THE FIRST PART OF THE RESO­LVTION OF RELIGION, DE­VIDED INTO TWO BOOKES, CON­tayning a Demonstration of the Ne­cessity of a Diuine and Super­naturall Worshippe. *⁎*

IN THE FIRST, AGAINST ALL A­theists and Epicures: In the second, that Christian Ca­tholicke Religion is the same in particuler, and more certaine in euery Article thereof, then any hu­mane or experimented knowledge, against Iewes, Mahumetans, Pagans, and other externall enemies of Christ.

MANIFESTLY CONVINCING ALL their Sects and Professions, of intollera­ble errors, and irreligious abuses.

PRINTED WITH LICENCE. 1603.

THE EPISTLE OF THE AVTHOR TO THE READER.

AS amonge all dutyes, and offices of Man, (deare Reader) there is none by infinite inequality, either so ex­cellent or deserued, as that Reuerence and Homage hee oweth to God, his moste Soue­raygne and Omnipotent Prince, in whom all pre-eminences and dignities are contemed, and from whom all benefittes and created prerogatiues are deriued: So among all other sciences and know­ledges of this worlde, none can bee in any degree so certayne and vndoubted, as that worshippe taught and reuealed of the same infinite wisedome and goodnesse which can neyther bee deceaued in him selfe, or bring others into error. Yet the cor­rupt malice and vngratitude of man hath growen great, that at this present our meanest Function and Obligation is not more neglected, and the ve­ry [Page] base, and contemptible things of this life pre­ferred before that Supreame Honour, to which wee are bounde by so manie Titles. And the wilfull blindnes of prophane people reiecting the infallible Rule of Religious causes, and measuring secret & supernaturall misteries by their owne shallow and depraued Iudgments, doe esteeme that moste cer­taine and vnchaungeable veritie of diuine Ado­ration, more doubtfull and vncertaine then recan­ted conceits of humane affairs. Thus hath Man by negligence and malice shewed vndutifull diso­bedience to his Creator, and abused his owne vn­derstanding, and will, so excellent powers of his intellectuall and immortall Soule, feeding the first with errors, and making vnlawfull appetites the obiect of the other: in such order that no sentence is so certayne, but one or other hath called it into question, no paradoxe so incredulous, but some em­brace it, nothing so good, but it hath beene refu­sed nothing so lewd & impious but some men haue approued it. The manyfold euen hundreds of false Religions, that haue inuaded, and now beare do­minion in the world, and the irreuerent and irre­ligious liues of men and practise of al offences, A­theisme, and Epicurisme them selues wil beare me witnes. Some wauering and staggering in fayth, others by this number of errors vncertayne what [Page] to beleeue, and those which make aduantage of such times, to procure excuse to their own impieties either in opinion the dutie of Religion, or in desire wish there were none at all, no God, no Heauen, no Hell, no Immortallitie after death, no pleasure but in filthinesse. Wherefore fullie to satisfie all English Subiects, I haue made demonstration, not onlye of the necessitie of a supernaturall Religion in generall, against all Atheists and Epicures: but by diuers Arguments by which true Reue­rence may be prooued, or error impugned and con­futed, and farre both greater in number and more forcible then can be alleadged, to establish anie er­ror: that onlie Catholike Christian worshippe is the same in particuler, against all enemies as well Iewes, Mahumetanes, Pagans, and other exter­nall aduersaryes, which I will performe with so much more breuitye, by how much I may hope there is lesse need thereof in a Christian Nation: as also against all Heretickes and internall enemies more at large, by aboue an hundred vnanswerable Reasons (as the present occasion more requireth, in which the former Infidels will likewise bee more plainly cōfuted) manifestly conuincing all theyr Sects and Professions of intollerable errors and vn­sufferable abuses, even by the light of Nature, and without all shew or apparaunce of true Reuerence, [Page] hauing no groūde either natural, or aboue nature of such doctrynes, being onelie resolued into the lying & manifest deceitfull, and false inuentions of the deuill and licentious deceauers: and contrariewise euerie Article of that worshippe I defend, by Ar­guments diuyne and humane, supernaturall and by nature, Testymonies of God and Creatures, Attributes, Properties, Offices, Prerogatiues, Endes, Effects, Name, Nature, and signes of true Relygion, and priuiledges of truth, to be the moste certayne knowledge in the worlde, August. lib. 7. confess. c. 10. as cer­taine (to vse S. Augustines example) or more vndoubted then that a man liuing is a liue, or any other manyfest veritie in nature, and resolued vnto the moste faithfull and vndeceaueable trueth of God, whereupon not onlie the whole substance, but euery priuate question thereof is builded. For which cause amongst others I haue named it a Re­solution of Religion, because it is resolued in­to that first and vnfallible veritie, which by no possibilitie can be deceaued. By which proportion in naturall Sciences, Philosophers affyrme those conclusions and arguments to be moste true, which can be resolued to the first principles which cannot be false. And as in practicall and compounded thinges, that composition and potion of Phisicke (to giue example) which as it is composed of diuers [Page] simples in it selfe, is not perfectlie to be discerned, what vertue and operation it hath, but if it be re­solued to those parciculer things of which it is made, and theyr natures and effects declared, the opera­tion of the whole confection is euydentlie prooued: euen so it is in that great and noble Composition of spirituall preseruatyues in Religious causes, as I haue declared. So that no particle or least question of diuine worshippe, though neuer so secrette in it felfe, can haue the least suspition of doubt, beeing resolued into that infinite wisedome. And as all errors, that can be deuised concernyng Religion, are defended by one of these three kindes of people, Atheists, Epicures and Nullifidyans, which de­nie all worshippe: or by externall Infidelles, Iewes Pagans, and Mahumetanes, which although they professe a worshippe, yet they both disalow the true Reuerence, and Christ the author thereof; or by internall enemyes and hereticks, which though they acknowledge Christ for a true Messias, (which lykewise Mahumetes did) and that hee deliuered true Religion; yet they doe erre in the manner of worshippinge in particular: So will I prooue these three conclusions: that there is a Re­ligion to be vsed, against the first; that the Reli­gion which Christ deliuered is true, against the second; and to the third, that Christian Catholike [Page] Religion is the same. In proofe of which Propositi­ons not onlie the true worshippe shall bee inuinci­blie prooued, but all doubtes, difficulties and ob­iections of these misbeleeuers solued and resolued: For which cause also I haue intituled this worke a Resolution. And so I end humblie desirynge all Readers of these books, which by them shall eyther be confirmed in truth, or reclaymed from error, sometimes to vouthsafe to remember in theyr deuoutest pray­ers, the poore Author hereof.

Their Catholike Countrieman. R. B.

THE FIRST BOOKE, OF THE FIRST PART, OF THE RESOLVTION OF RELIGION. PROOVING THE NECESSITY of a supernaturall Worship.

OF THE NAME AND NA­ture of Religion. ¶ CHAP. I.

RELIGION, Isodor. lib. 10. Etimol ca. 17. Cicero de Inu. lib. 2.4.8. August. l. ver. Relig. 10. c. 4. et l. 10. ciuit. 2. cap. 4. amonge other names is so tearmed of the La­tines, either a Relegendo, of of­ten reading, repeating, and rumynating thinges appertayning to diuine Reuerence: or a Reeligendo, of [Page 2] chusing to please God againe by sub­mission, whome by want thereof we had forsaken; or lastlie of Religando, in that we are bounde vnto him by many Obli­gations, both in respecte of excellencies conteyned in himselfe, as benefits be­stowed vpon vs: And after the same pro­portion is tearmed of the Greekes Thres­thia, Iacob. cap. 1. Actor. ca. 26. or Eusebia, a pleasing o [...] God, pietie, and dutie vnto him. And was chara­ctered of the Hieroglyphycall Egiptyans in the same sence, and of the true Religious Hebrewes named Zebach, Leuit. cap. 16.7. ver. 36. Exod. cap. 29. ver. 9. Num. c. 19. a Sacrifice, which is the supreame worship of God, or Chucath bolam, an eternall and euer du­ring statute, or Chucath hatorah, a statute of the lawe, ordeyned by the lawe of God, and euer due to him. And by ge­nerall consent and conceit of all men, of whatsoever profession and estate, Infi­dels, or true beleeuers, Heretickes, or Catholickes, vnlearned, or Philosophers, alwaies vsed for that honour and reue­rence we owe to God, our maker and preseruer.

OF THE ABSOLVTE NECES­sitie of God, and a first cause most ex­cellent, and deseruing Worship and Religion. ¶ CHAP. II.

WHerefore vsing this worde, Religion, in the same sence and acceptance, All people, e­uen Atheists themselues, in time of mise­ry confessed a God and Re­ligion &c. there neuer was (or can be) any nation, people, or particuler person so impious, in gratefull, or irreligious, but if they acknowledged, or confessed a God, supreame gouernour and cause of thinges, from whome they had their being and preseruation (as both Lactan­tius and other learned Authors witnesse, and experience prooueth all Atheists haue done when they come to die and see their owne defects) but they yelded vnto him [...]e religion or other. For although many, or most by their owne demerits and wickednesse, were ignorant of the true felicitie of man, what it was, (hu­mane reason not able to clime so high) yet knowing, which by no possibility [Page 4] they coulde not but knowe themselues to be creatures, and so dependant, must of necessitie acknowledge all their per­fections, how many and excellent soe­uer, to be communicated and deriued vnto them, from a former and indepen­ding cause: so that for gifts and benefits already rece [...]ued, thankes and gratuity, for those that shoulde afterwardes want, submission, prayer, and obsecration, and in regarde of his exceeding dignity and prehemmence, all worshippe and reue­rence were due, The excellen­cy of God the first cause worthy all Reue­rence. and to be rendred. For seeing he, from whome all these thinges were imparted vnto man, must needes be the first, originall, greatest, most per­fecte, and without dependance of any other, and all graces, dignities, and per­fections that be, or coulde be produced in all creatures, that are, haue beene, or by possibility could be created (for such also shoulde be his workes) were to bee obtayned of him, in him also they were to be sounde in a far more eminent and excellent degree: for nothing can giue thay vnto an other, which it hath not in it self, either in the same, or a better man­ner: [Page 5] which must needes be most true in the first, and principall cause; for if this shoulde want the perfections and excel­lencies which be, and were to be made by it, it coulde neither giue them to o­thers, because it selfe should want them; neither obtaine them for it selfe of any o­ther, because it is the first, and can haue no former cause from whome to receaue them. Then seing all those dignities, and prerogatiues of wisdome, bonity iustice, mercy, knowledge, prouidence, immu­tability, eternity, and the rest, for which, faith, hope, loue, reuerence, feare, obe­dience, sacrifice, adoration, or any kinde of honour and worship, is required, are connected & vnited togither, in that one eternal & vnchangeable essence, & not after that limited and participated man­ner, as they be in creatures, but in such an infinite and incomprehensible sort, that the least perfection we can imagine, and conceaue in him, is infinitely grea­ter then all creatures, and their perfecti­ons, (for euery thing in God that is but one most simple and vndeuided essence, is also God infinite and vnmeasurable) [Page 6] all true reuerence and religion, muste needes be due and belonging vnto him; though any man or creature of vnder­standing, coulde be so mad to thinke him selfe a creature, not to be dependant of that most perfect and infinite diuine na­ture. For excellency of it selfe is cause worthy of honour, though there be no farther obligation, or band of reuerence. But let no man thinke, that I intende in this place, to make a formall dispute, to prooue that there is a God, of which, my confidence is, no reasonable creature can be doubtfull. For all Argumentes will be testimony, All creatures in the world, all authorities & euery argu­ment for Re­ligion in this worke proo­ueth a God. and the meanest of so many millions of creatures as bee in the worlde, giue demonstration in this case, and that was euer so vndoubted, and e­uident to all kingdomes, countries, and particuler persons, in all places, times, and generations from the first creation, that neuer any nation, neuer any priuate man, except mad, or franticke with pas­sions, and beastlie pleasures to excuse his filthinesse, in so many thousandes of yeares hitherto, made it a question, and whereof euery Argument of this worke [Page 7] will be a witnesse. But I chieflie con­tende at this time, to vpbrayde the Irre­ligious people of these daies, how vnna­turall a thinge it is for anie reasonable creature, (such as euery man by nature is) to neglect this dutie to his soueraigne King and maker, which is not onely to proclaime himselfe an irreligious and disobedient traytor and rebbell vnto his Creator, but by the least deniall thereof, falsely to affirme there were neyther Creature, or Creator, God, man, or a­ny thing else in the worlde. For since nothing can be made, but of some cause, The necessity of God, to be the first effici­ent cause, and Religion due to him. and in causes an infinite number maie not be graunted, either this first cause of thinges, and religious dutie to him must be confessed, or else wee must say, that nothing is, or can be made: when wee thinke we see the heauens, elements, and so many glorious creatures in this world, we are deceaued, because no such thing is, or can be framed: that we our selues which conceaue such variety, are not, neither doe wee imagine any such thing at all. For if we take that reuerentiall originall, and absolutely independing [Page 8] cause away, nothing either alreadie is, or by possibility can be hereafter. For al­though some haue defended, Magist. 4. dist. 5 Duc. 2. Sent &c. that the power of creation and producing some thinge of nothing, may be communica­ted of God to a secondary cause, yet they say, that in such case, this second agent shoulde onely be an instrumentall cause, which euer remayneth a principall wor­ker, and they alwaies suppose such an one to be communicating that property to the other; for where a principall and communicating cause is wanting, an in­strumentall cause to which such power is deligated, cannot bee, neither by anie power is imaginable. For euery recea­uer, receaueth of some, and there cannot be any thing produced, where there is no power deligate or indeligate, instru­mentall or principall of such production. Wherefore, seeing there be so many mil­lions of thinges, and kindes of creatures, most certainely produced and existing in the worlde, as all our sences are wit­nesses, no man can say these things were made of them selues, for so the same shoulde be, and not be togither, which [Page 9] is a repugnancie in nature: neither of a­ny other former depending cause, for that likewise must haue an other to pro­duce it. Therefore, sith nothinge is made of nothinge by nature, which al­waies worketh in a subiecte and some­thing; nothing of it selfe, nothing of a­ny thing that is depending; and yet so many thinges be in the worlde, and the first of those created effects must bee of nothing (otherwise they shoulde haue former secondary and created causes) and betweene being, and not being, no­thing, and some thing, nothing, and so many thinges as nowe be, there is infi­nite difference and improportion, that cause which of nothinge created all things, of necessity must be infinite, om­nipotent, and illimited, conteyning all goodnesse and perfection, and so wor­thy all reuerence, worship, and whatso­euer homage may be conceaued belon­ging to religion. The preserua­tion of things by God, bin­ding to Reli­gion. And as so many mil­lions and distincte degrees of thinges coulde not in the beginning be created without an infinit, & omnipotent cause, so as well the orderly productions, and [Page 10] generations of all creatures since then, and the daylie and howerly preseruati­on of them, and all those excellencies wherewith they be endued, from falling to corruption, cannot be attributed to any inferiour agent. The continuance and duration of essence and perfection, is as much depending of an infinite and illimited agent, as their first producti­on was: and as in the beginning with­out the worke of that omnipotent cause, they coulde not possibly haue bin made of nothing, as they were, so without the like assistance they woulde in an instant be annihilate, and come to nothing a­gaine. For though we shoulde graunt to all conceited men that euer were, or woulde be accounted Philosophers, that these inferiour thinges be compounded of elementary causes, that they be pro­duced by creatures of their own kindes, men, by men, beastes, by beastes of the same nature, and so of others, that they are assisted of the celestiall bodies, and receaue influence from the heauens, that respiration is from the aire, heate from the fire, and other necessaries from other [Page 11] elements, yet neuer any Philosopher or man of iudgment can bee so absurde in reasoning, but confes that al these things themselues both in production of other creatures, as also in their owne being and preseruance, depende of a former infi­nite cause, and that these as they made nothing in the beginning, but were made and had emanation for themselues of an other, so they cannot either produce o­thers, or themselues continue without like assistance. Therefore in euery least action, duration, or preseruance for eue­ry minute of time, we must of necessity appeale to that first & omnipotent Cre­ator. For no proceeding can be infi­nitely without ende, either in the pro­duction, emanation, or preseruance of thinges: for so all causality and effecting operations should be taken away, and no least effect could be produced. For in ordinate causes the latter dependeth of the former, and all latter causes of some precedent and firste cause, but where there is no beginning, there is no first, & so no causality, & consequently no effect, nothing is, nothing euer was, [Page 12] nothing can be produced or preserued hereafter, all things are already returned to nothing, which is euidently vntrue, therefore that first cause must needes be most honourable, and deseruing all re­uerentiall dutie, One absolute­ly necessary, and indepen­ding essence, which is god, worthye all worship. and submission. More­ouer experience teacheth, that there is an infinit number of things in the world, whose essence and being, is not of neces­sity, but contingent, so that they may, and may not be: and whether they be or no, no absurdity in nature can be con­cluded. For who can say that man (to giue example) or any other creature, is absolute and necessary to be, either in re­spect of himselfe, or any other for their being, or not being? It he be absolute necessary for the beeing of other crea­tures, of necessity those creatures, both in being and preseruation must depende of him, which is euidently vntrue: For if man were not, other things might be, as the heauens and diuers others were before he was created, & if all men were consumed, yet all other thinges might remaine in safety. In respect of himselfe he cannot be named absolutely and of [Page 13] necessity to be, for so he shoulde bee of himselfe, and without dependance of a­ny other, which is euidently false of eue­ry limited and depending thing, such as man and all creatures are. Therefore aboue all depending thinges, and such as be not of necessity, we must at last ar­riue to one, that is of it self absolute & in depending, of which the rest must haue dependance, and to whome religion and duety is belonging, both for that abso­lute and independing preeminence in himselfe, as also that of necessity we de­pende of him.

The same reason ioyned with experi­ence, teacheth, The subordi­nation of thinges by God. &c. there is a subordination in all inferiour thinges, none of them is altogither for it selfe, nothing without some order to an other. In arts and sci­ences belonging to the minde and intel­lectuall powers, there is a subalternati­on. In corporall and bodily thinges the matter is more apparant, the heauens, their motions and influences are not for themselues, but for others, that take be­nefite of their motion, and receaue influx for them; the simple and elementary [Page 14] creatures are for compounded thinges, no compounded thing is for it selfe, but is subordinat: beastes, sowles, fishes, and the rest, are referred to man, man as he is not of himselfe, so much lesse to himselfe can he bee subordinat, and so of euery thing that made not this subordination. Therefore at last wee must come to some excellent thing, which as he appointed this subordination, and of himselfe can be subordinat to none, because he is the first deuiser of this order, so they all must needes bee subordinat to him. God the finall end of all. And when in all orders of things, alwaies that which is the end of others is most per­fect, and no reasonable and intellectuall agents, doe thinges by themselues with­out instrumental causes, or worke by in­struments, and secondary helpes, but to some end and purpose: Then seeing so many intellectuall, eternall, glorious, and admirable thinges of the worlde, coulde not possibly be framed, ordered, or dis­posed of, by any thing inferiour, vnrea­sonable, and not intellectuall: of neces­sitie as the first cause in producing and ordering so many and meruailous de­grees, [Page 15] and estates of creatures argueth both a first cause, and infinite and omni­potent power in him, so in ordeyning them to some ende, that ende muste bee the most perfecte thing, then seeing none coulde be more greater then hee, or equall to himselfe, for his honour and dignity they were created, and hee was, and is their end, because his infinitnesse in power excludeth assistance, his onely immensity in goodnesse and perfection, debarreth all other last and finall ends, and admitteth no companion in equali­ty of perfection. And euery man and creature, is so much more indebted and religed to him, then to any inferiour a­gent, parent, Prince, or potentate, to whome we yeeld reuerence for benefits receaued, by how much his infinit great­nesse, and perfection exceedeth any li­mited and depending thing, and by how much euery effecte is more beholding to the first and vniuersall cause without which absolutely it cannot be, then to a­ny secondary and particuler worker, without which by the power of the for­mer absolutely it may bee produced. [Page 16] But if sence and experience may not bee admitted with these sensuall and beastlie men, Supernatu­rall miracles, which coulde not bee pro­duced by any creature. &c. if no reason can haue allowance with such vnreasonable mindes, and all naturall arguments & demonstrations, and daily experiments must be condem­ned with such vnnatural monsters, if we should grant them al they can demande with so many impossibilities in ordinary & connaturall things, that inferiour cau­ses could worke, without dependance & assistance of the superiour, that no crea­ture is depending either in essence or opperation: that there is no first & princi­pall cause, that chance and fortune (which can be nothing but the acciden­tary concourse or effect of inferiour cau­ses) made all thinges, and whatsoeuer impossibility any foolish and franticke braine can imagine, to excuse their wic­ked and lasciuious liues, Yet thousands of effects which haue beene, and coulde not be by the production of any created cause, must needes condemne them. For all nations and people in the world, Chri­stians, Iewes, Mahumetanes, Pagans, and all estates of men, haue prooued, and must, [Page 17] and doe acknowledge, that infinite, mi­raculous, and supernaturall operations haue beene wrought, which no limited power with all the coniunctions, inclina­tions, aspects, constellations, either of ce­lestiall, elementary, or compounded thinges, which they can deuise coulde possibly doe, hauing no potentiality in them, to effecte the meanest of those strange and meruailous operations, one­ly able to be produced by an omnipo­tent, and infinite agent. And further, to shewe an absolute dominion ouer all creatures, to resist and restraine the most vsuall, and naturall habilities of all infe­riour causes, as the most mooueable hea­uēs, that they did not mooue, but stand, as it were amazed at so great a maiestie, that the greatest planets (which could be commanded of no inferiour agent) haue changed their course and order. The highest, and ascending Element of fire, hath descended euen to punnish the Ir­religious: The Aire, hath denyed respi­ration to creatures: The Waters, in most huge quantities, haue ascended a­gainst their natural propēsity, to dtowne [Page 18] both particuler countries, and the whole world in the generall inundation: The whole earth hath trembled, and all the firmaments, and foundations of the world haue bin mooued at the pleasure of their Creator, which no creature, nor al creatures togither could effect: & yet all countries, peoples, and estates, are witnesses to these thinges. The testimo­ny of all nati­ons & people. Thus we see, all testimonies crie out there is a God, infinite, omnipotent, and independing, which hath effected these thinges. This is the euidence of all creatures, all nati­ons, and kingdomes, all estates, and de­grees of men, Patriarkes, Prophets, Priestes, Kings, Rulers, Princes, Philosophers, Christians, Iewes, Mahumetanes, Pagans, al Rabbynes, Do­ctors, Sybilles, Flamens, Arch-flamens, Calyphes, Brachmans, al that can be cyted for autho­rity, agree in this, that there is a God. This is the sentence & vniforme consent of them all, that disagree so much about his nature, and religion in particuler. Al good men allowe of this, this all impious and wicked haue confessed, except per­haps some fewe priuate men, in so many generations, & times of the world, which [Page 19] drowned in all licentious liuing, haue (to excuse their impieties) rather wished it in will, then affirmed in iudgement: and those also, when they came to death and miseries, as I cited before, Lactant. sup. acknow­ledged it. And to conclude against bar­barous and absurde people with absur­dities, if there is no firste, omnipotent, Absurdities of denying God. &c. and most excellent cause then no religi­on, which is onely due to so great a ma­iesty is to be rendred. Then all nations, and people of the worlde in all generati­ons, and so many thowsands of yeares, that euer professed it were fooles: and one Lucretius, that liued, and dyed mad, or any particuler and beastly man, that (to tumble in filthinesse) would wish so vnpossible a thing, is only wise and holy. If there is no first, absolute, and inde­pending cause, no operation can be effe­cted, nothing is now done, nothing can be brought to passe hereafter, because depending causes cannot worke with­out assistance: so there neither is, or can be any change, alteration, generati­on, or corruption in the worlde, but all thinges must needes returne to nothing. [Page 20] If there is no God, first, and illimited cause, to haue created the worlde, there is no science, knowledge, or facultye in the worlde, there neither is, was, or can be any creature, or the least effecte, be­cause none of these limited and depen­ding thinges, coulde by any possibility bee of it selfe, or any other depending cause. And a thousand such impossible absurdities, which follow this most blas­phemous, and sacriledgeous assertion, ( there is no GOD) if any barbarous and beastlie mouth, durst be so impudent to pronounce it. But this will bee more manifest in many chapters, & the whole treatise following, to the confusion of al enemies to true Religion. For which cause (as also that I hope no man can be so vnreasonably blasphemous to make it a doubt) I passe it ouer more brieflie in this place.

THE NECESSITY OF A DI­uine prouidence towards man, and other creatures ordeyned for him, and his duety to render Reue­rence and Religion. ¶ CHAP. III.

BVT to preuent the prophane, and blasphemous excuses of this impi­ous generation, accusing the infinit wis­dome of God of folly, & challenging his incomprehensible goodnes of improui­dence: If by impossibility thinges could be effected & caused without any cause, The necessity of Gods pro­uidence, for the depen­dance of crea­tures. The vniforme and orderlye course, euen of insensible thinges that can haue no prouidence in themselues. which nature generally reacheth, for a most euident contradiction: yet nothing coulde endure, or be preserued, without the prouidence and protection of an in­depending cause. For duration and perseuerance of second causes, is no lesse depending then their first creatiō. Then how doth that infinit number of things, which this worlde possesseth, endure without corruption? How can so many [Page 22] and diuers creatures, not only wanting iudgment, and reason, for their rule and direction, but all sense and life, obtayne their endes, and remayne in order so in­fallibly as they doe? When by reason we knowe, nothing wanting reason can make comparison, conferre, past, pre­sent, and future times, and things, iudge, and discerne what is danger, what is not, what euill, & to be auoided, what good, and to be followed: or by any possibili­ty either knowe, prosecure, or imbrace that order, and ende, whereunto it is or­deyned. And yet the certaine, order­ly, and indefectiue motions of Heauens, operations of Elements, concourse of causes, and workes of all inferiour and compounded creatures, sensitiue, vege­tiue, and such as haue neither reason, sence or vegetation, vtterly vnable to order and direct themselues, giue teste­mony they are guided by some most pro­uident and carefull workeman, cause, and director of all thinges, caused and directed by nothing, but alwaies hauing from eternity existence, beeing, and all compleate and possible perfection; to [Page 23] whome consequently, all worshippe and homage, euen by that title, and for that preeminence, is to be yeelded. For, as Cicero saith, Cicero l. 3. de Nat. Deor. if it be not possible for a great number of letters, and characters cast to­gither by chance, without any order or disposition of sillables, wordes, and sen­tences to make the Annales of Ennius, or compound any history, or worke of lear­ning, if no man shoulde set them in or­der, howe much more is it vnpossible to beleeue this admirable, and wonderfull worlde, to be made by accidentary con­course, and meeting of thinges togither: Yea such absurde & irreligious Atheists must yeelde, that of necessity in either case there is one first originall, and inde­pending, both to frame and compose, as also orderly to digest both the one and other. For neither could those characters be made or ordered of themselues, or those causes which by chance shoulde constitute the worlde, be, or haue con­currence without a Creator, and former cause of such agreement. For although some Phylosophers with many absurdi­ties defended the eternity of the world, & [Page 24] an infinite number in successiue thinges: yet they all euer graunted, Arist. 2. Met. c. 2. text 5.8. Met. cap. 5. text. 41. Auth. l. caus. c. 1. &c. both a depen­dance, & emanation of them from God, and that it was impossible, an infinite progresse and proceeding, coulde be in essentiall and subordinate causes, such as the superior and inferior, first and secon­dary causes are: for where no beginning of causes could be founde, there no ope­ratiō could either be effected, or begun. And if that coulde by any man be ima­gined, Prouidence ouer creatures as much be­longing to God as their creation. yet of necessity, euen in that infi­nite number of causes one of whome the others shoulde depende, must haue that supreame prerogatiue we assigne to the first and principall cause of thinges, with out which, nothing coulde be either go­uerned or created. Euseb. lib. 3. Praep. Euang. Wherefore, as Eu­sebius teacheth, as in artificiall thinges, (to giue example) an house cunningly & curiouslie builded, and adorned with all kinde of furniture, is an vnfallible argu­ment, that there was a builder and dis­poser thereof; much more doth the mer­uailous excellency, number, order, and beawty of all naturall thinges, in the great, and glorious habitation, & house [Page 25] of the world, giue euidence, that a chiefe Prince & artificer hath made, digested, and still ruleth and gouerneth them. For, (which I prooued before) as to make, is an act of power, and to make and create, where there is infinite impropor­tion, is an euident argument, of an infi­nitely able and omnipotent workeman; so to see so many millions, and innume­rable multitudes of thinges, not able to rule, order, digest, & prouide for them­selues, yet so vniformely without error, so generally without exception, so ma­ny thousandes of yeares, as since the worlds creation (and from eternity, if it shoulde not be created in time) without intermission, to be ordered, ruled, dige­sted, continued, preserued, and proui­ded for, is a manifest demonstration, that they are thus maintayned and gouerned, by some most prudent, good, and inde­fectible cause, which performing that prouidence for the vse of man, man a reasonable creature cannot be so vnrea­sonable and forgetfull of duty, but yeeld vnto him that honour and Religion, which so long and infinite a benefit de­serueth. [Page 26] That an infinite number of thinges besides man are, No creature hath or can haue the ge­nerall proui­dence of thinges. and haue euer in all ages, places, and degrees of things, beene ordered, ruled, and most certain­ly prouided for, no Epicure can deny; euery creature, and euery sence he hath, will bring euidence it is so. That to rule, gouerne, order, direct, and prouide for thinges, and to bring them to their end is an act and onely operation of rea­son & vnderstanding, no man can con­tradict: man is the onely reasonable and vnderstanding creature of this inferiour worlde, he doth not, neither can he, or any limited vnderstanding so certainely, and vnfallibly order, rule, and haue pro­uidence ouer so many millions, infinite, and innumerable thinges: none of them hath reason to order themselues, and most doe want both sence and life, there­fore, seeing there is neither act, power, or potentiality in them, to order & rule themselues, and nothing else can bee as­signed to exercise that vniuersall proui­dence, of necessity it must bee done by that chiefe and vniuersall cause, their first maker, for nothing else can perform [Page 27] it, and their gouernment most properly belongeth to him. No Maker of thinges endu­ed with rea­son, is vnpro­uident of his worke. No Prince that hath wonne, instituted, or otherwise obtay­ned a kingdome, will neglect to rule it, no Soueraigne may bee carelesse of his subiects, no Parent regardelesse of his children he hath begotten, no Artificer, workeman, or cause endued with reason; can be without prouidence of the things and effects he hath produced, although their care and charge require labour, The infinite wisdome and goodnesse of God, cannot but haue pro­uidence of thinges. newe, and daily costes in the agent. Then that God and workeman, whose infinite wisedome cannot alter and repent any worke he hath effected, mislike no ende he hath entended, whose goodnesse can­not be vnprouident or change to things he loued, whose power is omnipotent, whose act is but one and eternall, with whome it is no greater businesse to go­uerne a thousand worldes, then one and the meanest creature, whose vnderstan­ding is so illimited, that nothing can pos­sibly be concealed from him, will not, but take prouidence of man, and al crea­tures he hath created. And as the first creation of al things from nothing, could [Page 28] not possibly be effected, but by an infi­nite and illimited agent, so both the du­ration, and beeing of the same creatures, which is as it were, one continued pro­duction, cannot be maintayned without the concourse of equall vertue, Euent of thin­ges cannot be imputed to the heauens and constellations neither their actions and operations (which like­wise be creatures and dependant) possi­bly be effected, without the same Crea­tor. Neither can any man imagine, how an inferiour & depending cause can be­gin, continue, or perfect any operation, without this prouidence, and assistance of the superiour and vniuersall Actor. And although the heauens and celestiall bodies, hauing a generall influence to inferiour thinges, in that respect are tear­med vniuersall and common causes, in regarde of these lower agents, whose in­flux and actions are more particuler, yet both they are inanimate, and so vnfit for gouernment, and if they be compared to God, the supreame vniuersall cause, they are priuate agents, and howsoeuer they be considered, they are secondary and depending, and can worke nothing with out assistance of their Creator, much [Page 29] lesse can the coniunctions, aspectes, sightes, and constellations of the Pla­nets, onely accidents, which worke no­thing but in vertue of their subiect, bee effectuall of such things. Albert. lib. 1. Phisic. ca. 19. tract. 2. And the Sto­ycks themselues commonly excepted from fatality, the wils and free actions of men, which is sufficient for this cause of Religion, which is their homage. And concerning meaner effectes of honour, riches, wealth, prosperity, death, sick­nesse, and the like, euery day and minute of time cryeth out with experience, that like constellations doe not alwaies, or or­dinarily produce like dispositions and workes: to exemplyfie, was no man in England borne vnder the constellation of our Kings, that none but they enioyed the crowne? Did not all the world bring forth one man, when Clement the eight, and Radulphus were borne, that none o­ther is a Pope or Emperour? And if such Princes before their powers begun, could prohibite others to be borne with them, yet we see that many thousands daiely die with them, whether they will or no, as in so many battailes, wherin hundreds [Page 30] of thousands of all estates, ages, and conditions, differing from those No­bles, haue beene slaine with Kinges. And yet by these mens art, all those that dyed with Kings, should be Kings, all of one age, nature, and condition. Thus many thousands to one it is in their proceedings, (besides all other inuinci­ble reasons) that they are deceaued, and God hath prouidence not onely of hu­mane actions, but all other thinges, be­cause no other cause can rule; then ex­perience telleth vs these thinges are true, and their deuises false. And the same experience is a tutor to euery priuate man, that at all constellations he is of the same liberty of will, to doe, or not to doe; and howe can the heauens and bo­dies more spirituall substances? are they animated that they haue dominion ouer soules? are they omnipotent that they can bring violence to our wils and free­dome? are they exempted from a chiefe gouernours authority and rule, that they can gouerne all? are they God and the first agent, that they are independing, and all depend of them? these bee the [Page 31] absurdities of such people. All authority prooueth the prouidence of God. Besides which all reason and reasonable creatures, An­gels, gloryfied Saints in heauen, and the vnderstandings of all men of equal iudg­ment, confirme it by their sentence: all sencible thinges by their indefectiue or­der approoue it. All insencible creatures simple and compounded, the heauens, elements, and all others by their inuaria­ble courses and proceedings, euer haue ratified it to be so: the meanest creature by the wonderfull composition of parts by which it is composed, and certaine di­rection to come to those ends and perfe­ctions, which for want of science it can­not knowe, giueth euidence in this cause. Example of Gods proui­dence to eue­ry meane cre­ture. Galen l. 3. de vsu part & l. 5. This mooued Galen that prophane and irreligious Phisitian, attributing all to nature, and nothing to the cause and or­dayner of nature, at last (as himselfe is witnes) to acknowledge the prouidence of God ouer these inferiour thinges, and to make a Canticle in these wordes fol­lowing, in honour of our Creator. Here trulie doe I make a song in praise of our Crea­ator, for that of his owne accorde, it hath plea­sed him, to adorne and beawtisie his thinges, [Page 32] better then by any art possible it coulde bee imagi­ned. Therefore, if the prouidence of God is such, to his meane & basest creatures, the common obiects of Phisitians, most busied in bodies and more contemptible thinges, what would be said if we should goe about to comprehende the least of so many [...]housand gl [...]ous creatures in the worlde. What [...]rticuler supernatu­rall prouidence and protection God hath alwaies vsed to his religious ser­uants, aswell whole kingdomes, coun­tries, and priuate persons deuoted to him in religious worship, Chap. 13. will appeare in the thirteenth chapter of this booke, to the confusion of all Infidels and misbe­leeuers. Examples of Gods super­naturall pro­uidence &c. In the meane time (which I will omit that place) let vs take for our example the cry of Hierusalem, so re­nowmed for religious obseruations, vn­der the lawe of Moyses, and the high A­postolicke See of Rome, so famous for true worship since the time of Christ, yet both odious amonge misbeleeuing people, the first to Pagans, the seconde both to them, incredulous Iewes, and Apostating Heretickes of all ages. Con­cerning [Page 33] the first, Gods prouid­ence to Hierusalem beefore the comming of Christ. Gen. 12.15.17.18.3. Reg. 6. let vs passe ouer that mi­raculous prouidence God exercised to­wardes the Israelites his religious ser­uants, inhabitants thereof, from the time of Abraham, to whome he made the promise, to blesse him and his posterity, and take especiall care of that nation, whereof Christ was to descend, vntil the time of building the Temple by King Salomon, which was aboue 900. yeares. Gen 15. Act. 7. Exod. 12. Exod. 5.6.7.8 9.10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17. &c. Porphyr. l. 4. contr. Christ. App. lib. 4. contr. Iud. Ioseph. lib. 4. Antiquit. Arist. lib. 7 [...]. interpret. I will not speake what blessings were be­stowed vpon Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, and their discent, howe miraculously they were multiplyed in Egipt, with what [...] is their mighty enemies were con­founded, their meruailous deliuerye thence, the drowning of their enemies, their strange preseruation, their miracu­lous life and protection in the desert, the more then wonderfull conquests they obtayned ouer so many and potent ene­mies, and other supernaturall fauors, not onely recorded in holy Scriptures, but remembred by other writers, and mani­festly knowne, to many and great king­domes. But to passe these ouer, what coulde be the fame of Hierusalem a city [Page 34] of Canaan, a litle countrie, when it was deuided into so many prouinces, as it was before the Israelytes inhabited it? what man maketh mention of anye ho­nour or glorie it had? but after religion was setled there, how glorious was it to all nations? it was the seate of the Kings, and it was called the Citie of the King of Heauen, 3. Reg. 6. Math. c. 5. the highe Priest, with the greatest Maiestie of that lawe were plan­ted there, Sacrifices were there offered, not onelie Iewes, Act. 2. but Proselytes, and con­uerted Gentyles of all Nations honoured it with theyr accesse and presence, Par­thians, Medes, Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrigia, Pamphilia, Egipt, Libya, Cyrene, Romanes, Cretensianes, Arabianes, and o­thers. How sumptuous & gloryous was the Temple to all Nations, where all thinges were almost made of Golde? Ioseph. l. antiq. Arist. l. 72. in­terpret. how pretious and myraculous (as manie write) were the attyres of the Priestes? how honourable was theyr Oracle and Propitiatorie moste straungely gloriefi­ed with the Presence and Answeres of God himselfe? with what holie Relickes [Page 35] of the Arke, Manna, and others, was it sanctified? to what a mighty nation did that people encrease? what Prophets had they? howe were their ennemies Antiothus and others punished of God? Machab. 1: Esdr. 1.2.3: Arist. supr. Ioseph contr. Appion. 1. Esdr. 1 2.3.4.5 6.7. &c. howe gratious were they to the grea­test Princes? howe miraculouslie were they, their holie City, and Temple, pre­serued a thousand yeares togither? howe were they deliuered from captiuities? howe strangely did GOD mooue the heartes of the mightyest rulers of the Gentiles to honour their sacryfices, and Temple? And when the time was come, Is. 53. Hier. Sybil. apud Lact. 1.2 3.4. diu. instit. D. Tho. 3. p. Ioseph lib. 15.20.7. bell. that their law in the Messias should cease, and they most prophanely had denyed and put him to death, not onely as their owne Prophets, but the Sybils and others among the Gentyles had foretolde, and they falne to such notorious impieties, as their owne Historian Iosephus is wit­nesse, that neuer any nation had come to that degree of wickednesse; yet God ceased not his special prouidence to that people, but gaue them many wonder­full signes for their conuersion. Besides those which the holy Euangelists report [Page 36] of the miraculous Eclips, Math 27. Ioseph. lib. 7. bell. cap 12. quaking of the earth, rending of the rockes, and tearing of the vaile of the Temple, arysing of the dead and others, Iosephus giueth euidence, that in their great festiuity (before their desolution) in the night, there appeared such a light about the Altar and Temple halfe an hower togither, that euery man thought it was day. And at the same time, an Oxe ledde to bee sacrificed, brought forth a calfe in the middest of the Temple, and the East doore of the inner temple made of brasse, and so hea­uie that twenty men could scarcely shut it, beeing locked with strong lockes of iron, and barred with deepe barres let downe into a thresholde of stone, ope­ned of it selfe in the night before the set­ting of the same fierie Chariots and ar­med battailes, Tacitus hist▪ lib. 5. were seene in the aire a­bout the city: and the Priests did heare a voice, saying: Migremus hinc, Let vs go from hence. And (that which is a moste strange testimomy of Gods continued prouidence towardes them) on Ihesus son of Anani, Ioseph. lib. 7. bell. cap. 12. foure yeares before the warre began, when the City was in great pros­perity [Page 37] and peace, vpon the suddaine in their festiuall day, began to cry in these wordes. A voice from the East, a voice from the West, a voice from the foure windes, a voice vpon Hierusalem and the Temple, a voice vpon newe married husbands, & newe married wiues, a voice ouer all this people. And this day and night going about all the streetes of the city cryed, and although he was chasti­sed for this cry, yet he neither spake any thing for himselfe or against them that punished him, but still continued cry­ing the same wordes. And beeing led to the ruler of the Romanes to bee pun­nished, and his flesh torne to the bones with blowes, he neither entreated fauor, or once wept, but at euery blowe ben­ding downe, pittifully viterred this speech: Woe, woe to Hierusalem, and neuer gaue ouer mourning for the miserable city, and still complained in these words, Woe, woe to Hierusalem. And thus he con­tinued seauen yeares, and fiue moneths, but principally vpon the festiuall dayes: vntill at the time of the siedge go­ing about the wall, hee cryed out with his lowdest voice, Woe, woe to the City, [Page 36] [...] [Page 37] [...] [Page 38] and Temple, and People, and at last also hee ad­ded, Woe also to my selfe, and was presently killed with a stone, throwne from the ennemies, hitherto bee the wordes of Iosephus, liuing amonge them at the same time.

