Grounds of Divinity Study

Epiloge.

Thus I have briefly holpen the unlearned to defend the truth. Touching Persones here blamed, I will show my mind. M. Beza I hold to have deserved rarely of the church, for rules of faith against the Pope. But as he confesseth his hebrew store was scant: so it was pity that he was not warned to keep him at home. I hold D. R. equal to him, and sincere in all, saving his defense of M. Scaliger against the churches: whereby he much missed, in Heathen Greeks, not in Divinity otherwise. Of M. Lively I cannot tell what to say, who still held the Hebrew text corrupt, and so, little cared what to say, and missed, as I have given advertisement. Bar-Lo I leave to God. I am sure, that our Melec, whom from my heart in Geneve in extreme danger, I defended to be the only Orthodox K. in the world, would pay him if he knew his Libell.

His learning is small for a Doctor, his wit no better: for a polititian that made wicked believe our people loved not their good: Our K. His conscience that scoffed God the author, is worse then the rancor of any dog. His whole course is void of grace in his Libel, and declamatiō against Rob. Fss. as though he had authority to censure Nobles. I never read of any so shameless to have made a good end.

Now for the Hanaw Jews arguments.

The Hanaw Jews brake to rancor upon these Syllogisms.

First.
• The stryving against an open commandment of faith, is as wicked as endeavor to break all the world in pieces.
• But ye strive void of all conscience, against this: Kiss the Son, least he be angry: happy are all that trust in him.
• Therefore ye are equal to the Devils in contempt of the Son of God.

Preofe of the assumption.

Ye say, Nasheku Bar is not to kiss the Son. I replied that Nashak is never but kiss, and I made yourself confess so much. Even Rabbi Man, turning to his concordance, & that Bar is is Son, Prov. 30. twice, and Dan. 3. teach, and your Talmud in millions of places. And Ibn Ezra, the sharpest and best learned that ever ye bred, telleth plainly, that Messias is there meant. And in that you print him, you make him your mouth: yet you tell me, you will not stand to him. No judge in the world ever gave a client leave to shrink from the pleading of his own counselor. And do you hope to mock with the Judge of all the world, & to escape the rivers of fire that are afore his throne? You know what your Talmud Bab in Chelek speaketh of yourselves, that ye shall have the faces of dogs, before the Messias helpeth you. For that our S. Paul saith concerning you, Phil. 3. 2. Look to the dogs: should not this move you, to quake, when ye call yourselves dogs, and the holy Ghost from your own mouth doeth condemn you? Moreover, Midrai Tillin your Eldest work telleth in a parable this to be spoken of a King, of whō vewing his subjects they would make an hymn. Then said he, make not the hymn on me, but make it to my son. And you know this, and will ye willfully perish?

The seconde Syllogism.
• If by your own consent a Golden Chaine of times is made one of five from Adams fall, unto sealing the Messias, the holy of all Holynesse, and not one whit further, that Chain should draw you to Messias.
• But the first is true: Therefore also the second.

Proof of the Assumption. And the first Chaine.

From Adam to Tharaes death, you make vniversallie years 2083. To that death Midras Rabba joineth Abraham's calling from Charan: and Philo the true Philo, the Greek: who also telleth that none who have read the Law, can be ignorant of that. All this I have cited in my Hebrew book to Landtgrave Maurice, from your own authors, and that ye spent 215. years in Canaan, and 215. in Egypt. Out of Rabba Azarias I cited your Hebrews for that. So from Abraham's calling from Charan, to the Law, shall be granted years 430. and 480. to the Temple, & 36. to Solomon's death: and thence in Barbinel from Ezek. 4. 390. to the burning of the Temple. Now come back 19. years to the beginning of the captivity, And ye know that ye have a new Chaine of two links or years. But 19. must hange down, and ye must fasten the twentieth link to the former Chaine. So fifty one years are to the end of the captivity. And thence Ibn Ezra telleth by the Angel Gabriel that 490. years are thence unto sealing the Messias the holy of all holiness. Now this Golden Chaine is of your own making upon God's authority. But your▪ Talmudics made a Cobweb, full of all shamefulnes against all light or conscience. Of that you have read my book, So the assumption telleth that your Golden Chaine draweth you unto Christ.

A third Syllogism, From the Jubilees.
• If yourselves confess that the Jubilees draw unto Christ, and that falleth out most clearly by your former Chaine: your conscience telleth, ye rebel against the light.
• But the first is true:
• Therefore also the latter.

The proof of the proposition.

In Zohar ye have this wonderful saying, upon Levite. 25. Col. 2. 10. fol. 53. In the Jubiliee the Majesty of God will be a remission, and redemption, and ending of Sabbatism to Israel. This is a wonderful saying, to be spoken by yourselves, and not perceyved by yourselves. So the Zobar hath upon Gen. 3. The seed of the Woman, thou serpent, shalt pierce footestep, and HE shall pierce thy head: Upon HE, ye say this Person, is Hacados Baruch Hu: The holy and blessed God: we can speak no more, and you could speak no less. For he must be God that can destroy the works of Satan. Moreover, Kimchi saith upon Ezek. chap. 40. That the Messias redeemeth in a Iubily. Now look to the pleasant progress of times by Chalebs age, Ios. 14. telling how it was 45. since Moses sent him to view the Land: So in the seventh the Lande was parted: then the eight is the first to the Jubiliee, so the first Iubily Chusan is tamed by Othoniel, and there beginneth a blessing with your first Jubiliee. in the seventh Jubiliee the Ark cometh into Judah: and Ephraim his glory was transferred to the tribe of Messias. Thence to the captivity of Babel, are seven seaventies: it of one seaventie: & thence a new seven seaventies. Put these together and ye have 28. Jubilees, or 1400. years. To such pleasant facility hath the God of heaven distinguished the times: and he hath made all partes most famous by high dealings, to draw all unto salvation. But your sin against the holy Ghost, which Maimonides noteth from Es. 6. and our four Evāgelistes mark, that your sin keepeth away your hearts from understanding.

A fourth Syllogism.
• If every whit that Daniel pictureth and expoundeth in his Images, be come to pass, even by Heathen testimonies, before the birth of Messias in Bethlehem, you sin against the holy Ghost by despising the truth of God. But the first is true, as I have shown you in my book of David's Family: Therefore you sin against the holy Ghost in not believing.
• Upon these reproofs, they break to open refusal of hearing, to say: you labor in vain to turn us, while Christians are at such strife among yourselves, for your whole religion, &c. specially for your descent to HEL: Ye have above 20. opinions •• r that: and forty branches growing frō the Genevean. The Genevean, the Marpurgean, the new Hanovean, hath much hindered you, as we hear. And the Roman of the Fathers being in Gehenna Isaac Ben Arama blameth, fol. 205. col. 2.

Of agreement general for our grounds.

This ground is general from Athanasius and eldest time: that nothing may be holden for Divine truth, but either graven in all hearts, or evident in the Bible. And our Apostles never went further: and the best learned of all sides being called to these grounds, will refuse combat against them.

Groundes of disputation.
• I.
  The Old Testament is pure, and New to every letter.
• II.
  The Apocrypha be for use but of toleration, and rightly damned generally even in your Thalmudes, as not to be regarded for any sound worth: but wicked to be used at all in any reverence, as sound sadness. Otherwise some of them be very witty to play with heathē: & godly & learned by our K.
• III.
  In Moses all Divinity is taught by the Angel, called Jehovah the God of Bethel: how he would be Emmanuell. The Prophets and Apostles go no further. Upon this ground I brake your Rabbi Elias in Francfurt Synagogue: that to this day he desireth institution.
• IV.
  Your Talmudics for tongue are indifferent, and as good as we can wish for the Prophets: and propriety must stand where it striveth not with sense or common notiones.
• V.
  The New Testament was to be written all in the tongue of Japheth, as ye well gather from Noes allusion to his name, Gen. 9. in Talmud Jerusalem in Megila: and thence in Midras Rabba.
• VI.
  God gave the Grecians first a mind to advāce their tongue when Judah was in Babel: Then Pisistratus brought Homer to esteem as Jews have Moses, or we the Gospel, for daily use of speech, though they knew all to be fables, the sager sort. Vpō this beginning all kind of flourishing writers came, in 200. years. That by Alexander Macedonians time, it came to the highest perfection. And all the learned in the West spake it willingly. Then the Macedonians conquering South & Indians by Millions of Soldiers: force all to know Greek, the wealthy of Leasure. Tully pro Archiâ Poetâ, telleth that Greek by his time went over all nations. Now all might in one tongue learn the salvatiō by Christ. And Christ giveth his servants the greatest sharpness of Logike and bravenes in speech to heathen: wherein S. Paul giveth place to none that ever was in Athens. Saint Luke in story hath equal spirit. And when they speak story of Law, the seaventie Seniors phrase is theirs, to call the Old Testament still to mind. And to Scribes they be Thalmudique: & rare Hebrew matter they express rarely by terms Greek: but God's wisdom is under those terms in rare sense.
• VII.
  Saint Paul teacheth nothing differing from the Scribes, but that Christ was to suffer: and being the first from the dead, should show light unto the world. And the same is the sum of all the New Testament.
• VIII.
  All our best learned know by these grounds controversies be tried. And he that cannot dispute by these grounds, should be still.

Examples of Consent.

Our grounds that Scripture is pure, & only must judge, and is perfect for to rule all our use of life: the learned of all sortes when they are openly called to accompt, know they must grant: Even the Quirites. D. John Pistorius is famouslie known for this argument. The Popes manner is to provoke disputation before war. And as disputation proceedeth, war or peace followeth. D. Pistorius of Friburge was the Popes challenger: a great Graecian, and Caballist. The Chalenger was written too in Greek what grounds his Chalenger held: and that Pistorius should have fafe-conduct for an hundredth his own friends to come with him to Basel schools: Their disputation should be in the tongues which God useth to us, Adams tongue which continued in the house of Hebers faithful: And in the tongue of Japheth, which God trimmed 600. years, and spread over the world, that all nations might learn the Gospel in it. Wisdom requireth no moo tongues for Divinity. And by this kind all term brallings should be cut off. And his own heart knew that he must grant my rules: and thereupon I assured myself, and told him that the challenger would give over his challenge. After some combat, so he did, under his own hand in a Greek epistle: and so both sides were glad that they no further needed preparation of war. Since, war was: and a letter of mine written from Marpurge to Zürich stayed vndelivered two years, and then they wrote: That stayed: Suo magno malo, To their own great harm, That they knew not I was in the country: Let the scornful say: they know better then they, their own case. Unless our common grounds were sure: tempests could not be so soon calmed. Many such dealings I could bring, but the vowed to sit in the seat of the scornful would but mock. But for you Jews I will cite Iudaique matters. Rabbi Elias your own chosen Orator, he seeth my grounds to be your grounds, and never checked one whit of my assertiones for his use. And Rabbi Reuben of Thrace, cometh not short of him. And if your hatred to our Gospel blindeth you, doubtless ye go into the fire which ye have kindled, and ye shall lie down in pangs. Object not, ô Jews, our dissent where our general consent might save you. And thus much for your general accusation of our disagreement: where ye are inexcusable for most gross crossing of known truth. Now I will come to the particular difference which you object of our Creed: for Catelthein eis haidou.

Of descent to HELL.

