the bitter waters; when the woman that was guilty of adultery drank them, her thigh rotten, and she died; but if she had been an honest woman, then having drank of these bitter waters, she conceived, and brought forth a child; so this sword both killeth and quickeneth. This sword divides betwixt the soul and the spirit; but the Magistrates sword divides only the head from the body. This sword is of greatest force against the devil's tentations; It was by this sword that Christ beat Satan and all his tentations, Mat. 4. when the disciples returned back from the preaching of the Gospel, than Christ saith, Luke 10.18. I saw Satan fall as lightning from heaven: the preaching of the Gospel is the special mean to make Satan fall; when David got the sword of Goliath in his hand, having experience of it, before he said, there is no sword like that, 1 Sam. 21.10. so there is no sword like this sword in the spiritual combat against the devil. Quest. What if the Lord should suffer Satan to appear to us in a visible shape? whether might we use the sword of the word against him or not? Answ. We may not, Satan is a very subtle enemy, and can easily circumvent us; therefore we should not reason with him, did he not deceive Eva in her best estate, when she reasoned with him? how shall we be able then to resist him: Our part only then in such a case is this, to turn about our faces to the Lord, and weep upon him, and desire the Lord to rebuke him. Object. If it be said, why may we not use this sword against Satan, if he should visilby appear to us, as well as when we are commanded to use it against his tentations? Answ. His tentations are not so subtle when he tempts us, as when he appears visibly to us face to face; for his tentations are mixed with our corruptions, which are not as subtle as Satan himself is, and therefore it is easier to resist these tentations by the word, than to resist Satan himself. SECT. 16. That Sorcerers and Witches should be put to death. THere are three sorts of people whom Satan tempts; first, those whom he tempts contrary to their will; as those who were possessed in the primitive Church, called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; those should not be put to death; those they pitied and placed inter Catechumenos, amongst those who were catechised in the Church. The second sort are those who enter in an indirect covenant with the devil; those were not put to death, sed admonebantur tantum, they were only admonished. Those who enter in direct covenant with the devil should die the death. The third sort were those who entered into the direct covenant with the devil, and those were to die the death, Deut. 18.11. For all that do these things are abomination to the Lord. So Leu. 20.27. The jews in their thirteen rules of expounding of the Scripture, this is the eight rule; when a precept is set down, it is not set down, ut doceat de se non exivit, sed ut docrat de toto univers● exivit: Their meaning is, if a thing be spoken generally elsewhere, and then be explained more plainly, this clearer explanation is to be referred to the general: Example, the Magicians indefinitely are commanded to die the death, Exo. 22.18. Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. But Leu. 20.27. A man also or a woman that had a familiar spirit, or that is a vizard shall be surely put to death, they shall stone them with stones, and their blood shall be upon them. Hence they conclude that all sort of Magicians should die the death. The diviners (they hold) should not die the death; first, they say that Kesem, who is a diviner, and who takes upon him only to foretell things to come, he should not die the death, but be admonished only. Secondly, they say that Menaches, Maimonides hujusmodi artium sectatores vel lapidibus obruendi erunt, ut lidgnom, Bagnal, O●h, & Mekasheph, vel mitiori poena mulctandi ut Cosem, Menaches, & Megnonan. who marks the flying of the fowls ought not to die the death, he is to be admonished, and other ways censured. Thirdly, incantator, the charmer is not to die the death, non facit opus peccatoris, as they say in phesikta, that is, they do not any thing that deserves death. Fourthly, Hamegronen, qui observat nubes, he is not to die the death, and they say of him, Non moritur & est liber etiam a plagis; that is, he should not die, and he is free from stripes. And lastly, they say, Qui perstringit ●o●l●s, who deceives the sight, as Inglers, non moritur, sed admonetur, he is not to die the death, but only to be admonished. But these three were always to be put to death, first, Mekasheph malefitus, or pharmacus, they are called veneficae, Exod. 22.18. Secondly, Obh, those who had a familiar spirit. Thirdly, jidgnoni, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, qui multa novit & praedicit: Targum translates him Ariolus, these were always put to death, as in saul's days, he cut off the wizzards, and those who had familiar spirits 1 Sam. 28.9. and josias took away the workers with familiar spirits and wizzards, 2 King. 23.24. Saul, who caused before familiar spirits and wizzards to be taken away; now because he falls to consult with them again, therefore justly he falls into the hands of the Philistines and is killed. When Tiberius was Emperor he caused to hang up those sorcerers, and put them to death, ad sacros lucos suspendebantur. Magicians should lose their temporary estate. As the Magicians should be put to death, so should they lose their temporal estate and inheritance; the Canaanites for their same was cast out of Canaan, Deut. 18.12. Because of these abominations, the Lord thy God did drive out the Canaanites before thee, Although children should not be put to death for their father's offences, 2 King. 14.6. yet they may be other ways punished for their father's offences, as to be forfeited, and to lose their father's inheritance, Lessius pag. 53. not. 66. as the imperial laws have ordained: the Casuists add, that if a Magician should find a treasure hid in the ground (whereas a third part of it should fall to the finder) yet neither the Magician nor his children should have any part of it, & ea pars quae inventoris fuit adjudicatur fisco, that is, that part which should have befallen to the finder, is adjudged to the common treasure, and besides all these temporary evils, Sorcerers and Witches should not enter within the holy city, Rev. 21.27. And there shall in no ways enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abominations the greatest abomination that God abhorred, Magicians are excluded from the kingdom of God. is witchcraft, D●●t. 18.12. therefore they shall never enter within the holy city. Of the third degenerate Son, the IDOLATER. IT is not known whence the river Nilus springs; all condescend upon this, that this river springs first out of the hills called montes Lunae; but out of what spring it ariseth first, no man can tell; But yet we see that out of these small beginnings it ariseth to a great river, and runs through Ethiopia, turning the course now this way, now that way, and then runneth into Egypt: at last it divides itself into seven branches, and runs into the Mediterranean sea. And so we may judge of the beginning of Idolatry and progress thereof: This we know in general, that Idolatry is a work of the flesh, Whence Idolatry took the beginning. Gal. 5.20. and it comes from a mind obscured with darkness, john 4.24. and from a corrupt understanding, Hose. 13.2. and they made them Idols according to their own understanding, and from a will corrupted; therefore it is called will worship, Col. 2.23. and from the senses corrupted, and especially from the sight: therefore we are forbidden to go a whoring after our own eyes, Num. 15.35. But in particular to tell who invented this Idolatry first, or where it was invented, that we cannot do, for while men slept, the enemy came and sowed tares, Mat. 13.25. But as men know that Nilus took the beginning from a small original, and piece and piece increaseth unto a great river: Such is the beginning and progress of Idolatry, that it hath now overspread the most part of the world. SECT. 1. Of the beginning of Idolatry. IT is most probable that this Idolatry took the beginning from the love which men carry to their dead parents, to set up images and statues to them in remembrance of them, which Satan afterward moved them to worship: and then they began to say to the stock thou art my father, jer. 2.27. and to the stone that thou hast brought me forth; Men set up first images in remembrance of their fathers, and afterward fell to worship them. and hence it was that they were commanded to forget their father's house when they were to leave Idolatry, Psal. 45.10. That is the religion which they had from their parents, and which was continued amongst them in remembrance of their fathers: And those Idolaters are more blamed who chose new Gods which their fathers knew not, Deut. 32.17. The devil made them believe that images were sent down from God. Secondly, the subtle devil deluded people; and made them believe that the gods sent down images from Heaven, which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coming down from jupiter, Act. 19.35. So he made them believe that gods came down to them in the likeness of men, The devil made men believe that images made with men's hands had some divine power assisting them. Act. 14.11. and so they worshipped them. Thirdly, he made them believe that those images which were made with men's hands had some divine power assisting them, and that they were not like other works of men's hands; Acts 19.26. It is natural for all men to have some god or other; and men according to their several inclinations found gods to themselves, some one way, and some another; Men feigned gods to themselves according to their several inclinations. Those who were inclined to war made Mars for their God, and the Scythians a belicouse people worshipped their sword; and those who inclined to filthiness or lust, made Venus for their goddess; And the jews worshipped Tammuz, Ezech. 8.14. with their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and from hence sprang all their fabulous theology (as Varro calls it) of the incests, adulteries, and rapts of their Gods: So men inclining to covetousness made their gods accordingly, as the Philistines made Dagon a fish their god, because they lay near the sea coast and used fishing; So some worshipped a sheep, as the Syrians worshipped gnashtoroth a sheep, So in Egypt they worshipped an ox; an ox was a sign to them of plenie of corn, Pro. 14.4. where no oxen are the crib is clean, but much increase is by the strength of the ox; and those who were given to drunkenness made Bacchus their god; Vide Amianum dego es de rebus ethiopicis, lib. 3 And even as the Ethiopians because they are black themselves, paint the good Angels black like themselves, and the devil's white; So did men imagine of their gods, and made them like unto themselves, and that which they affected most, foolish man imagine that God is like unto him, Psal. 50. because I held my peace thou thoughtest I was like unto thee. When men beheld the stars, first they observed the influx of the stars, and that bred Physic: secondly they observed the course of the stars, and that bred Astronomy. Thirdly, they used predictions by the stars, and that bred Astrology: Fourthly, they worshipped the stars, and that was Idolatry. They worshipped their gods of gold; silver, iron, wood, and stone, Dan. 5.4. they represented jupiter, by gold, Venus, or Diana, by silver, they made silver shrines to Diana; They represented Ceres, by wood, and Pluto and the infernal gods, by stone. To these Idols they gave all honour which was due to God, they called them their husbands, Hos. 2.7. they called them their kings, Zeph. 1.5. and their gods, and their kings and their great men took names from those Idols, as Nebuchadnezer, and Nebuch palassar took their names from their Idol Nebo, Isa. 46.1. So Balthasar, Hannibal, Hasdruball, took their names from Baal, so the King of the Sidonians was called Ethbaal, 1 Sam. 6.31. and others took their names from Bell, which is the contraction of Baal; So they bestowed their goods upon their Idols, they sacrificed their children unto them, and poured out all their affections upon them, and they held that all which they did possess they possessed it by their Idols, jud. 11.24. SECT. 2. How great a sin this sin of Idolatry is. GOd who is the supreme and independent cause, from whom are all things, by whom are all things, and for whom are all things, who is Alpha and Omega, God hath reserved three things to himself which he will not communicace to creatures. is worthy of greatest honour; and he hath reserved three things to himself, which he will not communicate with any creature. The first is absolute and supreme power in judging man's standing and falling; Who art thou that judgest another man's servant Rom. 14.4. there is a great wrong done to this supreme Lord, when man takes upon him to sit in his judicatory, which only belongeth to God. The second thing, which God hath reserved to himself is vengeance, Rom. 12.19. Vengeance is mine, I will repay (saith the Lord) when any creature takes upon him that which the Lord hath reserved for himself, than he dishonoureth God. God hath reserved his glory for himself. The third and greatest of all, is his glory and worship; which he hath reserved for himself; and that he will communicate to no creature. God is liberal enough otherways to man; he communicates to him his goodness, his mercy, and bountifulness; but he hath reserved his worship for himself: He gave Adam liberty to eat of all the trees of the garden, but he reserved to himself the tree of knowledge of good and evil; and even as in the eucharistical sacrifices, the Priest got a part, and the people got a part, but the Lord reserved the fat for himself, Levit. 3.3. So the Lord hath reserved his worship for himself, therefore when Idolaters bestow this divine worship upon creatures, this is a horrible and a fearful sin. In every sin there concur two things, first aversio a Deo, a turning from God, and conversio ad creaturam, In every sin there is an a version from God and a turning to the creature. a turning to the creature; and the base and vilder that the creatures be which a man turns himself to, the sin is the greater; when Demas embraced this present world, here was a great aversion from God, and a turning to the creature; but in Idolatry there is a greater aversion from God & a turning to the creature, for here he turns himself to the Devil, who is most opposite to God; for the worshipping of Idols is the worshipping of Devils, Deut. 32.17. Psal. 106.7. 1 Cor. 10.21. To refuse the most excellent, and to choose the vilest, Idolaters refuse the most excellent and choose the vilest. this is great madness: when the trees of the field despised the vine tree judges 9 which cheered both God and man, and the Olive tree for all his fatness, and the Fig tree for all his sweetness, and made choice of the bramble to reign over them, what a miserable choice was this; there came a fire from the bramble and burnt the trees of the field: So for a man to refuse the living God, and to make choice of a base Idol, and worship it, what a bad choice was this: And what marvel is it that there comes not a fire of the wrath of God, and consume these Idolaters. The Angels have always refused divine worship. The most excellent creatures in heaven, the Angels have always refused to accept of this divine worship, Rev. 19.10. If thou wilt offer a offering, thou must offer it to the Lord, judg. 13.16. but the devils have taken this worship unto themselves, and by all means sought it: The devil accepted of this spiritual worship at saul's hand, when he bowed himself before him: so he sought it of Christ, Mat. 4. It must be a horrible sin then to commit this Idolatry; the good Angels and glorified spirits are set down to us for imitation, and not the devils. Idolatry dissolves the marriage betwixt Christ & his Church. This Idolatry is the greatest sin, because it dissolves the marriage betwixt Christ and his Church: This idolatry is spiritual adultery; for the which the Lord repudiates his Church: This sin of Idolatry blots the children, and gives them place to plead against their whorish mother, Hos. 2.2. Plead with your mother, plead with your mother, for ye are the children of fornication. Four things are considered in Religion. In Religion there are four things which we ought to consider: first, we ought to consider the infinite majesty of God, and that all things depend on him. Secondly, we should consider our own baseness and vileness, and that we are nothing, and have nothing of ourselves. Thirdly, there must be an earnest and true submission of the mind to God, which the mind must acknowledge within itself. Fourthly, there are external signs, and bodily gestures and actions required, testifying this inward reverence which we carry to God. The Angels having no bodies, testify this their reverence by internal and spiritual submission to God; and when the Angels appeared in visible shapes, they covered their faces before the Lord, in token of their submission to him: and man must testify this his obedience both in mind and body. Now when man considers not the great and high majesty of God, than he begins to resemble God to a creature, and he gives the creatures that worship which is due only to God, When men consider not the great majesty of God, and their own baseness they fall into Idolatry. and this is Idolatry. Secondly, when he considers not his own baseness and vileness, but ●ve, ●●●s himself above his own condition, than he comm●●s Idolatry; take for an example the King of Tyre, who elevated himself fare above his own condition, Ezech. 28.3. who thought himself wiser than Daniel, and that there was no secrets hid from him; his contempt led him yet higher; he thought himself more glorious than the highpriest for all the precious stones in his breastplate; he thought himself wiser than Adam when he was in Eden, ver. 13. and yet he ascends more, he thought himself like a Cherub, or an Angel of God, vers. 14. and lastly, when he can go no higher, he thinks himself not inferior to God himself, verse 2. And so Antichrist takes that honour to him which is due only to God, This sin is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Mark. 7.21. ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ostendo, quasi digit is pedum insistens supra caeteros caput extollit seque conspiciendum praebet; Sic metitur se pierce, 2 Cor. 10.12. 1 Thes. 2.4. when he sits in the house of God as God; when men consider not the majesty of God, but begins to resemble him to a creature, than the balance goes down, and they will give his worship to the very creeping things; but when man forgets himself; and elevates himself above his condition, than the balance goes up, and he never makes a stay until he equal himself with God. The Lord tanted and mocked those Idolaters, The Lord mocked and tanted Idolaters and Idols. showing their madness, how with one piece of the tree he warmed himself, and of another piece of the tree he made a God, and worshipped; and so the heathen mocked these worshippers of Idols; Seneca, Quid (inquit) brutalius est, quam statuis sacrifices, statuarium vero mensa tua excludas, apud statuam genua tua flectis, pictorem aperto capite coram te stantem despicis & negligis, what is more senseless and brutish (saith Seneca) then for thee to sacrifice to an Idol, and yet thou will not suffer him who made the Image to come to thy table; thou bowest thy knee before the Image, and yet thou suffers him who made the Image to stand ba●●●ded before thee, and him thou despisest and neglects. So Diagoras jested at the Idols of old, and when he saw the Image of Hercules, he pulled it down, and threw it into the fire, and said, this shall be the thirteenth labour of Hercules: Thus we see every man a beast in his own knowledge, No sin hath so many shifts for it as Idolatry hath. jer. 10.14. There is no sin that hath so many shifts for itself as this sin hath, as the whore wiped her mouth, and said, she did it not, Prov. 30.20. So they deny, extenuate, and cover this sin; therefore it is that the Lord when he describes this spiritual whoredom; Why the Lord describes Idolatry in such plain terms. he describes it in more plain and open terms, than he doth bodily whoredom, Ezech. 16.15. Thou pourest out thy fornications upon every one that passeth by, his it was; and verse 25. Thou hast opened thy feet to every one that passeth by; and verse 26. Thou hast committed fornications with thy neighbour, great of flesh; and Chap. 23.30. She doted upon their paramoures, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose Issue is as the issue of horses; but when the Lord speaks of bodily adultery, he speaks in more covered terms, as Prov. 9.17. Stolen waters are sweet. So he describeth by eating, She eateth and wipeth her mouth, Prov. 30.20. and the reason is, because men are more sensselesse in taking up this spiritual adultery, and they use more shifts to hide it; and therefore the Lord sets it down in such plain terms. The Lord saith, What signifies to set up an image before God. Ye shall not make to thyself any graven image, gnal pani before me, gnal panai signifieth either continuance of time, or noteth a place. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First continuance of time, that so long as I am, So long as the Lord lives no image must set up before him. ye shall not choose another god, Num. 3.4. And Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the Priest's office, in the sight of Aaron their father, gnal peni Aharon, vivente adhuc Aarone. So 1 Sam. 31, 1. and the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli, lipne gneli ante Eli, that is while Eli was alive, Deut. 21.16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye may not make the son of the beloved first borne, before the son of the hated, gnal peni been, juxta faciem filij exosae, that is, so long as the son of the hated liveth. So Exod. 20. Ye shall have no other Gods before me, gnal panai, ante seu coram me; that is, so long as I live. So it is taken for a place; In no place an image must be set up before him. ye shall neither set up an Idol before me, either privately or publicly, for God's face is every where privately: the Lord forbiddeth them, Deut. 27.15. Neither privately. Cursed be he that maketh any graven or molten image an abomination of the Lord, the work of the hand of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. So the Lord abhored the chamber of their imagery Ezek. 8.12. Neither publicly. and he forbids them publicly to commit that Idolatry in the visible Church; Cain fled from the face of the Lord Genes. 4.16. That is from the visible Church; So the propitiatory in the Church of jerusalem was called the face of God Exod. 25. they were called panes facierum, because they stood before the propitiatory the face of the Lord; therefore the Lord forbids to set up an Idol before him: It was a great malapertness in the jews to set up their Idols in mount Olivet, just under the Lord's nose; therefore it was called 2 Kings 23.23. not men's Oliverum hamishka unctionis, but chamishceth perditionis, Elegans paranomafia. God never looked out of the holiest of all, but he saw this vile Idolatry: to set up this image of jealousy in the sight of the Lord, was a vile abomination Ezek. 18. Before my face; the laws of men at the first commanded, if the husband should apprehend the adulterer with his wife, than he should kill them both; as Solon and Draco his Laws ordained; Plutarch in the life of Solon. Codice titulo. l. Gracchus Covaruvius de matrimonio. 2. p. c. 7 7. but the Law of the twelve tables mitigates this afterward, Maechum in adulterio deprehensum necato, si vilis est, the husband might kill the adulterer with the adulteress, if he was a base person. So when the Lord apprehends his Church committing abomination with these Idols, and apprehends her in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, may he not justly kill the adultress? Before my face, the Schoolmen have a good axiom, Bonum nisi ex causa integra, malum vero ex quocunque defectu pessimum vero ex defectu maximo. Circumstances do much exaggerate a sin, for as in man it is not enough that the body have all the complete parts to make up the perfection of it; but there is requisite likewise proportion, colour, situation of parts, and if any of these be wanting, than a man is thought an uncomely man, Bonum hic ex integra causa nascitur; but if any thing be wanting, then that breeds defect, but the greatest defect ariseth of the greatest want, and which is farthest from the good: It was a great sin in Absalon to lie with his father's concubines in any place, but to lie with them in the sight of the sun, before all the people, this was a double sin and a deformity 2 Sam. 16.23. So for Cozbi and Zimri to commit their wickedness in any place, was a great sin, but to commit this sin in the sight of Moses and of all the congregation, when all the people were weeping before the Tabernacle of the Congregation, Num. 25.6. this was a fearful sin: So to commit this Idolatry in a private place was a great sin, but for the Israelites to have committed this sin before the Lord in the sight of the whole Congregation, this was a sin committed with a high hand against the Lord. SECT. 3. Of the division of Idolaters. AN Idolater is either a formal Idolater, A formal Idolater and a material Idolater. or a material Idolater; the formal Idolater is he who hath a false conception of God, and worship's him falsely. The conception of God is either verus, analogicus, The conception of God is verus analogicus or falsus. or falsus. We have either a true conception of God; or a conception of God by way of Analogy; God only hath a true conception of himself. or a false conception of God. The true conception of God is that which God hath only of himself; for he only conceives himself as he is; A conception of God by way of analogy is not a false conception. we take him up only by way of analogy: this conception is not a false conception of God, for we being but finite creatures, cannot comprehend the infinite God but finitely, and although our conception answer not to the infinite God, yet we conceive not here any Idol; for this conception is judged here after the manner of him who conceives, and not after the manner of him who is conceived: Our eye when it beholds the fire it receives into it the image of the fire, but not the essence of the fire; So we conceive of God according to our conception: When the Cherubims represented the angels in the Temple, this representation was rather of their qualities and actions, then of their persons; they were painted with the faces of children to signify their mildness; and with wings, to signify their agility, and with the christ of a Lion, to signify their strength: So when God is described to us by way of analogy in the Scripture; the essence of God is not described to us, but only his actions, that we may take him up by way of analogy. What is a false conception of God. The false conception of God is this, when the Idolater thinks he may resemble God, by a creature, and so worship the creature, or him by the creature, Psal. 106.20. Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an Ox that eateth grass; and this is a false conception of God, as when these heretics called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thought that God had a body indeed as men have. To set Christ God and man before us is the way to keep us from a false conception. But lest our minds should err in conceiving of God, who is infinite, and we take him up but finitely, therefore let us set Christ God and man, as the object of our mind when we worship; He that seethe the Son seethe the Father john 14.10. If a man should behold himself in a Crystal glass, he should not see his face in it, but if we put steel in the back of the glass (as we see in looking glasses) than we behold the reflex of our face perfectly in the glass: So when we behold the divinity by itself, our minds waver, and there comes no comfortable reflex from it; but God assuming the humanity, this makes a comfortable reflex as the steel does to the glass, and this helps our conception, when we look this ways upon God made man. The formal Idolater worships the image. The material Idolater makes the image. The formal Idolater is he who worships the image, and the material Idolater is he who makes the image; the Israelites said to Aaron, make Gods to us who may go before us; Aaron made the Calf and he was the material Idolater: but the Israelites who worshipped the Calf, they were the formal Idolaters: If one had come into the shop of Demetrius the silver smith, and had asked what he was doing, if he should have answered that he was making gods, he should not have answered rightly here; for he that worships and adores the image properly makes a God of it. Qui fingit sacros auro, vel marmore vultus Non facit ille deos; qui rogat, ille facit. SECT. 4. Of the effects of Idolatry. Sundry are the effects of Idolatry; Idols have sundry names in Scripture. wherefore in the scripture the Idols get sundry names, they are called gelilim, gods of dung, because they are loathsome, and defile the conscience of men proceeding as dung and excrements out of man's corrupt heart, Shickutsim, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is loathsome things, Ezeck. 20.8. and they are called Zirim, Isa. 45.16. as ye would say Tormina, such as a woman hath in childbirth: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they are called gnazthamini sorrows, Psal. 115.4. 1 Sam. 31.9. which brings nothing to a man but sorrow, Psal. 16.4. So they are bosheth pudor, jer. 5.19. and 11.13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same name which is given to a man's privy parts, Deut. 25.11. So they are called Miphlezeth horrenda Statue. 1 Kings 15.13. and Isa. 65.4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are called custodita in contempt, because they cannot keep themselves, see Isa. 46.1.2. And Emim terriculamenta, 1 Chro. 15.16. jer. 50.38. because they terrify their worshippers, and they get no comfort by them, Apoc. 14.11. and they are called vanities and lies, jer. 14.24. and 16.19. and Aven Iniquitas, Hos. 10.8. and 4.15. And the people who worships them are called a foolish people, Deut. 32.11. and no people Hos. 2.23. and 1 Pet. 2.10. And their Idolatry is not only called foolishness, but Summa malitia, Hos. 10.15. and Idolaters are said to eat the bread of lies, Hos. 10.13. that is a lie itself, such is that form of speech Prov. 4.17. to eat the bread of sluggishness, that is to be a sluggard; So Ephraim is said to feed upon the wind, Hos. 12. that is to deceive himself, with vain hopes, depending upon Idols: So he is said to follow the east wind; The east wind is the worst sort of any wind, for it broke their ships; so the Idols are called the spider's cobwebs, which are easily swept away, Hos. 8.10. and 1 Pet. 4.3. they are called abominable Idols: this Epithet is added to them, not for distinction sake, as though there were some Idols which were not abominable, but it is Adiectivum perpetuum (as the Hebrews call it) Such is that phrase he descended into the low graves; This distinguishes not one grave from another, but only signifies a deep grave, see Levit. 11. the creeping thing which is unclean, Adiectivum perpetuum and adiectivum distinctionis. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. here the adjectivum is adjectivum perpetuum, and not a note of distinction, Isa. 37.36. they are called dead corpse, which makes not a distinction here, but is adjectivum perpetuum: So Idols are called abhominatio stupenda, Dan. 9.27. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abhominationes, Mat. 24.15. so the wife that lies in thy bosom Mic. 7.5. this Epithet is not a note of distinction. Idols are nothing privative but not negative These Idols are nothing, 1. Cor. 8.4. They are nothing, not negative, but privative; they can neither hurt those who abhor them, nor help those who worship them: therefore Psal. 106.28. they are called Dii mortui, dead gods, who could neither help their friends nor hurt their foes. SECT. 5. Of the progress of Idolatry. EPiphanius reckons up twenty heresies, which were before Christ's coming in the flesh, Lib. 1. panariae. Epiphanius reduces, the periods of Idolatry into four. which he reduceth unto four heads, Barbarism, Schythisme, Hellenisme, and Samaritanism. First Barbarism, which comes from Bar, and in the Syriack, signifieth extra, but being doubled makes barber, as if ye would say, those who are altogether without the Church, and at this period of time there were but few gathered into the Church; How long Barbarism endured. He makes Barbarism to have lasted from the creation of the world, to the days of Noah for ten generations: This first period of Idolatry was before the flood, than they began to profane the name of the Lord, Gen. 6.5. but seeing this time is tempus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Of Barbarism and Schythisme. See Col. 3.2. and 2.11. and few things are set down by Moses of the progress of the Church at this time, and the heathen history begins long after this time, therefore we will rest here, and inquire no further of it. How long Scythisme endured. Secondly, he makes Schythisme to have endured from Noah to the building of the tower of Babel. Thirdly, How long Hellenisme endured. Why the Syriackes put always an Aramite for an Idolater. he makes Hellenisme to have endured from Abraham to the carring away of the ten tribes. This Grecian by the Syriack is called an Aramite, Col. 3.11. and so elsewhere an Aramite is put for a gentile, or an Idolater still in the Syriack; and the reason why they were so called is this; because the first Idolaters who are named in the scripture were Syrians, or Aramites, as Terah the father of Abraham was a Syrian, and Baalam was a Syrian, Deut. 25.5. and Naaman was a Syrian; all these were Idolaters. How long Samaritanism endured. Fourthly, he makes Samaritanism to have endured from the captivity of the ten Tribes, unto the days of Christ. The pure worship of God (so long as this Grecisme, or Aramites Idolatrous worship lasted) was in the family of Abraham, Melchisedecke, and a few others. The Church was first in a family. The Church hath been divided, first as she lived in a family, and then she is called an economical Church. Secondly, dispersed through a nation. Secondly, when she was dispersed through a nation, and then she was called a national Church. And thirdly when she was scattered through the world, Thirdly, scattered through the world. and then she was called the Catholic Church. When the Church was in a family. First, the Church was in a family, as in Abraham's family, Isaackes family, secondly in a nation, as when the Church was spread through judea: The Church when she was in Egypt she was not a national Church, because the Church lived then but in a part of Egypt: So when she was in the wilderness, she was not a national Church, but when the Church came to Canaan, and expelled the Canaanites, than she was a national Church. The people of God were ruled three ways. The people of God were ruled three ways, by patriarchs, by judges, and by Kings: first we will consider how Idolatry increased or decreased under the Patriarches; Secondly, under the judges, and Thirdly under the Kings. When Idolatry spreads itself over the face of the earth, than it pleased the Lord to have pity upon Abraham, and Sara, who lived in Chaldea, and worshipped the Moon, the Sun, and the stars, to call them out of Caldea to Charran, and there he taught them the true worship of God; They were first Idolaters as well as Terah was, & Nahor: Therefore josua saith josua 24.2. Your fathers dwelled beyond the flood of old time, even Terah the father of Abraham, and of Nahor, and they served other Gods, Amos 2.4. Their lies caused them to err after the which their fathers have walked; that is, the Idols which their fathers worshipped: Abraham was an Idolater as well as Terah was, and as Nahor: therefore, Rom. 4.5. when the Lord justified him, he found him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an ungodly man; and Rembam testifies, Lib. 1. Halach. 4. cap. 1. that first he was a worshipper of the stars. Abraham left not his Idolatry, when he was in Mesopotamia, when he dwelled in Vr, of the Chaldeans; but when he came to Carran; therefore the Lord brought him out of Mesopotamia, that he might leave that Idol service; but as concerning Terah, and Nahor, they retained something of their old Idolatry, as Rachel did afterward, who although she was taught by her husband to renounce Idolatry, yet she stoll her father's Idols; & so there was some of this leaven of Idolatry in jacobs' family, which he caused to be purged out, Goe 15.2. Terah and Nahor got some knowledge of the truth, and they acknowledged jehovah to be the true God, but they retained with all their Idols, and worshipped him in their Idols: And Abraham when he was to provide a wife for his son of the best that he could find (abhorring the Canaanites altogether) he made choice to send to his kindred of Nahors house, who (although he was not free altogether of this Idolatry and superstition) yet he reckons him not as an infidel, and rather wills his son to marry with him than with the vile Canaanites. It is said, Gen. 11.31. that Terah the father of Abraham went out of Vr of the Chaldees, to go unto the land of Canaan, and they came to Haran and dwelled there, and yet it is said, Gen. 12.1. Now the Lord said to Abraham, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, into a land that I shall show thee; but God commanded this before Terah went out of Vr, to Haran as it is clear out of Act. 7.4. The rule of the Hebrews holds here, Non esse prius & posterius in Scriptura; So Gen. 1.27. Male and female created he them, and Gen. 2.22. The rib which the Lord had taken from man made he a woman. He called Abraham and Sarai out of Chaldea, that Idolatrous country; and commanded his people to flee out of Babylon, lest they should have been partakers of her punishments, jer. 51.6. Rev. 18.4. Quest. For what sins should we leave a Church? Two sorts of defects in a Church, defects in manners, and defects in doctrine. We are not to leave a Church for corruption of manners. Answ. There are two sorts of defects in a Church: The first is, defects in manners: The second in doctrine; for corruption of manners, a man should not separate himself from a Church, for than they might have left the Church of Ephesus, the Church of Pergamus, the Church of Thyatira, the Church of Laodicea; for the Lord laid something to the charge of all these Churches: But in this case men should separate themselves from their corruptions, and not defile their garments, but walk in white, Rev. 3.4. As for errors in doctrine they are threefold; Errors of doctrine are, 1 Praeter fundamentum. first, those which are praeter fundamentum; and a man ought not to leave a Church for these. Secondly, there are errors in doctrine, 2 Circa fundamentum. circa fundamentum, which weakens the foundation, although they overthrew it not; and for these, men should not leave a Church. 3 Contra fundamentum. Thirdly, there are errors, contra fundamentum, and raseth the foundation, for these a man should not leave a Church, if the Church be not wholly infected with them & totally. There were amongst the Galathians some who maintained the doctrine of justification by works, but because all maintained it not, therefore they were not to leave the Church for that error. So in the Church of Corinth there were who maintained, that there was no resurrection from the dead, but because this was not holden by all, therefore the Church was not to be left for this. So there were in the Church of Pergamus, who held the doctrine of Balaam, yet all held it not; therefore the Church was not to be left for that: The whole head may be sick, and the whole heart faint, Esay 1.5. and yet may recover again; as the Church of Thyatira was ready to die, yet the Lord exhorts her to repent, and to watch, Rev. 3.3. and to strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die; but when once she is dead, and no life to be found in her, than men are to separate themselves from her. Hence it was that the Priests and Levites in this case, left Israel and came to judah, 2 Cor. 11.13. because she was a dead Church, and not a decaying: Therefore the Lords soul hath no delight in those who separate themselves from the Church, and make a rent, finding but small blemish in her. Quest. But was not this against nature for Abraham to leave his country and old parents. Answ. This is only against corrupt nature, Abraham left his father and country for God's cause. Primum vinculum est fortius secundo. which preferreth itself to God; but he that loves father or mother better than God, is not worthy of him. The nearest conjunction of all is betwixt God and man; and therefore he should leave all for God. It is said of Levi, Deut. 33.9. That he said unto his father, and to his mother, I have not seen him, neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children, for they have observed thy word and kept thy covenant. So the disciples, Matth. 4.23. When Christ called them, left their fathers, and the ship, and followed Christ. When Hanna wept, because she had no children, her husband comforted her, saying, Am I not better to thee than ten sons, 1 Sam. 1.8. A man should love his wife better, nor his father, or his mother, yea than ten sons: what love then should we carry to God, who should be deater to us than ten fathers, ten wives, twenty sons, and all the world. God can choose out of any society some to himself, except out of hell. He called him from the Idolaters; there is no society so bad; but the Lord can choose out some from amongst them, except only out of hell: As in Nero's court, he had some, Phil. 4.22. Salute them of Caesar's house: And in Crete, although they were slow bellies, and wild beasts there, yet the Lord planted a Church there; and in Ahabs' house, he had Obadiah, who feared the Lord greatly, 1 King. 18.3. And amongst the Pharisees, the Lord had Nicodemus; and in superstitious Athens, he had Dionysius, Areopagita, and Damaris, Act. 17.34. By this we may see that the Lord reigns even amongst the midst of his enemies, Psal. 110.2. He called Abraham and Sarai out of Chaldea, when they were Idolaters, When God would teach his people thankfulness, he wills them to look back first to their natural estate. Iosh. 24.2. The Lord when he would teach his people thankfulness, bids them look back to their former estate; first, how he multiplied them out of a dry stock, Esa. 51.2. Look unto Abraham your father, and to Sarai who bore you, and he called him alone and blessed him, and increased him: Look to the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged: Secondly to their poor estate. So he willeth them to look back to their poor estate, that they may be thankful to pay their first fruits, Deut. 26.4. And the Priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the Lord thy God; and thou shalt speak and say before the Lorh thy God, jacob was called a Syrian, not that he was borne there, but because he dwelled there with Laban; So Christ is called a Nazaret, because he dwelled there. I profess this day unto the Lord, a Syrian ready to perish was my father, Syrus perditionis, non Syrus perdens, meaning jacob that served in Syria under Laban; and then he brought him down to Egypt and sojourned there with a few, and became there a mighty and a great people; for this the Lord would have him to be thankful. And thirdly, to remember their Idolatry. And lastly, he calls them back to remember their Idolatry, how their fathers were Idolaters, and served Idols beyond the flood, Ios. 24.2. So the Apostle wills the Corinthians to look back to their former estate, how they were Idolaters, 1 Cor. 12.2. Ye know that ye were Gentiles carried away unto dumb Idols, even as ye were led. SECT. 6. Of the increase and decrease of Idolatry in the family of Jacob. THis Idolatry took increase in the family of jacob, The increase. when Rachel stole her father's Idols, Gen. 31.19. and in his retinue was polluted with these strange gods, the Idols that she brought from her father Laban's house; she was not free of Idolatry, yet neither was her sister Leah, and her handmaid Zilpah free of that Idolatry, Gen. 30.11. Bagad is read two ways; first, bagad, venit turma, vel exercitus. Secondly, it is read, conjunctim, bagad, i.e. fortuna vel fortunate: and Rabbi; Solomon reads it, Venit sidus bonum, seu planeta bonus; and she acknowledged this her child, fortunae influentis donum, a good gift from fortune, Esa. ●5. 11. gad, they interpret fortunam; and the Arabians (as Abenezra witnesseth) called God, Gad, or Mars, & hence come this word God, and Leah called this her son Gad, or good fortune, because in Laban's family they worshipped Gad or Fortune as a God. Rachel brought these Idols from her father Laban's house, Idols are a dangerous treasure to carry about. which was a dangerous treasure for her to carry about with her. Saint john saith in his first Epistle, Chap. 5. vers. 21. Little children keep yourselves from Idols, they are soon ensnared with them; and as children delights much to play with puppets, so Idolaters are much delighted with their Idols. Q. But did she not well in taking away her father's Idols? Answ. She was but a private woman and had no authority to do this; Rachel being a private woman should not have taken away her father's god. for a good action when it is done by these who have not a calling to do it, becomes sin. Theodoret tells us how one Abdas, in a preposterous zeal threw down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Hist. tripart. lib. 10. cap. 30. or the chapel, which the Persians kept their fire in, and which they worshipped as a God; and he being commanded to build it up again, he altogether refused: whereupon jazdigard the Emperor being highly incensed, caused first to cast down the Churches of the Christians, and search to be made for the Christians, whom he caused to be put to exquisite torments, which Theodoret describes most pathetically there, and shows that it was a most foolish enterprise of Abdas to have cast down this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and to give occasion this way to torment the poor Christians. Saint Paul when he saw the Idolatrous altar in Athens, Act. 17. he broke not down the Altar, but reasoned against it out of the inscription that he read into it. Again ye may mark here the vanity of these Idolaters, Laban cried out that she had stolen his gods; if they were gods had they not power to save themselves; If Baal be God let him plead for himself, judge 6.21. Zephan. 1.13. Their Gods shall become a booty. But Idolaters are wondrous foolish in this case, as Amaziah when he had killed the Edomites, and taken their gods, yet he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burnt incense unto them: These gods who could not defend themselves how could he worship them? Although Dagon broke his neck upon the threshold of the door, yet the Philistines would never tread upon the threshold of the door thereafter. Zeph. 1.9. I will punish all those that leap on the threshold But what respect should they have carried to that Idol who broke his neck there? the Romans when they overcame any people, they took their gods and put them in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. But for them to have worshipped these gods whom they had taken captive, this was great madness. The decrease. The decrease of this Idolatry was, when jacob took their strange gods, and their earing, and hide them under an Oak which was by Sechem Gen. 35.4. jacob was a good father of a family, he purged his house from all Idolatry: so should Christian magistrates purge the Church from Idolatry. When Ezekiah had removed the high places, Rabsakeh cried out against him, and said that he removed the Lords high places, and the Lords altars Esay 36.7. and because he said to judah and jerusalem, ye shall worship before this Altar, Rabsakeh seems here to plead for the Lord, as though the high places and the Idolatrous altars were instituted by the Lord, and not the altar of jerusalem, and he blames Ezekiah for removing these, and he shows v. 10. that he had a commandment from the Lord to come up and destroy this Land, because the high places were removed: So Papists plead against Christian magistrates, who have removed Idols out of the Church, crying that they have taken away the Lords holy images, and defaced his worship, and threaten judgements to come upon them, for defacing those high places of theirs. The second increase of Idolatry. The next increase of Idolatry was, when the Church was in Egypt, for then the Israelites did secretly commit Idolatry, Ezek. 23.3. and they committed whoredom in the land of Egypt; they committed whoredom, and had the teats of their virginity bruised. Because they polluted themselves in Egypt, and lost their virginity there: therefore the Lord was wroth with Idolatrous Egypt, and lifted up his hand to bring his people from amongst them, and to execute judgement both upon their gods, and upon their first borne, Num. 33.4. The Lord reckons this as one of his greatest favours to his people, that he brought them out of Egypt. The Lord reckoned it as one of his greatest favours shown to his Church that he delivered them out of Egypt, ten times he reckoned up this great benefit, first in giving of the Law, Exod. 20.2. secondly when he instituted the sacrifices, Levit. 22.33. thirdly, when he makes the promise of blessings to them, Levit. 26.13. fourthly in reckoning up of his great works, which he had done for them: fifthly he rockons this for the great sign of his love, Deut. 7.8. sixthly, when he dissuades them from ingratitude, Deut. 8.14. seventhly, when he instituted the Paschall lamb, Deut. 16.6. eightly, when the Angel reproved the people, judg. 2.1. ninthly, in hope of the victory against the Madianites, judg. 6.10. tenthly, when they were about to set up a King, 1 Sam. 10.18. But see how forgetful they were of this great benefit, and how they longed to go back again to Egypt, Exod. 14.11. Exod. 16.3. Exod. 17.3. Num. 11.3. and 14.4. and 20.3. The Lord commanded them expressly that they should never go back again to Egypt, Exod. 14.13. Deut. 28.68. Deut. 17.16. Quest. Was it not lawful for the people to go into Egypt again? In what sense it was forbidden to the people to go back again to Egypt. Answ. Some of the jews (as Rabbi Bechai) affirm that it was not lawful for them to go into Eypt again: Ye shall not henceforth return any more that way to Egypt again, Deut. 17.16. that is (saith he) ye shall not go the same way again which ye came out of Egypt, but ye may go out of other Countries to Egypt; but this interpretation is foolish, secondly Maymonides saith, that it was lawful for them to dwell in Egypt, and to trade there, when they subdued the Egyptians, thirdly, others say that it was praeceptum horarium, which endured but for a while, but the prohibition seems to forbid the whole body of the people to go back again to Egypt, Num. 14.4. And they said one to another, let us make a Captain, and let us return to Egypt, this way they might not return to Egypt. Deut. 17.16. The King shall not multiply horses unto himself, nor cause the people return to Egypt, the King might not by his Princely authority send many of the people to Egypt, nor give occasion to the people of much trading there with the Egyptians; for this continual intercourse with the Egyptians had been all one as if they should have gone back to Egypt again to dwell. But for private men to dwell there it was not simply unlawful; Vriah the Prophet fled to Egypt jer. 26.21. and jeremiah himself was carried to Egypt, jer. 43.6. and there were many famous schools and Synagogues of the jews in Egypt, which the wise men of God would not have suffered, if it had been simply unlawful to dwell there: they might dwell there if they were not partakers of the unfruitful works of the darkness of the Egyptians Levit. 