Gods prouid­ence to the A­posto [...]ique See of Rome.And concerninge Rome, where the Pope and high priest of Christians is re­sidēt, how vnprobable was it in humane iudgement before S. Peter a poore fisher came thither, Sibil apud lact lib. diu. instit. that the prophesie of Si­billa ( the Fishers hooke shoulde conquer the Ro­mane Empire) shoulde be fullfilled. Was not Christ his master put to death by that authority? was not he himselfe crucified by the same, and all his successors vnto S. Siluester, thirtie in number, eyther actu­ally put to death, or most grieuously per­secuted? were not Christians at that time without any friend or fauourer? were not the Romane Emperours the most potent of the worlde, and ruled all places? did not the persecuted Popes preach Christ crucified, pennance and great austerity to the eares of licentious Gentiles? And yet we see that the prophesie of Sibilla was performed, and the especiall prouidence [Page 39] which Christ promised to his holye A­postle and his successors, that theyr faith should not faile, that it should conquer all enemies, that the gates of hell should not preuaile against it, is miraculouslie effected, and still continued to that ho­ly See. Epist Apol. I haue shewed in my Apologicall Epistle, how all the Pagan Princes of the worlde, one time or other were opposed againste it, but they were confounded. How many Infidell and Pagan Empe­rors persecuted it, but they were punish­ed, and it preuailed: manye hereticall Emperors plagued it, but they were con­founded, diuers wicked Christian Em­perours and Kinges, both in Englande and other nations afflicted it, yet it con­quered them, howe often it was sacked and spoyled by Gothes, Vandals, Saracens, Immbardes, and others, yet it flourished still: that hath beene infested with ma­ny schysmes, Bernard. Lute. Catal. haeret. Casp. Vlenb. 22. caus. and assaulted by aboue 400. sects of heretickes before Luther, and yet condemned them, and yet at this time warreth against almost 300. knowne he­resies, and yet it is more glorious and re­nowmed nowe, after 1500. yeares, then [Page 40] euer it was before, and dilated farther by many degrees (daylie encreasing) then euer any other regiment spiritual or tem­porall was, and not subiecte to the least suspition to be overthowne hereafter. And no man can make other reason of these thinges, then the extraordinary prouidence of God, to that holy place, the enemies it hath, and euer had, bee more, and more mighty, then euer any city fought against. It vseth not tempo­rall armour against them. The souldi­ours, and Captaines it vsed, were vnar­med with corporall weapons, their con­quest ouer their enemies was by suffe­ring themselues to be killed. That which they taught was vnpleasing to potent Princes against whome they warred, and carnall mindes with whome they fought. That which they laboured to ouerthrow, and did destroy, was liberty, and things tending to delight, and yet that hath vanquished, and daylie is more glorious and triumphant, the other perish, and become more contemptible. Who will not say but these thinges proceede from God, and his most holy prouidence and [Page 41] protection to that Religious Apostolicke See? Miracles. And thus I might exemplifie in other thinges. I will passe so many thou­sands of miraculous operations, whereof the whole worlde can witnesse, & which coulde not be effected by any limited or created power, I haue spoken of them al­ready, and must entreate them as well in diuers chapters of this booke, Cap. 10.11.13. infr. as also more largely hereafter, against internall enemies and whereof euery Argument I shall alleadge for true Religion to God our chiefe gouernour giueth witnesse, Part. 2. Resol. Arg. miracl. therefore it needeth no more euidence in this place. Onely I will conclude, eue­ry creature in the worlde, euery parte, member, organe, quality, act, or opera­tion it hath, is a demonstration in this case: God himselfe, ordinarily and su­perordinarily doth witnesse it, all reaso­nable, and vnreasonable thinges in their sence affirme it. The heauens, The generall and vniforme consent of all countries and people. all sim­ple, and compounded thinges, giue in­uincible proofe it is so.

This is the sentence of all Nations, Countries, Schooles, Cities, Townes, and people, Catholickes, Heretickes, Iewes, [Page 42] Pagans, Hist Eccl. Eus. Niceph. Bed. &c. Alcaron Mah. Thalmud. Iud. Petr. Maff. hist Indic. &c. Brachmans, Mahumetanes, all Chri­stian & Panym Philosophers, late, aun­cient, of all ages and places agree in this. None but beastly men, (whose opinion is no authority to excuse their filthines) deny it, and they rather in voluptuous desire wishing, then in iudgment affir­ming it. Obiections of Epicures an­swered. Neither let them alleadge what multitudes of errors about religion in particuler, are, and haue reigned in the worlde: for as these errors are to be im­puted to the wickednesse of the authors from whome they proceede, so such great contention for that cause is an euident argument of worshippe, and the dig­nity of true Religion, otherwise euerie man woulde not contende and make claime vnto it, with so great daunger to himselfe, and contempt of others. And the causes of their complaint, that errors and sinnes doe reigne, proceede from their owne and such mens impious de­merits, and are no more to bee imputed to God, which neither can, nor will de­ceaue, or be cause of sinne, then the wil­full ignorance of a peruerse scholer, to a learned and painfull master, or the diso­bedience [Page 43] of a wicked childe or subiect to vertuous Parents and Princes. Cap. 2.3. sup. That God is free from inducing or leading into errors, is euident already by that most excellent goodnesse, which I haue shewed to be in him. And that he hath deliuered so certaine & infallible means for euery man to knowe the truth, that (except wilfully) we neede not erre, Lib. 2. & part. 2. Resol. I wil demonstrate by inuincible Arguments hereafter, as also prooue in particuler a­gainst all Infidels, Iewes Pagans, Mahumetans, Lib. 2. cap 6. part. 2. Resol. Arg. 5.6. &c. and all sorts of heretickes, that their er­rors and proceedings in them are so ma­nifestly false, that they cannot be excu­sed from wilfull ignorance: And that the order of Catholickes true beleeuers is so certaine, that they cannot be decea­ued. And to ease this irreligious peo­ple of all complaints against the oppres­sions, tribulations, and persecutions of the godly, & prosperities of the wicked, I will shewe that such obiections against Religion, are a manifest conuiction of a diuine reuerence, Cap. 12.13.14. infr. and howe the tempo­rall fauourers, and preferments of the Religious, did alwaies exceede the ho­nours [Page 44] of the vngodly. Cap. vlt. pe­nult. Seq. And to giue them that they seeke, I will prooue, if by impossibility there shoulde bee no Reli­gion, nor God, no immortality after death, yet that the state of the professors of worship euen in this worlde, is farre more glorious, honourable, and plea­sant, then of Epicures, and irreligious men.

THE NECESSITY OF RELIGION, to obtaine the Immortall and Supernaturall end, for the immortall Soule for man which can neither haue any end in this life, or perish possi­bly with death. ¶ CHAP. IIII.

WHerfore though wee shoulde become such great Politickes, & so fully possessed with selfe loue & de­light in religious affaires, that we woulde vse no reuerence or worshippe, but for our owne aduantage, yet we cannot but [Page 45] performe this reuerentiall duety, especi­allie when we enter into reckoning with our selues, how many and often helps & succours we want, necessary to that end whereto wee were ordayned, and that which we moste desire, the better & im­mortall portion of mans soule, The ende and felicity of man cannot bee in this life. not ha­uing perfection in this worlde, and yet must receaue it from God: For no cor­porall or corruptible thinge of this life is able to satisfie and giue rest to the greedy vnderstanding, or vnpleaseable appetite of our resonable & incorruptible parte, neyther was there anie Philosopher, Cicero Tus­cul. quest. et paradox. or student of nature able to finde here the end and felicitie thereof. For by felicitie and happinesse all men, alwaies did, and doe vnderstand such an estate, as is de­uoided of all euill, we woulde eschewe, and abounding with all good we woulde wish; for as Aristotle saieth, Aristot. lib. [...]. ethic. cap. 1. that is Blessed­nesse, which all men and all thinges doe seeke, and desire. Which estate and de­gree neuer any man yet, howe muche so­euer befrended of this worlde, coulde taste in this life; but whatsoeuer they ei­ther founde for themselues, or deuised [Page 46] for others, it was not so durable, plesant, good, or perfect, but it wanted one thing or other, wee might wishe to haue: or brought with it somthing vnstable, vari­able, tedious, troublesome, painfull, or vnpleasant, which a mā in reason might iust­ly craue to want; as manifestly appeareth, not only in the general conditions, Arist. sup. c. 8. which the Philosopher by light of nature requi­reth to the blessednes of man, but in ho­nor, riches, knowledge, delight, or other pleasure, which any sect of Philosophers, Accademicks, Peripatetickes, Stoickes, or Epi­cureans in particuler appointed for hu­mane felicitie. Wherefore seeing such a condition and estate of happines cannot be found in this life, and euery thing one time or other enioyeth his end and felici­tie, of necessity this end and happines of man, must be obtained after death, and receaued of God by duty to him, as also all necessary helpes, & dispositions there­of, all reuerence and religion must needs be done vnto him by man, in a more high degree then of any other creature, not or­dayned to such a supernaturall, and eter­nall ende, And this no Epicure, howe [Page 47] much soeuer brutishly blinded in de­light, The vnreaso­nable, absur­dities of Epi­cures, and de­niers of the soules immor­tality after death. or malitiouslie iniurious to the per­fection of humane nature, can deny. For if he alleadge no reason for his impious and irreligious minde, then no man can be so foolish to beleeue him: If he pre­tende any shewe of reason, how weake or feeble soeuer it is, thereby he ouerthrow­eth that by his owne reason and vnder­standing, which his licentious and bru­tish will laboureth to builde. For rea­son & iudgment beeing operations on­ly of the intellectuall part of mans soule, as immediate cause, and not depending of the sensible phantasie, or any corpo­rall, or organicall instrument, (for ney­ther a tree, or any vegetatiue thing, or a dogge, or any sensible creature, can rea­son, argue, or dispute of thinges) shoulde be a manifest demonstration, that soule which is endued with those habilities, to be independing of the body, spirituall and immortall, liuing for euer, and so to haue felicity after death, Deniers of the soule immor­tality deny themselues to be men. for attayning whereof, a Religion and worship is due to God. Therefore euery one knowing himselfe to be a reasonable creature, no [Page 48] man can possibly call the other in questi­on, except first he woulde doubt whe­ther he be a man, whether hee hath rea­son, iudgeth of thinges past, present, and to come, compareth one thing with an other, argueth, and disputeth of causes and effects: for, as both reason, and all learned Philosophers teach, Mercur. trism. in Aescul. plat. &c. Arist lib. 1. an. text. 20. lib. 2. an. text. 22. l. 12. met. text. 17.1. e­thic c. 11. &c. The powers of the soule in satiable in this life. that soule, which hath these independing operati­ons, must needes be separable from the body and immortall.

Let vs adde the vnsatiablenesse of the same faculty, whome all the science, and knowledge of this worlde cannot con­tent; and the naturall inclination it hath to knowe the causes of such effects, as it findeth in this life, and cannot: that vn­answerable appetite, and propension of the will, which neuer enioyeth enough of the thing it loueth, but desireth more: that liberty and freedome it hath, The absolute regiment of the reasonable powers ouer the sensible & inferior. com­manding all sensible powers, and facul­ties, either to exercise, or suspende their operations, prescribing, dooing or not dooing of thinges, and effecting the will, and election of itselfe, howe vrgent soe­uer the repugnant sensible appetites and [Page 49] desires bee. Then how can anye man i­magine that power to be dependinge of the bodie, which in it chiefest operations is dependinge thereof, but euidentlye sheweth Superioritie ouer all corporall and sensible passions, and suggestions, that it can rule & bridle them as it plea­seth, in such sorte, that no foote can goe, no eye can see, no member, organe, or sensible power is able to execute any fun­ction, if the will forbiddeth. Vertues & spi­ritual qualities of man cannot be subiected in a Corporall and Mortall Subiecte. Or what E­picure can be so mad to affirme so many spirituall vertues as Religion, faith, hope, reuerence, feare, iustice, & such others, which all men at one tyme, or other in some degree finde in themselues, to bee subiected in a corporall or corruptyble power? The consci­ence and internal experience euen of the Epicures. Or is there any of this schoole of impiety, but their conscience and vnder­standing telleth them, that sinne is not to be comitted, and when they haue sin­ned, accuseth them as guiltie of trans­gressinge the lawe of God, whom they haue offended, and consequently whom they are to worshippe, & reuerence. Of which St. Paule, in the lighte of nature speaketh in these wordes, 1 when the Gentiles [Page 50] which haue not the lawe (of Moyses & Christ) naturally doe those thinges, that are of the lawe, the same not hauinge the lawe, themselues are a lawe to themselues: whoe shewe the worke of the lawe written in their hearts, their conscience gi­uing testimony to them, and amonge themselues their thoughts accusing, or also defending.

The chiefest operations of the soule, in­dependant of the body.And although the vnderstandinge in diuers first operations, craueth aide from the imagination: yet in many other no­ble acts thereof, it is independing: as in the iudgement of spirituall thinges, and the vse of free will, which no sence, corporall organe, or facultie was euer a­ble to produce. For betweene euery o­peration produced, the cause which pro­duceth it, and the obiect and matter that is considered, there must bee a due and correspondent proportion. No vegeta­tiue power hath sence, no sensitiue facul­ty can argue, or conceaue immateriall thinges. And yet we see, that the vn­derstanding of man is so farre from bee­ing wholy assisted of the body in these o­perations, or to be hindred by separation from it, that experience teacheth, when it is vnited to this corruptible body the [Page 51] actes of the reasonable parts of the soule be more perfect, The princi­pall acts of the soule more perfect, when most abstra­cted from the body. by how much they are more abstracted, and independing of the body; as is euident in the exercises of all studyous and contemplatiue men, and in some aged and decayed bodies, when the soule hath lesse dependance, when the vegetiue, and sensitiue Organes are enfeebeled, and not able so well to ex­ercise theyr naturall operations, when neyther Generation, Augementation, Heareinge, Seeing, or other such pow­ers remaine: yet often times when these thinges are nearest corruption, or cor­rupted, the Vnderstandynge, and Im­morrtall powers of the soule are moste perfecte, expectinge a future ende and felicitie.

So lykewise it appeareth when wee consider that exellencye of the vnder­standinge, The reflected actes of mans soule. aboue all Sensitiue Creatu­res: howe it is ennabled not onelye to vnderstande all other things, how eleua­ted soeuer aboue sence and imagination, but to reflecte and ponder vpon it selfe, and the other powers of the soule, will, ond memory, and those also ouer them­selues. [Page 52] For not only the vnderstanding vnderstandeth, and knoweth it selfe to knowe, and vnderstand, or that the will doth wish and desire, or the memory re­membreth; but the will it selfe is refle­cted vpon it selfe, willing it selfe to will, and the memory aboue it selfe, remem­bring that it did remember; which is im­possible for any corporall, or sensible and corruptible power to doe. The hearing, heareth not it self to heare, the foote can­not set it selfe, and treade vpon it selfe, and so of others.

The continu­all & contra­rie Combats of the resona­ble soule and sensible pow­ers.The continuall combats and disagree­ments, which the reasonable parte maintaineth against the sensible and corporall motions, which is not in brute and sensi­tiue thinges, (For where all is like, there can be no dislike and contention, which groweth from vnlikenes and contrari­etie) those so often and vrgent feares of spirytuall domages, belonginge to the soule, and to happen after death, and the hope of eternall pleasures then to be enioyed, which euery man prooueth to exceede his corporall feares and bodely delights, giue euidence in this case.

[Page 53]Then those so manie and Immortall Powers of the soule must haue their end: The immortal powers of the soule, which cannot be in a Mortall Sub­iect, demon­strate the soule to be Immor­tall. and seeing the natures of thinges and their powers & properties must agree, & be of the same order, that substance of the soule which hath immortall and euer during properties and operations must be immortall: for by no possibility where the subiect or substance is mortall, the properties and qualities of that substance can be immortall; for properties and ac­cidents, must haue some thing wherein to be subiected and receaued; and those properties, that be immortall, an immor­tall subiect. For properties and quali­ties, be euer the properties of some thing to which they are belonging: Therefore as those operations which the soule exer­ciseth only by dependance of the bodie, and corporall organes, as to eate, to walke, to growe, to heare, to smell, and such other vegetatiue and sensible wor­kes, are an argument, that soule which onely hath these works to perish with the body, as the liues of Plants, Herbes, Birdes, Beastes, and Fishes doe, because they wholy depend of that body, which [Page 54] doth perish: euen so the operations of the soule of man, which are indepen­ding of the bodily helpe, demonstratiue­lie argue, the separabilitie thereof, and so duration for euer. For that vvhich is intellectuall, and spirituall, cannot bee corrupted of anie corporall, or na­turall agent: Neither hath it originall of decaye in it selfe, but is altogither without contrarietie, and repugnance. And beeinge one simple, spirituall, and incompounded substance, it must needes bee immortall after death, and haue an euerlasting felicitie. Euery kind of creatures ex­cept man hath an end in this life. For the infinite wisedome of GOD, vvhich coulde not constitute the leaste crea­ture, or doe anie thinge, but to some ende, hath assigned a certaine state, and place, vvherein euerye creature findeth center, and rest, where they enioye and preserue their perfection, as the Element of Fire aboue the vp­permost Region of the Ayre, because it is highest, the Ayre in his Regi­ons, as the Nature thereof requireth, the heauier thinges, Water, and Earth, in their lower elementary places, and [Page 55] so of all other creatures: and yet hi­therto neuer anie man, howe much so­euer beholdinge vnto nature, could [...] finde in earthly thinges, a center, and place of rest: for the immortall appe­tites, and faculties of his soule, where­fore by no possibility, his beatitude can bee in this vvorlde. For although wee admitte in other creatures, that all of euerye kinde obtayne not their ende; yet to saie that none of anye sorte doe finde it is euidentlye vntrue. Then to affirme that amonge so many mil­lions of men, so excellent creatures, not one shoulde haue his ende and hap­pinesse, were to take all wisdome, good­nesse, and prouidence from GOD, and argue him of ignorance, and in­iustice; especially when wee often see wicked men in this worlde, not onely to liue vnpunished, but to bee exaulted with honor, and passe their time in plea­sures; and the most holy and vertuous, to liue in misery, and to be afflicted with all aduersities; which the infinite good­nesse of God woulde not doe except af­ter death he had appointed punishment [Page 56] for the one, and a beatificall rewarde for the other: for of it owne nature ver­tue is honourable, and sinne deserueth punishment. For if there be no religion due to God, but the soule of man is mor­tall and dieth with the body, his end must be assigned in this life, as it is in beastes, & other creatures, & must consist in cor­poral and temporal delightes. Then can­not humilitie, sobriety, temperance, ab­stinence, patience, virginity, chastitie, pennance, prayer, contemplation, and other confessed vertues, which be oppo­site enemies, and a full priuation, of bo­dely, and sensuall pleasures, be accoun­ted vertues, leading to a mans felicity, when they directly depriue him of his su­preame beatitude? Or how could pride, ambition, oppression, couetousnesse, drunkennnesse, theft, rapine, adultery, and all vncleane wantonnesse of sensua­lity, and other voluptuous sinnes bee so esteemed, when they shoulde be the on­ly perfection, and felicity of man? which the very heroicall conceit (if there were no other argument) of euery one not drowned in beastlinesse will affirme. [Page 57] For there is not one, but in reason would scorne to chuse such thinges for his Sum­mum bonum and felicity. And yet that which is true happinesse, neither is, nor can be contemned of any, but greedely sought and deserued of all, as a most per­fect state, where all thinges to be wished are present, and all thinges to bee auoy­ded absent. To which not only al pow­ers, properties, actes, and operations, of the reasonable soules of men, when they were vnited with their bodies, Seperated soules. but many and great numbers of soules after their seperation, haue testified and giuen infallible euidence, to thousands of cre­dible present witnesses. For if the soule be not separable, it coulde not remayne, either by it selfe after separation, or bee vnited againe to that bodie it had first enformed: because in the separation it were to be dissolued, and perish: neither coulde any newe soule, bee produced in those bodies, no disposition or potentia­lity beeing left in them for such produ­ction. Take this away, and not only the nature of euery particuler man is destroi­ed, but all Communities, Kingdomes, [Page 58] Commonwealths, Societies, Townes, Ci­ties, Families and ciuill estates, which e­uer practised reuerence and cannot con­sist without Religion, are ouerthrowne. All Testimonyes, All scriptures and Reuelations of God in holye Scriptures, are to be reie­cted. Those sacred writings, approoued by so many miraculous kind other Argu­mentes, as I will alleadge in my next chapter, that by no possibillitye, they coulde bee vntrue, are not to bee re­garded. Then can anye man become so traiterous, and disobedient a Rebell to his Creator, so enuyous a persecutor of his owne dignitye and preferment, so malitious an enemye and opposer of himselfe to all creatures, to giue so great attendance and homage to shorte and brutishe pleasures, to liue as thoughe there were no God, to whome he ought duty, and religion, no felicity after death, no be atitude for man, but as beasts en­ioy? If this opinion be false (as infinite testimonies prooue it to bee) then hee is sure to be damned for euer, if it shoulde bee true (as GOD and all creatures and that man himselfe in iudgement [Page 59] denyerh) yet he hath gayned no more then other brutish creatures haue done, and that which a reasonable man would not accept.

THE TESTIMONIES OF AL HO­ly Scriptures, for all thinges belonginge to Religion: and theyr moste certaine and infallible Authoritie. ¶ CHAP. V.

WEE will adde to these naturall Testimonyes, of all reasonble creatures, the Supernaturall Witnes of the Creator himselfe, registred in holie Scriptures, where not onely the Infinite & Omnipotent Maiesty of one Immor­tall, & Incomprehensible God, his pro­uidence ouer all creatures, extraordina­rie protection to his religious seruants, the Immortallitie and euerlastinge bles­sednesse of the soules of men, and their duety, & religion to God in generall are sett downe: but the very particuler man­ner [Page 60] and means of worshippe, and things belonginge to adoration are recorded for all peoples instruction. The vndoub-Authoritie of holye Scrip­tures. And let not any prophane Atheist or Irreligious monster take exceptiō against them, or any one of those moste holy and sacred writings: it is not the condemned sentence of anie I­dolatrous Gentile, Antiquitie. beastlie Epicure, Dia­goras, or Atheist, or Apostating hereticke, which all Iudgements, and Generations haue disalowed, that can call those vn­doubted mouments of the will of God into question. Iren. lib. 1. ca. 20.22.29. Epiphan haer. 66. Euth part. 2. panopl. tit. 23. cap. 1. Anton. p. 4. tit. 11. cap. 7. Be [...]gom. hist in Di [...]g. Genebr. Chr. lib. 1. Shall the Simonians, Basili­dians, Bogomites, or any heretickes that li­ued thousandes of yeares after they were written, make them doubtfull, because they bee contrarye to his corrupted de­sires? when they haue so manie generati­ons of the moste renowned countries and peoples against them? shall it be lawfull for Diagoras the first Athiest, which liued thousandes of yeares after those thinges which be entreated in them were effect­ed, onelie reiect them because they wit­nes a God, and worshippe to him, which all the worlde, and all kingdomes before and after him euer beleeued? shall anie [Page 61] Pagan Idolater be receaued to disgrace those Sacred Testimonies, when their su­perstitions are so late in respecte of that worshippe, which they handle? Ioseph. lib. 10. contr. Appi. Lactant. lib. 1.2.3.4. diu. inst. Eus. in Chron. for as Io­sephus doth demonstrate againste Appion the Pagan, and Lactantius, and other a [...] ­prooued Authors are euidence: moste parte of the things recounted in the olde Testament were done before many of the Panime Gods were borne: and the last writers of holy Scriptures, Esdras, Aggeus, Zacharie, and Mallachie, were before most of the heathen Historians. Euphemer. mess. in gene­al. Deor. Cicero nat. Deor. Lactant. lib. 1.2. diu. insstit. Abraham as the Gentyles themselues acknowledge was long before any of their gods were extant: the eldest of theyr poets were not before Salomon, which was aboue 900. yeares af­ter Abraham. And Moyses himselfe was much more auncient then Ceres, Vulcan, Mercury, Apollo, Aesculapius, Casior, Pollux, Hercules, and other their feigned Gods, and both concerning those thinges hee recorded before, from the first creation vnto his time, he prooued them with so many miracles, Actaban. hist. Iud. polyhist. hist. Eupol. &c. that coulde not bee vn­true, that he was taken for God, and ac­counted a wonder of the worlde. The [Page 62] reason why the Pagans receaued not those holy Scriptures, was, because they prescribe a more seuere Religion, then their licentious mindes allowed, and o­uerthrowe the corporieties, pluralities, and such impossible mutations which they allowe in diuinity, which all reason knoweth to be ridiculous. And yet be­sides the mighty Persian Emperours, Cy­rus and Darius, 1. Esdr. 1 2.3.4.5.6 7. &c. Arist. lib. 72. interpret. 3 Reg 5. Sybil. apud Lactant. l. 2.3.4 5. diu. instit. D. Tho. 3. p. Gra. de Simb. Ioseph lib. 1. antiq. Eus. lib 9. praepar. cap 4. Nicl l. fraud. Artab hist. Iud. Polyh. hist. Iud. Arist l. de Iob Thalmud. Alcoron. Arist. l. 72. intr King Ptolomy, Aram, and others, that honoured the Israelites, their holy lawe, and Testament, not only the Sybils, and other for prophesie most renowned among those Pagans, con­firme the thinges that bee entreated in them. But many others of the greatest account, as well among them, as in later ages: as Melo, Eupolemus, Trismagistus, Leo­demus, Aristeaeus, Artahanus, Nunenius, Pi­thagoras, Alexander Polyhistor, Appion, Por­phiry, Saconeathan, Berosus, Caldaeus, Ierom­mus Aegiptius, Nicholaus Damascenus, Aby­denus, many monuments in the late dis­couered worlde, Mahumet, the whole Si­nagogue of the later Rabbines, all Iewes, and Turkes (of Christians there is no doubt) giue testimony to those thinges, that bee [Page 63] recorded in those holy writings. Ioseph lib. 10. cont. Appion. App l. 4. cont Iud. Porphyr. l. 4. cont. Christ. Ioseph. lib. 1.2. antiq. Orph. in car. Iustin. Martyr Orat. ad An­ton. pium. Dion hali [...]. lib. 4. Of Iewes and Mahumetanes there is no difficulty al­lowing the bookes of the old Testament, which is enough for my purpose nowe to prooue a God, and Religion, so religi­giouslie commended in that lawe. For the Gentile Pagans, I haue cited their most auncient, and to exemplyfie in one of their first: Orpheus had those sacred bookes, and the misteries recorded in them in highest esteeme, and plainely both affirmed that they were most aunci­ent, and deliuered by God himselfe, his wordes (when he had cited many things from thence) are these.

Priscorum haec nos docuerunt omnia voces,
Quas binis tabulis Deus olim tradidit illis.

The voices of ancients haue taught vs these things, which GOD deliuered to them in two tables. Coulde Moyses (if he were aliue againe) to whome these tables were deliuered, speake more plainely? And the testimo­ny of the Sybils were so manifest herein, that it was made death by the Pagan lawes, to reade their bookes. And At­tilius himselfe Duum vir, one of the two principall men, to whome their custody [Page 64] was committed, only because hee wrote them forth, was sewed into a sacke and cast into the Sea.

The holines and excellen­cie of the wri­ters of holie Scriptures a­boue all other writers.If we make comparison betweene the writers of holy Scriptures and Diagoras, and such Atheists as woulde deny them, or the Panym Philosophers, though wee single them forth that were accounted best, there is no semblance of proporti­on. The Prophets and writers of holy Scriptures, were most holy, and a spe­ctacle of sanctity to all generations, and many of them dyed, Hebr. 11 &c. Plato ep. 13. ad Dionis. for defence of those thinges they committed to writing. Ma­ny of the Phylosophers were of such fil­thy liues, that their sinnes are not to bee named, and their errors intollerable, and their chiefest men (as themselues ac­knowledge) did not as they did beleeue, beleeuing one God with Scriptures, and seruing Idols, as Plato to Dyonisius giueth plaine witnesse of himselfe.

Efficacie of the doctrine in holie Scrip­tures.If we consider the efficacie of the do­ctrine of those holy writers, although they entreated of harde, most difficulte, & vnpleasing things to sensuall mindes, and the Pagan Philosophers of pleasing [Page 65] and delightfull thinges: yet the austere doctryne of them hath almoste conuer­ted the whole worlde to liue as they be­leeued, and these philosophers could ne­uer yet allure one Kingedome, or Citie, euen to thinke only as they taught. And yet (as I wil proue herafter) they haue at­tempted it by all meanes they coulde. Lib. 2.1. pa [...] Resol. The wonder­full consent in all things of al writers of ho­ly Scriptures.

If we talke of consent, or disagreement in Wrighters: (vpon which in matters of Authoritie, Trueth or Falsehoode, may easilie be concluded:) No man is igno­rant that not only all Pagan & prophane Historians disagree amonge themselues, and all Philosophers of the diuided Sects of Stoicks, Peripateticks, Accademicks, and Epicures, but the professors of euerie of these sectes were at warre among them­selues, and yet they entreated onely of naturall things, proportionate to hu­mane capacitie: contrariewise, not onlie the sacred histories of Scriptures agree, but all theyr Writers, Prophets, Priests, Euangelists, and Apostles agree in one, without any leaste difference or variance in doctrine, and yet they all entreate of matters Supernaturall, and aboue the [Page 66] reache of mans reason. Wherefore, I conclude in this Argument, when so many holie writers, as moyses, Dauid, Esdras, Ie­remie, Ezechiell, Dani [...]ll, Zachary, Malachie, S. Mathew, Marke, Luke, Iohn, Peter, Paule, Iames and others, were so diuided in time, seperated in place, as Egipt, Hierusalem, Ba­bilon, Rome and others where they wrote, so distinct in natures, and naturall con­ceits, and iudgementes, as all men are, and yet in so many bookes as the Scrip­tures conteine: and in so manie superna­turall misteries agreed vniformely toge­ther, without the leaste dissent or contra­diction: this Direction must needes pro­ceed of God, The miracu­lous translati­on, and preser­uation of scriptures. Arist. lib. 72. interpret. who penetrateth al things, and cannot lead into error. When I see so miraculous agreement in the 72. that by the appointment of Kinge Ptolomy of Egipt, translated the olde testament, recorded by enemies, and like assistance in later handlers of those sacred workes: & farther consider, how in so many gar­boiles & troubles of Nations, many wri­tings of the moste allowed Pagans haue perished, & yet these haue bin preserued in all the most famous languages of the [Page 67] worlde. I cannot bee induced but they be the euidence of God, The great au­thorization of scriptures, in humane pro­ceedings. Thalm. Alco. azoar. 1 1. to. 1.2 Concil. Bellar. Chron. Genebr. Cron and preserued by him. Further, when I perceaue the greatest humane Authoritie that can be cited for anie monument, vsed for the crediting of these religious testaments, as for the bookes of the first testament all Christians, Iewes, Mahumetans, and many Gen­tiles consenting that they be holie, and for euery booke of the new testament besides the authorities of all Schooles, Vniuersi­ties, and thousands of p [...]ouinciall Sinods, the whole Christian worlde in their moste learned Doctors and Fathers assembled twenty times in generall councells, and confirminge them all by theyr sentence: and neuer so any ten persons together iu­diciallie agreeing to approoue any Pagan writer in all things: I cannot be of opini­on but these books were penned by holie instinct from God. Certaine fore­telling, of fu­ture contin­gent thinges. Moreouer when the light and law of nature and reason make me secure, and all Philosophers, Christians, Pagans, & the learned of the whole world euer ageed togither in this, (& giue it for a distinction betweene a limmited and in­finite power,) that future thinges which [Page 68] haue no certaintie in their causes, cannot certainelye bee knowne and foretoulde, but by an infinite knowledge, penetra­ting thinges, more perfectly then they be in their causes, and whosoeuer certainlie prophesieth of such things, must needes receaue that facultie from God, which can bee ignorant of no effect: But the whole sacred Scripture is euidence, that many things within their causes be moste vncertaine, as depending of the freedome of mans will & election, and others more secret onlie to bee produced at the moste secret will and pleasure, and by the Om­nipotent power of god himselfe, haue bin as certainely & plainelie foretolde, with their manner and circumstances, manie years before they came to passe, as if they had bin present witnesses of those things, Gen. 12.13.15.17. Exod. 12. Gen. 49. Numer. 34.35.36. Ios. 15.16.17. Deut. 31.32. Ios. 6. [...]. Reg. 12. [...]. Reg. 23. as so manye Predictions of Abraham, Iacob, Moyses, Dauid, Daniell, Esaie, Ieremie, Zacha­rye, Christ, his Apostles, and others and [...]o [...]ie Scriptures of the Regiment of Iuda, the diuisiō of the Land of Canaan the perpe­tuall desolation of Ierico, of the birth and acts of Iosias, three hundred years before he was borne, the destruction of Babilon [Page 69] by kinge Cirus, 4. Reg. 20. & his name foretolde two hundred years before he came. And two witnesses named of it, Is. 5.15.24.25.13.8. Hierem. 26. Zachar. 1. Hier. 37.29.38.39.25. 4. Reg. 24.25. 1. Esdr. 1. 2. Esdr. 2. Dan. 9 5. Is. 53. Dan. 10.9▪ Is. 42.40.50. Malach. 3. Is 1. Zach. 9. Psal. 80. Os. 2.3.6. Dan. 2. Agg. 2. Zachar. 11. Malach. 1. Is. 1.2.3.5.6. &c. Math. 24. Marc. 13. Luc. 21.19. &c. Vrias and Zacharias which were not borne manie yeares after this was prophesied. The captiuitie of the Israelites in Babilon, the time of that continuance and their deliuery againe in the time of Esdras. The destruction of Bal­sasar kinge of Babilon, and the verie night of his desolation▪ the time of the cōming of the Messias, his life, death, resurrecti­on, ascention, & other misteries, as they were effected in christ, the miracles which happened then, the reprobation of the Iewish people, conuersiō of the Gentiles, destruction of Ierusalem, the pittifull mi­series it did endure, and the like which were vncertaine thinges, and yet were as certainelie fortolde, as they were certaine when they were performed: therefore see­ing these things be so vndoubtedlie come to passe, we cannot make question of any other to be effected in his time hereafter, the one being as difficult to be foreseene as the other, & consequently much more all other matters reuealed in those holye writings which be of more easie subiect, [Page 70] are vnfalliblie true, and so to bee be­leeued.

Myracles to prooue the scriptures, that by no possibi­lity, they can be vntrue.Lastlie to put all out of doubt, that e­uen from the firste time of committinge those misteries to writinge, by the holye penne men of Sacred Scriptures, euerie man might be secure they were spoken and reuealed of God, which coulde nei­ther be deceaued in himselfe, or bringe others into error: So manye miraculous workes and operations, which none but a diuine power, and such as had authori­tie from him coulde effect, were giuen vnto those chosen Scribes of this holye lawe, and wrought by them to confirme the trueth of those misteries they com­mitted to those holie bookes, that the whole worlde hath wondred at those mi­racles: and all Philosophers euer con­fessed, that such things hauing no cause or power of their production in nature, coulde not be produced but by the assi­stance of an infinite and illimited Agent: and not by him to confirme anie false­hoode or thinge vntrue. The number of these signes bee too many to bee re­membred, and not onlie the Scriptures [Page 71] be full of those strange and meruailous workes, but they be reported by heathen writers, and wrought often times in o­pen spectacles and places of viewe before whole multitudes of people, that coulde not be deceaued: of which I shall haue oportunity of speech hereafter, Part. 2. Resol. Aug. myracl. & cap. 10.11. seq. &c. Rich. des. vict. & there­fore pas them ouer in this place. Where­fore I may saie in this pointe as that lear­ned Schoole-man said in the like: Domine si decepti sumus, a te decepti sumus. O Lorde if wee bee deceaued, wee are deceaued by thee. For no other power coulde effect these thinges; and not to giue credit to anie mistery so confirmed, is the greatest ob­stinacie and incredulity can be assigned. Therefore the holie scriptures by no pos­sibilitie can be vntrue: and if there were no other Argument, either for Religion in generall, or that in particuler which I will defende; it were moste peruerse and obdurate Infidelitie to denie it, without farther proofe.

THE EXAMPLE AND EVI­dence of all Nations, states of people, and particuler persons. ¶ CHAP. VI.