Twentie opinions (saith the Jew) ye have touching the Descent to HEL: as yourself in writing have charged our soil scholars. And what religion can be in your New Testament, seeing articles be so vncerten. I will touche them which are known to fight openly with you. Sebastian our Preacher of Hanaw, told yourself to your face in our town, that you were against all Churches: And when Marpurge printed a Thesin in these words against you: Quidem, autumat descendere ad inferos in sacro Symbolo idem esse atque ascendere ad Coelos, quod nos non credimus. Master Isaac Genius told that Lavater our Scholemaister said to the Grave, he also would write against you. And John Lucas of our Hanow telleth how when he brought you from the Badens sick to Geneva, full fore against your will, because you had warning of their bent, for defending the text of scripture to be pure: where one Beza spent sixty years to prove it most corrupt, and to find a miraculous difference in copies: John Lucas told often how they used you, when you first went frō your chamber to salute the Professors. A small professor said: Oh, you are against our Calvin: you say, that, to Descend to HEL is to go up to Heaven. And what a further coile they kept, you have printed all in Latin. John Lucas said: The Syndique and two Senators gladly heard three whole hours, your opinion of our Jews petition, and how by Talmudics you meant for him to clear all your New Testament, and how the Syndique gave you leave with God's blessing, to print what you would: and how the next day 30. strange students by the Syndiques consent, sent one D. Goldastus, to request you to profess in Geneva, and presently to show him how without Chaldee studies the New Testament could never be understood. But presently after you had bestowed three hours discourse with the Doctor, the Senate sent you word what a Plot the scholars laid to kill you, and how he offered you 300. french Crowns to go presently away with the Scots. Now what religion can be in men of this bent? And for Hanaw we hear that you printed here upon Dan. 9. a double help to Calvin: One for Beroaldus against Scaliger, the other for JESUS passage from the Cross to Paradise, by all Greeks, that to catelthein eis haidou, meaneth that in speech of all godly. But when you show how Geneva refusing all armies getting a sure victory, turn God and all men against them, then Hanovians kept a Saracene coile: and moved the Grave not to go forward with Princes promises for that great allowance which you expected: to teach us in Hebrew your Gospel: we were in hope that you might have saved our whole Company: till these strange dealings of your strife weakened us: to cast off all opinion of Christianity.

Answer.

Twentie opinions are in deed: all springing frō one root of bitterness: the Latin phrase, Descendere ad inferos, The Greek Symbolon is no less clear then the brightness of the Sun. I will open that, and then all will grant, that the Latin and all translations must mean as the original doeth: afterwards I will come to Lavater, Marpurge, Geneva, Hanaw, and show consent of all sides to me.

Of immortality taught by the Greek article: and the ground of an happy common weal.

Japheth taught his sons souls immortality, and that by death they shall go hence to God, where place of joy shall ever hold the good: and place of torment the bad. The common name to both is haides: a place unknown. And the Heathen of most ancient time, made haides to have two partes. Leimonas, that is flourishing places of the Godly, and Tartaron, a iayle of the wicked: So God and all souls are in Hades. And to the holy, Hades is Heaven. To the other HELL. Leonidas King of Spart, when with few hundreds he fought against very many thousands of Parsians, he encouraged his Soldiers thus: Dine with a valiant courage, O Lacedaemonians: We shall Suppe in Hades. This he made the whetston of valor: that he who dieth for his Country, should have in Hades a sure Lodge of Heaven, as Tully translateth that word. Agreeable to that Plato the Eloquent would have it taught as the foundation of a good common weal, that Hades hath place of Eternal joy: for the just and valiant, and such as die for their Country: and place of Eternal woe for the evil and cowardes, that will rather flee away then die for their City. Sophocles is most noble in this kind, in verses cited by Justin Martyr: and by full many after him. Him I have cited upon Job. And that all souls go to Hades from Homers days all kinds of Greeks hold that, and many great volumes would not contain all their testimonies.

And after that God had by the Macedonians conveyed the Greek tongue to the Indianes, Strabo recordeth that the very Indianes believed of Hades as the Grecians did. And the Macedonian Greek usually termed Heaven Haiden: as Portus Dictionarie telleth. And our Lord's Prayer from Math. cap. 6. in vulgar Greek for the borous, saith, Our Father which art in Hades. And Saint Luke in his Attique style bringeth the tormented in Hades talking to Abraham: assigning no other place for him. And no Greek ever denied Abraham to be in Hades. And we Christians hold him wicked and godless, that would make Saint Luke senseless. All who bring men speaking one to another, must look that the Reader will infer they be near: and otherwise hold the writer a liar. And any Eloquent Heathen would swear, that Saint Luke placed Abraham in Hades, and in joy. And he maketh the word Catelthein most certain: that it meaneth, Permeare, to pass unto: not to go down, but as the situation of the place may infer inferiority. Now then by Saint Luke's Greek, Catelthein eis Haidou must mean a passage for the holy to Heaven. So in this article we profess against Epicures with Plato and all sage Heathen, that Souls are immortal: and that the happy go Hence to an happy Lodge: and that all we hold, all, everyone, Plato's ground & Tullius ground of a good common weal: that the sure recompense is in Hades: And that Kings should not persecute such Teachers, but hold them the profitablest subjects: who teach justice and all fortitude in high sort: that the just dying for man's good, the soul returneth to Hades to God only wise & good, to an unseen and pure place. All that know Plato's greek would swear the Pēner of this article was so far no whit Plato's inferior for use of greek. But the Latin phrase Descendere ad inferos, sent you Jews to Hell, stumbling at the doctrine. And Latin Chrysologus 1200▪ years ago, mistaking the heathen phrase, said that Abraham was in Gehenna till Jesus went thither to redeem him out. Therevpon your Isaac Ben Arama after others took occasion to stumble at our Gospel: who upon Levite. 26. writeth thus: Fol. 205. All the law of Christians hangeth upon this one string, that for the fall of Adam he became dead in sin: and all the Fathers and just went into the Mahamaroth (Psalm. 140) the pits of Gehenna, till JESUS went thither, and brought them forth: Now, that is not possible that the holy Prophets being so familiar with God in their bodies of clay, should not rather out of the body, bein sight of his blessed glory and in joy.

Articles against Isaac Ben Aremaes slander.
• I.
  Our Gospel never taught any holy soul went hence to any other place then to heaven. So Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are in the kingdom of Heaven, Mat. 8. and all the Prophets, Luc. 13. So the thief, Luc. cap. 23. knew that Christ should go hence to his kingdom, and that he should be pitied: and was told that he also should go that day to Paradise. And S. Paul, Heb. xi. telleth expressly, that Abraham was here a stranger, but looked for an heavenly city, & God prepared it. Though in form of doctrine he was not perfected: having but the promise of Christ to come, yet he saw him by faith, as we by story: and by that faith went hence to heaven. And often doeth S. Paul speak, Heb. 9. and 10. that our Lord went from the body to heaven: Therefore ye Jews be shameless slanderers.
• II.
  Christ being in eternal spirit the God of Bethel, the Angel that hath the name of Adonaj in him, Ex. 23. taught Moses all divinity: and teacheth nothing in the New Testam. but that which he taught in Moses and the Prophets. Now HE, in Levite. 26. where the recompense of keeping the Law is told, telleth of life eternal by dwelling with God: & of death by God's angri face. And that you should know, that the Law was given to humble you to receive the mercies in Christ: You are told of 28. fold punishments, & of Babels 70 years, & that then ye will confess your sins, as Dan. chap. 9. did. And then God will teach his covenant, which the Angel did: That Christ in the time set, shall end sacrifice and offering: that is, alter the laws which Moses gave. S. Steven was accused for the Angels words: and as all the Synedrion looked upon him, they beheld his face as the face of an Angel, Act. 7. None of you all ever durst deny the story. And when ye killed the holy Martyr, the Angel Gabriel and all the Angels encouraged the Romans to destroy your place. And for the Godly, S. Paul expoundeth Levite. 26. thus: 1. Cor. 5. We do know that if the earthly house of tabernacle be dissolved: we have a building from God, not made with hands, everlasting in the heavens. Here ye might have seen that your Beniamite spake as Levi, and as nothing inferior to Moses: For the spirit of God ruleth his pen, by which Moses was wise. Again, for the place of the damned, John Apoc. 14. saith: They shall be tormented before the throne of God and the Lamb forever and ever. So God's angry face shall be upon them. Thus ye may see that ye are much deceived.
• III.
  Upon your occasion I thrice wrote in Greek to Nicolaus Serarius of Mainz. He and many of many places requested me to write in Greek: to stir study to the tongue. And longe ago a right honorable Patron bound me in promise so to do in honor of our Greek Testament: all written at the first in Greek. To Nic. Ser. I wrote a demand what I should answer Jews for the Pope. He knew well enough, that if he reconciled not the Pope to me, I would begin with him. And he expressly answereth from Thomas Aquinas, that Christ never went by Change of Place, to Hell: but the Church believed as Athanasius, Cyril, Theodoretus, who expressly tell, that all the faithful went hence to most blessed Palaces: Upon Psal. in Commelins fragments.
• IV.
  Theophylact upon Saint Luke 23. recordeth, that the best learned hold, all the faithful went hence to the royal palaces.
• V.
  Chrysostom teacheth upon 2. Cor. Hom. 6. that Abraham and Lazarus were in the kingdom of heaven. So your slander is great, and worthy of great punishment. Only the heathen Latin phrase bewitcheth the world: Descendere ad inferos. But now some write unto me from England, that there be none holden of any conscience, that are not of my mind. This cause hath been there so much debated: and the learned K. forceth all to look about them. But I will return to Greeks. In Photios library, a little work is cited, fathered upon Flavius Josephus, your man: wherein haides hath the Bosom of Abraham, in light and joy: and a Prison for the wicked: which is called of the same Josephus in your war, Dark Hades. And that other work is fathered upon sundry moo: Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, and one Gaius. Such consent was to the doctrine.

Of Justin Martyr.

Justin Martyr was a great Philosopher, and ready in the best Greeks. He Quaest. 75. distinguisheth Haiden into Paradise, and Nabuchodonosors Haiden: And for the Monarchy of the world, and Souls immortality citeth against Epicures, wise Poetes for Hades, jump as Christian faith is professed, by symbolon Apost. And from the phrase of this article Justin wan his chief credit among heathen. The Latin translation would never have done that. The Greek is holy.

Of Eusebius.

Eusebius in the common mouth of Ecclesiastical story: and in this argument he useth the phrase of the symbolon, Hist. 1. 13. and by oracles doeth expound it. He saith that Thaddaeus taught the L. of Edessen, that our Lord was crucified, dead, and buried, and went to Hades: and thence he raised up the just: which had of long time been a sleep. This in Hist. lib. 1. cap. 13. Now Apod. 3. He citeth Porphyry and Oracles, to tell whither our Lord went: where the Oracles say, of our Lord. Apo. 3. fol. 87.

That Mans Soul was the godliest of all souls. And the Godly Soul doeth go into heaven.

Thus speaketh the Oracle: and Porphyry assenteth, That the Soul was just, and went hence into heaven. So Eusebius being the common historique for the Church, telleth the common opinion for his time, how the speech of the Symbolon was understood, that Hades of the godly is known.

Of Latins: and other translations.

Soone after that Latin studies came in credit, they bred disturbance: what Descendere & inferos should mean: and no tongue but the Greek could well express the matter. Therefore many Symbola, when the immortality of the soul was known, left out the article: when the mind without the express word held the matter: and barbarous tongues could not express the right. Two causes moved them. The one, that when souls immortality was known, the article was cold that drew the matter into question. The other, that translations drew hurtful expositions: being unable to overtake the Greek eloquence. So the omission was sage, where omission was: and was to be wished that it had been over all Barbarous Countries, unable to express the Greeks clearenes.

But we may be sure it was in the Greek at the first, while Heathen and Christians made equal use and friendship by the article. And the Greek Fathers continually deal with the article, as holding it usual. And for all the twenty opinions: I cited, this cometh one check for them all: That it is in propriety of Greek flat atheism, to deny to souls passage frō the body: To Catelthein eis haidou, a returning to God that gave them. And it is an unspeakable shame for Doctors of Christianity, not to know the phrases of their own abridgement of faith, and marks of profession. Now I will come to your Hanovean Preachers, and Marpurges, and Lavater, & Geneva, and for your stirs for Genevaes quarrel.