18.3. after the doings of the Land of Egypt ye shall not do. The next increase of Idolatry in the Wilderness. The next increase of Idolatry in the wilderness was when they set up a golden calf to worship there, because they saw the ox worshipped in Egypt, Ezec. 23.19. Yet she multiplied her whoredoms in calling to remembrance the days of her youth, wherein she played the harlot in the Land of Egypt. The Idolatry of Egypt was a base sort of Idolatry, than the Idolatry of the Assyrians. Many were the plagues which they got out of Egypt, first they brought out of Egypt the filthy leprosy or scab, which lasted so long amongst them in the land of Canaan. Secondly, they forgot their circumcision for forty years in the wilderness; and this they learned from the Egyptians who circumcised not: Therefore when they came to Gilgall, and were circumcised; the Lord said, Ios. 3.9. this day have Irolled away the reproach of the Egyptians from you. Thirdly the blasphemer who cursed the Lord, Levit. 24. his mother was an Egyptian; Fourthly, the greatest part of that Miscellanea turba (of whom they learned to speak with open mouth against the Lord) came out of Egypt, Exod, 12.38. Fiftly, they gate the pattern of this golden calf out of Egypt, and the second time jeroboam brought the pattern of the golden calves, which he fet up out of Egypt, and Sheshak King of Egypt was the first who rob the temple of God, 1 King. 14.26. The Lord objects to his people, jer. 2.18. what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt to drink the waters of Sihor? Sihor was a river in Egypt, and to drink the water of Sihor, was to commit whoredom, and spiritual Adultery: So Solomon calls bodily Adultery water, stolen waters are sweet, Prov. 9.7. and they say Abstine ab aqua aliena: This water was called Sihor, which signifieth blackness; when they drank this water they committed a base sort of Idolatry, The Idolatry of Egypt was a base sort of Idolatry than the Idolatry of the Assyrians. then when they drank the water of the river Euphrates: for when they followed the Idolatry of the Egyptians, they worshipped oxen, but when they drank of the river Euphrates and followed their Idolatry, they worshipped the Sun, the Moon, and the stars: The Egyptians were the basest Idolaters, and Sihor was the blackest water; Therefore the Lord abhors Egypt and calls it the land of Cham, Psal. 105. I'm was accursed, so was the land of Egypt. Now let us consider who made this Idol; secondly whereof they made it. And thirdly, how great a sin this was in setting up this Idol to worship it. First, it was Aaron who made the calf: Aaron made the golden calf. It was neither ignorance nor complsion that moved him to make this calf, but fear only, Metus gravis (say they) potest cadere in virum constantem, a great fear may overtake a courageous man; But Aaron here was overtaken with a small fear; Aaron saw not the people stonning him, therefore his fear arose only upon his own apprehension. Aaron was the man who committed this sin; Aaron sinned not of ignorance. the high Priests lips should preserve knowledge, Mal. 2.7. he had knowledge enough to resist the sin; the servant that knows his masters will and doth it not, is worthy of many stripes, Mat. 12. When a Prince doth against justice who should maintain justice, there is a special repugnancy betwixt his act and his calling: So when Aaron to whom was concredit the purity of God's worship, committed Idolatry, than there was a special repugnancy betwixt him and his profession: how scandalous then was Aaron's fall to the whole people, In exemplum culpa vehementer extenditur, quando pro reverentia peccator honoratur, The fault is much aggravated by the example, when the sinner is much respected and honoured. The greatness of Aaron's sin may be taken up by the greatness of the sacrifice of the high Priest which was to expiate the sin. Again, consider the greatness of Aaron's sin by the greatness of the sacrifice of the High Priest. Moses, Leu. 4. distinguishes sins according to the difference of persons, if a common man sinned, he was to bring for one oblation a Kid of the goats, a female without blemish, ver. 28. but if a Prince of the people sinned he shall bring a Kid of the goats; a male without blemish, ver. 23. and if the whole congregation sinned, than they shall bring a young bullock for their sin, ver. 14. and if the Priest who was anointed sin, (that is the high Priest, for none was anointed after the first institution as the high Priest was but he alone) he was to bring a young bullock; here the sacrifice of the Priest, was as great as the sacrifice of the whole people. If the eye be evil, the whole body is full of darkness, Matth. 6.23. and such Priests such people. By Aaron's committing this sin we are taught the infirmities of the levitical Priesthood. Aaron made the calf, hence we may learn, what infirmity was in the legal ceremonies, that they could bring nothing to perfection, Heb. 9.9. And this we may see in the ingress, progress, and ending of the Priesthood: Aaron when the Priesthood was first instituted he committed Idolatry, and Urias in the progress of the Priesthood he commits Idolatry; And Cajaphas about the ending of the priesthood, he condemns the Lord jesus: therefore jesus Christ is our only High Priest that must expiate our sins. Secondly, consider whereof this Idol was made; the people brought their jewels and earing to Aaron, Exod. 32.3. and of these the Idol was made. Idolaters are very profuse in the bestowing upon their Idols all sort of cost, Idolaters are very prodigal in bestowing things of great cost upon the Idols. jer. 10.9. they brought the most precious gold from Vphaz or Ophir to make their images of; so from Tarshis they brought their most excellent silver, they spared no cost. Nabuchadnezzer set up an Imag of gold, Da. 3.1. whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits; And that is it which the Lord lays to the charge of the whorish Church Israel, Ezech. 16.34. other whores take gifts; but thou givest gifts. The three ages of the Church of the jews, the golden are, the silver age, and the iron age. In the Church of Israel there were three ages, the golden age, the silver age, and the iron age. The golden age they make to be that time when David gathered all materials for the building of the temple, and when Solomon built it. The silver age they hold begun in johash his time, 2 King. 12. when he repaired the temple, howbeit there was not made for the house of the Lord bowls of silver, Snuffers, Bassens, Trumpets, or vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, that was brought into the house of the Lord; this was but a silver age in respect of the former golden age, and now they had but shields of brass in the temple, whereas in the first age they had shields of gold, 1 King. 14.27. The third age was the iron age, when they stole out of the house of God the sieling & sieled their own houses with it, jer. 22.14. so when they dwelled in houses of Cedar, but the Lords house lay waste, Hagg. 1.4. and when they rob him of his tithes, Mal. 3.8. we live now under this iron age; If any man bestow any cost now for the maintenance of the worship of God misers cry out with judas Mark 14.4. what needs this waist, and they think it like bread cast upon the waters, Eccles. 11.1. But the Lord meets with those who robs his Church, for when they have sown much they find but little increase, because they defraud him. Rabbi Alsack writing upon Malachi, tells us of a certain man who had a piece of ground which brought forth yearly a thousand measures of grain, and when the time of paying his tithe to the Priests came, he paid but ninety bushels where he ought to have paid a hundred. The next year his increase was not so great, wherefore he withdrew so much from the Priests: at last his increase came but to an hundreth, which was the first tenth that he was bound to pay the Priests: an old man by chance meeting with him, said unto him, that he was glad of the late dignity that was befallen to his house, how that God had gotten the increase, and he became the Priest of his family to get the tenths; Idolatry is a great sin, because it is committed immediately against God. at which words he was ashamed and repent him of his former sacrilege. The greatness of this sin of Idolatry which they committed here may be considered by the worthiness of the person against whom it is committed, for as in bodily diseases, those are most hurtful that do annoy the original of our life most, as the heart; so in sins, those are the greatest which are committed against God the fountain of life. There are some carnal sins, and some spiritual sins. Again we may know the greatness of this sin by the nature of the sin itself: There are some sins that are carnal sins; and some spiritual, Ephes. 6.12. and these are greater than carnal sins; Idolatry is a spiritual sin, and adultery is a carnal sin; The spirit being delighted with Idolatry is a greater sin, then when the flesh is delighted with Adultery, and there is a greater aversion from God in Idolatry, Where there is a greater motive to sin, the sin is the less. than the conversion and adhaering to sin in Adultery. Again, where there is a greater motive to sin, the sin is the less. But these carnal sins hath Concupiscence which draws them away, and moves them to sin; but in spiritual wickedness there is no such concupiscence to draw men to sin, their sin resembles the sin of the devil more, who is not led with lust or concupiscence to sin: He that kills a man in passion, he sins not so fearful, as he who kills him in cold blood: therefore those sins must be the greatest which men are not led to by Concupiscence. Notwithstanding Aaron committed Idolatry in setting up this calf, yet the Lord spared him, & always shown great tokens of his mercy to the tribe of Levi; as to Aaron, Deut. 9.29. to the posterity of Corah. Numb. 26.11. and to Abiathar, 1. King. 2.26. and so josias, when the Priests had committed Idolatry in sacrificing in the high places, he did not kill them, as he did the Idolatrous Priests, who were not called by the Lord, 1 King. 23.20. but only commanded that they should eat of the unleavened bread amongst their brethren, 2 King. 23.9. which was enjoined to those that had any blemish in their body, and they were forbidden to eat the bread of their God, Levit. 21.17. They worshipped the calf. The ox was a sign of plenty, where the ox is wanting the crib is empty, but much increase is by the strength of the ox, Prov. 4.4. joseph who provided corn in the time of famine is called God's ox, Deut. 33.17. Lib. 1. Sacrae scripturae chap. 15. which book is holden, to be Augustine's. His glory is like the firstling of a bullock, because he provided for the Egyptians, and for his father's family in the time of famine; therefore it is said, that the Egyptians placed the similitude of an ox hard by josephes' burial place. Whether the Idol which they worshipped was a calf or an ox. It may be asked whether this Idol which was set up, was made in the form of a calf or an ox? And the reason of the doubt is, because sometimes this Idol is called an ox, Ps. 106.20. And they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass; And sometimes it is called a calf, vers. 14. they made a calf in Horeb. Answ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word gnegel vitulus with the Hebrews signifies, either vitulum subrumum, that is, a sucking calf, or it signifies vitulam tertiam, jer. 48.34. when it is three years old, and then it is called indifferently, Shor, or gnegel bos, or vitulus; but when it is seven year old, than it is only called Shor, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not gnegel, that is an ox, and not a calf, judg. 6.4.6. Again, it may be asked whether it was a cow, calf or an ox calf, which they worshipped: The reason of the doubt, is because, Hos. 10.5. he calls them gnegloth in the feminine gender, which they worshipped in Dan and Bethel, and they were made after the form of this calf which they worshipped in the wilderness? Answ. David, Esal. 106.20. calls this calf Shor, an ox calf which they worshipped, and the 70. convertes it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifies an ox calf, and they ploughed with oxen and not with kine: And whereas Hos. 10.5. puts them in the feminine gender, calling them gnegloth, this was spoken per Ligragnon, per contemptum (as the jews speak) that is in contempt. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Tob. 1.5. this calf is put in the feminine gender, sacrificantes, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, sacrificing to the Cow; it should not be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, seu potestati, for what power is in an Idol. In contempt this calf is called a cow calf, and not an ox; So Rom. 9.5. I have reserved to me, 7000. men who have not bowed their knee to Baal, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the feminine gender; and he understands, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noting the infirmity of the sex. So Virgil in his 9 book, when he exprobrates to the Trojans their cowardliness, he calls them not Phryges', but Phrygias. So Homer calls them not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to signify how fare degenerate and effeminate they were. Whether it was the head of a calf which they worshipped or not? Thirdly, it may be asked whether they worshipped the head of the calf here, or the whole calf, and the reason of the doubt is, because S. Cyprian in his book, De bona conscientia sub finem: S. Ambrose Epist. 6. Lactantius, lib. 4.10. S. Augustine in Psal. 73. hold that it was not an ox, but caput bubuli which they worshipped: But this seems not to be probable, seeing the Scripture every where calls it a calf; and he resembleth him to an ox eating grass, Psal. 106.20. The head of an ox alone cannot eat grass; and they resembled an ox as near as they could. This ox which they worshipped in Egypt, was marked with strange spots; Bos (inquit) in Egypto numinis vice colitur, Apin vocant, insigne ei in dextro latere candicans macula, similis cornibus Lunae crescere incipientis, nodus sub lingua quem cantbarum appellant; There is an ox in Egypt which is worshipped as a God, and they call him Apis, he hath upon his right side a white spot, which is like the horns of the Moon when she beginneth to grow, and he hath under his tongue a knot which they call Cantharus; By what slight the devil continued this Idolatry in Egypt to worship the calf. And S. Augustine holds that the devil (whereby this Idolatry might be continued in Egypt) used this slight, Phantasiam talis tauri vaccae concipienti ostendere, ut libido ejus attraheret quod in ejus faetujam corporaliter appareret, that is, he presented before the Cow, when she was engendering, and in her heat, August. de civet. dei. lib. 18. cap. 5. a Bull marked after the same manner that the ox of Egypt was; which marks the Cow apprehending in her fantasy, transmitted to the calf, and by that means the calf was marked after the same manner that the ox was; and so the devil by his slight and cunning, continued this Idolatry in Egypt. But mark the foolishness of these Idolaters; this ox which they worshipped, when he grew old, they used to drown him in some lake or pool, and then they lamented for his death in mourning apparel, knocking upon their breasts, and renting their ; but when they had found another marked after the same manner, than they rejoiced exceedingly; this was great madness. Peucerus de divinatione. pag. 223. One jested at the gods of Egypt, when he saw them lament for their gods, Si dii sunt cur plangitis, si mortui cur adoratis, if they be gods, what need you to lament, if they be dead, why do you worship them. The decrease of this Idolatry. This Idolatrous worship decreased, when Moses caused the calf to be beaten to powder, and given to the people to drink, Exod. 32.20. thus he would let them see when this Idol was turned to excrements; It was but a god of dung, Leu. 26.30. Deut. 29.17. and because these Idols were but gods of dung, therefore the Lord commanded that Baal's house should be turned into a privy, 2 King. 10.27. and so when the Levites consecrated their hands to kill their neighbours and brethren, Exod. 32.29. that were Idolaters, their hands were consecrated with the blood of their brethren; as that day when they were ordained priests, and the blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled upon the thumb of their right hand, Exod. 29.20. and this was as acceptable a consecration to the Lord, as that day when they were consecrated priests unto him. The second increase of Idolatry in the wilderness. The second increase of Idolatry in the wilderness was, when God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the Prophets; O ye house of Israel, have ye offered unto me slain beasts, and sacrifices, by the space of forty years in the wilderness; yea ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Rempham, figures which ye made to worship them. How are the Israelites charged by Amos, and by Stephen to have worshipped the host of heaven in the wilderness, when there is no mention made of this by Moses. Here first we are to inquire how the Israelites are charged by the Prophet Amos, Chap. 5. vers. 25. and by Stephen, Acts 7. that they worshipped the host of heaven in the wilderness; when as the Lord never charged them with this sort of Idolatry in the books of Moses. Secondly, how they are said never to have sacrificed all the time that they were in the wilderness, when as they sacrificed to the Lord in the wilderness? Exo. 24.5. and Levit. 8.21. and 9.2. Thirdly, what these Idols were which they worshipped and sacrificed to in the wilderness? As to the first, How can they be said by the Prophet, and by Stephen, to offer to the host of heaven, seeing the Lord blames them not for that; and we read nothing in the history of Moses of it? An. Rabbi Solomon reads it in the future tense, portabitis, ye shall bear, as though the Lord were threatening a judgement against them for the time to come, but this is neither the meaning of the Prophet, nor of S. Stephen for they charged the Israelites with that Idolatry which they committed whiles they were in the wilderness. Beza upon the 7. Act. holds that the Israelites committed not this Idolatry while they were in the wilderness; but the Prophet blames them that they worshipped God, but hypocritically, and not sincerely in the wilderness; and so David blames them, Psal. 95. and Psal. 106. and therefore the Lord gave them up afterward to this open Idolatry, to worship the host of heaven: But the Prophet Amos expressly saith, Amos 5.25. that they worshipped the host of heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifies a particular wilderness; the wilderness of Arabian, where they wandered forty years. Object. But if it be said that there is no mention of this Idolatry in the history of Exodus, neither are they charged with it as with other Idolatry? I answer, that the Scripture, The Scripture sets down in some places that which is omitted in others, and that makes up the full sense of the Scriptures. sometimes sets down in one place, that which is omitted in another: Example, it is set down in Exodus how the Magicians were called who resisted Moses, and yet the Apostle calls them jannes' and jambres, 2 Tim. 3.8. So the strife which was betwixt the devil and Michael about the body of Moses, the Apostle jude sets it down, ver. 9 So it is set not down in the history of Genesis, that joseph when he was in prison, his feet were put into the stocks, and Iron entered into his soul, and yet David sets it down, Psal. 105.18. So the Israelites worshipping of the Host of heaven in the wilderness, although it be not mentioned by Moses; yet it is set down by Amos, and by Saint Stephen Act. 7. and many things are omitted in some places of Scriptures, which are clearly set down in other places, which being conferred together makes up the full sense of the Scripture. The second thing to be required here is, In what sense the Israelites are said not to have sacrificed to the Lord all the time they were in the wilderness. how it can be said that they sacrificed not 40 years in the wilderness, seeing they sacrificed at mount Sinai, Exod. 24.4.5. and Levit. 8.21 and 9.2. Answ. The scripture when it speaks of numbers, sometimes expresseth the full number (after the manner of men) although there be more or less than is set down, as judg. 16.27. they were about 3000 on the roof of the Temple. So john 6.10. there sat down about 5000 upon the grass, and Act. 1.15. there was about 120 that is few, more or less. Secondly, although there be some wanting in the number, yet the Scripture expresseth the full number; and this is called rotundatio numeri, as Gen. Eederech ketzera. 35.26. these are the 12 children that were borne to jacob in Padan Aram, that is almost 12 children, for Benjamin was not borne there, but in the way as they returned from Syria. So Gen. 42.13. we are the 12 sons of jacob, that is almost 12 sons, for they thought joseph had been dead then. So judg. 9.5. Abimeleth killed, the 70 brethren; they were not all killed, for jothan escaped. So Numb. 14.34. ye shall carry your iniquities 40 years in the wilderness, that is, almost 40 years; for this judgement was pronounced against them the second year that they came out of Egypt: and 1 Cor. 15.5. Christ appeared to the 12, that is, almost to 12 for judas was hanged then. So 2 Sam. 5.5. David reigned over judah 7 years and six months, and in jerusalem 33 years, he reigned but 32 years and 6 months yet to make the number round, it is said that he did reign 33 years. Thirdly the Scripture sometimes sets down the greater number and leaves out the lesser ob rotundationem numeri as judg. 20.46. all those that fell that day of Benjamin were 25 thousand, the whole number that fell were 25 thousand, and one hundred, but when the Scripture sums them up, it sets down the greater number and leaves out the hundreth: so 2 Sam. 5.4. David reigned 40 years; he reigned 40 years and six months, but to make the number round, the 6 months are left out. Fourthly when the thing numbered comes fare short of the number, than the Scripture draweth it not that aed rotundationem numeri, but acknowledgeth it in effect to be nothing, because it hath been so seldom done: as ye sacrificed not unto me 40 years in the wilderness, because they sacrificed so seldom unto him in the wilderness, therefore the Scripture saith, ye sacrificed not to me in the wilderness. Some reckons this time that they sacrificed not in the wilderness, to be from the time that the spies returned from the searching of the Land of Canaan; and all that time they sacrificed not: as Theodoret and Ribera upon Amos affirm. The third thing to be inquired here is this: what these Idols were which they worshipped in the wilderness Amos 5.26. But ye have borne the Tabernacle of your Moloch and Chium your images, the star of your god which you made to yourselves, ver. 27. Therefore I will cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus saith the Lord. But Acts 7.42. Yea ye took up the Tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them, and I will carry you beyond Babylon. First it is to be considered, that the Lord gave them up to worship the Host of heaven. Secondly, what they worshipped. Thirdly, the punishment, they shall be carried beyond Babylon for their Idolatry. First the Lord gave them up to worship the Host of heaven, that is, as they turned to the Idolatry of Egypt so the Lord turned to give them up to serve the Host of heaven. Their Idolatry. Ye have borne the Tabernacle of your Moloch, or Regis vestri, of your King. The Israelites at this time had no earthly King, but by King here is meant the sun which those in the East called Bagnal and in the Syriack Begnel and Beel Bel their Lord, Seldon de dijs Syriis. and their Melech King or Molech, and Amos saith Regis vestri. Luke reads it Moloch and Succoth he turns it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tabernaculum, because they carried their Gods about with them in a tent or Tabernacle. Succoth is Tabernaculum, and Succoth was the proper name of the Idol, these he calls imagines vestras, figures which ye made to worship them, because they carried about with them in a Tabernacle their Succoth or Moloch the image of the heaven in the which the Sun or Moloch (that great King over all the stars, and having dominion over all sublunary things) was placed in his Tabernacle. The Lord hath set a Tabernacle for the sun in the heavens Psal. 19.4. So they carried Moloch the sun in a Tabernacle. For Chiun Saint Luke reads it the star of your god Remphan, all grant Remphan to be put for Chiun or Chevan, but what this Remphan was here is the doubt; Lodovicus de deiu shows us learnedly out of Acts the 7 that this Cheven was Saturnus, where he reckons up the names of the planets ex lexico Arabico, this Saturnus was Moloch also, therefore they sacrificed men both to Saturn and to Moloch, and therefore Moloch and Chiun Saturnus are fitly joined together by Amos. And next he shows why Saturnus is called Chiun, from Cunstabilire, disponere, and Keina quae a Syris, natura dicitur quae vivificat omnia which is called by the Syrians, nature itself that quickeneth all things. Then he adds Remphan or Rephan, which in the Egyptian tongue signifieth that which we call Saturn, and this (he saith) Claudius Salmatius did first clear unto him that in the Egyptian tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Saturn, and for proof of this he brought forth the Egyptiacke Alphabet sent from Rome to him, where the Planets are set down after this manner, the first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sol, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luna, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saturnus, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jupiter, & sic de caeteris. The seventy when they Translated the Bible into Greek, they made choice of a known word to the Egyptians, Rephan in place of Chiun, a word which was not known to them, he adds the star of your god, stella Saturni, idest, Saturnus as Fluvius Euphratis, id est, Euphrates. Stephen. adds figures which they made to themselves; the Lord made them not, but they made them to themselves. God was only the God of jacob, and he chooseth Israel only for his inheritance, but so soon as they choosed gods to themselves, and set up the golden Calf to worship it, Exod. 32.9. He will be their God no more. Then he said to Moses, thy people have corrupted themselves, they are no more my people, neither will I be their God any more. Their punishment followeth, Amos 5.27. Therefore I will cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, and Stephan. adds beyond Babylon, for here he is speaking of the ten Tribes, which were carried captive by Salmanazar beyond Babylon into Media, and the reason which moved Amos to say beyond Damascus, was because Hasael the King of Damascus had plagued Israel, or the ten tribes fearfully, many of them he killed, many of them he carried captives away to Syria, and yet the stiff necked people were never a whit the better, and therefore he threatens that shortly after they shall be carried a great way beyond Damascus, even to Babylon when they were transported to Media and Armenia: and so Saint Stephen expressed that clearly which the Prophet aimed at. The third increase of Idolatry in the wilderness was, The third increase of Idolatry in the wilderness. when Balaam persuaded Balack to take the daughters of the Madianites, and set them before the Israelites: first they committed whoredom with them; And then they committed a trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, Num. 31.16. 2 Pet. 5.15. He cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel to eat and to sacrifice, Rev. 2.14. Psal. 106.28. The Israelites beholding the Madianitish women with their adulterous eyes, they committed fornication with them: The eyes have been well resembled to the moon; and the heart to the sun: and as in an eclipse when the moon is interposed betwixt our sight and the sun; then there is an eclipse in the sun: So when the Adulterous eye is interposed betwixt the heart and us, that makes the eclipse of the heart. Secondly, they stumbled in eating these things which were sacrificed to Baal Peor. Hear we may learn how easy a thing it is for men to fall from bodily whoredom to spiritual, and what great affinity is betwixt these two, It is an easy thing for men to fall from spiritual adultery to corporal. & contra. the breaking of the seventh Commandment by bodily adultery, and the second, by spiritual adultery. When a man commits sin (saith Saint Gregory) he breaks all the commands, jam. 2.10. But there is some more affinity betwixt the breach of some commands then of others: And he illustrates the matter by this comparison; As he who plays upon a Lute; when he touches one of the strings, all the rest tremble, but that string only which is upon the same note gives the sound with the string which is touched: So every sin touches as it were all the commandments, and makes them to tremble, but these who stand upon the same concord, sin toucheth them most, and men fall easily from Idolatry to whoredom, and from whoredom to Idolatry, Romans 1.24. because Idolaters changed the glory of God into corruptible things; Therefore the Lord gave them up to uncleanness, and to the lusts of their own heart, and to defile their bodies: here bodily whoredom is the punishment of Idolatry, which is spiritual whoredom. Great is the affinity betwixt these two sorts of whoredoms; and therefore it is, that Antichrists seat, Rev. 11.8. is called spiritual Sodom: and because of the resemblance betwixt these two sins Ezechiel compared Idolaters of Israel, Ezeh. 23.2.3.5. to a woman inflamed with love to a godly young man, on whom she had cast her eyes, and fixed her affections upon, and forgetting all modesty sendeth messengers for him. ver. 16. and bringeth him unto her, ver. 17. into the bed of Love, ver. 18. And abstinence from Idolatry is called virginity, Rev. 14.4. and not defiling themselves with women. The Lord by the Prophet Micah wills the people to remember, Mic. 6.5. what Balack the king of Moab consulted against them, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shitim to Gilgall, that they might know the righteousness of the Lord: The meaning of the place is, that Baalam endeavoured by all means (when the people of God were travelling through the wilderness) to corrupt them; therefore he strove first to corrupt them, and he prevailed with them at Shittim, when they committed whoredom with the daughters of Moab, Num. 25.1. and there the Lord plagued them for their offence, & then they repent & wept bitterly for their offence at Abel Shittim (Abel is called mourning) & then they came to Gilgal where the Lord renewed the covenant with them, & last to Canaan This pilgrimage of theirs through the wilderness is a lively type of a poor Christians pilgrimage through the world, first he is baptised; The Israelites pilgrimage through the wilderness, fitly resembles the estate of a Christian man's life here. then he is at the red sea with the Israelites, 1 Cor. 10. They were baptised in the red sea; then through the tentations of the devil he falls, and is whipped, and chastised for his offences; then he is in Shittim with the Israelites. Thirdly he laments and weeps for his offences, and then he is in Abel Shittim a place of mourning with the Israelites. Fourthly, he renews the covenant with God, and then he is in gilgal with the Israelites: and at the last he is brought to heaven, and then he is in Canaan with the Israelites. The decrease. When the Lord commanded the Israelites to revenge themselves on the Madianites, Num. 30.2.3. and they slew all the males and the Kings of Midian, and Baalam, also the son of Peor slew they with the sword vers. 8. and they killed all the males amongst the little ones, and all the women that had known a man; and thus the Idolatry of worshipping of Baal Peor decreased amongst the people. The fourth increase of Idolatry in the wilderness. The fourth increase of Idolatry in the wilderness was when the devil would have set up the body of Moses to have been worshipped, jude 9 Some hold that this strife which was betwixt Michael and the devil about the body of Moses was about the ceremonial law, junius upon jude. which they call Moses his body; But that place, Deut. 34.4.6. shows that the strife was about Moses natural body, for Moses the servant of the Lord died in the land of the Moabites, according to the appointment of the Lord, & he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, in a place where no man knows unto this day. After that Moses died, before he was buried, the devil would have taken his body and made an Idol of it, But Michael resisted him, and would not suffer his body to be made an Idol. Doctrine. Great hath been the strife always about religion. Great hath been the strife always about religion: the first strife that ever was in the world was about religion, as betwixt Cain and Abel, Gen. 4. so betwixt jerubbaal and the men of Sechem for casting down Baal's altar, jud. 6.28. and betwixt Michael and the devil, for the worshipping of Moses his body: so betwixt Christ and the devil about God's worship, Mat. 4. So betwixt the image of the beast which was wounded by the sword, by revived again, and the saints who would not take the mark of the beast neither in their hand, nor in their forehead, Rev. 13. This strife about religion will set the fathers against the children, and the children against the parents. Satan would have set up Moses his body to have made an Idol of it. The bodies of the saints may be made Idols both living and dead. The bodies of the saints may be made Idols both when they are dead as here of the body of Moses, & when they are alive, as when Cornelius fell down at Peter's feet and worshipped him, Peter refused that worship, Act. 10.26, 27. and said, stand up, for I myself am a man, Peter refused this worship, because it was divine worship or inclining too fare to it: So when the Priests would have sacrificed to the Apostles, Act. 14. they rend their , and ran in amongst the people, crying, and saying, why do ye these things? we are men of like passions with you, preaching to you, that ye should turn from these vanities. They would have made the Apostles to be in the number of these Idol vanities, when they would have given him divine worship. Satan goes from an exte●mitie to another. Again ye may observe here how Satan goes from one extremity to another; when Moses was alive, how often moved he the people to have stoned him: but now when he is dead, he would have him to make an Idol of his body, so the jews in die Palmarum, did sing, Hosanna to Christ; and the next day they cried Crucifige. So when the viper leapt on Paul's hand, they said he was a murderer; but when he shaken it off, and it hurt him not, they said he was a God, and those are unstable in all their ways, jam. 1.8. He would have set up Moses his body to have been worshipped, if the Lord had suffered this body to have remained in the Church, how would the devil afterward have made up a ground for the continuance of Idolatry in the Church? then he would have said, If all sort of worship be denied to the bodies of the saints, why would the Lord have suffered the body of Moses the man of God, to stand this way in the Church as a stock without all honour to be given to it? would he not rather have thrown it down, as he did the Idol Dagon? The Lord forbade only this divine worship to be given to the heathen gods, as to jupiter, Mars, Venus: But it was never his mind that the divine worship should not be given to the bodies of the saints departed; and if Moses himself were redivivus, he would explain himself in this point, that it was forbidden only to give this worship to heathen Idols, but not to saints, which is forbidden in the Law; for he communicating so many dignities with the saints, would not refuse to communicate with them a part of his honour. Michael resisted the devil, and would not suffer him to take the body of Moses and make an Idol thereof: The Apostle jude 5. borrows from the Apocryphas book called, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Origenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Libro 3. cap. 2. Pethirath moshe dimissio mosis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; This strife which was betwixt Michael and the devil about the body of Moses. What duties we are bound to perfore to the dead. Quest. What duties are we bound to perform to the bodies of the Saints when they are dead? Answ. We are to use them with comeliness, Acts 9.37. they washed the body of Dorcas, and laid her in an upper chamber; and to wrap them in linen, as Christ's body was; and to bury them in an honest burial place: we ought to esteem reverendly of their bodies, because they are the members of Christ's mystical body, and they wait for the blessed resurrection: and to suffer them to rest in peace in their graves, 2 Kin. 22.20. But we are never to worship them or their relics; if we follow the example of Michael, who would not suffer Moses his body to be worshipped. The decrease of this Idolatry. The decrease of this Idolatry was, when Michael buried the body of Moses where no man knew. Great is the care which the Lord hath over his children in their infancy, in their old age, in their death, and after they are dead; and as the eyes of the Lord was upon Canaan from the beginning of the year to the end, Deut. 11.12. so are the eyes of the Lord upon his children from their infancy, to their old age, from their old age to their death, and after they are dead; and first from their infancy to their old age, Esay 46.3. Hear O house of jacob, and the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the womb; and brought up with me from the birth, therefore until thy old age, I the same, even I, will carry you to your hoary heads; the Prophet points at these two times of our life especially; because these two periods are most weak in all our life; our infancy, and decrepit age; then the death of his Saints is precious in the fight of the Lord, Psal. 116.18. and then after they are dead, the Lord hath a singular care of them: What a care had the Lord of Moses in his birth when he was cast out to be drowned? The Lord preserved him and drew him out of many waters: therefore he was called Moshe from Masha, extrahere; and David alludes to this, Psal. 18.16. Thou hast drawn me out of many waters: Hence the Poets from this fain, that some were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, borne in the waters because Moses was drawn out of the waters; and in his death the Lord shows his singular love to * It is said of Moses, D●ut. 34.7. that he died ad osculum oris dei, which Solomon jarchi paraphraseth, at a kiss: of the mouth of God: Death was a kiss of the mouth of God to him. him; and here after he is dead, the Lord suffers not his body to be made an Idol of: Good King josias when he was killed in the battle, a man might have thought that the Lord had little respect unto him, who made him fall before his enemies: but see what respect the Lord carried unto him, when he saith, Thou shalt be gathered in peace to thy fathers, 2 King. 22.20. Who would have thought that the Lord had such a care of him; and yet his soul was bound up in the bundle of life, and he was gathered in peace to his fathers; So he had a great care of the body of jacob; he promised to go down to Egypt with him, and to bring him back again, Gen. 46.4. But how is it said that he brought him back again then, seeing he died in Egypt? The Lord attended his very corpses, when he brought it back, and saw it buried in Machpelah, in the place which Abraham, bought for a burial place, Gen. 50.13. The Lord buried Moses his body. It is most probable which josephus holds, that joshua, Eleazar, and some of the elders of Israel, went up with Moses to the mount Nebo; but after his death; that the Angels carried his body to the valley of Moab, and then it was buried where no man knoweth. The Angels buried Moses his body: The Angels are ministering spirits to the godly in this life, and at their death they carry their souls to heaven, but they carry not their bodies to the grave. This was a singular favour shown to Moses, that the Lord buried him by the ministry of Angels: They attended Christ's grave; but yet they buried him not as they did the body of Moses. Not to be buried is a great judgement, Eccles. 6.3. An untimely birth is better, than he that gets no burial. It was a great judgement upon jehojakim, jer. 22.18. who got insepultam sepulturam, and no man lamented his death, saying, Ah my brother, ah my sister, or ah my Lord, ah my glory. verse. 18. The jews pray to deliver them from four things, first, from the circumcision of the Sechemites, Gen. 34.26. Secondly from the Religion of the Samaritans. Thirdly from the death of the uncircumcised, Ezech. 28.10. And fourthly, from the burial of jehojakim; that they get not the burial of an ass, jerem. 22.19. Moses his burial was the most honourable burial that ever was; it was more honourable than their burial, who got the burning of their fathers, 2 Chro. 21.19. 1 Chro. 16.14. And more honourable than the burial of Gamaliel, for whom Onkelos burned an hundreth pound of frankincense, for the honour of the dead.: It was a more honourable burial, than the burial of those who were buried in the garden of their father's burial, 2 Kin. 21.18. It was more honourable, than these who were buried in the city of David. But consider the attendants who attended his burial: Abner his burial was an honourable burial, when all the people mourned for him, and the King himself followed the hearse, and wept, 2 Sam. 3.31. But here the Angels waited upon his burial, and God himself attended the hearse to the burial, and was the chief mourner there: When a private man died, lamentation was made but seven days for him, Syrac. 22.13. but they lamented for Moses thirty days; and they cried out, ah our brother, ah our Lord; ah our glory, jer. 22.18. thus God honoureth them who honour him. He buried him in a place where no man knew, He buried his body Where no man knew, ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the abolishing of Idolatry. yet Moses was present with Christ at the transfiguration, Mat. 17.3. So these who are buried in the sea, blown in the air, and burnt to ashes, and no man knoweth what is become of their bodies; yet they shall appear before the Lord in the day of the resurrection. Michael buried the body of Moses: What if the Church of Rome had the body of Moses now, and knew it to be his body, would they bury it or not? Whether would they stand for Michael or the devil? They might say that it was a fit thing to bury it at that time, because the people was an ignorant people then, and Satan was ready to move them to Idolatry: But now seeing they would give no worship to it but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they might safely set it up to be worshipped. In the time of joshua Idolatry did not so increase; the elders who out lived joshua, and who were in age, when they came out of Egypt, and remembered what the Lord had done for Israel; the iniquity of Baalpeor did not cleave unto them, but the rest were not cleansed from the iniquity of Baalpeor, josh 22.17. Is the iniquity of Baalpeor to little for us from which we are not cleansed unto this day: they committed no new Idolatry, but the filthiness of Baalpeor clavae unto them, because they repent not of that iniquity. In every sin there are four things to be considered; first, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, the transgression of the Law: secondly, reatus, the guilt which obligeth the party who sinneth to undergo the punishment. Thirdly, macula, the blot which defileth the soul; and lastly, the punishment itself. The first is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the transgression of the Law; and the consequents of the transgression are the guilt, the blot, and the punishment. The guilt of sin binds a man to answer for the transgression of the Law, and it stands in the midst betwixt the sin and the punishment, and goeth immediately before the punishment, and it is more terrible than the punishment: Cap. 4. de divinis nomi nibus part. 4. Therefore Dionysius said well, non est malum puniri, sed fieri poena dignum, that is, it is not evil to be punished, but to deserve punishment; yet wretched sinners are afraid of the punishment, but not of the guilt; but the martyrs of God chose rather to endure the greatest torments, then to incur the guilt of sin. If we would escape the punishment, we must first look that the guilt be removed. Many think when the sin is past and forgotten in their minds, than there is no more punishment to follow, but if the guilt lie still unpardoned, the sin remaineth still: josephs' brethren's sin lay over twenty years, and this sin which they committed at Baalpeor lay over a long time unrepented of, but as long as the guilt remained, so long were they subject to punishment; the punishment always followeth the guilt, as the shadow doth the body. The Apostle, 1 Cor. 11. faith ye shall be guilty of the body and blood of Christ; that is, of the punishment which he deserveth, who abuseth the body & blood of our Lord. The third thing considerable in sin is the blot or stain of sin in the soul. This stain blots the soul, as Ink cast upon a cloth defileth it; and even as in bodily things, spots taketh away that nitor and brightness which is in the body, so doth sin deprive the soul of grace, and makes it deformed; Saul was as comely and proper a man as was in all Israel and he was Tobh bonus id est pulcher, Tobh 2 Sam. 9.2. Yet this blot of sin so defiled him, that he was no more the son of Kish the Benjamite, Kish. Kush. but the son of Kush the Blackmore or Ethiopian, Psal. 7. in the inscription. The Lord that he may take away this guilt, and this blot, he opened a fountain in the house of David, for sin and uncleanness, Zach. 13.1. for sin, to take away the guilt, and for uncleanness to take away the blot, Christ was not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the price of our redemption, Math. 20.28. but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Laver of regeneration to wash away these spots Ephes. 5.26. Tit. 3.5. He came not by blood only nor by water only, but both by blood and water; by blood, for our justification, and by water for our sanctification; He that is washed (saith Christ) hath no need but that his feet be washed, that is, he who is washed in the blood of Christ, hath no need to be washed over again, but yet he hath need that his feet be washen, ●hat is, the remnants of sin which cleaves daily unto us, hath need to be washed away by the water of sanctification; and here he alludes to the custom of those who went into a bath to be washed, when their bodies were washed the filth ran down to their feet, and they were last washed. The fourth is the punishment which is dew for the transgression of the Law: The fourth is the punishment. every sinner violates an order set down; and therefore is justly punished by him whose ordinance he breaks. The will of man is subject to three superiors. Gershon par. 3. First it is subject to reason. Secondly, it is subject to the magistrate, and lastly and above all to God: Therefore man is justly punished by all those three: and first he is punished by the sting of conscience, because he transgressed against reason: Secondly, he is punished by the magistrate, because he disobeyed him; and thirdly by God himself, in tormenting him in the hells; Nam quaecun que res aberratab uno ordine impellitur in alterum, ut quod aberrat ab ordine misericordiae reponitur in ordine justitiae: unde non minus ordinate collocatur damnatus in inferno quam beatus in paradiso: i. e. that which declines from one order is brought into another, as that which declines from mercy is reduced to justice, and therefore the damned are as justly placed in the hells, as the blessed in the heavens. The Israelites in joshua his time were guilty of the sin which their fathers committed with Baal Peor; because they did not beg pardon for it: therefore the Saints pray Ps. 97.8. Remember not against us the faults of our predecessors, that is, which we have allowed and not repent of, being taught by the example of our predecessors Of the increase of Idolatry in the time of the judges. When they forgot the great works of the Lord, they served Baalim and the groves, judg. 3.7. All their Idols were called Baalim and it was nomen transcendens amongst them; and sometimes it was contracted into Bel, All their Idols were Baalim and some had a proper name for distinction sake. Esay 46.1. and for distinction sake some of the particular idols were called Baal Peor; some Baal beareth; and some Baal zebub. Baal signifieth him who hath power and dominion over one. Man was made a free creature, only to serve the Lord; and for him to become a slave to an Idol what a base subjection was this? This word Baal so displeased the Lord, that he refused to be called any more Baal, but Ishi. The Lord refused to be called Baal. Hos. 2.16. 17. The first was nomen dominii; the second familiaritatis: Names that are degenerate, Verbum sublatum. men will not be content to be called by them: Magus was a good name at the first, but now it is degenerate, and no man will be content to be called a magician. So Idiota at the first signified a private man, 1 Cor. 14.23. If there come in the unlearned. In the greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idiots, but now this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is degenerate, and taken for a fool; and no man will be content to be called an Idiot: The Christians at the first were called Nazarets' Acts 24.5. but because this name did degenerate into a sect therefore it was changed, and they were called Christians Act. 11.26. So words that were exoleta and out of use, Verbum exoletum. may now be used, being come in use again: there was no name more hated of old, then to be called wise, Rom. 1.22. Professing themselves to be wise: The most excellent men of old, would not be called wise men, but Philosopher's Lovers of wisdom, they shunned that name of wisdom, they took not that title to themselves nor would be content that others should give them it: but now it is come in use; So this word mysterium, was at the first a heathenish word, used in their heathenish worship; But now the Lord hath sanctified it, and it is come in use. This word Baal was so degenerate, that God would not be called after it any more, God charges his Church not to take this name Baal in their mouth. and as God would not be called by this name Baal; So he charges his Church not to take the name of their heathenish gods in her mouth, Exod. 23.13. Psa. 16.4. I will not take their names in my mouth; To take their names in her mouth signifieth the naming and retaining of their names, as they conduced any way to the upholding of their superstition: even as on the contrary by Putting of the true God's name unto a place, Deut. 12.5. signifieth, the placing of his religion and ordinances there; and his name is said to be forgotten, when false worship is set up, Psal. 44.20. To name the names of Idols for distinction sake and for a civil use is no sin. To name the names of Idols for civil use, and distinction; but not for religion; that was a thing lawful, and not forbidden; as Daniel named often the name of Baalthasar, although he had his name from Baal: So Nabuchadnezzer although he had his name from Nebo that Idol, Esay 46.1. and Paul himself named Areopagus, Mars street, Acts 17.19. for distinction sake in a civil use; as he sailed in a ship, which had the badge of Castor & Pollux, Act. 28.11. when Rabsekah called God jehovah. Esay 36.7. he honoured not God: So they dishonoured not God when they used these names for a civil distinction. Why the tribe of Reuben changed the names of Neb and Baalmeon. Ob. But the tribe of Reuben changed those Idolatrous names of Nebo and Baal meon, Num. 32.38. why did they not retain those names, and keep them for a civil use and distinction. Answ. This they did, because now they had made a new conquest of the Land, and the ancient inhabitants were to be cast out of it: they gave these names now as if it had never been possessed before. It is not unlawful to call a man Balthasar for distinction sake; but if a man were to baptise his child, and should call him Balthasar, that were to Initiate him to Baal, and to use this name not in a civil use, but in a religious: And thus he should honour Baal. The Lord would not communicate in any thing with Idols. The Lord would not be named by the Idol Baal: He would not communicate with Idols in any thing. First in the name, as he refused to be called Baal. Secondly, he would not be worshipped in the same place with the Idol: therefore when Dagon was set up beside the Ark, he threw it down and broke the neck of it. Thirdly, he will not be worshipped with the same sacrifice 1 Cor. 10.21. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils. When the whore would entice the young ma● to commit folly with her, Prov. 7.14. she says I have peace offerings with me, and this day have I paid my vows: In the peace offerings; God got a part, the Priest got a part, and the offerer got a part, and to this part of the offering which belonged to her she invites this foo●e; the whore and the whoremonger, shall they have a part of God's peace offerings? the Lord will not have a share in such a sacrifice: So the Lord will not have a share in a sacrifice where this spiritual adultery is committed. Fourthly he will not be served with the same Priests: The Lord would never accept of the Levites (that went back from the Lord, when Israel went astray after their Idols) to slay the offerings, and sacrifice for the people: but only to keep the gates of his house, and minister in these base offices, Ezech. 44.10. And as joshua, when he fought against the Canaanites, josh 11.6. took their horses, and did hough them, that they might not serve the enemy for war any more, yet they might serve for base uses, as to carry loads. So the Lord would not have those Priests who had dishonoured him in serving Idols, to serve at his altar any more but to serve in base offices, as to keep the gates in the house of God. So they served the Groves, judges 3.7. they are called there Ashera; because they thought themselves happy, Why the groves are: called Ashera. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they worshipped their Idols there: but the groves may be called happy per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, because they were unhappy who worshipped there: So it is called Lucus, quod minime Luceat: So job 39 Struthio camelus is called Chasida, per antiphrasin, because she hatches not her eggs as other fowls do, but leave them in the sand. It is said they served the groves; that is, their Idols in the groves: There was a tree also amongst the midst of the trees of the grove which they worshipped, Isa. 66.17. they that sanctify and purify themselves in the garden behind one tree in the midst. This tree in the midst they worshipped, as they did the other Idols; and they esteemed it as the tree of knowledge of good and evil that was in the midst of the garden. They planted groves for their Idols. These Idolaters alleged Abraham's example; Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and worshipped there, Gen. 21.33. So when they would sacrifice their children to Molech, they alleged the example of Abraham, The Idolaters pretended the example of the saints for their Idolatry. who would have offered his son Isaake to the Lord: So when jeroboam set up his Idol at Bethel, he alleged the example of jacob, who worshipped in Bethel: So when the Prophet rebuked the profane music of the jews, Amos 6.5. they alleged the example of David, why might not they play on instruments as well as David. These vile Idolaters did still pretend the example of the saints of God, and laboured to shelter themselves under them. They planted groves that they might worship their Idols there, Deut. 16.21. judg. 6.25. The Rabbins tell us in Zonorenna, that Salomones throne of Ivory, was gilded, P. Shophet. and had six steps, by the which he ascended into it, as we see 1 King. 10.9. And when the King stood in the lowest step, the Herald cried unto him; judicium ne inclinato, wrist not judgement: when he stood upon the second step, he cried unto him, accept not persons in judgement: when he stood upon the third step, he cried unto him, take no gifts: when he ascended to the fourth step, he said unto him, Noli plantare Lucum, plant no groves for Idols: and when he stood upon the fift step he cried unto him, Noli erigere statuam, erect not any pillar to an Idol: and when he stood upon the highest step, he said unto him, noli mactare bovem, that is, take not the priests part upon thee, to offer sacrifice. And so the King was admonished here both to have a care of justice and Religion, and these may be fitly called admonitiones graduum; as they were called Psalms of degrees, which the Priests sang when they ascended by stairs into the Temple. The decrease of this Idolatry; the children of Israel cried to the Lord; The decrease of this Idolatry. then the spirit of the Lord came upon Othniel, and he delivered them, Judg. 3.10. So the spirit of the Lord came upon Gedeon, judg. 6.34. so 2 Chro. 24. the spirit of the Lord came upon Zachariah, and we say indifferently either he put on the spirit, Act. 1.8. or the spirit came upon him. So he put on justice, or the spirit of justice came upon him. This spirit which came upon him was the spirit of judgement, and the spirit of strength; the spirit of judgement, judge the people aright, and the spirit of strength, to defend them; Because those judges were but extraordinary, and for a time, therefore the Lord sent his spirit upon them in a singular manner, for the deliverance of his people. The spirit of the Lord came upon Othniel. Five illapses of the spirit. There are four illapses of the spirit noted in the scripture which hath fallen upon men. The first is illapsus spiritus roboris, the illaps of the spirit of strength; So the spirit came upon the judges, and upon Amasa, David's chief captain, 1 Chro. 12.18. The second is illapsus spiritus regiminis, illaps of the spirit of government which came upon Saul and David when they became to be Kings, 1 Sam. 16.13. The third illapse is spiritus illuminationis, of the spirit of illumination, as the spirit of the Lord came upon Baalam, when his eyes were shut, were opened, Num. 24.3. And the fourth is illapsus spiritus sanctificationis & illuminationis, the illapse of sanctification and illumination, as when the spirit of the Lord came upon Zechariah the son of jehoiada the priest, when he said unto the people, Why transgress ye the commandment of the Lord, 2 Chro. 24.20. When the spirit came upon them then they were said to be clothed with the spirit, 1 Chron. 12.18. The spirit of the Lord clothed Amasai; so Christ bids his Disciples stay at jerusalem, donec induamini virtute ex alto, Luke 24.49. Tarry ye at jerusalem till ye be endued with power from on high, or until ye be clothed from on high. The second increase of Idolatry. The second increase of Idolatry under the judges was, judg. 3.12. And the children Israel committed evil again in the sight of the Lord. It is not specified in particular, what Idolatry they committed at this time; but only it is said, that they committed evil, which is meant of Idolatry; for in a special manner it is called evil: So jeroboam caused Israel to sin; that is, to commit Idolatry. The decrease of this Idolatry, jud. 3.15. than they cried to the Lord, The decrease. and the Lord sent Ehud a man left handed to deliver them: In the original it is Ittar jad, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shut of the right hand, It is not well translated Ambidexter, a man who could use both the hands; he was not like those who could hurl stones both with the right hand and with the left, 1 Chron. 12.2. he had the use of the left hand only, but he was lame in his right hand, or his right hand was shut together, and he only used his left hand, the stroke whereof is most dangerous. God in delivering of his own chooseth often times weak means, that his glory may appear the more, as here: when Gideon was to fight against the Madianites he cashired two and twenty thousand, and then there remained ten thousand, and they were too many, therefore he made only choice of three hundreth, and the Lord said I will try them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jud. 7.4. Hebraice, constabo eos, that is I will separate the dross from the gold, that is the weak from the strong, and I will choose the dross that all the glory may return to me in the victory; for the fewer there was in number, the greater was the Lord's glory. So when he delivered his Church by Gideon that barley cake: and when he overthrew the enemy by Samgars' ox goad, judg. 3.31. & by Deborah a woman, when there was neither spear, nor shield seen in Israel, judg. 5.8. and when there was no smith in Israel to make sword or spear, yet they overthrew the Philistines, who were in number like the sand of the sea, 1. Sam. 13.5. The third increase of Idolatry was in Deborah her time, jud. 5.8. when they chose new gods, The third increase of Idolatry. A difference between nest gods and strange gods. that is strange gods: So new tongues are called strange tongues, Mar. 16.17. Acts 2.4. They may be called strange gods, which are not new gods, for the Idols which their fathers worshipped cannot be called new gods, yet they were strange gods, what ever god they feigned to themselves, that was a strange god. The jews who worshipped Idols were of three sorts. The jews who worshipped Idols were of three sorts. First, those who worshipped jebovah by their Idods. First, those who worshipped jehovah the true God by the Idols, judg. 17.13. Then said Micha, now know I that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my Priest, so 2 King. 17.28. One of the Priests whom they carried out of Samaria, came and dwelled in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the Lord; That is how to worship the calf, whom they thought represented the Lord. So when they set up the calf in the wilderness, they said, to morrow shall be afeast to the Lord, Exod. 32.5. they thought they worshipped the Lord by that calf. The second were those who worshipped strange Gods, but not the gods of their fathers. The second sort of Idolaters amongst the jews, were those who worshipped strange gods, but not the gods of their fathers, Deut. 32.17. they sacrificed to new gods whom their fathers knew not. Thirdly, those who willingly chose new gods and not by the persuasion of others. The third sort were those who willingly made choice of new gods; they were worse than those who choose new gods by the persuasion of others, as Amazia● who took the gods of the King of Edom, and worshipped them, after he had come from the kill of the Edomites, and carried away their gods, 2 Chron. 25.14. he did this freely, and of his own choice; but Solomon when he fell to Idolatry, he did it by the persuasion of others, 1 King. 9.48. Chron. 25.4. Whether those sinned more, who worshipped the true God by false means, or those who worshipped false gods by false means? Quest. Whether sinned they more who worshipped the true God jehovah by false means, than those who worshipped the false gods by false means? Ans. In one respect they sinned more, who worshipped the true. God by false means, because they had a greater knowledge of the true God, that made their sin the greater; but in those again who worshipped false gods by false means, there was a double sin, first in respect of the object, because they worshipped a false god. Secondly, in respect of the means, because they chose false means to worship their God by. Quest. If one man should swear a falsehood by the true God, and another should swear a truth by a false God, which of these two sins were the greater? Answ. The sin of him who swears a truth by the false god is greater than his sin, who swears a falsehood by the true God; the reason is because Idolatry is a greater sin than perjury; The sin of him who swear: a truth by a false god is greater than his sin who swears a falsehood by the true god. Perjury is but a sin against the third command, and Idolatry is a sin against the second commandment which is greater than perjury: He that swears a falsehood by the true God denieth but the verity of God, but he that swears the truth by false gods, he doth wrong to the very essence of God; for he gives to a creature that which is true only to God. The Lord objects to his people, jer. 5. that they swear by false Gods, they that swear by false gods profess that their Idols know all things, and cannot be deceived, which is only proper to God: if we respect perjury, it is a greater evil to swear a falsehood by the true God, then to swear a truth by the false gods; But Idolatry is always a greater sin than perjury; therefore to swear the truth by a false god, must be a greater sin then to swear a falsehood by the true God. The decrease. The decrease of this Idolatry; When the children of Israel cried unto the Lord for the oppression of jabin King of Canaan, the Lord sent Deborah and Baracke to deliver them, judg. 4. The fourth increase of Idolatry under the judges, The fourth increase of Idolatry. was when the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, judg. 6. And the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years. The decrease, The decrease. ver. 7. And it came to pass when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, because of the Midianites, that the Lord sent the Prophet Gideon to the children of Israel to deliver them. Gideon cast down Baal's altar, and sets up an altar to the Lord, and calls it jehovah Shalom, that is, the Lord send peace, judg. 7. ●4. He would not suffer the altar of peace to stand with the altar of strife; no more than the Lord would suffer Dagon to stand with the ark of God, what communion hath light with darkness; and what communion hath the temple of God with Idols, 2 Cor. 6.14. Gideon strove with the men of Sechem, and his father's house against Baal, and therefore he was called jerubbaal, and jerubasheth, 2 Sam. 9.21. because he put Baal to shame and disgrace. When they fell from the Lord and worshipped Idols at this time, they were sore oppressed by the Madianites; then the Lord sends Gideon to deliver them; Gideon desired a sign of the Lord to confirm him, when he was to go against the Madianites. Whether Gideon tempted the Lord when he asked a sign of him. Quest. Was not this a tempting of the Lord to ask a sign of him so often. An. God is tempted two manner of ways, by men; first, when they seek not a sign directly of God, but when they mistrust his power, than they are said to tempt the Lord: he tempted him ten times in the wilderness, Num. 14.22. which Rabbi Solomon reckons up this way; The Israelites tempted the Lord ten times in the wilderness through unbelief. first they tempted him at the red sea, Exo. 1●. Secondly, in Marah, Exo. 15. Thirdly, in the desert of Sin. Enod. 16. Fourthly, when they left Manna while the morrow, Exo. 16. Fiftly, when they sought Manna upon the seventh day, and found it not. Sixtly, at ●ap●dim, at the waters of contradiction, Nu. 21. Seventhly, at Herob, by the golden calf, Exo. 32. Eightly, at Habara, Num. 11. Ninthly, at the graves of concupiscence. Tenthly, at Pharon, which the spies made when they went to spien the land. Secondly, God is tempted when we desire of him a sign for curiosity, as doubting of his power, so the devil desired Christ to turn stones into bread, We tempt God when we desire of him a sign for curiosity. Matth. 4. And they of Nazaret would have had a sign of him, when they said; Whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy own country, Luke 4.23. So the Pharisees and Saducees would have had a sign of him from heaven, Matth. 16.1. But Gideon who had a singular warrant from the Lord to ask a sign, tempted him not through doubting or curiosity; neither Zacharie when he said, whereby shall I know this, Luke 1.18. Neither Marie when she said, how can this be, Luke 1.34. when the Angel gave her a sign of her conception, that she should conceive: This (how) in Marie was admirantes, not dubitantes: In Zacharie it was mixed with doubting, but it was not of infidelity, as the doubting of the Pharisees and Saducees was. The first increase of Idolatry. The first increase of Idolatry was when the Sechemites took the Ephod which Gideon had made, and set it up for an Idol in the house of Baal beareth in Sechem, judg. 9.4. and 46. Quest. Gideon made this Ephod not to be an Idol, but to be a remembrance of thanksgiving for their deliverance as the Reubenites set up an altar in the other side jordan. Whether did Gideon purpose to make an Idol of this Ephod or not? Answ. Gideon caused not a new Ephod to be made, neither minded he to have set it up as an Idol, but as a remembrance to the Lord; when the Rubenites and Gadites erected and attar on the other side of jordan, Iosh. 22.9. they did it not of that mind to sacrifice upon that altar, but only they set it up for a memorial of thanksgiving to the Lord. And it is clear that the Israelites went a whoring after this Ephod but after the death of Gideon, verse 27. therefore they interpret not well this place, who interpret it thus, fornicatu● est omnis populus post eum, all the people went a whoring after him, as though they followed Gideon in this Idolatry; but junius translates it better, fornicatus est post eum, scilicet Ephodem, seu in eo Ephode, that is, they went a whoring after the Ephod. The reasons which proves that Gideon intended no such thing, as to erect an Idol in Ophrah are these. First, judg. 8.32. Gideon died in a good old age; To die in a good old age comprehends four things. a good old age comprehends four things in it, first, fullness of days, secondly, peace of conscience, thirdly, a good name, fourthly, when one dies in the favour of God; neither is this phrase found in the Scripture, but of such who died the death of the righteous: So Abraham is said to have died in a good old age, Gen. 25.15. So David, 1 Chror. 29.28. The second Reason, it is objected of the Israelites, ver. 35. that they shown no kindness to the house of Gideon according to all the goodness which he had showed to Israel? But if Gideon had erected this Idol of purpose, that the people might go a whoring after it how should they be bound to have showed any favour to him; they should rather have hated him, if he had set up any Idol to have been their ruin. Ob. Burn this Idol became a snare to Gideon and to his house, Than it might seem that Gideon himself was ensnared by this Idol. Answ. By Gideon here is understood gideon's children and posterity, as 1 King. 12.16. what portion have we in David, that is in the posterity of David, so 2 Chron. 13.1. it is said that jeroboam made war against Rehoboam; Rehoboam was dead, Chap. 12. And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David: it was against his son Abija. So Act. 7.16. Abraham bought a burial from the father of Sechem, it was not Abraham himself who bought it, but the posterity of Abraham. So this Idol became a snare to Gideon; that is to gideon's children; and to his house, that is, to his friends. Gideon his Ephod was afterward made an Idol. This Ephod which Gideon appointed for an holy use, was afterward abused, and turned to an Idol; as the best wine is turned into vinegar; so the brazen serpent was erected in the wilderness for an holy use; yet the people afterward made an Idol of it, and burnt incense to it. So the first institution of the love feasts of the Christians were commendable, and for a good end; but afterward they were turned into abuse, so the comemoration of the saints departed, was afterward turned to invocation. Gideon his house was ensnared by this ephod. Solomon says, Eccles. 7.26. And I found more bitter than death, the woman whose heart is fordres and ●ettes, and her hands as bands. Whose pleaseth God, shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her. This lewd woman had snares to ensnare men, as the not takes the Fowl and the Fish: She leads the foolish men captive, and none without the special grace of God is safe from her: So the Idols lay snares and begins to catch men, and it is hard to escape the snares of the Idol; but he who pleaseth the Lord shall escape from them. This Baal berith was the Idol of the Sechemites, and they bound themselves by a solemn stipulation to serve this Baal beareth, They made a covenant with Baal beareth, yet they covenant with Abimelech to kill his to. brethren. A false religion hath no more power to bind men long to them, than ropes of sand. The Kings of Syria and Egypt made many covenants together, and mingled themselves with the seed of men, Dan. 2.43: that is, they married together, yet these covenants could no more hold than iron and clay when they are mixed together. Religion is called a religande; But a false Religion hath no power to bind, but true Religion hath power indeed to bind people one to another: Where there is one Lord, one faith, one Baptism, Ephe. 4.5. that makes the multitude of believers to be of one heart and of one soul. A good conscience when it stipulates with god, Four singular privileges of a good conscience when it stipulates with God which an evil conscience hath not, when it stipulates with Idols. 1 Pet. 3.21. hath four singular privileges which a bad conscience hath not when it stipulates with an Idol. First it hath a privilege suptase, when it tookes up to God, 1 Pet. 2.19. Secondly, it hath this privilege in se. It hath the peace of God within it, and is a pure conscience and undefiled, 2 Tim. 1.3. Thirdly, juxta se; a good conscience shows itself towards men, Act. 24.16. and fourthly infra se: I am persuaded that neither height nor depth shall separate me, Rom. 8.38. depth, that is, the devils who dwell in the depth: But an Idolatrous conscience when it looks above, it finds no comfort: for it worships dead Gods, Ps. 106.28. & within itself it is defiled, Tit. 1.15. and I●ntase those Idolaters cared not to murder the 70. brethren of Abimelech and infra se, it is always in fear of the internal spirits. Abimelech killed his 70. brethren, and poor jonathan escaped only: The jews have a proverb, esto canda leonum, & nesiscaput vulpium, that is, it is better to have a mean place amongst the righteous, than to be a ringleades amongst the wicked, it was better to be in joas place then Abimeleches. They robbed their God Baal beareth and took out 70. pieces of silver to hire vain and light brained men, Rekim, light brained men; Hence comes Raka, which is a word of disgrace in the Gospel, Matth. 5. and hence comes this word Saracenis, because they lived upon excurtions and robberies, and men of light fashions: The treasures of the Church have been opened to help captives, Perkiavoth cap. 4. and those that were in prison; but these opened their treasure here to hire light and vain persons. What a judgement befell Abimelech for robbing of his Idol. They rob their god Baal beareth and gave Abimelech 70. pieces of silver. See what a judgement befell Abimelech for robbing of his Idol; he perished miserable, not only for murdering of his brethren, but also for robbing Baal, whom he took to be his God, judg. 9.53. We have anotable example of this that men should not rob their Idols; Caelius Rodoginum. pag. 298. Amiande Marcellinus testifieth, that in the days of Marcus Antonius and Verus the emperor's, that the soldiers spoiled the temple of Apollo, and brought his image to Rome; There was a little chest of gold which stood in the temple of Apollo, that had a little hole in it, which the Caldee soothsayers had shut up before, the soldiers through covetousness opened this hole, thinking to have found a treasure in this chest, but there came out such a vile and deadly smell out of it, that it raised a plague from the bounds of Persia, even unto France, and went into Parthia and Media also, and killed thousand of thousands there. See what it is for the Idolater to rob his ●doll. Quest. Whether he commits Sacrilege who robes an Idols Whether doth he commit Sacrilege who robs a false god or not? Answ. An erroneous conscience (as the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 14.35. and by the consent of all divines) binds a man, for he that doth contrary to the Law given by the superior (holding in his conscience that it is the Law of the superior) despiseth his superior in his conscience, and is guiltly of that same sin, whereof he is, who transgresseth the Law of him who is the magistrate indeed. If the King's Herald should give out the Law otherways, than it was first ordained by the King, the people are bound to obey this Law, and they who contemn it are justly to be punished; which obligation is taken away, when the King's mind is rightly understood; not that this obligation was any thing before in itself; but only in the mind of the people who believed, that that law was truly promulgated, as it was given out by the King, which apprehension of the people binds them to obey the Law: So he who maketh a promise and swears by a false god, is more strictly bound to perform it, than he who simply promiseth only, without an oath; for although this oath considered in itself, binds no ways a man more than he had simply promised; for this is not an oath when one swears simply by a god who cannot testify the truth, yet notwithstanding because in his erroneous conscience, he takes the Idol to be a god, if he perform not that which he promised by an oath, than he is perjured for although this ●●th be nothing 〈◊〉 part r●● yet as he esteems of it, it is a sin not to perform it: A good conscience and an erroneous conscience bind, but after a divers manner: A good conscience simply binds, but an erroneous conscience only upon supposition, because it takes that to be the Law of God, which indeed is not; Hence we see that the Sechemites were guilty of Sacrilege, robbing their Idol Baal beareth, whom they took to be a god; and the tribe of Dan was in the same case, judg. 18. when they took away the Idol of Micah. If Abimelech perished miserably for robbing of his Idol, what marvel is it then that these perish miserably who rob the true God, as jehoiakim who cut out the Lords windows and sealed his own house with Cedar, and painted it with Vermilion; jer. 22.14. He got the burial of an ass for it. v. 19 Athaliah was worse, she broke up the house of the Lord, and bestowed all things dedicated to the Lord, upon ●aalim; She was slain by the guard, 2 Chron. 23.15. But Balthasar was most Sacrilegious of all, who took the vessel of the house of the Lord, and dedicated them to his Idols; and when he was in all his jollity the Medes and the Persians came and killed him that same night, Dan. 5.30. The sixth increase. The sixth increase of Idolatry, judg. 10.6. Then the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord, and they served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidan, the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and they forsook the Lord, and served 〈◊〉 him. Now their Idolatry was mightily increased, when they served the gods of all the nations round about them: It is a question in the Ethics, whether a man may keep entire and true friendship with many or not? So we may ask what 〈◊〉 of worship could the jews perform to all these gods? They served Baalim and Ashtaroth: When the Hebrews joins the masculine and the feminine together then they signify many. it is usual w●●● the Hebrews (when they join the masculine and the feminine together) to comprehend the whole, o● very many of the kind which they speak of; as Gen. 5.7. He begat sons and daughters, that is many children: So Eccles. 2.8. I got me men fingers and women fingers, than is, divers sorts of Musicians: So they worshipped Baal and Ashtaroth, that is sundry sorts of Idols. They served gnashteroth the gods of Syria 1 King. 9.5. and they are put in the feminine gender, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. because they feigned to themselves, as well women gods, as men gods divers fe●●s are only for preservation of mortal kinds, but they held their gods to be immortal, why then should they imagine male and female amongst them? Yet the Platonics held, that there were male and female amongst them; and Trismogish 〈…〉 faemini●●●. They worshipped the gods of Syria: There were many gods in Syria according to the several divisions of it. There were many of the gods of Syria, according as it was diversely divided. Syria interam●●●, or Mesopotamia: So Syria Seba; and Syria Macha, and Syria Damascena: These had all sundry gods 2 Chro. 23. They worshipped the gods of the Philistines and of the Ammonites, and yet the Ammonites and Philistines oppressed them eighteen years, judges 10.8. Mark a difference betwixt the true religion and the false: A difference between the true religion and the false. when they came to serve the gods of the Philistines, and the Ammonites they were their deadly enemies; but when they turned from the false religion to the true, than they cherished and loved them. When men came from Gentilism to Judaisme, they were called proselytes, and the jews shown them all the favours that they did to any jew: So when they were converted from judaisme to Christianity, they called them fratres judai Act. 15. accounted of them as their brethren. So when men were converted from Gentilism to Christianity than they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 1 Tim. 3.6. and they cherished them as young plants; therefore the Lord saith to jeremy 15.19. Go not thou to them, but let them come to thee. When they cried unto the Lord in this trespass, the Lord answered them with a bitter tant, judges 10.14. Go and cry unto your Gods whom ye have chosen, let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation: Bernard saith well, Quod deus dicit cum risu, tu debes audire cum luctu. The decrease. The decrease, judges 10.15. when the children of Israel said unto the Lord; We have sinned, do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee, only deliver us we pray thee this day, and ver. 16. And they put away the strange gods from amongst them, and served the Lord, and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. In the original it is, Anima ejus fuit contracta, and opposite to this is 2 Cor. 6.11. Our heart is enlarged. Verbum kum conti●●● alteri verbo absque copula praemissum agilitatem & expeditionem notat atta takum: Hear is the nature of our gracious God shown to us, who is slow to anger, and soon pacified, and at whatsoever time a sinner reputes him, he will put away all his sins out of his mind; then the Lord arose and had mercy upon Zion, Psal. 102.13. The seventh increase. The seventh increase of Idolatry judg. 17.4. when Micah sets up molten gods and graven gods to be worshipped. Rabbi David observes that this word (God) in all this part of Scripture, which entreats of Micah his Idolatry, is always prophanum nomen, a profane name, taken for Idols, except only in two places: The first in these words (all the time that the house of the Lord was in Shilo) The second is judges 18.10. The Lord hath given the Land into your hands. Micah consecrated one of his sons to be a Priest to him, Many irregularities in this, when Micah consecrated his son to be a Priest. verse 5. Here concurres many irregularities contrary to the Law, in the consecration of this his son. The first irregularity is in him who consecrates. The second in him who was consecrated. The third in making an Ephod to him to serve, who was consecrate. The fourth in the place where he served after he was consecrated, and that was in a private house. The first irregularity was this, The first irregularity. that he took upon him to consecrate his son: No man takes this honour upon him, but he that is called of God as Aaron. Que. How could Moses consecrate Aaron and his sons, Levit. 8.12, 13. seeing he was not of the sons of Aaron? Moses was first a Priest and consecrated the Priests to the Lord. The common Answer here is this, that he did it at the commandment of God extraordinarily, at the first establishing of the Priesthood; But there is more in it then this, for Moses was a Priest of God, Psal. 99.6. Moses and Aaron amongst the Priests: Hear David terms Moses a Priest as well as Aaron; and Moses Gerundensis saith, that he was a Priest, and therefore offered incense first; and the Hebrews call him, Sacerdotem Sacerdotum the greatest Priest, and that Moses offered a offering on the Altar, it is clear Leu. 8.28. and Hiscuini saith, that all the seven days Moses offered, and in the eight day, he said to Aaron from henceforth come thou, and serve in this ministry, after that Moses had consecrated Aaron and his sons, Moses children are not reckoned amongst the Priests, but amongst the Levites, 1 Chron. 23.14. Qu●st. 1. Aaron and his sons were those who consecrate: who was it then that consecrate when the Priesthood was out of the right line, from the time of Eli (who descended from Ithamar and not from Eleazar) ● Chron. 24.3.) to the time of Sadock, who was restored by Solomon to the Priesthood? The Priesthood in the wrong line in Eli his time, in Ahitob his time, in Ahigh his time, and his brother Abimelech, his time, in Abiather, his time, and the restored to the right line in Sadock. The Priests who came of Ithamar and did consecrate, being in the wrong line, peccarunt usurpatione tituli, yet there consecration was valid. Answ. These Priests although they were not in the right line, when they entered into the preisthood and although there entry was by usurpation, yet being entered their consecration was lawful, for even as a tyrant Peccat usurpatione tituli, yet he sins not in judging and giving out sentence; and the subjects are bound to obey him, and until he be devested of those usurped titles, his edicts have strength to bind the subjects; so long as the tyrant stands they are to obey him, and implicity he hath the approbation of the subjects, that is, they wish that he may do justice so long as he rules: The Romans subdued the jews and made them their captives, and the jews by their consent acknowledged them as their Lords and masters: therefore Christ bids them, gave tribute to Caesar, Mat. 22. So when they were carried captives to Babylon, the Lord bids them pray for the peace of Babylon, jer. 29.7. the people gave there consent to the Babylonians, and although they led them captive, yet they were to pray for them as there superiors; so the Priests although they sinned in usurpation of the priesthood, as not being descended of Aaron, yet durante tali statu, so long as they continued, their consecration was valide, and they had gotten the consent of the people by prescription of tyme. Quest. 3. Who consecrated the high Priest after his father's death? Answ. An inferior Priest did consecrate him; see Exod. 29.29. Num. 20.26.28. Quest. 4. When the Idolatrous Priest's hand was filled and a piece of flesh put therein, whether had be right to sacrifice and consecrate or not? Answ. None at ●ll; for out of the Church there is no consecration, therefore jonathan in his 〈◊〉 Paraphrase, calls him, not Cohen, but Cumer, that is, No consecration 〈◊〉 of the Church. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a heathen then Priest, jud. 18.30. the same phrase of sitting of the hand is used in consecrating of jeroboams Priests, a Chro. 13.9. and yet jeroboam had no power to consecrate them; & the water which came out of the rock, 3 Cor. 10. was a sacrament to the Israelites when they drank of it, but when the beasts drank of it, it was no Sacrament to them: so this consecration was no consecration to them, who were out of the true Church. And as Ishmael although he was truly circumcised by Abraham, yet to his posterity who left the true Church; and used circumcision still, it was no Sacrament. So this consecration out of the Church, was no consecration to them, and they had no more right to it, than the thief hath to the true man's purse, when he takes it. The third irregularity in this consecration was this; that he made an Ephod. for his son to serve this Idol with. There were three sorts of Ephods, the first was a religious Ephod, such was the Ephod of the Priests. Three sorts of Ephod. The second sort of Ephod was a politic, or civil Ephod, which David wore when he danced before the ark, and that which Gid●on made, and left at Ophrah. The third was an Idolatrous Ephod, which is joined here with Teraphim, and not with Vri●● and Tha●●●●●●, as the Lords Ephod was. The fourth irregularity was this when he were consecrate, he sacrificed in a private place, his father's house, and not in Shilo, in the place where the worship of God was performed at that time, and this was as bad as if he had sacrificed in the high places, or in the groves. Then it was added, they did this because there was no king in Israel. Kingly government of the best government. Observe here first that Kingly government is the best government, and a King here is put for a best magistrate; because the Lord was to bring in this kingly government amongst them; Therefore they were called Kings, before the institution of Kings, as Moses is called a King, Gen. 36.31. Deut. 33.5. And because Kingly government was the most excellent government, therefore it is that sundry things take their denomination from a King, at the King, laws, jam. 2.8. so the King's highway, Num. 20.17. so the shout of a King, Num. 23.22, that is a joyful shout, as when they were choosing a King. A magistrate must have a care both for maintenance of religion and justice. They committed this Idolatry, because there was no King in Israel: so they abused the Levites wife, because there was no King in Israel, judg. 19.1. Here we see th●● the magistrate is custos utrinsque tabulae, and it belongs to him to vindicate the worship of God. Idolatry is iniquit●s judicum, job 31.28. That is, it is to be punished by the judge, and to punish wrongs done by men to men: there are two pillars strong like jakin, and Bag●as, 1 King 7.21. justice and religion, when these two fail; then the land●elts, Psal. 75.3. the Hebrews say the world is upholden by three things, Super lege, super cultusacro, & super retributione benificiorum, when these three fail, than the world goes to decoy. Now Micah will have another Priest then his son, a Levite of judah to be his Priest. Quest: How could he be a Levite, and of judah, for the Levites were not of the tribe of judah. Answ: He hath been of the tribe of Levi by his mother, for women of one tribe might marry with men of another tribe; providing that they were not heretics, than they were always bound to marry within their own tribe, to keep the inheritance distinct. Micah choosed this Levit to sacrifice; but the Levites might not sacrifice, nor inquire any thing of the Lord, The Levites might not sacrifice. but by the priests. When the Tabernacle was to be taken up, or set down, no stranger might come near it; here all are called strangers, who are not priests or Levites, Num. 1.51. But when they were to sacrifice, no stranger might sacrifice, that is, neither Israelite, nor Levite, Num. 3.10. Therefore when he chose a Levite to sacrifice, here there was a great irregularity: their callings were two distinct callings: The calling of the Levites and the priests were two distinct callings. the Levites did some things which the priests might not do, as to carry the Ark: therefore Vzza was killed who touched the Ark being a priest; and the Levites might not sacrifice under the pain of death, Num. 3.10. This wandering Levite was redacted to great misery, and he was content with a poor portion: It was a great curse upon the posterity of Eli, when they should come and crouch for a piece of silver, and a morsel of bread, and should say, Put me I pray thee into one of the priests offices, that I may eat a piece of bread, 1 Sam. 2.36. So when this base Levite sought to be a priest, and was content with ten shekels of silver a year, and a suit of apparel, and his victuals, judg. 17.10. than he came and crouched down for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread. None that served in the temple or tabernacle in the basest office did it for nought, as they that shut the doors, and kindled the fire, Mal. 1.10. or the Nethinims, josh 9.27. who hewed the wood for the sacrifices, and drew water for the temple, or the Levites that flayed the beasts, or the Priests that offered the sacrifices; all had plenty enough, there was bread enough in their father's house: but this miserable man contents himself in his Idol service, with a suit of apparel, his victuals, and ten pieces of silver. He desires to be a priest that he might eat bread, 1 Sam. 2.26. When they desired to be in this holy calling only to eat, and not to serve God in it, than they were mercenaries. The Moralists observe, that some games and recreations are honest, when men use them only for recreation, as to fish, and to hunt; but if a man do fish only for gain, or go a hunting only to make profit by it, than it becomes ignoble, & questus est sordidus, it is base gain: much more if a man turn this high calling to gain, it becomes a base calling: When these greedy dogs, Esay 56.11. cannot be satisfied; and when they seek the people's goods, but not themselves, 2 Cor. 13.14. and fleece the flock, but feed it not; Ezech. 34.3. tunc mercantur animas, they sell the fowls of men, 2 Pet. 2.3. and sell the souls of the people for handfuls of barley, and pieces of bread, Ezech. 13.19. than they feed the flock for filthy lucre, 1 Pet. 5.2. The eight increase. The eight increase of Idolatry; when the whole tribe of Dan fell to Idolatry, judg. 18. and went a whoring after those Teraphims. jonathan who was a priest to a poor family before; now he becomes a priest to the whole family of Dan. This jonathan was the grand child of Moses, Moses begat Gershon, and Gershon begat Manasseh, and Manasseh begat jonathan, judg. 18.30. This Menasseth was the father of jonathan, but because he and his son jonathan were so unlike to Moses; therefore they writ him in the text Manasseh, but in the margin they writ him Moshe, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Manasses study, & imitatione impietatis, Mosis silius prosapia. elevating the Nun; they writ him Manasseth, because they held him to be an Idolater like Manasseh; and they write him in the margin Moshe, because he was naturally descended of Moses. This might seem strange that Moses, (who was such a faithful servant in all the house of God, Heb. 3.5. and always hated Idolatry) should have a grandchild who is such an apostate and open Idolater: this a man might think should breed great discouragement in the hearts of faithful men, when they see their posterity so degenerate from the truth: The faithful who are within the covenant, must comfort themselves by looking up to their good predecessors, and not to their bad posterity. but men who are faithful, and stand within the covenant, must comfort themselves, not by looking down to those who come of them, but by looking up, and marking their antecessors of whom they are descended: And even as in the right succession of the inheritance in Israel, they reckoned upward always; So must we do in the spiritual covenant. The jews saith, if a man died and had no children, than the inheritance came to the father, both the inheritance of the male and the female, unless there came in one who married his brother's wife after his death; and they make the dead father as though he were alive, that the right order of succession might be known, and so the male children succeeded; and if there were no males, than the females succeeded, and if they failed, than the inheritance ascended to the grandfather, and to his other children if he had any more, and they ascended still up to Adam: therefore the jews say that there is not a man in Israel, who wants an heir, but he may reckon it up to Adam. Abraham. Isaac. jacob. Esau. Levi, Dina a daughter. Noah. Gershon, Merari. Ccohebed a daughter. Amram. Izzar. Hebron. Vzziel. Moses. Aaron. Miriam a daughter. Now in this genealogy Amram dying, the question is, who shall be his heir: If Moses and Aaron be alive; first, Vide Sheldan de sucsuccessione haebreorum. Moses succeeds, and if he die, Aaron; and if both die, then Miram; but if all the three die without posterity; then from him it descends to the sons of Amram, Izzar, Hebron and Vzziel, and so at last ascends to Abraham. So here in this spiritual reckoning we must ascend upward; although Manasseh be an Idolater, and his son jonathan, judg. 18.30. yet Moses will not want an heir; Let him look to his faithful predecessors, they are his heirs, and he may reckon up to them. This will minister great comfort to the faithful parents, Verna domus quid. who have bad children, that they are descended of godly parents: This was David's comfort (who had lewd children) Psal. 86.16. Have mercy upon me, and give strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thy handmaid. The children of the handmaid were their masters, and David alludes to this. This was his comfort, that he was the son of the Lords handmaid; for they that were the children of the handmaids were their masters, Exod. 21.4. and they were said to be home borne, jer. 2.14. So David being borne within the Church of the Lords handmaid, rejoiceth that he is God's child; and although these pedigrees in our ascending be often broken off, yet the covenant is valid and of force still, in respect of the first promise, Esay 64.3. Thou art our father, although Abraham hath forgotten us, and Israel doth not know us; that is, although we have broken the covenant and have not followed the footsteps of our faithful predecessors Abram and Isaac, who (if they were alive) would not acknowledge us for their children, neither do we think ourselves worthy so to be reckoned; we lean only on the free promise of God in Christ jesus, which we know to be most sure, as God himself is constant. janathan descending of Moses fell to Idolatry; All fathers transmit to their children original sin, Gen. 5. Father's transmits' too their children original sin only. It is said of Adam, that he begat a son to his own Image, that is, to his corrupt Image; but other things parents cannot trasmit to their children, as a seeing father sometimes begets a blind son, john 9 neither can he transmit those things which he hath acquired by Art to his child; as a Musician begets not a Musician; So he cannot transmit his infused gifts to his child; as Solomon could not transmit his wisdom to his foolish son Rehoboam, far less can he transmit grace unto his posterity, as Abraham could not transmit grace to Ishmael, neither could Moses to his grandchild jonathan; but God only can beget children to his own Image: Therefore the Lord saith; Be ye holy as your heavenly Father is holy, 1 Pet. 1.16. In this last increase of Idolatry under the judges, it is to be considered that first the Danites commit sin in taking away Micahs' Idols, and by seducing his Priest. Secondly, that jonathan and his sons become Priests to the tribe. And lastly how long this Idol remained in Dan. First they take away Micah his Idols by violence judg. 18.18. they stole them not away secretly, but took them by violence, six hundred men came to take them away: these were called aggressores, who came by force to take a thing. They steal his gods; The Idolaters preferred their Idols to all that which was most dear to them. the gods which they affected so much, and loved so dear. See how Laban expostulates with Rachel for stealing his gods: The Idolaters preferred their Idol gods to all their ornaments and comeliness: when the Gaulleses besieged the Capitol, because they had no strings to their crosebowes, Caelius pag. 689. the women caused to shave off their hair to make strings thereof, in defence of their Palladium, and their gods. And they preferred their Idols to their dear parents; When the Grecians burned Troy, pitying their captive enemies, they gave every one their choice to carry away that which they liked best, Aeneas made choice to carry away his gods, before his old father, and therefore he was called Pius Aeneas: they preferred not only their gods to their Parents, but also to their lives; As Metellus when he saw the temple of Vesta burning, Seneca declamationum. 