THVS we see, howe that diuine ma­iestie which claymeth Reuerence at our handes, is infinite, and euerlasting, our Lorde, Creator, omnipotent to re­warde, if we render worshippe, iust and powerable to punish, if we denie it: We are his creatures, seruants, and depen­ding of him in all we are, we haue, or can expect, whether we liue or die, wee are, and must be in his subiection, all reasons diuine, and humane, tell vs we must ren­der Religion to him, no excuse can▪ bee founde in iudgment, no reason will de­fende the contrary cause: Then let vs try if we can finde any hope of comfort in company for this irreligious people. For although no man may followe mul­titudes into error, neither the testimony of any man, or number of men (if all the [Page 73] worlde woulde bee so wicked to be­come patrons of Irreligion) can giue an­swere to that which is alleadged against it: yet to men that be reprobate in their owne proceedings, and dare not defende their condemned impieties, it is some comfort to haue fellowes in damnation; and these people voide of al truth and pi­ety, will not be ashamed to glory in any practizers of this opinion, though neuer so wicked and vnreasonable. Then let vs mooue this question of worship to all Kingdomes, Countries, Citities, Com­munities, & to al persons of what estate, degree, or condition, that euer were in any authority, credit, or reputation, or worthy to be imitated in any time, or age of the worlde, from the first creation, Patriarches, Priests, Pro­phets, &c. Gen. c. 3.4. Exod. Num. Leuit. Iudic. cap. 2. Phil. Iud. hist. Ioseph l. An­tiq. bell. Arist. lib. 72. interpret. to these daies, and prooue what compani­ons we can finde, for these prophane, and beastlie scholers of Irreligion, if any such be at this present, which I rather feare, then affirme. If we appeale to the Pa­triarches, that ruled in the lawe of Na­ture, from Adam [...]o Moyses, or to Priests, Iudges, Prophets, and Kinges, that ru­led in Israell & Iurie, frō him to Christ, [Page 74] in all that lawe there is no controuersie in that generation: Cic. l. de Nat. Deor. li diu. Lac l. 1.2.3 4. &c. diu. instit. Bed hist. Ang. Al Kings, Ru­lers, Priests, Oracles, Archflamens, &c. of the Gentiles. Hermond. li. 1. disciplin. Phil Bergom. histor. Euseb. hist. Virg. Bucol. Iust in Apol. Lact. sup. &c. Poets.for they did not on­ly professe a Religion, but that in parti­culer which was the true and lavvefull worshippe of GOD. If wee exhibite this complaint vnto all Rulers, Kinges, Emperours, Priestes, Flamens, Arch­flamens, Oracles, or the Gods them­selues of the Gentiles, their very names, and all Histories, will tell vs, although they erred in particuler what this dutie was, yet they all agreed to vse Religi­on, and euer in their Lawes, Practice, Sacrifices, and so manifolde Rites de­fended it. Let vs enquire of such as were most learned amongest them, their Poets, Philosophers, Prophets, and they giue consent: so Linus Thebius, that liued 1430. yeares before Christ, spea­keth euen of those thinges, whereof Moyses entreated, Amphion, Mercurius, Liricus, Orpheus, Musaeus, Homer, and Aesiodus, are not vnlike, and all the latter professe Religion. And diuers of their most learned, Phylosophers. Infr. tract. 2 Argument. 1. auncient, and approoued Philosophers confirmed christian wor­ship (so far they were from denying pie­tie) [Page 75] but of this hereafter. And from the first to the last, they all with mutuall a­greement teach Religion is to bee vsed. S. August. a­pud Berg. hist. So Phegous that liued so neare to the de­luge, so Mercurus Trismagistus, Cadmus, Esculapius, Thales, Milesius, Chilon, Pitha­cus, Bias, Periander, Pherecides, Pithagoras, Anacharsis, Alemeon, Epinenides, Xenopha­nes, Democritus, Heraclitus, Themistocles, A­ristides, Anaxagoras, Empedocles, Permeni­des, Melesius, Hippocrates, Zeno, Socrates, Alcibiades, Isocrates, Xenophon, Achita, Plato, Antisthenes, Spensippus, Ermias, De­mosthenes, Aristotle, Dion, Carmcides, Es­chines, Xenophilus, Phedron, Xenocrates, Her­megitius, Apuleius, Plotinus, Dema, Cha­listhenes, Zenon, Chrisippus, Polemon Cra­tes, and Crates Licon, Tymon, Diogines, and Diogines, Onesicitus, Aristobolus, Ar­chimedes, Panetius, Possidomus, Cathon, Ca­to, and the rest generally giue vs an­swere, taught in learning, Sybilles. Eurip. in prol­lam. Chrisip. l diui. Neu. lib. bell. Punic. Arastot in An­nal. and pra­ctised in life, that Religion is to bee vsed, and had in highest estimation. If wee consult vvith the renowned Sibils so famous in all chiefest Nations of the worlde, Italy, Greece, Persia, [Page 76] Siria, Lactant. lib. diuin. instit. Cicero l. Nat. Deor. l. diuin. Bergom. hist. in Sibill &c. Lact. in Sibil. S. Anton 1. part. hist. Infra tract. 2. Argu. 1. &c. Sages & wise men. Philip. Ber­gom. hist. Cicero Eu­seb &c. Legistes and Lawemakers. Egipt, as Sibilla, Persica, Libica, Del­phica, Cumaea, Erithraea, Samia, Cumena, Hel­lespontica, Phrisia, and Tiburta, or Tiburtina, they tell vs in particuler of christian wor­ship, so do others which liued after, which will be more euident in my Arguments for Christians against externall Infidels. If we will debate this cause with those, who for their wise dome were called, and and euer named the sage and most pru­dent in the worlde, Thales, and his com­panions, they haue spoken and practized the same, and their religious wits were the greatest cause of their so excellent cognomination. If we will propounde this question to the most ancient Legists, and Lawe-makers, Rulers, States, and Kingdomes of the worlde, they will wit­nesse it was so, from their first foundati­on. Gen. Before the deluge, there is none or little memory kept, but in holy Scrip­tures, which teach the true Religion. After the deluge, Gen. cap. 9. Noe that holy and reli­gious Patriarke was Prince in the world, of him and his children, proceeded all latter generations. How religious hee was, it needeth no recitation, he liued af­ter [Page 77] the Fludde 350. yeares, and, as Philo is witnesse, did see 14000. men, Phil. Iud. in hist Bergom. l 2. hist fol. 4. Ioseph. lib. 1. Antiquitat. that were descended from him, by which of spring all Nations of the worlde were after in­habited, and of his children, Sem, Cham, and Iaphet, which were borne before the Fludde, were founded 72. Nations, all the founders of these Nations, were the grande children of that truely religious Noe, liuing in his time, instructed of him, and coulde not either be vtterly irreligi­ous in themselues, or institute Nations without Religion: especially when Ido­latry & false worships were not knowne in the worlde, some hundred yeares after these thinges. Lactant. sir. l. diu. instit. Bergom. in hist. supr. Cicero lib de Nat. Deor. instit. Apol. And their first God Li­sania, surnamed Iupiter, liued in Archadia a country obscure, and inhabited of a barbarous and sauage people, which nei­ther by themselues, nor by any Rulers they had, coulde perswade other Nati­ons, to their so vilde example. And this superstitious impiety of idolatry, was so contemptible to ciuill Nations, Diodor. Sioul. lib. 5. hist. Plin l. hist. n [...] Bergom. li. 3. hist. that when Orpheus which was so pleasing elo­quent, that he coulde mooue all affecti­ons, went about to perswade the worship [Page 78] of Bacchus to the Grecians, hee was so o­dious to that Nation, that the woemen themselues killed him with spades, and threw his bodie into the riuer Heber. And when Idolatrie was setled in the worlde, there neuer was any Kingedome, Nati­on. State, Prouince or Citie, but it euer professed a Religion: and if anye priuate man beecame so impyous and ouerwhel­med in sinne, that to excuse his wick­ednesse, hee wished, or protested there was no worshippe to bee vsed, hee was presentlie exploded forth of all places, and exiled for a monster in Nature. So Diagoras, Eus. in Chro. Cicero l. 3. de Nat. Deor. Bergom l. 5. hist. fol. 61. which is supposed to bee the firste Author of this Iniquitie, was no­ted for a Prodigium sirnamed Atheos, a denier of GOD, or Goddes, and ba­nished from mens Societie, liued and di­ed miserably, although we may suppose that he only denied the Pagan Gods, & worship to them as his words cited in the plurall number doe signifie, as also wee may construe that saying of Protagoras, De Dissnon posse statuere an sint, Bergom. hist. sup. l. 5. fol. 62. vel non sint, That he coulde not determine of the Gods, whether there were anye such or no. [Page 79] And yet for that saying hee was exiled Athens, driuen into the Ilandes, and his bookes consumed with fire. And as Lactantius witnesseth, Lact. supr. these men at their deathes, recauted their impious opini­on, and exercysing Religion, called for helpe of a superiour power. After these, Epicurus, that Master, August. lib. 1 [...] ciuit. and Do­ctor of beastiality, was so bewitched with pleasures, that he denyed the pro­uidence of GOD to man, and framing a God like to himselfe, affirmed, that he which is purus actus, only act, was idle, and to make himselfe a beast, teaching that only pleasure in this life was mans feli­city, doubted not to affirme the soule to bee mortall, and perishe with the bo­dy, and gaue this document, Surge, e­de, hibe, lude, post mortem nulla voluptas. Rise, eate, drinke, and play, there is no pleasure after death. But hee became so odious to all people, that his verye name is a cognomination to all beast­ly, and carnall men, from him, Hier. de Epic. & apud Berg. sup. l 5. fol. 64 Cic l. 3. de fin. & l. 1. & 2. to these dayes: and yet Saint Hierome saith, that he was a man vtterlye vnlearned, and coulde not reade, others, as Cicero; [Page 80] excuse him from these errors. But how­soeuer it be, the testimony of a beast, and voluptuous man, is no creditte to their cause, but a condemnation. Lucretius also, drowned in the like wickednesse of life, defended the same irreligious opini­ons, was so besotted in lust and lascious­nesse, that he was madde with very le­cherous passions, and killed himself with his owne handes. Lodouis. Mo­lin. in 1. part. D. Thom. q. [...]. art. 1. Or if (as some sup­pose) any company of the vnnaturall, and more then beastly Anthropophages of Brasilea liued without any law or religiō at the time of the comming of the Chri­stian Portugals thither, (which is vncer­taine of this, and neuer suspected of anie other people) yet the example of such which committed those moste filthy sins of daily practised and studied murthers, which as theyr name is witnesse: those which write of that Nation recount, Petr. Maff. hist. ind. Osor. hist ind. Epist. Indic. Monster. in Cosmog. and experience prooueth, eate, deuoure those they murther, and keepe men and woe­men of fairest complexion, to bring chil­dren which they only reserue for slaugh­ter, and eate, euen their nearest frendes, and committe other offences not to bee [Page 81] named; is not to be imitated, but detest­ed for more then brutish, and vnreaso­nable. These bee the authors, and pa­trons of this impietie, which the whole worlde in so manye thousande yeares, hath noted for beasts, madde men, filthy monsters, and excrements of the people, such as all practisers and well wishers to that blasphemie, be in these our dayes, Theeues, Pirates, Murtherers, Adulte­rers, Drunkards, and men so inexcusable in all wickednesse, that they haue taken their harbour in the mouth of hell, be­ginning to be damned in this life. These be the fruites of diuision in Religion: the manifolde superstitions of the Gentyles, and the wickednesse which they practi­sed, was the fall of Diagoras, Protagoras, E­picurus, and Lucretius: the Heresies, and pluralities of Religions amongest Prote­stants, and their impieties, haue brooded vp this beastly generation, as all hereti­call ages haue done, at which time this schoole hath most flourished: So that in so many generations, as haue bin, there was neuer so much as any priuate man, which in iudgment affirmed this blasphe­mous [Page 82] and rebellious wickednesse, but euer when they were free from passions, or in times of want, as sicknesse, death, and other calamities, professed a Religi­on, and called for helpe, and neuer deni­ed it, but when they were, either vtterly spoyled of their wits and Reason, Bergom. hist. supr. as Lu­cretius, or their opinion so vncertaine, that either they neuer thought any such absurditie, or else it was so soone explo­ded that it coulde not be remembred, as that of Epicurus, Laer. de Epic. Aug. l. 18. ciu. which, as some suppose, wrote more then any of the Philosophers and yet in the time of Cicero, which liued within 300. yeares, it was so doubtfull what opinion Epicurus taught, that the same Cicero affirmeth, hee was a man of greate sobrietie, and temperance, tea­ching Religion, the prouidence of God, the immortality of the soule, Plutarch. lib. non Poss. &c. constitu­tinge the felicitye of man in spirituall, and soule pleasure: and Plutarch affir­meth that hee sacrificed, and practi­zed Religion. So that it is manifest, if euer anye man defended that moste filthie errour, hee was condemned of GOD, and all people for that offence, [Page 83] and of himselfe when hee was of better iudgement, and more to bee beleeued. In so much that there is not the authori­ty of one man, speaking in iudgement, as a man and reasonable creature, that euer gaue countenance to this blasphe­mous sentence, but the whole worlde in all times, and places, haue explau­ded it, for the most impious, sacriled­gious, damnable, and vnnaturall sinne. Then to conclude this reason of hu­mane authoritie: Issod. lib. 5. Etymol. Aug l. 5. ciu. cap. 20. Christ. Cl. in Sph. sol. 229. Fernel. Am­bian Cosmo­ther. Erast. a­pud Macrob. lib. 1. in Som. Scip. Arist. lib. 2. de Cael. Priscian. in su­a Cosmogr. Phil Bergom. hist. in lul. Caes. fol. 96. lib. 7, the worlde from the firste creation, hath nowe endured by the Hebrewe accounte, aboue 5500. yeares, by the other computation, 6700. yeares, which if it be compared to any age, or generation, there is no propor­tion. The globe of the earth, accor­ding to the least account, contayneth in circuite, 19080 myles; as Fernelius mea­sureth 24514. myles; by the sentence of Alphraganus, Almaeon, Thebitius, and othets, 20400. by Ptolomaeus, 22500. by Eratosthe­nes, 31500. by Hipparcus, 34625. by that o­pinion which Aristotle reciteth, 50000. and if we will followe the measure which was taken by the most learned Geometricians in [Page 84] thirtie years labour by the appointment and charges of Iulius Cesar the Emperour, Ortel. in Cos Marst. in Cos. Pet Maff. hist. Osor. hist. when the noste exacte a measuremente was vsed, the habytable earthe at that time, was founde to be in circuite 31500. miles, what vaste Regions, and populous Nations haue beene descried since then, no man can bee ignorant: the number of the Kingdomes, Countries, Citties, Townes, Orig. in Exod. Lact. firm. l. 1.2.3. &c. Diu. instit. Iustin. Apol. Cicero lib. de Nat. Deor. Casp. Vlenb. lib. 22. Caus. Rayn. Calu. Epiphan. lib. haeres. August. l. haer. Ber. Lutzenb. catal. haerert. and Prouinces, is inumerable: there were before the comming of Christ infinite Idolatries in the worlde, since his Incarnation besides Sectes amongst the Iewes, & Mahumetanes not to be num­bred among Christians, (if we ioine these presēt heresies which now raigne, almost 300.) to those 400. and more which haue bin in formerages there haue bin 700. false professions in Christianitie, and the im­pietie of men hath beene such, especially in times of errors, that there was neuer almoste any truth so euident, but by one Cittie, Towne, Countrie, companye of People or other, it hath beene denied: onlie this veritie of Religion, and obliga­tion of worshippe to God, hath been so manifest, that in so manie thousands of [Page 85] yeares, in no one age, yeare, or day, in so many vaste and populous Nations, no litle Kingdome, Prouince, Citie, Towne, Village, or priuate person, but in such sense as I haue declared, & to their owne confusion, called it into question.

TESTIMONIE OF ALL INTEL­lectuall Creatures. ¶ CHAP. VII.

OR if the testimonie of all inferior thinges, the witnesse of the whole worlde, and all reasonable men from the first foundation, till now so learned and wise, euerie particular mans practise, and experiēce by al sences & powers of knowledge all reasons that can be aleadged, all proofe in reason that can be vsed, the vnyforme and euer agreeinge consent, and example of al creatures wil not serue to dispute this questyon, againste the blinde, sencelesse, and vnreasonablie de­luded, and wantonly bewitched appe­tites of some one, or a fewe beastly and [Page 86] franticke men: let vs seeke for a tryall to intellectuall, and spirituall creatures, which as by their perfection of nature, they are of higher, and more infallible iudgement, so in respecte they are fre­ed, and exempted of corporall and bo­dylie composition, from whence this blindnesse of sensualitie proceedeth, are like to giue the truest sentence: such be the heauenlye spirits, seperated soules, and the Diuels themselues, though de­priued of grace, Script. Gen. Tob. Iudith. Dan. Thalm. Iud. Alcoron. Mahumet. Ioseph. Phil. Aristot. Plat. Mercur. Tris. Dio. &c. Euseb. l. hist. Eccl. Niceph. hist. Bed. lib. 1.2.3.4. &c. hist. Angl. Gregor. lib. Dialog. Io­seph l. Antiq. Cris. Aristot. l. de cael. &c. yet perfect in naturall vnderstandinge. All Testimonies are recorde, all Historians, thousands and millions of men, that haue beene pre­sent witnesses, and euerye particuler person, euen of this impious schoole it selfe, hath prooued by one experi­mentall argument, or other, that there bee such perfecte intellectuall creatures. The rare, and wonderfull effects, which bee daylie wrought by such meanes, the apparitions of Angelles, illusions of Diuelles, their workes, tempestes, plagues, and other miseries they haue procured theire possessinge bodyes both of men, and women, and beastes, [Page 87] where their effects are manifest, the appearing of soules deuided, and se­parated from their bodies, and still enduringe after death, some miracu­louslie vnited againe, and telling what they endured in their seperation, others not restored, reporting either the ioyes they founde, if they were trulie religi­ous, or the paines they endured, if they were prophane and wicked, haue testi­fied these thinges. The infinite mira­cles, and supernaturall effects, Gen. Tob. Iudith. Greg. l. Dial. Bed. hist. Euseb. l. hist. eccles. &c. which the Angels, and holy religious soules haue wrought in their apparitions, haue eui­dently confirmed their sentence to bee true. The vnspeakable torments of the wicked irreligious soules, damned for impiety and irreuerence, prooued by vn­denyable arguments, and the Diuels, potent and wise, conquered and cast out by poore religious men by nature their inferiors, and these thinges seene, proo­ued, witnessed, and written by millions of men of greatest iudgment, Emperors, Kings, Princes, Phylosophers, Magi­tians, and of all conditions, not only priuate men and in secret, but greatest [Page 88] assemblies in pubicke places; are suffici­ent argument in this cause. But in re­spect these Testimonies haue chieflie bin vsed to prooue true Religion in particu­ler, and not the necessity of Reuerence in generall, which for the euidence there­of needeth no such probation, I wil passe it ouer to the proper place, against ex­ternall Infidels and Heretickes, where it shall be handled to the manifest confusi­on of all misbeleeuers, Tract. 2. infr. & 2. Part. Re­sol. Ar. 58.59.60.61.62. not onely Athe­ists, Epicures, and deniers of worshippe, but all enemies of Christian Catholicke Doctrine.

OF THE MYRACVLOVS AND most certaine Testimony of God. ¶ CHAP. VIII.

I Will passe ouer in this place, the testi­mony of the Creator, and so manie thousands of miraculous, and most cer­taine supernaturall Arguments of God, which can neither bee deceaued in him­selfe, [Page 89] or be cause of erring vnto others, both in regarde they are needlesse in this matter neuer called so farre into questi­on, that it craueth such extraordinary defence, as also that they haue principal­ly beene vsed, to propose true worshippe in particuler to misbeleeuing Nations, of which, neuer any denyed a Religion in generall. Tract. 2. infr. Arg. 1.2.6. Part 2. Resol. Arg. 65.66. Ca 10.11 seq. Therefore I am to make de­monstration by that Argument hereaf­ter, against all professors of false wor­ships, which in some manner, wil also appeare in my Chapters following, of the extraordinary punnishment God hath inflicted vpon the Irreligious, and the miraculous fauours, wherewith hee hath honoured his holy, and true worship­pers: in this place onely I affirme since the firste miraculous creation of man in the beginning, Gen. 1.2.3. and the supernaturall prouidence of God ouer him, while hee continued in obedience, and strange pu­nishing of him, for his neglecte of dutie therein, he euer obserued the same order in all states and conditions. Sibil. apud Lact. l. diu. inst apud Varr. Ioseph. &c. The punish­ment of Adam, drowning of the world, confusion of the Tower of Babell, de­struction [Page 90] of the Egiptians, Gen. 6.7.8.11. Exod. 6.7.8.9.10.11.12.13. Ioseph l. antiq Suet, in Oc­tau. cap. 95. Mahumet. in Alcoran Rabb. lib. ge­ner Chr. Calcid. lib. 2. in tin. Sibil. l. 8. orac. Plin. l. 2. hist. nat. c 31. Sueton. in Ti­ber. cap. 48. Dio. li 57. Plutarch. lib. defect. oracul. Dio. l. 37. abolishinge of Idols, desolation of the Iews, and a thou­sand strange & miraculous punishments, imposed vpon the Irreligious, — contra­riewise as strange and wonderfull fauours towardes the godly, exceedinge all limits of nature, witnessed by millions of presēt wittnesses, Princes, and whole Cuntries, and registred by moste credible writers, both Pagan, Mahumetan, Ieweish, and true beleeuers are euidence.

TESTIMONIE AND EXAMPLE of all creatures euen insensible. ¶ CHAP. IX.

ANd this religious worshippe is so v­niuersally due, & to be performed, that if the verye sensible and insensible thinges that are not capable of vnder­standeinge, were able to vtter that by wordes, which they vniformelie practise in theyr operations, or supernaturallye declare (as often times they haue to the [Page 91] admiration of all, and confusion of such men) that naturall instinct and desire, which is imparted to them all, to doe ho­mage & reuerence to their Creator, they would assemble thēselues in generall coū ­cell against this impious people, and con­demne them to be the moste vnnaturall & senceles monsters of the world. For the vnuiolable decree of nature is, that euery effect must yeeld a certaine honor & reuerēce to the cause by which it is produced: & exalted: so in creatures of vnderstand­inge, the childe honoreth the parents by which he was begotten, brought vp, and norished, the scholer his master by whom he was īstructed, the subiect his soueraīe, the seruant his master, by whom they are ruled, & euery depēding thing, that more exellent Regent of whom it hath dependance. And al insensible things with one consent do answer by their acts & deeds, that they owe religion vnto god, are boūd to worship him, & in their kind performe it: for the heauens and celestiall spheres, so all Eleaments and inferior creatures, as well liuinge, as wantynge lyfe, all re­mayninge in that order in whiche they [Page 92] were created, and effecting those offices to which they were ordayned, and neuer varying frō that dutie, which is the grea­test homage and religion such things can shewe, and that, which the Prophets Da­uid, Psal. 102. Dan▪ 3. Psal. 18. and Daniell, call the worship and re­uerence of God, because in this dutifull obedience, their dependancy is witnes­sed, and the glory and honour of God, proposed to be remembred & reuerēced of intellectuall, and reasonable mē. And Daniel, making a recapitulation of the du­tie of all creatures to their Creator, ex­pressing that, to which they are obliged by nature, after he had recounted the ce­lestiall, and intellectuall spirits, and the dutie of Israell the chosen of God, his Priests, seruants, spirits, and soules of the iust, religions men, and parriculer per­sons deuoted to him, how they must worship, and reuerence their Creator; he in­citeth all inferior creatures to the same, or rather man so perfect and excellent a worke of God, by the exemplar obedi­ence of inferior things. Where he num­breth the Heauens, Sun, Moone, Stars, and all celestiall bodies benedicerie, laudare, [Page 93] & superexaltare eum in secula, to blesse, praise, and exalte him for euer. And not onely those celestiall and more per­fecte bodies, but inferiour creatures, as the Elements, Fire, Aire, Water, Earth, Mountaynes, Hilles, Seas, Riuers, Fi­shes, Foules, Beastes, and other meane and meteorologicall thinges, Rayne, Dewe, Frostes, Yse, Snowe, Lightnings, Thunders, Clowdes, Day, Night, Light, Heate, Colde, & that which is nothing but only a priuation, as Darknes, & the like, which blesse, praise, and exalte him, without intermission, rendring reue­rence, and honour vnto him, as euerie man daylie expecienceth they doe, and shoulde be as violent, and portentious a thing for the meanest of them not to performe, as the Sunne to loose his light, the Earth to bee vnstable, or any other deformity that can be in nature. Then howe much more rebellious and traite­rous, is the neglecte of dooing that duty in man, by so many titles more [...]debted to his Creator, then any of those crea­tures, which were all prouided for his vse, and necessity, to shew this religious [Page 94] obedience [...] God [...] if he should not onlie [...] to doe it, but de­nie it to be done, as Atheists and impious Nullifidians doe.

THE EXTRAORDINARY AND strange punishements inflicted vpon the Ir­religious, and rebellion of all creatures againste them for that cause. ¶ CHAP. X.

YEa the Irreligion and dutilesse beha­uior of man is so vnnaturallie, that all those creatures which were ordayned to be his seruants, and so vnuariable reue­rence theyr maker, that it were a prodi­geous thinge for them not to doe it, yet to shewe the greatnes of Mans obligation more then theirs: how often haue they forsaken theyr naturall institution at the dis­obedie [...]e of Irreligious men, to testifie the g [...]atnes of their iniquities, & vngratfulnes to their Creator? prouing thereby, it is more monstrous for man to deny worship, [Page 95] & religion vnto God, then for the earth not to suport vs, the aire to refresh vs: the fire to comfort vs, and all other creatures to deny their naturall operati­ons. So in the first creatiō, for the Irreli­giō of Adam our progenitor, Gen. 2.3.1.2. the earth & all creatures, ouer which God had giuen him full dominiō in his state of obediēce, rebelled against him. In the daies of Noe, Gen. c. 6 7.8. when the irreligeous world would not be obedient vnto God, the Element of wa­ter miraculouslie, ascēded ouer the whole globe of the earth, 15. cubites higher thē the highest mountaine, least any thinge should be preserued from destruction: & only the religious family of Noe, and such creatures as hee had gathered together were miraculouslie preserued, witnessed not only in holy Scriptures, but in diuers Pagan and other authors, Hier. aegyp. li. antiq. Phaenic. Mnas. Damas. lib. 96. Ioseph. lib. 1. antiq. c. 3. Alex Poly. &c. Hieronimus Ae­giptius, Mnaseas, Damascenus, Iosephus Alexā ­der, Polihistor, Melon, Eupolemus, & others, & proued by diuers effectes, which coulde proceed of no other cause. How stranglie did God punish the irreligious builders of the tower of Babel, & confoūded thē, Gen. c. 11. so that no mā vnderstod what was spokē by [Page 96] others, which besides the holy Scriptures Iosephus, Ioseph. l. antiq. Sybill. apud Iosep. & Berg. l. 2. hist. fol. 6. L. Oracl. Sybil Sibils, and other witnesse, and the diuersities of tongues to this day, o­therwise without originall, are euidence. At which time, and in punishment of which irreligious offence, so many mon­sters in humane nature were produced, a great scandal to this Epicurish schoole, when it is manifest they were broughte forth to be a memoriall, and euerduring penance to mankinde, for the same ini­quitie and Irreligion they defende; this was the beginning of the Monoclists, August. li. 16. ciuit. c. 8. Plin. l. 7. nat. hist. Solin. Hermo­phrodites, Acephalists, Pigmes, Giants, Sciope­des, Cinocephalists, and others, whose shapes punnishments of Irreligion, are rather to be concealed then vttered: onely heare­by is euident howe monstrous Irreligion is, which is repayed with so monstrous penalties. Howe did God, in the time of Abraham, miraculouslie cause the fire, against the naturall propensitie to des­cende, & destroy all the irreligious peo­ple of Sodome, Gen. c. 19. Iosep. l. antiq. and those Cities, preser­uing the house and familie of religious Loth, as both Scriptures, other writers, the Piller of Salt into which the incre­dulous [Page 97] wife of Loth was turned, (which Iosephus had seene) and other monu­ments are recorde. In the daies of Moy­ses, Ioseph. lib. 3. antiq. when Pharao and his irreligious Egip­tians woulde not permit the Israelites to worship God, and exercise Religion, the same water which miraculouslie before had giuen passage to the Religious peo­ple, drowned King Pharao, and his huge army of prophane Infidels. The base, Exod cap. 8.10.9. and meane creatures of Frogs, Ciniphes, Flies, Locustes, and such as are engen­dred of vile corruption, and the verie Meteors themselues, that haue no life, as Haile, Thunder, and Lightnings, yea Darknesse which of it selfe is nothing, and onlie a priuation of an accident and qualitie of light, so fought against him, that hee and all Egipt were enforced to yeelde, and acknowledge their Irreligi­on, and disobedience. In the schisma­ticall and irreligious Rebellion, of Chore, Num. c. 26. Dathan, and Abiron, and thier confede­rates, the Earth, the most firme and sta­ble Element prouided of God for mans supportation, was opened, Aug. l. 3. ciu. cap. 13. Oros. lib. [...]. cap. 12. and deuoured them. S. Augustine & Orosius are witnesses, [Page 98] that in the irreligious times of the ido­latrous Italians, about 70. yeares before Christ, the very domesticall and tamest creatures, vsed for the seruice of men, rebelled against them, and affirme that their verie Dogges, Horses, Oxen, Asses, and other creatures moste at the commaunde of man, sodainely be­came wilde, ranne from their owners, wandring vppe and downe vvith such fiercenesse and contempt to their for­mer Masters, and all men, that no man durst, or coulde approach them without daunger. Bergom. lib. 12. hist. Such prodigious euents ap­peared against irreligious people at o­ther times. What supernaturall eclipse of the Sunne, trembling of the Earth, and renting of moste harde and solide Rockes, Euang. Matth. etc. Dionis. Arco­pag. ep. &c. Phleg. apud Origen. et Euseb. Plin natural▪ hist l. 2. c. 84 Sueton. in Ti­ber. c. 48. Dio. l. 57. cryed out againste the inhu­mane and barbarous irreligion of the Iewes, and Gentiles at the death of Christ? The earth quaked at such extra­ordinarye motion, that as the Pagan wrighters affirme, in Asia, so farre distant, twelue Cities were ouerthrowne in such order, that Tiberius the Empe­rour, released theire tribute towardes [Page 99] their buildinge againe. The Rockes were torne in peeces, not onely about Hierusalem, as the Euangelistes re­corde, and Golgatha did witnesse, Ciril. Hier. Catec. 13. &c. Euang Nazar. Hieron epist. 150. q. 8. as Saint Cirill Bishoppe of Hierusalem re­porteth, but in diuers other farre more remote places, as the mountaine of A­uernia in Hetruria, the promontarie of Cayeta, and an Hill in Wales, and o­ther Countries. About two hundred yeares agoe, at Sefeelde in Germanye, a Village betweene Ausburge, Regist. eccle. Sefeeld in Ger super hist. Ger &c. and Iusburge, the harde marble stones of the pauement of the Church, gaue place, and the grounde opened to swal­lowe vp the Lord Oswalde, a Noble man of that Countrie, irreligiouslie beha­uing himselfe, in receauing the blessed Sacrament of the body of Christ, and catching hold of the Altar of the church made of harde stone, by which hee kneeled to communicate, his hande sunke into it, as though it had beene soft clay, the print stil remayning so deep as any man may lay his whole hand there in, as I haue seene, and done: and the B. Sacrament is reserued, and remay­neth [Page 100] in the proper species and forme, af­ter so many yeares with watery drops of bloude, in such places as were bruised with the teeth of Baron Oswalde. All this chauncing in a most famous assemblie in the festiuitie of Easter, before so ma­ny witnesses, and are still to be seene in the same place, as thousands can witnes. Howe haue the very Elements of which our bodies are composed and nourished, persecuted vs for this disobedience? How many irreligious Cities, haue bin sunke vp by the earth, whereon they were founded, by the shaking and ope­ning thereof? August. l. 18. ciuit. Pantal. Chro­nol fol. 9. Oros. l. 7 hist. c. 1. Diod. l. 2. Bura, Helier, in Achaia, and in the time of Traïan foure Cities in Asia, three in Greece, two in Galaria, Howe many drowned by water in the inunda­tion of Ogigius, ouer-flowing almost all Achaia, and the floode of Deucalion in Thessaly? Howe many infections in the aire, an Elament for the comforte and preseruing of life? Oros lib. 4. hist, cap. 4. in the Consulshippe of Lucius Cecilius Metellus, and Q. Fabius Maximus Seuerinus, all the irreligious in­habitants of Rome died of the pestilence not one remayning: so likewise in the [Page 101] Consulship of L. Genneus, Oros. lib 3. hist. cap. 4. Plat. in Tim. Oros. l. 1. hist. cap. 11. and Q. Seruili­us. Howe hath the Sun, the verie Prince of Planets, and nurse of life, wrought the destruction of thinges, set them so strangely on fire and consuming them, that some haue affirmed the Elaments and almost the whole worlde to haue bin inflamed, and in the Iland of Lippara, as it were the mouth of hell flaming and breaking out in such outrage, that the stony rockes were set on fire, the sea boy­led, the fishes were killed, and the inha­bitants suffocated. About such time as the regimēt of the irreligious Turkes be­gan, the Sun was darkned 17. daies togi­ther, and gaue no light. And before, Blond. lib. 9. Eutrop. l. 18. Fox to 1. Mon Pantal. Poly. et al in Mahu. in the yeare of Christ 676. about which time, Irreligious and prophane Mahumet entered to delude the worlde, fire fell from heauen, a wonderful rainebowe ap­peared, and such dreadfull signes were seene, that mē withered away with feare, so excessiue thunder, lightnings, and pe­stilence reigned, that men thought the ende of the worlde to haue beene come. Foxe. tom. 2. Mon. fol 969 lo. Car. Franc Mirand. And Foxe himselfe affirmeth, that about the irreligious reuolt of Luther, there ap­peared [Page 102] in Germany vpon the garments of the Clergie and others, men and wo­men, bloudie Crosses, and signes and to­kens of the nailes, spunge, speare, coate, and other thinges belonging to the pas­sion of Christ. But of all other Nations this matter is most manifest in the Iewish people, which when it was religious vnto God, was honorable through the world, and miraculouslie preserued, but since they fell to their irreligious forsaking of Christ, the Messias, all creatures, both rea­sonable, & vnreasonable, haue sounded a larumme, and proclaymed wars against them. And to conclude this matter with an example of our owne countrey, in the time of Paganisme, 300. yeares before Christ; there neuer was any Prince of the British line, so potent and victorious as King Brennus, Tit. Liu. in Bren. Po [...]ye. Graft. hist. fol 59. Stovve hist. sup. &c. brother to King Beline was, who subdued the Gaules, Germans, Italians, Grecians, and many mighty Princes, yet when in the toppe of his pride, he began to make a iest of Religion, and blasphe­mouslie to vtter as though none were to be vsed, presently (not to approoue any false religion of the Pagans) but to re­prooue [Page 103] the impietie of Brennus, & to ma­nifest the iustice of God vpon such as de­nie him worshippe, the earth, as quaking to heare such blasphemous speech trem­bled, part of the Hill Pernassus fell vpon his souldiours, & slewe them, after haile­stones most strange for number & great­nesse destroyed an other part of his ar­my, wherein he gloried so much, and so wounded that irreligious Brennus, that hee fell into dispaire, and slewe himselfe with his owne sworde. Epist. Apol. The like punish­ments (although not alwaies in so prodi­gious manner) haue fallen vpon all Eng­lish kings, that haue beene Irreligious to the See of [...]: that either they haue beene strangely punnished by GOD in their liues, or come to miserable deathes. So likewise all the auncient Pagans, and irreligious Emperours and Princes that were enemies to the Religion of Christ were rewarded. Euseb. Socrat. Sozom Theol &c. in those Emp.

THE MIRACVLOVS OBEDIENCE and submision of all creatures to the Religious. ¶ CHAP. XI.

COntrariwise to those that haue been most reuerent and religious to God, the same creatures of his haue not onlye performed & done their ordinary seruice and dutie, but shewed extraordinary o­bedience, so all sensible things as Birdes, Beastes, Fishes, and vnsensible haue done homage not onelie to Adam in his religious estate of innocencie, Gen. cap. 1. Gen. cap. 7. Reg. Dan. Ioh. 2. Tob. &c. and after to Noe, HeliZeus, Daniell, Ionas, Tobias, and others in the lawe of Moyses, but in the Primitiue Churche of Christ thousads of martyrs and holye Sainctes, as not on­lye approoued ecclesiasticall writers but manie thousandes of Heathens, that were present, haue witnessed. Manie of them chauncinge in most publique assemblies before Princes and Emperors at the ve­rie Theatre of Rome, the moste famous [Page 105] place of spectacles and meetings in the worlde. So the Lion that was appointed to deuoure S. Prisca a christian virgine, Ex Gest. S. Priscill. religious & vowed to Christ, fell downe at her feete before her persecutors, and many thousands. Ex Gest. Prim & Felician. So the two Lions did to the two christian religious bretheren Primus and Felicianus, in the presence of 1200. Pagan witnesses, so that 500. with their families were conuerted. S. Amphiloch & al in vita S. Basil. The verie seate of Valens the Arian Emperor refu­sed to beare his master, when he woulde haue fitte to giue sentence agaynste S. Basill that religious Catholique Bishop, or monkishe man, as Luther calleth him; Luther. three pennes one after another refused to giue incke to write the Edict of his ex­ilement. The very cruell Dragons hono­red and defended Aman the Abbotte a­gainste his enemies. Pallad. hist. in S. Am Abbot. Ex Paulin. Natal. The venimous spi­ders shrowded and concealed with theyr webbes S. Felix from his Irreligious Per­secutors. A Rauen, a raueninge and de­uoureynge byrde, broughte victualles threescore yeares together to feede Sainte Paule the Eremite, S. Hier. to 1. & in vita Paul Eremit. in the Desarte whyle he liued, and when hee was deade, the [Page 106] Lyons digged a graue where this bodie was entombed, Angels, Patriarches, and Prophets accompaning the soule to hea­uen, S. Athanaf. in vit. S. Anton. as S. Anthony the great did see and witnesse: whose sanctity and Religion likewise were such, that the verye Di­uelles themselues troubled at his verie name. What visions of Angels, lights from heauen, and miraculous appari­tions recorded in irreprooueable Au­thors, chauncing in the sight of whole Townes, Greg. l. 2. Di­al. cap. 5. Ambr. de In­vent SS. Ger. et Protas. Bed. hist Angl. l. 2 3 4. &c. Sur. in vit. Sanct. Lippil. et al. &c. Ex Pontifical. et vit. S Leon. and Countries, haue approo­ued the Religion and pietie of S. Bene­dect, the Abbot, Geruasius, Protasius, S. Dominicke, and thousands in sorreigne Countries, S. Cuthbert, S. Dunston, S. Os­walde, S. Suitbert, Edithe, Ethelderd, and others in England? The Religion of S. Leo, Pope of Rome, violented Attila, that outragious Infidell, sirnamed the Whip of God, in his greatest furie to recall his armie from inuading Italy, to the won­der of all his souldiours. Ex Gest S vit. Modest. et Gres [...]. A vessell of boy­ling Lead, Rosin, and Pitch, woulde not hurt the bodies of S. Vitus, Modestus, and Crescentia, and the Lyon prepared to con­sume them, fell downe and licked their [Page 107] feete: wherupon Diocletian the Emperor, causing them to be torne in peeces, the verye insensible creatures wrought re­uengement, for thundrings, lightnings, and earthquakes, oppressed their enne­mies, and ouerthrewe their idolatrous Temples. At the comming of Christ, be­sides those homages & offices of al crea­tures, both in heauen & earth, done vnto him, and recorded by the holy Euange­lists, the Pagans themselues, and other writers are witnesses, that a miraculous circle compassed the Sun in the viewe of all the Romanes: Suet. in Octa [...] cap. 95. Senec. lib. 1. n [...]t. q c. 2 Plin. nat hist. l 2. cap. 28. Dio. hist. Rom lib. 45. Plin nat. hist. l. 2. cap. 31. Eus in Chron. Oros. hist. lib. 6. c. 19. c. 18. Sibil. apud Lact. sir lib. diu. Inst. and after the same ap­peared in 3. circles, one being enuironed with a fiery Garland. Three Suns were seene to shine at one time in the firma­ment, and to vnite themselues togither in one. The high and great trees as hee trauailed from place to place, miracu­louslie burned themselues to the ground, and reuerenced him. And at Rome a spring flowed with oile a whole day togi­ther, when Christ our annoynted vvas borne . And infinite more myracles of the submission and obedience of his creatures vnto him, are recorded both [Page 108] in ecclesiastacall and prophane Authors, where we may reade the like allegeance and dutie performed to his holy Saints and religious seruants: but these are suf­ficient for this purpose, and able to giue answere to the carnall imagination of a­ny irreligious Politicke, or Epicure, which like beasts, only mooued with cor­porall and sensible delights, are often scandalized to see the impious and wick­ed, sometimes exalted to honour, and religious innocents, oppressed with mi­series. For that honourable testimonie, which God hath so often and strangely giuen for the glorie of his Saints and re­ligious friends, at such times as they were most oppressed, & in reproofe and con­demnation of the impious, their perse­cutors, so much exalteth the glory and honor of the religious oppressed, aboue the deceitfull happinesse of the other, by howe much the testemonie and glory which is giuen of God, is greater then the witnesse which is brought, and ho­nour that is desired of a carnall & beast­ly man. And although this extraordi­nary glory and honour is not sensiblie [Page 109] bestowed vpon euery religious Saint, and oppressed seruant of his in this life; (for so he shoulde bee onely serued for honour and temporall rewardes) yet in that he hath giuen it to so many, and for the same cause for which the others bee oppressed, no man can call into question, but honour is due and belongeth vnto all, and to be rendred vnto them, either in this life, or after death, as experience sheweth all such religious innocents are glorious & honourable euen with men, when they are dead, and their persecu­tors either forgotten, or remembred with dishonour. And yet of al tempo­rall dignities, glory is the greatest, and that which euery man most desireth.