Of the report that I was set against all Churches.
• I.
  This report was much faulty. It is no fault to differ from all Churches for the good of all Churches.
• II.
  Churches carry no sway, above the word of God: but the word of God doeth above all Churches.
• III.
  I have brought to light by the help of Jews and Heathen, many things which none of any Church before me cleared to my hand: as that the Law was aey writ̄ as now.
• IV.
  I knew not fifteen years ago, any learned man in the world that durst maintain, that to Catelthein eis haidou in the Godly, was to go up to heaven. But since, mighty & Learned are of my mind. The Duke of Bullon being at Hanaw, was desirous to hear myself upon this article, at a late supper. And as Master Isaac Genius told me on the morrow, he sent to Sedan for his Professor: who came and read what I had written, and said he was of my mind: and the Duke bade him tell all his fellows, that they also should be or look for no pay. Isaac Genius is mine author. Master du Boys can tell: ask him. And unless England be full of fools or flatterers, the hearty all there, stand to me. Two Caladonians, nine years ago, overthrew all the good that I might have done. The Bishops cleared them selves: and told who the parties were: Two Calcedonian Lord's sorrowed that that should come from their soil: and that thereupon Ban. by whom I would not be checked for anything, should be great. In France the best learned presently joined to me: and reformed Helvetia: & the LL. & Merchants of Francfurt: and the Jesuits of Mainz: and the best of Hanaw. The least should not chide, that I was against all Churches: when I am against them for their special good.

At Francfurt a Preacher by occasion of speech against English Spellmen, was answered that they were allowed in England. Then said he, There is no religion in England. A merchant whom M. Is. Gen. described to be simply the richest in all Francfurt, said, I would Br. heard you. He is no Turk, Jew, Romist, Lutheran, Calvinian, yet I hold him of the best religion. In England we allow no teacher but God. The Merchant, thought differing from mē to be no blame, as none that study of conscience, will make flesh their arm. I dare promise that what so ever I defend of resolute purpose, or oppugn in schools: that the most part of the hearers will be of my mind. I was requested at Mainz, to dispute upon a Licentiat. I told them that I had no mind to be busy in strange soils. Then they urged instantlie of all friendship. Therevpon I was content, but told them, that I would overcome, by their voices, or never dispute more. And if any think, he can do better then their aunswearer did, let him try. The question shall be here laid down.

Romana Ecclesia est vera Christi Ecclesia.

The Church of Rome is the true Church.

Reply.

You make Peter God: Therefore ye are not the true Church.

The antecedent is denied.

Ye make him Rock: Therefore God.

The sequel is denied.

Rock is never taken in praise of person: but only in God. Once it is spokē of Abraham and Sara, Es. 51. For the Quarry whence Israel was out: and for a Madianite, Num. 25. But neither place will stand so here: Though Maimonides in Moreb, would commend Abraham and Sara here. The continual use of Rock in the highest degree of praise telleth, that the term belongeth only to God.

Answer.

It is bestowed sometimes upon other men.

Reply.

Eysight will judge, that, These be all the places wherein the word cometh, in commendation of a Person:

• The Rock: his word is Perfect:
• He is the God of truth, Deut. 32. v. 4.
• And he contemned the Rock of his salvation, v. 15.
• Thou wilt forget the Rock that begat thee, v. 19.
• Their Rock hath sold them, v. 30.
• Their Rock is not like our Rock, v. 31.
• The Rock in whom they trusted, v. 36.
• And in all these places the seventy Seniors put Theos, God.

Thus often in one chapter in Moses, the word Rock is, God: and the terms of the Gospel must agree with them of the Law. So,

• There is no Rock but our God, 1. Sam. 2.
• My God is the Rock in whom I will trust, 2. Sam. 22. 3. and Psal. 18. 3.
• And who is the Rock, but our God, 2. Sam. 22. and Ps. 18
• The Eternal liveth, and blessed is my Rock: and exalted be my God, the Rock of my salvation, 2. Sam. 22.
• The Rock of Israel spake to me.
• The Eternal is my Rock, and Redeemer, Psal. 19.
• My Rock, be not silent concerning me.
• Doubtless he is my Rock and my salvation, Psal. 62. 3. & 7.
• He was to me a Rock of dwelling, Psal. 71. 3.
• The Rock of my heart, and my Portion, Psal. 73. 26.
• They remembered that God was their Rock.
• My God, and the Rock of my salvation, Ps. 89.
• My God, and the Rock of my confidence, Ps. 94. 22.
• Let us sing to the Rock of our salvation. Ps. 95.
• Blessed be the Eternal my Rock. Ps. 144.

So in Isaiah, the Rock of thy strength, thou hast not remembered, chap. 16. 10. So the Rock of Israel, chap. 30. I acknowledge no other, cha. 44. The holy Ghost would not so often use the term Rock in so high Majesty, and bestow it upon Peter, who thrice denied him. S. Peter him self in his Epistle from Babylon to the scattered Jews somewhat near by the 70. term for Tzur 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 2. Sam. 22. saith: Let them commend their souls to the sure Rock the Creator. Now the cause of the term Rock proceeded from the first demand, concerning the Son of man, Dan. 7. coming with the clouds of heaven, or Angels, as Rabbi Sadaias termeth them. There, in a great Sea four beasts arise afflicting Judah. But Deut. 32. told the Rock would help them at the worst: as Dan. 12. telleth. So against the Romans sea, Apoc. 13. The same term Rock is a promise, against Rome, nor for Rome. And Peter was never nearer Rome then Ioppe: Origen & Tertullian, Euseb. auctors, after 250. years of Peters being in Rome, are a Egyptian Rede, that will prick the hand. S. Luke that noteth less towns where S. Peter was, would never have omitted his being in Rome, if ever he had been there. And he that expressly telleth of him self, he was in Babylon to show the Prophecy Psal. 87. that Babel and proud Egypt should yield a people to God, 1. Pet. 5. & in his second Epistle pronouncing the letter A in by an S. (which Chaldea did: as Daniel's speech teacheth: and Talmud Yerushalmi in Megilah: & R. Azarias ) in Balaam's father, Bosor, for Beor at Rome by the 70. he might have taught any maid, whence the Galilean wrote, by his voice. So Rock is expressly against Rome, not for it. But will try you with a second Syllogism.

• If Rome crucified Christ, it is impossible for God to bless Rome, with any hast or Perogative: longe S. Paul was kept back.
• But the first is true, by Balaam, Num. 24. and the four Evange listes in Pilate and the Roman Soldiers:
• Therefore Rome for any prerogative, must still go on to destruction, as Balaam, Numb. 24. & Apoc. 17. do use the phrase.

Answer.

Rome, as it is the seat of the Empire, it is cursed, But as it is the Church, it is blessed.

Reply.

Your Pope is far above all Emperors as ye deem: therefore as your church depēdeath upon him, ye are openly cursed. Here I gave place to others, as reason would: & the commencer gave certain Bats to the Repliers: and the Bedell brought so to me: and they requested me not to refuse thē. This disputatiō was celebrated by the very Jesuits, over the Empire: that none could answer the arguments. And for all that I am to teach you, they confess that all mine extant in Hebrew, Greek or Latin, they allow. And for all that, they have more, I reject it. These be vain dreams, that one Apostle could be above another: That Peter was at Rome: that any cā bind, or lose sins: but by teaching what bindeth, what loseth: that one man should in Divinity be above all: that the Barbarous Latin should exclude the Hebrew law: where thousands of names, as in the book of Numbers, have plain sentences under thē: But in other tongues we speak them to less comfort. And so the new Testam. in Greek hath every word as a Pearl, to them that can tell from what Heathen, the flour of Athens they be taken: or in what imitation of the 70. or Thalmudique, for weighty common places▪ or which turn eloquent Greek to Beryllike or Carbunclelike terms of the Law and Prophets. One skillful in Greek and Hebrew shall in reading the New Testament run in memory through all Attique and Thalmudique The Latin is to the Greek but as a stutter to eloquent. And a Babylonian curse came to the world: when the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the tongues of Heber and the Greek, was despised: and a latepatched barbarous came in steed of it. The plague of Rome by Alaricus and Gensericus, and Theodoricus, and Totilas that pilled Rome, might have warned them, of preferring the Barbarous before the Holy. The next wickedness is this: That any should command any of the simplest not to read the Bible: or any learned requested by a company, not to expound it. If the Synagogue of the Bridge-makers at Thymbris had taught Rome every day of the Lord John's Apocalypse, they had not been now in dispute for Faith and Dominion. By the grounds which they must grant, and I would bring to you, no one whit of Bible will serve the Bridge-maker of Rome, as Sozimus termeth him. The maintaining of a Barbarous School Latin, and wicked Aristotle's false grounds giveth him color of Prate: If Greece ruled studies, as after the Apostles days it did six hundredth years: and your Thalmudique studies were joined; to show that our Apostles have nothing but by your grant it had been plain of old. I will anon plead your consent with me: and now tell you that the mystery of Godlines, that God in the flesh reconcileth the world unto himself: this, your Doctors speak, but knew not what they spake. In other points your old Scribes better clear our Apostles then any of our own side: by reason that their disputations are upon Moses to their vein. hard to us, easy to you.

Then for the Churches good I need not to fear blames. In England by our Kings commandment through the Earl of Pembrok, I gave advertisment of strange corruption in our handling of Religion. They saw it was soundly done to the common good: and all spake well of it. We conspire not as your Talmudics do, to be the scūme of the world: to deny 80. years from the Poloponnesian wars to Alexander Macedon men of all Kingdoms, Persian and Greeks: and so over all the world ever to have been in course of nature. Such dogs ye are: to defeet the Angel Gabriel's prophecy. Now for Geneveans, Marpurgeans, and Hanoveans none of fame cross me. So your objection is fond. And for hindering Princes, I sought not to them: nor ever will. And I have answered them so in a Latin Epistle. My own K. is able enough: and was willing but for some hinderers. Now I will show Rabbi Elias your appointed Orator towards me, his attendance to me at Basil, to our Apocalypse, and the Epistle of S. Paul to you Hebrews. I will now lay down the sum of both, as expounded unto him in your vein, and by your Authors.

I will in dialogue handle a speech had with Rabbi Elias at Basil. For, Dialogue, as in Plato and Tully hath shortness. Thus I began. Br. I preceave by your eloquent speech, that you are the Rabbi which in Francfurt synagoge disputed with me: denying nothing, that you knew true. Eli. I am the man. And I gladly heard you draw all the Law to Messias: and I celebrated you to all nations: and gladly would I hear more. Br. and gladly would I teach you. And that you may wonder at the Fishers of Galily, I will take ourlast book penned by John the Apostle: speaking how Cittim or Italy shall afflict the true Israel until the end of light with darkness: Balaam spake of Assur and Cittim. By▪ Assur he meant them that possessed Assyria, and dwelt in the East: as Salmanasars house, & Chaldea, and Persia, and Macedonians. All these held Assyria, and the Persian King, Son to Esther is called King of Assyr in Ezra: as Cyrus King of Babel. But the Empire of Italy stayde in Italy, and by Deputies afflicted: so it is as equally great to all the former, as if they had ben so many kingdoms.