4 he ran into the fire to save the Palladium, and very hardly he escaped with his life, yet he lost his eyes and his Priesthood; for no man who wanted a member might be a Priest in the temple of Vesta. They took away his gods: If a Christian should steal the Idols of an Idolater, that were but theft, but for an Idolater (who holds Idols to be gods) to steal Idols were sacrilegious theft; And they being men of the same profession and zealous as it might seem in their profession, this aggravates their sin; for the unity of profession should bind men one to another. In Israel they had sundry dialects whereby they were discerned. They knew the Levites voice. In Israel they had sundry dialects, as some said Shibboleth, and others said Sibboleth; The Ephraimites were discerned by their lisping: and Peter was known to be a Galilaean by his speech: And so they had about jerusalem a peculiar dialect of their own Act. 2.8. some of them said Aceldama, and others Akaldama, so here they knew the Levite by his peculiar dialect. They desire this Priest to ask couns●ll of God for them, And he answers them according to their humour: Go in peace, for the Lord is in your way where ye go, he will go before you and assist you: flattering Prophets spoke always placentia, as the false Prophets did to Ahab. These are bad Physicians who give always physic according to the patient's humour. Next they persuade him to go with them, and to leave Micah his house. Micah and his family follow tO restore their gods, and Micah seeing that he was not able to recover them, he falls out into this pitiful speech; Ye have taken away my gods, and my priest, and what have I move. We may learn of this Idolater Micah to esteem more of God and his worship then of all things beside: Eli his daughter in law, when the Ark of God was taken, called her son Ichabod no glory: That is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the Ark was taken, all glory was gone from Israel; She was more sorry for the taking of the Ark, then for the death of her father in law, and of her husband. They dissuade Micah from following of them for fear of his life verse 25. Lest thou lose thy life with the lives of thy household. In the original it is, What the Hebrews mean by gathering of the soul. Ne colligas animam tuam, & animam domus tuae, that is, lest thou die and thy household: (to gather) is usually put for (to dye) in the Scripture; as Gen. 49.33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jacob is said to be gathered unto his people. So Psal. 26.9. Gather not my soul with sinners, neither my life with bloody men. So. Num. 20.24 Aaron shall be gathered to his people. So Hosea 4.3. fishes shall be gathered, that is, they shall be taken away. This phrase to be gathered to their fathers, is as well spoken of the wicked as of the godly; as Ishmael was as well gathered to his fathers as Abraham, Gen. 25.17. Therefore this will not follow, such a man was gathered to his fathers; therefore he was elect and chosen of God: this is meant only of death, which is common both to the good and the bad. jonathan and his sons become Priests to this tribe of Dan. This tribe fell first to Idolatry; The Tribe of Dan fell first to Idolatry, and therefore were carried away first to captivity. and therefore was first carried away to the captivity, jer. 8.16. the snorting of the horses is heard in Dan, that is of Salmanassar who carried away this tribe first: So that when all the tribes were sealed in the forehead, This Idolatry of the tribe of Dan laffed to the captivity. Dan is omitted, Revelation 7. which wants not a mystery. Lastly this Idolatry lasted in the tribe of Dan, unto the day of the Captivity of the Land, and verse 31. all the time that the house of God was in Shilo: By the day of the captivity of the Land, here is meant, that time when the Philistimes oppressed Israel mightily: it must not be taken here for captivity, which was in the time of Senacherib; By the day of the captivity is meant the captivity of the Phistimes when the Ark was taken. for David would not have suffered this Idol to have been in Dan all this time; it must be taken then for this captivity of the Philistimes, and all the time that the house of God was in Shilo; then the scourge of the Philistimes came upon Israel: confer 1 Sam. 4.3. with Psal. 78.60. and ye will see this clearly Psal. 78.58. He gave his strength to the captivity, and they provoked him with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven Images. This Micah his image was one of them that moved the Lord to jealousy most. The Ark of the Lord was in Gilgal, Shilo, Nob, Gibeon: It was in Gilgal all the time that they were subduing the Land, and dividing of it for four and twenty years: it was in Shilo till the death of Eli three hundred sixty and nine years: after the death of Eli, Shilo was destroyed, and the Ark was carried to Nob, where it remained to the death of Saul thirteen years, and it stayed in Gibeon until the Temple of Solomon was builded; fifty years after Eli his death, fell this captivity of the Land, the Ark was taken; then the Lord forsook the habitation of Shilo; and delivered his power and strength to the captivity, Psal. 78. The greatest judgement befell them when the Ark was taken away. Greater was the judgement which fell upon Israel for this Idolatry, then for all the former: for this Idolatry he left Shilo, the Ark was taken captive, and the people; Eli broke his neck, and his sons were kil●ed. Idolaters think that they have all happiness and prosperity by their Idols, jer. 44.18. Since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, we have wanted all things; But mark what the Lord says of these Idols, and makes the Israelites confess the same, jer. 3.24. Shame hath devoured the labour of your fathers from your youth, (that is, from your Idols) their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. Micah when he set up his Idols flattered himself, judg. 17.13. Now I know that the Lord will do me good. But the Lord says Deut. 27.15. Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten Image an abomination unto the Lord, and all the people shall say Amen. But happy is the Church when she says, Hos. 2. I will go and return to my first husband, for than it was better with me then now. At this time there fell out a filthy fact in Gibeah in the tribe of Benjamin; A filthy fact committed in Gibeah at this time. for there the men of Gibeah abused the Levites concubine, so that she died by the violence done unto her: there the ten tribes made war against the Beniamites, The Beniamines prevail against the Israelites because of their Idolatry. & although Benjamin were the children of iniquity, yet they prevailed against the ten tribes, because the ten tribes at this time were infected with Micha his Idolatry. Idolatry is a viler sin than the sin of Gibeah, Ho. 10.9. Idolatry exceeds the sin of Gibeah and the sin of Sodom, and matcheth bestiality. It is a viler sin than the sin of Sodom, Eze 16.46. It is a sin like unto bestiality, when a man lies with a beast, Eze. 23.20. what sin then can be greater than Idolatry. And thus they committed Idolatry from age to age, while the judges ruled them, until God was wroth and greatly abhorred Israel, Psal. 78. In samuel's days they worshipped Baal, Of the increase of Idolatry under Somuel. and Ashta- 1. Sam. 7. The decrease of this Idolatry was 1 Sam. 7.6. when the people gathered themselves together to Mizpeh and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day and said there, What is signified by pouring out water before the Lord. we have sinned against the Lord: to pour out water in the Scripture signifies to pour out a thing abundantly, Deut. 12.16. ye shall not eat the blood, but pour it out upon the ground like water. So Gen. 49. Reuben is poured forth like water; that is, he hath given himself over altogether to lust; And the Scripture expresseth this their repentance by pouring out of water rather than by pouring out of any other liquor; for although ye should pour out oil, or honey out of a vessel, yet some of the liquor would still remain in the vessel, & the smell also, But when water is poured out of a vessel, nothing remains, no not the smell. By this pouring out of water, they signify that they would altogether renounce their Idolatry, and that not so much as the tangue or smell of it should remain among them. Samuel reproves them for choosing of a King; then they are terrified with thunder in the time of the wheat harvest: Lastly, he dissuades them from Idolatry, 1 Sam. 12.12. and 17.21. He rebukes them for choosing of a King. Kingly government, was the government which God was minded to erect amongst them, they had three commandments given to them, when they were to enter into Canaan, first to cast out the Canaanites, the second to choose a King; and the third to build the temple. The Lord was minded then to give them a King, but he was angry with them, because they would have had a King; such as the nations had. Again he was angry with them, because they were weary of samuel's government, and likewise for anticipating the time, the jews said of them comederunt immaturum avam, they eat the grape before it was ripe. He terrifies the people, calling upon the Lord to send thunder in the wheat harvest, when it was the most clear and fair season of the whole year, at the Pentecost, or about the Pentecost, therefore it is called festum messis. If it had been in the time of the Barley harvest, at the Pascha, it had not seemed so strange a thing to the people to have heard thunder, for then the clouds abounded more, and jordan did over flow the banks thereof by the melting of the snow upon the mountains. The Lord caused it to thunder, God hath two sorts of voices by which he speaks to men. The first by his voice in the thunder, Psal. 29. secondly by his voice in the Temple, Psal. 26.9. The first is an inarticulate voice, the other is articulate; sometimes he both thundered and spoke at once; and when they came together, than his articulate voice was called hath col filia vocis He gave his law with thunder, Exod. 19 and in sundry of the Revelations shown to john, with the voice there was thunder Chapter 4.5. and 6.1. and 10.3. therefore we read, john 12.18. when there came a voice from heaven, the people who stood by, some of them said it thundereth, and others of them said, an Angel speaketh unto him, the reason of this was because the Lord usually spoke to them in the thunder, but here when the people were terrified, he spoke not to them in the thunder, but terrified them and comforted them by Samuel. Lastly, he prayeth for the people, & dissuadeth them to turn aside; for than they should go after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, 1 Sam. 12.21. This Idolatry spread more in the time of the Kings, than it did under the judges; all the Kings of judah committed Idolatry, or else by their oversight tolerated it. All the Kings of judah sinned except three, Syrac. 49. David, Ezekias, and josias, There were three kings of judah most excellent Kings. that is all committed Idolatry or did tolerate it, except these three jehosaphat he did not tolerate Idolatry, yet because he made affinity with Ahab, 2 Chro. 18.2. and joined himself with Ahaziah King of Israel, who did very wickedly, 2 Chron. 20.36. because he did these things, he is not reckoned amongst the first three of the Lords worthies, amongst the Kings of judah, David was most zealous for the glory of God, and is set down as a pattern to other Kings, 2 Chron. 29.2. Ezekias did uprightly as his father David did, therefore Ecclesiasticus 47.2. David is compared to the fat of the peace offerings; All the peace offerings was the Lords, but the fat was his after a special manner, because it was wholly burnt to him; So David exceeded all the rest of the Kings in zeal; Therefore the zeal of God's house did eat him up, Ps. 69.9 Amongst the Kings of Egypt or Pharaohes, some of them were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minime mali; they favoured the people of God, A collation betwixt the Kings of Egypt, the kings of Israel, and the kings of judah. as abraham's, Pharaoh, jacobs' Pharaoh, and josephes' Pharaoh. Others of them were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bad, as Pharaoh Ophrah, jer. 44. and Pharaoh Neco, jer. 46. and some of them were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as Moses his Pharaoh. Among the Kings of Israel there were none good, they were either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they were either bad, or very bad, none of them were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not evil; They sucked the milk of Idolatrous superstition in the days of jeroboam, whereunto they were addicted always, so long as the common wealth endured even the reign of nineteen Kings. But amongst the Kings of judah some were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 optimi, as David, Ezekias and josias; some of them were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boni, as jehosaphat, Asa, and Manasseh. Manasseh is reckoned amongst the good kings; because his end was good Eze. 18. Some of them were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Vzziah was, who began well, but his heart was lifted up and he fell away from the Lord afterward, and some of them were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most wicked, as Ammon and Ahaz but there were none of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minime mali. Object. But it may be said of josias, that the remnants of Baal were not taken away in his time, Zepha. 1.4. why then should he be reckoned amongst the best Kings? Answ. He studies to cut away the remnants of Baal, which he could not find out at the first, because Idolaters are very subject to cover their Idolatry. The first increase of Idolatry under the Kings was in salomon's days, 1 Kings 11.5. The first increase of Idolatry amongst the kings was in Solomon time. When Solomon went after Ashtaroth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. The Lord gave Solomon wisdom above any, he exceelled the wisdom of the East country, What great blessings the Lord bestowed upon Solomon before he fell. and all the wisdom of Egypt in natural wisdom; The Lord gave him a heart as large as the sand of the sea, 1 Kin. 4.29. the Lord loved him and called his name jedidiah, 2 Sam. 12.25. The Lord appeared twice to him, 1 King. 9.10. The Lord made choice of him to be one of his secretaries to write a part of the holy scriptures: It was he who builded the temple, and bestowed infinite charges upon building of it; It was he who consecrated the Temple; It was he who offered when the Temple was consecrated ●0000. oxen, 1 King. 8.63. and 120000. sheep; It was he who prayed for the people and blessed them, 1. King. 8.55. It was he who was a special type of Christ: It was he who fell not away until his old age, and although the Lord threatened him, that he would rend his Kingdom for this his Idolatry, yet he continued still in it, 1 King. 9.11. and was not a whit bettered by the threatenings of the prophet, and herein he seems to be worse than his foolish son Rehoboam, for when the Prophet Semajah came to dissuade him, for to fight against jeroboam, he left off his purpose, and went back again, but Solomon lay long in a Lethargy, before he awoke; who would have thought that the dragon with his tail could have pulled down so fare this shining star; and when we see such a great Cedar of Lebanon as this to have fallen, Let us with fear and reverence work out our salvation. The decrease of this Idolatry when Solomon wrote his book of Ecclesiastes. The decrease of this Idolatry was, when Solomon wrote his book of Ecclesiastes in a public testimony of his repentance. Solomon wrote three books: the first is his Proverbes, and it is entitled, The Proverbs of Solomon the son of David King of Israel; a fit book of moral instructions for a King to write to his subjects: then he wrote his book of Ecclesiastes to the Church after his fall, when he was gathered to the Church again, Cohe●eth from Cabal congregare. and he begins this book thus, Vanity of vanities; and by vanities here he means especially Idolatry; for Idols are the Gentiles vanities, jonah 2. and 〈◊〉, Act. 14.15. and he shuts up this book thus, fear God and keep, his commandments; which shows that Solomon renounced the vanities of those Idols: And the last book which he wrote, was, the Song of Songs, which is the most excellent of all songs, yea, and of all Salomons Songs, wherein his heart is elevated in describing this spiritual conjunction between Christ and his Church, under the terms of a marriage made with his queen, when he married pharao's daughter. Reason's proving that Solomon wrote this book after his repentance. It is clear that Solomon wrote his book after his repentance, and after that he had tried all sorts of vanities, and not before his fall: for in this book he describes his wisdom, his power, the buildings, and the glory of his house, which answers to that which is spoken of him, 1 King. 7.9, 10. at the least he spent twenty years before all these things were done; then he spent thirteen years in building of his house; then add to these five or six in repairing the city, and in building of the cities in the desert so that by this time he had been forty or fifty years old; and add to these the sending of the ships to Ophir, which he sent to fetch home gold, Eccles. 2. then he tells how much he was given to women (I found a woman more bitter than death, Eccles. 7.26.) and of a thousand wives and concubines which he had, there was not one which he could trust, Eccles. 7 and these all he found but vanities. He could not do all those things, and have experience of all these vanities; but in a long time. Bellarmine goes about to prove out of the text, that this book was written before salomon's fall, because he saith, my wisdom remained with me, Eccles. 2.9. but his wisdom could not remain with him, when he fell so filthily: therefore (saith he) this book was written before his fall. Answ. The wisdom which remained with him, so long as he went astray from the Lord, was his carnal wisdom; and his spiritual wisdom was buried all this while until the time that he repent. The reasons in particular which shows Solomon his repentance, are those. First, Solomon was a Prophet of God, Solomon was a holy Prophet of God, therefore he was not a reprobate. and a Pen man of holy Scriptures; now all the Prophets of God were holy men, Luke 1.70. therefore Solomon was a holy man, although he was overtaken with those vanities for a while. The second reason is taken from the promise of God, The second reason that he was not a reprobate is taken from the promise of God made to him. 2 Sam. 7.14. I will be his father (saith the Lord) and he shall be my son; if he commit iniquity, I will chastise him with the rods of men, and with the stripes of the children of men (that is, with stripes that men are able to bear) but 〈◊〉 mercy shall not departed away from him, The third reason because Solomon is set down for an example of imitation, and he is commended who followed him. as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. The third reason, Solomon is set down for an example of imitation, and he is commended who followeth him; Rehoboam walked in the way of David and Solomon, the first three years, 2 Chro. 11.17. Hence it followeth, that Solomon hath repent him of his former vanities, and died a son reconciled to his God: and as the evil beginning of Manasseh shows the bad end of Ammon; So the good beginnings of Rehoboam shows the good end of Solomon. What things are to be observed when the Kings of Israel and judah are set down for examples. When the Kings of judah and Israel are set down for examples; these things are to be observed. First, if the wicked son follow his father's wicked footsteps, without repentance, then both perish, 2. King. 15.9. Secondly, if the wicked king repent him of his sin, and his son be said to follow his father's footsteps; then he is said to follow his father's footsteps only in the time of his vanities. It is said of Ammon, 2 King. 21.21. that he followed his father, and he worshipped those Idols which his father worshipped: This is to be understood that he followed his father in his bad days, and not in his last days, when he repent him of his sins. Thirdly, when the King reputes him of his former lewd life, and his son is commended for following his father's footsteps; than it is to be understood, that the son followed his father's footsteps in the end of his life, and not in his former wicked days; and thus Rehoboam is said to have walked in the ways of David and Solomon, 2 Chron. 11.17. that is, he followed Solomon his father in his last years when he repent. Fourthly, if the King carry himself well in the beginning of his reign, and fall afterward, than his son is said not to follow his footsteps; and the reason of this is given Ezech. 16.24. The second in crease of Idolatry. The second increase of Idolatry under the Kings, was after the days of Solomon, when the ten tribes fell away from the house of David; and jeroboam erected golden calves to be worshipped in Dan and Bethel. After that, the ten tribes separated themselves from the house of David: The ten tribes are called the house of Israel; and those that cleaved to David, are called the house of judah: So the ten tribes are called Ephraim, and joseph; they are called Ephraim, Psal. 80.2. because their first king was of Ephraim. jeroboam changed four things in the worship of God at this time; and therefore it is said, jeroboam changed four things in the worship of God. he drove away Israel from the Lord, and made them to sinne a great sin, 2 Kin. 17.21. or fecit jeroboam Israel avolare a domino; he made them to fly away from the Lord. He changed first the place, The text reading, and the marginal reading. 2 Chron. 7.16. 1 King. 12.14. He placed those calves in Bethel, and Dan. The name of this Bethel (because the Idol was erected there) was changed, and it was called Bethhaven, the house of vanity, and not ●●thel the house of God, 1 Kin. 12.30. And this thing became a sin; for the people went to worship before the one, even to Dan; jeroboam pretended the ease of the people, when he set up those calves; he would not have them to go up to jerusalem to worship. Therefore he set up one Idol in Bethel, in the South side of the country, and an other in Dan, in the North side of the country, that they might go there the more commodiously to worship; yet notwithstanding they were carried after their Idols, as with a whirlwind, 1 Cor. 12.2. that they would run from the South to the North, for the worshipping of those Idols, and would not be content with their Idol which they had near hand in Bethel, but they would run to Dan also and worship. Secondly, He changed the sign of God's presence. jeroboam changed the signs of God's presence, and put in two golden calves in their place. Thirdly, he changed the time of God's worship, He changed the time of God's worship. 1 King. 12.32. he offered on the altar which he made in Bethel, the fifteenth day of the eight month which he had devised of his own heart. He made the basest of the people priests. Fourthly, he made the basest of the people priests, 1 King. 12.31. And josephus holds that jeroboam himself played the part of the highpriest, 1 King. 12.33. It is said in the original, that he went up upon the Altar sacrificing to the calves that he had made. Whether the sin of the ten tribes, or the sin of judah was greater. Quest. Whether was the sin of the ten tribes, or the sin of judah greater when they committed Idolatry. Answ. The Idolatry of the ten tribes was greater extensive: It was further extended and dured longer than the Idolatry of Judah, but intensive, judah his Idolatry was greater, The sin of Judah was written with a pen of iron, and with a point of a diamond, it was graven upon the table of their heart ●nd upon the horns of their altar, jer. 17.1. and jerusalem Aholibah was more corrupted in her fornications than Aholah or Samaria, Ezech 23.11. The promise of the Messiah was made more clearly to judah than to Israel; judah had some very good Kings, who were types of Christ; Israel had none; Judah had the temple, which Israel had not at all; judah had many prophets, Israel few; judah saw Israel carried away, and plagued for their Idolatry, and yet judah repent not; therefore Iudah's sin was greater than Israel's; she exceeded Samaria and Sodom in her filthiness, Ezechiel chapter 16. verse 46. Whether the Kings of Israel or the Kings of judah who were Idolaters were the viler. The Kings of Israel were viler than the Kings of judah: Therefore when the wicked Kings of judah are blamed they are said to walk in the ways of the Kings of Israel, 2 King. 16.1. ●, 3. The Kings of Israel were worse than the Kings of judah, because all of them were bad, and some of them as bad or badder than any of the Kings of judah; as wicked Ahab. The pride of the ten tribes was greater, than the pride of judah, they compare themselves to the Cedar of Lebanon; and they compare judah but to the thistle, 2 King. 14.9. Object. But God gave an express commandment to the ten tribes that they would separate themselves from judah. Answ. But he never commanded them to separate themselves from the worship of judah. Because jeroboam drew away the people to this fearful Idolatry; therefore the Lord threatens that none of his posterity shall succeed. The Lord punisheth the Idolatry of the fathers upon the children. There is a personal sin, The Lord punishes the Idolatry of the fathers upon the children in hereditary sins, but not in personal. and there is an haereditary sin. A personal sin is that which the father is only guilty of, and not the son: an haereditary sin is that which both the father and the children are guilty of; but in a personal sin the posterity follows not the father: it is said of Zelophehad, Num. 27 3. That he died in his own sin, that is, in a sin which his posterity was not guilty of, it was not that common sin in murmuring against God through misbelief, for the which none of them entered into Canaan; but it was a peculiar sin of his own; which his posterity was not guilty of; but if they do follow the foot steps of their wicked fathers, than it is an haereditary sin, and it is imputed to them. If the Idolatrous son follow the Idolatrous father, than he is guilty of his father's sin; as Ammon was guilty of Manasseh his sin: So if they follow the footsteps of their Idolatrous mother, than they are guilry of her Idolatry: when the mothers baked the cakes to the Queen of heaven, jer. 7.18. The children gathered the sticks to kindle the fire, here they were guilty of their mother's Idolatry: it is a terrible imprecation of David Psal. 109.14. Let the iniquity of his father be remembered, and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out: when the Idolaters have to answer both for their father's Idolatry, and for their mothers, this is a fearful case; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then they receive Kephalaiim Esay 40. double for all their sins, that is, both for their own sins, and for the sins of their parents. Although the Idolater repent him of his Idolatry yet his son may be punished for it. And it is to be marked that although the Idolater repent him of his Idolatry; yet the Lord may charge his posterity with that sin: Manasseh was a great Idolater, and shed innocent blood; these sins were pardoned in Manasseh; yet his posterity were punished (according to all that he did) that is, both for his Idolatry, and for shedding of innocent blood: and these sins were not pardoned in his posterity. There was never any decrease of Idolatry in the ten tribes, but it overspread all their Kings, as a Leprosy. The Kings of Israel all of them successively for nineteen generations were Idolaters, yet amongst them all, there was none like Ahab who did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, 1 King. chap. 21. ver. 25: Of the sins of Ahab the wickedest King in Israel. This Ahab persecuted the Prophets of God, and killed them. Secondly, he threw down the Altars of the Lord. Thirdly, he entertained four hundred Priests of Baal at his table: and fourthly he worshipped Baal. Ahab persecuted the Prophets and killed them. First he persecuted the Prophets of God, and killed them: Those who are most dear to the Lord, whom the Lord expressly forbade to meddle with, Psal. 105 15. Touch not mine anointed, and do my Prophets no harm. And they that touched them touched the Apple of his eye, Zach. 2.8. He that receiveth a Prophet (saith Christ Math. 10.41) in the name of a Prophet, shall receive a Prophet's reward, Then Ahab who killed the Prophets knowing that they were Prophets, what reward got he? The Prophets of God most resemble the great Prophet the Lord jesus Christ, who did two things for us: first the things which he did from God to us, in revealing Gods will to us: The second is which he did from us to god, interceding at his hands for us. So the Prophets of God, first they revealed the will of God to us, and secondly they interceded for us Gen. 20.7. He is a Prophet and he will pray for thee: therefore the Prophets were called the strength and the Chariots of Israel, 2 King. 13.14. and where prophecy was wanting there the people were naked, Prov. 20.12. Secondly Ahab threw down the Altars of God. 1 King. 19.10. Quest. What Altars of God were in Israel at this time? Answ. 1 King. 18.30. And Elijah repaired the Altar of the Lord that was broken down, which Altar Elijah erected in Carmell. There were many that were injurious to the Lords Altars; Ahab, threw down the Lord's Altar; Whosoever meddled with the Altar of the Lord, the Lord plagued them. Achaz caused to remove the Lords Altar: Vzziah went about to offer incense at the Lords golden Altar: Vriah the high priest offered upon the Altar of Damascus in place of the Altar of the Lord: Nadab and Abihu that brought strange fire to the Lords Altar; and there was never one of these who meddled with the Lords Altar, but the Lord plagued them for it The Altar of God was called Arriel. Ezch. 43.15. the Lion of god; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and whosoever meddled with this Lion, he devoured them: when Esaiah was called to be a Prophet, Esay 6. there came an Angel flying from the Altar, with a pair of tongs in his hand, and a living coal in it, and touched the lips of the Prophet, and sanctified him: But when God was wroth with those for meddling with his Altar, there came a messenger of God's wrath from the altar and plagued them; as the leprosy came flying from the Altar and smote Vzzia, and fire came from the Altar and Nadab and Abihu; and so upon the rest who meddled with this Altar, who ever threw it down or polluted it. Ahaz meddled with the brazen Altar a type of Christ's death, and Vzziah meddled with the golden Altar a type of Christ's intercession, therefore God poured out his wrath upon them & plagued them both. Mark a difference betwixt the Prophets of the Lord and Baal's Priests; A difference betwixt the Lords Prophets and the Priests of Baal. if ye will respect their number, they are eight hundreth and fifty, The prophets of the Lord were but few in respect of them, Obadiah took an hundreth Prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, 1 King 18.4. If ye will respect their fare; there was a great difference also, the poor Prophets were fed only with bread and water; but the Priests of the groves were fed at the court. 1 King. 18.19. Thirdly, if ye will respect their apparel, and the places where they lived; ye shall see great difference, the Prophets of God went in sheep skins, and goat skins, being destitute, afflicted, and tormented, of whom the world was not worthy of, they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth, Heb. 11.37.38. But Baal's priests lived daintily in all plenty: But if we shall look to their end; and how they were miserably killed, and how the Prophets of God were delivered, how they were separate for the day of slaughter, and all killed in one day; then we would make choice rather with Moses to suffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, Heb. 11.25. and with David rather to be a doorekeeper in the house of God, then to dwell in the tents of wickedness, Psal. 84.10. Fourthly, Achab worshipped Baal: In the scripture we read of three sorts that were diversely affected to Baal, Three sorts that were diversely affected towards Baal. first those who pleaded against Baal, as Gideon called jerubaal, of Ierubash●th, 2 Sam. 9.23. and Elijah; secondly those who stoop for Baal, as Ahab and jezebel, and the Priests of Baal. And thirdly those who halted betwixt God & Baal, in the politickes they were said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Dion said of Cicero, because he now clavae to the people, and now to the Senate, and Homer called such a one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is he who cleaves to this point, and now to that, and this was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the mind is carried now this way now that way. Quest. Which of those two was worst? An: Those who halted betwixt God & Baal; therefore the Lord says, Reve. 3. I would thou wert hot or cold, but because thou art lukewarm, I will spew thee out of my mouth; lukewarmness here is not the midst betwixt hot and cold, as it is in Physical things, but it is farthest from the virtue, heat, & the Lord detests more the lukewarm than the cold; The Philosopher Ethic. 7. marks four sorts of men, the first is continens & temperans, The worst sort of all were those, who halted betwixt God and Baal. the second is incontinens & intemperans, the third is, temperans & incontinens, the fourth is, continens & intemperans. Continens & temperans is he who bridles his passions, & suffers them not to burst forth into action. Incontinens & intemperans, is he who rules not his passions, but suffers them to burst forth into action. Incontinens & temperans, is he who rules not his passion, but yet suffers not his passion to burst forth into action, as he that suffers not the sun to go down upon his wrath, Psal. 4. Be angry, but sin not, as if he should say, when ye are angry (for to this passion of anger all men are prone) sin not, that is, execut not this your anger with a deliberate purpose; the fourth is, continens & intemperans, and he refrains his passion, and bridles it, yet executes it in action, as he who kills in cold blood. Quest. Which of these four sorts are worst? Answ. A man would think that he were worst, who were both incontinent and temperate, but yet it is not so, for he that is continent and bridles his passions and intemperate and refrains not from the action he is the worst sort of men, for he does deliberately sin, and not miscarried by his passion: so he that is lukewarm in the service of God, is farther from the virtue, than he that is cold, and he that halts betwixt God and Baal, is by the Lord more abhorred than he who directly stands for Baal: The people that were brought from strange nations to Samaria, they are said to have feared the Lord, and worshipped their own Gods, 2 King. 17.33. yet because they worshipped both, it is said, ver. 34. that they feared not the Lord, for the Lord detests those most of all; so those lukewarm people are most hated of him: and as the stomach cannot brook lukewarm things, so well as it does hot or cold, for hot or cold things do contract the stomach, and make it keep things the better; but lukewarm things delates the stomach, and makes it spew them out; so the Lord spews out these lukewarm people, and cannot brook them by any people. Elijah reproved Ahab to his face. Now Elijah, who opposeth himself to Baal and to Ahab the maintainer of Baal, comes and reproves Ahab to his face, and says that it was he that troubled Israel; So Paul came and withstood Peter to his face: These are called the faithful wounds of a friend; The Physicians call the wounds opposite to these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unfaithful; Those that are given behind a man's back, as detraction or backbiting are most dangerous wounds. Elijah contesteth with the priests of Baal, for the worship of God. The second thing which Elijah did here, was his conteste with the Priests of Baal. There was a great dispute here about Religion, and to end the controversy they will try it this way, that the Lord would be pleased to send down a fire from heaven to burn their sacrifices who were accepted of him, but not upon theirs who were not excepted. By this sign of sending down fire upon the sacrifices, The people knew that God accepted of their sacrifices when he sent down fire from heaven to burn them. the people of God knew when their sacrifices were accepted; it is said, Gen. 4. that the Lord looked upon Abel, and upon his sacrifice. Aquila translates it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he set it on fire, so when the tabernacle was erected, the Lord sent down a fire upon their sacrifices, and when the temple was erected, he sent down a fire upon their sacrifices, and ordinarily when there sacrifices were burnt to ashes, than they knew that God accepted of them, Psal. 20.3. Remember all thy offerings, and turn to ashes thy sacrifice. There came down a fire & Elijah his sacrifice, The fire came down four times upon the Altar to burn the sacrifices. this fire came down four times from heaven upon their sacrifices: First upon Abel his sacrifice, secondly upon the sacrifice of the Tabernacle, when they had sacrificed seven days, Le. 8.33. Then the glory of the Lord appeared on the eight day, and the fire came down upon their sacrifice; Levit. 9.23, 24. Thirdly the fire came down upon their sacrifice when the Temple was erected, and fourthly the fire came down upon Elijah his sacrifice; But the fire came not down in the second Temple to burn the sacrifices. Quest. How was their sacrifices then accepted in the second Temple, The Hebrews hold that the fire in the tabernable went up to heaven again from whence it came down 2 Chro. 7.1. seeing the fire came not down from heaven to burn them? Answ. The Prophets and the Priests consecrated this fire in the second Temple, and then it was an heavenly fire, and whosoever brought any other fire into the altar, that was strange fire: The fire in the first temple was divinohumanus ignis, How the fire in the second temple, was accepted when it came not down from heaven. that is, it came from heaven; but it was maintained by wood, as our fire is; but the fire in the second temple was humanodivinus, that is, it was at the first but humane fire, which came not from heaven, but being consecrate by the prophets, and the Priests it became heavenly fire. The jews are uncertain concerning the fire of the second temple; for some say, 2 Mac. 1.19. that the Priests hid the fire of the first temple in a pit, and that it was kindled again in the second temple after the captivity; R. David, Hag. 1.8. But others of them hold that there were five things wanting in the second temple, which were in the first; the Ark, Urim, Thummim, the holy fire, and Shechina the majesty of God who dwelled between the Cherubins. Because this fire came from heaven, therefore when they wanted it, they studied by rubbing the stones of the altar one upon another to kindle the fire again, 2 Mac. 10.3. and the vest all virgins imitating them, (when their holy fire went out) they kindled it again with the beams of the sun contracted into a crystal glass. The third thing which Elijah did was this, He caused all the Priests of Baal to be killed; this was Opimum Sacrificium Deo; when the Levites consecrated their hands to kill their neighbours and brethren that were Idolaters, Exod. 32.29. their hands were consecrate with their blood of the brethren, as that day when they were ordained Priests, the blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled upon the thumb of their right hand, Exod. 29.20. And this was as acceptable a consecration to the Lord, as that day when they were consecrate priests unto him; so the shedding of the blood of these Idolatrous Priests was as acceptable a sacrifice to the Lord as any could be. Elijah for his good service done to God in that great famine, the Lord preserves him wonderfully; first by Ravens at the river Cherith, who brought him bread and flesh twice in the day: secondly by the widow of Zarepta, who had but a little meal which she was to dress, and then to die, 1 King. 17.12. chrysostom considering the fact of this widow, Homil 19 2. Cor. marks the great charity of this widow, that she gives not out of her poverty to help the prophet, but out of her mere necessity, when both she and her child were like to starve, neither having any hope to be helped by her neighbours; and here he compares Abraham his fact, and her fact when Abraham entertained the strangers, and he prefers her charity to Abraham's, she ran not to the flock as Abraham 〈…〉 only to her poor handful of meal which was reserved for her and her son. We are bound to give of things that are profitable for us, to help our neighbour's necessity, as the Samaritan took his oil and his wine, and poured it into the hurt man's wounds. So he who hath two coats should impart to him that hath none, Luke 3.11. but this poor widow gaver her one coat, & consumsit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Luke 15.13. to save the Prophet's life; thirdly he was fed by the Angel. The bowed their knees to Baal. The Idolaters in Ahabs' time bowed their knees to Baal. The Hebrews have four words, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the which they express the signs of bodily worship. The first is Barach, the bowing of the knee. The second is Cadad, the bowing of the head, from the neck upward. The third is Carang, the bowing down of the head, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the bulk of the body: and the fourth is hishtahave, to cast down the whole body before them. The Apostle, Rom. 6.13. wills us that we should make all our members instruments of righteousness to God; but the Idolaters made all their members the instruments of sin to worship their Idols. The steod with their heads uncovered before their Idols. First, their head; they prayed before their Idols with their heads covered, because the people of the East worshipped their great men with their heads covered, therefore they prayed after the same manner, and honoured their Idols standing before them with their heads covered. Mishna Tom. 1. l. 2. Maymonides saith, that religious outward worship should be given after the same manner as they worshipped great men, and he adds, nisi forte sit mos illius loci, ut quis stet coram magnatibus aperto capite, that is, unless it be the manner of men in that place to stand bareheaded, when they do reverence to great men; where we see that the gesture and the manner of praying is to be accommodated to the custom of the place where one lives, and they should testify their outward reverence b● such signs as men testify their reverence to gre●● 〈…〉. This manner of worship varies in sundry parts. Maymonides wrote his Mishna in Egypt, and amongst the Mahometans who uncover not their heads before great men, but bow only their head before them; and therefore when they pray they uncover not their head: So the jews both the priests and people uncover, not the head in time of divine service. The priests had such bonnets upon their heads which could not easily be taken off and put on as ours, and when they came abroad they never uncovered their heads; but when they made great lamentation they uncovered their heads, and cast ashes upon them: But the Christians in the West, when they do reverence to their superiors, they always uncover their heads; and therefore it is the fittest gesture for us to uncover our heads when we pray. The jews who live here in Europe, when they are in their synagogues, they never uncover their heads, which is altogether contrary to the custom of Europe: They salute great men here uncovering their heads, and so should they pray according to the canon of Maimonides; but they do this in despite of the Christians: The Apostle, 1 Cor. 11. wills men to be uncovered, and women to be covered, when they pray, because that was the usual form amongst the Grecians, for the men did uncover their heads, when they did any reverence to their superiors; and the women had veils which covered their heads and faces when they came abroad: therefore he would not have them uncovered in time of prayer. Secondly, They worshipped their Idols turning their faces to them. they worshipped their Idols by turning their faces to them, and this is properly adorare, ad os orare. So the Lord commands his people that they should not turn their backs to him, but their faces, jer. 2.27. And the jews say, that it was not lawful for any when they came to the temple to worship (if they entered in at the East gate) to go out at the same gate again, but to go out at the North gate, lest they should turn their backs upon the Lord. The jews were commanded when they worshipped the Lord, to turn their faces towards the temple, when they were without it, 1 King. 8. This was to be understood only in their public worship, than they were bound to turn their faces towards the temple: and so when they worshipped in their synagogues, they turned their faces always towards the temple; and Daniel, The jews when they worshipped God publicly, turned their faces towards the temple, which they did not in their private prayers. when he was in captivity opened his window and looked towards the temple when he worshipped; but when they worshipped privately in their chambers, they did not this, as when Ezekias turned his face towards the wall and prayed to the Lord: So David in his secret chamber prayed to the Lord, and watered his couch with tears; and Manasseh when he was prisoner in Babylon, repent, and prayed to the Lord, we cannot think that he did this, they turned not their faces towards the temple then. They lifted up their eyes to their Idols. Si dederis mihi cor & oculos suos meus eris dicit dominum. Occulus & corsunt proxinetae peccati. Thirdly, they lifted up their eyes to their Idols, Eze. 18.15. neither hath lifted up his eyes to the Idols of the house of Israel. The eye is the messenger of the mind, when the eye is lifted up to the Idols, it testifies that it hath a directon from the mind: The Lord forbids them to go a whoring after their own eyes, Num. 15.39. When David testifies that he worshipped God sincerely, be saith, unto thee I lift up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens, Ps. 123.1. Our eyes then should wait upon the Lord, as the eyes of the servants look unto the hands of their masters, and as the eye of the handmaind unto the hand of her mistress, Psal. 123. They honoured their Idols with their mouth, kissing the Idol. Fourthly, they kissed their Idols, 1 King. 19.18. Hos. 13.2. they kissed the calves. This kissing was an usual thing in worshipping of their Idols, and they used to kiss, either the mouth of the Idol, or their own hand; for when they could not reach to kiss the Idol, they kissed their own hand in sign of homage to their Idol: and job purged himself of this kind of Idolatry, neither kissed I my hand, job 31. They gave this kiss to their Idols which is due only to Christ, Kiss the son, Psal. 2. So to eat before the Idols, this is called eating upon the mountains, Ezech. 22.9. and this is Idolatry. They praised God three manner of ways. Fiftly, they praised their gods, and that three manner of ways: first, they called upon them with a loud voice, as they did to Baal, 1 King. 18.16. they called upon him from the morning to the noonetide of the day, and then they were vocales. Secondly, they played upon instruments before their Idols, Dan. 3.15. and then they had vocem femivocalem. Thirdly, they called upon their Idols secretly within themselves, and then they were muti; & this they called favere linguis in their Liturgy. So the Church of God had these three sorts of wroship which they gave to the true God. First, they had there public prayers to the Lord, and there they were vocales. Secondly, they offered the offerings, and played upon all sorts of instruments; then they were semivocales, 2 Chron. 29.27, 28. And lastly, they prayed within themselves, for so long as the incense was in offering all the people prayed privately by themselves, and all this while there was no voice heard Luke 1.10. than they were muti, and john Revel. 8. seems to allude to this custom when he saith, there was silence in the heavens for half an hour. Sixtly, they carried their Idols upon their shoulders; jer. 10.5. Acts 7.43. Bajulastis in humeris vestris even as the Levites carried the Ark of the covenant upon their shoulders, 1 Kin. 2.26. So they carried their Idols. Seventhly, they held up their hands to their Idols: The hand is instrumentum instrumentorum, They held up their hands to their jodols. by it (saith Fabius) pollicemur, we promise, vocamus we call, in vocamus we incal, dimittimus we dismis; Minamur we threaten, supplicania we entreat, timemus we fear, interrogamus we ask, negamus we deny; by the hand we show our sadness, our confession, and our repentance; we speak by the hand, Prov. 6.13. He reacheth by his fingers, and he promiseth by his hand, we swear holding up our hand, or laying on the hand; other parts of the body help a man to speak, but a hand seems to speak for itself; we stretch out the hand to that which we would most earnestly apprehend Psal. 119.47. Mine hands also will I l●ft up to thy Commandments whom I have loved, that is, to the Commandments which I desire most earnestly to embrace and lay hold on: So Lament. 3.41. We lift up our heart with our hands to thee Lord: Ethiopia shall stretch out her hands to God, Psal. 68.31. but the Idolaters lifted their hand to their Idols. Eightly, they bowed their knees to them, that is, They bowed their knees to their Idols. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Math. 17.14. they that came to suit for any thing they took their Lord by the knees; because the knees was a sign of mercy, power, and life: and therefore the knees were dedicated to mercy, Servius Aenead. 3. Dixerat, & genua amplexus genibusque volutans Haerebat. He saith that the gods had sundry parts of the body dedicated to them, as the ear was dedicated to memory; the forehead was dedicated to Genius, and the knees to mercy: therefore when they begged for any thing, they took them by the knees of whom they begged: in our knees lieth our ability to go; they are a sign of strength, Esay 35.3. Strengthen our weak knees; and when the Lord threatens a judgement that their strength shall fail them, than he saith, All knees shall be weak like water, Ezeck. 7.17. And as to bow the knee is a sign of weakness, and indigency; so to bow the knee is a sign of dignity and power; And therefore the Egyptians made choice to put the Elephant in their colours, which was a sign of their Kingly power that bowed not his knee, nor needed not to supplicate or beg any thing from another; therefore when the Idolaters bowed their knees before Baal, and touched his knee, they acknowledged his power, that he had knees like the Elephant, that could not bow; and also their own weakness, falling down and bowing the knee to him to seek his help: Contrary to this bowing before the Idol, is the bowing of the knee to the Lord jesus Christ, Philip. 3. To whom all knees in heaven and earth should bow, Act. 20.36. 2 Chron. 6.13. All bowed their knees in the Temple of jerusalem, or stood, but none sat but the King only, 2 Sam. 7.18. Psal. 135.2. They stood barefooted before their Idols. Ninthly, they stood barefooted before their Idols: The people of God when they came before the Lord, he commanded them to reverence his sanctuary; and the jews infer from this, that they stood in the Temple, Exod. 3.7. Take off thy shoes because the place where thou standest is holy. So the Temple is a holy place, therefore they infer that they stood in the Temple: And Exod. 30.19. the Priests are commanded to wash their feet morning and evening; Therefore it seems that they stood before the Lord; and when all the Priests are reckoned up, there is nothing spoken of their shoes; by which we may probably gather, that the jews stood barefooted before the Lord: as that of juvenal. satire 7. Observant ubi festa mero pede Sabbatha Reges, Et vetus indulget senibus clementia porcis. And Solomon seems to allude to this, Eccles. 5.1. when he saith, When thou comest to the house of the Lord look to thy feet; and with what great reverence thou ascends to the house of Lord: the Chaldee paraphrast paraphrasing upon Cant. 7.2. (how beautiful are thy feet) paraphraseth it thus: How beautiful are thy feet, when thou goest up three times in the year to the feasts with thy shoes of badgers skins: shoes of badgers skins were the most excellent shoes, Ezech. 