THE AFFLICTIONS AND AD­uersities of the Religious and godlie, for which the Epicures denie Reli­gion, are a manifest proofe thereof. ¶ CHAP. XII.

AND to preuent the carnall obie­ctious of this sensuall people, if ad­uersities, tribulations, and crosses had not chanced to the most renowmed, and temporally honoured Princes, Alexan­ders, Cesars, Hannibals, Scipioes, and o­thers, their honour had neuer beene so great: for vvhat hath nobled them so much in glorie, as their patience, for­titude, constancie, and magnanimity in suffering distresses, and performing difficulte, and heroicall attemptes? And if their sufferinges, and valiant enterprises in temporall causes, vvhen they vvere probable to bee broughte to passe, haue made them noble vvith men, vvhat shall inuincible fortitude, [Page 121] and vnconquerable mindes of holye Saintes, in causes appertayning to God, and his greatest honour, and in per­formance whereof, they were assured to loose both life, and other tempo­rall dignities, deserue? If this bee not the meritte of honour, nothing can be named honourable, or called glori­ous. And if these sufferinges shoulde be vtterly taken away from the friendes of God in this worlde, the greatest ho­nour that is due to vertue shoulde bee wanting. For take this awaie, and the vertues of patience, fortitude, magna­nimitie, and others which be the deser­uing causes of glory, cannot be excused, because they principally consist, in vn­dergoinge aduersities, and effectinge difficult thinges. And the excellency of this vertue of fortitude, in patient­ly enduring aduersities, and vndergo­ing harde and vneasie businesse, is so greate, that in auncient times amonge Phylosophers, it was euer accounted one of the foure cardinall vertues. And it is conuenient for true Relion, not to wante this tryall and state of ad­uersitie [Page 122] euen in the greateste and moste perfect men. So that the moste relgious men and such as haue beene in the great­est honor and account both with God & man for that cause, haue tasted of both estates, Iob. Iob sometimes moste vnfortunate, sometimes in highest aduancementes of prosperitie, S. Paul that was rapt into hea­uen, often depressed to the gteatest mise­ryes, and so of others: and not onlie pri­uate men, but religious Commonweales, Kingedomes, and Empires: the examples are manifest in histories. And yet no E­picure or Machauell can say, that this is an obiection against Religion, or disgrace to the religious friends of God, which be so visited with affliction, but the con­trarie, because those vertues be then ex­ercised which otherwise would not: And that which is the chiefe act of Religion, God reuerenced & honored by them in such sort, as they perhaps being in prosperitie would not so well haue performed. And if honor and glorie bee the greate dignities of this life, the religious suffe­rers of affliction are so farre from miserie by enduringe callamities, or afflictions, [Page 113] that they are rather made trereby more honourable and glorious.

THE TEMPORALL HONOVRS and delights of the Religious, were often greater, and their miseries lesse then of the Irreligious. ¶ CHAP. XIII.

BVT to satisfie the carnall and sensu­all appetites, and conceiptes of Ir­religeous & voluptuous men, to whom nothing is good but Bonum delectabile, that which is delightfull vnto sense, lett vs passe ouer all demonstrations before al­leaged, and for this time esteeme nothing of so many vnspeakeable ioyes, which chaunce to the religious euen at those times, when these men adiudge them most vnfortunate in their state of afflic­tion, the endlesse and vnrecitable cares, sollicitudes, and miseries the Irreligeous vndergoe in procuring pleasures, what labours and dangers in preseruing them, [Page 114] what torments and and anguishes in for­sakinge them? what diseases, sicknes vi­olence, & vnhappines to those senses of theirs, in which they woulde place their pleasures? what immature, sodaine, & vn­timely deathes, the ful priuatiō of al their ioyes & felicities they incurre, in exerci­sing and possessing those banquets, fea­stings luxuries, honours, riches, and other pleasures. Let vs forget the honour & glorie of the godly by their sufferings, and the ignominie & dishonour of the others, when they come to aduersity, the comforts of the religious through their hope in God, whom they worshippe, & the desperation of the irreligious, spoiled of all consolation. Let the euerliuinge vertues and reputation of the religious, after death and they alwaies during infa­my of the irreligious be omitted. Let it not bee remembred that religion being a spe­ciall morall vertue is to be repaied with corporall pleasures, such as this worlde can giue, but with eternall, supernatu­rall, and spirituall rewardes, to obtay­ninge which terrestiall ioyes are often a let and hinderaunce, by wedding vs [Page 115] to this worlde, and the pressures of the godly by weaning vs from earthly de­lights, the safest meanes to winne them. Let mee make no argument that the aduersities of the iust in this life, are the causes of their greater glorie after death, and that both the pleasures and aduersities of the impious not regar­ding, either the blessinges or correcti­ons of GOD, are the cause of their deeper damnation in Hell. Wee will account it no felicitie or comfort for this time, that the vertuous in theire greatest distresses are lamented of all, and pittied with compassion; often breeding greater ioye, then their mi­series bringe affliction, and by hovve much their suffering is greater, by so much bewayled and honoured more, as the miseries and deathes of Millions of Martyrs and afflicted Saintes are witnesses, honoured both of GOD, and all creatures: and the afflictions, distresses, and vnfortunate endes of the vvicked, neglected and contemned both by GOD and man, all thinges reioy­cing in their destruction, & vnhappines. [Page 116] Lastelie to please the appetites of this people although we did grant them their owne absurditie, and that which they seeke to find, that the cheife and supreme felicitie of man, is to bee expected and possessed in this life, and that there is no pleasure or punnishment after death, that the body is better then the soule, the ex­ternall goods which they reckon honour, riches, pleasure, prosperity, and the like, with health, and long life to enioy them, are most to be esteemed, & want debase­ment, pouerty, aduersitie, affliction, and other their infelicities most to bee auoy­ded, although as these beeing often the cause of our chiefest good, so the others are often the occasion of vnhappinesse. Yet if we shoulde yeelde vnto them these vnreasonable requests, and argue vvith carnall men, by carnall Argumentes, whatsoeuer they shall appoint to bee the greatest pleasure and happinesse in this worlde, and to continue and perseuer longest (for such thinges as be priuati­ons of pleasures, and corruptions of life and health, wherein they are to be enioy­ed, they will not esteeme for pleasures) as [Page 127] honour, riches, health, prosperity, dig­nities, and such others, which is as much, as any Epicure can demande, or a beaste woulde aske, if it had language and leaue to vtter the internall appetite. Yet not­withstanding all this, it will appeare that the prosperous estate, and happy condi­tion of the vertuous, and professors of Religion, hath often beene greater, and their miseries and afflictions lesse in this life, then of the impious and irreligious, which onlie seeke for this preferment. And to iustifie my assertion, many Phy­losophers, Nations, and Countries, haue esteemed these temporall felicities to bee a temporall rewarde of Religion. It was not lawfull for any amongst the auncient Egiptians to be a King, except hee were a Priest, and religious to the Gods: and Mercurius sirnamed Trismegistus, Dio. hist. Rom Clem. Alex. Cicer. lib. de Repub. Arusp. Lact. fir. l. de diu. Inst. thrice-greatest was so called, because hee was a King, a Phylosopher, and a Priest. The olde and wise Romanes, had the like cus­tome and obseruation, and all their Sa­crifices, Rites, and Ceremonies, some were as thankes for benefits receaued, o­thers to auoide afflictions, to ease aduer­sities, [Page 118] inflicted, to cease plagues and pe­stilences, to prosper attempts, heale dis­eases, encrease substance: and the like not onely vsed of the Idolaters, and false worshippers, but of the true Israelites, and instituted of God himselfe doe wit­nesse. Leuit. c. 1.2.3.4.5.6.7. etc. They esteemed no happines of this worlde to be without the true wor­shippe of God, and many aduersities to come for irreligion. Cicer. li. Nat. Deor. Lact fir. lib. 1.2.3. diu. inst. Bed. l. 3. hist. Arist lib. 10. Ethic. c. lib. 7. cap. 8.9.10. This was the common sentence of the Caldeans, As­sirians, Grecians, Persians, English, and all Nations: and to encourage all in this opinion by the generall and receaued Decrees of all vvorshippers, those that were in the greatest degree of professing and exercising of this wor­shippe, were euer had, and esteemed in greatest honour: so were the Patriarkes, which were Priestes in the lawe of Na­ture, Gen. c. 6. etc. Exod. 19.20. Numer. etc. Bed. hist. Angl. Fox to. 1. mon. Pet. Maff. hist. Indic. lib. 1. fol. 24. etc. Alcharō. Mah. Noe, Abraham, and other the high Priestes vnder the lawe of Moyses among the Israelites, the Flamens, and Arch­flamens amonge the Gentiles, Brach­mans with the Indians, Caliphes in the lawe of Mahumet, and among Christi­ans, Popes, and spirituall Prelates [Page 119] are reuerenced vvith the greatest dig­nities. And not onelie such estates whose calling was dedicated to vvor­shippe, but other conditions amongst all Nations, which were most religi­ous, were reputed moste honourable and glorious: and not onely amonge men, but with God himselfe, for by how much any people or countrey came nea­rer to true Religion, they flourished more, Plat. in Mem. Arist. l. 10. Eth. cap. 9. lib. 7. cap. 8.9 10. Hippoc. init. oper. Merc. Trismeg Dial. 9. Strab. l. 5. and they which truely followed it in the daies of their so doings were most happie and honourable, and such as were most alienated from true reuerence of GOD, and enemies thereof, were most infortunate and miserable, as ma­nye persecutors of the Religious haue beene. To giue example, in the aunci­ent religious Iewes, so long as they con­tinued their obedience, God promised vnto them for that cause, all prosperi­ties and benedictions, both spirituall, Gen. c. 12.13.14.15.18.22.28.32 35.49. Exod. c. 1.2. [...].5.6.7.8.9.11.13.14.16.17.19.33.40. and temporall. Howe did hee honour them with visions & apparitions of An­gels from heauen? what a propitiatory & oracle did he ordaine to answere to their doubts, and releeue their wants? what [Page 120] Patriarches, Leuit. c. 1. etc. Num. &c. 33.34. Deut. c. 2. &c. Prophets, Priests, Kinges, Captaines, and Iudges did he giue vnto them? howe miraculouslie did he multi­ply their number and nation among their enemies? how strangely did he punnish the Egiptians, and deliuer them? howe did he aduance them aboue mightie and potent Princes? howe many did he de­priue of their auncient possessions, and made them rulers thereof? howe mira­culouslie did hee protecte them in theyr iournies, feede them in their wantes, de­fende them in their warres? howe often, howe many, and miraculous victories did hee giue them? howe did he enrich them with all temporall blessings, riches, gold, treasure, and abundance of all thinges which can be desired? howe often did he promise to continue his care and pro­uidence, if they remayned in duety and Religion? Deut. cap. 7. et 26. &c. howe well did he performe it, vntill they became irreligious and diso­bedient? and at such times that they might knowe (as he had often admoni­shed them before) that their Religion was cause of their prosperitie, and irreli­gion woulde bring the contrary and vn­fortunate [Page 121] miseries, howe was that people punished? howe often conquered, and subdued, spoyled of wealth, Countrie, Wiues, Children, Temple, Altar, Kinges, Prophets and all comforts? howe often led captiues, and kept vassailes, and since they fell to their laste irreligious apo­stasie from Christ, how long time, in how many Countries, to howe many Nations haue they beene, and at this time are the most miserable people in the worlde? so that if a man woulde bee so incredulous that he would not beleeue the scriptures, and promises and threates of God, con­tayned in them towardes that people, for those causes, yet when the whole worlde doth witnesse these thinges haue beene so effected in so many generations, no man can be so impious to denie it. And this he performed, not only to that people in generall, but euen to the very particuler mē of that Nation, as their Priests, Kings, and other priuate persons. Who was so highly honoured, and exalted of God, as Moyses their Priest and Captaine? was he not borne of meane parentage of the tribe of Leuie? Exod. c. 2. c. 6. what patrimonie had hee left [Page 122] him, 2. Par. c. 23. Exod. 2. what title had he to be so greate a man? was he not condemned to death, before he was borne? was he not com­mitted to the waters to bee drowned? was hee not enforced to forsake his frendes and renounce his countrie, Exod. c. 3.4.5.7.8.9.10.11. to get his liuing among strangers by kee­ping sheepe? And yet how was hee aduaunced, honoured and exalted of God? what miraculous and wounder­full priuiledges did hee graunt vnto him? howe did he appoint him Captaine and Conductor of his people? what vi­ctories and conquests did hee giue him oner Pharao and his Egiptians? Exod. 7. hovve did he ordaine him, not onely superiour to depriue him of his riches, life, & peo­ple, Exo. Num. etc. but (to vse the words of God) con­stituted him the God of Pharao, Constitui te Deum Pharaonis, what misteries and se­crets did he reueale vnto him? Exod. cap. 11. et 17. &c. how did he chuse and elect him alone among so manie hundred thousandes to conduct his people to the lande of promise? And yet notwithstanding all this, Numer ca 20. cap. 27. Deut. c. 33. when hee shewed but one act of irreligion & want of duty at the waters of contradiction, he [Page 123] was for the same preuented by death, and neuer entred in, and Iosue was cho­sen to bee their guide. So it happened to Noe, to Abraham, Loth, Iacob, Iosue, Gen. cap. 7. Iudic. cap. 8. cap. 6.13. 1. Reg. [...].7. Ios. 24. Ge­deon, Sampson, and the rest: Religion was their exaltation and honour. Thus it was, and chaunced both to rulers and subiectes of that people, as to exempli­fie in their Kinges, whose prosperities, and harde fortunes, and the causes of them were most knowne and fa­mous. Gen. 17.22.28.35.43. Exod. 1.2.3. &c. 7.8.9.14. Psal. 98. Ios. 7.9 14. Malach. cap. 2. 1. Reg. 5.17.8. 3. Reg. 11.14. 2. Reg. 15. 2. Paral. 16.17.21.22.36. 4. Reg. 1.15. vlt. 17. Ierem. c. vlt. lud. 1. Ierem. 1.18.19.20.27. &c. What comparison was there be­tweene the felicities of the religious & irreligious Kinges of Iuda? howe ho­nourable and prosperous vvere the raignes and regiments of their religi­ous Kinges, Dauid, Asa, Iosaphat, Osias, Ionathan, Ezechias, and Iosias, if they be compared to the lamentable dishonors and miseries of their irrreligious Prin­ces, Saul, Roboam, Abias, Ochozias, A­masias, Ozias, and the rest that vvere impious? Howe shorte and impotent vvere these mens regiments and king­domes? howe little vvas theire glorye? hovve greate theire ignomye and dis­honour? when coutrarie, how long and [Page 124] ample were the Empires? howe noble, and glorious was the honour of those re­ligious Princes? Such like were the suc­cesses, and aduentures of the irreligious Kinges of Israell, that falling from God and true Religion, fell to Schisme and I­dolatry; they were but eighteene in num­ber, and tenne of them were miserablie slaine, Nabath, Ela, Zamri, Achab, Ioram, Zacharias, Sellum, Phacee, Osee, and the Scep­ter and Regiment was nine times transla­ted from the families of the Kinges: No family of them continuing the kingdome aboue the fourth generation, that the curse and malediction of the irreligious might be imposed vpon them; Gen. cap. 15. Exod. 20. 4. Reg. 9. and there was but one onely familie of all those, which enioyed it so long, and that was of Iehu, which drewe nearest to true Religi­on, for he ouerthrewe the Altars, Idols, and idolatrous places of the Idoll Baall, and put his Priests to death. And al­though the Kinges of Israell descended of the same Imadge of Abraham, [...]. Reg. c. 11. &c. as the Kinges of Iuda did, and were for num­ber of people, farre aboue them beeing ten tribes, and the Kingdome of Iuda [Page 125] only two; yet howe were the irreligious Kinges of Israell tossed, turmoyled, and led captiues more then the other? howe were they alwaies inferior, & their king­dome of lesse continuance? The enemies of Religion, Balthasar, Aman, and others, came to vnnaturall endes, and were la­mentably depriued of all dignities, and life it selfe. 1. Macha. etc. So in the time of the Macha­bees, it came to passe with the fauourers of Religion, and contrary with the irreli­gious enemies and persecutors thereof. Such relation may bee made of the pro­ceedings of other children of Abraham, Ioseph. lib. 1. antiquit. c. 27. Diodor. Sicu. lib. 3. Plin. l. 6. c. 28. Strab. l. 16. etc. Plin. l. 6. c. 38. Fazel. dec. pri­or. lib. 8. 2. Paral. 8. 1. Machab. 2. Dion. lib. 1. Gen. cap. 25. descending of Cetura, and from his sonne Ismael; those which were vertuous and re­ligious, flourished as the others did, and their persecutors were dishonourable. And that it might be euident to all poste­rities, that the promise of God is true, that he rewardeth the Religious, and de­baseth the Impious, the most holy and religious Patriarke Abraham, when there were many more potent and mighty then he, yet because he was so religious aboue the rest, God promised for that cause, to make him the father of many Nations; and wee [Page 126] see how manie Kings and mightie Prin­ces haue descended from him. For not the ancient Kings of Iurie and Israel, but of Arabia, Ethiopia, Idumea, Egipt, Colchians, that most potent christian Prince Pret Ianne of Iude, and all Christi­an Kings are either his spiritual or tempo­ral posteritie. Calu. t. lib. 2. cap. 9. Geneb. Chro. l. 1. pag. 56. Ortel in The­atr. &c. Francis. Alu. medin. 1.2. q. 103. artic. 4. Postel. in cōp. Cosmograph. Maff. hist. l. 3. And as a memorie of their discent, from Abraham and not for anie religious ceremonie, the inhabitants of the Christian Empire of Pret Ianne are cir­cumcysed, as also diuers other people as approued writers are witnes. And who doubteth but many potent infidell and irreligious Princes, as Turkes, and Ara­bians, although for them selues, and their owne iniquities and irreligion they neither deserue either temporall or spiri­tuall blessings of God; Yet because they were (as some suppose) the carnall chil­dren of Ismael & Esau the offspring of A­braham and Isaac, Gen. cap. 21. Gal. c. 4. Rom. 9. Gen. 26.27. although in holy Scrip­tures they are depriued of some spirituall faucurs, graces, and preeminences, and commaunded to be cast out, and haue no inheritaunce, yet that they possesse and enioy there temporall felicities and [Page 127] possessions from the temporall benedic­tions of their religious auncestors Abra­ham and Isaac and the promise of God vnto them; for concerning Ismael, God said vnto Abraham, Sed et filium ancillae &c. Gen. 21. c. 25 But also I will make Ismael the son of thy hand-maide a great people: which the Angel after promised to his mother Agar in me same wordes; such was the benediction of the religious Isaac to his Irreligious childe Esau in temporall thinges, when he was depriued of some spirituall graces, and inheritaunce. And this may bee a title of such Infidels to their worldly prospe­ritie, by the religion of their auncestors, for their owne impietie neither meriteth spirituall or temporall fauour.

THE TEMPORALL HONOVR and dignity of Religious Catholike Chri­stians most commonly greatest, and their afflictions least. ¶ CHAP. XIIII.

AND touching true beleeuing, and Religious Catholicke Christians, how much they are blessed of God, both in heauenly and earthly benedictions: as also, to let the glorye of our Religion a­lone, which only shineth in all the world, howe miraculouslie haue we from the be­ginning beene raysed, maintayned, and aduaunced, maugre the might and ma­lice of all enemies & persecutors, though neuer so many, malicious, and mightie? howe haue they beene conquered and their pride and puissance depressed? how haue we preuayled, howe longe, howe large, howe great and wonderfull haue our honours, titles, prosperities, & pree­minences reigned & ruled in the world? What Empire of the Assirians, Persians, [Page 129] Grecians, Pagan Romanes, Turkes, Tar­tars, or any other hath so endured? which of them all was to be compared vnto it in power? And to omitte no time, al­though God hath afflicted Christians in these latter daies for their want of dutie in Religion; yet when Infidell, and Irre­ligious Princes at this day are so mightie and potent, as that great Christian of Iude, Septem. Castr. l. de morib. et Relig. turc. cap. 21. Emperour ouer threescore and twelue kingdomes. And the Georgians, so called of S. George their patrone in warres, a people so potent that they are a terror to the Turkish Empire, and admit­ted to performe their pilgrimage to the holy Sepulchre in Hierusalem, in the di­tion of the Mahumetans, with their ban­ners displayed, and free from tri­bute. Or who will compare with the Catho­licke & Religious King of Spaine, whose regall reuenewes, much exceede all the vniust and tyrannicall Taxes, Tributes, and Impositions of the Turkish Empe­rour? his Countries, and Kingdomes are greater, and exceeding the others, his subiects more honourable, his pro­ceedings more noble. What high Priest [Page 130] euer either amonge the Iewes, Gentiles, Mahumetanes, or any professors of Reli­gion, so reuerenced, renouned, honored, and potent, as our Catholique Christian Popes of Rome, so many hundred yeares exalted aboue the Emperors themselues, and exercising Iurisdiction and authority further then euer any other Prince spiri­tual or temporal did, euen ouer al Coun­tries in the worlde? How miraculouslie haue all enemies that in any time or place opposed themselues againste that sacred Iurisdiction of Rome, been ouerthrown? The Iewes so pitifullie dispersed, the pa­gan Emperours, Euseb. Ruff. Socrat. &c. in hist. all that persecuted it, liuinge and diynge in miseryes and dis­honors, as the histories of all to Constan­tine are witnes. Howe did those insolent and proude conqerours of the worlde, that killed and conquered whome they woulde, giue place to the poore Religi­ous Successors of Saint Peeter a Fisher, as theyr Prophetesse Sibilla had foretoulde them? Sibil. apud Lact. firm. de diu inst Howe were they that were con­queroures of the mightyste, vanqui­shed of the meaneste? Howe haue all Aduersaryes and persecutors spirituall [Page 131] or corporall, internall, or externall that euer opposed them selues against it been subdued and ouerthrowen? as I haue cyted before, Epist. Apol. almoste an hundred true or reputed Emperours before Constantine. What hereticall Emperours of the Ar­rians, Eutichians, Iconoclaustes, or I­mage breakers, Monotholites, Mani­chees, Armenians, as Constantius, Valens, Euseb. hist. Ruff. hist. Socrat. &c. Fox. to 1. Mon. Caesar. Bar. to. to. 2.3.4. &c. Plat vit. Pont. S. Anton. hist. Phil. Berg. hist. Epist. Apolog. sup▪ &c. Pantal. Chrō. Epist. Apolog. Bern. Lutzeus. Catal. haer. Geneb. Chrō. lib. 4. Hos. Lind. Prateol▪ Pantal. fruct. Lauta. Lypses. Caluintus l. 2. Casp. vl. lib. 22. caus. zeno, Anastatius, Heraclius, Constance, Insti­man, 2. Philipicus, Dardanes, Leo Isauri­cus, Constantinus, Cropronimus, Leo Cro­pronimus, Leo Armenius, Michael Dalbus, Theophilus? How haue the Gothes, Vise­gothes, Ostrogothes, Vandals, Fran­kes, Angles, Mahumetanes, Turkes, Tartars, inuaded and persecuted it? Howe manye Irrelygeous Chrystyane Kinges, suche as I haue recoumpted in Englande and other places? Howe manye Arche-heretickes Seauen Hun­dred in number as I recited in the same place, and yet as I haue shewed before, notwithstanding all these enemyes and afflictiones, the Catholike Temporall Prynces thereof, are the Mightyeste, and moste Honourable in the worde, [Page 132] and the Popes spiritual iurisdiction three times greater, more noble and ample, then euer any was, either among Here­tickes, Infidels or the Iewes themselues, when they obserued true Religion: Con­trariwise, let any man peruse the state & conditions of those countries of Chri­stendome, that are fallen to Heresie, and become irreligious, and he shall perceaue them to be in most dishonourable tear­mes, both for temporall, and spirituall rule; the iurisdiction of none knowne or acknowledged out of one little Coun­trie or Prouince, and those which be the greatest aduersaries of our Religion, to be in the most pittifull, poore, and vn­certain case of the rest. Obiection an­swered. And least anie Atheist, Epicure, or wicked Politicke shoulde say, that although the state of the Religious is such, and so honourable as I haue described in the time of peace, and prosperitie, yet in the winter stormes of aduersitie, and persecution, vvhen those Popes that bee nowe so glorious, were so often and many in number put to death, when the whole Clergie vvas persecuted, when euery Religious Chri­stian [Page 133] was odious, when so many thou­sands of Martyrs were put to torments, when we were depriued of honours, ri­ches, liberties, liues, and all preferments, as we haue beene both by Iewes, Pagans, and Heretickes, our glory was nothing at all, but we were wholy oppressed with miseries; I haue already shewed, that e­uen in such times, the honour and glory of the Religious, which were persecuted, was farre greater, then of their persecu­tors, and that euer in the ende, the vi­ctory and triumph was ours. And to giue examples in this case; neuer any thinge amonge the enemies of Christ, was so fa­mous and renowned in the worlde, as the Empire of Rome, and their Empe­rours before Constantine the christian Em­perour. Yet let vs but compare the most persecuted Religious people, which were the Popes of Rome, with the gallant flowers of fortune, and my sentence will be true. The Popes of Rome were then esteemed of impious Polytickes, to bee the most vnfortunate and depressed peo­ple, no friend, no humane force to de­fende them, the lawes againste them, [Page 134] their enemies and persecutors (vvith whose felicitie I compare them) were the absolute commanders of the worlde, and contended with all force, policy and tyranny they coulde, to abandon the name of Christ, and his Religion, and all professors thereof, principally the Popes of Rome, and put them to death; And yet doe what they coulde, the true glo­rye of the Romane Popes at that time was greater then the glorye of those Romane Emperours, all Histories Mar­tyrologies, Calenders, and Recordes will beare perpetuall witnesse, their liues and honour were thrise as longe, and yet they were olde before their election, and consecration, and though the life of them all was sought, and moste of them dyed actually in Martyrdome, yet the number of their enemies and persecuting Emperours that dyed miserably, and with reproach in the same time, Bell. Chrona. Pantal, Chrō. Col. pontif. Ruff. hist. Eus hist. Fox. to. 1. Mō. Plat. de vit. Pontif. Catal. did three to one exceede them: for from S. Peter to Saint Syluester honoured by Constantine, there were 31. Popes, and those those aged men, and yet of them not aboue 25. or 26. actually put to death. And of the Em­perours [Page 135] the lustie Gallants of the worlde either trulie chosen, Pontif. nup. edit. pretended or re­puted, there reigned in the same space almost an hundred Romane Emperours, and all they, excepting eleauen or twelue at the most, were slaine, Hieron in c. 4. Zachar. Chrisost. l. 2. contr. Gentil. &c. and miserablie put to death, and the others which esca­ped those violent ends, dyed in greater wretchednesse then those religious Popes they persecuted. And the names of the Popes are honorable, both in heauen & earth, and the names of the others either dishonourablie or not remembed at all. And least any should be so vaine to sup­pose that the miseries were onlie priuate to the Romane Emperors, he shall see howe they were common calamities to all our enemies: of the Iewes all the vvorlde is a vvitnesse to this daie, Tract. 2. infra. and I vvill declare hereafter. The Sena­tors of Rome vvere next in degree to the Emperours thereof, and second in honour and reputation to them, & those which persecuted religion moste in that time; And yet howe often were they themselues most vilie vexed and persecu­ted of their Emperors fourteene times at [Page 136] the least in the same space, by generall persecution against them, Caes. Bar. An­nal. to 1.2.3. Euseb. histor. Ruff. histor. Bez. ruin. Gen. l. 6. &c. Oros. lib. 7. Dio hist Rom lib. 58. Euron. tom. 1. annal. wherein they were violently entreats & put to death by Tiberius, Caius, Nero, Domitian, Hadrian, Commodus, Septimus, Caracalla, Marinus, Heliogabalus, and other Emperours, that in one day at Rome were pittfully put to death by Claudius ther owne Emperor, 35. Senators, and 300. Knightes. So like­wise the inferiour Aduersaries of our Re­ligion, howe many thousandes of them executed by most cruell and vnwonted deathes, by their owne idolatrous and irreligious Emperours? some drowned, some buried aliue, some mured vp in wals, others hauing their eies pulled out, others pulled and cut in peeces, others cast to beastes in spectacles, Tertul. lib. ad Scapul. & in apol. Sueron. c. 61. Mahumet in Alcoran. c. 54. et cap. 65.66. &c. 43. &c. and manie hundred thousands violently consumed and destroyed in the same space.

And to speak of those most infensiue enemies of all Religious Christians in these latter yeares, Mahumet and the successors of his impious gouernment, although worldly happinesse, and carnal pleasure is the felicity they expect, either in this, or in any other life, yet howe [Page 137] strangely haue they beene punished and afflicted, especially at such times as they raged most against vs? what a filthy and beastly life did their first Author Mahu­met leade, euen by his owne confession? with what vnnatural diseases was he tor­mented? howe beastly and shamefull was his death? howe ignominious and odious was he euen to his owne friendes and followers longe after his death? Blond. lib. 9. Plat. Pomp. Laet. Eutrop. l. 18. Sab. &c. hist turrie. how horrible, odious, and vnnaturall vvere the liues and deathes of all his next and immediate successors, Alys, Enbocora, Ho­mar, Osmenus, Mahumetes the second, Alys, Muauias, and others, the first ordayned of Mahumet himselfe, violently oppressed & deposed, Eubocora poysoned to death, Homar Murthered of his seruant, Osmenus killed himselfe, Mahumetes violently and vnnaturally slaine, Alys trayterouslye murthered, Muauias so afflicted with scis­mes and sects in that profession, that hundreds of Camelles were not able to carry the writings of such as rebelled a­gainst him. With what dishonorable & vnseemely conditions vvas their moste potent Prince, and our greatest enemie [Page 138] Amuathus enforced to conclude a truce with Iustinian the seconde? howe mise­rably vvere 200000. of them soone after killed in Siria? howe shamefull vvas the retire of Zuleman from the Thraci­ans, Blond. lib. 10. dec. 1. Sab. En. 5 l. 7. Sigeb. hist. Aemil. lib. 2. Sabel. Tyr. li. 1. cap. 17. Krants. lib. 5. cap. 14. & Bulgarians, & Bulgarians, about the same time? were not three hundred seauenty fiue thousand of their souldiers slaine at once by the Spanyards and French in one battaile? vvhat strange conquests and victories did inferiour religious christi­an Captaines, Ogerus Duke of Den­marke, Godfryde of Lorrayne, and o­thers, obtayne against their most pu­issant and mighty Princes? howe did o­ther base and contemptible men afflicte theme? was not Baiazethes the first, their great Emperour subdued by Tamberleyne that barbarous and Rogish Scythian, lost two hundred thousand souldiers, was ta­ken prisoner, closed vp in a Cage of I­ron, led vp and downe in Chaines, and made a footestoole for a theefe to treade vpon his backe, when he went to horse? was not his wife abused before his eies, hir clothes cut off from hir backe, Egnat. histor. Sabel. Pantal. in Chron. and hir vvhole bodie left naked from the [Page 139] nauill to the foote, and did not hee kill him selfe in open spectacle? vvas not their Emperour Orchanes murthered by his owne Vncle? their Emperour Moy­ses violently killed of his naturall Ne­phewe Mahumetes? Martin. sum. hist. hungar. lib. 7. and Baiazethes the se­conde poysoned of Selimus his ovvne sonne, and Mustapha the onelie lawe­full and true heire of Solyman, most vn­iustlie, and vnnaturally murthered by his Father, and in his presence? and so of others, besides the ordinarye and v­suall murtheringe of Brothers after the Fathers death, as Orchanes that killed his three brethren, Amurathes put his onely brother to death, Baiazethes kil­led his seauen brethren, and so of o­thers, and all these of late, since, and in vvhich times, they haue persecuted our Religion most. And if wee peruse all Histories, and Antiquities, vvee shall euidently perceaue, that when­soeuer those irreligious Infidelles haue preuailed against vs, it vvas eyther in time of irreligious heresye, or some such negligence, and disobedience in Religion, for vvhich vvee vvere [Page 140] iustly afflicted, Blond lib. 4. Dec. 2. Tyr. l. 8. c. 18. l. 9. c. 2. et 5. S. Brand. in Hieros. Ph [...]lip. Bergō. hist. S. Anton. hist. Pantal. in Cro. Sab. Euuop. lib. 15. Blond. lib. 6. Dec. 1. Tyr. l. 1. c. 2. Sigeb. Pantal. [...]hron. Sab. Eu. 8. l. 8. Phryg. in Cro. Plat. Blond. lib. 10. S. Brand hist. Philip Bergō. Chron. Pantal. in Chron. Egnat. 3. S. Brand hist. Bergom hist. Pant. in Chrō. Paul. Iou. hist. Manster in Chron. Heraclius the Emporor be­came a Monothelite heretike, & Mahumet with his Sarracens inuaded Hierusalem, Damascus, Egipt, parte of Affricke, Rhodes & the Iles adioyning. Vitiza king of spaine was a licentious and irreligeous Prince, and permitted Concubines and other impious abuses, and at the same time the same Sarracen infidels inuaded that kingdome, and possessed that many hundred yeares. The Emperours of the East irreligiouslye behaued themeselues to the Sea of Rome, and Emperour Nice­phorus became Tributorie to the Sarra­cens, and his successour Theophilus vvas twice conquered, Hierusalem Candy, and part of Asia was subdued. The Gre­cians feel to schisme, and diuided them­selues from the Romane iurisdiction, and Mahumetes the Turkish Emperor inuadeth those countries, subdueth 12. kingdomes, 200. cities, & violently taketh Constan­tinople in their great festiuity of Pente­cost, and comming of the holy Ghost, a­bout whose procession they are in error, miserably killed Constantine their Empe­ror, and possesse their Empire. Martin Lu­ther [Page 141] beginneth his vnhappy heresies, Fox. to. 2. Mō. Graff. in hist. in Henr. 8. Stowe histor. in Henr. 8. and presently vpon that irreligious reuolte, Solymanus Emperouror of Turky inuadeth those Countries, taketh Rhodes, and Bel­grade, those two propugnacles of Chri­stendome, inuadeth Hungary, slewe Lo­dowicke King therof, possessed Buda chiefe city of the Kingdome, besiedged Vienna with 250000. men, and since that irreligi­ous apostasy and by meanes of it, hath of­ten and pittifully afflicted Christians. So that the afflictions wee haue receaued from those infidels, proceeded from im­piety, and irreligion, and whensoeuer we were religious vnto God, we preuailed against them, which is manifeste in the state of christians euen in this time, for as we see those countries and kingedomes for theire irreligious heresies and schis­mes are become vassals and in subiection as I recompted before in the religion of the Iewes before Christ; so contrari­wise those Kinges, Princes, & countries of Christendome, which haue remained free from those irreligious defectes, ne­uer flourished more. And to exemplifie in the Catholicke kinge of Spaine in [Page 141] all these times his Subiectes and Coun­tries (exceping the miserable fleemish) haue beene free from these vnhappie and irreligious dealinges, and vvhen was the condition thereof, so honou­rable? in what age vvere the Spani­ardes accounted such conquerours and souldiers in the vvorlde? when was their fame and honour so great? are not his Dominions and Kingdomes, greater, richer, more ample, and honorable, then the possessions of anye Infidell in the worlde? hath hee not in these very times when the irreligious partes of Christen­dome haue lost and bin infested so much, wonne, and lawfully vnited vnto him, more, mightyer, richer, greater, and more glorious, nations, then any Infidel is owner of, or any irreligious Ptince or state of Christians enioyeth, as the King­domes of Castill, legion Tollet, Hispalis, Murcia, and Luzia, and the Prouinces adioyning, Burgundy, and the 15. pro­uinces the Canary Ilands, Sardinia, Syci­ly, Naples, the Dukedome of Myllane, Portugall, the Philippine Ilands, so many vaste and rich cuntries of America, the [Page 143] East and West Indiās, obtayned & wone by the 3. last catholike & religious kings of Spaine, Philip 1. Charles 5. and Philip 2. & in that time whē the irreligious places of Christians haue loste so much, and yet what other christian warres haue beene, which they haue not defended.