The story you know, howe the Romans pretending friendship in the beginning: at the last, by the Maccabees falling out, made Judah subject to Rome, and kilde Christ: and destroyed your City. Eli. We all know this too well. Br. Daniel told you, that Christ the King should be killed at the holy City: to make reconciliation for sin: and to find eternal redemption, and make the Heathen one body with you: and should finish sacrifice and offering: and then should destroy the holy City and Temple: as with the deluge of Noes flood. Eli. I remember, you brought me to this exigent in Francfurt Synagogue: and I had not one word to reply, & you ended the holy Chronicle in the death of Messias: and you shown by like revolutiones, that as we had 40. years in the wilderness in rebellion before we entered into the Lande, so we should have 40. for repentance: after killing of Christ, before we should go into the wilderness of the heathen: which afore for Judah, before the first Temple was brent, Ezekiel for Jeremiah handleth: and Barbinel upon him very plentifully. And we Jews admire God in our Law for measure of times to our policy, no less then our Godly Astronomers do, showing howe the motiones of the Heavens declare the works of God: So when we see your New Testament join in times to ours, the Law, for my part I speak, I think it is from God. Br. You know Daniel beginneth with the first of the seventy of Babel: and then he himself was captived, and liveth seventy years in Babel: and saw the event of Jeremiah's prophecy for it, for desolation: and then is taught of seaventie seavens to end Moses, so 70. & 490. make 560. all these by scripture: add forty from like revolution and sure by Roman Rolls then Daniel gave 600. year warning that the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world. Eli. I remember with unspeakable groanings, the destruction of the old world: for not regarding Lamechs speech at the birth of Noah: how he should comfort us: after our wicked works, and sorrows of our hands: and after the curse of the earth, from the eternal God upon Adams rebellion: how at six hundredth years after, it came: when Noah was six hundredth years old: then came the flood, and took all away: and our Talmud and Zohar telleth that all their souls be in Gehenna. Now I see our misery, and your truth: and that our City shall never be restored, nor our nation: and that all our Talmudics rebel against God, teaching a restoring of our state in the lande of Canaan. Br. Where Daniel endeth, John beginneth. Fourteene years after the City was stoken by the Romans, as Ezekiel in like time saw a Jerusalem. Ch. 40. John seeth the History of Ezekiel's Jerusalem: that his prophecy is not to be expounded in proper sense of words: where the man of God spake as he was carried by the spirit. The time is gathered by Roman Stories for the death of Domitian, soon following John's banishment into Patmos: as Christ his eyes were a flame of fire, serching Rome dealings: as Paras, was revenged for hindrance of the Temple, even by glorious Cyrus miserable death: and soon in Xerxes great army. Eli. God's works be great, & regarded of all that delight in them. But now speak of your revelation what it is: what it handleth: what nations, what times: and first of all what is the kind of the style. By that we shall know whether God pend the book. He is perfect in wisdom and speech: no man ever was: but they in whom the Spirit of God spake: They only, no man, be perfect in speech

Of the revelation style.

Br. The Fisher of Galilee made a Fisher for Ezekiel's waters which give live where they come, cleansing hearts unto true holiness: showeth by his wisdom of speech, that God spake in him: and by statelines of matter: wherein man's wit could not deal: and the power of performance: which now the event hath shown. But now we will consider alone the style: in Atti{que} and common Greek: in the 70. Seniores Greek: in the Thalmudique Greek: & where the Apostle is stately frō God to speak in a new manner: by this rule given to Heathen: which Horace, witty, though wicked hath in Art. Poet

He that goeth further buildeth Babel in building a new language, Termes ought to be known to all nations: and God giveth no rules but the plain for the simplest to understand. And Moses biddeth us to leave the hid to the Eternal our God, Deut. 29. And, as you know full well, that speech is pricked over the head: as one of the fiften places pricked for singular rare warning. Midras Rabbah in the Prick over Aaron, to warn that he is not in the number there set down, handleth all the fiften. God requireth plain speech: and that, in these four kinds: Rome patching a barbarous newfangled, speech dealeth as Marmony praet. to Misnah, speaketh of the wrightes to the Babylonian Talmud: That they made a speech which lived not in the world but an hundredth years. For the Greek Emperors there taming Babel destroyed their College: & so their invention, as the tower went not forward. But it troubled you to this day: while ye teach your children athean traditions from a language that never any nation spake: and ye are fain to make a dictiory in comment through your six great Tomes. You invented a Gibberish speech, that Christians could not spy your vanity: and ye wrote traditions to your nation for salvation where Talmud Ierusalemi an hundredth years elder dealt plainly: that we may see what ye have good, and what ye have bad. And Maimoni made it into Hebrew: and the other Moses in S. M. G. Sepher, Mitsvoth Gedoloth. Speaches frō these four, used while the Temple stood, will help us. And now I will handle John's four dialectes, as art biddeth him to speak. It was not he that wrote, but God that wrote by him.

Of the Attique in the Apocalypse.

The Rainbow is in the 70. Toxon, bow: that would have troubled John: who ch. 6. bringeth Toxon in the common sense of a bow. Therefore he taketh the term Iris: used in Homer and in all after him. That is specially brave in Attique sense: As that term is brave in Homers Scholars.

Of the 70. Bishops dialecte:

Far the most part of the book is from the terms of the 70. Although the Fisher of Galilee never read them, the Word taught him their words for the use of nations that were acquainted with the septuagint. One speech of this sort is so rare, from the 70. upon El. 54. yea so rare: that they who mark it not, will confound all, that toucheth the authority of the twelve stones: which are twelve Exod. 28. of them be niene Ezek. 28. and all twelve be Apoc. 21. in rare use.

Of laspis, put for the Carbuncle: Apoc. 21. From the 70. upon. Es. 54.

Codcod by David Kimchi the King of Grammarians is in Isaiah. 54. the Carbuncle: as you know full well: ô Rabbi Elias. Eli. That do I full well: and so in Targum Yerushalmi. The stone of Judah is Cadcedona. Br. So our John nameth it: Chalcedon: avoiding the repeating of the letter Daleth. Eli. Assuredly this cannot be done without rare instinct. You bring me in great part to be a Christian. But go on. Iaspis in the walls of Jerusalem is Codcod: and Iaspis cometh for the walls of the holy City, that they be as Iaspis Christallizing, from Es. 54. But Iaspis in the first of the twelve foundations is clean for another tribe, as I will speak anon. Eli. If your translation distinguish not these two, it doth the Author great injury, for the whole book should find disgrace, by confusion: for so rare wisdom.

Of the Thalmudique.

But next your septuagint Dialect, let me see our Thalmudique: In that we would be proud. Br. Calcedon, the last word that we spake off is of that sort. So Collyrion. Apoc. 3. of ten in Midras Rabba & your Thalmuds: Knowne in Grecia, in you more. Jews schattered among Greeks learned many vulgar terms, as that, and Cosmocrator: for a King: in Yerushalmi and Midras Rabba: and many such. So, That the sacrificers were girded about the breast, you Rabbi know who teacheth. Rabbi. Eli. very well, Vzielides, upon Ezekiel, & Mamionides in, Holy garments, and Kimchi in Miclol. And this last is enough for the Talmudics. Now let me hear, what the Apostle toke from God's authority: that will most show that God speaketh in him. Br. That shall be more largely handled.

Of the Apostique Greek dialect.

For speeches and for sentences calling whole books into clear light, I will here speak: and I will give the particulars their titles: for rarenes of the matter.

Of Jehovah expounded.

This cometh first, that Jehovah is expounded from Exod. who was, whose is, who will be: and this: drawn to show the last acts looking to the first counsels, that all may be seen to depend upon one God. Eli. Rab. Elias. Our common prayerbooke printed here at Basil, harps at this. Br. But to what purpose, missing of all God's nature in the holy trinity: The Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost: and of his counsel for submitting the world to a man, where the first man fell his first day, and then one in whom God should dwell was promised a destroyer of Satan's works: ye speak all this but as Parrets. Eli. God help, us: hast on, the journey is long, yet you make me think it short. So Ossenb. Jews learned Daniel of you.

Of the seven Spirites.

From Es. 11. You note that seven spirits shall rest upon Messias, Sanhedrin Perek. 6. Fol. 43. But you understand not that the Godhead shall rest bodily in him: which Godhead is all one in the Father, the Son, and holy Ghost: and that is inseperable: yet there is a distinction known to▪ God, and told us, & we know that God dwelleth in light which none can come to: and we rest in so much as our minds can hold. And yourselves confess a mystery in Elohim Gen. 1. 1. being in form Plural, as in, Thy Creatours, Eccl. 12. Thy Makers. Thy Lord's from Es. 54. And God my makers, Job. 35. And in Massecheth Sopherim, ye fight why Abraham should use ( Gen. 20.) a verb plural to Elohim: when They ( Elohim ) caused me to wonder frō my country, (not knowing whether he went as elswere Midras expoudeth the word): at this ye are all amazed, yet ye cannot perceive that in Aaron's blessing num. 6. for what mystery Jehovah is thrice repeated, from whom grace and peace cometh to Israel. But our Fisher of Galilee, teacheth that the Spirit which flootered upon the waters, flootereth upon the waters of the Law here, to give waters of life freely, without which waters and spirit, none can be borne to the kingdom of Heaven. This spirit is eternal God, the same Godhead with the Father, as Jehovah sent him and his spirit, to teach the Gospel of the Eternal son, whom God made heir of all, and by whom he made the world. So he showeth Jesus Christ to be the Eternal, when he prayeth for grace and peace from him.

Of the Psalm 89. Where the Kingdom of David promised by Nathan is expounded: How John expoundeth that to stand in Christ.

Elias; I thank you heartily for calling me to consider better the Law: I will think sadly of it. But what point touching Christ, plain in prophecy doth he teach. Br. All you know that Aethan the Ezrahite, of Zera brother to Phares, handleth the state of the Kingdom which you loke for. And there he prophecieth that Solomon's house should come to nothing, yet an Eternal throne was stablished, for one chosen, the Bechor, first begotten, here from the dead: for which hope Joseph's bones end the glorious book of Genesis. In Aethan, He is above the Kings of the earth: and so in John's blessing, as eternal God.

Of Psal. 33. For election.

And John telleth, what true blessing is: That Jesus Christ doth love us, and washeth us from our sins. Here the eternal love of God, that chose Abraham: yea when he had worshipped strange God's: yet of love, not desert, chose him: and so all blessed: who cannot chose him, but he doth chose them. Blessed be the people whom Jehovah hath chosen to be their God. He, by whose WORD the heavens were made: & all the host of them by the SPIRIT of his mouth.

Of washing us from our sins.

Isaiah the Evangelist, full of gladsome tidings in Christ, tells, that Jehovah will be the brightness of glory, & the fruit of the earth: and wash away the uncleanness of the daughters of Zion. That text showeth the marrow of all Isaiah: and he of all the Prophets. And John here telleth that JESUS Christ hath washed us from our sins: and so showeth that all Levies doings be ended, for which the whole frame of the Law was made.

Of the Kingdom promised to David.

Nathan's prophecy for an eternal Throne, ye expound to this day, to mean ease of this world, in Canaan. And all the world seeth now 1500. years your madness. John telleth that the royal mind cōquering Chananean spirits, that they reign not in us: this maketh us Kings and Sacrificers, to sacrifice our own affections, and to serve God in holy reverence: to praise him with all our heart: and to build a church against tyranny and deceit: Against Babel and Egypt: and the New Gog and Magog.

What the drift of the Apocalypse is.

Rab. Elias. I never heard so much for your new Testament: Now let me hear the drift of the book, as you have told the drift of Daniel. Br. A little more I will speak of John • Apostolic Greek in some particulars: and then Generallie. Messias in Daniel, hath his feet like shining brass: some brass cometh near gold: such as Ezra mentioneth, cap. 8. 27. Mountain brass Greeks call it. John Libanus brass: as God useth Libanus for mountains, in speech of their frame. So for Iahalom, the stone wherein Zebulon was graven, the 70. had Iaspis: which term had caused great disturbance. John applieth Iaspis to the Hebrew Iaspeh, the stone of Benjamin: and to Iahalom he giveth Sardonix: and Chrysophrase for Nephthaly, in steed of common Achates: a white Achat with a Golden list, & some Greenesse. So precious is John's style. And this much particularly: Now generally, the style is from the Prophets: showing from old matters past, how the like shall come again: which is the surest way of teaching. And the language will be easy to you Jews, because you know the Prophets speech: but is hard to Heathē, because the 70. did not translate, nor ever meant, the Law plainly, because the wicked would hold it folly. Now I will come to show the counsel of the book. Rabbi. And upon what Prophecy doeth it depend? Br. Upon Es. 25. where God promiseth to take away the covering that covered all Nations. The Gospel showeth how God was in Christ, to take away the covering of the Law. Now that Temple and Nation is destroyed, and Jesus Christ him-self in this book calleth all Nations to him, the term of vncovering is a fit title for that Prophecy. Rab. Elias. This very title might show God to be the Author of the book. Br. The drift of it is, to comfort all holy Jews, as S. Peter did from Babylon, that the heavenly Jerusalem is not a material City, but made of men's hearts known to God, and praying to him frō good understanding, and using open sage profession while God bridleth hindrance, and using circumspection against bad Tyranny made strong by Satan turned into an Angel of light. It containeth beside John's preface in proper speech, visions for the present institution of the world: in cha. 1, 2, 3. And afterward for ages following. For the present age Jesus Christ appeareth as he did to Daniel, chap. 10. when the Temple was hindered from building: and applieth that vision to seven churches, in most heavenly sweatnes, and expoundeth all the Song of Songes by knocking at the door, that he is the Solomon, who conforteth the daughters of Jerusalem. The Prophecies following twice go over the state to come unto the end of the world. The first endeth with the eleventh chapter: the next with the nineteenth: The twenty lappeth up the mischief of Satan: and the last two, the glory of the afflicted, and obscure to the world: by pearlike speeches for the Prophets Jerusalem.