16.10. but when they entered into the Temple they laid aside their shoes and stood . The jews at this day before their Synagogues have Iron fastened in the wall wherewith they make clean their shoes, before they enter into the Synagogue: the Idolatrous Priests of Egypt wore nothing but shoes of paper, when they went to worship their Idol: Herodotus lib. 2. cap. 5. and amongst the Romans it was not lawful for the Priests to wear any shoes made of the skin of the beast which died of itself: Apollonius lib. 5. and the Sarafeus' learned this from the jews, that enter not into their Temple but barefooted: so when the Priests go in their procession, they do this for the honour of some Idol. They leaned down before their Idols. Lastly, they dishonoured God with their whole body, and worshipped their Idols, Amos 2.8. and they lay down upon , taken into pledge at every Altar, and drank the wine of the condemned, first they leaned themselves when they did eat at their feasts, this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Luke 24.30. and then they drank the wine of the condemned; that is the most excellent wine; for they gave the most excellent wine to those who were going to execution; according to salomon's counsel, Prov. 31.6. Give wine to him that is of a sad heart: This religious falling down is dew only to God. 1 Cor. 14.25, he falleth down upon his face and worshippeth God. Whether it be lawful to be present at Idol service and to give external worship there having no intention to worship the Idol. A question may be moved here, whether it be lawful to be present at Idol service or not, and to give external worship to the Idol by bowing before it, providing that in their mind they have no respect to it, but do it for some other civil ends? Some go about by the example of Naaman the Syrian to show that this is lawful: Caietan chiefly labours to prove that this fact of naaman's was lawful; Cajetan goes about to prove Naaman's fact. and first he saith that this word hishtakave, which the Greeks' translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bow down, signifies as well civil worship as spiritual, and that Naaman minded nothing else than spiritual worship, he confesseth the true God, and promiseth that he will serve none but the true God, and that he would erect an altar after he returned to his Country to the true God, and intended only after his accustomed manner to go to the temple of Rimmon, Cajetan makes two sorts of bowing of the knee, the first for obedience, the second for imitation. and there to perform civil homage to his King as before; he makes a double bowing of the knee, the first is genuflexio imitationis, the second is genuflexio obsequij: that is, the one for imitation, and the other for obedience: naaman's bowing, of his knee was not for imitation, but only for obedience, and it was not of the same kind with the Kings bowing: The question is then only de genuflexione obsequij, and that is, for bowing for obedience, and this bowing he holds altogether to be lawful, and that he bowed himself with the King having no respect to the Idol; but only the respect which he carried to the King made him to bow. The servant bowed himself with the King, and performed that homage to him which he ought; for that is Adoratio absoluta: But when he bows & worships with him, this is cultus relativus a relative worship, having relation to the Idol: and he goes about to clear the matter by this comparison; If a noble man should go to a bawdy-house, and commit villainy there, the servants follow their master now as at other times, but not as he goes to a whore, but if they should flatter their Lord and approve this fact, than they should be guilty of his sin, so (saith he) Naaman goes to the house of Rimmon now as at other times, and it was only but civil worship which he performed there: And when it is objected that it had a show of evil to bow in such a place; at such a time with the King; Cajetane answers, that Naaman protested the contrary both in word and deed; but Cajetans' comparison halts down right here; for if the Noble man's servant should go into the bawdy-house with him, and see him commit that villainy, could they excuse themselves after this manner, that they gave him but only civil homage, and respect here. Therefore this that Cajetan pleads for Naaman, will not serve the turn. Now for the Prophet's answer to Naaman (Go in peace) Naaman comes to be resolved in a case of conscience by the Prophet: What is the meaning of the Prophet's answer to Naaman (go in peace.) The case is whether he may go with the King to the house of Rimmon or not, and the Prophet is bound to satisfy him in this case, and to settle his conscience. Now for the better understanding of this, we must remember that there are four sorts of conscience, There are four sorts of consciences. first a good conscience; Secondly, a bad conscience; Thirdly, a doubtful conscience; Fourthly, A good conscience. a scrupulous conscience: A good conscience is that conscience which concludes truly and comfortably after this manner; Every commandment of God is to be kept; but to love God is the principal and chief command, therefore it is to be kept. A bad conscience. A bad conscience is that which reasoneth quite contrary to the truth; as when the Anabaptist reasoneth thus, a man must do no unlawful thing; to swear is an unlawful thing, therefore we must not swear: He takes to swear, to be an unlawful thing, mistaking the place, A Doubtful conscience. Mat. 5. Swear not at all. A doubtful conscience knoweth not which way to incline, but yet it inclines more to the one than the other, Sed cum formidine ad oppositum; that is with some fear to the contrary; Example, when the weak Christian doubted in conscience whether he might eat of that part of the flesh which was sold in the shambles or not, seeing the other parts had been offered to the Idol, here he doubts whether he might eat or not eat, and yet he inclines more not to eat, but with some fear to the opposite parts. A scrupulous conscience. A scrupulous conscience is that which cleaves only to one part, yet so cleaves to it, that it troubles the mind: A superstitious mind although it be settled in that superstition, yet that conscience is never free without some scruple. Now to apply this to the question in hand; the prophet had not to do here with a man that had a good conscience, as yet, neither had he to do with a man that had a bad conscience, neither with a man that had a scrupulous conscience; but with a man of a doubtful conscience, doubting which way he should incline; but yet he inclined more to go with the King to the house of Rimmon, as he used to do before, The Prophet had to deal with a man who had a doubtful conscience as yet. rather than not to go: Now if the Prophet should have answered him this way, Go in peace, that is, go there for civil worship, and reserve your spiritual worship to God, were not this to daub with untempered mortar, Eze. 13.10. he could not do both civil worship and spiritual worship at once, and at one act: Naaman sought two things of the Prophet, that he might have so much of that earth to carry with him, that he might build an Altar within his own country. Now apply the Prophet's answer (go in peace) to this, Go in peace, is not concedentis but optantis would the Prophet grant that to him, to erect an Altar to the worship of God by himself? It cannot be concedentis here; granting to him that which he seeks, but it is only optantis: The Lord grant you peace in mind, and trouble not yourselves with these things, that might breed greater trouble in your conscience: The Prophet sometimes says, Lech be Shalom, abi in pace, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometimes Lech le shalom vade ad pacem, Exo. 4.18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are optantis pacem. If the Prophet had approved that deed of his, The martyrs of God would not communicate with Idols in the least piece of service. we marvel, and that justly, why the martyrs have suffered such cruel torments, rather than they would communicate with the Idols in the least piece of service. The jews would not so much as cast one stone to the Idol Mercurius, Vide in lexico juris quid mercalis dicitur cuius cullos fie bat hoc modo. The which the heathen used in token of homage: The primitive Church held them who burned but three grains of frankincense to an Idol, to be apostates: Suidas in Auxentio. There was a fountain very curiously built (in the time of Licinius the Emperor) in the midst of the King's court, and the Image of Bacchus placed above it, and a vine tree had spread her branches round about the court▪ It was a fit place to walk in the shadow in the time of heat: Licinius the Emperor comes in into the court attended with a great number; amongst the rest was Auxentius a Christian; Licinius (perceiving a branch laden with a cluster of grapes) he bids Auxentius cut it down, which he doth presently. Secondly, he bids Auxentius set that branch at the feet of Bacchus, what answers Auxentius? God forbid Emperor that I should do this, for I am a Christian; Then Licinius says unto him, either do this, or get you gone and serve me no more; and he presently losing his military girdle went his way. Those who study to be holy, will neither eat the swine's flesh, nor keep the broth in their vessels, Isa. 55.4. In this new convert Naaman, there was many infirmities yet, first he refuseth the mean which the Prophet commanded him to use, to wash him seven times in jordan; then he prescribes means which he would have the prophet to use in curing of him; The Lord bears with this new convert although there were many infirmities in him. Thirdly, he thinks that the place of God's worship may be changed, yet notwithstanding the Lord will not quench this smoking flax; and as in weighing of things, we grant something to supply the defect of the thing weighed; so the Lord favours his own, although many things be wanting in them. When a man beholds his face in a round glass like a bowl, his face seems much less than it is, but when a man beholds his face in speculo concavo, in a hollow glass, than it seems more than it is; but when he beholds it in a plain glass, it seems just as it is, neither more nor less; so when God looks upon the sins of his children, either he sees them not at all, or they seem very little in his sight, he looks upon them as in a round glass; but when Satan looks upon the sins of the children of God, they appear to him in a hollow glass, and they seem more to him then they are; but when God looks upon the sins of the wicked, he sees them in a plain glass just as they are. Although jehu did destroy Baal's priests, There was no decrease of Idolatry in jehu his time. and overthrew his altars, yet there was no decrease of Idolatry all this while, for he out of a blind devotion blessed himself in his evil, feigning that he was high in God's favour, and should have peace, although he walked in the obstinacy of his own heart, Deut. 20.19. and because he was innocent, therefore God's wrath should turn from him, jer. 2.35. For he followed no Idols (what ever men say) jer. 2.23. but he swears the Lord liveth, jer. 5.2. and he will show by his works the zeal that he had for the Lord against Idolaters, 2 King. 10.16. he will bring his sacrifices and his tithes, Amos 4.5. proclaim free offerings: yea, willing he is to please the Lord, although it should cost him thousands of rams, or ten thousand rivers of oil, and to give his first borne the fruit of his body for the sin of his soul, Micah 6.7. and though he burn incense unto Baal, yet will he come and stand before God in the house whereupon his name is called; and say, I am delivered, jer. 7.9.10. he will lean upon the Lord and say, Is not the Lord with me, no evil shall come upon me, neither shall the plague come unto me, neither shall I see the famine, jer. 5.12. jehu all this time flattered himself, as zealous for the Lord, and he clavae still to the sins of jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, and never said, there is a lie in my right hand, Es 4●. 10.29. Leaving the Kings of Israel, let us now proceed to the Kings of judah. The first increase of Idolatry in judah, The first increase of Idolatry in judah after the separation of the ten tribes. after the division of the ten tribes, was in the days of Rehoboam, 1 King. 14.22. And judah did evil in the sight of the Lord,— and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done; for they also built high places, and Images, and groves on every high hill, and under every green tree. The decrease of this Idolatry was in the days of Asa 1 King. 15.11. The decrease. He did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father, He took away the Idols and destroyed them, and burnt thm by the brook Kidron, and his heart was perfect with the Lord all his days, verse. 14. Quest. How could his heart be said to be a perfect heart, seeing he is taxed with so many gross sins; First, the high places were not removed in his time, 2 Chron. 15.7. Then he was wroth with the Seer, and put him in prison, because he reproved him, 2 Chron. 16. he oppressed the people at that same time, vers. 10. and in his disease he sought not the Lord but to the Physicians, vers. 12. how could his heart then be a perfect heart with the Lord all his days? An. A perfect heart is called in the scripture, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sincerum non fucatum cor, and it is composed of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifieth the brightness of the Sun, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because in brightness it studieth to follow the Sun. The Sun may sometimes be overclouded, What is a sincere heart but yet appears in his brightness again. So a sincere and a perfect heart, although sometimes it be overclouded with sin, yet it strives to recover its brightness again. Every sin makes not a heart cease to be a perfect heart; but a man that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of a double mind, or having cor divisum, a divided heart, Hos. 10.2. or a heart and a heart, Psalm. 12.2. he cannot be said to have a perfect heart. The Lord saith, Deut. 25.13. Thou shalt not have in thy bag, a stone and a stone, that is, a false weight. So vers. 15. Thou shalt not have an Ephah, and an Ephah, that is, as false measure: so thou shalt not have a heart and a heart, that is a false heart. Those the Apostle, 1 Tim. 3.10. calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, double tongued. The Philosopher proves that a creature is to be judged to be one or more by the heart, and not by the brain, for if the heart be one, than the creature is but one, but if there be two hearts, than the creatures are two. There have been men who have had two heads but one heart; such a one was but one man, although he had two heads, and having but one heart his motion was but one, and his imagination one. Duo corda exposcunt duo capita non contra Serpens qui habet ●●●●dam linguam habet ●●●plicem gustum rest Aristot. So he that ha●● two hearts, etc. But if one have two hearts of a necessity he must have two heads; Animal est unum per unam animam: So it is in the spiritual life of a man, if a man have a heart and a heart, than he cannot be said to have a perfect heart, than he makes two men, one for God, and another for the devil, and he hath two sorts of motion and imagination; Solomon calls such a man perversus duarum viarum, Prov. 28.6. and Syrac. 2. Vae peccatori ingredienti duas vias: A tree if the root and the stock be one, although the grafts be divers, yet it is but one tree. So the heart if it be one, although it bring forth some good and some bad fruit, yet it may be a perfect heart. The heart, The heart so long as it falls not to Idolatry may be a sincere heart. although it be blotted with the sins against the second table, as David was in the matter of Vriah; yet if it be not tainted with Idolatry, it may be a perfect heart still. Secondly, a perfect heart may come short in the internal duties of the first table through incredulity and misbelief; as Asa put too much trust in the Physicians in his disease; yet his heart was a perfect heart. Thirdly, a man may have a perfect heart, notwithstanding that sins of omission be found in him in the worship of God, but not sins of commission, as Asa took not away the high places, yet his heart was perfect with the Lord. Let us make a comparison betwixt David, josiah, A comparison betwixt David, josias, and Asa. and Asa: David when he brought the Ark from Baal of judah, to the house of Obed Edom, he brought it upon a new cart, 2 Sam. 6.3. The Philistines carried the Ark of the Lord upon a cart (It should have been carried upon the Levites shoulders) David took away the Philistines emrod's and Mice which they put with the Ark, but he left the cart. josiah took not away the remnants of Baal, Zephan. 1.4. and Asa left the high places unremoved. A comparison betwixt Amaziah, Vzziah, and Asa. Secondly, let us compare these three Kings together, Amaziah, Vzziah, and Asa; Amaziah did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart, 2 Chron. 25.2. the Lord liked of his work, but not of his heart, he did bonum opus, sed non bene, sed Deus magis delectatur adverbiis quam nominibus, as the Schoolmen speak. Secondly, Vzziah, he sought the Lord and prospered, 2 Chron. 26.5. he had some beginnings of Grace in him; this was more than Amaziah had, yet his heart was lifted up, and he fell away from the Lord, vers. 16. but Asa his heart was a perfect heart with the Lord all the days of his life. These three Kings have been not unfitly compared to the three sort of fruit which the vine brings forth; The first is called Samadar, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uva minutula, a little berry, but very imperfect, which appears first when the flower falls away, and it withereth and decayeth with the least cold or frost. The second fruit of the vine, is called Bozer Omphax, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Omphax librusca which is a sour grape, but draweth near to the nature of the ripe grape, yet when it ripens not, it sets men's teeth on edge, and the third is gnanabh, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uva matura, the ripe grape; and they say that Amaziah was but uva minutula, and that Vzziah was Omphax, and Asa was uva matura. Whether did Asa sin when he made a league with Benhabad or not? Quest. Did not Asa sin when he made a league with Benhadad King of Syria, he being an Idolater, 1 King. 15.19? Answ. All leagues with Idolaters are not unlawful; Abraham made a league with Eshcol, and Aner, Gen. 13.18. So with Abimelech and Phicol, Genes. 21.24. So Isaac with Abimelech, Gen. 26.28. So jacob with Laban, and David with the King of Ammon; 2 Sam. 10.1. and Asa with Benhadad. Object. Deut. 17.3. Ye shall not make a league with those nations? Answ. That is, with the Canaanites, whom they were commanded to destroy. Secondly, the Lord commands, Exod. 22.32. Ye shall not make a covenant with them, and their gods; if their gods came within the covenant, than it was not lawful to covenant with them, for they would have always worship given to their gods: Asa is reproved 2 Chron. 16.2.7. for distrusting the Lord, and trusting in the King of Syria; Asa sinned trusting more in Benhaded than in the Lord. So he is blamed for putting his trust too much in the Physicians in his sickness; and not in the Lord; it was no more unlawful for Asa to make a covenant with Benhadad the King of Syria, no more than it was unlawful for him to send for the Physicians in his sickness; But to distrust the Lord and trust too much in the King of Syria, that was Asa his fault. It was never lawful to make a league offensive or defensive with Idolaters, It was never lawful to make a league offensive or defensive with Idolaters. Such was the league which was made betwixt jehosaphat and Ahab, King of Israel, when jehosaphat said to Ahab, 1 King. 22.4. I am as thou art, and my people as thy people. When the Hebrews compare two things, Quid valet sicut geminatum apud haebreos. and would signify a parity betwixt them, than they double the particle Sicut, and the first signifies the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and the second the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Gen. 44.18. Sicut tu, sicut Pharaoh, that is, Pharaoh is like thee, and thou art like Pharaoh, So Deut. 1.17. Ye shall respect no persons in judgement, sed sicut parvum, Sicut magnum judicato, that is, have no more respect to the one then to the other, So Gen. 13.10. Sicut hortus domini, sicut terra Egypti, that is, Egypt was like Canaan, and Canaan was like Egypt; So Esay 24.2. Sicut sacerdos, sicut populus, that is, the Priest was like the people, and the people were like the priest; So 1 King. 22.4. I am as thou art, and my people as thy people, that is, thy cause shall be my cause, and my cause shall be thy cause. This league offensive and defensive was not lawful, and jehosaphat his league which he made with Ahaziah, 1 King. 22.29. seems to be more than a league of peace; for first, he refuseth to join with Ahaziah, but afterward he yielded and joined with him; and when he was about to send his ships to the sea, 2 Chron. 2.25. Eleazar the Prophet prophesied against him, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy works that they were not able to go to Tarshis. Quest. What sort of confederacy was this when the Church gave her hand to Egypt? Lament. 5.6. Dare manum quid significat aliquando est mendicantis signum vel subiectionis. Answ. It was not the hand of confederacy, or a league that they made with Egypt here, but they held out their hand here to beg of the Egyptians, or they gave their hand, that is, they acknowledged them to be subject to the Egyptians, Ter. 50.15. So they gave their hand to Ashur, and begged to be satisfied with bread from him, vers. 6. The second increase of Idolatry in judah after the division of the tribes. The second increase of Idolatry under the Kings of judah, was under Ahaz, 2 King: 16.3. He walked in the ways of the Kings of Israel, and made his son to pass through the fire. Of the sins of Ahaz. There are three things especially laid to the charge of Ahaz: first, that he made his sons pass through the fire: Secondly, that he brought the pattern of the altar from Damascus, and caused them to make the like, and set it up in jerusalem: Thirdly, that he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus who smote him, 2 Chron. 28.23. He caused his children to pass through the fire. First, he caused his children to pass through the fire according to the abominations of the Gentiles: The Gentiles used first to carry their children round about the fire, and these were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: Secondly, they caused their children to pass through the fire, and this was called Lustratio: Thirdly some of them cruelly murdered and offered their children to Moloch, Psal. 130.4. Praestat deos non credere quam crudeles opinari & sanguinarios. The Lord complained Ezech. 16.21. that they slew his children and caused them to pass through the fire: They offered the Lords children to Baal. he calls them his children, that is, the first borne who opened the womb who belonged to the Lord; They did not only offer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is, the child who was first borne, But also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first begotten child, 2 Kings 1.23. they were not only content to offer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, yea if they had but one son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they would have offered him to Moloch; Abraham had but one son who was his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom he begat in his old age; and him he would have offered to the Lord, So they neither spared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The Carthaginians sacrificed their children to Moloch; and those who had no children of their own, they would go and buy the poor children, as though they had been Lambs, and the mother stood by not weeping or crying; and if they cried there was a fine set upon their head, and there was nothing heard in the mean time, but beating of drums, and sounding of instruments, that they might not hear the screaches of the poor infants; Plutarch de superstitione this was just after the manner of the jews, who burned their children in Tophet, and beat upon drums, and sounded instruments, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they should not hear their cries, and therefore the place was called Tophet from Taphath pulsare. When the father offered one of the children to Moloch, When the father offered one of his children to Moloch he thought all the rest should be saved, but God threatens the subversion of all for that sin. he believed that for the offering of this one child God would bless all the rest; But see what the Lord says against this abomination, Levit. 20.5. I will set my face against that man and against his family. The Lord threatens not only to cut him off, that wrought such abomination, but his family also; The Lord threatened jer. 7.32. that Tophet should no more be called so, but Aceldama 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, vallis occisorum; because the Idolatrous Kings were killed there who offered their children to Moloch. The second thing which Ahaz is blamed for, is this, that he caused to bring the pattern of the altar of Damascus, and to make the like, and set it up at jerusalem. We must add nothing to the worship of God. Ahaz is blamed here for adding to God's worship: In measuring of things the Lord commands that there be a just measure, and that the thing sold be sufficient in quantity and quality: a thing may be sufficient in quantity, but not in quality; As when they mixed their wine with water, and their silver with dross, Isa. 1. here they sold enough in quantity, but the quality was bad: So when they sold that which was good, but not enough of it, with a Lean measure as the Prophet calls it. The Lord requires the full measure here, and he would have it to run over, Luke 6.38. But he that had any thing superfluous in his body could not be a Priest to the Lord, Leu. 21.18. So no beast that had any superfluous part might be offered to the Lord, Leu. 21.18. That is that which the Lord himself forbids Deut. 4.2. The worship of God must be kept in puncto mathematico. Ye shall neither add nor pair from my Law, Prov. 30.16. put nothing to his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar: They say that moral virtues admit Latitudinem quandam, But God's worship must be observed in puncto mathematico, there must nothing be added to it, or taken from it. Ahaz removed the Altar of God, and put the altar of Damascus in place of it. Ahaz caused the Altar to be removed, he took away the Altar and put the Altar of Damascus in the place of the altar which was the special place of God's worship, & therefore the Lord appropriates it to himself and calls it his altar, Mal. 1.10. as they are called his Priests, and Prophets, Psal. 105.15. The Altar was the place that sanctified the sacrifice, and not the sacrifice the Altar, Mat. 23.19. The Altar was the place where God shown signs of his mercy, Jsa. 6.6. and there slew one of the Seraphimes unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongues from off the altar and laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips, and thy iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged; here the altar was a type of jesus Christ, of whom we get all sanctifying graces: This was done in the days of Ahaz, Isa. 6.10. and yet Ahaz nothing respects the Altar: The altar was the place of refuge to save poor men, yet Ahaz was not afraid to meddle with it. He reserved the Lords altar to his own private uses, 2 King. 16.15. But Mica reserved the altar of Damascus for all the sacrifices both of the King and of the people, Ahaz plays the politician, making religion to serve policy only. this is a just pattern of politickes who make religion but a handmaid to them, they will use it how and where they list; he will keep the brazen altar still, but it was of no great request with him, he will not thrust it out of doors, lest he might seem altogether to dsepise the religion of his fathers; yet he prefers the altar of Damascus to it, as being more glorious in show, and for friendship with the King of Damascus. The third thing which Ahaz is blamed for is this, Ahaz offered to the gods of Damascus who smote him. that he offered to the gods of Damascus who smote him, 2 Chron. 28.23. This is that Ahaz, verse 22. kimhi writing upon the 119 Psal. notes, when (This) is set before some names in Scripture, it signifies some great Apostasy and defection, as Gen. 36.49. This is Esau the father of the Edomites, So Num. 26.9. This is Dathan, So 2 Chron. 28.22. This is Ahaz, The Hebrews compare Ahaz and Amaziha together. which points that he was a notable Idolater, and the Hebrews compare Ahaz and Amaziah together; and they apply that proverb to these two Kings (We have weeped unto you, and ye have not mourned, we have piped unto you, and ye have not danced) I was angry with Ahaz, and gave him into the hand of the King of Damascus, yet he went and worshipped his gods; there was all the mourning which I got for my weeping: Then I piped to Amaziah, and gave him that was King of Edom captive into his hands, yet he went and worshipped his gods when he had taken them captive; and there was all the dancing which I got for my piping. The decrease. The decrease of this Idolatry was in the days of Ezekias, 2 King. 18.4. He removed the high places, and broke the Images, and cut down the groves, etc. Why God defers the judgements of wicked men. Ezekias' succeeded Ahaz: Moses Gerundensis commenting upon Deut. 7. saith, that God defers to punish wicked men in this life for three causes; First, he gives them this way leisure to repent them of their sins. Secondly, he defers their judgements, because of some act which they have to do, as the judge spareth the malefactor with child, until she have brought forth her birth. Agricola non excidit spinam prius quam inde asparagum procerpserit. And thirdly, because some good men are to come of them: And so he deferred the punishment of Ahaz, because Ezekias was to come of him; and of Shimei, because Mordecai was to come of him. Ezekias did four things in reformation of religion. There are four things recorded of Ezekias his zeal; First, this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he broke the brazen serpent, because the people worshipped it, although it was a type of jesus Christ, who was the serpent lift up in the wilderness, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nun diminuit in fine. joh. 3.14. and calls it in contempt Nehushtan, that little piece of brass; for the Hebrews when they form their diminitives, they add Nun to them, as jeshurun, Deut. 33.5. Et fuit Rex apud rectulum. So Ishon pupilla, & Sabbaton Sabbatulum. The second thing which Ezekias did was when he took away the book which Solomon wrote of Herbs and Physic, which was affixed on the gates of the Temple; Ezekias pulled it down, Vide Suidam in Ezekia. because the people neglected the Lord to seek their health of him, and did trust too much in this book. The third thing which Ezekias did, was that he shut the gates of the temple that the King of Ashur might not enter into them. The fourth thing which he did was quod traxerat ossa patris sui super lecto funium, he caused a bed of cords to be made, and drew his father's bones up and down in it; he did this in detestation of his father's Idolatry, he would not burn his bones as he did the bones of the Idolatrous Kings, jer. 8.1. Nor let them lie unburied, but this much he did to them and then buried them again; this is set down in the Thalmud of him. The next increase of Idolatry was under Manasseh, 2 King. 21.2. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, after the abominations of the heathen, The increase of Idololatry under Manasseh. whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel; for he built up again the high places which Ezekias his father had destroyed, and he reared up Altars to Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab King of Israel, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. And he built Altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord said, in jerusalem will I put my name: and he built Altars for all the Host of heaven, in the two courts of the house of the Lord: and he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits, and wizzards, he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger, and he set a graven Image of the grove which he had made, in the house, of which the Lord said to David, and Solomon his son, In this house and in jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel will I put my name for ever. There are three special sins marked in Manasseh, Three sins especially marked in Manasses. first that he built altars for all the host of heaven into the two courts of the house of the Lord: Secondly, that he worshipped the Sun, the Moon, and the stars: And thirdly, that he worshipped the devilles. First, he set up Idols both in the court of the people, and the court of the Priests: The Hebrews observe diverse degrees of holiness, which they kept in the land of Canaan; first the land itself is called holy, Zach. 2.16. and the land of jehovah, Hos. 3. and the land of Immanuel, Isa. 8.8. All other lands were called a polluted land, Amos 7.17. The second degree of holiness within the land of Canaan, they observe to be within the walled towns; for they suffered no leper to be within them; neither buried they their dead within them, therefore they counted them more holy than the rest of the land. The third degree they make to be in jerusalem; there were some things which they might eat in jerusalem, but not in the rest of the Land, they were holy things, but not holy in the highest kind which they might eat there, as the Paschall lamb, and the tithes of the third year; These they eat in jerusalem, but not in the temple: The fourth degree of holiness that they make to be in the temple, was, that it was lawful for no stranger to come within the court of the Israelites; And their were keepers appointed, who suffered them not to come in there. 1 Cor. 9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And these were called magnale pekudoth, domini prafectura; they suffered no strangers to come in here, neither in Israelite if he were unclean; this was a holier place than the court of the Gentiles, and if an Israelite were unclean, he behoved to wash himself, and he was unclean till the evening, Levi. 15.16. The fift degree of holiness was, that no Israelite might come within the court of the Priests, which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The sixth degree of holiness was betwixt the porch and the altar where Zacharie was stoned, no Priest might enter here if he had a blemish in his body, or whose head was uncovered, or if his were torn. The seventh degree of holiness was the holy place itself where the golden altar stood, no Priest might enter in here, unless his feet and hands were washed. By these degrees we may understand how abominable a thing it was for the Kings of Israel and judah to have defiled his land with their Idols, jer. 16.18. and first I will recompense their sin and their iniquity double; because they have defiled my land, they have filled mine inheritance with the carcases of the detestable and abominable things. And then Manasseh his Idolatry exceeded, who set up Idols both in the court of the people, and in the court of the priests. Manasseh also sacrificed to all the host of heaven. Amongst the rest of God's names, he is called in the Scripture Gueliion supreme or high Lord, and the greek is framed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from this; And they worshipped the sun, which they called the queen of heaven; they called her the queen, because Shemesh the sun, is in the feminine gender. The heavens are the Lords, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 115.16. but he hath given the earth to the sons of men. Man hath a commandment in the earth, and the Lord hath put under his feet all the beasts of the field, and the fishes of the sea, Psal. 8. These corruptible things the Lord hath made subject to man, and he hath power over them, and may use them as their Lord for his service, and maintenance: but he hath not granted such dominion to man over the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars; He is but here Vsuarius, he is partaker of the heat and light of the sun, he who hinders him from that, doth him wrong; Thus fare the sun serves him, and therefore the sun is called Shemesh from Shamesh ministrare, but yet man hath absolute dominion over the Sun, & the Moon, therefore Christ Matth. 5. saith, that God causeth his Sun so rise upon the good and the bad, the dominion over the sun belongs only to God. These are groser Idolaters who worships beasts, than those who worships the Sun and the Moon. Hence it follows, that they are grosser Idolaters, who worship those bodies over which they have dominion, than those who worships the Sun and the Moon; They are full Lords of the first, but they are usuarij Tenants, who hath the use only of the second: These Idolaters had Images for the Sun, Isa. 17.8. which they call Chammanim. And Benjamin in Itinerario describes them after this manner, there is a people in the land of Cush, which much beholds the stars, and worships the Sun as their God, having many altars built without the town of great stones, and early in the morning they go out of the town, to see the Sun, and they have Images consecrate to the Sun upon every altar made round like the Sun built by magic, The manner how they worshipped the Sun. and when the Sun riseth, these round circles seem to burn, and they make a great noise, and every one both man & woman, hath a censere in his hand, & offers some incense to the Sun, they have horses also dedicated to the Sun after the manner of the Persians; josias took away these horses dedicate to the Sun, 2 King. 23.11. they used to ride upon these horses, when they went to worship the Sun: The Lord promises, jer. 13. that he would break down the image of Beth Shemesh, which was the house of the sun, and the Egyptians met yearly to worship the Sun in the temple, which was dedicated to the Sun. What parts man hath from the stars, according to the opinion of some of the Physicians. So they worshipped the stars in Manasses time; they worshipped the stars; first because of their great light and beauty: Secondly, because of their influx into the bodies below here; and Thirdly, because they thought them living creatures; and some Physicians held that man was opus siderum, and that in his conception and generation he got his spirit from the Sun, & his body from the Moon, and his concupiscence from Venus, and his wit from Mercury, and his desire from jupiter, and his blood from Mars, and his humours from Saturn. Worshippers of the stars Gnobh de Kohabhim umasaloth, cultores stellarum & planetarum, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of old they called all the gentiles, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Buxtor de abreviat. pag. 134. who had no knowledge of the true God, and now they appropriate this name to those Christians who worship Idols. Lastly, Manasses worshipped the infernal spirits, and herein he exceeded all the rest of the Idolaters. The decrease of this Idolatry was, when Manasses repent heartily before his death, The decrease. when he lay fettered in Babel, 2 Chron. 33. and being restored to the Kingdom, took away the strange Gods, and Altars, and Images, which he had made, and restored in judah God's true religion, except only that the people sacrificed in the high places. So the decrease of this Idolatry was in the days of josias. josias did sundry things for the purging of this Idolatry, 1 King. 23. first he put down the Idolatrous Priests, their Chemarim, who were black with the smoke of their sacrifices; secondly, he polluted, Tophet, that is, he appointed it for a place to cast out all their filth, and their dead carcases; that so the people should commit no more Idolatry there: He polluted that place, that is, he appointed it for pollution, What it is to pollute a place. see Leu. 13. the Priest shall pollute him, that is, he shall judge him to be polluted; so Deut. 20.6. He that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not profaned it; that is, who hath not turned it to a profane use, for the fruit trees, when they were planted in Israel, the first three year's none might eat of them; for they were holden unclean, and the fourth year they were holy for the Priest to eat of them, and then the fift year they were common and profane, that the people might eat of them, jer. 31.5. they shall plant vine trees upon the mountains of Samaria, and shall eat them as profane things. josias polluted this Tophet: It was called before Vallis Hinuom, afterward it was called Gehenna; there was in it Esh tamid, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a continual fire to burn the bones, and the fith which was cast there; and because of the cruel torments which was used in it: A resemblance betwixt Tophet and Hell. therefore Gehenna is called hell, and Christ alludes to this, Mat. 5.22. He is worthy of the fire of Gehenna, so Isa. 66.24. seems to allude to the punishment of hell taken from the punishment of those whose bodies were burnt there: And they shall go forth and look upon the Carcases of the men that have transgressed against me, for there worm shall not die, neither shall the fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh. The carcases of those that were cast into the valley of Tophet, were full of worms, and the fire never died out there; so the fire of hell burns continually, and the worm of one evil conscience shall gnaw them continually. jerusalem signifieth Heaven and the places without jerusalem signified Hell. The valley of Tophet, was called Gehenna; It is usual in the scripture to compare jerusalem Anagogice to the Church, Gal. 4.26. So those places that are without jerusalem are compared to hell, and to the torments thereof catagogice, as the lake of Sodom which burned with fire and brimstone, Rev. 19.20. was a type of hell, so Gehenna, Mat. 5. So the winepress of the wrath of God was without the city, Rev. 14.20. so Mat. 8.12. he shall be cast into utter darkness: utter darkness is an allusion to the dark prison which Peter was put in without the city, Act. 12.10. And therefore the wicked are said to be excluded out of the holy city, new jerusalem, Le. 20. secondly he polluted the graves of the Idolatrous Kings, Princes, and Priests, jer. 8.1. he caused to take out the bones of the Idolatrous Kings of judah, & of the Princes, and of the Priests, and spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven whom they loved they shall not be gathered nor buried, but lie like dung upon the field. Thirdly he broke to pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and filled their places with the bones of men. 2 King. 25.14. Fourthly, he caused to take the bones of the Priests out of the sepulchres, & burn them upon the altars, 1. Kin. 23.18. but the sepulchre of the man of God (who proclaimed these things, which josias did against the altar of Bethel,) he touched not; josias made a reformation here of the whole land; as well of jerusalem as of bethel; josias did uprightly as his father David had done, and trembled at God's laws and judgements, 2 Chron. 34.2. yet the people would not hear the words of the prophets, jer. 25.3.4. calling them from their Idolatry, They sought, not the Lord but worshipped the host of heaven, Zeph. 1.5. remaining frozen in their dregges. ve. 12. and shown themselves to be a nation not worthy to be beloved, Zeph. 2.1. The rest of the Kings of judah until the captivity set forward this Idolatry more or less, The rest of the Kings of judah until the captivity set forward this Idolatry. & Like a leprosy it overspread them all, Pro. 24.30. I went by the field of the slothful, & by the vineyard of the man void of understanding & lo it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles, had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. The Doctors of the jews by way of Allegory apply this to the Kingdom of judah, and to the Kings of it; And they say, Ahaz was the slothful man, and Manasses was the foolish man, Ammon and jehoiakim planted the nettles, and the thorns, and last the house itself, the temple was destroyed in the days of Zedekias, than the stone was broken down. Now when the Church waxed old in her adulteries, God said now shall she and her fornications come to an end, Ezechiel 23.43. Now all these things are written for ensamples and they are written for our admonitions, upon whom the ends of the world are come, 1 Cor. 10.11. that we should not be Jdolaters as they, 1 Cor. 10.6.7. This Idolatry was buried in the captivity, and never revived again. At last this Idolatry was buried in the captivity, and never revived again amongst the jews: The three children of Israel could not be drawn by any means to bow before the golden image, which Nabuchadnazor set up, neither could the jews in Babylon be any ways moved to do any worship to Belus; And Mordecai in the captivity refused to give religious honour to Haman; so after the captivity of Vespasian they detested Idols: Peter in his Epistle salutes the jews dispersed through Pontus, Bythinia, Capadocia, which he would not have done if they had been Idolaters: and they gloried most in this, that they detested Idols, Rom. 2.23. thou who abhors Idols, (he is speaking here to the jews) And as often as they remember of the great judgements that have befallen them, they burst forth in these words, Non accidit tibi O Israel ulla ultio, in qua non sit uncia de iniquitate vituli, that is, there is no judgement which hath befallen thee O Israel in which there is not an ounce weight of the sin of the golden calf, and they call the temples wherein Idols are worshipped, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beth haturphan domum turpitudinis, the house of filthiness, and when they see the shaved popish priests they call them Kumarim; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these Cemarim were the Priests who sacrificed to the host of heaven all in black or soiled with the smoke of the sacrifices, The jews abhors now all sorts of Idols. and they count them but like the heathen Priests and Camilli. The jews when they detest a thing they call it Pesall from Pesall, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth an Idol. When Pilate and Petronius were precedents of judea, they tried by all means to set up the images of Caligula and Tiberias in the temple, but the jews withstood them; josephus, lib. 18. cap. 4. & 10. And the jews at this day will not suffer in their Calendars not so much as these three marks, ☉ ☾ ⚹. As this Idolatry of the Jews was buried in the captivity, so we hope that the Idolatry which is now, shall be buried and quite abolished before the second coming of Christ. OF The fourth degenerate Son, the JEW, who killed his Father. HE that was the first born in Israel had sundry privileges and dignities conferred upon him (before the Law) above the rest of his brethren; the first privilege was this, that he had the princely power and dominion over his brethren, Gen. 27.29. Be Lord over thy brethren. Secondly, they were Priests in their father's family, until the Levites succeeded in their place. Thirdly, they had the double portion of all their father's goods, Deut. 21.17. Fourthly, the first borne were redeemed with five shekels, which the rest were not, as especially consecrate to the Lord. Fiftly, they had a peculiar sort of apparel whereby they were distinguished from the rest of their brethren; Such was Esau his goodly raiment, which Rebecca put upon jacob, Gen. 27.15. which had a goodly smell, as the smell of a field which the Lord had blessed. Sixtly, they had the dignity to sit first at the Table, Gen. 43.33. job 1.13. And last, the first borne were blessed after a singular manner by their father in his death. Reuben, jacobs' first borne, by committing of incest and defiling his father's bed, he lost all these dignities, judah got the Princely dignity; Levi got the Priesthood; joseph the double portion: and after that his brethren reverenced him not, and he lost all the rest of his privileges, none of his posterity came unto any dignity or preferment, and they were more obscure than dull Issachar. Issachar was asinus ossium had strong bones, to labour and to carry burdens; But Reuben was like water spilt: Issachar was valiant in battle against Sisera, judg. 5.14. but nothing is spoken of Reuben his posterity; never judge came of him, neither soldier came of him, all feeble and weak: Issachar was given to study and knowledge, 1 Chron. 12.32. but no learned men came of Reuben; and all this befell him because he dishonoured his father in defiling his bed. So the jews the Lords first borne, Exod. 4.22. had all these dignities conferred upon them, but for murdering the Lord of life, they were spoilt of them all: first they were a Kingdom of Priests, Exod. 19.6. that is, they were Kings and Priests to the Lord; but for murdering of the Lord of life, this dignity was tranferred to the Gentiles, 1 Pet. 2.9. Then they had the double portion, the Lord was their portion, Psal. 23. this was a worthy portion, or a double portion, but now they have lost this portion; he redeemed them before by a great price, not with five shekels, but now he sells them for nought, and their price is not increased, Psal. 44.12. Then he clothed them with broidered work, shod them with badger's skins, Ezeck. 16.10. but now the Lord hath stripped them naked and bare, v. 39 They sat first at the Lords Table, and some Gentiles like whelps eat but the crumbs under the Table, but now they that are first shall be last, and they that are last shall be first, and shall sit down with jacob in the Kingdom of God, Luke 13.29. Last the Lord hath cursed these wilful murderers of him in his death; what could the Lord have done more to his first borne, but this degenerate son (optimi vini pessimum acetum) hath despised him, he counted all the world but dogs in respect ●f them, Math. 15.27. but they like dogs turned again and rend him, Psal. 22. And this his first begotten son is now become bukera sakla, primo genitus stultus, qui non fert nomen patris sui; he is become that foolish first borne, that cannot abide the name of his father. SECT. 1. Of the threefold estate of the jews, and first when they were gnammi my people. THe jews are to be considered in a threefold estate; first, as they were gnammi, my people: Secondly, as they were lo gnammi, not my people: and thirdly, as they are Ruchama, to be pitied. When they were gnammi his people then he carried them as a girdle about his loins, Gnammi. jer. 13. then he had them graven upon the palms of his hands; The great dignities of the Israelites when they were his people. Then he loved them as the apple of his eye, Psal. 17.8. and he reckoned them as his peculium, 1 Pet. 2.3. Then they were the head and not the tail, Deut. 28.37. In this estate he made choice of them to be his sons, Four sorts of sons. The Lawyers make four sorts of sons: first natural and Legitimate; Secondly Legitimate but not natural: Thirdly, natural but not Legitimate: Fourthly, neither natural nor Legitimate. Natural and Legitimate sons are those who are begotten in honourable marriage, And those the Hebrews call Cashirim rectos; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to those they oppose pesulim who are not begotten in lawful marriage. Legitimate, but not natural they call asuphim collectos; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those were called Collecti by the Hebrews, who were cast out by their parents, but yet others took them up when their father and their mother left them, Psal. 27.10. my father and mother have left me, but the Lord hath gathered me up: Those by the Greeks' were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, cast out by their mothers, and projecti Psal. 71.9. Cast me not off. Thirdly, natural and not Legitimate sons, were those who were not begotten in lawful marriage, yet the mother contented herself with one, and was not common to many; And those children were called beni neker, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 144. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filii extranei. The fourth were those who were neither natural nor Legitimate, Spurius filius, non filius. Ben Syra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were borne of common harlots; Such a one the Hebrews called mamzer from mum zer aliena labes and the Latins called them incertos, and filios vulgi, and varit: Quia ex vario semine, and from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, quia nihil divinum in illis. The Lord adopted them. When God chose them to be his sons, he adopted them: Adoption was found out for the comfort of those who had not children, 2 Sam. 21.8. Barren Micoll had five sons; that is, five legal or adopted sons: So the daughter of Pharaoh adopted Moses Act. 7. But God although he had a natural son of his own, yet he adopted the jews for his sons. When men adopt children, it is for want; but God's adoption of his children comes of abundance of his grace. As the Lord adopted them, so he would have them brought up under his law, as under a tutor Gal. 4. He taught them. And as a man teacheth his son, so the Lord taught them, Deut. 5.5. And as Pharaoh his daughter, when she adopted Moses to be her son Act. 7. caused him to be brought up in all the sciences of Egypt; So the Lord, when he adopted the jews for his children, he taught them by his Law. When they were his people, many were converted from Gentilsme, to Judaisme, and they were called Proselytes: This they thought to be the greatest honour, to be made members of the Church: the Queen of the South came from a fare Country to see the wisdom of Solomon, and the order of his house, and of his servants, 2 Chron. 9.4. So the proselytes came from fare Countries to hear the wisdom of God, and to see the order of his house, and the comeliness thereof: David thought the swallow and the sparrow happy, that built their nests near the Altar of God, Psal. 84.3. might not they then think themselves happy, who came so near to the house of God as to hear his Law expounded unto them, and to have these mysteries of salvation revealed unto them, which the Gentiles knew not of? The proselytes were those; The Proselytes that came to the jewish Church. of the Madianites jethro, of the Huzzites job, of the Syrians Naaman the Syrian, of the jebusites Arauna the jebusite, of the Hittites Vriah the Hittite, of the Gittites Ittai. 2 Sam. 18.2. of the Canaanites the woman of Canaan, of the Ethiopians Ebedmelech the Blacke-moore, and the Eunuch of the Queen of Candaces an Ethiopian, Act. 8.27. of the Philistines David had the Cherethites for his guard, 2 Sam. 15. of the Moabites Ruth, of the Samaritans the tenth man of the Lepers Luke 17. and the Samaritane woman john 4. of the Idumeans Herod, and of the Gibeonites the Nethinim who hewed the wood, and drew the water for the Temple, john 9.21. And at the birth of Christ the three wise men that came from the East to worship Math. 2.11. And the Grecians from the West, john 12, 20. of the Romans Cornelius the centurion, and from Antioch Nicolas a proselyte Act. 6.5. and on Kelos the sister's son of Titus, who pharaphrased in Chaldee the prophets. Women proselytes. So the women proselytes, as Hagar the handmaid of Sara, Ashuer, the wife of joseph, Zipporah Moses his wife, Siphrah and Puah the two midwives of Egypt; so the daughter of Pharaoh, Rachab, Ruth, jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, Now the whelps began to eat of the crumbs which fell from the children's table, but it was a miserable case when the children refused the meat which was set upon the Table, and began only to gnaw the bones; as Jerome speaks of them. SECT. 2. The second estate of the jews when they are lognammi not my people. Lognammi. What dignities they lost when they were not his people. WHen they are lognammi, now they are the tail and not the head, Deut. 28.37. now the crown is fallen from their head, Lam. 5.16. and now the Lord hath made them a by word amongst the heathen, and a shaking of the head amongst the people, Psal. 44.14. when the jews of old used to imprecate any thing, they used their imprecations, wishing that such things might befall them, as befell most miserable men, jer. 29.22. and of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of judah which are in Babylon, saying, The Lord make thee like unto Zedekiah and like unto Ahab whom the King of Babylon roasted in the fire; because they committed villainy in Israel and adultery with their neighbour's wives: So the jews now are become a parable and a hissing to all nations, and when they wish any misery to a man, they wish that he may be like a miserable jew, and the name is now in detestation to all the world. When they were his people, the Lord forbade them to marry with the heathen, but now no man will marry with them, no not the Turks: Of old they detested the Publicans as most vile sinners, but now they are the only Publicans who serve under the Turks; no man will trust them now, they are so perfidious, and their faith is punica fides, and they carry the marks of gods vengeance. When men turn from darkness to light, A bappie change when men turn from darkness to light. this is a happy change; as when they turned from Paganism to judaisme, and then they were called prosylites: So when they turned from judaisme to Christianity, they were called fratres judaei, Act. 15. and believers of the circumcision, Act 10.45. So when they turned from Gentilism to Christianity, they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 1 Tim. 3.6. But when men fall from light to darkness, that is, A miserable change when men fall from light to darkness. a miserable change; as when they fell from the jewish religion to Paganism, so when they fell from the jewish religion to the Samaritans; So when they fell from the jewish religion to Saducisme; so when they fell from Christian religion to judaisme; josephus' lib. 13. & tit. cap. 18. To fall from the jewish religion to Paganism. so when they fell from Christianity to Turkisme; and lastly, when they fell from Christianity to Gentilism. Some fell from jewish religion to Paganism, as Rabsakeh did (whom the jews generally holds to have been an apostate jew, for he could speak the Hebrew language, 2 Kin. 18.26. and he names the name jehovah which the heathen knew not, vers. 25.) and the jews used not to rend their clothes when they heard any blaspheme, unless he were an Hebrew; therefore they rend their clothes when they heard Rabsakeh blaspheme: josephus de bello judaico l. 2. c. 19 & 20. Such was the apostasy of the Gergasites, who fell from the jewish profession to the heathen Greeks. When the Proselytes entered within the Covenant of God, they were circumcised (as the rest of the jews were) and it was the seal of the covenant to them; but these apostates who fell away caused to uncircumcise themselves, and draw their prepuce which was a sign of renouncing of the Covenant, and the Greeks' called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and this uncircumcision they called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as they uncircumcised themselves in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes, Celsus. lib. 7. cap. 25. Epiphanius li. de ponderibus & mensuris. for fear they should have been known to be jews, 1 Mach. 1.16. and the Apostle alludes to this form, 1 Cor. 7.17. Art thou circumcised, uncircumcise not thyself. These apostates the Hebrews called Meshumadim, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Kophar beguickar, Negantes fundamentum; and they opposed to these Gentiles fundamentales; that is, the Proselytes converted, who held the grounds of the jewish religion. To fall from the jewish religion to the Samaritan. Vide Masium in joshuam 5.2 pag. 82. So when they fell from the jewish religion to the Samaritan: Such a one was Symmachus who translated the old Testament into Greek under the Emperor Severus, and caused him to uncircumcise himself, and then was circumcised of new again which was called Parang, denudatio pelliculae, and this stood in place of a new circumcision to him: These who fell from the jewish religion to the Samaritans were most of all apostates hated by the jews, Quia hi miscebant non miscenda, because they mixed the true Religion and the false together, and they hated them more than any other apostates. They would not eat with the Samaritans joh. 4. they reckoned bread as if it had been swine's flesh, and when the Samaritans blessed, they said not Amen to it, Eccles. 50.26, 27. My soul abhorreth two nations, and the third is no people; These who dwell in the mountains of Samaria, those who dwell amongst the Philistines, and the foolish people who dwell in Sechem, that is, there are two sorts of people whom I abhor most; the people who mixeth the true religion and the false together, as the Samaritans, and secondly, those who are only Pagans; the Samaritan, he abhorred most; for the jews so held the Samaritans, that they thought them possessed with a devil, as john saith; Say we not truth that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil. So when they fell from judaisme to Saducisme; josephus' l. 13. antiquitatum cap. 18. such a one was Johannes Hircanus, who through hatred became a Saducee, and commanded Saducisme to be received through all his bounds. So when men fall from Christianity to judaisme: To fall from Christianity to judaisme. we have a miserable example of it in one Peffercorie, who was a jew borne, but afterward became a Christian and was baptised; He went to the Emperor to procure that all the books of the jews should be burnt except only the bible: This jew made great stirs in Germany, especially against one Capnio, who was a restorer of the Hebrew language then (the story is set down at length by Sleidan) and after that he had troubled the Church a long time, at length he returned to judaisme like a dog to his vomit, and was burnt at Hall in Saxony: The jews have a saying amongst them, That judaeo baptizato, & lupo domestico, non est credendum, that is, we are not to trust a baptised jew, nor a tame Wolf; for he will slip the collar and run to the hills again; and so it fareth with this miserable jew. To fall from Christianity to Turkism. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So when men fall from Christianity to Turkism, and these were called Mamluhim, from Malach emptus, vel mancipatus fuit. Such are those who were begotten of Christian parents, and being bought by the Turks are circumcised. To fall from Christianity to Paganism. The last are those who fall from Christianity to Paganism: Such a one was julian the apostate. Those miserable wretches who fell from the jewish religion to Paganism, as from light to darkness were in a miserable condition: but the miserable jews now are in a worse condition, who calls light darkness, and darkness light: The fugitive who flees away from the prince to the enemy, is not so bad as he who keep their strength, and stands out against the prince: Those miscreants now oppose themselves in all things against Christ. SECT. 3. Of a threefold error concerning Christ. Three sorts of error concerning Christ. THere is triplex error circa Christum: The first is, error temporis: the second is error personae: and the third is, error conditionis. The first is error temporis. The first is, error temporis, when they deny that Christ is yet come; The Pharisees said to Christ, Tell us plainly if thou be the Christ, joh. 10.24. jesus answered, I told you and you believed not. The Lord instructed his people sundry ways; by base and silly creatures, as by the Pismire, by the Conie, by the Locust, and by the Spider, Prov. 30.25, 26, 27, 28. By the Pismire, he teacheth them industry to teach them industry to labour, Pro. 6. he teaches them to have a care of their household and children. By the Coneys a feeble flock, they have a care to make their holls in the rocks for their safety, and the safety of their young ones. Thirdly, he teacheth them to join themselves together for the defence of their country, as the Locust do, who go out to battle, although they have not a head: Fourthly, he teacheth them to be wise, that they may stand in Prince's courts; By the example of the Spider, which (although it be a silly creature) yet it takes hold in King's Palaces: joseph learned this lesson when he stood before Pharaoh, and Mordecai before Ashuerus. So the Lord reproves his people by silly and base creatures, as by the Turtle, the Crane, and the Iwallow, Jer. 8.7. he objects to them, that these poor creatures observed the time of their coming, but his people know not the time of their visitation, Luke 19.44: Man being in honour became like the beasts that perish, Psal. 49. yea worse than the beasts: chrysostom hath an excellent saying, Pejus est comparari jumento quam esse jumentum, It is worse to be compared with the beasts, than to be a beast: To be borne a beast is no fault, but to be matched with them, when we make ourselves like beasts, or worse than beasts, that is our great shame: The unreasonable creatures by instinct knows their times and seasons, and man will not know the time of grace by the gracious light of the Gospel: The ●ewes were worse than the silly Crane, or Swallow, when they knew not the time when jesus Christ their Messiah came into the world. We who are Christians reckon our times from the Lords birth and from his death; but the jews abhor this: When Alexander came to besiege jerusalem in the days of jaddus the highpriest, to save jerusalem not to be sacked, they were content to reckon their dates from Alexander his coming to besiege jerusalem, anno creationis, 4260. And this was called afterward Aera Alexandri, and after that Selucidarum Alexandri: but now they will no ways reckon from the coming of Christ; for when they count the years of the world, they omit the thousands, and reckon by the hundreds by (liphrath caton) as they call it; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they will not subscribe their bonds and contracts by this date, (the year of Christ.) How Cornelius his prayer was accepted, he not knowing that Christ was come. Quest. How could Cornelius his prayers be accepted before God, seeing Christ was come and he knew not that? Answ. Cornelius the centurion before he heard Peter he believed in the Messiah, and this he had learned from the jews, but he knew not that jesus the Son of Mary was the Messiah, and if he had died in that estate he might have been saved, but after that he heard Peter preach that jesus was the Messiah, if he had not believed in Christ, than his ignorance had been an affected ignorance, and damnable; such was the ignorance of the Pharisees, joh. 10.24. Three sorts of jews who differed concerning Christ's coming There were three sorts of the jews who differed concerning Christ's coming; The first were those who say that Christ was come, as Aquiba the Armour-bearer of Ben Cohebha who said Omnia tempora Messiae preterierunt, he held that Ben kohebha was the Messiah, and that he was come already: there were others of them who said, Thalmud in Sanedrim, Cap. 11. fol. 98. that he was come, although not yet revealed, but that he is amongst the ●epers of Rome; And there are some of them who expect yet their Gnolam haba, saeculum futurum; this time they call the time of their Messiah, and seeing themselves so often deceived, waiting for their Messiah, they do say that times are not to be reckoned, Thalmud in Sanedrim Cap. 11. fol. 97. So Rembam sub finem Misnaioth. and they lay a curse upon him, who presumes to reckon the times of his coming, Displodetur spiritus eorum, qui sunt scrupulosi in momentis temporum, sed praestoletur & credat universitati verborum; that is, let him perish miserable who is scrupulous in the searching the moments of time, and content thyself with this, that he hath promised that he will come, and he that believes will not make haste, Hab. 2.3. There was a general fast indicted to all the jews in Europe, because their Messiah delayed his coming so long, as Helvicus testifies, lib. 2. SECT. 4 Reasons proving against the Jews that Christ is come. TO stop the mouths of these miscreants, Reason's proving that Christ is come. we will bring some reasons out of the old testament, and their own writers against them: when we dispute against an adversary, we must bring the principals, and grounds, which they acknowledge themselves, or else they will not serve to confute them; Christ disputing against the Saducees who denied the resurrection, Mat. 22.32. he brought his proofs out of the five books of Moses, because they admitted no other scripture but those five books of Moses; but when he disputed against the Pharisees, Mat. 12.3. he brought his testimony out of the Psalms because they admitted all the old testament: so john writing against Ebion and Cerinthus a jew, calls Christ still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sermo, because that is the phrase of the Caldees when they speak of Christ, & this he did to convince the jew the more. A Christian disputing once with a jew, he alleged the testimony of Paul, but what replied the jew? Quid mihi cum tuo Paulo, lex canonica emendavit Paulum, what have I to do with your Paul, the canon law corrected him. What testimonies we must use when we dispute with the jews. In disputing against them, we must use their own testimonies, that their own children may be their judges; Paul used the heathens testimony against the people who were heathenish in manners, as of Aratus, Epimides', and Menander: so must we use their writings against themselves; But here we must take heed when we bring in their testimonies against them, that they agree all in those testimonies, for if they do not agree, they make not faith against them, but only they show this much, that they agree not amongst themselves. But when they agree among themselves, than their testimonies are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Mar. 14.59. The first reason to prove that Christ is come, is taken Reason. 1 from Gen. 49. The sceptre shall not be taken from judah till Shilo come, When the sceptre was taken from judah, than Christ came. That is the power of judging shall not be taken from the great Synedrion, therefore a sceptre hang over their head in the great Synedrion, as Petrus Euneus witnesseth) But when the Romans subdued the jews, great Synedrion was removed from jerusalem, Zam. David. pag. 36. b. to jabneth, this which was in the confines of Dan, near to the sea cost, and there it stayed for a while after the destruction of the temple, & after that they had changed their station nine times, at last they went to Tiberius the tenth station, and their the Syhedrion took an end, and they hope that the Synedrion shall be restored again, first at Tiberias, and then shall go back again by degrees to jerusalem; the sceptre here was taken from judah by the Romans, when Shilo came; and they say the son of David the Messiah shall not come, done cregnum illud malignum extendetur super Israel; they call the Roman Empire regnum malignum, but this fell out in the time of Christ, when all the world went to be taxed under Augustus, Luk. 2.1. And the stories tell us, after that Aristobolus, and Hircanus with their continual wars, had almost destroyed all the posterity of the Maccabees, Vide josephum lib. 1. debello Iudai●●. cap. 5. & 15. & lib. 15. cap. 9, 10. the Romans having subdued the jews they set Antipater an Idumean, and a stranger over them to be their King, and he, that he might the more easily come by the Kingdom marries the daughter of Hircanus, who was then a fugitive amongst the Partheans; at last when he understood that Hircanus only was left alive of the posterity of the Maccabees, when he returned from his banishment (fearing lest the jews should make choice of him to be their king, as being only left of the posterity of the Maccabees) killed him and his children and his own wife also the daughter of Hircanus, whom he had married lately before, and not content with that, he killed the most of the nobles of the tribe of judah, he destroys their ancient records, he takes away their genealogies, and kills the 70. who sat in the great Synedrion; he appointed priests at his own pleasure, and some flatterers then in this great confusion took upon them to call him the Messiah, Hence came that sect which we read of in the Gospel called Herodianis, who worshipped Herod as the Messiah (as some hold) Now Shilo is come and the sceptre is taken away. The second reason is, The stone which the builders refused Reason. 2 is become the head of the corner; But jesus Christ was that stone of offence to the jews whom they stumbled at; whom they were offended in, and whom they crucified; therefore he is the only true Messiah, Moses gerundensis in libro qui inscribitur Titulus Messiae. and come already: All the jews at this day approved the fact of their fathers in killing the Lord of life: Moses Gerundensis says, about the subversion of the second temple, there was a certain Nazaret, who professed himself to be the Messiah, and our Rabbins according to his merits adjudged him to the death of the cross: The jews in the days of Christ said, if we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophet's, Mal. 23.30. But these wretches now do approve all which there fathers did to Christ, which shows, that jesus Christ is the only true Messiah and is come already. Reason. 3 The third reason is taken from the prophecy of Zacharie, 11.1. Open thy gates O Libanus, This prophecy that the gates of Libanus should be opened, (that is the gates of the temple which were built of the wood of Libanus) was fulfilled, when the veil of the temple rend; In the Syriac it is facies templi scissa est; and in the Thalmud it is recorded, that the gates of the temple did open themselves, and that the evening lamp did not burn about the subversion of the second temple. Reason. 4 The fourth reason is taken from the tradition of the house of Eliah; The world shall stand 6000. years, and shall be destroyed in the 7000. In the first two thousand years there was Inanitas, emptiness, in the second two thousand years was the Law; and in the third two thousand years, were the promises of the Messiah; & then in the seventh thousand year the world should cease; And as in every seventh year the land rested, Leu. 25.4. So the world shall cease in the seventh thousand year, because it is said, Psal. 94. A thousand years in thy sight are like a day: the two thousand years of the Messiah (they know) are almost run out; but for our iniquities they add, Transierunt multi ex illis quicunque transierunt, that is some of those years are past, which we must not exactly reckon; but to take away this shift from them, they have so particularly determined the time that they can make no shift to elide this time; Moses Gerundensis writing upon the Pentetench says, that the Messiah will come in the five thousand year after the creation, and most of them agree to this reckoning, that he shall come in the five Reason. 5 thousand twenty and two year. The last reason to prove that the Messsias is come, is this, No jew at this day can tell what genealogy he is of; They have lost all their genealogies, which they kept all the time of their first captivity, and after they returned home again as we may see in Esdras 2. they that could not show their genealogies were debarred from any charge; These genealogies they kept, that they might know of what tribe the Lord was to come, and so they kept their marriages of the heretrixes only to marry within their own tribe, to know of what tribe jesus Christ was to come; and so they kept still their father's possessions, that the tribes might not be confounded, but all those are confounded amongst them now, therefore the Messiah is come already. A Christian may demand of a jew why the Magicians came from the east at this time to worship Christ, & why Herod was so desirous to know the place of the birth of Christ, and caused the infants to be killed, and spared not his own son (as Macrobius, witnesseth who was a gentile Philosopher) was it not the fear that Christ the King was borne, which moved him to do that? Secondly, a christian may demand what was the reason (about that time especially) that so many gave themselves out for Christ's, as that Egyptian who raised sedition, and led out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers, Acts 21.38. So Theudas boasting himself, to whom resorted a number of men, Acts 5. And so judas of Galilee drew many after him, Acts 5.37. so Simon Magus and Bar cosbi; was not this because jesus Christ was come already, that they counterfeited themselves to be Christ's? Thirdly they may demand why the jews fell away from the Romans at that time; there was no other reason indeed, but because generally it was received amongst them, that the Messiah should come and deliver them a Regno maligno. Fourthly, he may demand, what is the reason that ye jews hate us Christians more than ye did the Romans who took you captives, who scattered you, and subdued you, and although they were Idolaters, yet ye loved them better than the Christians, ye pray thrice in the day against the Christians, notwithstanding that the Christians pray for you? the reason of all this ye may see is the hatred ye have against Christ, whom ye have crucified, ye hate us for his cause, and as your predecessors consulted to put Christ to death, and Lazarus also whom he had raised from the grave; so ye hate Christ still, and us Christians called after his name. The second error concerning Christ is error persona. The second error concerning Christ, is error personae; and it was twofold: First, when they choosed a false Christ in place of a true Christ: The second, when they blasphemed the true Christ, and denied all the benefits which we get by him. The error concerning Christ's person is the most dangerous error. This error concerning his person was the most dangerous error, for error personae (as the Lawyers speak) irritat contractum, as when Laban put in Leah to jacob, in stead of Rachel for his wife; here the marriage was to no purpose, because of the error of the person, and if jacob had not gone in afterward to Leah, and taken her for his wife, he might have safely dismissed her, because it was error personae: So when the jews took a false Christ for the true Christ, here the covenant was of no force, and they could never get salvation by such a Christ. The second error concerning Christ's person was, when they denied the true Christ, and all the benefits which the Church gets by him. The disciples never fell into this error, either to take a false Christ for the true Christ, or to deny the benefits which the Church gets by the true Christ. Now I will set down how those jews do err concerning Christ, and hate him most deadly, and all the benefits which the Church gets by him. First, they err concerning Christ's forerunner Elias, They err concerning Christ's forerunner john the Baptist. and they take not Elias in gifts, that is, john the Baptist to be Christ's forerunner (although Elias be already come, and they have done to him whatsoever they listed, Vide abreviaturas Bux pag. 122. Matth. 17.12.) but they expect Elias Tishbites in proper person, and when they cannot answer any hard question propounded to them by their scholars, they say, Tishbi solvet nodos, when Elias shall come he shall resolve all hard doubts. Secondly, They despise Marie the mother of our lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they despise Marie the mother of our Lord, and they call her Marah, bitterness; and herba Mariae, they call herba suspensi; they deny that jesus Christ was borne of a Virgin; and they say that gnalma signifieth any other woman, as well as a Virgin; but this word gnalma is always taken for a Virgin in the Scripture, except, Prov. 30.19. There the naughty woman is called gnalma a Virgin, when she wipes her mouth, and denies her adultery, yet she would seem still to be gnalma a Virgin, verse 19 and if gnalma were not a Virgin which should bear a son, what sign were it to confirm trembling Ahaz against his doubting and fear; would this sign confirm him to say that a woman should bare a son, when he refused a sign offered to him, either from above or beneath, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay 7.11. and this word hagnalma being written still with Man clausum, the jews themselves observe that this signifieth Marie to be a Virgin, both before her birth and after. The jews deny that a Virgin could bear a son; They deny that a Virgin could bear a son. they believe this, that God made the woman out of the side of the man, and why may they not believe this also, that the holy Ghost did overshadow the Virgin Marie, and created jesus Christ in the womb of the Virgin Marie? The jews believe this, that Aaron his rod did bud although it had not a root; why may they not believe this then, that a Virgin did conceive and bear a son although she knew not a man? They acknowledge not the two natures in Christ. Thirdly, they acknowledge not the two natures in Christ, that he is God and man, Immanuel, God with us, Esay 7.14. and David's son, and David's Lord, Psalm. 110.1. and Ithiel, God with us, Prov. 37.1. which the ancient jews acknowledged [I will dwell amongst them, Levi. 26.] The Chaldee paraphrast paraphraseth it thus, I will place my divinity amongst the midst of the sons of Israel, according to that of john, joh. 1.14. The word was made flesh, and dwelled amongst us. They mock Christ's offices. Fourthly, they mock Christ's offices, and first his Kingly office, Matth. 27.29. Hail King of the jews, and his Priestly office, Math. 27.42. He saved others he cannot save himself: and his prophetical office, Prophesy who smote thee, Matth. 26.28. They despise his Kingly office, We have no King but Caesar, joh. 19.15. So they despise his Priestly office, cleaving to the ceremonies of the law, when they stand to the ceremonial Law, they cannot be partakers of Christ crucified; for that sacrifice which was burnt without the gate, the people cannot be partakers of (according to the levitical Law) but Christ suffered without the gate; therefore the jews who cleave to the ceremonial law cannot be partakers of it, Heb. 13: 12, 13. Then they despise Christ's prophetical office, Deut. 18.15. The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him shall ye hearken: He shall raise up a Prophet like unto me. This note (ficut as) is taken three manner of ways in the Scripture; First, for a note of parity, as Math. 10.15. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master. So Mat. 19.19. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, See 1 King. 22.4. and Gen. 44.18. Secondly, it is taken for a note of Identity, as Matth. 20.14. I will give unto this last, even as unto thee, sicut tibi, that is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caph similitudinis. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caphparitatis. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caph Identitatis. eundem specie denarium. So Luke 15.19. Make me as one of thy hired servants, that is, make me thy hired servant. So joh. 1.14. We beheld his glory, as the glory of the only begotten Son of God, that is, we beheld him the true son of God. Thirdly, it is taken for a note of similitude, as Matth. 6.12. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors: and Math. 18.33. Shouldest thou not also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? So joh. 17.22. that they may be one, even as we are one. When it is said there, the Lord will raise up unto thee a Prophet like unto me, sicut ego sum, sicut, is not a note of parity there, neither of Identity, but it is a note of similitude, as if ye would say, he will raise up a very true man as I am, and a Prophet as I am. This Prophet they were bound to hear, but when there came another in his own name, him they heard, but this great Prophet they would not hear, joh. 5.43. Fiftly, they abhor and detest the name of jesus jeshuang, and when he is called jeshugnoth, They hate his proper name jesus. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Huiusmodi enim auctio vocis aucta significationis indicium est. Robur Salutum, Gen. 49.25. This word they divide into two, and make it jeshu gnavoth, ac si Christus perversus esset, where as jesus is our jeshugnatha omnimoda salus, both in this life and in the life to come, Psal. 3.3. They will not so much as name the name of jesus, and blasphemously they say Nomen illius prutrescat; Some of them say, that the name of their Messiah (when he shall come) shall be Shilo from Gen. 49.10. others of them say, that his name shall be Chanina, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Talmud in Sanedrim cap. 11. which signifies grace, from jer. 16 3. Others of them say that his name shall be Menachim a comforter from Lament. 5.16. But the name of jesus they hold in execration, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They mock his surname Christ, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so they hate the name of Christ, they will not call their Messiah Christus, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dilibutus. Sixthly they mock the cross of Christ and they call it Tramen & stamen, because those two resemble the cross, and when they dare not directly speak against Christ crucified, yet they will closely under those terms mock him. Seventhly, they despise the imputed righteousness of Christ, and they jest at this, that one should be punished for another's fault; then they say, Tobias deliquit & Sigog plectitur, and yet the Lord says, Isa. 53.5. By his stripes we were healed; And they say, It is good reason that every fox pay his own skin to the fleaer. They deny our Lord's resurrection. Eightly, they deny our Lord's resurrection; and they say he was stolen away by night, and this saying is commonly reported amongst the jews unto this day. Nynthly, they hate the Sacrament of our Lord's Supper, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The jews drink not now the wine of the Christians. and they reckon the wine in the supper inter libamina gentium, which they may not drink of, and because that wine seals up to us the memory of our Lord's blood shed upon them cross, therefore they most of all detest it. Lastly, they detest us Christians who are called after the name of Christ, and they call us minnim haereticos, and Nazarets, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Idumeans, and goi mamzer, a bastardly people; and they curse those who are converted from judaisme to Christianity thrice in the day: they curse us Christians after this manner, Anathema sit externis in serpent, that is, they wish to us (who are not of their Religion) the curse of the serpent; and they say that there are four unclean beasts named in the Law, Rabbi Bechai parteshamini. Leu. 11.4, 5, 6, 7. The Camel, the Conie, the Hare, and the Sow; These they say signify the four captivities which they were under; The Camel signifieth the Babylonian Empire; The Hare signifieth the Medes, and the Persians; The Conie signifieth the Greek Empire, and so the Romans; And all us Christians they detest as the unclean sow; They think not themselves bound to keep an oath to a Christian, and they are absolved by their Rabbins of all guilt in the day of expiation, if they perjure themselves to a Christian; so they hold it not lawful for a jew to take Physic of a christian, no not in the greatest danger of death: Schechardus in p●oemio regum Persie. On Bendema a jew being stung with a serpent, a Christian named jacobus Stephanites came to heal him, but he refusing his help, he died, and his uncle said unto him when he was dying, Blessed art thou my son, for thou hast a pure soul this day going out of a pure body, for now thou showest that thou hast not transgressed the traditions of thy fathers, who says Eccles. 10.8. he that breaks down the hedge, the serpent shall sting him: Thus they call their traditions, the hedge, yea they go further against us Christians, judging of us as reprobats, because we eat things Forbidden in the law, and they show this by a parable. Rabbi bechai in parte Shemini. They say that a Physician having two patients under his hand at once, knew certainly that one of them would die, and that the other would shortly recover his health, he permitted to him that was to die to eat what he pleased, but he enjoined to him that was to live a more strict diet, as having a regard to his health. So (say they) the Lord the great Physician had two patients committed to his charge, the jew, and the Gentile, he permitted the Gentile to eat what he pleased, because there was no hope of his salvation, but the jew who was to live, he restrains and puts to a diet, and commands him to eat no unclean thing; but the Lord taught Peter otherwise Acts: 10. call not that unclean which the Lord hath sanctified and made clean. Why Christ forbade to tell any that he was the Christ. Quest. The knowledge of Christ being so necessary to the salvation of man, what was the reason that jesus forbade his disciples to tell any man, that he was jesus the Christ, Mat. 16.20? Answ. He forbade them not to tell of the Messiah, but that he was the Messiah, for it was enough for the people to know as yet that they should be saved by the Messiah, although they knew not in particular jesus the son of Marie to be the Messiah: when Christ sent forth his Disciples, john 10.6, 7. to preach, this was not to preach the Gospel properly so called, for that Christ reserved for himself to do; & while Christ was alive his Disciples were not to teach in their master's presence, he sent them forth only in their first commission, to prepare the hearts of the people against his coming, therefore Mat. 10.23. Christ says, ye shall not have gone over the Cities of Israel till the son of man come, that is, till he come and teach that he was the Messiah. Error conditionis. The last error concerning Christ, is, error conditionis, when they took Christ to be a worldly King, or a Prince; the Apostles themselves were overtaken with this error for a time, and this made them to strive amongst themselves, who should be the greatest: and this made the mother of the sons of Zebedee, to desire of Christ that one of her sons might sit at his right hand, and another at his left hand; and the Apostles continued in this error till after Christ's resurrection, When wilt thou restore the Kingdom to Israel. Acts 1.6. This error conditionis is the lightest of the three: A man marrieth a woman, hoping that she is rich, or that she is a free woman, when in the mean time she is a bond woman and a poor woman; this dissolves not the marriage, as the errors of the person doth, although the Apostles believed for a time that Christ should be a temporary king; yet that broke not off the covenant betwixt him and them. The jews to this day hope that their Messiah shall restore the Kingdom of David to the wont dignity, and that he shall build the sanctuary again, What the jews hope for in their Messiah to come. and restore their genealogies, and reduce every one to their own tribes, and that he shall expel the strangers from amongst them, (as Esdras did) and that he shall be most skilful in the Law, Mei. Hal Melach. cap. 22 post medium. and the gift of prophecy shall be restored to them when he comes, which they have not now in their captivity, and that he shall be a mighty warrior; but yet they say, that he shall not have power to work miracles, neither to cause the sun to stand still in the firmament, as joshua did: This error conditionis joined with the two former errors is deadly; They deny that jesus Christ is come in the flesh, & then they hate the Lord jesus Christ deadly, and they expect still a worldly King, therefore miserable are they. Cursed is he that loves not the Lord jesus Christ, saith Paul. 1. Cor. 16.22. Let him be Anathema maranatha; The Apostle curses them here in two languages, to show that this is a peremptory curse to be divulgat through the world; And as the Lord would have Christ's death known through the world, therefore the inscription over his head (when he hang upon the cross) was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, to signify, that the Lord would have his death known through the world; so the Lord would have this curse written in Hebrew, and Greek, to signify that he would have this curse known through the world. To be accursed as to be separate, and set apart, or appointed to evil, so that these jews who love not the Lord jesus Christ, are separate and set apart that no man should meddle with them: and as the Saints are set apart, that no man might hurt them; so are they set apart that no man may do them good; Isaac said of jacob, Gen. 28.35. jacob have I blessed, and he shall be blessed; so the Lord says of the jews, the jews have I cursed, and they shall be cursed. SECT. 5. Of the horrible cruelty of the Jews in killing the Lord of Life. THe Prophet Amos, cap. 1. before he comes to denounce the judgements of God against Israel for their sins, he sets down first four horrible sins of the countries about, for the which the Lord denies that he will pardon them, and he says, for three sins, and for four, I will not pardon, which is like unto that of Solomon, Praescriptum numerum corigit & auget scriptura. Pro. 30.18. There be three things hid from me, yea four things which I knew not, so v. 21. for three things the earth is moved, yea for four it cannot sustain itself, so Pro. 6.16. Six things doth the Lord hate, yea his soul abhorreth seven; that is, he most detests the seventh, so Psal. 18.1. The Lord delivered him out of the hands of Saul, and the hard of all his enemies, that is especially out of the hands of Saul. So search the land and jericho, Ios. 2.1. that is especially jericho, so tell the Disciples and Peter, Mar. 16.10. that is especially Peter, because he had fallen from the Lord, this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. So for three transgressions and for four, that is especially for the fourth when many transgressions concur together, and the last is the greatest; then he will not spare. The sin of Damascus was this, The cruelty of Damascus against Gilead. That they threshed Gilead with instruments of Iron, Amos 1.3. and this they did when Hazael smote the land of Gilead; 2 King. 10.33. and they threshed them with instruments of Iron, as they had been beating out the corn, and cutting the straw with their wheels made with teeth of Iron. This was the cruelty of Damascus to Gilead their neighbours; Then he comes to the sin of Gaza, The cruelty of Gaza. which was one of the five Cantones of the Philistines, v. 6. Their sin was that they carried away the whole captivity; that is, they left none uncaptivated; whether this be understood of Israel or of judah, it is not expressed, but they sold them to their barbarous enemies the Edomites: It was a cruel thing to carry away people captive; and to carry them all captive; but most of all to sell them to their enemies the Edomites. The third was the sin of Tyrus, vers. 9 because they delivered the whole captivity to Edom, The sin of Tyrus. and remembered not the brotherly covenant; There was no brotherly covenant betwixt them of the captivity and Gaza, when they led them captive, but there was a covenant betwixt them and Tyrus, for Solomon and Hiram made a covenant together, 1 Kings 9.13: So the sin of Tyrus exceeded the sin of Gaza. The fourth is the sin of Edom, The sin of Edom surpassed the sin of Tyrus. his sin surpassed the sin of Tyrus; for he pursued his brother with the sword, and cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he did keep his wrath for ever. v. 11. Edom was Israel his brother, because their predecessors were one, yet he cast off all natural affection, as Esau hated jacob, so did Edom his posterity hate the Israelites, Esau hated jacob and thought to have killed him, returning out of Mesopotamia. So when he desired liberty to go through Edom his Country; he withstood him. So 2 Chron. 28.27. And his anger did tear perpetually: Then he comes to the cruelty of the sins of Ammon verse 13. Who did rip up the women with child of Gilead, The cruelty of Ammon exceeded the cruelty of Edom. that they might enlarge their borders, that they might possess a land void of people, that they might revenge that cruelty: This cruelty of the children of Ammon exceeded the cruelty of Edom, for they killed the women, and they killed their posterity; The Lord forbids to kill the dame sitting upon the eggs, to take both the young and the old. It was a cruelty in Rechab who killed Ishbosheth in his own house, lying upon his bed, 2 Sam. 4.6. To kill a man in his own house, which should be a place of refuge to him, is a great sin, but to kill him in his bed, that is a greater cruelty; but to kill the children in their Mother's belly, being in their first Mansion and at rest there, that is the greatest cruelty of all; and then to kill them that they might possess and enlarge their inheritance, then occiderunt & possiderunt: So that their sin was greater than the sin of Edom: Then he comes to the sin of Moah chap. 2. verse 1. because he burned the bones of the King of Edomes' son into lime; The sin of Moab exceeded the sin of Ammon. this was a greater cruelty than the cruelty of the sons of Ammon: first he burned the bones, than the bones of a King's son, and then burned them into Lime, while they were turned into ashes, and as the Hebrews say they sparged the walls with them: Then he comes to the sin of judah, The sin of judah is greater than the sin of Moab. ver. 4. Because they kept not the Commandments of the Lord, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked. They kept not the Commandment, he seems to say less here than he spoke before, but it is not so; for the Hebrews use by denying a thing, to affirm the contrary the more strongly, as they say Exod. 20. He will not hold him guilt less that taketh his name in vain, that is, he will punish them severely. So riches not well gotten profit not, that is, they hurt very much. So Prov. 28.21. It is not good to accept persons in judgement, that is, it is very bad. So here they kept not his laws, that is, they despised them, and contemned them. The sin of Israel greater than the sin of judah. The last is the sin of Israel, verse 6. They sold the just for silver, and the poor for old shoes, here he points at the judges who corrupted judgement for money, and sold the poor at a low price; But if we shall compare their cruelty with that which they used against Christ, All their cruelty was nothing being compared with the murdering of our Lorst jesus Christ. all their cruelty will seem nothing in respect of this, they sold the just, our righteousness the Lord jesus Christ, for thirty pieces of silver; They sold not only a brother who was in the covenant with them, as Tyrus and Israel, but also a brother in blood to them, as Edom was to Israel; And their wrath was an inveterate wrath as Edomes was, and they cast off all natural affection: and not only do they as Edom did, who was only a brother in blood, but do as Moab did, kill the King's son, his only son, and put him to a most execrable death: they do not thresh him with Instruments of Iron as Damascus did, neither ripped him up as Ammon did, neither did they burn him as Moab did, but they nailed him to the cross, and put him to a most execrable death. They adjudged him to the death of the cross, The death of the cross is a painful, shameful, and execrable death. to a death that was a painful death, a shameful death, and a cursed death: and first to a painful death. The cross by the heathen was termed cruciabile lignum, a tree of torture; Therefore ye shall see in the scripture that in respect of the intolerable pain, it is called sanguis crucis the blood of the cross, Col. 1.20. and dolores crucis Act. 22. Secondly, it was a shameful death, therefore it was called scandalum crucis; Gal. 5.11. and by the heathen the cross was called arbour infoelix, stipes infamis, and lignum geminum. Lucian mocked us christians, because we rejected the gods of the Grecians and worshipped Christ crucified, and he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, quod cruci suffixum sophistam adoramus, that is, that we worship a sophister who was nailed unto the cross. And lastly for the curse of it, it is called Gal. 3.13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, maledictum crucis, the curse of the cross. This death of the cross is a paenall death, not as that which is stipendium peccati, the wages of sin, but as that which is vindicta sceleris, inflicted for some capital crime. The death of the cross is an untimely death, a violent death, a paenall death, and that in the highest degree. Pain, shame, and the curse, are the three jailers that attend sin, and sinners continually; and every one of those is worse than another; for shame is worse than pain, and therefore many have made choice to suffer rather the pain than the shame, 1 Sam. 31.4. Saul desired his armour bearer rather to thrust him through, than the Philistimes should come and mock him, and then kill him, which would have been a double death to him: So Abimelech willed his armour bearer to kill him, that men might not say that a woman had killed him, judg. 9.54. But the curse is most detestable of all; If a man be free of the curse, and have the favour of God in the midst of all his sufferings, he cares neither for pain nor shame; this made the Martyrs to rejoice, in the midst of their pain & shame, that they were free of the curse of God, what a fearful punishment was this to Christ under this cross. The death of the cross a painful shameful and a cursed death in judae. He that was hanged upon a tree, out of judaea, his death was painful and shameful unto him, but it was not a cursed death, for they knew not out of Indea that he who was hanged upon a tree was accursed; Haman when he was hanged upon a tree, it was a painful and a shameful death, but it was not a cursed death to him, as it was in Israel, therefore they suffered not the dead man to hang upon the tree till night, Nemo suspenditur in arboreus solo innatam sed avulsam. Maimone Hall. Sanhe, dr. cap. 15. medio. The crucifying was a more painful death than the hanging upon a tree. Deut. 21.23. and Iosh. 9.29. and they buried him before night, and the tree which he was hanged upon; therefore it was that they would not hang a man upon a fruitful tree in Israel. The Romans changed this hanging into crucifying, and made it a more linger and painful death, Psa. 22.14. All my bones are out of joint. They were racked, and their bones put out of joint, who were hanged upon the cross. The cross added nothing to the curse; for they were accursed who were hanged upon any tree, but it added to the pain in respect of the endurance and shame of it; it was but a typical death to all other malefactors, but to Christ it was a real curse, who hath taken away that curse now; So that the form of death makes not a man accursed now, but when he dies in his sins without repentance. Quest. How could a malefactor be a type of jesus Christ when he hung upon a tree? Answ. Not as they were malefactors, but only in their punishments, they were types of Christ, Who was made an exercration for us, Gal. 3.13. & they foreshedowed his death who was hung upon a tree for us, 1 Pet. 2.24. even as the Paschal Lamb, whose bones were not broken was a type of Christ, whose bones should not be broken: and if the holy Ghosts compare Christ's coming to judgement to a thief coming in the night; and compares the Lord (when he ariseth to be avenged upon his enemies) to a Giant awake from his wine, Esa. 34.8. (the comparison is only in the strength, as the former only in the secrecy of his coming to judgement) why may not the malefactor be a type of Christ in his punishment, but not in his sin? And as we are delighted when we hear a man gruntling like a hog, yet cannot endure the gruntling of the hog itself, but it is the imitation which we are delighted with here: So in these comparisons the secrecy of the thief only, the strength of the Giant, and the punishment of the malefactor is only to be marked: That rule of the Schoolmen is true, In illis quae metaphorice dicuntur, non oportet accipere similitudinem secundum omnia. SECT. 6. Of the fearful curses that befell the Jews since they killed the Lord of life. THe jews prayed that Christ's blood might be upon them and their posterity: The people of God were afraid of this guilt of blood, that it might neither fall on them, nor their posterity, nor upon their very houses, and therefore they built battlements about their houses, that they might not bring blood upon them, Deut. 22.8. David prayed, Psalm. 