And if it were lawfull to make free comparisons of these latter daies of pro­testants, and compare the estate of the countryes, where the protestantes haue persecuted, and catholikes haue been af­flicted, it woulde bee no difficultye to proue, that the glorie, honor, and tem­porall felicity of the persecuted religious Catholiks, haue far exceeded the pompe and prosperity of their persecutors. But so muche as I neede to craue leaue to doe far Englande, it apeareth alreadye in my epistle. Epist. Apolog. And I am assured there is no protestant in our nation, but (settinge the loue of his Abbey-liuynges aside) woulde wishe the estate of his countrye for Honor, Riches, Strength, Order, Friendshippe of Forreine Nations, loue and vnity of Nobility & others, and al o­ther honors and blessings of a Christian [Page 144] kingdome were no worse nowe, then it was in the 22. yeare of king Henry the eight when he reuolted, If he either consider Clergie or layetie, nobility or common­alty, or let vs viewe the number of religi­ous and catholicke Priests which aboue 100. in her maiesties time haue suffered death for this quarrell; Looke into the liues and deathes of ministers, and for that 100 of martyrs you shal finde 1000 and more ministers dying infamous mi­serable, and beggerly deathes, for most wicked and vnnaturall offences. Looke into those ministers that have bene beste of life, and in greatest fauour, with Prince and subiects, and we shal finde that our banished religious catholickes doe sur­mount them, we haue by forreigne Prin­ces rewarded with honours of Cardinal, Bishoppe, and all inferiour dignities, we haue had more publicke professors of diuinity in other vniuersities, then all Englande hath had at home, our Priests religious men, and namely the fathers of of the society of Iesus, most odious in England, haue bin in higher reputation, with the greatest princes of the worlde [Page 145] in straunge countryes; then the higheste Arche-bishop of protestants in England, hath beene with his naturall Soueraigne. And such is the ordinarie and common ignominy and dishonour, to be reputed a Minister in the English Church, that I suppose very few, or no Catholike Priests of that nation, woulde change their ho­nour euen in England, with so base & in­famous a generation. What the wealth, riches, and other blessings be, which the Protestants haue, that wee want, for all this time of persecution, and empoueri­shing religious Catholickes, I thinke no man perceaueth so manifest a distinction, and yet the charges, taxes, and impositi­ons, which haue beene imposed vpon vs, are 20. times greater, then those vvhich Protestantes haue tasted. And if the e­state of Catholickes in Englande vvhere they are persecuted is such, how glorious is it in Catholike nations, where they are honoured, if the times of persecution and Irreligion, haue done vs no more disho­nour? what glorie will Catholike and Re­ligious times affoorde vs? if our ovvne contrie Protestant Historians can so litle [Page 146] disgrace vs, as the history of Stowe and o­thers will witnesse, what commendation and credit wil Catholickes and Religious Cronicles, both at home, and abroade, yeelde vnto vs? so that we see, what ho­nour, glory dignity, or excellency soeuer it is, which a man maye, or can desire to haue, either spirituall, or temporall, in this, or in the life to come, if it is a pleasure, or preferment to a reosona­ble creature, such as may be wished or en­ioyed without sinne, Religion is the mo­ther of all.

THOVGH THERE SHOVLDE BE no rewarde for Religion after death, yet the state of the Religious is to be preferred before the Irreligious. ¶ CHAP. XV.

YEA if we shoulde yeelde so much to this franticke and brutish humor of Irreligious epicures, to say this Questi­on of Religion is doubtfull (as there is [Page 147] nothing more certaine, then that man oweth Religion vnto God) yet we shall perceiue the Religious state euē in world­ly and temporall happinesse, farre to ex­ceede the condition of the Irreligious, & that these are drowned and plunged in greater and deeper miseries, then the o­thers. For what vnhappines or infelicity can be imputed to professors of religion, if they should be in error? al the pleasures and delightes which can be conceaued to belong to man, consisting of a soule and body, must of necessity be spirituall, be­longing to the first, or temporall propor­tionate to the seconde. The spirituall delights, must needes be the vertues and perfections of the soule, which onlie the Religious enioy, and whereof the others are depriued; thus the greatest happy­nesse is had of such as approoue Reli­gion, and the ennemies thereof haue loste it, as for thinges of delight ap­pertayning to the body, if they bee en­tangled with sinne, they cannot bee ac­counted pleasure as before, but rather a double torment to the guiltye con­science of those vvhich for the repose [Page 148] and rest of delight, offer a violence vn­to nature, and yet this is only that where­in the Irreligyous can exceede, and his excesses is in his owne affliction: for I haue proved beefore, that actuallye whether there is any religion or no, that all other externall thinges which may be accoun­ted goodes, of the bodie, fortune, or any extrinsicall preferment, as Riches, Ho­nours, Peace, Rule and other preroga­tiues of glorie, dignity, & such delights, haue euer beene more peculier and pro­per to the Religeous, then to the Impi­ous. And that this Irreligious generati­on which onelye seeke for ease and plea­sure, and to bee free from myseries, by many decrees haue euer in this life beene more afflicted then the reste. If it hath euer chanced so in former times, though wee shoulde denye the prouydence of God, to doe the lyke in future ages, yet if all thinges were ruled by fortune, and came by chaunce, fortune is as like to fauour professors of Relygion here­after, as heretofore. And naturall rea­son teacheth vs that of necessity it muste bee soe, for there neuer was anye Epi­cure, [Page 149] or Atheist, so impyous and pro­phane, but by reason he should graunt the opinyon of all the worlde, and pro­fessors of a God and Religion, at leaste to bee a probable sentence, thus his owne opinyon coulde not bee voyde of feare. Then lette vs constitute a Reli­gyous, and Irreligeous Man, in the same estate of Healthe, Sicknesse, Ri­ches, Pouertye, Honour, Disgrace, Pleasure, Myserie, and the lyke: hee that professeth there is a God, by whose prouydence all thynges bee ordered, whiche is Infinyte in Power, Vnmea­sureable in Goodnes, and cannot com­mitte Iniustice: If hee bee in Healthe, Riches, Honour, Pleasure, and state of reste, his comforte, and delyghte is encreased, and doubled, to consider that as hee infalliblie supposeth, his GOD vvhome hee serueth, can, and will preserue him in that estate; so like­wise deliuer him if hee bee in the ad­uerse callinge of sickenesse, disgrace, pouertye, persecution, and other mi­series, and if not, yet for his pati­ence hee will rewarde him. Thus his [Page 150] pleasure is enlarged with iustlie concea­ued truste of continuance; in miserye his affliction healed with hope of deli­uerie, or retribution for perseueraunce. These comfortes and delyghtes cannot bee graunted to the Irreligeous, haue­inge no hope eyther of continuinge and encreasynge his pleasures, or ab­breui [...]tinge his afflictions; but hee is vexed with the contrarye infelicitie, al­wayes in seare and daunger to bee de­priued of his good, and perseuer in his aduersity, which experiment although it be verified in the whole age of men, yet more appeareth in the decayeinge tyme, when the Religeous perswadeth himselfe the ende of all his myseries is at hande, and his greateste ioye is to beeginne, when contrarie-wise the o­ther, is inuaded with a double infeli­citie, one to loose his delights, and the other to enter into greater tormentes: which in the whole circuite of the Reli­gious life bringeth a doubled consolati­on; and that in respect of the hoped hap­pines after, so much greater then all plea­sures & delights which any epicure can [Page 151] haue, by howe much the infinyte good­nesse of God, to be possessed of an im­mortall Soule for euer, exceedeth the shorte and temporall vncertayne plea­sure of the sensible man. For although these ioyes in them-selues shoulde not bee obtayned, yet, seeinge the delight and pleasure of the will is framed more or lesse, accordinge to the Apprehen­sion and Iudgemente of the vnderstan­dynge, by which it is mooued and ta­keth delighte, the ioye of an vncer­taine felicitye and happinesse concea­ued as certaine, and so proposed to the will, engenderethe as greate a delecta­tion, as that which is certaine doeth: for externall obiects mooue not the in­ternall powers of the soule, wherein de­lightes are engendered, as they are in them-selues, but as they are conceaued and apprehended of those faculties, and so of griefe and affliction, because be­inge extrinsecall, and not in the vnder­standing & wil of themselues, but by ap­prehension & iudgement, they moue not but after the same māner, by which they are receaued & made present. Therefore [Page 152] seeing there is no proportion betweene the delightes of the one and the other, ei­ther in respect of the thinges themselues whereof the delight must arise, or the pro­portion of man, which doth, and muste enioy them or the time of their duration, whether there is any God and Religion or no, yet the condition of him that pro­fesseth Religion, euen in that respect, for which the other doth denie it, (which is onlie to liue in delight and deuoyded of affliction) is to be preferred. And to this the experimented practise of so manye Kinges, Euseb. hist. Ruffiu. Sar. &c Theodor. hist. Bed. hist. Ang. lib. 3.4.5. Fox. to. 1. Mō. Hieron in vit. Greg. l. Dial. Sur in vit▪ Sāct Lyppol. &c. Princes, and Potentates, both of England, and other Nations, which haue voluntarily forsaken their certaine and greatest temporal honours, preferments, and delightes, to enioy the consolations of the Religious, and so many thousands which haue forsaken the corporall plea­sures which such Epicures desire, and li­ued in desarts where they coulde not bee possessed, but only spirituall comfortes must be their hope, haue yeelded eui­dence, where the comfort of gaining hea­uen, & auoyding hell, haue turned their troubles into ioyes. As contrary wise the [Page 153] beastlie and epicureous life of prophane and irreligious men, ioyned alwaies (as it can neuer be free from doubt) with cō ­tinuall feare of so great a losse as heauen, and such dread of damnation as is in hel, cannot bee accounted a pleasant state, though euery one shoulde bee as potent to procure, and as wanton to possesse himselfe of pleasures, as euer any Heliogo­balus was. For daunger of the greater paine expelleth the lesser pleasure, and feare of eternall torment, would frustrat a momentary delight. So that howsoe­uer the euent shoulde prooue, the profes­sor of Religion hath made the better and more pleasant choise; and in no state de­light can chance to man, if worship vnto God be not regarded. And whosoeuer desireth to liue at rest and haue delight, either in this or the life to come, must not be forgetfull of that dutie: Whereupon Plutarch the Philosopher not onlie was of this opinion, but wrote a booke intituled, Plutarch. That no man coulde liue a pleasant life in the opi­nion of Epicurus: and these are sufficient for this purpose. For although I doubt not but in these licentious daies, manie [Page 154] voluptuous and carnall menne forget­full of rhe dignytie of humane nature, both in respecte of feare of punishment due for theyr iniquities, as also that they mighte more freelie without restraynte wallowe themselues wholy in delightes, wishe in will and affection, there ney­ther were Religion due to God, or Re­uenge to the Irreligion of man, yet I cannot be perswaded, that any vnder­standinge can bee so sottishe in iudge­ment to denie it.

Of the Absurdities, which the Irreligeous must graunt. THE XVI. AND LASTE CHAP. and Conclusion.

FOr (to come to conclusion againste this Godlesse Generation,) what Iudgement, or Vnderstandinge, of a­ny priuate or particuler voluptuous man (for no others euer were Agents in this cause,) can dare to enter into that sen­tence, [Page 155] which all learned and reason­able menne in the worlde, in all ages, and places haue condemned for moste impious & vnreasonable, all schooles, vniuersities, societies & companies pro­fessinge knowledge, haue exploded for the greateste detesteable wickednesse? which all Patriarkes, Prophets, Priestes, Iudges, Sibils, Rabbines, Legists, Fla­mens, Arche flamens, Caliphes, Brach­mans, all sorts of people, Christians, Iew­es, Pagans, Mahumetanes, Catholikes, Heretickes. Philosophers, Poets, Magi­cians, Angels, seperated Souls, Deuils, al creatures, euen insensible things, by one meanes or other haue reproued for the moste barbarous & vnnaturall disobedi­ence, which can be inuented. That which in so many thousands of yeares, in such diuersities of opinions & errors, in so ma­ny vaste and populous nations, in which all other impieties haue beene professed. Neuer any Kingdome, Countrey, State, Prouince, Citie, Towne, or Village pra­ctised: and by probable coniectures, neuer one particuler person, except fran­ticke vvith pleasures, and distracted in [Page 156] minde defended, but only a fewe igno­rant, barbarous and beastly men made of sinne, and guiltie of theyr owne hell, wishinge for auoydeinge punishmente. For what reason and vnderstanding can make denyall of that, which if he deni­eth, all authoritie, experience, sence, and grounde of reasoninge, and reason it selfe is denied? for whose denyall, not the leaste aparaunce of one Argument can be alledged, for whose approbation all Testimonies of God, and all creatures are certaine, which if it be graunted, and trulie practized, all truthes, graces, ho­nours, dignities, and priuiledges belong­ing to man, naturall, and supernaturall, either in this life, or after death, are so certainly obtayned? if it bee denyed, all honours and immenities are lost, all af­flictions, temporall and eternall are in­curred, all absurdities graunted, all vn­truthes affirmed, all veryties condem­ned. Sinne is vertue, vertue is sinne, sinne must be practised, vertue may not bee al­lowed, nothing is sinne, nothing is ver­tue. Falsehoods, and contradictions are true, all learning reiected. No commu­nity, [Page 157] Kingdome, Magistracie, Disci­pline, no Soueraigne, no Subiection, no Lawe must be receaued, no barbarous, tyrannycall, or licentious impiety omit­ted. Mans soule mortall, man a beast, many beastes better then man. And in­finite more such absurdities, which di­rectlie proceede from this blaspheamous position ( Religion is not to bee vsed) if anie man shall be so senceles to affirme it.

The end of the first Treatise.

THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE SECOND TREATISE, BRIEFELY SHEW­ing against all externall Infidels, how on­ly that Religion, which Iesus Christ deliuered to the worlde, is the true Worship of God.

HAuing ended my first conclu­sion ( of the necessity of a Religion) against the Irreligious, I am nexte in this time of so mani­folde errors, to auoide all daunger of pro­fessing false reuerence, to prooue what religion among so many is only true, which I will performe in so vndeniable manner, that no verity shall be so certaine, as that reuerēce to god which I wil defend. And first against al external enimies of Christ. My next proposition shal be ( that Religion which he taught is only true, and all others false) [Page 160] which to a people of a professed Christi­an Nation needeth not long probation, wherefore to bee briefe in this dispute, such is the vndoubted certainty of this sentence, whether we consider the excel­lencie and dignity of the doctrine it selfe, of the Messias, and sonne of God vvhich gaue it vnto vs, or the miraculous man­ner, whereby it was deliuered and em­braced; or the basenesse, impietie, and most manifest errors of all other professi­ons, the wickednesse of the inuentors, and disorders in inuenting and dylating them, that a man which will giue credit to any probable Argument, cannot call it into question. And he shall see these Testimonies not onely recorded by the holy wrighters, Prophets, Apostles, and Euangelistes, immediatelye illuminated of God, but of our greateste professed enemies: emonge whome wee doe not one [...]ie finde confirmed in generall the Religion of Christ, but almoste euerie particuler article and mistery thereof re­gistred and allowed: as the Trinitie, In­carnation, the two natures of Diuinitie and Humanitie in Christ, the promise [Page 161] of his comminge, Sibil. apud Lact. firm. lib. 2.3.4. &c. diu. instit. Mercur. Tris. in Dial. Plat. in tim. Porphyr. lib. de oracul. Mahumet. in Alcoran. Rabb. lib. de Christ. Suet. in Oct. cap. 95. Senec. l. 1. na­tur. q. c. 2. Plin. hist. l. 2. c. 31. c. 28. Calcid. in tim. Plat. de Stell. Dio. lib. 47. Plin. nat. hist. lib. 2. cap. 84. Suetō. in Ti­ber. cap. 48. Dio. l. 57. Plutarch l. de­fect. Oracul. Suet. in Oct. c. 94. & 70.29. Sibill. Lact. lib. 1. his miraculous con­ception, natiuitie, life, deathe, resur­rection, ascention, comminge of the ho­ly Ghost, conuersion of the worlde, the ende thereof, his comminge to iudge­mente, his giuinge sentence, the finall beatitude and rewarde of the vertuous, worshippers of him, & eternall punish­ment of the wicked, and his enemies, and other misteries of our beleefe testified & ratified of all kynde of Infidels, Iewes, Pagans, Mahumetanes, Brachmans, al­lowed by god himselfe, apparitions, and witnesse of Angelles from heauen, and all creatures vppon earth, the heauens and celestiall bodies reioyceinge in his birth, the Sunne, Moone, all elements, and compounded things lamentinge his death. The Sunne against nature eclip­sed, the Moone violentinge his course, the aire darkened, the earth trembleinge, rockes rendeing, the windes, tempests, Seas contrarie to their naturall inclina­tions performinge his commandements, Oracles ceaseinge, Idols fallinge, the de­uils and creatures both sensible & insen­sible acknowledging and obeying him. [Page 162] many miracles to the same effect, & wick­ed spirits professed enemies of all pietie cast forth by authority, future contingēt things most certainly foretold, incurable diseases healed, blinde restored to sight, lame to going, deafe to hearing, dumbe to speaking, dead to life, when in all hu­mane reason & science of Philosophers, such effects are vnpossible to be perfor­med by natural meanes, or supernatural­ly to be wrought of God, or any second [...] rie cause by his cooperation, to giue cre­ditte and authoritye to falsehoode. The moste straunge and myraculous altera­tion in the liues of those embraced him, the wonderfull conuersion of the world vnto him, the rare and extraordinarie stil continuing punishements vpon those refused him. And these and such wit­nesses not giuen in obscure and base pla­ces onlie beefore simple and vnlearned menne, as Seducers vse to deale, but in frequente and publique places, and moste famous Cityes, beefore the migh­tiest and moste potent Prynces, Kinges, Tetrarches of Iurie, Syria, and other Nations, yea the moste wise Phyloso­phers, [Page 163] craftie and subtille Magicyans of the world. Written and recorded not onelie by the holie Prophets, Apostles, and Euangelists myraculouslie prooued to haue beene directed and assisted, and neuer to haue written vntruth, or the Patriarkes in their testament cited by O­rigen, Origen. hom. 15. in Iosue Gaz. in ca. 38. Gen. Rab. lon. l. col. Rabb. Abb. in thren. Rabb. Moys. hadars in cap. 1.41. Gen. Rabb. harcad. in cap. [...].11. Rab. D [...]. [...]nli lib. radi [...] para­phras, cold. in c. 4 Is. & Osee 1. Rabb ii. in ca. 47. Gen. Rabb. Sim. in cap. 10. Gen. & Iob. 19. Procl. lib. 2. & 3. in pari [...]. Plat. Mercur. in paem. c. 1. &c that liued within one hundred and threescore years of Christ as then extant, and translated forth of hebrue into greek by Procopius eleauen hundred years agoe, where euerye one of them prophesieth most plainly of Iesus Christ the Mesias. And the generall consent of the aunci­ent Rabbines & expositors of holie scrip­tures before christ, but those which euer were in highest account & reputation a­mong the Gentils thēselues, whether for learning and antiquitie, as Soroastres, Her­mes Trismegistus their most renoūed, or such as god had illuminated with these miste­ries, & liued as Prophets for the instru­ction of that people, as so many of the Sibils as plainlie foretelling the misteries & proceedings of christ, of his diuinitie, hu­manity, natiuity, life, death, comming to iudgment, and other secrets of christian [Page 164] doctrine, Lactant. firm. l. 1. instit. diu. c. 6. l. 4. c. 6. Varr. lib. de reb. diuin. Cicer. lib. 2. diuin. Virg. egl. 4. Suid. in Thul. Porph. l. oracl Plut. l. oracl. Suid. in Aug. Adrian Imp. Epist. Marc. Aurel. epist. Pylat. epist. ad Tyber. Euseb. l. 2. hist. Plin. 2. epist. ad Traian. Im­per. Rabb. l. de. vit. Christ. Porphyr. lib. def. orac. Mah. Alcor. Azoar. 10.12.67.11.5. &c. as if they had beene personally present, and seene those thinges effected. So did the Oracles and answers of their Gods, & were enforced so to do, as themselues confessed, and not only to priuate men, but to the Emperours and chiefe Princes. So doe, and did the moste au­thenticke Registers, and imperiall Re­cordes, Wrightings, and Edicts of the Gentile Emperours, as Tiberius, Traiane, Antonius, and other princes, as Pilate and Herod in Iurie, the Senators at Rome, and others. So those which were the moste noisome and offensiue enemies of Christ, the Thalmadists, Pophiry, and Mahumet, that greate Seducer, which in dyuers chapters of his Alcaron confirmeth the Miracles, and Religion of Christ for moste true, and holie. Therefore dealing with men of a christian countrie, such (as I hope) all inhabitants of Englande de­sire alwaies to bee accounted, I might make an end of this matter: But because I haue taken in hand to prooue catholike Religion to be the onlie true worshippe, and reuerence of God, not onlie against al deuided sects of heretickes, which I am [Page 165] to performe in my disputation againste my cuntrie Protestants, Resol. part. 2. but also against all Infidels and other misbeleeuers, and by moste certaine and lamentable expe­rience wee know that Iewes, Mahume­tanes, and other infidels haue liued in england, without any distinction or dif­ferent signe from christians, such as they are bounde to weare in catholike coun­tries; and further, theyr wicked bookes, as Alcaron of Mahumet & such others, haue been vsed and perused of many vn­fit Readers and Examiners of such blas­phemies, Casp. Vlenb. lib. 22. caus. Rayn. Caluin. turcis. &c. and diuers Protestants not on­lie in Germany and other places, but of England haue forsaken the faith of christ and become circumcised miscreants, I will brieflye in fewe reasons prooue the falsehoode and error of all externall infi­dels. Such as suppose the probation of so manifest a veritie to be superfluos, may passe them ouer, and beginne with my Arguments againste Protestants and o­ther internall Enemies.

¶ CHAP. II.

THE 1. ARGVM. For Catholicke Christi­an Religion, against all externall Misbelee­uers, grounded vpon the plaine confession, of all our greatest professed enemies, vpon whose auth [...]riti [...] ▪ all other wor­shippes are founded.

I Suppose all knowne Infidels and Mis­beleeuers setting Heretickes one side (with whome I must deale in my nexte r [...]sons) to bee compr [...]hended vnder the [...]mies, Pa [...]t. 2. [...]sol. and tydes either of Iewes, M [...]h [...]metane [...], or Idolations Pagans: for [...]either Ecclesiasticall Writers, Hi­storians, or Tra [...]ylors of Countries, m [...]ke mention of more, neither can I p [...]rce [...] in reason, howe any man not professing himselfe a Christian, is for­ [...]o [...]en and les [...] out in that diuision. For [...] the diue [...]si [...]e of mi [...]beleefe to­w [...]d [...]. Ch [...]ist, or denying him muste [...] [...]tension the di [...]ersitie of the man­ner of misbeleeuing or denying, then [Page 167] all Infidels either veterlie denied Christ, both in figure and verytie as generallie the Gentiles did, neither receauing him for the Messias, Lact s [...]m. lib. diu. inst. or expecting any other to vvorshippe, but yeelding reuerence to Idolles, and feigned Gods, Thalmud. iud & Rab. Thal. or else they confessed him in figure and expe­ctation before hee came, and in vo [...]y & at his comming denied him, and sach are Iewes, Mala [...]met. in Alcoran. or e [...]e both confessing be­fore his comming that hee was promised to the worlde, and after he is come doe acknowledge his comming, but not in that manner wherein hee was promised, or in such sorte as hee came, or him a­lone, but allowing an other, as M [...] ­humet and Mahumetanes doe, confes­sing IESVS Christ to be the true Messi­as and Prophet, promised in the lawe of Moyses, but denying his diuinity, and receauing Mahumet a seducer for a Pro­phet. So that we see all Infidelles e [...] ­ther bee Iewes, Mahumetanes, or I­dolatrous Pagans. Nowe to conclude the onely trueth and verytie of Chri­stian faith, and falsehoode of all th [...]se erronious worships by their owne con­fession, [Page 168] and testimony in such sort in one argument, that it shall not be lawfull for a Iewe by the very groundes of his owne Religion, or a Pagan by the rule & groūd of Paganisme, or a Mahumetan by the lawe of Mahumet, to denie my argument, which is as much, as any of those misbe­leeuers can desire, I muste suppose that (which euery Iewe, Pagan, and Mahu­metan will willingly graunt, and all Hi­stories, and Monuments of antiquities affirme to bee true) that in euery one of those professions, there was a certaine knowne Rule, and proposer of Religion, of whome the rest were to be instructed, what to beleeue, and doe, in thinges ap­pertayning to their Religion. For if eue­ry man might haue beene a square, and measure to himselfe, no common wor­ship or reuerence coulde haue beene ex­ercised among them, in such sort, as ex­perience and sufficient testimony doe prooue there was. Therefore to beginne with the Religion of the Iewes before Christ, when they were the people of God, and serued him in true Religion, as both the Iewes which bee nowe, and [Page 169] Christians confesse, and Mahumet doth not denie. We all consent, that the lawe which was deliuered to Moyses, and by Moyses to the Israelites, was the true worshippe and Religion of God, Exod. c. 3.4.5. &c. 12.13. &c. 19.20. Deut. 5. Leuit. 26. giuen and commaunded by him by the testi­mony and signes of many and wonder­full miracles, and for the speciall prote­ction of that people in true reuerence, and dutie to him, vntill by their diso­bedient apostasie they forsooke him; he did not onlie giue them an highe Priest of whome they were to bee instructed, Deut. c. 17. if any difficult or doubtfull thing shoulde hap­pen: but gaue them holie Prophettes, enspired with knowledge, to directe them, and further commaunded the same Moyses to make a propitiatory, or Oracle of moste pure golde, Exod. cap. 25 26.37.40. Leuit. c. 16. 2. Reg cap. 21. 3 Reg. 6.8. 2. Paral. 5. contay­ning two cubittes and halfe in length, and a cubitte and halfe in breadth, with a golden Cherubine, or Angell on ei­ther side: out of which place, hee pro­mised to giue answere and direction to that people; and thither the highe Priestes ressorted, to consulte vvith the Oracle of God, in matters of doubte [Page 170] or distresse. So that they which vvere thus taught, eyther by Prophets imme­diatelie and internallie illuminated of GOD, or the highe Priest instructed likewise of him, or of GOD himselfe giuing answeres in that Oracle, coulde by no meanes bee deceaued, for the Misteryes vvhich vvere so reuealed vn­to them, must needes bee true: After this manner, the Pagan Gentiles pro­ceeded in the same matter, for the Gods and Idolles they worshipped be­ing Diuelles (as the Prophet saith, Psal. 95. and their destruction and vtter ruine and o­ther arguments haue prooued) vvhich alwaies were enemies to God, and imi­tators of his honour and worshippe, ap­pointed Flamens, And Arch-flamens as high Priests to offer Sacrifice to them, and teach Idolatry to their worshippers. This all Historians witnesse, and coun­tries can recorde, and England it selfe, where so many Arch-flamens and Fla­mens were, Camb. in Brit Stowe histor. Gra [...]. histor. Fox to. 1. Mō. as in London, Glocester, and other places almost 30. in number. Be­sides which, they appoynted certaine O­racles where themselues woulde giue re­sponce, [Page 171] which were accounted for the highest sentence in the Pagan Religion, for being the sentence of their Gods (as they called them) whome they did reue­rence, no greater or more infallible iudg­ment coulde be expected. Such vvere the Oracles of Apollo, Iupiter, Plutarch. lib. de oracul. Porph. lib. orac. Cicer. diu. & l. nat. Deor. Bed. hist. Ang. lib. 1.2. &c. Cic. l. 2. diu. Virg. egl. 4. Lact. firm. l. diu. instit. Com. in Boet. Suet trāq. c. 3. Suid. in Au­gust. &c. and at Del­phos, Memphis, Hermopolis, Rome, London, and almost of euery City. But besides these, because the true worship of God and eternall beatitude concer­ned all men, and he would haue no man to lie in excuseable ignorance in a mat­ter of so greate moment, hee had true Prophettes amonge them for their in­struction, as Iob, Sibillae, Erithaea, Cu­mena, and the rest, and other Prophets as their owne Authors beare witnesse, alwayes to haue beene in greatest repu­tation, and their writinges most religi­ousllie kept and beleeued. Lastlie, Alcor. Mahu. Andr. de lacā. hist. turric. Leonic. Chal­cond. &c. con­cerning the Mahumetanes, their Sedu­cer knowing it was euident in the light of Nature, that no true supernaturall Religion coulde bee ordayned by man, a Naturall creature, feygned him­selfe to bee a Prophette, sente from [Page 172] God, and to haue receaued from him that religion, which his Alcaron contey­neth, which is the chiefe rule of the Ma­humetanes to this daie.

Howe the ve­ry ground and foundation of the Pagans worship proue Christian Re­ligion.Thus beeing manifest whereupon the religion of Iewes, Pagans, and Mahume­tanes was and is founded. I will now shew how they al demonstratiuely proue againste them selues, the onlie truth of christian doctrine, and condemne theyr owne for moste erronious and ridiculous. And to beginne with the pagan gentiles, Suid. in Thul. Porphyr. l. de orat. Plutarch. l. de defect. oracul. Suid. in Aug. Nicephor. l. 1. histor. c. 17. Porphyr. l. de laud. philos. & lib. 1. Chr. apud Euseb. l. 5. praep. euang luven, Satyr. 6 Laran. Strab. l. 9. georg. but briefly, because it is handled at large in a late englishe treatise, did not theyr highest and renounedst Oracle, answere to the Archeslamen at Delphos, and dis­close the holie misterie of the Trinitie of the Father, his deare Sonne, and Spirit con­teining all? as their owne writers Suidas, Plutarch, Porphiry, and others giue eui­dence. And that deare sonne of God would be theyr ouerthrowe and destruction. Like an­swere was made to Augustus Caesar him­selfe about the diuinity of Christ, & how at his comming, the gods of the Oracles should goe to hel. Porphiry that aduowed enemie of Christians is a witnesse, that [Page 173] generallie the Gods and Oracles of the Gentiles gaue testimony to his Sanctitie, and that where men beleeued in him, the oracles were silent and gaue no answers. Such are the testimonyes of Iuenall, Stra­bo and others. And it is generallie veri­fied by all infallible experience, by the ceasing of all Oracles, ouerthrowe of I­dolatrie, and confession of their Gods in all countries in the world, where Christi­an Religion hath bin preached, either in those that haue so long beleeued, or the Indies & those Nations that were lately conuerted: which was prophetically fore tolde many hundred years before by the holy Prophets Isaias, Saphonias, Ezechiel, Isaias. c. 2.19.11.31. Sophon. c. 2. Ezechiel c. 6. & 30. Osee cap. 14. Zachar. c 13. Pallad. in hist. in Apollon. Euseb. De­monst lib. 20. Athan. lib. in­carn verb. Origen. hom. 3. &c. O­see, Zacharias, & others, that in the time of the Messias al such oracles should haue an end, Idolatry be takē away, & the name thereof forgottē as we se it is, & presently vpon the birth of Christ, began to take effect. For as Palladius, Euagrius (which of them soeuer it was that wrote that Hi­story) witnesseth that according to the Prophesie of Isaias the Idolles of Egypt a most Idolatrous Nation shoulde then be ouerthrowne, he himselfe had seene [Page 174] a Temple by Hermopolis, in which when when Christ with his mother and Ioseph in his [...]ying thither in his Infancie, en­tered into the Citie, presentlye the I­do [...]s f [...]ll downe to the earthe, which wo [...] since hathe beene broughts to passe in the whole Ch [...]sti [...]an worlde, some Oracles c [...]sing with frien [...]e, and s [...]ying nothinge, others protesting they were comp [...]ed by Christ to departe, others [...]k [...]ledging and confessinge him, and all one waie or other affirming and confirm [...]ng his Religion to bee true, and theyr owne Rites & Religion wick­ed & Idolatrous, which in morall iudge­ment is the greateste argument can bee giuen, for no Man a professed aduer­sarye to an other, (such as those Pa­gans and theyr Oracles were to Christ, and his Religion, especially if the Quar­rell and Contention growe for honuor and worshippe, which all couer and de­sire▪ will be commanded by his enemy to giue place, except there be a power and superioritie in the commaunder to doe it. And it i [...] a constant Tradition that Hieronne the Prophet prophesyed in E­gipt, [Page 175] and foretolde to theyr Kings that their Idole should be ouerthrowne when a virgine had a child, and from that time the priests of Egipt in a secret place of their temple adored the Image of a vir­gine with a childe in her Armes. Sovo [...]. l [...]b. 6. [...] And Si­billa Tiburtina shewed to Augustus the Em­peror a [...] before the time of the [...]ti [...]ity of Christ, a moste beautifull Virgine houlding a childe i [...] her Armes, and said vnto him, this Childe is greater than thou art, worship him. And in the time of his be­ing an Infant an Egipt the very insensible things acknowledged him. [...] part. 2. cap. 4. Cornel [...]ns [...]n concord, euāg cap. 11. At Hermo­pilis a city of Theha [...] where was a tree cal­led Persi [...], whose fruite, leaues, or barke healed all diseases, & beeing very great and highe, so sonne as Christ approa­ched to the gate of the Citie, it bowed downe to the grounde and adored him. Balsamum miraculouslie grew in the or­charde watered with the well wherein his cloathes were washede the stone whereon they were beatē & dried was had in great reuerence euen of the Sar [...]cens & Mahumetans to this time. The place of his habitatiō alwaies hath a burning lamp by the [Page 176] Mahumetanes order. Touching true Prophets that liued among them, what is more auncient then the booke of Iob, Iob. cap. 19. liuing in the primatiue age of the world? and yet what more plaine, then his pro­phesies of Christ, vttered with such ve­hemensie and desire of eternall continu­ance for all posterity, that hee requested his words might be engraued in the most harde and flinty stone, and the places en­graued, to be filled with plates of lead, that the letters and writing might be du­rable, and to be read of all. And his wor­des which hee woulde haue so surelie re­gistred, are these. For I knowe that my Re­deemer liueth, and in the last day I shall rise a­gaine with my skinne, and in my fleshe shall see God: whome I my selfe and in my flesh shall see, and my eyes shall beehoulde. &c. in which wordes a whole compendium and breui­ate of Christian Religion is conteined: First Christ liued then, and so was God, and is called his Redeemer, and so the Mesias, that was expected. Hee should see him when he was compassed with his skinne, and with his fleshe, and his eyes shoulde beholde him, and he must be [Page 177] Man, and that in the day of Iudgement when hee shall rise againe, thereby ac­knowledging a resurrection of the bodie, a finall Iudgement, and that Christ shall iudge the worlde. And in all his mise­ries he susteyned, this was his hope as he affirmeth. Of what authoritie the pro­phesie of the Sibilles were emong them, is it not vnknowne, as also how euidently they foretolde the whole summe of the misteries of Christ, so particularly as if they had been present. As to cite some of theyr wordes. Panta &c. Doeing all things with his worde, healing all infirmities: Sibill. apud Lactant. firm. l. 4. instit cap. 16. et cap. 15. the dead shall bee raysed, and the lame shall runne apace, the deafe shall heare, the blinde shall see. Those which could not speake shall speake. With fiue loaues and twoo fishes he shall feede fiue thou­sand men in the desart, and taking vp that which is left, shall fill twelue baskets, For the hope of manie. Hee shall commande or bridle the windes, hee shall goe and treade vppon the rageing Sea, with his feete. Hee shall walke vppon the waues. Resolue the diseases of men, rayse those that bee deade to life, & driue griefes from many, hither to be the wordes of Sibilla, their prophe­tesse. And shee recountech so many mi­racles [Page 178] to be performed by christ that shee hir self did affirm the Pagans with whom shee liued, whose gods could not doe mi­racles, and shewe such effectes, woulde mocke hir and saie shee were madde, hir wordes are these, Phisousi Sibillen menome­menin, they will call me a mad Prophetesse, or Sibill, & thaet I am a liar, but when al these things shall come to passe, they shall remember mee, and then no man will call me a liar any longer, but a Prophetesse of the great God. And foretelleth further, that at his comming the lawe of Moyses, Supr. cap. 17. shall cease, in these wordes: When all these thinges shall bee finished which I haue spoken of Him, then the Lawe shall bee dissol­ued. Sibill. erithr. apud Lactant. supr. l. 4. c. 6. And Sibilla erithrea speaking of the same Iesus sonne of the virgin (as they called him) how in his eternal generation he was begotten of the father, and was true God: Saieth that he was giuen to all faithfull people to be worshiped. And an other Sibill hath these words. Auton son ginosche Theon Theou ijon ionta. Calcid. l. 2. in tim. Platon. Trismeg. lib. Logos telios. Lactant. supr. &c. 7. & 13. Know him to be thy God: which is the sonne of God. The same and like speeches Lactantius citeth out of Trismegistus or Her­mes. from the Oracles of Apollo, Esculapius and others. And touching the Passion of [Page 179] Christ, Sibilla vttereth these words, hee shall fall into the wicked handes of Infidels: and they shall giue blowes unto God, with incestuous handes, and with vncleane Mouth shall spit ve­nemous spittings. He shall giue his innocent backe to bee beaten, and taking blowes, Lib. 4 supr. cap. 18. shall holde his peace; for his meate they shall giue him gall, and vineger for his thirst. And rebuking the land of Iurie for such vsage of their Messias, v­seth these speeches. For when thou foolish didst not know thy god, dissembled to mortal mindes, thou didst crowne him with a crowne of thornes, and mingledst horrible gall. Cap. 19. supr. And con­cerning the miracles at his Passion saith that the vaile of the Temple shall bee torne: and at middaie there shall be a wonderfull nighty dark­nesse three howres together. And yet when these thinges were done, for all these Celestiall wonders, they woulde not knowe their wicked offence. Hee shall ende his death with a sleepe of three dayes, and then arising from the dead shall come to light, the first that shall shew a beginning of resurrection to such as bee called. These bee the verye wordes of the Sibilles and prophets of the Gentiles which prosecute the coming of Christ to iudgement, the rewarde for the good, punishmēt for the wicked, & other [Page 180] Mysteries of Christian Religion, Apud Lact. lib. 7. diuin. inst cap. 13.16.18.19 20.23.24. & l. opific. c. 22.23 as wee beleeue, condemning all other worships to bee false, and superstitious. And least any man shoulde imagine that these so manifest prophesies of Christ, shoulde be deuised by any follower of his, after his comming, Erastothen. in antiq. Annal. Cic li. de diu. Virgil. egl. 4. Suet. in Aug. Varr. lib. rer. diu. ad Caesar. Crisip. l. diuin. N [...]uius l. bell. punic. &c. Eurip. in prol. lam. &c. it is most manifest in the Pagan Authors themselues Erastothenes, Cicero, Crisippus, Apollodorus, Neuius, Eu­ripides, Heraclites, Virgill, Varro, Suetoni­us, and almost all Historians of the Gen­tiles before Christ, that they were both extant in the worlde, and famouslye knowne before, and most reuerently re­garded and kept in their greatest places, euen of the Cesars and Emperours them­selues; what was the reason that the Pa­gans did not vnderstande these thinges I haue cited out of their owne wordes. And such as those Sybilles were, we can­not doubt to haue beene in other times and places amonge the Gentiles to bee witnesses of these things, as is manifest in their most certaine and vndoubted pro­phesies, registred in irreprooueable Au­thors, found and promulged in such sort as they cannot bee denyed. There vvas [Page 181] founde in the tombe of Plato that greate Phylosopher a plate or golde vpon his breast, with these words engraued. Comment. in Boet. de dis­cipl. schol. Philip. Berg. Chron. fol. 64 Credo in Christum nasciturum ex Virgine: passurum pro humano genere: & tertia die resurrecturum. I be­leeue in Christ which shall be borne of a Virgin; shall suffer for mankinde; Euseb. in hist. Bergom. sup. in Chrō. Ang lib. 10. ciuit. cap. 2. & rise againe the third day. Yet Plato was dead and buried 370. yeares before the Incarnation of Christ. And in his workes were conteyned these euangelicall wordes that followe. In the beginning was the worde, and the word was with God, and God was the worde. This was in the be­ginning with God. All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing. That which was made in him, was life, and the life was the light of men: and the light shineth in darkenesse. Which word for worde, is the beginning of the Gospell by S. Iohn. D. Tho. 3. part. sum. the­ol Berg. Crō. And in the time of Constantine & Hyrene there was founde in the city of Constantinople, where many Iewes inhabited, an ancient tombe, and vppon the body of him that was buried therein, a plate of golde, wherein these words, writtē before the coming of christ were engraued: Christus nascetur ex Virgine Maria, & ego credo in eum, O soliterum me vide­bis, [Page 182] sub Constantino & Hyrene. Christ shall be borne of a Virgine called Mary, and I beleeue in him. O Sunne thou shalt see me againe vnder Constantine and Hyrene, which was a­boue 780. yeares after Christ. And in the yeare 1230. a naturall borne Iewe, Regist. tolet. Chron. hisp. Gran. lib. de Symbol. and professed enemy of Christian Religion, at Toletum, diging in the ground, found a stone, wherein there was a booke for time & continuance difficult to be read, in which, amonge other thinges, these wordes were written. In tertio mundo fili­us Deinasce [...] ex virgine Maria, & pro salu­te hominum p [...]tietur. In the thirde age of the worlde the Sonne of God shall bee borne of a Vir­gine, named Mary, and shall suffer for the saluation of men: And moreouer that the booke shoulde bee founde in that verie time when it was, in the daies of Feran­da the Virgin of Castyll. The times, pla­ces, the finders, proposers, and all o­ther circumstances of which prophesies, were such, that no man can deny them to bee the effectes of a true propheticall spirit. And so I might recount of others. Whereby it is manifest, that euen in the greatest swaye of the Pagans Idolatrie, [Page 183] there vvanted not true beleeuers in Christ, and such as gaue testimony to his comming.