Of the Nations, by name saluted in this book.

The God of all knowledge useth light in all his stories. The house of rich Croesus sprange from a King most famous for riches, who ruled from many Isles of the Midle Sea, to Armenia. Isaiah promised Cyrus all his wealth: in Rich Croesus that fell out, who being in amity with Nabynetar, as Herodote harped at his name, he provoked Cyrus to war: and of Croesus became Irus. So Persia ruled that Soil long. Now when Ezekiel had comforted the Jews, that they should have a return as a resurrection, he warneth them, that they should look for no kingdom in this world: but that the Lande of Gog, or Gyg, and Magog, by Grecians, should afflict them with Great helps from many coūtreys, as you know. In the Kings of the North and South, Dan. xi. this fell out: whereof Antiochia was near Magog: the Town built by Antiochus the mischievous: The other Towns here named, were the old courts of rich Gyges: The Kings of the South Ptolemy Lagidae: And the Kings of the North Seleucidae, both held as it were, in equal portion these soils: and filled them with Jews forced to learn Greek. So these being nearest to Jerusalem of Greek countries, and full of Jews scattered, to teach the old story were fittest to be taught, first to save the rest of Greek speech: and all they knew Daniel's Prophecy of his last kingdom boisterous in these quarters. And the God of all knowledge, began in wicked Antioch to make a godly church: that Christians thence first bare the name: and endeth his speech to men in the other end of the legs last dominions which they could hold: The Lande of old God and Magog, under Macedonians: and fit to look for a new Gog and Magog from further West. Rab. Eli. I gladly hear this. Now tell at large who be the oppressors.

Of the Oppressors, in the Apocalypse.

Br. You know ô Rabbi, how closely Daniel taught, who the Nations should be, who should take away the Jews kingdom. But in the end he nameth them: yet so, that he wrote that part in Hebrew: the tongue ended from the world in common usage. So here, a longe while they are closely touched as under seals: and from the last of them come seven trumpets. Seeing John was banished into Patmos by Rome: his comforts in Plagues and vengeance should be against Rome: who is plagued with war, bloody and pestilent, and with loss of state, for killing: then after the fall of the Church, ariseth by color of scripture, a king of Locusts, or beast arising out of the earth by peace: in the policy or City where Christ was crucified. Next they are both as Pharaoh, Es. 27. set forth by a Dragon with arms that will agree to none but Rome: and this same Dragon hath two partes: the upper part in a policy alone: the tail, the prophet that speaketh lies. Again, both be more clearly set forth in two several partes. The upper part of the Dragon, is compounded in a new one beast coming out of a sea: cōpounded of the four in Daniel: with a head like the Dragons, and once made dead: as, the state under the seals was once overthrowen. Then the tail of the Dragon is a beast alone, coming out of the quiet earth: bearing two horns like a Lambes: but the mouth of the former Dragon, & maketh the former beast alive again: and suffereth none to use policy, but them that use the marks of his Policy: worship of Idols, now openly told. And at the last, all is made plain, The beast revived, hath the horns of the former: and head: but for cruelty, all bloody in color: as Pope is the greatest murderer that ever was in the world: by wars all unjust: and challenge to kill all that will not fall down and worship him. Now upon this red beast sitteth a woman drunk with the blood of the Saints: and then all doubt is taken away. The woman is the City which beareth rule over the Kings of the earth. And this for the last affairs of the world. Rabbi Elias. I am sure the Nation is past denial: how so ever the particulars will fall out. Now I beseech you tell me briefly the whole sum of John's vision. God is my judge that I never heard Christian with so great delight: and I thought so when you reasoned with me in Francfurt Synagogue. I never heard any Christian before you, that could speal Hebrew readier then we Hebrews: and made good your doctrine by our Doctors and by Greeks, that never saw Daniel. As Abraham Reuben writeth, so I think that your Q. hath rare regard of scholars. Br. I will endeavor to give you briefly the sum of this book, frō John's speech in his own native manner, & his Visions for the time present and to come.

The first speech of John showeth how the Son hath received frō the Father a revealing of the Churches case unto the last judgment and resurrection: and John, the Disciple whom the Lord loved, is talked with by an Angel, and spoken too by Christ. And John exclameth what goodness cometh from this revelation: that it maketh the Reader happy: and he commendeth the work to seven Churches of the Lande of Gog, where Jews were scattered by the Macedonians: the farthest Westward of their dispersion, and were fit instruments to save us poor heathen towards Sun set: as afterward he made our poor country the ends of the earth the possession of Christ. The blessing from the holy Trinity, the Eternal, our God, the Eternal, is most heavenly, and the acclamation of glory to the Son, from Fs. 4. and Exod. 19. & warning of his judgment: when the second time he cometh in the clouds, as he came Dan. 7. to take manhood: and from Zechariah & his own Gospel he teacheth Rome that pierced him hands, feet and side, that they shall see a Revenger. And the Eternity of the Son is manifest, in that he is Agr;. and ω. the beginning and the end, who is, who was, and will be the Almighty. Now he cometh to tell the opportunity of the Visions. He was banished into Patmos, a small Island near Ephesus: recorded only but by name of Heathen, obscure for any further story. Into this, as out of the world, John of whom the world was not worthy, was banished: God turning Domitians tyranny into a blessing, that this desert Island, should have the state of the whole world set open. Rabbi Elias. Certainly this must be a strang blessing of God: I am much bent to hear your speech: and I consider the Law-giving how it was in the wilderness, where none but God's own should be partakers. And as at the West of the Ark, as at Sun-setting of state, the Dearest and last-borne Tribes were set: Joseph and Benjamin: in Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, to show that the Lord doeth stretch his power to the furthest off: So I deem, that, in the furthest quarters of our dispersion West-ward, as before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh, GOD would stir up his strength, and come and help us. Thus far I can go, after you have draw me on. Br. The baseness of this Island hath a further signification: to teach, that the obscure places shall most have the glory of God. As all men be wicked naturally, and one pricketh forward another, so a great City, such as Aristides the Rhetor Sophister, maketh Rome, will soon become a world of wickedness. But Patmos now telleth that the Church shall be in the wilderness: as in chap. 7. it is not evident by open show, but as in Jerusalem under Sedekias, Ezek. 9. when an Angel sealeth them which belang to God: so of us heathen, an Angel sealeth them that be his, when the open face of the Church was gone: and the Dragon, head and tail driveth the Church into the wilderness: and the beast compounded of Daniel's four once dead and revived, but of purple color, and having a Rider, a Woman, in scarlat, drunk with the blood of the Saints, this drove the Church into the Wildernes through a fea of troubles, mixed with fire and fagot. Rab. Eli. I admire these visiones, and cannot gainsay them. Br. The time is more wond •• full then the place. Rab. What term have ye of the time? Br. The Lord's day. Rab. What day is that? Br. The first day of the week. Rab. And why is the Sabbath altered? Br. I will tell you large matter briefly. The first day, Elohim, the adviser and worker of the worlds frame made heaven with the Angels, and Earth, and Light: and the Angels, the morning Stars, who confirmed by fear and tremblinge their strength, which in wisdom and holiness was not so perfect, but that they might fall: these stars showted to see the earth hange in the middes of the air: and the Waters drawn to their channels: and the roaring Sea, threatening to drownd the Lande, returning from the shore, as by God's checks, so when they saw the Clouds fastened in the sky, and all works that way, they showted: No less at Sun, Moon and Stars, and plants, trees & herbs: at Foules from Eagle to Wren, and fish, from Whale to shrimpe: and beasts with Crepers from Elephant to Antes: they glorified God the creatours: Hearing a voice, saying, Let this be: and it stood. Now when God the Creatours, the Father, Son, and holy Ghost, was to make Man, that should have knowledge of the Eternal Trinity, he, dwelling in light that none can come too, speaketh, Let us make man according to our likeness: and let them be Lord's over beasts, fish, and fowls: and God made Man after his own image: and bringeth all beasts and fowls before Adam: and he giveth them names, expressing their nature, as wisely as Angels could. And seeing that it was not good for Adam to be alone, he maketh Eve out of his Ribbe: and then carrieth both into Paradise: and giveth commandment to both in the singular number, as they were one flesh. Rab • You in the ends of the earth search the Law exactly. It must needs be holden that the Woman was made before the Law was given. As she telleth the meaning to be of both: ye shall eat of all the trees of the Garden, but of the tree of knowledge of evil and good, ye shall not eat: for the day ye eat of it, ye shall die. All this was the sixth day. And before this commandment was given, God gave his Angels care over man: as you hold them spirits sent forth to minister for them that shall inherit salvation. Great armies of Spirites, not reverencing so fully as they should God's counsel, though when Man was made, they were very good, as all creatures, yet great armies of millions being left unto their own sway, hated man's superiority: and kept not their standing, but became of poisonful hatred against God: and by leave went into the serpent, and deceived Eve, before she was called Eve: and she drew the man to sin: and about time of Eating, they ate the tree fruit (Generally all tree fruits be MELA, Apples). And at the Evening God called them to judgment, and pronounceth Eternal cōdamnation against the Devils: and all the wicked that shall be borne of that poison that the serpent breathed into Eve and not regenerated by water of Law, and spirit moving upon it: which spirit ye truly say to be the spirit of Christ. This sad story fell the sixth day. And then is the promise that one shall come to be a man, according to the kind: whose footsteps and hands Satan the old serpent shall pierce: but he shall bruise all his power, and destroy his works. The serpent brought man to sin, Messias shall find him justice: Satan bred death: Messias life. Satan brought all the world to wrack: Messias the mighty God will make a new world: and ye confess in tongue, that in this speech: HE shall bruise thy head: HE is here, God to be praised forever. And this more ye say: He hath decreed to destroy him out of the world, as it is written: Death shall be swallowed up into victory: And I will destroy the unclean spirit from out of the earth. This is principally in time to come, whē the dead shall arise. Again, in Zohar, Gen. col. 298. Since the time that the serpent overruled man, he ruleth also over all the sons of the world, and he is busy to deceive the world, and the world cannot escape his punishment, until Christ the King doeth come, and the holy and blessed God doeth raise up them that sleep in the dust, as it is written: Death is swallowed up into victory. Also yourselves say: Christ shall be killed: Therevpon is this allusion: of Booz to Ruth: Sleep unto the morning, Zohar col. 93. The ground of your allusions must be plain: when you can draw common matter to it. And the Angel Gabriel's speech was your first ground: and it is a wonder that you understand it not. Rab. El. In England, Reinolds and Lively, and Bar Lo scoff your accompt. In Leyden Scaliger Br. Churches ken them cold thanks, and wished the chief, rare otherwise, for this, unborn: and Parkins for following Reinolds in 80. seavens, rare otherwise, by one rotten fly putrefied a box of precious oinctment. Reinolds was droven to grant the Limites: from the Angels speech to the death of Christ. And for all Greek accounts Scaliger & he were answered by Greeks. What whole Kingdoms hold, as Albion upon our Bible: France in Genebrard, the Hebrew Professor at Paris: Heydelberge, under Tremellius, well paid: Zurich in their Hen▪ Wolphlius: & Geneva in sage Calvin: after old and sound Athanasius in his Questiones: which work if it be not his (for some later matters) made by imitation of him hath double authority: and Hector Pintus in Portugal: these millions, not one, or two, flaunting with an idle opinion of Greek, should have been regarded of you.

Of Redemption day, that it should be on Friday.