51. To free him from bloods; The guilt of blood is not easily washed out The guilt of blood is not easily washed out; when David shed Vriah his innocent blood, the Lord said, that the sword should never departed from his house; that blood continued still to the ending of the Kings of judah: If the guilt of Vriah his blood did cleave to so many, what marvel then that the guilt of our Lord's blood lie so long upon these wretches? And if all the blood that was shed from Abel to Zacharie, seized upon them who killed Zacharie, much more may the guilt of Christ's blood seize upon their sinful posterity: It was a miserable leagacy which David pronounced, that joab should leave to his posterity, 2 Sam. 3.28. that some of them should have an issue, and that some of them should be a leper, that some of them should lean on a staff, and some of them should die by the sword, and some should beg their bread, but this was a more fearful legacy which the jews left to their posterity, when they left the guilt of Christ's blood upon them. First, this curse was upon their souls; secondly, The kill of Christ. left a curse upon their souls, body's person●, goods, and lands. upon their bodies; thirdly, upon their persons; and fourthly, upon their land. First, upon their souls, The curse entered into show bowels like water, and like oil into their bones, The curse upon their souls. Psal. 109.18. And as the bitter water made the guilty woman's belly to rot and confume, so doth this curse of God seize upon them; so that their hearts are fat and gross, and past feeling: There is no judgement greater than this, to have a fat heart and not sensible: Esay pronounced this judgement upon them when their hearts began to grow fat, Esa. 6.10. and Christ applies this prophecy of Esay to them when their hearts were grown fatter, Matth. 13.15. and last it was fulfilled in S. Paul's time altogether upon them, Act. 28.17. Now since they killed the Lord of glory and shed his innocent blood, Since they killed Christ they are given up to a reprobate sense and become savage Wolves. Calius Redoginus, pag. 173. ex Dione. they are given up unto a reprobate sense, and now they are become of all men most savage and cruel; I will set down but one example of their savageness and cruelty; Dion writes, that in the last days of Traian the Emperor, the jews who dwelled in Cyrene (Andreas being their Captain) did indifferently so barbarously kill both the Romans and the Greeks', and would set down their flesh prepared on the tables to be eaten; neither would this content them, but they pulled out their bloody intralles, and girded themselves about with them, as though they had been girdles; and they used their skins for , and many of them they cut in pieces, and some of them they threw to the beasts, and others they compelled to fight and kill one another; and this way they killed more than 200000. This their barbarity they exercised also in Egypt and Cyprus, (Arteinon being their Captain) and they killed above 400000. and therefore afterward it was established by a law, that if a jew upon any occasion came into the I'll of Cyprus, that he should be presently executed: The Lord gave them over to this reprobate sense that they became like Wolves, and not men, because they shed the blood of our Lord, and for this cruel murder of Christ see how the Lord pays them home again in the destruction of jerusalem, by Titus and Vespasian, the sword, the famine, and the pestilence: These three great soldiers of the Lord entered into jerusalem, and they strove which of them three should most severely revenge their cruelty: Read but the history of josephus of the destruction of jerusalem, and thine eyes will fail with tears, and thy bowels will be troubled within thee for the destruction of poor jerusalem. The judgement upon their bodies. The second judgement was the judgement upon their bodies; as the Lord set a mark upon Cain, Gen. 4.15. and smote his enemies the Philistines in the hinder part, Psal. 78.56. and the posterity of Gehezi with a leprosy: So it is holden by many that the jews have a loathsome and stinking smell, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a stinking breath. When Marcus the Prince was going to Egypt, as he passed through Canaan, he was much troubled with a loathsome smell and stink of the jews (as Marcellinus calls it) and being much wearied amongst them, Caelius lib. 5. cap 9 he cried out, O Marcomannt, O guad, O Sarmati, tandem alios vobis inertiores comperi, O ye Marcomanni, O ye Guadi, O ye Sarmatians, at last, I have found out a more loathsome people than any of you. The judgement upon their persons. The third judgement is the judgement upon their persons, that they are miserable cati●es, and slaves now through the world; compare but this captivity now, and their former captivities, and this shall be evident. First, A difference betwixt this captivity and their former captivitives. in all their other captivities the Lord hath set down a time for their deliverance, That in Egypt they should be 400. years; in Babylon. 70. years: under Antiochus three years and ten days, Dan. 7.25. but the Lord hath set down no time now when this their captivity shall end. Secondly, in their other captivities there were always some jews in favour with the heathen Princes, as joseph with Pharaob in Egypt, Daniel in Babylon, and Mordecai in Susan: but now they have none to speak favourably for them at the hands of Princes. Thirdly, in their other captivities there were Prophets sent from the Lord to comfort them; as Moses and Aaron were sent to Egypt, Ezekiel and Daniel, were sent to Babylon; And Saint Peter writes to the dispersed jews in Pontus and Bythinia, but now the Sun is gone down over their prophets, and the day is dark over them, Mica 3.6. Fourthly, in their other captivities they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Rosh hagalloth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prince of the captivity who ruled and guided them, and they had one of them in Babylon which was the chief city of the East, 1 Pet. 5.15. And another who dwelled at Alexandria in Egypt; but now they have none to rule them. Fiftly, although they were under the dominion of the Romans, yet they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and had power to judge in matters of their own religion, as we see in the jews of Damascus, and others else where, Act. 18.15. in matters of religion they were subject to the highpriest, and they had power to apprehend and to whip, Act. 5 4. Hence is that saying of Pilate, Go ye and judge according to your Law, but now they have no such privilege. Sixthly in the other captivities they were but carried captive to Babylon, and some of them to the Medee and Persians, but now they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, scattered through the whole corners of the earth, through Asia, India, Persia, and Babylon. Seventhly, in their captivity in Babylon they had learned Universities and famous Schools, as Nehardigna, Sora and Pambeditha, and those were in the place of the great Synedrion to them at that time, and then the dispersed jews consulted with them; Rab. Abraham, In I●chasin, Fol. 38. pag. 1. but now they have no such Universities, nor schools of learning. Eightly when they were in the other captivities, the expectation of the true Messiah comforted them: And this they illustrate by this parable; A certain man while he was carrying a lamp in his hand in the night, the wind blows it out, R. Moses Hadarsan in gen. cap. 1 Psal. 36. ver. 9 but he blows it in again and kindles the light again, and this he doth four or five times, than he says to himself, How long shall I strive this ways, ever while the morning star Lucifer appears. So they say, they were captives in Egypt, there the light was put out, but by the ministry of Moses and Aaron it was lighted again: so they were oppressed by the Philistines, by jabin and by Sysera, than the light was put out, but by the help of the judges they were delivered, and the light was kindled again: so they were carried to Babylon, there the light was put out, and they were delivered by Cyrus, there the light was lightened again, jacob says Gen. 49.18. I have waited for thy salvation: The Caldee paraphrast paraphraseth it thus, Non expecto Salutare Gedeon filij joaz, qua salus transitoria est, Sed expecto redemptionem filij David, qui venturus est accersendam sibi filios Israel, cujus redemptionem desiderat anima men; I wait not for the deliverance of Gideon the son of joah, whose deliverance is but transitory; but I wait for the redemption of the son of David, who is to come, and to gather the sons of Israel to him, and for this redemption my soul longeth: the expectation of the Messiah only comforted them in all their captivities; therefore he was called the consolation of Israel, Esay 49.3. than they waited for the morning star Christ, 2 Pet. 1.19. who should free them altogether, Isa. 11. I shall take away the yoke of your captivity for my anointed sake; But now they despite the true Christ, therefore what comfort can they have in their captivity? If any man should ask a jew now, why this their captivity lasts longer than any of their former captivities, they answer that this is the sin of the golden calf which our fathers worshipped, that hath procured this captivity upon us, and they have this saying commonly in their mouths, Non accidit tibi O Israel ulla ultio, in qua non sit uncia de iniquitate vituli, That is, there is no punishment which befalls thee O Israel, In which there is not one ounce weight of the sin of the golden calf; But God visits not the sins of the fathers upon the children, unless they follow their father's footsteps, and approve their sin; But the jews at this day abhor all Idolatry, Romans 2.22. wherefore this cannot be the cause of their long captivity; But all the jews to this day approve their predecessors fact in killing the Lord of glory, therefore it is for this bloody fact that they are so long in captivity, and servitude now. The fourth judgement is the judgement upon their land Canaan, which was before like the garden of Eden, The fourth judgement upon their land. Ezech. 36.35. and a land which the Lord God cared for, and his eyes were upon it from the beginning of the year to the end, Duet. 11.12. and so fertile that it brought forth thirty, sixty, and a hundred fold, Mat. 13.8. But the Lord turned it to a barren wilderness, for the wickedness of them that dwelled in it, Psal. 107.34. If the mountains of Gilboa were accursed, because Saul and jonathan were killed their, that neither dew nor rain should fall upon them for the field of offering, 2 Sam. 1.21. much more was this land cursed for the kill of Christ: Before they killed the Lord, the plough man overtook the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that sowed seed, Amos 9.3. that is, the old reached to the new; but now small is the increase of that land, when they sow an Homer, It was first terra intactasive virgo before they manured it. Secondly, terra maritata, and thirdly, terra vidua. they get an ephah, Esay 5.10. that is, but the tenth grain now where they had great increase before, See Hag. 2.16. Before terra erat maritata, Esa 62.4. their land was married when it was manured and laboured, but now it is terra vidua, and rests her sabbaths; now no jew possesseth a foot broad in Canaan, nor in any part of the earth have they any possession; they are not only cursed from the heaven, but also from the earth, that is, there is a curse upon their very earthly things. Lastly, there was a curse upon their goods; because of the diverse taxations and tributes which was laid upon them; for first, they were taxed, Luke 2.21. under the precedent Cyrenus in Syria, then more particularly by Quirinus, but after the destruction of jerusalem, they were hardly tasked where ever they lived, as under Hadrian the Emperor, Suetonius in Domitiano cap. 12. insomuch that they searched a jew who was 99 years of age, whether he was circumcised or not, to make him pay his tribute. Nerva the Emperor being ashamed of this, prohibited that they should be searched after this manner, as is evident by the inscription upon his coin; Calumnia fisci Iudaici sublata, yet he released them not of their tribute: So they were heavily taxed in Mesopotamia under Trajan, and in Beteir under Hadrian. Object. But we see many of the jews very rich, and abounding in earthly things? Answ. The rich which the jews possess now have Gods curse mingled with them. These earthly things which they possess in the midst of their plenty there is a curse upon them; as Abimelech had a kingdom, yet there was a curse upon it, that never ceased until he was rooted out of the kingdom; So upon the quails which the Israelites had there was a curse: So Ahab's vineyard had a curse with it; so Gehezi his money; and thus the Lord joins a curse with those temporal things which he bestows upon the jews, that they are not comfortable to them. When the Lord was to reject the jews, he wrote the bill of divorce, but he gave it not presently after to them; for there intervened a time betwixt the writing of the bill, and the giving of the bill to the party divorced; he gave not this bill of divorce to them, until this last, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or Racematio was gathered in, they had fallen away from the Lord a long time before he gave them this bill of divorce, and upon their part they were not his people, but yet upon God's part they were still his people, until he gave them the bill of divorce he did not as yet, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but suffered them a while, he said not to them as yet (Esto expulsa ame, & licita cuivis viro) which were the words of the bill of divorce. The Lord gave the jews sundry warnings before their rejection. He gave them sundry warnings of their rejection, before he rejected them. The first was, Matth. 12.16. And he charged them not to make him known, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Isaias, Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased; I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall show judgement to the Gentiles. The Lord forbade the clouds to drop any more upon his Vineyard, Esa. 5. because he was to turn himself to the Gentiles, this was the first warning of their rejection. The second warning, Math. 21.41. Mark 12.9. They say unto him, he will miserably destroy those wicked servants: When they understood that this parable was spoken of them, than they would not answer, lest they should seem to condemn themselves; but Christ pronounced this sentence, that he would destroy those wicked men; which, when the Pharisees heard, they said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, God forbid, understanding that this was spoken against them, Mat. 21.25. Wherefore when Matthew saith, the Pharisees answered to Christ (malos male perdat) he respects the Pharisees mind, and what they thought, but they repressed themselves; and there is a trajection here; for after the 41. vers. the 43. should be subjoined, and then the 42. and then the 44. and so Christ's speech is made plain, which otherwise seems to be obscure. The third warning of the rejection of the jews is, Matth. 23.38. Behold your house is left unto you desolate, for I say unto you, ye shall not see me henceforth until ye say, Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord. The last warning was, Act. 13.46. Seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life; Lo we turn to the Gentiles. Then the Apostles shaken off the dust of their feet against them, v. 51. which was a military sign of old, whereby they knew that the enemy was approaching for their destruction, when they saw the horses approaching near unto them, and raising the dust with their feet against them, than they might know that their destruction was at hand. So the jews might know by the Apostles shaking off the dust of their feet, that there was no peace for them any more, but their destruction was at hand, when they had fallen away now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. SECT. 6. Whether the Jews are to be suffered in a Christian common wealth or not? THe jews are to be tolerated amongst Christians now, when they are out of the Covenant, as they did tolerate us Gentiles when we were out of the covenant. When the gentiles were out of the covenant there were three sorts of them, We should use the jews now as they used us gentiles when we were out of the covenant. first the strangers that were strangers by birth, by affection, and religion: secondly those who were strangers by birth and religion, but not in affection, that is, those strangers who dwelled peaceable amongst them, although they were not Proselytes and converted to their religion, yet they permitted them to dwell amongst them: the third sort were Proselytes and gentiles converted, and they enjoyed all the privileges which the jews themselves enjoyed. These that were jews by birth they called Hebraeos ex haebreiss, Phil. 3.5. That is, whose parents were both hebrews; so he whose father was an Hebrew, and his mother a stranger, he needed not to be made a proselyte, he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indigena, a natural Israelite, but if his father was a stranger and his mother an Israelite, he was but alienigena, and behoved to be made a Proselyte before he was to be admitted to the society of Israel; but most of all those, whose Parents both father and mother were strangers were not to be admitted to their society, until they were made proselytes, and those they called bagbag by a contraction, for been gar filius gentilis viri, the son of a man who was a Gentile and been giorith, that is, the son of a woman who was a Gentile. The jews who are jews both by birth religion and affection should not be tolerate amongst Christians. So the Jews, now who are jews by birth, religion, and affection, that is, who hate Christ and Christian religion, who rail against him, and blaspheme him, these should not be tolerated in a Christian Commonwealth; who say they are jews, but they are of the Synagogue of Satan Revel. 2.9. These should be put to death, as the blasphemer who blasphemed the name of the Lord was put to death Levit. 24. So should they now, and if a Christian who incalls upon Christ, and blasphemes God the father should dye the death; So should a jew who incalls upon God and blasphemes Christ, die the death. Nehemiah when he heard the children speak half the language of Ashdod; he contended with the men, and plucked off their hair, Nehem. 13.25. Much more should the Christian Magistrate cut off the heads of these blasphemers who blaspheme the name of Christ. Those that were strangers by birth and religion but not in affection were tolerated amongst them. The second sort of strangers who dwelled among the jews, and were tolerated by them, were Gentiles by birth and religion, but not in affection, and they were called advenae portae, the strangers within thy gate, Exo. 20. Those strangers were bound to cease from their labours upon the Sabbath, Maimo. Hall cap. 8.12. & 13. and to learn the seven precepts of Noah, that they might be drawn piece & piece to aliking of the jewish religion: so the jews who live amongst the Christians now, who are jews both by birth & religion, but not in affection, they may be advenae portae to us, strangers permitted to dwell within our gates, If they dwell peaceably amongst us, and abstain from offences, and some short principles of Christian religion should be taught unto them, as the gentiles who were advenae portae learned the seven precepts of Noah. Obj. He that worships not the true God should not be permitted in a christian common weal; those jews worship not the true God; therefore they are not to be suffered in a christian common wealth. Answ. Those who through ignorance worship not the true God, and of whose conversion there is hope, those may be suffered in a christian common wealth. Quest. How did the jews tolerate Herod to be their King being an Edomite? Answ. The Edomites were their brethren, Deut. 23.7. thou shalt not abhor an Edomite, for he is thy brother, the Edomits might enter into the congregation unto the 3. generation Deu. 23.8. that is, they might marry with them, and they might have a charge among them; but the Moabites might not enter into the congregation unto the tenth generation, Deut. 23.3. that is, they might neither marry with them, neither might they have any charge in Israel. Now let us consider what benefits the jews may enjoy among us christians, and what not. What benefits the jews may enjoy amongst us Christians Tertullian ad Scapulam. First the jews are not to be compelled to christian religion, Tertullian, Non (est inquit) religionis cogere religionem, quae sponte suscipi debet, non vi, It is not the part of religion to compel a man to religion, which should be willingly professed, and not by compulsion. So Bernard fides (inquit) suadenda est, & non cogenda, so they should not be compelled to be baptised, Cransius, lib. 5. cap. 14. for many of them who have been compelled to be baptised, have fallen back again to their vomit of judaisme. Quest. Whether may they be tolerated to circumcise their children now or not, How the jews may be tolerated to circumcise their children now for Paul says Gal. 5.4. If ye be circumcised Christ is become of no effect to you, and ye are fallen from grace? Answ. Those who have received the Gospel, and have been baptised, if they be circumcised, they are fallen from grace; but these jews who stand still in judaisme; their circumcision to them is not a falling from grace, but a confirming of them in their former judaisme; One who useth always to eat poison from his infancy, If he eat a poisonable thing it will do him no harm, But if one who is bred with wholesome meats should eat poison, it would presently poison him; So circumcision to those jews who are bred in judaisme is not deadly, but to these who are baptised and profess christianity it is deadly. When christians do tolerate the jews who dwell amongst them to circumcise their children, this makes not their circumcision lawful, but only tolerable: there are two sorts of relaxation of a law; the first is, when that is permitted lawfully to be done, Two sorts of relaxation of a law. which was unlawful before; Example. 1 King. 5.6. Hiram commands wood to be cut for the building of the temple of jerusasalem, that is he permitts it to be done; here his permission makes it lawful, which was not lawful before: There is another sort of relaxation of a law, when that is permitted or tolerated to be done which is not lawful to be done; (although it be permitted) no more than it was before them permission; as when a magistrate tolerates a thing which he cannot hinder, this thing becomes not lawful by his toleration, but he tolerates it, because he cannot hinder it; As Moses did tolerate the bill of divorce for the hardness of the jews hearts: So when the christians tolerate the jews to circumcise their children: this is for the hardness of the jews hearts; for the jews would not live amongst christians unless they were tolerated to circumcise their children: things commanded are bona, things forbidden are mala, and things permitted are non bona, as circumcision is to them when they use it. Their Synagogues may be permitted to them. Their Synagogues should also be permitted to them, and their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or oratory's, for when there is a permission to them granted to worship there must be a place granted also to worship in; this is not the toleration of a false religion to permit them to read the law as if they should tolerate the Alcoran to be read in their synagogues, for the word of God is still the word of God, although they abuse it to a wrong end: justinian in constitutione clxvi. The jews had a privilege granted by the Emperor justinian to read in their synagogues, either the Hebrew or the 70. translation; and howsoever the jews abuse this word to a wrong end in reading of it, yet it is the word of God still, and they should be tolerate to read it, providing that they bring not in their blasphemous interpretations upon it. Christian's may not tolerate forcery amongst them, because it is evil in itself, yet they may tolerate an Idolater to swear by his Idol in making a covenant with them, because that is but vitium personae, for to make a covenant is not unlawful, and to swear is not unlawful: It is but a thing unlawful to them, and if they pleased they might swear by the true God; so the reading of the word of God is unlawful to the jew, but per accidens. It was forbidden to the christians to marry with them; Canon (cave Christiane) 15. & cap. 17. siquis judaice, Eze. 28. quest. 1. ex concilio Tolitano. cap. 4.62. but if it fell out that they were both jews who married, and one of them were converted to the christian faith, than the Church ordains Transibunt filij minores in infidelitate nati in favorem fidei, & a parent infideli separabuntur ne ejus involvantur erroribus; that is, if one of the parents become a christian, than he or she who are christians shall have the charge in bringing up the young ones, that they be not nuzzled up in the infidelity of the parent who remains an infidel. As for their servants; Concilio Tolitano, Tom. 4. cap. 59 & cap. 11. it was forbidden that a christian should serve a jew Prohibitum christianis cujus cunque sexus famulitio domestico inservire judeis. Amongst the jews an Hebrew might serve an Hebrew; secondly, an heathen might serve an Hebrew; thirdly, an Hebrew might serve a converted gentile, but he might not serve a Gentile not converted? A Christian might not serve a jew, yet they tolerate that a jew may serve a christian. Quest. What if a Christian had three serving him, a jew, a Turk, and a Christian, the Turk observes the friday, the jew the Saturday, and the Christian the Sunday, might the master compel his Christian servant to work upon the Sunday as he might compel the Turk to work upon the Friday, and the jew upon the Saturday? Answ. There is not the like reason in these, for the observing of the Sunday is God's ordinance and the Church determinate so. The observing the Saturday was one of God's ordinances, but not now, and the observing of the Friday was never God's ordinance. On that day the servant is the Lords freeman. The Hebrews call slaves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Sen. lib. 3. de. beneficiis. Rev. 18.13. because their bodies are only subject to their masters but not their souls, Seneca, servitus in totum hominem non descendit & pars melior ejus est excepta, In fine de controversia infidelium lib. 31. tit. 34. corpora obnoxia sunt, & ad scripta dominis, sed mens quidem, sui juris est. They have forbidden the Christians to dwell with the jews, to eat with them, to wash with them in the same bath, to nourish their children, or to take physic from them, or to bury with them. In the third estate those who are jews neither in affection nor in religion, although they be jews by birth, yet when they join themselves to the christian Church and become advenae justitiae they should enjoy all the privileges which the Christians enjoy. Many benefits have the Christian Church gotten from the jews. Many are the benefits which the Christian Church hath gotten from the converted jews; Hierom learned first the Hebrew tongue of a jew who became a christian, Epist. 4. ad Rufinum. So in his preface upon Daniel, and 24. years afterward when he returned out of Egypt to jerusalem, and was taught by one Barabanus of whom he makes mention, Epist. 65. qui timebat judaeos, & mihi alterum exhibebat Nicodemum, because he came to him in the night, for fear of the jews (as Nicodemus did to Christ) and after that he had a third master of a jew from Tiberias, of whom he makes mention in his preface of the book of the Chronicles, and last he had a master a jew who taught him the Chaldee tongue, of whom he makes mention in his preface upon Daniel: Hierom therefore that famous translater of the bible was first beholding to the jews, and we to them for his pains. In time of the Goths julianus a converted jew was a Bishop in Spain, Paulus Burgensis a bishop afterward of a jew became a Christian. So Nicolaus Lyra of a jew became a Christian. So was Antonius Margarita a baptised jew, & professed the Hebrew language at Lipsia in Germany; Dictum Elia de Paulo Phagio. so was Immanuel Tremelius a baptised jew; The jews say of Rabbi Moses Bar Maimon; that from Moses to Moses there arose not such a Moses; so they say of Paulus Phagius because he was very skilful in their tongue) to us christians; A Paulo Tarsensi ad Paulum Phagium non fuit talit Paulus, from Paul the Apostle who was bred at Tarshis to Paulus Phagius there was not such a Paul; so we may say from Immanuel jesus Christ to Immanuel Tremelius there arose not such an Immanuel. SECT. 8. Of the lets and hindrances of the conversion of the Jews. THe lets and hindrances that hinder the jews conversion are of two sorts; first, the impediments which come from themselves, and secondly, that come from others. The first let of the conversion of the jews. The first maine let of the conversion of the jews, is because the veil lies upon their hearts unto this day, 2 Cor. 3.14. The veil put upon Moses his face signifieth that they could not look unto the end of the Law, jesus Christ. Moses his face so shined, that the Israelites could not behold the brightness of it, therefore he was compelled to put a veil upon his face, but when his face was vailed this ways, they could not behold his face, therefore he behoved to unveil it again; and the signification of it was this, that the Law first, and of itself threatens us and curses us: these threatenings and curses of the Law the earnall jews could not abide; therefore the Law was vailed to them, until the Spirit came and took away the veil, and then they began to look unto the end of the Law, jesus Christ. Quest. Whether did Moses cover his face that the Israelites might not see it or not? Answ. Moses did not put a veil upon his face, that the Israelites might not see his face, but because they could not behold his face, therefore he covered his face, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, here is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as Matth. 19.8. Moses himself knew not that his face did shine, when he came down from the mountain, until he perceived it by the people, who desired him to put a veil upon his face when he spoke with the people; but when he went before the Lord to speak with him, he took the veil off his face, Exod. 34.34. And the signification of it was this, that Moses his ministry in giving of the law, as it respected God's purpose, was glorious and shining; for Christ is the end of the Law to all believers, Rom. 10.4. but when he turned to the people than he was vailed, to signify that the law which was given to them a carnal people, was a veiled law still; Moses knew not that his face did shine, and the signification of it was this, that it belongs not to Moses which is the minister only of the letter of the Law, to know these mysteries of the Gospel, but it belongs only to the spirit, who takes away this veil that those mysteries may be manifested, and to show that the end of the Law is jesus Christ. He will take away the veil: An allusion to the veil which was put on women's heads. The Apostle alludes here to the use of the veil, which was amongst the jews; for the women, when they were married to their husbands, they put a veil upon their head, in token of subjection to their husbands. So the jews were married to the Law first, as to a husband, and were in subjection to it; but now being dead to the Law, they are married to Christ, Rom. 7.4. When this veil which was a sign of their subjection and blindness shall be taken away, than they shall behold jesus Christ the end of the Law, as in a most clear glass, and their eyes shall not be dazzled, as they were when they beheld Moses; but it shall be a most pleasant and comfortable sight unto them. Moses understood not this, that his face did shine, The Patriaches and Prophets understood not many things whereof they were types. or what it meant: Hence we may learn that the fathers understood not many types, yea, not those things whereof they were types themselves: Example, Noah and his household saved in the Ark, and the world drowned, was a type of our baptism, the regenerate and new man in baptism is saved, and the old man drowned; as Noah and his household were saved, and the world drowned; yet Noah understood not this. So when the Israelites passed through the red sea, and Pharaoh, and his army drowned; this was a type of our baptism, 1 Cor. 10. and yet Moses understood not this: So when jonas was three days in the Whale's belly he was a type of jesus Christ, who was three days in the heart of the earth, yet jonas understood not this; So Moses understood not what this veil put upon his face meant. This should teach us to be thankful to the Lord who hath revealed unto us now both the things signified, and the types. The second let of the conversion of the jews. The second reason which hinders their conversion is, that they look only upon Christ's infirmities; they were offended at the baseness of his country; Nathaneel himself took exception against him for this; Can any good thing come out of Nazaret▪ so for his parentage, We know whence this man is, jer. 7.27. and Matth. 13.55. Is not this the Carpenter's son, and are not his brethren with us. And at his wisdom, vers. 54. But most of all they stumbled at his infirmities, and base estate upon the cross; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ became Ben Adam for us; so he became Ben Enosh for us: As he became a man for us; so he became an infirm and weak man for us clothed with our infirmities; Read the 53. of Isaias, and ye shall see what baseness he was subject to, separate and set a part like a Leper, that men should turn away their faces from him, and not look upon him, and that he should be a worm and no man. Psal. 22. Rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with griefs. The ancient jews themselves confessed this that the Messiah should be loaden castigationibus, quasi molaribus lapid bus. R. jacob being asked what the name of their Messiah should be, Haec in Thalmud. hence tractatu de Sanedrim. Answered, that he should be called Leprosus, a Leper, alluding to that of the 53. of Isaias: These infirmities should not make them to reject him, if they look with a spiritual eye upon him; but because they look with a carnal eye only upon him, they wait for a glorious Messiah, but the Lord foretold them by Daniel, that Christ's kingdom should not be a flourishing kingdom, by that vision which was shown to Nebuchadnezar of the four Monarchies, represented by the four metals, by gold, silver, brass, and iron; yet a little stone hewed without the hand of man should break them all to pieces: It was but a little stone, base than any of the metals, to show us, that although Christ's kingdom in outward show should be a base kingdom, wanting all worldly help, yet it should overthrow those great monarchies. The third let of their conversion, The third let of the conversion of the jews. is the misapplication of the Scriptures: When the Ethiopian did read the Prophecy of Isaiah, Act. 8.34. he doubted whether the Prophet Esay spoke of himself or of another there; and that he might not apply the, Scripture falsely, therefore Philip was sent to him to teach him, but those unstable souls wrist the Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speech borrowed from those who put a man upon a rack, which causeth the man to speak that which he never meant: So these make the Scriptures to speak that which they never meant: He that churnes milk, shortly brings forth butter, and he that wrings the nose brings forth blood Pro. 30.33. So those who strain the Scriptures, bring forth a wrong sense. Take but this one example of wrong application, Esa. 53.8. a praevaricatione populi mei percussio ei infligitur, for the transgression of my people was he stricken: but the jews perversely read the words after this manner, for the transgression of my people they were stricken; and Abenezra gives the reason; because Lamo signifies many, and not one: So A. Brabaniel commenting upon, Esa. 53. ●5. saith, that La●●● is spoken still of more, and not of one; but we have proofs every where that (more) is spoken of one, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not of many, Ps. 11.7. Esay 44.15. job 27.23. and job 20.23. The jews since they gave jesus Christ vinegar and gall to drink, the Scripture to them is never sweet as the honey, and the honey comb. The fourth let of the conversation of the jews. The fourth reason that lets their conversion is, because they read only the five books of Moses now, neglecting the Prophets; they are wonderful ignorant in them, where their testimonies are clearest concerning Christ; and notwithstanding the Prophets are called mickra from kara, legere, yet they read them not; and therefore they are justly compared Le almonoth haiioth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vivis viduis, to living widows, whose husbands love strange women, but neglect their own wives at home; so the jews delight to read their Talmud, and Mishna, and Cabala, and such trash, and neglect the holy Prophets. The fift let of the conversion of the jews. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fifth reason which hinders their conversion is, because they follow not the literal sense of the Scripture, but run into Allegories, and they call these allegories dabhor gadol, rem maximam. And the literal sense of the Scripture they call dabhor caton, rem minor●s momenti, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thing of little worth; and they compare the literal sense of the Scripture to an half penny candle, but the mystical sense of the Scripture they compare to a precious pearl, which when it is lying hid in some dark corner of the house, yet by the literal sense the half penny candle they find out their precious allegories, and that every Scripture hath in it keliphoth and labhoth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corda & crustas, the shell and the kernel, the shell they make the literal sense, and the allegorical the kernel. The sixth let of the conversion of the jews. The sixth reason which hinders their conversion, is, because they prefer the Talmud to the Scriptures; and they say that the text of the Scriptures is like water, and Mishua like wine, and the Talmud like spiced wine, Talmud in Masighta cap. 15. halicha 7 & sequente 8. and that it is not possible that a man may want water, wine, or spiced wine; but he that is a rich man or a learned scribe, should have all the three in readiness; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So they compare the Law to salt, Mishna to pepper, and the Talmud to spices: when a child is five years old, they admit him to read the bible, when he is ten years old, he is to read Mishna, Mishna they call those traditions which Moses delivered to them by word. and when he is thirteen year old, he is filius praecepti, and eats the , and observes their purifications; but when he is fifteen year old, than they will have him to read the Talmud: but the high mystery of Ezekiel's chariot, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezech. 1. which they call opus Merkabha, they will not have him to read, before he be sixty years old. Therefore when johannan offered to teach Eleazar his Scholar opus de Merkabha, he answered very modestly Lo kashei non incanui, as Aristotle saith, Invenis non est Idoneus auditor moralis Philosophiae, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A young man is not fit to be a scholar in moral Philosophy; so they say that young men were not fit to hear that great mystery of Merkabha before they were sixty years of age. Although there be some good sayings in the Talmud, which may serve us to clear some places of Scripture, yet they should not dote up on it, and neglect the holy Scriptures: R. Eleazar said well, Calefacias te ad ignem sapientum, sed cave a prunis earum ne forte ad●raris, warm thyself at the fire of wise men, but take heed that thou be not burnt with the coals; so malegranatum invenisti meditullio, ejus vescere at putame● secerne, thou hast found a pomegranate, eat the kernel, but take heed of the shell. The seventh impediment is this, The seventh let of the conversion of the jews. they will not suffer their children to be brought up in humane learning, and humane sciences; but they accursed him, qui ●luerit su●m aut didicerit sapientiam Graecorum, Vide secundam prefationem Eli● in Mazoreth. that is, who feeds a Sow, and learns the arts and sciences which the Greeks' profess, and therefore Omnis exotica lingua est illis Barbara, all other tongues are barbarous to them, and they accurse him as Anathema, & descendit ad infers, qui docet discipulum quem non deberet, that is, who teaches a scholar who is a Gentile. Elias Levita was greatly hated amongst his country men, because he taught the Cardinal of Viterbia, and some other Italians the Hebrew tongue. Reason's proceeding from others which let the jews conversion. There are other lets hindering the conversion of the jews which proceed not from themselves but from others: As first, the profane conversation of the Christians is a great let to their conversion: The Lord objected to the jews that his name was evil spoken of amongst the Gentiles for their cause; so the Lord may justly now object to the Christians, that they make his name to be evil spoken of amongst the jews. The second reason of hindering their conversion is the Idolatry of the Christians, when they see Images set up and worshipped in their temples,; they call their temples Beth turphan, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 domum turpitudinis; and when they see the Popish priests, they call them heathenish priests, or Camilli. The heathen brought in the abomination of desolation in the temple, Cassiodorus in chronico suo. of purpose to offend the jews: So Elias Hadrianus the Emperor, when he built jerusalem again, and called it Elium, that he might offend the jews the more, he set in the frontispiece of the temple a sow graven out in marble stone. Lastly, the Papists offend the jews, when they paint Moses, with horns, as we see him painted so in some of their Popish churches: the reason why they paint him so, was the mistaking of the word Keren, which signifieth both a horn, and splendour, or brightness. SECT. 8. Of the third estate of the Jews when they shall be Ruchama, and first of their calling again. THings that are impossible with men are possible with God, Ruchama, Matth. 19.26. When the children of Israel were in captivity in Babylon, who would have thought that ever they should have returned out of it again. It seemed like a dream unto themselves, and yet by that we may be led to consider the estate of the captivity of the jews now. Types showing to the jews their restitution from the captivity of Babylon. When the jews were to go to the captivity of Babylon, there was little hope of their return out of the captivity, and fare less when they lay so long in the captivity; yet the Lord did show them their restitution by sundry types. First, by jeremy, The type shown to jeremy. when they were to go to the captivity; jeremy bought a field in Anathoth from his Uncle's son Hananeel, jer. 32. because the right of the inheritance was his, and the redemption of the land, he subscribed the evidences, he sealed them and took witnesses, & weighed to him the money in balances, he took also the evidences of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the Law and custom, and that which was open; first, he took that which was sealed according to the Law, that is, the letters in the which the commandment of God given to the Prophet, was set down, and a particular description of all the cautions which concerned the right: then there was an open contract which was confirmed by the Magistrate: Then he gave the evidents of the purchases to Baruch the son of Merajah in the sight of Hananeel his Uncle's son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of purchase, and before all the jews that sat in the court of the prison, after that he charged Baruch before them all, in the name of the Lord of Hosts; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they might continue for many days; Now when they had remained long in the captivity, and jeremy and Hananeel his Uncle's son were dead, & the jews who sat in the court of the prison, who would ever have thought that any should have come home to have possessed the land of Anathoth again, but yet the contract was extant, which was kept in an earthen vessel all this time, and some of jeremies' posterity came home and inherited that piece of ground in Anathoth: So although the jews now have lain long under the captivity, and Abraham, Isaac, and jacob with many thousands of men are all gone, yet because the covenant stands, and the contract of purchase; therefore they shall be restored to be spiritual heirs of the covenant; for God's mercy extends itself to a thousand generations. The second type showed to jeremiah. The second type whereby the Lord shown to the jews that they were to be called back again from the captivity of Babylon was jer. 24. the two baskets of figs, which the Lord shown unto him, the good figs, and the bad figs; the good figs signified the jews that were to be called home again from Babylon, and the evil figs that could not be eaten signified Zedekiah king of judah and his princes, and the residue of jerusalem which remained in the land, and these that dwelled in Egypt, whom the Lord was to deliver to be removed from all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach, and a proverb, a taunt, and a curse in all places, as the Lord had bad figs then, that were to be destroyed; so the Lord hath of this captivity, now many whom he hath destroyed, and made of them a proverb, a taunt, and a curse amongst the nations; But as all the figs of the first captivity were not bad, but some were very good figs, like the figs that are first ripe; so in this captivity now, the Lord hath reserved himself whom he minds to build, and not to pull down again, and to plant, and not to pull up. The third type of the calling of the jews from the captivity of Babylon was shown to Ezekiel, The third type shown to Ezekiel. chap. 37. a field full of dead bones; when the Lord brought the Prophet, and shown to him those bones, and asked him, Son of man can these bones live? and the Prophet answered him, Lord thou knowest, than the Lord caused these bones to take sinews and flesh, and skin, and at last there came a wind and put breath into them, and they did live; there was but small hope that these bones should live again, yet when the Lord did breath upon them, than they did live. If a man should look now with a natural eye upon the dead and dry bones of the captivity of judah, and were asked (as the Lord demanded the prophet) whether they should live again or not? all his answer would be this, Lord thou knowest; but yet when the wind of God's grace shall blow again upon them, they shall revive from death to life, and they shall return from the captivity. The fourth type of God's mercy in delivering of the jews from the captivity of Babylon was sh●wne to Zacharie, The fourth type shown to Zacharie. cap. 5.9. when he saw two women carrying an Ephah betwixt the heaven and the earth; when they were carrying the wicked jews to Babylon, yet in the midst of his anger he remembers mercy, & carries them not on the wings of an Eagle, or a Kite, but on the wings of a stork, which signifies mercy, Chasida misericordia; and why may not the Lord who is gracious and merciful, remember those poor captives in their long desolation. Ob. But their sins have been heinous, and great, and many in number? Answ. But we must remember that where sin aboundeth there grace aboundeth much more, Rom. 5.15. and that his mercy is above all his works; The farther that these poor wretches have fallen from the Lord, his mercy is the more magnified in recalling of them: God's mercy and man's misery have not been unfitly compared to the sun and the moon, when the moon is farthest from the sun, than the sun gives his light most brightly to the moon; So when miserable sinners are farthest from God, than the sun of Righteousness the Lord jesus Christ shall be pleased sometimes to shine upon them; And although their sin were as red as the scarlet, Isa. 1.18. yet he can make them as white as the wool; The number of their sins cannot hinder the pardon of them; David says Psal. 35.7. ini quitates transierunt caput meum, that is, they were more in number then the hairs of my head, & yet they hindered not the pardon of his sins; the Lord would not have Peter to pardon only seven times, or seven times seven times, but seventy times seventimes, Now if the Lord will have Peter to do this, how much more will he be ready to pardon, who is the Ocean of mercy, he that made the eye shall he not see, and he that puts mercy in others, shall he not be merciful; And if jonah had pity on his gourd, that grew up in one night, and withered in another, jonah 1.10. shall not the Lord than have pity on his people, who were once a royal generation and kingly Priesthood. 1. Pet. 2.9. Ob. But they have been bloody murderers of the Lord of life, blasphemers of his holy name, and haters of the Gospel, and of all those who in call upon the name of the Lord jesus Christ; how can they then be saved? God showing mercy to Paul a bloody persecutor, shows that God may be merciful to the jews. Answ. Consider but the example of Saint Paul, and apply his example to them, and then ye may see how God shall show mercy upon them; Saint Paul who was a Pharisee of Pharisees, that is a most precise Pharisee, Act. 26.5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifieth a most accurate separation from others; for zeal he persecuted the church, Phil. 3. and he procured letters to apprehned & bind the poor Christians, and caused many of them to blaspheme, Act. 26.11. and what if Paul had been there when Christ was crucified would he not have cried with the rest of the jews, away with him, away with him, would he not have said with the rest, we have no King but Caesar, and let Barrabas live, Whatsoever Christ was convicted for, of that he absolves his children. and Christ die; yet for all his sins the Lord hath pardoned him, and why may he not show the like pardon upon these poor sinners; And for there fearful blasphemies, and many insurrections let us observe but this one comfortable ground, whatsoever the Lord jesus Christ was condemned for, that he absolves his children of; But jesus Christ was condemned of blasphemy, and affecting of Caesar's crown; therefore the Lords death shall acquit the repenting jews of their blasphemies against him, and of their mutunies and seditions against Caesar. Now let us consider more particularly the calling of these jews: secondly, the manner how they shall be called: and thirdly; the end of their calling. The first reason of their calling is taken from the promise Reason 1 made to their fathers, Of the calling of the jews. Rom. 11.27. The Lord remembers the covenant made with Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, both ascending and descending, descending he remembers Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, then ascending, Levit. 