Concerning Mahumetanes, The testimo­ny of Mahu­met, his Alca­ron, and Ma­humetanes. Alcoran. azo­ar. 67. azoar. 10. azoar. 11.12. azoar. 1.5. &c. we haue heard before, how their prophet and pro­poser of their lawe Mahumet (as they e­steeme him) in his Alcaron hath auouched the same, that Christ was the Messias and Prophet which in the lawe was promised to the worlde, borne of the virgine Mary, shee still remayning a Virgine, that he was the greatest Prophet that euer was, or shall bee, greater then Mahumet himselfe, the worde of GOD, Spirit of GOD, taught true Religion, Azoar. 67. azoar. 19. azoar. 12. came to supplie the defectes of the lawe of Moyses, and the Gospell was the per­fection thereof, and perfecte doctrine, Christes myracles were true, and giuen vnto him for confirming his doctrine, and enforce all Iewes vvhich will pro­sesse the Religion of Mahumet, Theuet l. 6. c. 5 Alcor. azoar. 2. azoar. 20. firste to acknowledge and proteste in expresse wordes, that Iesus was the Messias of the worlde, they affirme he was the worde, wisedome, Spirit, and vnderstanding of God, a Prince to the Iewes, and head [Page 184] of all men. Theuet. Cos­mog. l. 8, c, 2. Whosoeuer amonge them blaspheameth eyther Christ or his Mo­ther, besides a great forfeiture of mony is beaten with threescore blowes, with a clubbe. Mahumet further affirmeth, that the Religion of Iews and Mahumet shall vtterly perish, Alcoran &c. Bellon. lib. 3. cap. 3. cap. 7. Cusan lib. 1. cribrat. Alcoran. c. 2. l. 2. c. 14, Alcor azoar. 31. azoar. 5. & only the Religion of Christ perseuer to the end. The keep­ers thereof shall be saued. Christ is ex­alted aboue all creatures in heauen, and shall come to destroie Antechrist, and restore generallie true Religion, and in the day of Iudgement be pronouncer of the sentence and doome of God. That his Mother was the holiest of all women, moste puer, that shee was one of the mi­racles of the worlde, saluted and certifi­ed of the conception and birth of Christ by the Angell Gabriell, that emonge all the children of Adam, onelie Christ and She were vndefiled, Shee neuer commit­ted anie sinne, that Shee was a virgine not onlie before and at the time of the Natiuitie of Christ, Azoar. 76. Azoar. 2.9. l. gener. Mah. p. 202. but euer after, that Shee brought sorth Christ without any paine or griefe: Saint Iohn Baptist was a moste vertuous man, Saint Iohn the Euan­gelist [Page 185] the holiest that was, that he reuiued the dead, and did other miracles, was as­sumpted aliue to heauē, Azoar. 39. that his Gospel is full of perfect doctrine, which they reue­rence, Azoar. 1.2.3.9.20.21.13.17.29.31.34. as also that parte of the Gospell of Saint Luke about the Angelles saluta­tion with often kisses, and much deuoti­on, and Reuerence all the Euangelists, they honour and praie to S. George and o­ther christian Saints, reuerence their Re­lickes, and with especiall duetie the Se­pulchre and other monuments of Christ. Which is as great a Recorde as can bee giuen, and such as demonstratiuelie pro­ueth against them the Religion of Chri­stians to be true, and Mahumet a Sedu­cer. For how can that Religion bee vn­perfect which performeth all thinges be­longing to Religion, bringeth mē to hea­uen, and their happie end? How can that which onlie remaineth bee insufficient? When Iudaisme and Mahumetisme and al others cease, will God be without ho­nor? shall the worlde giue him no wor­ship? or if he be the word of god, & wise dome of god, as Mahumet confesseth, then he must needes be God, which is all hee [Page 186] denieth vnto him, for that which is either the word, wisdome, or any other atribute or property of god, must needes be god, for in him that is one incompounded substance, no created worde, wisedome, or accidentall thinge can bee Imagi­ned. Neyther could a true Prophet such as he confesseth Iesus, bee esteemed so, if hee had not beene the Sonne of GOD, and perfecte God, as hee taughte him­selfe to be.

Testimony of the Iewes, and the groundes of their Reli­gion.Lastlie to come to the Iewes of these tymes, since Christ: I haue shewed be­fore that the chiefe and principall firma­ment and foundation of theyr Religion, when they were the people of GOD, was buylded vppon the Reuelations of such misteries, as were deliuered from god to Moises, their high priests, and pro­phets, neither euer had they title to true Religion, or any promise or expectation of a Messias and Redeemer either come al­ready, or to be hoped hereafter, but by that meanes, and by that they pretende theyr right to this daie. So that what­soeuer was foretolde in those holye Pro­phets, concerning the Messias, and ap­prouing [Page 187] Iesus Christ to bee him, and chri­stian beleefe to be true, cannot bee deni­ed of anye of the Ieweishe profession if he will remayne a Iewe; for so he should denye himselfe to haue anie Religion at all. And yet those holie Prophets so playnelie, particulerlye, and perfect­ly descrybe IESVS to haue beene the same, that it is vnpossyble theyr de­scription and prophessyes shoulde bee applyed to anie other. So that as if a­anye Paynter shoulde drawe an Image with an vpright Bodie, an Head round, vvith Face, Nose, twoe Eyes, twoe Eares, Armes vvith Fingers, tvvoe Legges, and feete with toes, and all other members, lineaments, and pro­portions of a man, who except vnrea­sonable or madde coulde or woulde a­firme it to bee the similitude and repre­sentatiou of a beast, a birde, or any other creature: euen so the properties & qua­lities whereby those holie prophets moste cunning painters of supernatural things describe and purtrature forth the Messias, be so proper onelie to Iesus Christ, that without obstynate madnesse they can­not [Page 188] be challenged for any others. Wee haue heard of his picture drawne by Iob already, Iob. cap. 19. Psal. 2. Is. 9. Is. cap. 25. that he is our God, Redeemer, and shall bee our Iudge. And to bee briefe in so plaine a matter, the rest of of the Prophets speaking of the Messias, expresse him by the tetragrammaton name of GOD, H. V. H. I. which is neuer giuen in holie Scriptures, as the Iewes acknow­ledge, but to the true and eternall God, they tearme him by all titles beloning vnto GOD. Pasm. 2. Psal. 109. Is. 53. Psal. 44. Is. cap. 9. Bar. cap. 3. Is. cap. 12. & cap. 25. Ierem. cap 23. et 33. Mich. cap. 5. Zachar. c. 2. Calling him the sonne of God, begotten in eternity before the worlde was made. The Lord of Dauid. That his generation is vnspeakeable; that he is God, and his throne eternall; A Councellor. Good. Strong. Father of the future world. Prince of peace. God with vs. God seene in earth. God conuersing with men. Iah. God himselfe that shall come and saue vs. The name which they shall call him is God, our iust. A Cap­taine whose going forth is from the daies of eter­nity. Psal. 2. Is c 9.53.2.19 Mala [...]h. c. 1. Ezech. c. 20. Ierem. c. 3. God that shall dwell in the middest of vs. God to whom many nations shall be conuerted. To whome the nations and Gentiles shall be giuen for his inheritance. That shal open the eies of the blind. The eares of the deafe, and raise the dead. That all Angelles and Nations must adore him. God [Page 189] altering the lawe of Moyses, and his sacrifi­ces, and instituting an other Altar, and honoured with other sacrifices and oblations. That hee is God, Lorde of Hostes, and the like. Where­by he is described and lineamented out by all prerogatiues and attributes proper to God, and incommunicable to anye creature, as is most euident in this descrip­tion. And touching his humanity no­thing of momente ommitted that passed in the life of Christ Iesus in earth. Iob. cap. 19. Bar. cap. 3. That though he bee God yet shall be seene among vs. Conuerse among vs, in the middest of vs. Is. cap. 7. Mich. cap. 5. Ierem. cap. 31 Scene wich our eyes. That hee shall bee conceaued after a diuine manner, borne of a virgine, in Bethlehem, and city of King Dauid. Is. cap. 1. The Singing of the An­gelles. The comming of the Shepards. the Stall of the Oxe & Asse, where he was borne. Numer. c. 20. The star that appeared. Psal. 71. The Iourny & worship of the Magutheir Oblations of gold frankensence and mirh. The con­sultation of Herod with the Priests, where he shoulde be borne. The seeking of his death. Ierem 31. Malach. 3. Is. c. 21.31.45. The mur­dering of so many thousand Infants. His presenta­tion in the Temple, flying into Egipt, going into Gallilie, dwelling in Nazareth, Zachar. c. 1. Is. 42.40. the preaching and austere conuersatiō & life of his precurssor S. Iohn Baptist, and his testimony of Christ. The beginning [Page 190] of Christes preaching and doctrine. Malach. 3. Zachar. 9. his wonderfull workes, and operations, giuen by the Prophets for a distinctiue signe of the Messias, Is. 50. to be discerned by. His disputing with the Iewes. Dan cap. 10. Is cap. 1. Psal. 80. Osee 2.3. Is. cap. 9. Mich. cap. 2. Zachar 8. Psalm. 2. Gen cap. 48. Psalm. 40.50.108. Is. 53. His strange and tri­umphant riding vpon an Asse into Hierusalem, and circumstances thereof. His teaching in the Temple, innocencie of life and behauiour. The par­ticuler iniuries he susteyned of the Iewish Nation, their ingratitude, incredulity, and reprobation for not receauing him; the errors they are since iustlie fallen into, their afflictions, & calamities for that offence susteyned to this day, their captiuity, bon­dage, dispersion, want of sacrifice, priesthood, tem­ple, rytes, and ceremonies of Religion. The election and calling of the Gentiles. Dan. cap. 9. The general ouerthrow of Idolatry. Psal. 21.68. His selling and betraying by his owne Disciple. The very price for which hee was folde, howe it was bestowed. Zachar. 9. The desperation of Iudas the traytor, Psal 106.15. Osee 6. Psal. 67. & miserable end. The death of Christ, and manner thereof, among theeues, and malefa­ctors, the ende to redeeme the world. His volunta­ry oblation and dying, the giuing of him gall, and vinegre to drinke, deuiding of his aparell, casting lots for his Coate, his nakednes vpon the Crosse, the piercing of his side, the nayling of his handes and feete. Psal. 119. Gen. cap. 49. His descending as a Conqueror into hell, his victorius rysing from death, tryumphant ascen­ding [Page 191] to heauen, and the verie time and place by markes infallible, and other matters that passed, Dan. cap. 2. Psal 68. & 108. either about his natiuitie, life, death, or after: as the chusing of Matthias to supplie the place of Iudas, Ioel. c. 2. the miraculous comming of the holy Ghost in the feaste of Pentecoste, and the rest. Howe all these and many others foretolde by the Hebrewe Pro­phets so long before of their Messias, were verified and fulfilled in Iesus the Sonne of the blessed virgne Mary, Calcic. lib. 2. in tim. plat. Ioseph lib. 14. antiq. cap. 4. & l. 18. c. 6.7. Mah. in Alcor. c. 12.11.5.67. Pilat. epist. ad Tyber. imper. apud Eus. lib. 2 histor, Plin. 2 ep. ad Tra­ian. Imper. Adrian. Imper in ep. Anton. Imper. ep. &c. Alco. ca. 1.4.13 Thalm. tract. anod. Zara misdr. Coh. &c. I neede not to set downe, the newe Testament where they are recorded by the Euangelists and Apostles, beeing in the handes of euery Englishe Reader in his owne language; and not onlie written by Christians, but remembred by Gentiles in their wrigh­tinges, recorded in Libraries, and Mo­numentes of Pagan Prynces, and Em­perours. Confirmed by the verye tes­tymonie of Pylate himselfe that put him to death. Witnessed of our greatest e­nemies Mahumet in his Alcaron, the Iewes in their Thalmud, and by so manye Historians, both of Iewes, Pa­gans, and Christians, and could not pos­sible either bee deuised of our friendes, [Page 192] or denied of our enemies, chauncing for the most part before thousandes of wit­nesses, in or about Hierusalem, a place so famous, where the President was resi­dent, and whether resorted Proselytes, and others of all knowne Nations in the worlde. Therefore we conclude against the Iewes by theyr owne Prophets, and foundation of theyr Religion, againste Pagans by their Prophets, and Oracles, and against Mahumetanes by theyr Ma­hument, and Alcaron, and all Infidelles by the cheife Rules and Proposers of theyr Religion, that Iesus Christ is the true me­sias and Redeemer of the world, that only the Religion of Christians is true, haue­ing such a Peace-maker and Mediator betwene God & vs, as was able to make the atonemente beeinge both God and Man, as a Redeemer must needs be, and such as both his owne workes and opera­tions, and the predictions of those holy Prophets foretolde, and described by the attributes and properties of both na­tures diuine and humane. His diuine na­ture by his Eternitie, Omnipotencie, Im­possibillity, Infinitnes, Power ouer all [Page 193] creatures, and to produce all supernatu­rall effects, to alter and establish religi­on, to saue, to condemne, to be honored with diuine adoration, and al names and titles due and belonging to God, as ap­peareth in theyr description I haue reci­ted, confirmed and be expounded gene­rallie by the auncyent Rabines beefore Christ. Rabb. Ionath. l. collect. misd. tehel. in Psal. 2. v. 7. & Ps. 20 Rabb. Abb. in thren. Rab. mos. had. in c. 41. Gen. As likewise his humane nature is decyphered by the same prophets by all properties and qualities of man (sin excepted.) Therefore seeing by no pos­sibilitie the wisdome of god can bee de­ceaued, or his bonity and goodnes leade others into error, and infidelltie, and he had appointed those properties to be the notes, signes, and tokens to knowe the Mesias by, and they were performed one­lie in Iesus our Sauiour, and no other, hee must needes be the Redeemer of the world, onlie christian Religion true, and all other Infidelles, Iewes, Pagans, and Mahumetanes seduced and deceaued. For that which is onelye proper to one. cannot belong vnto more, for so it should not bee a proper and priuate but a com­mon and vulgar thinge.

THE 2. ARGVM. Howe all externall and most notorious Notes and Signes giuen by God, to knowe the Messias by, were onlie ve­refied of Iesus Christ, and cannot possibly bee performed in any other.

BVT besides these personall and in­ternall priuiledges and distinctions of the Messias; because the redemption of mankinde to be effected by him con­cerned all people, and nations, in that all had offended; so the infinite mercy and goodnes of God, that no man should be ignorant of that which concerned him so much, as the receauing of the Redeemer, and working his owne saluation doeth: had appointed many other most knowne and famous extrinsecal thinges to be the signes & tokens of his comming, where­of many were notorious in all the world, and the rest at the least renowned to that nation of the Iewes, (from whome hee was to descende) and other neighbou­ring countries to the Israelites; all which were euidently verified in Christ Iesus, & [Page 195] cannot be effected in any other. For bre­uity I will exemplifie but in fewe parti­culers, the matter beeing manifest be­fore.

First, The first externall token of the Mesias, that he should come before it was destroyed &c. the Temple in Hierusalem was not only the most renowned thing in Iu­ry, but famous in all the worlde, by re­porte of Proselites, and such as resorted thither, especially when Iury was ruled by the Romanes, as it was at the cōming of Christ: Therefore when God gaue for a distinctiue signe to know the Messias by, as not only the auncient Iewes and Rab­bines, Agg. 2. Malach. 3. Rab. Ios. ben. leui in Thal. tract sanh. c. helec. but the Thalmudists themselues ac­knowledge, that both in the time of his life he shoulde to that Temple ( then shall come the desired of all nations: and I will fill this house (or Temple) with glory saith the Lorde of hostes. And streight after, shall come to his temple, the Lord or Ruler whom you seeke, & the messen­ger of the testament, whom you desire) as the Prophets expreslie foretold, as Iesus oftē did, as the Iewes & al Infidels acknowledge: And further, that soone after his death, that Temple should be destroyed and left desolate, neuer to bee builded againe as Daniell witnessed in these wordes ( Christ [Page 196] shall be slayne, Dan. cap. 9. and a people with theyr Captaine to come shall destroie the Citie and the Sanctuary, and the ende thereof shall bee vastity. And af­ter the warre ended there shall ensue the appointed Desolation.) And further expresse the ve­rie time when this should be, iust agree­ing with the death of Christ. And it is manifest that no other in those daies and with those circumstances is honoured for the MESSIAS, eyther of Christyans, Iewes, Ioseph. bell. iud. lib. 6. Euseb. hist. Ioseph bell. l. 7. cap. 30. Pagans, or Mahumetans, but only Iesus Christ, and that the Temple was then destroyed as is moste euydent, and not onely the temple in Hierusalem, but that in Egipt called Onion, as Iosephus re­cordeth, it was hee that was to be distin­guished by this signe. For no power of God can cause that any pretended Messi­as to bee hereafter was hee, that came to that Temple beefore it was destroyed, or that the destruction of that Temple com­pleated aboue 1500. yeares agoe, should bee done after the death of him, that is not yet borne. For things to be and not to be are vnpossible to be true. There­fore against all Iewes and Infidelles, on­ly Iesus Christ was, and no other can bee [Page 197] the Messias by that siigne.

Secondly (as the Iews thēselues agree) the holy Prophets giue for a like distru­ctiue signe, 2.Externall Note, of the Messias that he was to dis­cende of the house of Da­uid, and bee borne in his citie of Bethe­lem. Ierem. 23.30. Ezech 34. Osee 3. 3. Reg. 7. Thalm. tract. Sarch. c. mig. mar. had. that he was to discend of the line of Iuda & king Dauid, and to be born in Bethlem his City. This family was the linage of the kings, & most honorable in Israel. And had endured in honour and gouernment aboue 1000. yeares without interuption: And the towne of Bethlem was notable in all Iury, being the cheefe city of the Tribe of Iuda; but the Iewes themselues confesse in theyr Thalmud it selfe, and all the world can tell, not only that christ Iesus discended of king Dauids parentage, and was borne in the same ci­tie of Bethlem, Euseb. histor. l. 3. cap. 11. but that aboue 1500. years agoe, the family of king Dauid by expresse cōmand of Vespasian, (that not one should bee left aliue that discended of that line) was destroyed, because he knew the Mes­sias was of that linage; and soone after the cittie of Bethlem was quite desolate and ouerthrown, Oros l. 7. c. 13 Euseb. lib. 4. histor. cap. 5. Dion. Cass. in Adrian. in the time of Adriā the Emperor. Therfore (as in the former reason) this signe cānot be applied to any false or forged Messias to come: for neyther the [Page 198] towne vnknown, nether the family either wholy rooted out, or moste vncertainlie cofounded with the rest, can be a certaine signe of so sure notice, as the Messias was to be discerned by.

3. Externall signe, the cea­sing of Iewes Sacrifice, and lawe &c. Leuit. Deut. 1. Reg. 2. Reg. 3. Reg. etc.Thirdly, the Sacrifices of the Iews of­fered in Ierusalem, their priesthoode, sa­craments, & ceremonies of their religion there practised, were moste honorable in that people, & not vnknown to the grea­test kingdomes of the earth, and as they had beene kept & celebrated there, with so great applause & cōcorse of so many nations, 1400. years together, so they could not cease & be taken away, but with the knowledge & wonder of many peoples. The cease of these thynges was a signe of the cōming of the Mesias, as the prophets, Daniel, Dan. 9. Hier. 41. Malach. 1. Osee 2.3.9. Sybill. apud Lactant. lib. 4. diu. inst. c. 17. Is. 1.2.3.5.6.24.28.25.29.32.48. Ieremy Malachi, Osee, Esay & others, and the Sibils themselues among the gen­tiles had moste playnelie described. But soone after the cōming of Christ all these did cease, Ierusalē their city where these Sacrifices were vsed, the Temple & Al­tar where they were offered, the Pryests which practised these rites & ceremonies were destroied, banished and exiled that [Page 199] nation, as I haue shewed before, and the whole world can witnes. Therfore seing neither Iew Gentile nor Mahumetan worship any of that time for the Messias, and those signes cannot possibly be verified in any since, or to come, Mahument. in Alcor. only Iesus christ in whom they were compleated, must needs be the Messias, as not only christians but Mahumet and Mahumetans acknowledge. 4. Externall. signe, the ido­latry of the Gē tyles then to cease, & they should be cō ­uerted to the Messias. Lactant. lib. 1. diu. instit. Osee 1.2. Agg. 2. Zachar. 2.9. Psal. 66. Hier. 31. Malach. 1. Psal. 2.8.18. Euseb. dem. l. 6. cap. 20. Athan. l. incar. Orig hom. 3. Pallad. histor. Mahum. Alc. supr.

Fourthly, the Idolatries and Supersti­ons of the gentiles which (onely Iurie ex­cepted) possessed the whole habitable & knowne worlde, and had practized those things almost three thousand years with­out desolation, maintained and aduaun­ced by so manie Kinges and Emperours, were so familiar and experyenced to all natiōs, that they could not cease without a wonderfull and strange alteratiō, there fore God had also assigned this for a di­stinctiue Badge to beginne at the tyme of the Messias, and to bee effected by his Religion, and that those Gentiles & Idolaters should be conuerted vnto Christ. There is no other which can pretend to haue beene cause of these changes, Mahu­met doth not challendge it, but yeeldeth [Page 200] it to Christ, Orig. hom. 3. Pallad histor. Mahum. Al­cor. sup. the Iewes haue not donne it, and yet deny Mahumet, and there bee no knowne professors of religion at this day, but Iewes, Mahumetanes, Pagans, and Christians, and amonge all these, onlie the remnant of Pagans bee Idolaters, the Iewes deny the Messias to bee come, the Pagans neuer expected any: the rest Christians and Mahumetanes allovve Christ Iesus only to be the Messias, there­fore hee is to bee receaued, and onlie his Religion.

5. Externall signe, the de­solution of the lewish Nati­on. Gen. Exod. &c Ioseph l. antiq.Fistly, from the time of Abraham, in whose daies God tooke so particuler care of his posterity, the Iewish Nation vn­till their vtter destruction, in the time of Titus and Vespatian, had passed aboue two thousand yeares; by which space, that Nation was called the peculiar people of God, and in respecte of the priuiledges grannted vnto them, the whole worlde was not to be compared; Gen. Exod. 1.2.3.20. &c. Deut. &c. Ioseph. l. antiq. Phil. Mahum. A [...]c. &c. Orph. Car. so many mira­culous & vnwonted fauours shewed vn­to them aboue all others, recorded not onlie in the sacred Scriptures, and the Iewish historians, but Pagan and Mahu­metane writers are witnesse. Therefore [Page 201] that the immutable goodnesse of God shoulde so longe time and extraordinari­ly persecute and punnishe that people, which hee had so honoured before, was not only an argument of some grieuous sinne in that generation, (of which I will speake hereafter) but it woulde seeme a most strange and wonderfull thing to all persons. Therefore this was giuen for a signe of the comming of the Messias as the Prophets, Osee, Daniell, Hieremy, Ma­lachy, and others expresse in most plaine sentences, Osee 9.3. Hier. 31. Dan. 9. Mal. &c. that they shoulde be Vagi in na­tionibus, Vagabondes in all nations, Sine Rege, sine Lege, sine Principe, sine Sacrificio: &c. With­out King, without Lawe, without Prince, with­out Sacrifice, and without Altar. &c. Which the whole world knoweth, and the Iewes prooue by bitter experience to bee effe­cted in them, since the time of Christ, and from the last captiuity of Hierusalem nowe aboue 1500 yeares, without al hope of receauing into fauour with God, and to bee restored to their former fauours: therefore Iesus is the Messias.

Sixtly, 6. Externall signe, the trās­lation of the Scepter & Re­giment from the house of Iuda. (because I haue made menti­on of the Kinges and Princes of Iury) as [Page 202] the Scepter and kingely Regiment of the trybe of Iuda was the moste renowned temporall dignity in that Nation, & had continued from king Dauid the first king of that tribe, vntill Herod the Ascolanite aboue a thousand yeares, so it was renou­ned in moste countries of the worlde (sel­dome anye one familie enioying princely Regiment so longe) and could not be ta­ken away without a common wonder & note of people, 1. Reg. 2. Reg. &c. Iosep. l. antiq. Geneb. Cron. &c. and therefore was pro­pheticallye giuen by Iacob for a signe of the comminge of the Messias aboue 700. yeares before anye this tribe enioyed the Scepter, and aboue 1700. yeares beefore it was taken from it: the wordes of Iacob are these. The Scepter shall not be taken from Iuda, Gen. cap. 49. Tharg. 49. Gen. and a Captayne from his lyne, vntill hee commeth which is to be sente. and he shall be the Expectation of the Gentyles (or Nations.) The hebrue Texte readeth this. The Scepter shall not goe from Iuda, and a Scrybe or Lawe-maker from the middest of his seete, vntill Si­lo or the MESSIAS commeth. And hee shall be the gathering together of Peoples. And in the Thargum the Caldey reading so ho­noured emong the Iewes only the Messias [Page 203] is named in that prophesie; and the an­cient Rabbines euer vnderstoode that place of the Messias; the Iewes them­selues cannot denie it. But this pro­pheticall signe, cannot possiblie bee ex­pounded of any other then CHRIST IESVS, in whose time onlie, and ne­uer before, the Scepter and Regiment (as all Historians witnesse) was taken from the house of Iuda. For although the Iewish nation was often persecuted, Cyril. lib. 8. cont. Iulian. Hieron. in Soph. cap. 1. & in Ezech. cap. 21. 1. Paral. 3. 3. Esdr. 5. Math. 1. Rabbin. &c. Caes. Baron. to. 1. an. and made captiue by the infidell borde­ring Kinges, yet vntill then, the gouern­ment was neuer quite taken from the house Iuda. And neuer any stranger chosen King in Israel, but all that ruled euen after the captiuitie were of the house of Iuda, vntill Herode the Ascolanite in the time of Iesus entered. The Scriptures be witnesse hereof vnto Zorababell and manie his successors. After them also without interruption, the Scepter re­mayned in the same Tribe, by the mo­thers lyne, by which the Assamone that gouerned vntill Herode, were discended of the house of Iuda, as the ancient Rab­bines are witnes, otherwise by no other [Page 204] title without spot of tirānie & vsurpation they could haue chalendged the kingdōe (Although as some suppose these also were by the fathers side of the line of Iuda and of Leuy by the mother, Geneb. Chrō in Machab. Phil. lib. de Monarch. Ioseph.) for as Philo wrighteth, entermarriage betweene the kingly and priestly tribes was lawfull in that people, and Herode himselfe claymed first the kingdome by the title of Mariam­ne his wife of that linage; and yet besides this highest princely successiō these con­tinued in the line of Iuda, the Zanedrin or Senate of the 72. which ruled by the lawes of that people were of the tribe of Iuda, Mach. 2. and as the bookes of the Macha­bees themselues ( The people that is at Hie­rusalem and the Senate and Iudas. &c.) had greate Regiment in that Nation in those daies, and were neuer extincte vntill the time of Herode the straunger, which both by Farher and Mother, was an Alien, and neyther of the house of Iuda or anie other Tribe of Israell. But at the com­ming of Christ, both the King lie Scep­ter was quite translated, both from Iuda, & all other tribes of that people and the Zanedrin it selfe destroyed, Ioseph. lib. 15. antiq. c. 1. and no Ruler [Page 205] left of that Nation. Dio. hist. Rō. lib. 49. Ioseph. lib. 17 antiq. cap 1. & bell l. 1. c. 18. Phil. lib. 2. de tempor. Ioseph. lib. 17. antiq. c. 3. Eus. in Chron For Antigonus the Iew and King of that Nation being crucified by Antonius, & Hircanus craftely slaine by King Herode, not only this Herod the King vvas a Gentile and straunger, and lefte the kingdome to Archilaus & after to He­rodes Antipas borne of Maltha also a stran­ger, as Iosephus witnesseth, but in the thir­tith yeare of his reigne vtterly destroi­ed the Zanedrin of the house of Iuda, and constituted a whole Zanedrin of Prose­lite strangers. And not onlie the tem­porall Regiment thus destroyed out of the line of Iuda, but the most honoura­ble function & calling of the high Priest it selfe was abused, and most prophanely translated and merketed vp and downe by Herod for it was vtterly taken awaie from the Assemoneys the right Tytlers vn­to it, and giuen to others. Ioseph. lib. 15. antiq. cap. 9. & cap. 3. And Hircanus the high Priest being killed of the same Herod, Aristobulus without all equity and title was placed in that dignity, but hee beeing presently slaine, Anelus a base companyon fetched from Babylon was substituted in his roome, which was ap­poynted euen in the life of Hircanus the [Page 206] lawfull highpriest, after deposed and yet afer chosen againe. And after him others without any respect of the lawe of God, hee only regarding those that were most potent in bribes, or gratious with him in fauour, Ioseph. li. 20. antiq. ca. 8. Euseb. histo. li. 1. ca. 6. Heron. inca. 9. Dan. Iosephi. li. 18. antiq. c. 6 as Iosephus S. Hierome Eusebius and o­thers ar most authentical witnesses. And and not content with this, (that he might take al honour & dignity from al the Tri­bes of Israel) cōmanded that the Priestly Stole the most honorable ensigne of the high Priestly dignity should be kept in a moste secret and a defended place. Ther­fore only Iesus christ, in whose time these signs were thus effected, is to be cōceiued for the Mesias. Thus I might exemplify in the general peace vnder Augustus the emperor, Isi. 32. psal. 71. Dan, 2. ctc. and the romane Empire then begū geuen for tokens of the comming of the Mesias, and of other most famous external notes which for breuitie I passe ouer.

THE 3. ARGVM. That the time wherein Iesus Christ was borne, by all accounts and reasons, was the time of the comming of the Messias: when the lawe of the Iewes was to cease, and the idolatrye of the Gentiles, to be ouerthrowne.

AND if there were no other reason then this, that the high priesthood, Sacrifice, and Religion of the Iewes was thus left desolate, and their last King A­tigonus crucified, it was time that a newe Priesthoode should be erected, and that Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes should bee crucified for the Redemptiō of mankind, & institute an other law & sacrifice whē the other was thus defectiue; which will be more reasonable to graunt, if with all histories we conceaue the miserable and notorious irreligious errors & abuses the gētiles were drowned in at that time: no state, cuntry, or conditiiō of people, liuing in dutifull religion & obediēce to God, but growing vnder so great burdens of [Page 208] Iniquities, onely to be taken away by the comming of the Messias. Secondlie not onelie all internall and parsonall signes of the true Redeemer, the twoe natures of God, and man, vnyted togither, his myraculous and wonderfull operations, and the whole processe of his natiuitie, life, Arg. 1. supr. death, resurrection, ascention, and the reste assigned for his distinction and foretolde both by the Prophets of the Iews and Gentiles, as I haue cited before were now compleated and ended, but all memorable externall notes to decipher him from others, proposed in some parte in the last argument were effected, and as they were vnpossible not to haue beene, so they could neuer after be vsed for anie other to come. But for any such no note, signe, Argument or distinction can bee deuised, Argum. 1. all beeinge alreadie performed. Thirdly all enimies of Christian Religion not onely (as before) haue in their high­est Authorities confessed Christ to be the MESSIAS, but plainely acknowledg­ed that the tyme of his commin [...] [...] ▪ in the dayes of Iesus. For the Gen [...]es, the Sibilles sette downe the time, and one of [Page 209] them shewed in a vision to Augustus then Emperour, both the time and manner of his comming to be effected vnder his re­giment. Lactant. li. 2.3. &c. di. Inst. The Oracles and Gods of the Gentiles agreed in the same poynte, as I haue described. Their Philosophers dyd wright of the miraculous starre, the cea­sing of the Oracles, the murthering of the Infantes by Herode, Argu. 1. Sup. Calcid in tim Plat. Plutar. li. de Orac. Porphyr. li. Oracul. because the Mes­sias was borne, and other wonders chan­cing at the comming of Christe. Herode the Ascalonite a Kinge of their lynage knewe and acknowledged that the Messias was come, when to murther him he kil­led so many Infantes, destroyed the Zane­drin of the house of Iuda, so vsed their highe Priesthoode, Euseb. chron. Ioseph. li. 17. antiq. cap. 3. Euse. hist. li. 3. cap. 11. killed his owne wise and sonne by hir, of the line of Dauid, and his sister Salome hir husband of the same li­nage. And their Emperor Vespatiō hearing that the Messias of the lyne of King Dauid was borne, caused all of that lynage which he could find to be put to deathe. And it was the constant and common op [...]on of the Pagans at that tyme, that the great Messias was come. Oro. li. 7. c. 22. And Augustus Caesar the Emperor the very day whē Christ [Page 210] was borne, commaunded that no man should call him Lord, hauing perhaps in­stinct that the great Lord was borne.