Rabbi Bachay saw by the case of Adams fall the six day, that the Redeemer should perform his work the sixth day. Rab. All our Doctors grant that Adam fell the day of his creation. Br. And all ours, not ridiculous: and all simply, that redemption was wrought that day. The whole Sabbath, our Lord rested in the grave, and the first day he arose, and brought light unto the world. Your selves in Zohar grant all this of Messias: all this that I speak: That Messias is God: that this saying, Let there be light, is an inducing to his light. And this: The Spirit floothereth upon the waters, hath inducement to his Spirit flootring upon the waters of the Law. All this in Zohar upon Gen. fol. 21. and much more, That Messias was in the Garden: and Adam was drivē from Messias. Thus you hear the cause of our Lord's day. Rab. I never heard so much. What saw John on the Lord's day? Br. Visions of the Churches state unto the end of the world.

Of the Trumpettes voice.

He heard the voice of a Trumpet behind him, when he was in the Spirit, as was Ezekiel chap. 1. What should the Trumpet signify? Rab. Happy are they that know the trum pets sound, Psal. 89. Br. And speaketh not Aethan there of the kingdom of Messias? Rab. That we hold. Brough. So Trūpet here calleth that into mind. Rab. And what sounded the voice of the Trumpet? Br. That Messias is Eternal God: The first & the last in Isaiah. And by imitation of Thalmudique Agr; and ω. Rabhi. What meaneth Agr; and ω?

Of Agr; and ω.

In Isaac Ben Arama, upon Levite. 26. ye say: Aaron kept the Law from Aleph to Thau. In Greek, not Thau, but ω is the last. So Agr; and ω should mean, Beginning and Ending in Greek.

Of the Greek tongue commended to all Christians use: in that the son of God doeth take a name from the Letters: yea,

The Letters. When the Jews went to Babel, by God's counsel, to teach the families that built the Tower by rebel Nemrod, to worship stars, and not the God of heaven: whereupon 70. tongues sprang from One of Adams: God in Athens the oldest town of Javan, stirred up the mind of the Tyrant there, one Pisistratus, to win fame over all of Javan, by bravery of language. This I have often handled, & it must be often repeated, for the strangeness, before it will be considered thoroughly. Homer was a Poet of miraculous eloquence. He wrote one Fable, of Troy wars for the hore Helena: teaching better then Chrysippus & Crantor, what is good and bad, in the waves of foolish people, where for all kings dotage Achivi smart▪ Another of a subtle King by wit, going through stitch, through infinite miseries. This Poets sonnets were scattered before his time, But he causeth them to be set together▪ And both works to be parted, into twenty four partes. Rab. So we call Law & Prophets the Four and twētie. Br. The letters in Greek be 24. And he caused both works to be argumented by 24. verses, from Agr; to ω in order, as cōteyning all wit that Greek learning could afford. Eust. upon Iliad. 1. noteth this. Upon this beginning Greece in 200. years, by Alexand. Macedonians time grew to a miraculous perfectiō: that all the West willingly learned it: And the Macedonians, in three hundredth years Dominion, forced the rest too it: that all Nations might understand Greek.

Of the Apostles Greek.

And therefore the Apostles wrote for all Nations in Greek, that all might understand it: and wrote in most royal Greek, to tell that the Roy of all wisdom ruled their pen. Now, where the Son Eternal nameth him self Agr; and ω, all that honor him should also regard the tongue wherein he teacheth all nations, next Adams kept by Heber. And if the tongue of Agr; and ω had been kept usual, the king of Locusts could never have made bitter the waters of the New Testament▪ His treachery had been espied: as all Greece holdeth him Antichrist to this day.

Of the seven golden Candlesticks.

John turned him about, and saw seven gold̄ Cādlestickes, expounded to be seven Churches: now to have these last visions, in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Ephesus was famous for Diana, a dreamed Goddess of hunting: for whom Kings 120. years bestowed a most costly temple: which one set on fire the night that great Alexander was borne, to win fame: whereupon a jest came that Diana God's midwife was so busy about Alexanders birth, that she forgot the tuition of her own Temple. Here holy Paul taught three years: much vexed by Dianeans. And here he left Timothy, and abridged to him Talmud Thora, how the Law should be taught, in one Epistle: and of martyrdom in another, and to the whole Church of Ephesus, he wrote a most heavenly sum of Religiō. Smyrna was an old town, famous for one of seven that claimed Homer the Poet, to have ben borne in them. These be the seven:

Smyrna, Phodos, Colophon, Salamis, Chios, Argos, Athenae. There Polycarpus was martyred: a Lion for courage: an Ox for patience: a man in deed for wit: an Egle for high flight, proclaiming the Gospel. Eusebius hath his martyrdom. Pergamos was the treasury of the King of the North: a strong high Fort. Eumene the Treasurer rebelled, and turned much people to him by Rome's help. Thyatira was named by Seleucus Nicator for his daughter as Thygatira, Daughter town: a good remembrance of Daniel's last vexers. Sardis was the court of rich Gog or Gyges, and of Croesus: who reigned to Gogarene upon Armenia.

Philadelphia, whether it was so called from Ptolom. Philadelphus: called so in honor, for his love to his brother, or in mockage, for killing of him, both might be: that first he loved him, but after contempt of love he killed him, whether of him or of Attalus Philadelphus it had the name, or were built by the first, and augmented by the second, this for the name shall be left vnsearched. Jews were there of special knowledge: and nothing blamed in their Epistle. Laodicea seemeth named▪ by Seleucus Nicator, as the Women of his house Apamea, and Laodieea had many Towns of their names. So God took order to force all men to mark the fourth Kingdom in Daniel, chap. 2. and 7. and 8. & 11. God gave them a mind to name Towns over all their Kingdoms by their houses: that Daniel might be known how he called all the world to Christ.

Of the pride in the name Laodicea.

Homer the fountain of wit, though Soudas record he steel most from Corinnus, he fayneth three daughters to Emperor Agamemnon whereof he offereth Achilles his choice: They are named from three partes of government which a King should have.

Chrysothemis, and Laodice, and Iphiannassa▪ Golden Law: Judge-People, and execution-might.

As Laws ought to be Golden, & judgment ready: and execution of right. Hence the Proud Macedonians would in name of Ladies promise much, but did little, & soon smarted: But this name calleth the Lydian Poet to mind how in one verse he lappeth good policy: so not a Town is here but of note.

Of the Vision of Christ, like that in Daniel.

In the middes of the seven Golden Candlesticks was one like the Son of Man, Dan. 7. in Aaron's linen Robe, Dan. 10. and girded with a golden Girdle, Dan. 10. about his breast: as Aaron. By Vziefides, Maimonides, and Kimchi. So John saw truth. His head & his hairs were as white woole and snow, Dan. 7. and his eyes a flame of fire: and his feet like Libanus brass, shining: and his voice like the voice of many waters, Dan. 10. Rab. Our own confession upon Daniel bringeth all this to Messias, defending his Church, and revenging the enemy, and making him self known over the world, when the building of the Temple was hindered. Br. But this cometh proper to present occasion. He hath seven stars in his hands: and from his mouth cometh a two edged sword. That is spoken of the seven Bishops of the Churches: as Bishops be stars in Christ's hands: Buyshops, in Satan's, stars falling from heaven: and the two edged sword from Psa. 149. executing Justice upon Thyatiraes Jezebels. Now his face shining like the Sun, is from Dan. 10. and Judge. 5. Rab. This vision teacheth much by the like of old, and eventes old upon it. Br. Seaven Epistles are sent to seven Churches: and these visions and express word, that he is the Son of God, here shown, are applied to the Churches. But plain matter you may read in Luther's Bible. The Apocalypse in Syriaque is not printed. Rab. We wish yours in Hebrew. Br. I am in Christ his hand, to do as he will.

Of Chap. 4.

Former speeches, in the seven Epistles, handled in special purpose, the time present. The rest are for time to come, whose partition I touched before. Seals go on to the elevenths end. Beasts, of three sortes go thence unto the twentieth. The twentieth abridgeth the beast his tyranny: the rest, the Christians glory: which in a fit sort is once shown, Chap. 4. and 5.

Of Christians glory.

John was beholding, and he saw the heavens opened: and the voice which he heard like a trumpet, saith: come up hither, and I will show thee what is to come, and streightway he was in the spirit. Rab. This hath The spirit of Ezekiel's Visions, chap. 1. and chap. 40. and others. Aithan the Israelite saith: Happy is he that knoweth the voice of the trumpet: The trumpet for true happiness by the kingdom of Christ.

Of God sitting upon a throne.

Br. Behold, saith John, a throne was set up in the heavens: and one sat upon the throne, like in sight to the Jasper and Sardine: Know you what this must mean? Rab. Elias. The people that worship God are called heaven: a throne for them, is a defense of their cause by the almighty God. Benjamin was graven in the Jasper: and in his Tribe the Temple was built: So the Judge like a Jasper, showeth God a builder of his Church: Reuben was graven in the ruddy Sardius: a Frontier against Agarenes. The judge like this stone, showeth that he will bestow blood upon the offenders▪ of his people. Br. So it is opened in the seals. Christ rideth upon a white horse, crowned: so he buildeth his Church. And hath a bow: whereby his arrows be sharp in the heart of the kings enemies. So the judge is like a Sardine: as by the horses black, red, pale. Now what meaneth this? A Rainbow was about the throne, in sight Smarag • i • e. Rab. Elias. This calleth Isaiah chap. 54. into mind: where the covenant after the waters of Noah made by the Rainbow, is confirmed: and the calling of heathen (once cast off for Babel ) is promised to Japheth. & that part of Es. 54. we read with the Parasha next after the flood, of the Nations scattering unto Gen. cap. 12. where Abraham our Father is separated from heathen. Now the Smaragd is Levies stone, and betokeneth teaching of the Law. So God promiseth teaching of his will frō Moses, unto heathen. Br. Millatheca Amyra, your word is surely spoken, you have said it. Under the sixth Seal this cometh again: after the Martyrs in the fifth, have seat under the altar. The sixth seal teacheth a change by destruction of heathen policies, whereby the heaven of the Church was seen.

Of Elders 24.

Now the Martyrs that built the Church, these are represented by 24. Elders on Thrones in white with crowns. Rah. Twentie four well may show the Tribes and Apostles scholars. The Thrones, white and Crowns, show dignity, justice, and victory with God.

Of issue from the Throne.

Br. Now, what meaneth this: From the Throne came lightnings and thunderings, and voices? Rab. As in Moses at the Law▪giving it shown terror to the contemners, Israel and Heathen: that six hundred thousand died in the wilderness: and Chananeans felt what it was to fight against God's power: and so all Kings in the lande of Assyr, or East, even to the Macedoneans last fall: so here this must be shown that the Romans (as you handle the story) shall perish likewise. The Dragon, head and tail: The Cittim one sea-monster, made of the Danielean four, once dead and revived by an earthbred: horned in two horns like the Lamb, but having the mouth of the Dragō being purple coloured after the reviviving of the beasts: with a bloudsucker woman, rider: not like the man's Image. I speak upon your former speeches: by which you have made the visions plain: and the comparison of John with Daniel bringeth light & delight unspeakable. Br. And what must this mean: Seaven Lamps of fire were burning before the throne: which are the seven spirits of God. Rab. El. John expounding it, maketh it plain: but we had guessed of the seven spirits of Christ: by our Talmud. Br. Ye had not missed. The Godhead of the son hath all that the holy Ghost hath: and so he hath seven spirits, to work by grace in them who handle his cause against the old serpent: stinging by Pontifices Cesares, & Pontifices Popos.

Of the Sea like to Crystal.