26.43. I will remember my covenant with jacob and my covenant with Abraham; I will remember my covenant made with jacob in Bethel, and I will remember my covenant made with Isaac in Mount M●riah, and I will remember my covenant with Abraham, when he cut the calf in twain, and past betwixt the parts thereof, jer. 34.18. God being mindful of the covenant loves the jews, because he loved their fathers, he loves the children also? Quest. But what hope is there of the salvation of the jews, seeing they are enemies to the Gospel? Answ. They are now (saith the Apostle) enemies, but yet this people are beloved of God, because of the election once made, for his election is not frustrate for the infidelity of those who hate the Gospel, seeing Gods calling and election are without change. Reason 2 There shall come a deliverer from Zion, Rom. 11.26. but it is better translated, Of the calling of the jews. there shall come a deliverer to Zion, Est dativus commodi, so Zach. 9.9. a King shall come to thee, that is, for thy profit, and there shall come a deliverer to thee; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew it is Goel; Goel was the next of the kindred who had power to redeem the mortgaged lands which their friends had mortgaged, and had power to deliver them when they were captives, and they were the revenger of their blood; Christ being the jews Goel he will deliver them from their captivity. Reason 3 The third reason is taken from Christ's intercession; Father forgive them for they know not what they do; Of the calling of the jews. The efficacy of Christ's intercession doth not only extend itself to the jews who were living then, but also to the posterity to be converted, john 17.20. Reason 4 The fourth reason, when the most ancient people of the world were captivate and destroyed, Of their calling. yet the people of the jews in all those changes and alterations, remained a people distinguished from all other people by their profession, a people dwelling by themselves, Num. 23. and having no meddling with other people whom the Lord would not have slain but scattered, Psal. 59.11. This shows the wonderful providence of God over them, and that they are reserved for their time of calling again. In the last days there shall be a full conversion of Reason 5 the jews, Of their calling. Apocal. 7. when the four Angels were forbidden to hurt the earth, and the sea till those 144000. be sealed in their foreheads, of all the tribes of Israel; of the tribe of judah were sealed 12000. and of the rest of the tribes as many, which prophecy according to the letter is to be understood of the calling of the jews, because the Israelites there marked in the forehead, are expressly distinguished from the Gentiles, who are marked, and from other languages, verse 9 The sixth reason, Hos. 3.4. The children of Israel shall Reason 6 remain many days without a King, and an Ephod, Of their calling. and without a Teraphim, afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their King; Here are four estates and conditions of the jews set down, first when they had their Ephod, and religiously worshipped the Lord; secondly, when they had their Teraphim, and were Idolaters; thirdly, in their estate now, when they want both their Ephod and their Teraphim, that is, they are neither true worshippers of God now, neither are they Idolaters now (for they hate Idols;) fourthly, when they shall return to seek the Lord, and David their King, than they shall be Ruchama. Saint Paul wishes to be accursed for his brethren the jews; this desire came from the holy spirit, therefore Reason 7 it must not be frustrate; Of their calling. for God and nature does nothing in vain. Ob. But ye will say, can a man wish his own damnation for the glory of God, and safety of his Church? Answ. We have a natural life, and we have a spiritual life; we should prefer our natural life to another man's natural life: A man is rather bound to preserve his own life then another man's of equal condition. A man is bound to preserve his own life, rather than another man's of that same degree, when only he considers his life as his life; but when there comes in another respect as for honesty, virtue; or fidelity, one man might give his life for another, john 15.13. greater love than this hath no man, when one bestoweth his life for his friend: The two Pythagoreans are much commended for their mutual friendship one to another, the one of them gave himself a pledge for the other, that if he should not return at such a day to the Emperor, than he should die for him; the day coming, and he not appearing, his friend who lay in pledge for him was adjudged to die for him, and when they were leading him out to execution, his friend came and redeemed him, and entered in his place to be executed for him; the tyrant seeing these two such constant friends he quite them both, and wished earnestly that they would take him in to be the hird friend to them: Lactantius lib. 5. de institia. cap. 18. Lactantius infer, upon this, that if it be a glorious thing to die for a friend, how much more glorious is it to die for Christ. A man is bound to lay down his natural life for the safety of his superiors. Secondly, a man is bound to lay down his natural life for the safety of those who are his superiors; And they put this case, If the King and the subject were in one ship, or the father and the son, the ship breaks, and there is but one plank which cannot serve two to swim out upon; In this case the subject is bound to quite the plank for the safety of his prince, and so is the son to quite the plank for the safety of his father, Indignus est vitâ qui vitae suae authorem negligit, he is not worthy of life, A man is bound to lay down his temporary life for the spiritual life of his brother. who contemns him who hath been the author of his life. Thirdly, a man is bound to quite his temporary life for the spiritual life of his brother, as Christ did, 1 joh. 3.16. Hereby we may perceive the great love of God, who was pleased to lay down his life for us, ought not we then to lay down our lives for our brethren? and vers. 23. This is his Commandment that we love one another, as he gave commandment. This was his commandment, joh. 15. That ye love one another as I have loved you: And the reason of this is, because we are members of one body, Ephes. 4. and 1 Thes. 2.8. so being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not only the Gospel of God, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. In the natural body one member hazards itself for another, as the hand for the head; so should the members in the mystical body do. Fourthly, in the defence of the Church a man may lay down his natural life, as Samson did; and we have an example of this, 1 Mach. 6.43. of one Eleazar surnamed Savaran, who perceiving an Elephant greater than all the rest, and supposing that the King was upon him, vers. 46. he crept under the Elephant, and thrust him in the belly and slew him, whereupon the Elephant fell down upon him, and killed him; The fathers do not condemn this act of Eleazar, Ambros. li. 1. de of ficiis. but they commend him much for it, in that he lays down his natural life for the safety of the Church. Lastly, we are to lay down our temporary life above all for Christ's sake, as the martyrs did, We are to lay down our temporal life for Christ. this fare we see how we may lay down our natural life for others, but to lay down our spiritual life for others, that we cannot do; a man may desire at some times the deferring of the enjoying of the spiritual life for a while for the good of the Church, Phil. 1.24. but he cannot absolutely wish himself to be Anathema for the good of the Church: Paul in a supposition wishes rather that he may be cursed, In a speech jointly taken both the parts may be true which being separate, the one is true, and the other is false. than the jews condemned; but he wishes not this absolutely; In a speech jointly taken both the parts may be true, which being separate, the one is true, and the other false: as Elias saith to Ahab, The Lord hath not spoken by me if thou return in peace from the battle; this supposition jointly taken is true, but sever the parts, than the one is true, and the other false, (The Lord hath not spoken by me) that is false, (Thou shalt not return in peace, that is true. Example 2. joh. 21.25. If all that Christ had spoken and done had been written, than the world could not contain those books (All that Christ hath spoken and done is written) that is false (The world is able to contain those books which he wrote) that is true. Example 3.1 Cor. 13.1. If I should speak with the tongue of men and Angels and have not charity, than I am nothing: Paul to be some thing, that is true, but Paul to be some thing and want charity, that is false. Example 4. Gal. 1.8. If an Angel from heaven should preach another Gospel he should not be believed; An Angel to be believed, that is true, but an Angel to preach another Gospel from heaven, that is false. When we desire a thing in complexo, the parts may be true, and yet sever them they are false. So when we desire a thing comparatively in complexo, the parts may be true, but severally we wish them not, Example, 1 King. 3.26. When the mother of the child wished the child rather to be given to her who was not the true mother than the child should be cut in sunder, yet she neither wishes the child to be cut in sunder, nor the child to be given to another: So Saint Paul wishes here rather than the jews should be cast away, that he should be Anathema; but he wishes not absolutely that he should be Anathema, and that the jews should be cast away: Consider Paul as only looking to his brethren's salvation, and then he casts all things behind his back in respect of it: Paul cannot wish this absolutely to be accursed for his brethren. but when Paul turns himself to the view of eternal glory, and to the salvation of his own soul he cannot wish this, to be damned for his brethren's safety; for a man's salvation should be dearer to him than all the world, yea, than the Church itself: This wish than was not an absolute wish which Saint Paul wishes here, but only it signified his earnest desire to have his brethren saved; If he had considered this vestitum omnibus circumstantiis, he could not have wished it; Example, a man is condemned to die for some great offence, it is lawful for his wife to wish her husband to live, because he is her husband, and the father of her children; but if she should wish him to live; and the wish were vestitum omnibus circumstantiis, that is, she wishes him to live, Paul could not wish this vestitum omnibus circumstantiis. notwithstanding he hath been a notable malefactor and transgressor of the Law, that way to wish him to live were altogether unlawful: so if Paul wished the safety of the jews only respecting their safety, than this was a lawful wish; but to wish absolutely his own damnation secluding himself from the Kingdom of God, this had been a sin and altogether unlawful; If ye consider Paul's wish materially only, Paul may wish this materially, but not formally. setting aside other circumstances he might be accursed for his brethren; but if ye consider his wish formally, with all the circumstances, he cannot be accursed for them; If ye consider Christ's desire [Let this cup pass.] materially only, according to Christ's infirmity as he was man, than he wisheth this cup to pass; but when he considers this cup formally with all the circumstances, than he must drink this cup for to expiate the sins of men, and satisfy the wrath of God, than he cannot let this cup pass: Paul then wishing the salvation of the jews with such an intensive and earnest desire moved by the Spirit of God to it, his desire must be fulfilled, and shall be fulfilled in the own time, Every plant which the heavenly father hath planted shall not be rooted up, Math. 15. 13. The jews are a plant which the heavenly Father hath planted, therefore they shall not be rooted out. Now we are to remove those objections which seem to deny the conversion of the jews. Object. 1. Let their eyes be dark that they may not see but bow down their back always, Rom. 11.10. Here it might seem that the Apostle foretells the final rejection of the jews. Answ. The Apostle doth not foretell here their final rejection, but their rejection for a time. Object. 2. Hos. 1.6. I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel, but I will utterly take them away. Answ. The Lord shows here that he will not call the ten tribes back again to Israel, but as for the house of judah he promiseth to call them back, but he promiseth not utterly to destroy Israel now, but in his own time to call them back again. Object. 3. Math. 21. Mark 11. Christ cursed the Figgetree saying, hence forth thou shalt never bare more fruit; and on the morning when the disciples passed by they saw the Figtree withered up. This tree signified the people of the jews, and it may seem that they are so withered that they shall never bare fruit again. Answ. Saint Jerome writing upon the second of Habbakkuke saith, In seculum signifies a long time, but in saeculum saeculorum, signifies eternity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, here signifies saeculum but not saeculum saeculorum. Object. 4. 1 Thes. 2.16. The wrath is come upon them to the uttermost; this might seem to speak of their final rejection. Answ. The Apostle only is speaking of the rejection of the jews for a time, who lived in his time, and who withstood the Gospel, and that he means not of a final rejection, it is clear, Rom. 11.8. God hath given them the spirit of slumber unto this day; which shows that they shall not be always in this sleep of slumber. Object. 5. Luke 18.7. The son of man when he shall come shall scarce find faith on the earth: than it might seem that there shall not be such a plentiful harvest in the jews conversion? Answ. Although there be a great number of the jews who shall be called in the latter times, that if they be compared with the Gentiles who are infidels, and with those who have heard the Gospel and fallen from it, they shall be but few compared with them; and where there is greatest hope that faith should be found, there will be greatest apostasy found, and faith will scarce be found amongst them. SECT. 9 Of the manner of the calling of the Jews AS a wise Physician in curing of a disease removes the cause first, before he comes to cure the disease; He will take the veil of the ceremonies from off their hearts. the cause why they reject Christ was because the veil lay upon their hearts, he removes the veil first, and then he cures them, he removes the veil first, the veil of the ceremonies, jer. 3.16. In those days saith the Lord, they shall say no more, the ark of the covenant of the Lord, neither shall it come to mind, neither shall they remember it, neither shall they visit it, for that shall be no more done; The ark must be removed, the propitiatotie itself, and the place where the Lord rested, his strength and glory, that which the Angels delighted with stretched out necks to look into, 1 Pet. 1.12. what should become then of the rest of the beggarly elements, all were to be cast out: Secondly, he removes those ceremonies which were the sign of the jews subjection to the law; He will take away the ceremonies which was a seal of their subjection to the law. Num. 5.18. for as a woman when she was married to her husband, put a veil upon her head in token of subjection to her husband (hence it was that the woman suspected of adultery stood bareheaded before the priest, and until the time that she was cleared of that suspicion she was not under her husband's subjection) even so the jews so long as they were married to the law, they were covered with this veil, but being dead to the law they were freed from this husband, and the Lord took this veil of their hearts. He will take a stony heart from them and give them a heart of flesh. Thirdly, because these two veils had lain so long upon their hearts, they brought on this great hardness upon them that their hearts became like an Adamant, Zach. 7.12. The Adamant is so hard a stone that ye can engrave no letters upon it until it be steeped in goat's blood (as Pliny testifies) so their hearts were so hard that the law of the Lord could not be written on them until they were steeped in the blood of Christ, than he writes his law on them, jer. 31. This is the first part of the great Physicians cure, than he will prick and wound their hearts, He will prick and wound their hearts. he will keep the same order in curing of them which he did at the conversion of the three thousand who were converted at Peter's sermon; Their hearts were pricked, Act. 2.37. So shall the hearts of the jews be pricked and wounded in their conversion; it will not be a little gash or wound that will open that imposthume; but a great and a deep lancing: then will follow exceeding great sorrow, and they shall look upon him whom they have crucified; it will not be the sorrow of the publican that will do the turn, to knock upon their breasts, or to cast down their eyes, or to wash their bed with tears as David did, There mourning will be an exceeding great mourning when they repent. Psalm 6.6. or to chatter as a swallow or a crane, or mourn as a dove as Ezekias did, Isa. 38.14. But this must be a great and exceeding great lamentation, as that which the jews took up at Hadadrimmon for the death of josias, Zach. 12.11. Their eyes did fail with tears, their bowels were troubled, and their livers were poured out upon the earth, when the breath of their nostrils the anointed of the Lord was taken, Lamen. 4.20. When josias was killed their common wealth decayed, and their Church got a sore blow, jer. 22.18. They lamented for him as one laments for their brother or sister; Ah my brother, ah my sister, ah our Lord, ah our glory: They lamented for him as one mourned for the death of his first begotten son, or his only son, Zach. 12.10. When josias was killed, there was but a man killed; but when they killed our Lord, they killed the Lord of glory; when josias was killed, his death was honourable to him, he died in the war, 2 Chron. 35.24. But when the jews killed our josias, he died an ignominious and shameful death: When josias was killed, it was the enemy that killed him, and not they: But the jews themselves killed the Lord of glory: when josias the breath of their nostrils was killed, be could not breathe life into them again, but our josias can breathe spiritus vitarum into them, Gen. 2. Therefore here is a greater than josias, and his death deserves a greater lamentation. When they shall behold him, sundry look upon men's miseries diversely; When they shall behold Christ whom they crucified, than they shall lament bitterly. some go by with a negligent eye as those who passed by the man that lay wounded in the high way, Luke 7.11. they scarce took notice of him, neither were they touched with any compassion. Secondly others behold men's misery with a gazing eye only, as jobs friends sat gazing upon him seven days, but with no compassion; thirdly, some behold their misery, and are touched with some compassion, as when joab had killed Amasa, and lay wallowing in his blood in the high way, 2 Sam. 22.12. no doubt those who did see him were moved at the spectacle; fourthly some behold with delight, Ra cum beth, signifieth to behold, with Delight, Micha 4.11. let our eye look upon Zion that is with delight to behold that which we would have seen. Psal. 22.17. they look upon me, see Psal. 54.9. But the jews here they shall behold the Lord with a pitiful eye, as the other was a merciless eye, Christus patitur jam, & judaeus compatitur. They shall behold him whom they have crucified: Momus complained of nature, that she made not man with a window in his breast, that man might pry into his heart, and see what was within the heart; but here the jews might see when they pierced the Lords side, what love was in his heart towards them, when he shed his heart blood for them: when they saw Christ weeping for Lazarus, joh. 11. they said, O how he loves him, but they had greater reason to say, O how he love us, when they saw him shedding his blood for them. They shall behold him whom they have crucified. When they consider that it was their sins which crucified him, and that they were the proper cause of his death: they were not the occasion of his death, The sins were the proper cause of his death. as David was of the death of the priests, when they gave him the show bread to eat, although he takes it upon him, and says that he was the cause of their death; so they were not causa per accidens of his death, as when Simon of Siren carried Christ's cross, he was but accidentally a cause here; they were not causae adiuvantes, helping causes; neither were they concausae as Pilate was in the death of Christ, but the proper cause were their great sins: when a malefactor is executed, we blame not the executioner, we blame not the judge by whose sentence he is executed, nor the law, nor the jury, but only the miserable malefactor himself; his destruction is of himself: Solum pecatum homicida est. They will not deny their sin now as the whore did who wipd her mouth, and said, she did it not, Prov. 30.20. They will not transfer their sin, as Eva did upon Adam, and the jews upon Judas, neither extenuate their sin as Aaron did, but they will exaggerate and lay out their sin to the full then. The Monks and Friars use to talk much of the nails, the spear, the crown, and the scourges which were the instruments of Christ's death; but they insist not upon the proper cause, the sins which crucified the Lord of glory; but the jews than shall behold their sins which crucified their Lord: This beholding of the Lord crucified for them, and by them, will be a happy beholding to them; as they who looked upon the brazen serpent in the wilderness, were cured when they were stung by Serpents; So shall they be cured, when they shall behold Christ crucified this ways. As for their sorrow it shall be a sorrow not to be repent of, and although they sow in tears, yet they shall reap in joy; Rachel when her children were not, she would not be comforted; but they shall be comforted: But by what means? Even by the Gospel which they mocked and scorned; The Gospel shall be the means to comfort the jews. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before they called avengelina, Nuncium vanum; but then the Gospel shall be the glad tidings of salvation to them; Then how beautiful shall the feet of those be, who bring the glad tidings of salvation to them: there shall then be an happy union betwixt the jew and the Gentile: The jews of old thought to have entailed the covenant only to themselves, and would have had the Gentiles secluded from salvation and the means of it; therefore they say, that when the Law was translated into Greek by the 70. that there was three day's darkness, and they say, fuit dies ille durus Israeli, sicut dies quo factus est vitulus, that was as grievous a day to them, as that day on which the golden calf was made; and they kept a yearly fast or humiliation for that; This was in detestation of the Gentiles, because they willed not their salvation: What hatred wsa betwixt the jews and the Gentiles of old. But now they will be glad of this union; They called the Gentiles before unclean, common, and dogs; they would no more eat with them, than if they had been dogs: job when he speaks of base men, job. 30.1. he saith, he would not have given their father's liberty to eat with the dogs of his flock; The jews thought not the Gentiles worthy to eat with their dogs; but now they will be glad to sit down and eat with them that come from the East, and from the West, than the multitude of believers shall be of one heart breaking bread together in singleness of heart; And as the jews hated the Gentiles before, so the Gentiles detested the jews calling them Verpi, Recutiti Appellae, and Curti; then shall all these differences be taken away, and they shall take the jew by the skirt, and say, Ezach. 8.22. We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. This happy union shall make a way to the converting of other Heathens and Heretics, and then there shall be great light for the understanding of the Scriptures, and hid places in the Prophets, yet not understood, and then knowledge shall abound as the water of the sea, and this shall be heaven upon earth, and one of the great days of the Lord; and the earth shall rend when the jew and Gentile shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, the shout shall be so great. When the Samaritans were excommunicated, it was a terrible day, When the Samaritans were cast out of the Church, it was a feorefull excommunication. they brought 300. priests, and 300. trumpets, and 300. books of the Law, and 300. boys, and they blew with the trumpets, and the Levites singnig cursed the Cutteans in the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or, or jehovah; and they cursed them with the curse both of the inferior and superior house of judgement; and they said, Cursed is he who eats the bread of the Cutteans, Drusius ex Sepher Tanna qui Tilmidemi dicicur. And let not a Cuttean be a Proselyte in Israel, neither have any part of the resurrection of the just: Morinus in Pentatenchun Samaritanum exercit. 1. These curses they wrote upon tables, and sealed them, and sent them through all Israel, who multiplied also this great Anathema, or curse upon them: This was a fearful rejection of the Samaritans, when they were cast out of the Church; but when the jews shall be called again, what a great joy shall there be in the Church? When the jews shall be called to the Church, this will be a day of great joy. Christ saith at the conversion of a sinner there is great joy in heaven amongst the Angels; what joy then shall there be in heaven amongst the Angels? when so many thousands shall be gathered to the Church again: At Saint Peter's preaching there were three thousand added to the Church; but now there shall be thousand of thousands added to the Church, and then the net shall be like to break for the multitude of believers that shall be caught in it: A little before Immanuel Tremelius died, some that stood by desired to hear his novissima, Inter apothegmata morientium habetur hoc. or his last words, He cried out, Vivat Christus & pereat harabas: This was a joyful speech to show that he disclaimed judaisme, and was not like the jews who cried, let Barrabas live, and Christ die; will it not be a comfortable day then, when the Church of the jews shall all cry, Vivat Christus, & pereat Barrabas; this will be canticum ex canticis, a most excellent song. Now for the joining themselves to the visible Church, there can be no salvation without the Church, The jews shall be joined to a visible Church. Act. 2.47. The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved; And where there is a visible Church, to contemn it, and to separate themselves from it, that is a great sin, and for such there is no salvation to be expected. When they shall be gathered to the Church they shall be gathered sincerely not hypocritically. When they shall be gathered to the visible Church; the number of them which shall be gathered to it shall be many, before this time there came to the Church but one of a city, and two of a family, jer. 3.14. but now houses, families, and tribes shall be gathered to it; But this must be understood in toto communi, but not in toto universali, that is, there shall be many of them gathered to the Church, although not all When they shall be gathered to the Church they shall be gathered sincerely and truly, they shall be there not as the chafe amongst the corn, but as good corn indeed: when the jewish Church was in the integrity of it, many came to it for by respects, and not for the truth's sake, some for fear became jews, and were circumcised in Mordecai his time, Est. 8.17. So some for hope of gain, as the Sechemites were circumcised, Gen. 34.23. and some for credit, as Herod the Idumean caused himself to be circumcised that he might be the King of the jews: David when he was King of Israel saith, that many strangers came to him, and feignedly submitted themselves to him, Psal. 18.44. but the jews when they shall come to the Church, shall in truth submit themselves to Christ, and lick the dust under his feet. Thirdly, the jews and the Gentiles shall make up one Church then; The jews and the Gentiles make up one Church. The jews were before Populus per se habitans, Num. 23.13. and had no meddling with the Gentiles, but now they shall dwell together, and the name of jew and Gentile shall no more be heard: The two sticks which represented Ephraim and judah, were not so closely joined in the Prophet's hand, when they became one Ezech. 27.13. as the jews and Gentiles shall be, when they shall be joined in one, and as the waters that run into the sea, lose their names, so shall this name of jew and Gentile be lost in this full union. Fourthly when they are once joined to the visible Church, they shall not return to the puddle of judaisme again, as some of the jews do now. The jews who dream of no other conversion, The jews do believe that they shall be brought back to Canaan again. but of a bettering of their temporal estate, they imagine now, first that they shall be brought back to Canaan again: Secondly, that the temple shall be built again, And thirdly that they shall live there under a flourishing King, one of their own nation. First they dream that they shall be restored to Canaan again; Maimon. H. Mel. 8. The hold still that Canaan is a holier ground than other land. they hold this ground of Canaan to be as holy ever it was, and they hold it a curse that they cannot inhabit it now, and they count them most happy who happens to be buried there, and if they cannot have that benefit, they think them happy who have but a handful of the dust of that ground to besprinkle them after they are dead; and the wise men amongst them use when they come near Canaan to kiss the borders and limits of it, and they use to roll themselves in the dust of that land, misapplying the words of the Psalmist, Psal. 102.14. Thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof. They hold also that all their sins are pardoned who dwell in this holy land according to that, Isa. 33.24. the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquities; and they say further, that he who walks but the space of four yards of ground in Canaan is worthy of eternal life, and whosoever goes out of that holy land, they hold him an Idolater according to that, 1 Sam. 26.19. for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord; saying, Go serve other Gods. Mannonides H. mell 5.7. & paragraphe sequente They hold those who die without Canaan, must be tumbled through the caverns of the earth. Moreover they hold that those who die out of this land of Canaan must be tumbled through the secret passages of the earth, while they come to the land of Canaan, and then they shall be raised again, this the Rabbins call Gilgull mechilloth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 volutationem cavernarum, a tumbling through the hollow parts of the earth. They hope also that they shall be restored to the promised land again, & they trust that promise which was made to the people in the time of the first temple Levit. 26.42. missapplying it to their estate now, the words are Aph ki utique recordabor faederis mei; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aph in the German tongue signifies an Ape, and they so rejoice in this promise of their restitution to Canaan, that they keep a yearly feast in remembrance of this, and they call this feast the feast of the golden Ape: and they say that those words are worthy to be written in golden letters, and they draw down this פ in Aph as ye may see in the text, thus we may see how those Apes play with the holy scriptures. They hope that the temple shall be built again. Secondly, they hope that the temple shall be built again, and stand to the end of the world; the disciples themselves were overtaken with this error that the temple should endure to end of the world Mat. 24.3. And the reason was the mistaking of the phrase Psalm 24.7. for the temple there is called domus saeculi, Saculum Templi. Lift up your heads ye everlasting doors, Saeculum Levite, 1 Sam. 1.28. but saeculum with the Hebrews signifies any long time; there is saeculum Levitarum, that is 50. years, 1 Sam. 1.18. He shall abide before the Lord for ever: so saeculum servi, he shall serve his master for ever, Saeculum servi haebrel. Saeculum servi proselyti ad mortem, Leu. 25.45. Exod. 21.8. That is till the year of jubilee, and there is saeculum servi proselyti. The temple was called Domus saeculi, to distinguish it from the grave which is called Domus saeculi sui, Domus saeculi, that is the Temple. Domus saeculi sui, that is the grave. Anian Marcellnus lib. 23. Eccles. 12.5. Man goes to his long home: It was not called Domus saeculi, because it should last for ever, but for a long time; this second temple was never built again, for when julian was about to buld it there came a fire out of the bowels of the earth, and scattered them all; and yet they hope now that this their temple shall be built again, and whensoever they pray; they turn their faces towards the place where the temple stood; and they do so reverence that place, that if they stand in need (Laxare meatus suos) (by this phrase of speech they signify in modest terms the making of water) than they turn their backs from the temple, but when they cover their feet or majores meatus solvunt, that is, when they ease nature, than they turn their faces towards the place or the temple, and their backs from it; so they hope that the temple shall be built again; hence is that form of their prayer Gloria nostra super te, that is, the glory and comeliness which shall befall us in the third temple, we wish that ye may be partakers of it: but this temple shall never be built again; josua cursed the man before the Lord that riseth up and buildeth jericho again, he shall lay foundations thereof in his first borne, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it. Whosoever went about to build this temple again, the heavy curse of God hath always followed them, for this conceit hinders them to look upon him who is greater than the temples, and whereof the temple was but a type; when the Lord cast Adam out of Paradise, he set up cherubims, and a flaming sword to keep Adam back, that he should not eat of the tree of life any more; as the Lord took away all occasion from Adam, that h should not trust to get life any more by the tree of life; so lest the jews should trust any more in the temple; the Lord hath taken away this occasion from them; that it shall never be built again; that they may look to him who is greater than the temple, Mat. 12. Thirdly, They hope that they shall be united under one head who shall be a natural jew. they hope that they shallbe united under one head, in their own land of Canaan, and that their dominion shall reach to those parts of the world: But they are wonderful blind in application of the prophecies sometimes they take the prophecies not to be fulfilled yet, which are already fulfilled; such is that place, Leu. 26.44. Secondly, such places which are to be understood mystically, they expound literally as Obad. 20. the captivity of this host of the children of Israel, shall possess that of the Canaanites even unto Zarephath, and the captivity of jerusalem which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south: This prophecy was fulfilled in part, when judah & Benjamin were restored by Cyrus again; But this prophecy is most to be understood mystically, & not according to the letter, for the ten tribes were never brought back again as judah was; but the jews understand this prophecy of the captivity which were taken away by Titus and Vespasian, and they literally apply this to themselves, but falsely; By Zarephath they understand France, They hope that these parts of Europe shall be subject to them. and by Sepharad they understand Spain, and so the Chaldee paraphrast paraphrases it Sephania, & they persuade themselves, that they shall be Lords and commanders of all those countries, that those jews who live abroad out of Canaan shall send yearly tribute to them into Canaan in token of their subjection to them, as when Nehardagna in Babylon sent a yearly tribute to jerusalem in token of their obedience to them; So shall the jews who live abroad out of Canaan, send their yearly collection to Canaan, in token of their subjection to their King: but since the jews said that they would have no other King but Caesar, and refused Christ to be their King, they shall never have a King of their own again; they lived so long under the subjection of the Romans, and now they live under the Turks for the most part; but when the jews shallbe called again, although they have not a King of their own nation, yet the Lord then shall incline the hearts of those under whom they live, to further them in the service of God, as he moved the heart of Cyrus a heathen, to send home the captives from Babylon, & to further the worship of God. Some of our Writers more subtilely than solidly, commenting upon the conversion of the jews follow them too near in this conceit of their conversion, Some of our Writers applies some places of Scripture more literally than mystically to the jews. and they apply those places of the Prophets more literally than mystically; and they hold that the jews shall be restored again to the land of Canaan, and that they shall live under a visible monarchy there, they describe as it were a new 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to us, and they hold that the forty fifth year after their conversion, they shall overthrow the great Sultan at the lake Gennesareth, and this they go about to prove out of jer. 31.42. A woman shall compass a man, that is, the weak nation of the jews, shall conquer the great Empire of the Turks (whereof the meaning of the place is, A woman shall compass a man, that is, she shall seek whom she may marry, contrary to the common custom, for the man seeks the woman, and not the woman the man) these they call Gog, and Magog; and this battle shall be (say they) in Canaan, Ezech. 39 and after this battle, they shall dwell in Canaan, and the kingdom shall be settled at jerusalem, and they shall be all united together under one head their King; then the jews from all places shall come to jerusalem, and they shall be preachers of the glad tidings of salvation; Then the fullness of the Gentiles shall come in; and as Cyrus, when he besieged Babylon he diverted the course of the river Euphrates; so shall they divert the errors of the Antichrist, and they being converted, shall convert their brethren, not only those who adhere to Antichrist, but also those who adhere to the mohammed: The conceit of fabulous Esdras, of the bringing back of the ten tribes to the land of Canaan again. This conceit that they shall be gathered under a visible Monarch to Canaan again, is not unlikely to that dream of fabulous Esdras, who tells us, 2 Esr. 13.40. when the ten tribes were carried away, and came to Euphrates, than the Lord caused the river to part itself, as jordan was divided of old, than they went into a fare country a year and a halves journey, where never man dwelled before, and so when they shall return again to their own country, than the Lord shall cause the river Euphrates to give way to their passage home again, as it did before in their going; but these dreams are quite contrary to the Scripture, for the Lord threatens that within sixty five years after the captivity of Ephraim, Ephraim shall be so broken, that he shall be no more a people, Esa. 7.8. But this fabulous Esdras dreams, that these ten tribes are now a mighty nation, A vagabond jew who called himself the head of those ten tribes, was burned at Mantua. and shall come home again and possess their own land: A certain vagabond jew who called himself Solomon, and gave himself out for the King of these jews who dwell beyond the Caspian hills, promised that he would bring back that mighty nation again, This man was apprehended by Charles the fift, ●and was burnt at Mantua in Italy for his cozenage and falsehood: The jews in their Chronicle which they call Semach David, call this Solomon Mulcho, and they adore him as a martyr: Are these the jews who will overcome the Turk? This gathering of the jews again to Canaan, to live under a visible Monarch seem to be almost as fabulous as the other. And this may satisfy us, that they shall be gathered to some visible Church, both amongst themselves, and with the Christian Churches dispersed abroad; but that they shall be called to dwell in their own country again, that place, jer. 23.8. will not make this good, to misapply a pl●ce from the estate of the jews, after the first captivity, to their restitution after their second captivity, so that they shall return to their ancient seats, and possess every tribe his own part, that they shall conquest their foes, that their soil shall be as fruitful as before, that they shall erect in the land of judah, a glorious Church, and that they shall be rulers fare and near. These and such like promises are set out by way of allegory in terrene similitudes, figuring our deliverance through Christ; but we must take heed that we do not expound them really and literally as some men do. SECT. 10. Of the end of the calling of the Jews. THe Lord chose not the Gentiles that he might cast off the jews, The end of the conversion of the jews. but that the jews and the Gentiles together might grow up in one body: The Lord cuts off some superfluous branches and loppes them, that others might be engrafted in their place; He cut of those superfluous branches for a while to be engrafted again; And as when Peter cut off Malchus ear, Christ joined it to his head again; so the Lord shall engraft those jews again, who are now cut off, and after that the fullness of the Gentiles shall come in, all Israel shall be saved: By Israel he means not that the Gentiles shall be saved, when some jews shall be joined to them; for than he had revealed no mystery here, for we see of the Gentiles converted daily, and of some of the jews also, but he is speaking here of Israel according to the flesh, and not of Israel spiritually, He is speaking of their conversion. The Lord casts off the jews for a while, The Lord cast off the jews, is for a while to stir them up to a holy emulation with the Gentiles. that he might stir them up to a holy emulation; and the Apostle compares them here to two running in a race, God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, here, the master of the race, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or the reward is eternal life; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, those who runs in the race; are the jews and the Gentiles, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or the spectators are the Angels; what were all the Olympic games, if they were compared with this running? But in this race they that are first, shall be last, and the last first, but in the end they shall be equal when the conversion of the jews, and the fullness of the Gentiles shall kiss one another. SECT. 10. The reasons why the Christians should be so earnest for the conversion of the Jews. The first reason why the Gentiles should love the jews. FIrst, we should love the jews for their good father's sake, Abraham, Isaac, and jacob: David loved Mephibosheth, although he was but a dead dog, 2 Sam. 9.8. for his good father jonathans' sake. So we should love the jews, although they be but as dead dogs, for their father's cause. Reason 2 Secondly, because Christ is come of them according to the flesh, who is blessed for ever. Reason 3 Thirdly, we should love the jews because the Gospel came first from them to us: Peter planted the first Church of the jews at jerusalem, Act. 7. but when there arose a persecution at Jerusalem, the Church of the jews was scattered amongst the Gentiles; then they were like a little leaven which leavened the Church of the Gentiles. Reason. 4 Fourthly, we should love them because they have faithfully kept the Scriptures, and transmitted them to us uncorrupted; Christ saith to them; How read you in your Law? john 8.17. that is, in the Law which was concredite to your custody, they were capsarij ecclesia as Augustine terms them, codicem portat judaeus ut credat christianus. They were like unto a lantern that gives light unto others, but sees nothing itself; they are monitores veritatis, although they were in darkness themselves as Baalam was. Reason 5 Fiftly, because they had such a care of us, when we were out of the covenant; therefore we should have a mutual care of them, being out of the covenant, they say Cant. 8.1. We have a little sister what shall we do for her, so should we say, we have an elder brother, what shall we do for him; Noah prayed of old, that japhet might be persuaded that he might dwell in the tents of Shem, and so did Shem himself, Gen. 9.27. The purpose of the Lord there is to show that cursed Cham should be deprived of all dignity in his father's family, and be but like a slave: there was a threefold dignity of old in the family, first of the Priesthood; secondly, of the double portion; and thirdly, of the private government. Now Noah by a curse takes away all these from Cham, and he bestows all upon Shem, and japhet; he bestows upon Shem the privilege of the Priesthood, and therefore he says Blessed be the God of Shem, and he gives to japhet a large portion of the earth, which we see afterward accomplished by experience, for who enjoyed the largest possessions of the earth? were they not the Assyrians, Chaldeans, Persians, Greeks', Romans, Turks, Sarasenes, and Mascovites? Shem as the Priest of God, prayed for the conversion of these nations japhets posterity so japhets' posterity now pray; that Shem may dwell in their tents and be converted again: the primitive Church prayed much for the establishing of the Roman Empire, because the Antichrist should not come while he who withheld, was taken out of the way, This is while the Roman Empire was removed, who kept down the Antichrist: The prayer of the Church is now, come Lord jesus come quickly, Rev. 22.21. Then we must pray earnestly that the signs preceding might be fulfilled; and this calling of the jews is one of the most notable signs. The conversion of the jews serve much to the completing of the mystical body. Lastly, the conversion of the jews serves much for the completing of the mystical body of Christ, there is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or emptiness in that mystical body, Rom. 11. until the jews be brought in; When Naomi returned home to Bethlehem wanting her husband, and her sons, she said, Plena egressa sum, sed revertor vacua, I went out full, but the Lord hath caused me to return empty, Ruth. 1.21. when the Church wants the jews, it is empty as it were, and they with us make up one perfect body. SECT. 11. How thankful the Jews should be to God for their conversion again. THe Casuistes propound a cause, Lessius de gratitudine. How thankful the jews should be when they are called again. whether they are more bound to God, who stand and have not fallen, than those who have fallen & are restored again by grace; and they show, that they are more bound to God who have fallen & are stored again by grace, than those who have not fallen at all; and the reason is, although the gift of perseverance in innocence of itself be greater, and more to be desired then that gift which is bestowed upon the penitent; yet that gift which is bestowed upon him, is greater than the gift of continency in goodness, and therefore in this respect, Whether they are more bound to be thankful to God, who have not fallen, or those who have fallen, and are restored again. the penitent is more bound to thanksgiving; The penitent before he fell he had the same gift of grace bestowed upon him, which he had who stands, and when the penitent fell, it was not for defect or want of grace, but only because he abused this liberty & freedom, and did not use that grace which was offered to him, and so in the time of his fall he was equally obliged to God with him who stood; for it was a greater benefit to him that the Lord suffered him all the time, and gave him leisure to repent, stirring him up again to repentance, then pardoning him of his sin, and restoring him to righteousness: all these being considered he was more bound to thankfulness, than he that continued still and fell not, for the remission of one sin to a sinner should be highlier thought of, than the hope of life eternal, and the righteousness that others stand in, for as the malefactor when he is delivered from the fire to the which he was adjudged, will no less esteem of that benefit, than a good man would do if a kingdom were bestowed upon him, for the freeing of a man from the greatest evil is even as he should bestow the greatest good upon him: this is the case betwixt the Angels who have not fallen, and man. Whether the jews or Gentiles be more bound to God for offering pardon to them. Now the second case is betwixt the jews and the Gentiles, which of them are most obliged to God in offering pardon of sin to them: Christ clears this by the parable of the two debtors, he to whom most was forgiven, was bound to love most: now if we shall consider the great sins of the jews, and the pardon offered to them, and calling of them to repentance, they are more bound to thanksgiving then the gentiles: Neither can that parable of the forlorn son, and of his eldest brother who stayed at home be applied to the jews and the Christians, although the jews were the elder brother who stayed at home always with their father, and the gentiles the younger brother who went away as the forlorn son. The prayer of THEODORUS BEZA, for the conversion of the jews. LOrd jesus, thou justly revengest the contempt of thy truth, and that ungrateful people of the jews, deserves most severely to be punished, but Lord remember thou thy ancient covenant, and look upon those poor wretches for thy Names sake; and grant (Lord) unto us, upon whom thou hast bestowed such great mercies, that we may daily grow in grace, and that we be not instruments of thy wrath against them, but rather by the knowledge of thy word, and by our holy conversation, they may be drawn to the right way again, and so at last that thou mayst be acknowledged of all nations and people, and may be glorified for ever. Amen. FINIS. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benedictus, qui dat lasso robur, Et cui non sunt vires, ei rubur multiplicat. Perlegi hunc librum cui titulus est tractatus de quadrageminis filijs degeneribus, Atheo, Mago Jdololatra & Judeo, in quo nihil reperio sanae fidei aut bonis moribus contrarium, quo minus cum utilitate publica imprimatur. Tho. Weekes R. P. Episcop. Lond. Capell. domest. Errata. Page 3. line 11. for Acheron read Acharai. p. 113. l. 24. for farthest r. farther. ibid. l. 23. for both r. but. p. 135. in the mar. deal (all lunatics are not daemoniacks. p. 150. l. 6. add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 207. add in mar. (le pi jehova.) in mar. p. 113 l. 22. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 259. l. 14. add (to worship Baal, or to halt betwixt God and Baal) p. 279. l. 20. for or. r. and. p. 319. l. 5. for so, r. Sow. p. 336. l. 13. for (the world is able to contain those books which he wrote, r. (the world could not contain the books that should be written of him) p. 9 l. 21. for john, r. joshua. p. 300. l. 3. for might revenge. r. might not revenge. p. 32. l. 34. for greater, r. great. p. 146. l 1. deal therefore. ibid. l. 13. for circularum. r. circularem.