Concerning the Iewes, the auncient Rabbines before christ were of that mind that the Messias was to come at that time, when Christ Iesus was borne, and plain­ly affirme vppon those propheticall wor­des of Esay, Is. 9. Thalm. in lib. Sabbaoth & tract. Sanch. Is. cap. 7. Geneb. Chro. lib. 1. Bened. perer. in Dan. lib. 11 q. 5. Thalm. tract. Sanh. c. helec. a little one is borne to vs, that six hundred yeares after, the Messias shoulde come, which beeing accounted, agreeth with the calculation of Christians, & fal­leth out in the daies of Christ. For Esay li­ued in the time of King Achaz about the 3440. yeare of the world, & Christ by cō ­mon supputatiō was borne the yere 4022. so the most part of his life agreeth vvith that calculatiō: And as the Thalmud it self doth witnes, it was an ancient traditiō a­mong the Hebrews, that the Mesias shold be borne about the fourth thousand yere of the world, which concordeth with the same account. The Iews that liued in the time of Christ, were of the same opinion, & so enformed both Herod their stranger King, Ioh. cap. 1. & Vespatian the Emperor, & them­selues would haue receaued S. Iohn Baptist the precursor of Christ, for their Messias, [Page 211] had he not refused it. And it was so fa­mous among this people that the time of the Messias was come, that many false de­ceauers tooke that title vpō them, & de­ceaued many, as Iudas Galileus, Iudas Ezechias, Thendas, Atouges, and others, Ioseph lib. 17. c. 8. l. 18. c. 1.2. l. 20. c; 5.6. Thalm. thact. Sanh. c. hel. Rabb. ben. maim. in sent. in so much that as the Thalmud cōfesseth the Rabbines thēselues 30. yeares togither receiued Ba­ronosbā for the Messias, & so continued, vn­till they perceiued he coulde not deliuer thē frō the Romans, & so put him to death whersore Herod intēding to make a claime for himselfe, caused his petidegree to be forged frō the ancient Kings of Iuda, as Iosephus witnesseth, Ioseph lib 14. antiq cap. 2 Matth. c. 22. Mar. 3.12. Thalm. tract. Auodaraza. Rabb. Moys. ben. Maim. ep ad iud. Afric. & caled hīself the Mesias Whereupon those which flateted him in these follies are called Herodiās in the Euā ­gelists. What the cōsciences of the later & present Iews esteme of this mater may be gathered of that I haue spoken of the Thalmundists opiniō herein, & in that work they furder acknowledge, that it seemed to thē in those daies that diuers hundred yeares had passed since by the scriptures the Messias shold apeare. And Rabbi Moises son of Maimon, whō the Iews hold in exce­ding great reuerēce, caling him the D. of [Page 212] Iustice, which liued about the yeare of Christ, 1140. supposeth that the Messias shoulde haue beene borne aboue 1000. yeares before that time. Rab. Ios. ben. leui in Thal. tract. Sanh. c. hel. And Rabbi Iosue affirmeth, that the Messias was to bee borne, before the destruction of the se­cond Temple. So that by all computa­tions of Christians, Iewes, Pagans, and Mahumetanes, the time of the comming of the Messias was when Christ Iesus was borne, and now beeing past 1600. yeares, cannot possibly be verified of any other. Therefore he and his Religion are onlie to be receaued. Which also the Prophet Daniell had most exactlie by propheticall calculation set down diuers hundreds of yeares before. Against whose sentence no tergiuersation of any incredulous person can be made. The prophesie of Daniels weekes muste needes be fore told of Christ First, the signes which the Angell giueth to Daniell are moste fa­mous, the edict of the Persian Emperour for the building of Hierusalem, and deli­uery of the Israelites frō captiuity wherin they had liued 70. yeares, & the time of building the city and the Iewes returne thither after so many years. Therfore the notes are manifest, the Persian Emperour [Page 213] then beeing the greatest Monarch of the worlde, and the building of that Citie destroyed, so notorious, the words are as manifest, which be these, Dan. cap. 9. Knowe and marke from the going forth of the worde (or edict) that Hierusalem shall bee builded againe vnto Christ (or Messias) the Captaine there shall bee sea­uen weekes, and threescore and two weekes: and the streete and walles shall bee builded againe in a litle time. And after threescore and two weekes the Messias (or Christ) shall be slaine, and it shall not bee his people, that will denie him. This prophesie all agree to be a predicti­on and token of the time of comming of the Messias and the wordes are manifeste. Then thus I demonstrate against Iewes and all misbeleeuers, that it cannot bee verified of any, but Christ Iesus. First, the holie Scriptures make mention but of two kindes of Hebdomades or weekes, First for a weeke of daies or seauen daies, Leuit. cap. 23. as the Greeke worde doeth signifie as in the numbring of weekes from Ea­ster to Pentecost was appointed in the lawe. This kinde of weeke cannot pos­sibly bee vnderstoode of the Prophette, the whole summe of his Hebdomades or [Page 214] weekes by that reckoning being ended in one yeare & half and one weeke of daies, in which time no man challenged to bee the Messias, and no man, Christian, Iewe, Pagan, or Mahumetane, receaueth anye for the Messias that came then, or diuers hundred yeares after. Secondly in holye Scriptures an Hebdomade or weeke is taken for a weeke of yeares, Leuit. cap. 25. or seuen yeares. So in Leuiticus the obseruation of the yeare of Iubily is cōmanded & set down in these words. Thou shalt number seauē Hebdomades, or weekes of yeares, which make 49. yeares & the fifteth yeare imediatly folowing, is apoin­ted for the yeare of Iubily. Then of neces­sitye the prophesy must be performed in this meaning, which is manifestly true in Iesus Christe. For it is euident that Daniel was a captaine in Babilon in the time of Ioakim, and that the weekes of Daniell thus expounded doe expire and end in Christ, being the number of 483. yeares. And Daniell the Prophette himselfe to giue a plaine distinction, Dan. cap 10. vers. 2.3. that there were ment weekes of yeares, as I haue expounded it, in the next chapter immediatly folowing, within two verses of the former prophesy, [Page 215] twice togither speaking of weekes in an other sence, calleth them weekes of daies. Which had beene superfluous, twyce to bee added in one place, excepte hee would giue vs to vnderstand, that in the former hee ment extraordinarye weekes of yeres. For otherwise this word (weeke) without any addition doth vsually sig­nify seauen dayes, and no other tyme. 4 Esdr. 7. And this is the exposition which is gi­uen in the fourth booke of Esdras where it is said, that the Messias shall be reuea­led and borne after 400. yeares, to which if we adde 33. yeares of the life of Christ, and 50. yeares that Esdras was after Dani­ell, Iosedh. li. 6. & 7. antique. Genebr. cron. they make the same nūber of 483. years which being begun to be numbred from the first edicte of building Hierusalem a­gaine (as the circumstances) best agree which was in the first yeare of Cirus, when (as the 1. chap. of Esdras doth witnes) he did not only publish an edict in writing, 1. Esdr. 1. ver. 2.3, 4. Genebr. Cron but made proclamation through all his kingdoms, for building of Ierusalem, & the tēple therof, without any differēce at al they agre both with the birth & death of Christ as I haue accoūted. And howso­euer [Page 216] we reckon, and begin the accompt from any of the edicts of Cirus or Darius to build Hierusalem, 1. Esdr. 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8. either in the first yeare of Ci­rus when he first determined the Iewes reduction, 2. Esdr. 2.3.4. or the seconde yeare of Darius when he cōfirmed the same and put it in execution, or from the 20. yeare of Darius when he made a newe edict in fauoure of Nehemias, and sent him into Iury (al which are manifest in the bookes of Esdras) they will ende in the raigne of Herode vnder whome Christ was borne, or of Tiberius vnder whom he was put to death. And can­not possiblie be expounded of any other person, or by any other computation. For first if we should imagine any other kind of Hebdomade or weke, thē I haue alledged, either of weekes monethes, or otherwise, it both taketh away al certaintie from this holy Prophesy, of the Messias, which being set downe in scripture, must by al rules be expounded by such cōputatiōs, as we find in Scriptures, otherwise if any man at ple­sure might Imagin other strange accomptes, neuer harde of before, all things wold be vncertayne And yet if we should alow that wanton liberty to any brainsick mā, [Page 217] this prophesye could neuer be applied or verified of any other which wil be euidēt if any idle person wil frame to himselfe a weke of weks, or a weke of months, which were twelue times sooner expired, & hundreds of yeares before Christ was borne, Med. prol. de. side. whē none claimed to be the Messias. Ther­fore where some Iews are so rediculous to make conceits of years of decads, or cen­tures of yeares, that is euery weke to con­sist of 70. wekes or 700. wekes, as some are not ashamed to doe, they make them sel­ues a mockery to al the world. For first the Scripture speaketh of such weeks. Secondly it ouerthroweth al certainty in this case of so greate importance. Thal. tract. Sanh. cap. hel Thirdly it is one impossibility in their owne religion, for in their Thalmud which whosoeuer with them denieth (as they say denieth god him self) It is recorded not onlye that the Messias should rule 2000. years, but that the world was onelye to continue for 6000. years, 2000. before the lawe of Moyses, 2000. vn­der the same law, & 2000. after that vnder the Messias. By which account, not onlye Christ is the true Messias, cōming about that time, but these weeks of the Iews by their [Page 218] decads and centures cannot be complea­ted in thowsands of yeares after (by their Thalmud) the world is ended, such be the fooleries of this people. Therefore by all reckonings & accounts only Iesus christ is the Messias, & Redeemer of the worlde, & all other Religions false & erronious.

THE 4. ARGVM. Howe all particuler ar­ticles of christian Catholicke Religion, for which Iewes, Mahumetanes, & Pagans deny it, are demonstrated to be true by their own groundes and professions.

BVT because no Infidell shall denie any one point of Catholicke Religi­on, but by their owne groundes confesse euery article thereof to bee most true and holy. Therfore as I haue prooued before by the highest authority of their own professions, that in general, Christian catho­licke religion is only true: so in this pre­sent reason I will d [...]monstrat out of the chiefest groundes of those misbeleeuers, al particuler articles of Catholicke Chri­stianity, namely the mistery of the B. Tri­nity, the incarnation and death of Christ the Messias, for the redemption of the [Page 219] worlde, the continuall and daylie sacri­fice of the Masse, Christes reall presence therein, transubstantiation & changing of the former elements of bread & wine, into his most holy body and bloud, and the rest, for which these Infidelles denie our faith, and which many heretickes in these and more auncient times haue dis­allowed. The sacred misteries of the in­carnation and death of Iesus our Sauior, his diuine and humane nature, & the di­stinction of persons in diuinity are proo­ued already by the true Prophets of god, which the Iewes receaue, by the confes­sion of the Sybils, so reuerēced of the Gentiles and (excepting the death of Christ, which Mahumet for honor vnto him deni­eth) by the lawe-maker of the Mahume­tanes, as is conuinced in the 1. Argumēt, and therfore neede lesse probation in this Chapter. But to make euident to al peo­ple that these most sacred doctrines are not the only collectiōs of Christians out of those vndouted & aproued scriptures in the lawe of Moyses, but the same expo­sition which the holy Rabbins that liued before Christ & which the Iewes receaue [Page 220] with honour, and which the Sybils and most auncient Philosophers among the Gentiles for many thinges approoue, I will onlie vse their owne wordes for wit­nesse in this cause.

The mistery of the holye Trinity proo­ued by the rules of all In­fidels.And to begin with that most vnscru­table secret of the nature of God, and trinity of persons in him which we defend against all those blasphemous Infidelles, which with one consent in impiety, make him an vnperfect, mutable, changeable, corporeous, & defectiue thing to which no honor or Religion can be belonging, it is manifest that the holy Prophets, Is. cap. 34.52.48.6. Hier. 23. Zachar. 2. Mich. 5. Baruch. 3. Psal. 138.32. Deuteron. 6. Isay­as, Hieremias, Zacharias, Baruch, Micheas, Dauid, and others, doe assigne a distin­ction and trinity of persons, giuing al at­tributes and properties belonging vnto God to euery one, to be omnipotēt, God by essence infinite, illimited, without be­ginning or end, cause of all thinges, e­quall one with an o [...]er, and the like, in which manner as Christian Catholickes expounde those sacred writinges and be­leeue of that vnspeakable mistery at this day. Rabb. Ibb. in cap. 6. So they were euer interpreted of the auncient and learned Rabbines be­fore [Page 221] Christ. Rabbi Ibba, Rabbi Abb, Deut. Rabb. Abb. in thren. Rabb. hacch. in cap. 9 Is. Paraph. col in 45 Is. Thar. in Ps. 2 Rabb. Sim. in Zohar. Deut. 6. Rabbi Haccadas, Rabbi Ionathas, Abinuziel, and o­thers, which euer agreed with our catho­licke doctrine. Rabbi Ibba (as Rabbi Sime­on writeth) vpon these wordes of Deute­ronomy, God our Lorde is one God, v­seth this speech. By the first worde God or his first tetragramaton name in this sentence (our Lorde) is signified God the sonne, that is fountaine of all sciences, and by the se­cond tetragramaton name of God, is sig­nified God the holy Ghost, proceeding of them both, to all which there is added the worde (one) to signifie that these 3. are indiuisible. And Rabbi Simeon him­selfe vpon these words of Esay, (holy, holy, holy, Lorde God of Sabaoth) writeth thus. E­say by repeating three times holy, doth as much as if he had saide, holy Father, holy Sonne, and holy Spirit, which three holies doe make but one onlie Lorde of Sabaoth. Thar. in Ps The wordes Rabbi Abinuziell Author of the Caldey Para­phrase known in the world before Christ, and highly honoured among the Iewes, vpon this prophesy of Dauid in his second Psalme where God the Father speaketh thus to Christ ( thou art my Sonne, to day I haue [Page 222] begotten thee) are these. Thes Etohim (the diuine persons expressed in the plurall number) the Father and the sonne are three in one third person the holy Ghost and these three are one, I saie one substance, one essence, & one God. And as the same Rabbine in that place is further witnesse, when he was writing this sentence, a voice spake vnto him from heauen, saying, Who is this that da­reth reueale my secrets to the Gentiles? to which Rabbi Ionathas answered, O Lorde, it is I which for the reuerence and glory of thy name haue presumed to doe it. Orig. Hilar. For in all re­ligions there were some thinges concea­led for secrets, and thereby called mi­steries, of which the auncient Rabbines acknowledge this mistery of misteries to bee chiefest, Petr. gallat. l. 2. arcan. Rab. Sim. &c. and that it shoulde bee plainly reuealed at the comming of the Messias, as nowe it is, and not before, as Rabbi Simeon is witnes, not being lawfull for the Iewish people before christ, to pronounce that tetragramaton name of god for the Maiesty and greatnesse of him that was ineffable, as that name only cō ­pounded of quiescent & insonant letters (as Hebritians call them) do witnes. And [Page 223] yet this secret was not so concealed of the auncient Rabbines, but from them it was come to the Gentiles themselues, not only the propheticall Sibilles, Sibbill. apud. Lactant. li. 4. diui. instit. cap. 6. Mercur. Tris. Dial. pim. &c. Plato. epim. & lib. 6. Rap. viu. li. 10 ciuit. cap. 10. Plotin. lib. de trib, princip. hipos. who tolde most plainly of this distinction of persons in God, but to others, especial­ly the Egiptians, and such as liued in the confined and bordering countries to the Israelites. For breuity I will onlie produce the wordes of the Oracle of Serapis to Thulis King of the Egiptians, and Plotinus an heathen Philosopher. The sentence of the first is this. In the beginning God is, then his worde, and to these the spirit is added, these are equall and tending into one. The wordes of the second in his booke of the three principall Hypostasies, or persons, (for so Christianlike it is intituled) are these. Before the worde, not by priority of nature, or time, but onely by priority of ori­gination, is the fountaine, and beginning of all diuinitye of this father the worde is begot­ten; further, euery thinge which begetteth, loueth and desireth that which is begotten: but that moste chieflie, when the begetter and the begotten are alone. Againste Mahumet I haue prooued a distinction of persons in [Page 224] God before out of his owne Alcaron and Sentence.

This beeing the greatest and chiefest Mistery I haue stayed longer therin, and wil passe ouer the rest with more breuity. The same Mahumet affirmeth, that as Ie­sus was the Worde of God, The Incarna­tion and death of Christe the Mesias proued by the Groun­des of infidels. so hee was the most holy man, that Prophet & Mes­sias which was promised in the lawe of Moises, and was sent to supply the defect ther­of. The Sibills, as I haue prooued before, haue set downe, Alcar. azoar. 67.10.12.1.5. Argum. 1. sup. the whole lyfe of Christ, and all the actions of his humanitye, and tell how hee should die for the world, and rise againe. Other Prophesies among the Gentiles which I haue aleaged before, af­firme that Filius Dei nasceturex Virgine Maria et pro salute huminum patietur. That the Sonne of God should be borne of a Virgine called Mary and should suffer for Mankinde. The doctrine of the Rabbins before Christe so authentitall among the Iewes is most comfortable, to this sentence. Rabb. Haccad li. [...]al. raz. [...]abb. Ionat. l. [...]oliect M [...]dr. teh, in Psal. 2. Rabbi Haccados called for his learning and sanctitie our holy master, af­firmeth in his booke intituled a reueler of secrets, where hee expoundeth that the Propheticall place of Esaye touching the [Page 225] Messias (Emanuell, God, strong, Rabb. hacc. in 41. gen. li. gal raz. Prince of peace) speaketh thus. Because the Messias shall bee God and man, his name is called Emanuell, God with vs, surely in our bodye and in our fleashe, as Iob doth witnesse; in my fleshe I shall see God. For hee did deuise a māruailons counsayle of deliue­ring soules from the deuill, which were damned for the sinne of Adam, neyther coulde by any meanes bee saued, except the king Messias should vnder­goe most bitter death, and many tormentes, and for that cause he is called a man. And because he hath all strength, hee is called God strong. And because hee is eternall, hee is named the eternall father. Also because in his dayes peace shall bee multiplyed, he is called the prince of peace. And because hee shall make haste to take awaye the spoi­les of soules, hee is called a swifte spoyler, and taker of prayes. And because he shall saue them and bring them to Paradise, he is called Iesus, that is a sauiour. Hitherto be the woordes of that most holy and learned Rabbine.

Rabbi Ionathan, Rabb. Ionath. 53. Is. who dyed before Christ was borne, applieth the longe narration of Esay the prophet in his 53. chapter, to the murther of the Messias by the Iewes, Rabb. Sim. Ben. Iohn. li. de spe. and soone after him Rabbi Simion, breaketh out into these wordes. Woe be to the men of [Page 226] Israell, for that they shall kill the Messias. God shal send his sonne in mans fleshe to washe them, and they shall murther him. Rabb. Hadars. in 9. Dan. Rabbi Hadarsone vp­on the prophesy of Daniell cōcerning the time of the comming and preaching of Christe, vseth this speech. Three years and a halfe shall the presence of God in fleshe cry and preach vpon the mount Oliuer, and then shall hee be slayne. Misdr. teh. Which the Iewes ordinarye commentarye vppon the Psalmes in­terpreteth of Christes preaching, three yeares and halfe before his passion. And the Thalmundists themselues haue set downe, Thalm. tract. Sanhed. c. hel▪ that the Messias shall bee put to deathe. The s [...]crifyce of masse, the ryall presence of christes bo­dye and bloud there, & other misteries proued by the same authority Concerning our moste ho­lye Sacrifyce of the bodie and bloud of Christe, as it is euidente before by the testimonye of the true prophets of GOD. The Sibbylles and Mahu­met him selfe, that in respecte of the lawe of Christe, all their Religions and sacryfises were vnperfect, and fore­tolde to cease in him and his oblation. So that the Sacrifyce whiche should be offered in his lawe, was to be his bles­sed bodye and bloud vnder the formes of bread and wine, (as Catholike Chri­stians [Page 227] beleeue) is moste plainely tolde out of those holie Scriptures, by the auncient and approoued Rabbines before CHRIST. Rabb. Iud. in 25. Exod. The wordes of Rabbi Iu­das speakinge of the Sacrifice of the lawe of the Messias, are these. The bread which is offered vppon the Altar, is chaun­ged from the nature of breade, and made the bodye and substance of the Messias. But this bodye is inuisible with our eyes, and free from all violence, and not to bee touched. Rabbi Symeon in his booke of searching secrettes, hath the same discourse, Rabb Sim. l. inuest. secret. speaking euidentlie of transsubstantia­ting breade and wine, into that moste sacred bodye and bloude, and affir­meth it to bee the Sacryfice, which shall bee vsed in the Kingdome and Religion of the Messias. Rabb. Cahan. in 45. Gen. Rabbi Cahana vpon those wordes of Genesis, ( hee shall washe his stole in wine, and his cloake in the bloude of the grape) vttereth this speech. The Sacry­fice which daylie shall be offered of wine, shall not onlye bee chaunged into the substance of the bloude of the MESSIAS, but into the substaunce of his bodye, breade shall bee chaunged, although externally there [Page 228] only appeare the collour of white. Rabb. Hadras. in Psal. 136. Rabbi Hadarsan sayth, that the bread which the Messias will giue, is his bodye, Rabb. Barach. super. ecl. and there shall bee a conuersion of bread into his bodye. Rabbi Barachias tea­cheth, that at the comming of the Messias, foode shall come from heauē, like a litle cake. Like be the sentences of Rabbi Ionathas, Rabb. Ionath. li. col. in ps. 72. Rabb. Selom. in psal. 72. and Rabbi Selomo, teaching that a round cake of wheate as broade as the palme of an hand, shall bee changed into the body of the Messias, and vsed for the sacrifice of his lawe, and bee listed ouer the heades of his Priestes. All these Rabbins liued before Christ, & yet these be their expositi­ons of the holye Scriptures concerning that most holy Sacrifice, which Christiā Catholikes vse, and such other misteries as depend from thence. Sbill. apud Lactan. li. 7. diu. inst. Alcor. azoar. 67.19.12. The Sibbills and Mahumet confesse that Christe shoulde and did abrogate the lawe of Moyses. His Gospell was the perfection of that lawe, that those sacrifices should cease in him, yee he shall destroye Antechrist, Pagan­nisme, Iudaysme, and Mahumetisme, & come in glory in the end of the worlde and be Iudge therof, and only his religion to endure. Thus I could exemplifye in [Page 229] other questions of christian doctryne, but because these are the greatest, and those which Infidels most dislyke in our religion, I haue geuen instance in them, that it maye be euident, howe manifest­lye they be confounded euen by their owne groundes, and authorityes, whe­ther wee will consider Catholicke wor­shippe in generall, or the perticuler mis­teryes it defendeth against those misbe­leuers, whiche maye also bee applyed against the protestante sacramentaryes of this tyme, in those poyntes whiche they nowe maintayne againste those most auncient and learned Rabbynes. But of this I muste intreate heareaf­ter.

THE 5. ARGVM. Founded vpon the strange and extraordinary punnishments, imposed vpon all enemies of Christ and his Religion.

OR if extraordinary vengeance of God vpon any people or person for incredulity and sinne is a certayne argument of the errour and sinne of that people or person, as all men ac­knowledge, it is euident by the pun­nishments of all other professions, only Christian Religion to bee true. And to passe the Mahumetanes, Pagans, and so many hundreds of Arch-here­tickes, with their complices and confe­derates, punnished of God and extin­guished by Christian Religion, Epist. Apol. Trac. 1. 1. Par. Part. 2. Argu. 82.83 & arg. 108. &c. as I haue shewed of Heretickes in my Apologi­call Epistle, and of the Pagan Empe­rours, and Mahumetanes in my first treatise, and will be more euident here­after. Mahumet. in Alcaron. cap. 12. So that now none of all these re­maine but only Mahumetans, and Ma­humet himselfe confesseth that they shall [Page 231] vtterly perish and be ouerthrowne. Then to exemplifie in the Iewes, the only e­nemies vntouched in this pointe, and those vvhich before their reiecting of Christ were the people of God. If Christ had not beene the Messias but a Seducer they coulde neither haue sinned or bene punnished as offendors. but deserued well in putting him to death; so farre they shoulde haue beene by that worke free from so manie punnishmentes, as haue beene layed vppon them. But nowe who can imagine any other cause coulde bee founde in any people, for vvhich that Nation which hadde so longe continued the peculier of GOD, of vvhome hee had vndertaken so par­ticuler and singuler protection, witnes­sed by so many fauours and extraordi­narie prerogatiues graunted vnto them, aboue all other countries, shoulde de­serue so greate and during punnishment and misery: that they shoulde loose their Temple, Altar, Sacrifice, Pro­phets, and Priesthoode, to haue so ma­ny thousandes pined with famine, mur­thered by intestine sedition, killed of [Page 232] idolatrous enemies, led captiues and sold for slaues. And not onely those of that generation which liued in Hierusalem and Iury, but the Iewish inhabitants of Alexandria, Ioseph. li. bell. Egesipp. lib. excid. Hieros. Eu­seb. &c. Caesaria, Scythopolis, Pto­lemayis, Tyre, and all places, where they liued, as Iosephus their owne historian and others witnesse. Then what sinne could be so rigorouslie reuenged of God, ra­ther enclyned to mercy then iustice, and by no possibility to doe wronge, then that which in malice exceedeth, and is greater then all others, their most irreli­gious and vnnaturall entreating of the Messias, for which iniquity they are odi­ous to all people, both Christians and Mahumetanes to this day. Ioseph. bell. l. 2. ca. 19.20 21. c. 17. & li. antiq. 20. ca. 34. l. 18. c. 12. lib. 19. cap. 7. lib. 18. cap. 9. Philo in flac­co &c Clem. Const. l. 8. cap 1. Niceph. lib. 2. cap. 10. And if anie man desireth to se the particuler of their miseries, and in them the Anothomy of a wicked persecuted people, and afflicted enemy of God, he may reade their owne historians Iosephus and Philo, and for such as haue not that opportunity brieflie to recapitulat some of their most worthy punishments Caiphas their high priest and enemy to Christ killed himselfe, An­nas died miserablye, Herode that delu­ded [Page 233] him was banished to Lyons by the Emperour Caius, Ioseph. antiq. lib. 18. cap. 9. Philo. supr. and spoyled of all hee had, so Herodiadas her dauncing daughter had her head cut off with yse: In Alex­andria the Iewes by the permission of Flaccus President suffered to bee beaten and killed at euery mans pleasure, as their owne Philo reporteth. Pylate that put him to death, Ado. Chron. Oros. lib. 7. Ioseph. lib. 18. antiquit. c. 12. act. 12. Ios. sup. lib. 19. cap. 7. & lib. 20. cap. 34. perpetually exiled to Vien­na, kept close prisoner and killed him­selfe. The Statua of Caius by force pla­ced in their Temple, about Seleucia 50000. of their Iewish men killed. Their King Herodes consumed with wormes. In the feast of Pentecost no tumult raysed, twenty thousands styfled to death. For­bidden by the Samaritans to goe by thē to Hierusalem. Ananias their high priest sent prisoner and bounde like a traytor to Rome, by Quadratus the President. All Iury full of theeues, and sorcerers. Io­nathas their high priest murdered. Mur­thers committed euen in the Temple it selfe, and in the greatest festiuities. The Priests spoile one an other. And after vnder Florus their President, their nobi­lity torne in peeces and crucified. Their [Page 234] Sinagogue destroied at Cesarea. The house of Ananias their highe priest burnt by re­bels, Ioseph. Bel. l. 2. cap. 19.20.21. and he murthered. And at the same instant while these thinges were done at Hierusalem, the same daye and howre as Iosephus witnesseth, aboue 20000. killed at Cesarea. And wheresoeuer the Iewes were dispersed, if the Gentyles were stronger they were put to death, thirteene thousand by the Sythopolitans, 2500. by the Ascalonytes. 2000. at Ptolemais. 5000. at Ioppe. 1000. at Damascus. At Tyre all killed or committed to prison. 50000, at Alexandria, and all these and other mur­thers procured against them by a Presi­dente of their owne nation. And when their city was besiedged of Cestinus Pre­sident of Siria, Epiph. haeres. 29. et haer. 30 Ioseph lib. 2. bell. cap. 17. howe often myght hee haue taken it if he would, and was desi­red euen by the nobility of Hierusalem, promising to open the gates and refu­sed, but it was differred for the deliuery of the Chrstians thence, and greater punishment of the Iewes. And before it was besieged of Vespetian, a hundred thou­sand slayne, Ioseph. supr. and sold almost 40000. & an infinit number killed of themselues. The [Page 235] high priestes were slaine and lay naked in the streetes, eaten of dogs & beasts. The citye deuided into domesticall sedition, Ioseph. sup. li. 6. cap. 1. two armies in the temple, one within, and the other in the court. Their Granary where prouision of victual for many yeres was layed vp, Cap 12.8.9.7. burnt and consumed to a­shes: & that factious army that was plan­ted in the Temple all slaine, not one es­caping, those that fled the city for famine were crucified by Titus, fiue hundred e­uery day, that there was no roome to put them to death. A wall of thirty nyne fur­longes was made in three dayes space, Euan. luc. &c. to intrench them as Christ had prophe­syed, and thirteene Castles to keep them in, that they coulde not get foorth to eate grasse. The dead bodyes in the towne stunke so that they annoyed the campe of their enemye and besiedger. 2000. of them in one nighte were cut in peeces of the Syryan and Arabian souldiers to seeke their gold within their bowels: and thus they were daylie vsed vntill their enemye Tytus forbadde it. From the fourteenth of Aprill when the siedge beganne vntill the laste daye of [Page 236] Iuly there were carried forth of dead bo­dies out of one only gate (the Porter him selfe Manneus being witnesse vnto Tytus) an hundred and fiftie thousands, besides those which were buried. And the no­ble men that fled to Tytus affirmed, that there were six hundred thousands of the poorer sort, that were dead cast forth of the gates, and that the number of the o­thers coulde not be reckoned; for when they could not be caried forth, they were throwne togither on heapes. The famine was so greate, that they did eate dunge, thonges, girdles of leather, shooes, haie, and other thinges not to be named, and the nobility themselues abstayned not from killing and eating their owne chil­dren. And at the time their city was ta­ken, although Titus had giuen expresse commandement by publike edicte, that the Temple shoulde bee preserued, and nothing therein spoyled, yet it was set on fire in such outragious manner, that by no possibility, Titus labouring what hee coulde, it coulde be quenched, but was consumed vpon the very same day, the tenth of August that it was burned be­fore [Page 237] of the King of Babylon. Ioseph. lib. 7. bell. lud. c. 11. And sixe thousand Iewes that were fled thither by the counsaile of a false Prophet, were vt­terly consumed. Ioseph. supr. c. 17. c. 20. For as the same Iosephus witnesseth, there were manye seducers then among them, that promised helpe from God vtterly forbidding them to yeelde. Eleauen hundred thousandes deade in those fewe weekes of the siedge, 97. thousand taken prisoners, some con­demned for slaues and sent into Egypt. Those that were strong kept in all coun­tries to fight with wilde beastes in thea­ters and publique spectacles. All woe­men and men vnder 17. yeares of age, solde for slaues at a most vile price, the nūber of those which were solde being so great. And after, Oros. l. 7. c. 13. in the time of Adrian the Emperour, the finall desolation and exilement of that people forth of that countrey was contriued: Iulius Seuerus his Captaine by his commandement de­stroying Townes, and Villages leauing not one stone vpon an other, in all that vaste building of Hierusalem, that the prophesie of Christ might bee fulfilled. And in one daie put to death 500. and [Page 238] fourescore thousande not one Iewe re­mayning in all Iury, and an imperiall e­dict promulged against them, that they should neuer returne thither any more, and that they should not remember Hi­erusalem, that they might not looke to­wardes the place. What other illusi­ons and offlictions haue they had, and still endure in minde, not onlie concer­ning horrible and filthy errours against God and nature, of which I wil mention in the Argument of the errrors of our e­nemies, Argum. 6. inf. but vvhat illusions of Diuels and wicked spirits haue they suffered es­pecially, Gran. de simb. Euseb. histor. eccles. Caes. Baron. tom. 1. et. 3. Annal. about a Messias (for refusinge CHRIST) perswadinge them some­times that hee is in the Caspian Hilles, sometimes at Rome in Italy, where in our memory they were so illuded, that they fullie beleeued an Harlot of their linage fornicatiouslie begotten vvith childe (as was prooued) was to bring their MESSIAS forth, vntill to the common laughter of all, shee brought forth a wench. Sometimes at Vlissipo­ne in Portugall, sometimes in the wil­dernesse, sometimes in the Sea, some­times [Page 239] and all times no where. Chrisost. hom. 2 contr. Iud. Ruffin. lib. 1. histor. Philipp. Ber­gom. hist. in Iulian. Howe sottishly were they seduced by the Di­uell, and worthely, and miraculouslie punnished of GOD, in the time of Iulian the Apostata, as Saint Chrisostome, Ruffinus, and others are witnesses, when they went aboute to builde their Hie­rusalem and Temple againe. When they had digged theyr trenches, and beganne to laye and forme their foun­dation, sodainely such an earth-quake chaunced, that it did not only throwe dovvne the stones and buildinges which they had begunne, but other places where the Iewes resorted, and as many as were in them were slayne. And in the morning following, those that had escaped assemblinge togither to drawe awaye the dead bodies, a ter­rible fire sodainely issued out, running vp and downe, burning and consuming as many of them as it mette, & after the same order often times issuing forth con­sumed that incredulous people. Where­by those which were left aliue were con­uerted to Christ. And that it might bee euident, this punnishment to haue bin [Page 240] inflicted for him, the next night after, the signe of the Crosse appeared in all theit garments, and remayned so firme and manifest, that with no arte or cun­ning it coulde either be hidden or taken away. Fascic. Temp. 4 [...]0. Berg. hist. And in the yeare of Christ 450. a Cretensian Iewe or rather a Diuell feigned himselfe to bee Moyses and sent from heauen, to bringe all the Iewishe inhabitants of that country which were many thousands into Iury, through the Sea, as Moyses had donne out of Egipt, whereupon they all presently followed him, leauing all thinges, and comming to a greate rocke hanging ouer the Sea, bad them throwe themselues into the waters, and they shoulde swimme thi­ther like fishes, which they which went before, desperatly attempted, and were pittifully drowned in the sight of those which followed, and their Moyses vani­shed awaie appearing no more. And in this manner in all times and places e­uer since the death of Christ, they haue beene deluded and afflicted. There­fore no man can say that they are the true worshippers of God, excepte the [Page 241] same blasphemor will affirme that God is vnmercifull, mutable, vniuste, and irreligious to punnish sinne ( vltra con­dignum) more then it deserueth, or to in­flict punnishment and vengeance where none is due.

THE 6. ARGVM. Manifesting the Errors of all other Religions, euen against the light of nature, such as by possibility true worship cannot admit.