Brough. What must this mean: Before the Throne was a Sea like Crystal? Rabbi Elias. All things in Allegories of Visions, as in Ezekiel, Daniel, Zacharias, must touch dealings of God with man. The wicked are like a sea foaming: that is, foaming out their own shame, Es. chap. 57. And indifferently, the Sea signifieth many nations, as: The troupes of the sea shall be turned upon thee. And all the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of God: as waters cover the Sea, Es. chap. xi. whence the speech of the seven▪ Spirites be fetched: which give fire lamps, to teach us the knowledge of the Eternal. So here a Sea clear before his Throne must be nations clear in faith. So Rabbi Reuben writeth to you: that before he knew you, he knew from Isaiah, chap. 24. From the ends of the earth the praises of GOD should be heard. So here many Nations clear by knowledge of redemption must be meant. Thus far the speeches be familiar to us Jews.

Of the four Wightes of six Wings, and full of eyes.

Br. What should be meant by this: Before the Throne were four Zoa, livelie bodied wightes. They are barbarouslie translated, beasts. A man is Zoon and an Eagle: But not a beast. As no reasonable bodied wight, nor foul: If we had regarded the tongue of A and ω, we had not been so barbarous. The first was like a Lion: the second like an Ox: the third with a man's face: the fourth like a flying Eagle. All, each one had six wings about them: and they were full of eyes. Rab. In Isaiah, cha. 6. The Seraphim, or Angels, that should burn the Tēple, had six wings: two to cover their face, because they could not behold the brightness of God: two to cover their feet, as not being perfect in God's eyen: and two to fly about their duty. They be burners of the Temple in Isaiah: which warn that to God belongeth all holiness: in Ezekiel, ch. 1. the Cherubim be of these sour: and Great terrible wheels full of eyes are there. Here I request you to open the matter. Br. After that the Lamb openeth the book of Seaven seals, these four wightes praise him for redeeming of them by his blood. Therefore men must be meant here: full of knowledge, as Argus in Aeschylus of ten thousand eyes: of Lions courage: of Oxens patience to sacrifice: of man's quiet humanity: and of Eagles high flight, to show in the open Church the cause of Christ. Such were the holy Martyrs which made all the world amazed at them. And for them the Seniours follow in praise to God. Now these Martyrs, followers of Christ, the Lamb as kilde, are known by his description.

Chap. fifth: and in ch. sixth, under the fifth seal, they call for vengeance: and be heard. That the sixth seal showeth how all their state is shaken.

Chap. 5. The worthiness of the matter of the time to come.

The story of the time to come is represented by a book in the hand of him that sat upon the Throne, writ̄ within and without: sealed with seven seals. Rab. That reneweth in part Ezekies visions, chap. 3. and the speech is easy to tell of much matter and good and hid. Br. One Angel maketh proclamation, Who can open the book, and loose the s • ale: and none Angel, none living nor dead could. Balaam, Num. 24. told how Italy should afflict Eber, and still hold on to destruction. But told not the particular sort: Our Lord in Mat. 24. told of Jerusalem's destruction: & of deceavers to deceive, if it were possible, the very elect. And Daniel had told of an Image and beasts: but to end by Rome's coming up. And Saint Paul told the Thessalonians, that the present hinderer should hinder, till he should be taken away: the profane empire: and then should come: the wicked Romylus whom Jonathan upon Isaiah, nameth: And all the Grecians hold to this day, that the bridge-maker of Rome is there damned: And Plantins men have stolen from the Chaldee the term Romylus: because Jonathan and Saint Paul, and all the Grecians, plague the brigemaker exceedinglie: yet without new revelation, the high Bridgemakers the Caesar's, and Senators & their policy, in the high bridge-makers, the Popes and Cardinales, had not been so distinctly damned: but for this revelation. And John in his trance wept: showing therein the profit of the book. Then a Doctor, one of the Seniors telleth him, that the Lion of Judah, that in David the noble Prophet, figured his wars, he should be holden worthy to teach his soldiers, to open the book, & to loose the seals. And so in this heavenly company an opener of the book cometh.

An heavenly description of Christ.

There stood a Lamb, as one that had been slain: having seven horns and seven eyes: which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. He is resembled by the Lamb, as answerable to the Lamb killed in Paradise: and the Pascha and how he being our Pascha, was sacrificed for us: and will be revenged of Rome for that: and hath seven horns of Power, to be able to tame the Dragon with seven heads and ten horns. And for wisdom he will as in Zacharias for building of his Temple, send seven spirits over all the earth. And all the army joy: and all creatures that now they shall obey Christ, and his servants.

CHAP. 6.

The seals being opened: six do show the Caesar's case: the seventh & last hath seven Trumpets to sound plainly a Policy altogether sinful. The Caesar's though they were wicked men, their policy was good: while they kept their civil laws and killed not the Christians upon false accusations.

I.

Christ, promoting the Gospel, with speedy syncerenes, and plaguing the enemies, is resembled by a white horse, with a Rider having a bow, and a Crown: a conqueror already, and to continue a conqueror. How he conquered by the blood of his martyrs, that is told under the fifth seal. This doeth appear when the first seal is opened. And present plagues in the three next seals.

II.

A red horse hath a Rider with a great sword: cannot you tell what that must mean? Rab. El. That peace should b •• taken from the earth: that men should kill one another. 〈◊…〉 So plain is the vision. This came to sight from under the •• cond seal: showing how the Caesar's should be killed, and their armies: and Caesar's made in camps, and soon oppressed. For 300. years, they had a most miserable life.

III.

A black horse cometh, and his rider hath a balance: and a voice telleth amongst the four Wightes that corn shall be dear: though by God's mercy oil and wine be of some store. Before in wicked Claudius days, when the Senate had thought good to root out the Caesar's names, Claudius by soldiers was made Emperor: void of all wit, and full of all vice. For him and his government God plagued the world with famine. For others in time the like shall come: but with mercy. As many Emperors after Domitian were moderate. Old Nerva, Traiane, Adriane, and they to whom Justin Martyr flourishing at 30. without a teacher, saving one old man, in a sudden speech, gave an Apology for Christians: and from Homer for Monarchia, and from Sophocles, from double judgment in Hades brake the vehemency of persecution. What the man was that told him doubting what he should follow, & telling of holy Prophets that they only had true happiness: that could not he tell whether he was a man or an Angel: & being made frō the seven spirits a Lion for courage, fuller of eyes then all the Bridge-makers monaches to this day, for souls cases in Hades, stayed persecution, and procured quiet success to Emperors and Empire. So easy hath God made the sum of salvation. Only they, whose God is their belly, of professors, mar the truth. Rab. El. You know I never resisted you in all your long disputatiō in Franc furt: because I promised under pay of eternal death, to speak in conscience. Br. If your synedriōn had done so, when they condemned the son of God in the very last day of 490. years since the Angel Gabriel told Angelike Daniel of redemption day: and if you had sacrificed Messias as Abraham would have sacrificed Isaac, God bidding, otherwise you should have said we will not kill him, he is the Savior of the world, it had been well with you to this day. But now, for missing this much, you have been fuel for Gehenna, and shall be forever, except some small remnant. And of us heathen few will in wit over-reach the angels that fell: That the son of Enoch shall have all things put under his feet. Rab. El. This is our only difference: and if your Doctors had not doted in Persons & time, as Rome hath done, true narrations had brought on us to your faith. But let me hear the next opening of seal, the fourth. Then came forth a Pale horse: and his rider was death: and a grave followed him. And he had authority to kill the fourth part of the earth, by sword, hunger, & plague, & by the beasts of the earth. Rab. El. Ezekiel spake the like of us: for our extreme desolation. But what seal openeth the cause of all this? Br. The fifth openeth. Rab. El. What cometh thence? Br. When the fifth seal was opened, John saw under the altar the souls of them which were killed for the word of God: & for the testimony which they had. And they cried, How longe ô God; the holy and just, dost thou not judge and revendge our blood, from the dwellers upon the earth! Millions of millions died for the truth: and how could this be but by the spirit of God. Wicked men repose their rest for this life: whē so many millions run to death gladlier then any to a marriage, and heathen men upon Hebrew Prophets, how can this be, but from the plane truth of God? You have the families of Messias, you have the year, day and hour of his death: and daily stories to tell you: that when these things and these come to 〈◊〉 then shall Messias redeem. So all fell out. You shut your eyes: Emperors persecute: Christians die for the truth: ye Jews, and profane Emperors die miserable. Ye stirred persecutions: and ye are plagued daily and eternally. That is here craved by the Martyrs.

They had white garments given them: that is the justice of God by Ghrist: and they call for vengeance upon the murderers: And they are bid to have patience a while, till moe be made Martyrs with them, to draw the wicked world unto Christ. Rah. Eli. In Aboth. and Rabbi Nathan, Moses soul, and all the Just souls are laid under the throne, why say you, under the altar? Br. Christ being sacrificed for us, is our altar. And under his protection the souls be that believed in him. And that is meant by situation under the Altar. You and we both hold truly, that all holy ever went hence to the holy mountain and Tabernacle of God. We hold that none ever were holy, but they who looked that God in the flesh should give them justice and life.

VI.

When Martyrdom had brought Countries to affect the Gospel somewhat plentifully, God revengeth the Empire. After Diocletians persecution, an earthquake of States followed: the sun of Empire was as black as saccloth: and the moon was turned to blood: and the stars of heaven fell as a fig tree casteth her figs being shaken of a great wind. And the heaven was rolled up like a book: and every montaine▪ and Island was removed from their place. Know you what these speeches in the Prophets mean? Rab. Eli. Very well. An whole destruction of States. In Joel and Isaiah: That the Kings of the earth, and Potentates, and the Rich, and the Coronnels, and the mighty, and every servant, and every free man shall hide them selves in dens and in rocks of mountains. Br. The Romans, who would rule over Judah, God's kingdom, in their civil wars, begun betwixt Pompei and Caesar, felt the greatest change that ever policy had: that Nobles were sold for slaves: and slaves were buyers of their Masters. And Jerusalem was told by our Lord that they should be fain to speak unto the mountains: Fall upon us. And the hills: Cover us: as in Es. 2. 19. Judah was warned for Babel: and Samaria for Assyr, Osee 10. 8. And Babel was told that their stars of heaven, with Sun and Moon, should have passions, Es. 13. and it, with other kingdoms, Isaiah 34. shall have all the host of heavens molten, and the heavens shall be rolled as a book: and all their host shall fall as a leaf falleth from the vine, or fig from his tree. So here for the Martyrs blood, the Empire was strangely shaken. Twelve Augusti and Caesar's of one kindred and friendship, in steed of taming conquered nations fall out among them selves: till all were consumed but Constantine, the son of a Bretan Lady, Helena, rarely Godly: but as women often are, too zealous beyond knowledge. At York in our Albion, his Father Constantius upon his deathbed maketh him King for him: and our ends of the earth and near nations make him Emperor: and he dasheth all the rest, and at the end cometh unto the knowledge of Christ: and stablisheth Christianity everywhere: that all Countries have kept it, openly many hundredth years: but in private companies still: and now again in Kingdoms full of Power and Learning. Rab. El. Now tell what was under the seventh Seal.

Of Apostasy.

Ye Jews know how soon men fall from God. Adams house falleth to make God's of stars at 200. years. Before sorrowful Enos was borne, to hasten the flood to drench their bodies, and to imprison their souls. And Noes house by Phalegs birth fell by rebel Nemrod to be Nemrodes, that is, rebels against God. And holy Hebers house in • ocktan, having so many holy warners, Noah, Sem, Arphaxad, Sala, Heber, fell away: that the Indianes be of them, East and West, devilish to this day. Israel in Egypt soon fell all. Ieroboā drew ten Tribes after him: Antiochus Epiphanes made you almost all Sadducees and Pharisees. So soon men fall. In like manner, Christians common weals were never all good. But as in Israel under David, the godly were few, always, so after Christians had free policy, many were not sound. But yet, after the manifestation of redemption, infinite many held the main soundly, the holy Trinity, and the incarnation of the Son of God: And all the conveyance of God's counsel for the salvation of the world. The holy Fathers of old had a smaller company, because they were not perfected by the open story, as we are: when the history was plainly known, then millions believed: where few could afore by reason of the matter, aey foolishness to the natural man: and specially when it was taught by dark tokens only: and the fullness of time was not yet come, to bring all into opē show. But, in time, policies wolld fall. The time of their standing, God telleth not. For they needed no comfort touching the case of quietness. But a general state of fall cometh in cha. 7. An abridgement of the Churches state unto the end of the world.