AND although I doe not contende to prooue this to be a demonstrati­on in naturall reason, yet I doe affirme for euident euen in the light of nature, that all worships and Religions in the worlde, which doe not acknowledge the Incarnation of God, and veritie of Chri­stian Religion, either Pagans, Iewes, or Mahumetanes, are ignorant of the diuine nature, essence, and attributes of the diuine maiestie, and fallen into most impious and irreligious errors concer­ning him, so that by no possibility they can worship him as they should, and are [Page 242] further drowned in other errours which neyther any supernaturall lyght and re­uelation of GOD, or light of rea­son can allowe, so that where the In­carnation of GOD is not admitted, all other benefyttes whether naturall, as to the Pagans and all people, or supernaturall graces and so many ex­traordinarye fauours to the Iewes, before the comming of CHRIST, are forgotten and not of force to pro­cure gratitude in men, and all other effectes of GOD not able to cause them to knowe and honour him as they should. And this shal be an other argu­ment against all Infidelles, euidentlye demonstrating them to haue no reli­gion, for super-naturall illuminations cannot bee contrary to the lyghte of Nature, Errors of the Pagans. neyther GOD Author of them both, contrary to himselfe. And to begynne with the miserable estate of the Pagan gentiles, whoe canne endure to heare for one onlye eter­nall immorrall▪ immaculate, omnipo­tent and spitituall GOD, Crea­tour of all thinges, so many incesteous [Page 243] violent, lecherous, and moste wicked men and woemen to bee so worship­ped, such as vvere the children of men, as Sybilla Eritherea doth scorne them, in these, and baser wordes. Lactant. firm. lib. 1. diu inst. cap. 8. Cap. 9. supr. Lucil. Lucian. Tarquit. de vir. ilustr. Philipp. Ber­gom. in hist. &c. A GOD can­not bee made and formed of a man and a wo­man. So Hercules the Bastarde of Alcme­na, that poluted all places with leche­rye, incest, rapine, and oppression, vvas honoured for an immortall and eternall GOD. So Esculapius the Ba­starde of Apollo. So Iuppiter, Saturne, Mars, Apollo, and the rest. What mi­serable and moste vvicked oblations were vsed in that Religion? Lactant. supr. c. 10. c. 11. c. 12. & 21. What in­nocent men murthered, and offered in Sacrifice to Iuppiter amonge the Cy­pryans? The Thaures did offer to Di­ana, the straungers that came vnto them. So did the Frenchemen to E­sus and Theutantes; and Italyans to Iup­piter, the Romanes and Italyans, Varro l. diu. in Saturn. Ouid. l. de fast. both men and infantes to Saturne. So did the Carthaginians: as when they were ouercome of Agathocles Kinge of Sicy­lie, thinking their GOD Saturne to be angrie with them, they offered vnto [Page 244] him for a Sacrifyce to appease his anger, Postenn. fest. lib. hist r. 200. children of noble men. Others cut off their shame and secrets, and offered them in Sacryfyce. Lactant. firm. supr. cap. 21. Among the Rhody­ans, Hercules was honoured with a Sa­crifyce of 2. oxen, and cursing and ban­nyng, and it was accounted a greate iniquitye for one worde of pietye or modestye to bee spoken. And this was in memorye of the cursing and ban­ning that a ploughman of that country vsed against Hercules, taking two oxen from him by violence, and so of others. But to passe ouer those Idolaters and come to the Iewes, Errors of the Iews. cōtrarie to the lawe of nature and re­pugnant to Religion. Thalmud. or­din. 1. tract. 9. v. 49. ord. 4. tract. 4. dist. 5. chart. 17. ord. 4. dist. 2. ord. 4. tract. 4. dist. 6. ord. 3. tract. 6. which before Christ were the chosen people of GOD, and had the true Religion, their er­rors contayned in their owne Thalmud and higheste Iudgement they haue, shall bringe witnesse against them. And to omytte their blasphemous er­rors against Ch­rist because they pro­fesse them selues enemyes to Christi­ans, and speake of those whiche thy maintayne against the moste sacred diuyne Maiestye, whome they ackow­ledge for theyr GOD and maker [Page 245] of all thinges, that gaue their lawe to Moyses. Thus they wright and generally beleeue of him, Thalm. supr. ord. e tract. 4. dist. 3. that before he made the worlde, leaste hee should fall to Idle­nesse, he exercised hym selfe in fra­ming diuerse worldes, which when hee had made, he presently destroyed and renewed them againe, vntill at length hee had learned to make this vvorlde which nowe wee haue. Ord. 2. tract. 1 dist. 14. That he spen­deth the firste three howers of the daye, Ord. 5. tract. 6. dist. 5. in reading the Iewishe Lawe▪ and that Moy­ses ascendinge to heauen, founde him wrighting accents in the holye Scrip­ture. That on the firste daye of the newe Moone in the moneth of Septem­ber, he iudgeth the whole worlde, Ord. 2. trac [...]. 8. dist. 5. and the nexte tenne daies he applyeth him­selfe to wright the iust in the booke of life, and the wicked in the book of death. And many other like errors they holde, Ord. 2. dist. 5. et ord. 1. dist. 7. that God hath a place in heauen sepe­rate from all company, in which at cer­taine times hee bewayleth with manye teares, and afflicteth himselfe, that hee was angrie with the Iewes: ouerthrewe the Temple of Ierusalem, and dispersed [Page 246] this people into captiuity. Ordin. 1. tract. li. dist. 1. ord. 2. tract. 8. dist. 5. And that dai­ly he prayed deuoutly, and putteth vp­pon his heade and armes, fillettes, or thonges of leather, called Thephalin, and putteth vppon his bodie a linnen coate, named Zezith, and so attyred falleth downe vpon his knees, and prayeth: Ord. 1. tract. 1 dist. 9. that so often as hee remembreth the calami­ties which the Iewes suffer of the Gen­tiles, he weepeth, and letteth two teares fall into the Ocean Sea, and for verye griefe knocketh his breast with both his hands. Ordin. 2. tract. 1. dist. 14 Ord. 4. tract 8. Ord. 4. tract. 6 dist. 1. That for his recreation the three laste howers of the daie hee vsed to plaie with a huge great fish called Le­uiathan that the commaundement of the Sacrifice of the newe Moone was giuen to the Iewes, to purge the sinne vvhich GOD committed when hee gaue that light vtno the Sunne, which he had vniustlie taken from the Moone, Ord. 4. tract. 3 dist. 5. and that beeing angrie for a cause vn­knovvne vvith his play-fellowe Leuia­than, he killed him, and powdered his fleshe vvith salte, to giue to the soules of his Saintes. Ord. 1. tract. 1. That euery daye hee is angrie, and at that time the combes of [Page 247] Cockes waxe pale coloured, and they stande vppon one legge, and if anye man shall curse an other at that mo­ment, hee shall presentlye fall dovvne deade. When certaine Rabbines dis­puted againste Rabbi Eliezar, Ord. 4. tract. 2. dist. 7. GOD giuing sentence from heauen for Rabbi Eliezar, the other Rabbynes beeing of­fended thereat, excommunicated God, whereat hee smiling saide, my children haue ouercome mee. That God dis­puting with the Rabbynes vppon a cer­tayne kinde of leprosie, Ord. 4. tract. 2 d. sup. iudgemente betweene them vvas referred to a ve­ry learned Rabbyne. And that he hath beene deceaued by some Rabbynes, and the like blasphemies. Ord. 2. tra [...]. 5. dist. 8. That the Angell Gabriell committed a grieuous sinne, for which, GOD commaun­ded him to bee scourged vvith a fierie whippe. That Dauid did not sinne, Ord. 2. tract. 1 dist. 5. either in his adulterye, vvith Beth­sabee, or murther of her husbande; and vvhosoeuer affirmeth he sinned, is an Heriticke. That a man may marry his daughter, or sister; Ord. 5. tract. 1. dist▪ 2. that Rabbine which hateth not his enemies to death, [Page 246] [...] [Page 247] [...] [Page 248] and seeketh not reuenge vpon him, is not worthy the name of a Rabbine. Ord. 4. tract. 4 dist. 10. That they which contradict the words of their Scribes, are more grieuouslie to be pun­nished, then they which gainesay the law of Moyses, and this man may be better ab­solued, but the other must bee put to death. Ord. 4. chart. 17. If the greater parte shall con­demne a man to death, he must die, but if all condemne him, he must be dismis­sed. Ord. 4. tract. 2 & saepe alib. That soules doe passe from body to bodye, as Pythagoras helde, onlie with this limitation, that if the soule sinneth in the first bodie, it goeth into a seconde, if it sinneth in that, it flitteth into a third body, in which if it doth not cease to sin, it is throwne into Hell. And for exam­ple, the soule of Abell did goe into Seth, and from him to Moyses. Ord. 3. tract. 2. cap. 3. That in the re­surrection, the soules of the vnlearned shall not be vnited to their bodies. Who soeuer shall eate thrise a day vpon the Sa­baoth, Ord. 2. tract. 2. dist. 6. Ord. 4. tract. 10 dist. 2. shal haue euerlasting life. If anie man shall passe vnder the bellie of a Ca­mell, or betweene two Camelles, or bee­tween two woemen, he shal neuer learne anye thing out of the Thalmud, wherein [Page 249] there is no ende of such blasphemies, Zist. Senen. biblioth. Sanct tit. Thalmud. foolishe, and ridiculous things, hee that desireth more may peruse the places ci­ted in the margine, Ordin. 1. tract li. dist. 4. Ordin. 4. tract. 8. ord. 4. tract. 1 distict. 4. Chart. 38. ord. 4. tract. 8. dist. 2. ordin. 4. tract. 4. dist. 9. ordin. 4. tract 8. Ordin. 2. tract. e. dist 5. char. 11. et 15. ord. 2. tract. e. dist 2. &c. so that we may see the iust Iudgement of God executed vppon that people, that they which before the comming of Christ were the chosen of God, only seruing him in true religion, since they reiected & refused him, are fal­len into so many impious errors, that ex­cept they were recorded by thēselues, & conteined in the very rule of their religiō their Thalmud no man would beeleue it, and that euery man may knowe in what estimation the Thalmud wherin these and other errours are conteyned is with that people, their owne wordes placed in the preface of that booke as these, If any man shall denye the bookes of Thalmud to be most holye he denyeth God himselfe. Lastlye to come to theeuish and laciuious Mahumet and his Mahumitans, what other thing then such as I haue recited of the Iewes and Pagans, can be expected of them, Errors of the Mahumetanes. Blond. l. 9. plat. Pomp. Eutrop. li. 8. Sab. if we eyther consider the occasion of his originall and beginning, or the wicked and licentious lyfe, eyther of Mahumet [Page 250] the scoller or his tutors and councellors. Pantal. Chrō. Bergom. hist. in Mahumet. P [...]lid. de inuē. li. 7. ca. 8. &c. Iohn an Heriticke of Antioch Sergius an Arrian and Apostata Monke, and a Iewishe Astronomer or Necromancer. Or the time when he came being borne in the yeaere of CHRIST 626, or the place and people where or whence he descended, Gen. ca. 21. comming of the Ismaelites, and seede of Ismaell accursed in scrip­ture, Alcoran. azo. 27.28.29.31.33.49.53. Mahumet. in Alcoran, azo­ar. 1. &c. Blond li. 9. Poly. inuen. li. 7 ca. 8. Bern. Lutzenburg in Catal. He­retic. in Mahū Graft. hist. & Stowe in Mahum. Mahumet. in Alcoran li. 2. Azoar. 28.47.48.18.19 Euseb. li. 6. his. cap. 28. by the mouth of GOD, where hee is depryued of all spirituall Inhe­rytance, and hathe no such benedic­tion geuen vnto him, and from the rude theeuish and barbarous Arabyans, whose manners he exercised in all kinde of iniquitie. And touching his errours, with Sabellius he denieth the Trinitie, with Arrius hee affirmeth CHRIST to be a creature. With the Maniches that Christ was not Crucified and put to death, but an other lyke vnto him, thinking that vnworthy so great a pro­phet. With the Anthropomorphites Iewes and Pagans: that God hath a bodye, with the Elchesyte that religion may be denyed in persecution. With the Ori­ginists, that the deuills shall bee saued, [Page 251] that Lucifer and the rest of the Angells were condemned because they would not worship Adam, as though dutye were to be done to the inferiour, and lesse excellent, when excellencie and diginitie is the only cause of adoration and reuerence. That men are to bee compelled to his religion by warre and force. That God and his Angells pray for Mahumet, when GOD supreame Lorde of all, can praye to none, pray­er being a function, of an inferyour, he neuer distinguished the ciuyll and ecclesiasticall regiment but confoun­ded them together in his temporall suc­cessor, Cael. histor. Saracen. li. 2. which his owne followers con­demned for absurdety and repealed. The original Institution of that deceiuer apointing Alys an ignorant and wicked young fellowe for his successor, was not only vnreasonable, but frustrat and with out effect: for contrary to the ordinance of Mahumet, his father in lawe Eubocora de­posed Alys, & within three yeares Ebocora himselfe was poysoned. Homer his next Successour was murthered by his ser­uante. Osmenus which nexte succeeded [Page 252] killed himselfe, his sonne Mahumetes vvas violentlie put to death by Alys. Bellefor. Cos. vniuers. to. 2. l. 6. c. 6. col 18 37. cap. 12.13. col. 1887. &c. lib. 4. cap. 21. c. 13. Leuncl. in pā ­dect. turcic. cap. 237. Iov hist. l. 33. Bellef. Cosm. supr. leuncl. supplem. An­nal. turcic. pag. 138. Alys was trayterouslie slaine by Muaui­as, in whose dayes so many errors were growne in that secte, that two hundred Camelles vvere loaded vvith bookes which were condemned at Damascus. And notwithstanding the capitall lawe against disputing of the Alcoran they e­uer were and nowe are deuided into ma­nifolde schismes into Melycs, Asaphs, A­lambels, Buanists, Babilonists, Cayrists, Caio­ranists, Marochists, Mustysts, Almahadists, and others not to be recounted, and in such odious manner, that they affirme it more meritorious to kill one of those di­uisions then 70. Christians. They haue no meanes to compose these controuer­sies, determine questions, or to chuse their Calyphes: but all doubtes are tried by the sworde, and the strongest part of armes is sentenced to holde the truest opinion. Supr. Argu. 1. Neither did Mahumet euer or­dayne, or that people practise their tryall. Howe doth he extoll Christ Iesus to bee the Messias, wisedome, spirit, and worde of God, greatest of all Prophets, and in­stitutor [Page 253] of the most holy lawe and perfe­ctor of the lawe of Moyses, Azoar. 2. Cusan. in cri­brat. Alcor. l. 1. c. 2. l. 2. ca. 14. l. 3. c. 1. a­zoar. 11. which had so long endured, and yet most impudently affirme, that presently after the first prea­ching, it was corrupted euer by the Apo­stles to whome it was committed, and whose Gospels himselfe alloweth. Howe foolish is it for him to deny the death of Christ, witnessed by so many thousandes of present witnesses of al sorts, Christiās, Iewes, and Gentiles, in so publike place and vniuersal assemblies? how could the Iewes raise this slaunder when so manie Christians, and Pagans were present, & is written in all the Euangelists which he approoued for holy writers? How could those sacred bookes be vniuersally cor­rupted of the Iewesh nation, Bibliād. in op. part. 2. in con­futat. Alcor. pug. 13. Cuspinian. de Relig. turcic. Septemcastr. de Relig. turc. cap. 13. Richer. lib. 2. when they were neuer wholy in their hands, yea sel­dome any one was in their custody? yet these Paradoxes he preposeth to be bele­ued. How is it either probable or possi­ble that Mahumet & an Apostata Monke so many hundred yeares after Christ, & Moyses, should better know the integrity of their lawes, then the Iewes & Christi­ans which were euer in possessiō of those [Page 254] writings? how contrary is his lawe of po­ligamy (where a King hath 600. wiues) the festiuity of friday for the Sabaoth, the circumcising children in the seauenth or eight yeare, and not day, from their nati­uity, and other like to the lawe of Moyses? howe diferent is his corporiety in God, beastly paradise, multiplicity of wiues, er­rors about Christes diuinity, death, pas­sion, Sacraments, and other principall things to the doctrine of Christ, which as hee teacheth was moste pure, and shall continue for euer? where did euer Christ perswade the people to worship his mo­ther the blessed Virgine for God, or pro­phesie of this great prophet Mahumet, Azoar. 13. azoar. 74.71. as this shamelesse seducer affirmeth? or how coulde Christ which he reuerenceth for the greatest Prophet, and truest law-maker, be Author of such Idolatry? And to be briefe, as he came in a time of ma­nye Heretickes and deceauers, and to enchaunt his Readers with his beastlie delightes composed his Alcaron in ryth­mes, Cuspinian de Relig. turc. and meeters, so to allure company vnto him by expresse decree, he approo­ueth all errours and infidelities, so that [Page 255] a plurality of Gods bee not admitted, Mah. in Alc. Azoar. 37. howsoeuer corporeous, infirme, and corruptible one God is beleeued, hee neuer reprehendeth, but confirmeth. Wherefore to omitte the rest and onely exemplifie, in that which moste concer­neth man which is his eternall beatytude and happye end, Tract. 1. sup. cap. 5. (which as I proued no Temporall or Corporall thinge can be,) hee assigneth such a paradise, place, and state of Blessednesse for a reasonable and immortall soule, as is agreeable to the na­ture & appetite of hogs, Auer. lib. 9. Metaph. Arist lib. 10. eth. Auicenn. & most brutish beasts, in so much Auerroes himself some­times a Mahumetane, affirmed that Ari­stotle had deuised a better happinesse for Man then Mahumet did; and Auicenna a fauourer of that Sect greatlie condem­ned Mahumet in that poynte, and yet these two were the wisest that euer were in his daunger to be seduced. They en­force the eldest sons of Christians con­trary to the lawe of nature to professe Mahumetisme, and be Ienesaries to the Turkishe Prince, when no man canne bee compelled to supernaturall thinges, expept he hath first submitted himselfe. [Page 256] he inuadeth and vsurpeth without all ti­tle, Azoar. 12▪ the landes, teritories, and goodes of others, which without manifest iniurye and iniustice cannot be done. He neuer pretended for title to religion either su­pernatural prophesye of thinges to come, any one miraculous operation or argu­ment of reason, but forbad his follow­ers to professe learning or dispute of his lawe, least they should disclose his ini­quitie; and pretendeth his claime and interest nothing but the sworde and vio­lence, by which kinde of disputation and reasoning Iulius Caesar, Alexander, Augu­stus, and other damned Idolatrous Em­perours, should haue had a farre greater title to religion then euer Mahumet could pretend, being greater conquerours then he or any of his profession. And it is not only vnprobable but vnpossible that any accidentarye or temporall thing in the power of nature should be an infallible signe and argument of supernaturall and most certaine misteryes, such as true reli­gion must haue. So that we see Mahu­metisme to be nothing els but a fardell of errours, and heresyes, iniustice and vo­luptuousnes, [Page 257] bounde and collected to­gether without any grounde or reason, so that had he not begun his Regiment in those rude and beastly countryes, where he did, apt and prone to all liberty and filthines, he neuer had preuailed to haue the lest shewe of reuerence and religion. For experience teacheth at this present, how in Greece and other ciuyll nations, which God for their reuoulte and disso­bedience to his Church, and See aposto­lique, hath deliuered to the turkishe tira­ny, although they be infected with the heresies of Nestorious, scisme of the Grecians, and other errours, and therby destitute and vnfurnished of grace, rather chuse to become his slaues and vassalls, vndergoe­ing all oppressions, then yelding to such absurdities to be aduanced with honours, as our Apostates to that Infidelity be.

And if we vvill seperate the present Brachmans amonge the Indians from the olde idolatrous Gentiles, Errors of the Brachmans. and make their religion perticuler by it selfe, such is the absurditie of that people, yet professors of learning, that it is vnworthy to be related. But breefely to giue a note of [Page 258] their superstitions in beleuing, Petr. Maff. l. 1 histor. lib. 1. histor. Indic. fol. 24.35. li. Cerem. Brachm. in Serm. Luci­tan. &c. and Epi­curismes in maner of liuing for a certain time they liue at least in externall viewe a sober and penetentiall lyfe, which be­inge expired, and ended, they are pre­sently exalted to the greatest honours, ryches, and dignities, exempted from all lawes, free from all controlement, sub­iecte to no penaltie, punishment, or re­prehention, and liue in all delightes, synne, laciuiousnes, and wantonnes not to be recited. These he their priestes and principall professors, so highlie esteemed, that their Kinges are committed vnto them for education, and subiect to their assignements. And their beleefe in wor­shippe is not vnlyke to this practicall profession, for although they reuerence for their principall and most auncient Goddes Parrabrammas and his three son­nes, and in memorie of that reuerence allwayes weare a triple threade abcute their necks, yet for pluralities of other Goddes, which they worshipp with e­quall diuine adoration, they are not in­ferior to the pagan Romans, but rather exceede them in number of Idolatries, [Page 259] and not content to dedicate Temples & Altars, offering sacrifice vnto men, but vse and exercise the same diuine Reue­rence to Apes, Oxen, Elephants, and the like brute, and vnreasonable creatures.

THE 7. ARGVM. Further shewing the ex­cellency of Christian Catholicke Religion aboue all other externall professions, both in spe­culatiue and practicall doctrine.

WHereby it is manifest howe vn­possible it is, that eyther the worships and reuerences vsed by any of those Infidels, should be true, and reuea­led of God, which by no power can bee author of any error, or (seing of necessity one true Religion must be graunted) that christian professiō should be false, for all others euidently conuicted of palpable, grosse, & inexcusable errors, & absurdi­ties, by necessary consequence it remay­neth that alone & in all thinges to be ap­proued. And let any Iew, Mahumetā ▪ or Pagā, suruey the whole sum of Catholike [Page 260] Religion, (for I do not defende the con­uenticles and positions of Heretickes) and prooue whether he can finde any one such errour and inconuenience. And to beginne with the nature of God himself, which as by his infinite and most excel­lent preeminences, he is the Prime and soueraigne obiect of true reuerence, and to haue this supreame homage and dutie of Religion, so if he be mistaken and any other worshipped for him, it turneth to Irreligion and Idolatry by sacriledge­ous vvorshipping a falsely pretended GOD: All those misbeleeuers, Iewes, Mahumetanes, Pagans, and Brachmans (as is euidentlie prooued before) either constitute pluralities, or moste horrible corruptions, alterations, defectes, and imperfections in diuinitie, which alto­gither destroye all worshippe and Reli­gion. For such imperfections and de­fectes are dishonourable, and not to be reuerenced, much lesse with diuine a­doration, contrariewise wee Christians onlie vvorshippe one most simple, in­created, vnalterable, infinite, and il­limited cause, Creator, and conseruer [Page 261] of all Creatures, endued with all pos­sible perfections, and so worthye of all worshippe. And for the ende and hap­pinesse of man, wee doe not assigne so foolishe, vncertaine, or so corrupti­ble, wanton, and carnall estate vvith defectes, and filthinesse, which can­not possiblie content an immortall and reasonable soule, in such sorte as those misbeleeuers doe; but such an estate either for perfection, continuance, Math. ca. 22. Marc. cap. 12. Rom cap. 13. &c. and immutability, that will and onlye can content, and bringe felicity to man. And for the meanes to come to so great happinesse and glory, (because there must be a proportion betweene the end and such thinges as bringe vnto it.) That externall and publicke Sacrifice wee vse, is not any such prophane ob­lation, as the Pagans vsed, no such naked ceremony as the Mahumetanes practise, and themselues confesse shall bee taken awaye, neyther any of those of the lawe of Moyses, which alreadye be abrogated, and which of themselues neuer had validity, but as they had re­ference to CHRIST, but that most [Page 262] pure and immaculate Sacrifice of the bodie and blonde of the MESSIAS, Argum. 4. sup. so renowned and honoured before the comming of Christ, as I haue prooued, so miraculouslie testified of God, as all countries can witnesse, and of it selfe able to pardon all offences, euen in rigo­rous satisfaction; which no other religi­on can say. Wee doe not allowe in our worshippe any thinge that may bee cal­led sinne or bee interpreted eyther preiudiciall to the honour of God, or office to man, which Religion comman­deth, Lactant. sup. l. diu. instit. in Hercul. &c. Cicer. de nat. Deor. as all these Infidels practise, in ap­proouing hatred and reuenge vppon o­thers, appointing vniust, crafty, and vi­olent vsurping, and taking away of o­ther mens goods, and possessions, as the Pagans did, and their Gods themselues were honored for such impieties, and the Mahumetans and Turkish proceedings vse, Alcor. supr. Thalm. or. lin. 1. tract. 4. dist. 3. ordin. 2. dist 7. ord. 1. tract. 1 dist. 1. & 4. ord. 4. tract. 8. dist. 2. & tract 4. & 9. &c. and the Iewes allowe for lawfull (to vse their owne wordes in their Thalmud) whether it be by craft, deceite, violence, vsurie, theft, killing, murthering, or any other means. Neyther doe wee as those misbeleeuers doe, affirme, that sinne is not committed [Page 263] but by externall actes, when the malyce of the sinne dependeth of the internall consent, but condemne euen the inter­nall thoughts, and forbidde all iniuries both to friends, and enemies, comman­ding nothing to be done to others, which we would not to our selues. Omitting nothing that may be named vertue, and al­lowing nothing can bee suspected for vice, and because naturall and morall actions of themselues cannot meritte a supernaturall beatitude, all such va­lue wee attribute to such effectes, de­pendeth vppon the infinite price and dignity of our MESSIAS, which no other profession can make clayme vn­to. By whose meritte and oblation be­sides these vvorkes of grace, wee onlye haue Sacramentes, instrumentes to de­riue his benefittes, in all necessities, to all persons, and at all times. When wee are firste borne, Baptisme to take awaye originall sinne; extreame vn­ction to releeue vs vvhen wee dye, and defende vs againste all enemies and a­gonies of those conflictes. And while we liue, Eucharist, and Confirmation, [Page 264] to strengthen vs in grace, and pennance to restore vs if wee fall. And concerning the perticuler estates and conditions both of the clergy and maryed, Order to dignify the one, and Matrimony to arme and defend the other, so that no state, time, or condition of men, is vnproui­ded, no sinne left vnpunished, no vertue omitted, but many added which philoso­phers did not knowe, as loue to enemies, humillitie and others. Contempt of the worlde, and all impediments of felicitye. Wee exhort perfection, conteyning a full abnegation of all spirituall lettes as riches, pleasure, honour, and the like, by professing pouerty, chastitie, and obedi­ence, whereby the great enemies of hea­uenly thinges the world fleshe deuill are subdued. Doe we not purpose for the In­tellectuall and immortall soule of man such a spirituall beatitude, as a greater & more excellent cannot be deuised, the vision and fruition of God him selfe, con­tainyng all felicitie, and voyde of all vn­happines? How reuerētly do we esteeme of the holye Patriarkes and Saintes, of the lawe of Moises, of the nature of Angels [Page 265] whome wee affirme to bee intellectuall Creatures, in vvhich and other thin­ges, howe barbarouslie doe those Infi­delles erre?

THE 8. AND LAST ARGVMENT. Howe Catholicke Christian Religion hath ouer­come all enemies, in all kindes of Argument and Disputation. And that it is the most certayne knowledge in the worlde, euen in naturall Iudgment, and all Ar­guments vsed against it, eui­dently false.

AND to giue a full and final content­ment to al people in this case; when­soeuer any matter seemeth doubtfull, or is called into controuersie, by such as pretende Title and interest, it must needs bee tryed and debated with reasons, and arguments, either in wrighitng, or pub­likely & by speech, by probations natural or aboue nature, as the cause and Que­stion requireth, the first manner of tri­all hath giuen euident verdict for Chri­stians, and manifestlie condemned all [Page 266] others of manifoulde profane, and irreli­gious errours, vnpossible to be in true Religion. Now I will shew how by the se­cond kinde of tryall in conference and places of dispute, only Christian Catho­lique religion hath preuailled against all others, Catholique cristian Religion, conquering Mahumetans. & vtterly condemned and conuinced thē for Infidels & misbeleeuers, both by naturall & supernaturall arguments.

And to passe ouer Mahumetans, because as is manifest already they acknowledge the religion of Christ to be true, Argum 1. sup. that wee shalbe saued thereby, and it only endure and perseuer, and forbidding the profes­sors of their lawe to disput with christians haue geuen vs the victory in this disputa­tion, Christians vic­tory ouer all enemies. which also hath bin proued against them by many supernatural miracles and most certaine arguments. Let vs come to other Infidels against whome Christ him­selfe most firmly founded and builded his doctrine, both against Iewes and Gentils by vnanswerable arguments, & euiden­ces of truth, by so many humane reasons, so many fufillinges of the prophets pre­dictions, so many miracles, so manifest, so publique, so supernaturall. By so many [Page 267] blinde, deafe, dombe, leapers, endued with sight, hearing, speaking, cleannes, so many dead raised, deuills dispossessed, Ioseph. supr. Pilat. ep. ad Tiber.. Mahum. in Al­caron. &c. heauens, elementes, and all creatures o­beying aboue nature in the sight of all, recorded euen by his enemies. And after his death by his apostles, and their succes­sors, he conquered & subdued the whole worlde. S. Stephen a Deacon preuailed so with his miracles and argumentes, that neither the Sinagogue of the Libertines, Act. ca. 6. of the Cirineans, Allexandrians, or those of Cilicia and Asia which disputed with him, were able to make him answere. The Apo­stles at the feast of Penticost amased & cō founded Parthians, Medians, Elamites, Actor. ca. 2. inha­bitāts of Mesopotamia, Iewry, Chappadocia, Pō ­tus, Asia, Phrigia, Pamphilia, Egipt, and the partes of Libbia, Srangers of Rome, Iewes and Prosolites, Cretentians, and Arabians at Hierusalem, all those countries bear­ing witnesse. And S. Peeter at one sermon conuerted three thousande Soules, Actor. 9. so sainct Paul first himselfe subdued, con­founded them at Damascus, Seleutia Ciprus, & Bariehu, Actor. ca. 13. the false Iewish prophet at Pa­ph [...]s and made him blinde and conuerted [Page 268] Serguis Paulus the proconsul. Actor. ca. 14. So at Perge, Pamphilia, Antioch, Iconium, Listra Derbe, and whersoeuer they were disper­sed in his Peregrination. Clem. Recog lib. 1. cap. 9. et 10. Zonar. li An­nal. to. 1. Metaphr die 2. Ianuar. Glyc. in annal▪ Nicephor, li. 7. cap. 36. Cedren. in Camp. Ruff. lib. 1. cap. 38. Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 17. SoZom. lib. 5. cap. vlt. Athanas. l. Imag Be [...]gom hist. fol. 60. So Gamaleel ma­ster to S. Paull and S. Stephen was conuer­ted. So Egesippus. And so many in the time, & at the disputation betweene S. Silucster, and the Iewes at Rome. So in the greate disputation in the yeare of Christ 418. a great number of them together with their great Rabbine Theodorus were sub­dued, and miraculously conuerted. So were the Iewes about Bithinia miracu­louslie ouercome, as Athanasius witnes­seth, by the wonderfull bloude that issu­ed sorth of a wodden Image of the Cru­cysixe vvhich one of them had pierced sacriled giouslie. So about the yeare of Christ seauen hundred and eight, in Siria by the like miracle as Philippus Bergomen­sis writeth. So in all places and ages the most learned amonge them haue beene ouercome. And in the Prymatyue Church of Christ, those vvhich vvere their moste learned and durste not for feare become Christians, yet did write in commendation of Christians as Philo [Page 269] Iudeus, Iosephus, and others.

Thus likewise Christ prooued his do­ctrine againste the Pagan Gentiles, Conquest o­uer Pagans. as appeareth not onelie in the particuler Histories of the Apostles, and others, in the Primatyue Church, but in all a­ges, and places, as their vtter ouer­throwe and desolation doe testifie. Bed. li. cap. 25. ca. 26. &c. So Saint Angustine the Benedictine Monke prooued Catholicke Religion to the Pa­gans of our English Nation, and subdu­ed them, so Catholicke Christians (and only Catholickes as I will manifest here­after) haue subdued al Pagan countries, and conuerted them to Christ. Conquest o­uer Sorcerers & Magicians. Thus all Sorcerers, Magitians, and Enchaunters were vanquished. So Simon Magus that had seduced Samaria, and for his strange workes of sorcerie named the power of God, was subdued and baptized of S. Philip a Deacon. Actor. cap. 8. And afterwards relapsed to his witch-crafts againe, because he coulde not buy with mony apostolicall authori­ty, Egefip. lib. 3. excid. Hieros. cap. 2. Actor. cap. 13. Iustin. Dial. cum Triph. was ouercome by S. Peter at Rome in open assembly, before that wicked ene­my of Christ, Nero the Emperor. So Ely­mas by S. Paul at Paphus. So Marcellus a [...] [Page 270] of Symon Magus became a christian and wrote the combat betweene S. Peter and his olde Master Symon Magus. And Iusti­nus the Martyr and Origen affirme, Origen lib. 1. contr Cels. that the Magi which trauailed so far to wor­ship Christ in his natiuity, were Magicy­ans, and by the apparition & miraculous conduction of the star, Ignat. ep. ad Ephes. were conuerted. And S. Ignatius before them auoucheth the same, adding further, that then all Magicke, Sorcery, and enchantment be­gan to cease. Euseb. histor. eccles. lib. 2. cap. 8. Isodor. lib. de patrib. ca. 73. So S. Iames the greater con­uinced Philetus, and Hermogenes. So Tau­rinus, Bishop of Orleance confounded Cambises, Zamrim, and their Schollers. Iu­stina subdued Ciprian the Sorcerer, Vincent. in specul. lib. 10. ca. 78.79. Conquest o­uer al Philosophers. and made him a Christian Martyr.

So likewise the most wise and morally vertuous Philosophers of the world haue bin conquered, & conuerted in such or­der, that now neither Stoycke, Cynicke, Perypatetycke, Epicure▪ or any other sect is to be founde, for the light of nature did manifestly instruct them, that their owne iudgments and reasons were deceitfull, and had often erred and chaunged, but those supernatural and other arguments [Page 271] of Christians, onlie able to bee effected by the power of God (as nature taught those Philosophers) by no meanes could be vntrue. Actor. ca. 17. So Dyonisius the Areopagite and others, euen in that learned and fa­mous vniuersity of Athens were confoū ­ded by S. Paul S. Katherine a virgine, Metaphrast. et sur. in S. Katherin. Amphilo h. in vit. S. Basil. Euseb in vit. Constant. be­ing but eighteene yeares of age, subdued 50. of the wisest Philosophers, which all the credit and commande of Marentius the Emperour coulde assemble togither. So S. Iustine, S. Basyl, S. Augustine, and o­thers were conuerted. So in the time of Constantine the great, a solemne disputa­tion being appointed betweene the chri­stians and them at Constantinople, they were all confounded and conuerted, by Alexander Bishoppe of that City. Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 5. Sozom. lib. 1. cap. 17. Ruff. l. 1. c. 3. Like­wise they were ouercome and put to si­lence in the generall councell of Nyce, (where a greate number of them were gathered togither, for the aide of the Arrians) by a catholicke Christian vn­learned, as Socrates, Sozomenus, Sophron. in prat. spirit. cap. 195. Sines. ep. 79. Aug. epist. 100. and Ruf­finus witnesse. So in the yeare of Christ 411. Synesius and Euagrias great Philoso­phers were conuerted, and S. Augustine [Page 272] affirmeth the same of Genuadius. Athanas. in vit. S. Anton. How ma­nye of them and how often of their best learned were not able to answere S. An­thony the Eremit, a man altogether vnlear­ned? And all the philosophers which euer were in the world with all their hu­mane learning and pollicie, were neuer able to conuert one Cytie to their opini­ons, although hauing for their protecti­on, and furtherance, the fauour, coun­tenance, and assistance of the Kinges, and Emperours, and yet poore fishermen by the doctrine of Christ against the vi­olent resistance of all enemies, haue con­quered the whole world vnto him. And yet at that very time, Philostrat. li. 9. Dio. Rhod. Corinch. Borysth. when the Apostles and disciples of Christ went about and preached christian doctrine to the world, the Philosophers as their owne writers are wittnesses (for the deuill will imitate God) practised the like in goeing about and perswading their opinions, but pre­uailed nothing, August ep. 56. et. li. ver. Relig. ca. 4. such were Apollonius, Dio, Demetrius, Musonius, Damis the pithagore­an; Epictetus the Stoycke, Lucianas the epi­cure Diogines the younger and others. And generally the Platonicks, either be­came [Page 280] Christians, such as had any consci­ence of things, or Magicians, such as had none at all: and not only the Platonicke Philosophers but all others that were of the greatest learning, & best life among all sortes and sects, were conuerted. And the sect of the Cynicks, Epicures, Origen. Con­tra Cels. & Ma­gitians that were the most vile, licenti­ous, and wicked of all the rest, giuen o­uer to all libertie and wantonnesse, were the greatest enemies we had. And those which were their greatest learned and of most ciuill conuersation, such as Seneca, Senec. ep. & others, & in those times of disgraces and persecutions, durst not professe themsel­ues christiās, yet were our greatest frinds, and writ most reuerently of our religion. And when they were conuerted, shewed themselues moste constant and zealous Christians, and proued the greatest pro­pugnors and defenders of faith, in those turbulent and violent times of persecuti­on, against all tirants, & enemies we had. Such were Aristides of Athens, Apollinaris, Clemens Allexandrinus, Iustinus, Melciades & others. And besides all those externall Infidels and enemies, so many sortes and [Page 274] sectes of Heretickes aboue 400. in num­ber before the Apostacie of Luther, Aristid. in a­pol. Tri them de script. Apollinar. Clem. Alex. Iustin. apol. Melch apol. &c. Conquest o­uer all here­tickes and in­ternall ene­mies. Barnard. Luther l. cato­log haer. which in the schoole of Christ haue made ciuill warre and rebellion against the catholike Church, and doctrine, haue bene so vt­terly confonnded, confuted, and vanqui­shed, that not so much as any memory of them is left, except among Catholicke writers, which haue noted and recorded their heresies. So that what force and va­liditie their witnesse was of, they gaue tes­timony vnto vs, not only in the thinges wherin they discented, & were subdued by their ouerthrow: but in those thinges wherin they agreed with vs, against these present Protistantes, and are witnesses not only for vs, but against all other ene­mies from which thy dissented. Hist. 3. l 3. c. 10 Platin. in Anastas. 2. Amphiloch in S. Basil. So was Arius confounded by Alexander Bishop of Constantinople, so Olimpus at Carthag. So did Saint Basill miraculously conquere Valence the Arian Emperor. So Copres the Eremit conuinced the Manechees. Pallad. histor. in corpres. De consecrat. d. 2. c. Bereng. Thus all other heritickes were ouercome, euen those that had most affinitie and kindred with Protestantes: Berengarius the father of the Sacramentaries was confuted and [Page 275] recanted his errour in open Councell, Bergom. hist. fol. 182. Tho Walde. 1. to. 2. and acknowledged the Reall Presence of CHRIST in the Sacrament. So the Wickliffistes in Englande, in the same poynt in a frequent assemblie, in the church of Saint Paule in London, were miraculously confounded, and subdued. So were the Henricians in France by S. Bernard, In vit. S. Bern. both in that and other poyntes wherin they agreed with these men. And all opinions now defended by them one time or other were confounded and con­futed in generall Councels, and the most famose & lerned assemblies of the world. So that what enemies soeuer they were, In fidels, or Heretickes, which at anie time denied Christian Catholike faith, were thus both strangly by miracles and by argument in reason conuicted & condem­ned; whether they were Iews trusting to supernaturall assistance, or the Gentils in the power and pompe of the wolrde; or Magitians in ayd of diuels, and damned spirites? Philosophers in their wit, and lerning; or any hereticke and apostata in whatsoeuer buckler or defence they vsed. And neuer anie of them coulde hitherto [Page 276] bring either supernaturall argument, Neuer any mi­racle wrought since Christ to proue Religiō but by Catho­liques, and for their faith▪ or sufficient naturall reason against vs. The Iewes so famous with miracles before Christ, since they denied him, had neuer any miracle among them, except such as Christ and Christians haue wrought to confound them; Ioseph. li. bell. Epiphan. de piscen. their last Piscina Probatica that so miraculously healed diseases, (at the discending of the Angell) then ceas­sing as thier owne writers Iosephus and o­thers witnesse. For their figures ending in Christe, God the worker of miracles would no longer giue testimony vnto thē. Of Mahumet and his Mahumitanes, Mahumet. in Alcoran. him selfe so acknowledged, confessing that Myracles were graunted vnto Christe. What likeli-hood there is in finding any such thing among the Pagan Idolaters, whose Gods were deuils, which could worke nothing supernaturall, euery man knoweth, and (besides the very confes­sion of all these sects) the thing in it self [...] is manifeste: For euery one of them de­fending so manifest errours and blasphe­mies as I haue proued, it is impossible that God which cannot giue testimonie to vntruth, should graunt miracles and [Page 277] supernaturall workes, to prooue that to be true, which euen in the light of reason is euidently false. Wherfore to come to ende of this dispute with externall Infi­dels: As I haue prooued in the former booke against all Atheists and Irreligi­ous, an absolute and vndeniable necessi­tie of God, and Religion due to him, in such order that by no possibillitie either the one or other canne bee vntrue: So in this it is manifest, against all misbeleeue­ers, that in particuler this Relgion is that holy worshippe which was instituted and taught by Christ. To this all testimo­nies, diuine and humane assent. All au­thority that can be cited in such a cause ageeth, all people of renowned learning, or equal iudgment, ioyne in this sentence: all friends allowe it: the chiefest grounds of our enemies themselues confirme it. All other worships by their owne confes­sions, are drowned in most prophane and irreligious errors, such as depriue the professors of all title to true Religion. One Relgion must needs be true, all o­thers be both palpably erronious in thē ­selues, and haue acknowledged not only [Page 278] in generall the verity of this holy profes­sion, but giuen confirmation to those priuate Articles which be the greatest misteries, and most secret difficulties in that worshippe. All witnesse both of God and creatures, al reason, naturall & aboue nature, haue so consented. To this the groundes of all worships haue giuen authority: The Prophets, Sybills, and Ora­cles, of the pagans haue yeelded: The Rab­bins and holy prophets before Christ, and the Thalmud after haue answered against the Iewes: and Mahumet himselfe for him and his hath made conclusion. Christi­ans onely doe remaine, and they cannot condēne Christianity. And against that which all Arguments confirme, no Ar­gument can be alleadged. If any enemie, Iewe, Pagan, or Mahumetan, shoulde argue against it: I make him answere first, that his allegatiō is to be contemned, because the rules and foundation of his own wor­ship giue strēgth to that which he would weaken by his infirme assertion. Se­condly as the errors of al those worships condemne them selues to be impious, so they disable all the Argumēts they bring [Page 279] against vs, and ratifie our religion to bee most holy, by all those reasons I vsed a­gainst Atheists before: because true reue­rence must be admitted. Thirdly the publickly approued rules of these wor­ships haue approued before the very par­ticuler points to which these priuate men appose themselues in reasoning. Fourth­ly the sacred misteries against which they dispute (as the nature of God, incarnati­on of Christ, the resurrection and such) be wholie supernaturall, and belonging to the extraordinarie power of God, or his owne essence, which cannot be likened to inferiour and ordinary effects, and cau­ses, from which their reasons and propo­sitions be abstracted, and they confound themselues: for no common notion or position can be taken from finite and in­finite things, from the nature of God the Creator, and his creatures, from his or­dinary and extraordinary power, be­tweene which there is so great difference of degree and improportion. But the contrary is to be concluded for vs, that our verities by that Argument also are most certaine; otherwise we might blas­phemously [Page] affirme that there is no diffe­rence betweene God and his creatures, betwene his ordinary and extraordinary, naturall and supernatural works, things finite and limited, & that which is infi­nite & without limitation. So that how­soeuer this questiō be disputed, either by humane or diuine reasonings, this sacred religion which I defend is the most cer­taine knowledge in the world, confirmed by al arguments, & grounded vpon that infallible euidence of God, which by no possibilitie can be vntrue: and impugned by none but weake & feeble positions of such erronious iudgments which are ma­nifestly already conuinced to be false, and by how much the infinite & vndeceaue­able wisedome and witnes of God vpon which euery Article of this diuine wor­ship is builded, exceedeth the deceitfull sentences of men, deduced from often illuded phantasie deceiptful speaches, & distempered Organs; By so much the doctrine of Christian religion both in o­ther dignities and certainty it selfe excel­leth all other science or knowledge of things. This last dependeth oftentimes [Page 281] vpon a false foundation, and euer vpon that which is deceiptfull and subiect to error; that first of religious faith is al­waies and in al things grounded v­pon that which hath no possibiltie to erre, & is onely vnpowerable to haue defect. But of this shal be more entreated in my se­conde parte of Resolution against internall ene­mies.

The end of the first Parte of the Resolution of Religion.

A TABLE OF SVCH THINGS as are conteined in the first parte of the Resolution of Religion.

  • The firste Chapter of the firste booke. Of the Name and Nature of Religyon.
  • Chap. 2. The absolute Necessitie of God, and a firste moste excellent cause deseruing wor­shippe.
  • Chap. 3. The Necessity of a diuyne prouidence towards Man, and all Creatures for him, and his Religious duty for the same.
  • Chap. 4. Religion euidentlie needfull to obtaine a Supernaturall and Euerlastinge felicitie for the immortall Soule of Man, which can ney­ther finde anye ende in this lyfe, or perish in death.
  • Chap. 5. The testymonie of holie Scriptures, moste certainelie reuealed of God, and theyr infallible authoritie.
  • Chap. 6. The practise and euydence of all Na­tyons, [Page] States of people, and particular Par­sons.
  • Chap. 7. The testimonie of all intellectuall crea­tures.
  • Chap. 8. The moste certayne and myraculous Testimonie of God.
  • Chap. 9. The testimony and example of al crea­tures, euen vnsensible rendring a kinde of Re­uerence.
  • Chap. 10. Extraordinarye punishments impo­sed vppon the Irreligious for their impiety, and rebellion of all Creatures against them for that cause.
  • Chap. 11. The miraculous obedyence and sub­mission of all creatures to the Religious.
  • Chap. 12. The afflictions and aduersities of the godlye and Religious, for which the Epicures denye Religyon, are a manifest proofe there­of.
  • Chap. 13. The temporall honors and delightes of the Religious were often greater, and their myseries lesse then of the Irreligious.
  • Chap. 14. The temporall honors and dignities of the Catholike Christians in particuler greatest and theyr afflictions least.
  • Chap. 15. If by impossibilitie there should be no reward for Religion, or punishment for Irre­ligion [Page] after death, yet the condition and estate of the Religious is to bee preferred.
  • Chap. 16. A conclusion, of the vnnaturall ab­surdities which the Irreligious must graunt.

The first Chapter of the seconde booke. Brieflie shewing against all externall Infidels, how that Religion which was taught by Christ is the true worshippe of God.

  • Chap. 2. and first Argument. Prooueth the same against them by theyr owne confessi­on, and groundes of all other Religions.
  • Argum. 2. Howe all externall and notoryous signes giuen by God, to knowe the Messias, were only veryfied in Iesus Christ, and can­not possiblie be performed in any other.
  • Argum. 3. That the time wherein Iesus was borne by all accoumpts and reasons was the time of the comminge of the Messias.
  • Argum. 4. How all particular articles of chri­stian [Page] catholike Religion, for which Iewes Ma­humetanes and Pagans denie it, are prooued by theyr owne groundes.
  • Argum. 5. The straunge and extraordinarye punyshements inflicted vppon all Enemies of Christ and his Religion.
  • Argum. 6. The palpable and moste manifest er­rors against the light of nature, of all other Re­ligions.
  • Argum. 7. The excellencie and dignitie of chri­stian Catholike Religion aboue all others.
  • Argum. 8. Howe this worshippe hath ouercome all enemies, in all kindes of Arguments and disputations, and that in naturall reason it is the most certaine knowledge in the world, and all Obiections alleadged by Infidels agaynst it, false, euen in humane reason.

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