CHAP. 7.

FOure Angels held the four Winds of the earth, that they should not blow upon any tree: Know you what this must mean? Rab. El. I guess somewhat. In Cantic. 4. 16. this speech cometh: Arise North-wind, come South wind: breath on the Garden. Let the spices flow: Let my beloved come, & eat his fruit. Brought. This speech meant the Spirit of grace to the special souls which delight in Messias. But after Solomon's death, ten Tribes (as was told) fell away, and the winds blew not. So here, stay of Grace of the holy Spirit must be meant: that in all quarters a fall shall be, and from God. This speech would be plain to all the nation of the Jews. And this argueth that East-ward Agarenes, Southward Ethiopians, North-ward Tartarians and Turks, Westwarde Hesperia should fall from God. But an Angel sealeth the chosen as in Sedekias days, chap. 9. that God's chosen should not perish: but a secret sort he would have still: though an open Church of long time should not appear. Of every Tribe 12000. were sealed: and of Heathen a company innumerable saved by Martyrdom: or readiness to martyrdom, which is all one. So the seventh Chapter abridgeth the state of the Church unto the worlds end. Romylus in the Chaldee, Es. cap. xi. his fall: and the appearing of Christ shall be near together. If Princes had knowledge soon found by a little study, they might fell him in one year. But the Spirit doeth breath where it will: and a certain number is sealed: and the chosen be few: yet many Princes as well as other, specially in this present age: as learned & as well bent as their subjects.

Ch. 8. How the Bridgemaker of Rome came great.

Great Constantine hate old Rome deadly: and removed to Byzantium and enlarged it: and made it the Empire seat: with name of new Rome, or Byzantias Rome. and did all for commodities to it, that could be granted of a wise Emperor. Hence Rome in Italy was undone: and often overrun▪ and had continued a filthy cotage of hogs but that the Pontificatus was set up: as Steuchus the Popes own defendour confesseth. But when the Pontificalitie was set up by the decree of God, then all Nations frō East to West, worship the Pope no less then they did the old Caesar's, as Steuchus words set forth his own master. So the Angel of the covenant with the golden Altar and Censer to receive the holies prayers was angered: and as in Sedekias days, casteth fire into the earth: And seven Trumpets sound the mischiefs that wicked Rome should cause.

• I.
  Hail of state, and fire, mixed with blood, should this Egypt cause
• II.
  It breadeth a new mountain of fire, mixed with blood: and that mountain bridge-maker is cast into a sea mixed with fire.
• III.
  A Star falleth from heaven, Nuntius Ecclesiae, if he had kept his place, and maketh the Waters of the Law so bitter by idolatry, as Jereboam's Calves taunted in holy Amos. Jereboam's Calves and the Popes Mass have equal religion. And other Chiron Eloquent Viretus shall judge: who joined the Popes Mass, and profane Poets iestes fitly together: And our old Father Wiclif from Albion whitely taught Prague, Wittenberghe, Zurich, Basel, Berne, & whole kingdoms, what Apollyon was. and I hope the moderne King of Albion shall teach the king of Locusts what it is to send his Locusts with scorpions stinges to torment countries. Albion was the last in the West that received the Bridgemaker: and Albion first cast him off: and still had laws of treason for seeking to the Bridgemakers superiority. And Lady Margaret my Patronesse that built Christ's College, and S. John's, in which both I had a fellowship, bred a family to his fall.
• IV.
  The fourth Trumpeter telleth of the Sun, Mone, and Stars to be stricken for their third part. Rab. El. In Joseph's dream, Gen. 37. this speech is plain: That special esteemed personages must be meant. Gagnaeus a Papist telleth that Popes, Bishops, and Cardinals be here meant. Ch. 9.
• V.
  The fifth Trumpeth openeth a deep, and Locust come forth able to devour all Policy: which plagued the world continually. Ch. 10.
• VI.
  Ch. 11. The sixth looseth the Agarenes from Euphrates: to plague Idolous. and then the Gospel by Martyrdom and power of Kingdoms reviveth. That now the K. of Locusts shall daily consume.
• VII.
  And with the seventh Trumpet the last state shall be to show God's mercy, to Iocktanes sons the Indians, and to you miserable Jews: who for your zeal Rabbi Elias, as I hope, shall find mercy. My poor will shall be ready, in your studies of the Law: which from youngest years I have followed with great zeal & care. Rab. El. Now you have brought me unto the worlds end. And before you told how the Dragon head and tail hath profane Caesar's and Popes: and Daniel's beasts compiled into one, have an Empire once mighty but killed: and revived by one coming from the earth: and that beast revived differeth but in scarlat color from the former: and hath Woman Rome sitting upon him: cruel in blood: sparing us Jews, but killing them that be of your faith. Br. Millions of Rome pay be of my religion: by such as I know, principal, I judge. Of many speeches I will tell some. The best learned Jesuits wished my poor skill in the Thalmudique of the New Testament: saying, that so they might soon turn the Indians: and many spake and dealt in equal manner. And now the Jesuits despising idler monches condemning the other Locusts begin to have some skill in Hebrew and Greek: which tongue and writers utterly kill the Bridgemaker. Rab. Elias. Now to conclude this: tell me the Chapt. 20. and the other two: which you made an abridgement of Rome's badness: The twentieth: and the other, of the Churches glory. Br. The Roman Dracon should be tied for a thousand years, before he deceived Generally: as Albion of a thousand little cared for him: & soon stonge the stonger. But after a thousand years he shall deceive the West to fight for Jerusalem: to weaken all Princes power: and then shall be espied: and decay in another thousand. Rabbi Elias. Before sin came to the full in the old world, it was a thousand years before Noah was named a redresser. And after the flood at near a thousand years, Chanaans sins were not ripe. Nor Israel's of a thousand years to be wasted by the Macedonians. So the Rome Dragon of 1000. years could not deceive the whole world. But then a new Gog and Magog troubleth all: and since, six hundred years. But now Kingdoms of right be stronger: and sophistry is nothing against sword and spear. Now Rome shall feel as it dealt: and see that God sitteth on a white Throne in justice for the latter judgment. Rab Elias. Now to conclude John, tell me the heavenly Jerusalem, which you spake off, ending all comfort in this world. Br. I will show a brief: as you may thereby from the holy Prophets fetch the amplifications.

The Heavenly Jerusalem. Chap. 21.

Isaiah telleth of a new Heaven, and a new Earth: Know you what that meaneth? Rabbi Elias. Yes, the days of Messias. Br. And what this? The wicked shall be as a sea foaming out their own shame. Rabbi Eli. The wicked shall be so helden: to be holden no part of the Church. Br. And what meaneth this: The cowards who shrink from Martyrdom, and faithless, and detestable, and fornicators, and witches, and idol-servers, and all liars, their portion shall be in the lake burning with fire and brimstone? Rab. Eli. That they shall not be of the Church of God, in truth, that be of the open show: as the world knoweth: But as God knoweth his own seal, so they will depart from wickedness that call vpō the name of the Eternal.

Now as Ezekiel chap. 40. saw a goodly City, so John saw what a goodly City all the elect together good make: who though they be scattered, yet are in God's care as all together: and a city coming down from heaven: having the glory of God: and light, as Jasper Carbuncle Chrystallizing: having a great Wall of God's defense: & twelve gates with the twelve Tribes names: as by their story men here come in: and the wall had twelve foundations with the Apostles names vpō them: but in matter they were the twelve stones of the Tribes. And that in this order. The Jasper of Bēiamin. The Sapphire of Isachar: the Carbūcle of Judah: the Smaragd of Levi: the Sardonyx of Zebulon: the Sardius of Reuben: The Chrysolita of Afer: The Beryl of Joseph: the To par of Simeon: The Chrysophrase of Naphtali: The Iacynth, of Dan: The Amethyst of Gad So the foundations 〈◊〉 the Tribes stones: that is their story how Christ ruleth 〈◊〉 as the Apostles taught. But John's vision objected matter. Do you remember how this order of foundation is an abridgement of all the Hebrew story, and such and God and no man's wit would so settle? Rabbi Elias. I remember it: & wish it handled in my nations tongue.

Br. It would be a long speech why Benjamin's Jasper is fifth, & Joseph's Beryl is cast off into the eight: and why Isachars Sapphire hath the second, & Symeons Topaz is cast off to the nienth: and why Judah's Carbuncle hath the place of Levi, and Levi his: and so for all the rest. But you heard a reason of all. Rabbi. And very sensible: as we are acquainted with our emblems. Br. Now what meaneth this, The City was square? Equall in length, breadth and height? Rab. Eli. It followeth the Davir in Solomon's Temple: or the holy of holy. Br. Now that Heaven is opened, all minds may see there the Ark and Cherubim: all that be of this City. The City was 144000. forlong. Setting eight forlongs to an English mile. It was almost a thousand miles square: and what should this mean? That an infinite company should be of Christians, though Rome and Saracenes endeavored general destruction. So the Walls were an hundred forty four cubits. Know you what that must mean? Rab. Defense is meant by Walls, as in Es. 54. And thence in the Septuagint Iaspis is for Carbuncle, and so here. John Visions are from the Old Testament, and not from man's fanfie. And Iaspis in v. 18. must respect Codcod in Isaiah, Chalcedon or Carbuncle: and in the first foundation Benjamin's stone: else a confusion will be, which God suffereth not, but requireth his to be full of eyes: and to know his word richly. Now what meaneth this: The twelve gates were twelve Pearls? Rab. The doctrine of life clear and precious. Br. The Law had a covering: But in Christ all glittereth. And what meaneth this: The streat of the City was like pure Gold: clear as glass? Rab. The Laws and rules of life. Br. Such be in our New Testament: the purest rules that ever could be spoken, and the words be so pure in the Greek: But known of few, by reason that the Bridge-maker of Thymbris scattered Barbarous Latin for Golden Greek over the West. Men of conscience and judgment, should study Hebrew and Greek for Divinity: not Latin versions of man's guess: But the words that God warranteth. But my next demand Babbi shall try your Thalmudique skill. John saw no Temple in this City. For the Lord God of hoastes is the Temple, and the Lamb. Why? Rab: I cannot tell. Br. Rambam in Bet •• abechira dreameth as ye all, of a return to Canaan to build a third Temple. That hope was senseless ever since Isaiah told you of a Jerusalem that should reach over the world. And expressly told how, Dan. 9. where your City should suffer a diluge: And the heavenly Jerusalem should have no need of Sun and Moon from civil policy, to countenance it: But the glory of God should shine through it, & the Lamb: by close protection everywhere. Yea and many Kings of them selves should gladly bring their glory to it. And the gates should never be shut: But night and day, in affliction and prosperity, men shall gladly bring their glory to it. And no Anathema should come into it.

CHAP. 22.

TO John furthermore was shown by an Angel, a River of water of life: (as to Ezek 47. 2.) coming from the Throne of God and the Lamb. What should these waters import? Rab. All we know that waters import doctrine: and Ezekiel's fishers shall arise from Galilee in Messias days to give waters of life: as we read in the Zohaz: Br. It is marvel, that ye should tell what should be done: and when it is done, deny it. So ye teach in Yerushalmi in Megila: that in Shem house in Salem the tongue of Japheth shall be used: and when it is told you to be done, then you despise it. Lastly, upon the brim of this River on both sides was a tree of life: every month a fruit, and the leaves did heal the Nations. That meaneth, the Son of God, who was resembled in Paradise by the tree of life and who hitherto in both Testaments teacheth of him self. These things should come to pass quickly: and were spoken of old by the Prophets for the glory of the Gospel under Christ. And again Christ telleth that he is, A and O, the beginning and ending, the first and the last. And concludeth the New Testament in a most gracious sort: and showeth that he sent his Angel to tell this: and calleth all to drink of the waters of lise freely. Rab. El. O that you would turn your New Testament into Hebrew, as now you speak to me you should save all our Nation: as I told you afore. And now I pray you tell me the chief heads of the Epistle to the Hebrews.