A collection of the works of that holy man and profound divine, Thomas Iackson ... containing his comments upon the Apostles Creed, &c. : with the life of the author and an index annexed.

CAP. XIII.

Of the Diversitie of Events in different Ages.

THe divers Characters of different times rightly taken, give us as easie and perfect a Crisis between the Fictions of latter, and the true Annals of for∣mer Ages: as out of ordinary discretion men usually make between foolish Travailors reports of great wonders in Spain, or France, and the judicious records of uncouth sights, and strange events, in the East and West Indies. And we have altogether as little reason to deny either the general truth of strange events recorded by the Ancient, or the Prototypes of Poetical inven∣tions in former times, for the want of like experience in later, as we have to discredit Benzos martyrs, or other late navigators observations of the East and West Indies; because many, who have travelled France, Spain, and Italy, while they make true relations of their travels, relate no such event, as the Indies afford many. And yet Guls, when they flie abroad, will relate (a∣mong such as know them not) as strange matters of near adjoyning countreys, as he that hath compassed the utmost ends of the world. Now it were a great folly to discredit all late Navigators for the absurdity of some few Guls, & as great madnesse it were to disparage all Ancient stories, for the absurd and pre∣posterous imitation of latter writers, against all experience of later times. For diversitie of times yield as great diversity of observations, as the diversity or distance of place: onely this is the difference; daily observation yields ex∣periments of this diversity in place, whereas the word of God alone which en∣dures for ever, giveth us the sure rules and grounds of alterations in the events of different ages. And yet in many remote places lately made known unto the inhabitants of Europe, such strange events as Antiquitie hath told us, were sometimes frequent in th••se Countreys which we now inhabit, are not at this day altogether unusual. And the face of Time is now there much-what

such, as the Ancient Registers of Times have pourtrayed unto us: as if the affairs and fashion of this visible world, were framed according to some invisi∣ble patterns or supercoelestial Characters; which varying their aspect in revo∣lutions of time, did now (by reflecting that force upon those remote coun∣treys, which they did on these near adjoyning in times past) produce the like shape and fashion of things there, as they have done here. And those places shall, in time, come to the self same temper and disposition which we now enjoy: and the posterity of such as now live there, shall hereafter suspect the undoubted stories of our times concerning their Ancestors, as we do many Ancient stories of Jewry, Syria, Asia, or our own countreys, for want of like modern experiments in our land.

2 For the better rectifying of our Assent, which must be by the right balan∣cing of Credulity and Mistrust, it shall not be amisse to consider, that, besides these general diversities of times and places, Particular Kingdoms and nations have their several ages proportionable to Infancy, Youth, Virility, and Old Age in men. Nor is the Period either of the whole Age, or the several parts thereof, one and the same in all, but varies in divers kingdoms, as the course of life, or several ages do in divers men. Some Kingdoms bear age well unto a Thousand; Some to six hundred years: Others break and decay in half that time. Again, as in the course of mans life diversitie of ages requires divers manners or con∣ditions: so, in the same people or nation, some events are usual, as best befit∣ting them in that degree of their growth which answers to Youth, or Infancy, which seldom or never fall out in that part of their age which answers unto mature or Old age in men, because not convenient for their constitution then; and yet the want of like experience makes them as distrustful and incredu∣lous of what formerly had been, as old men are forgetful of their own dispo∣sition or temper in youth. Generally, when the fulnesse of any nations Iniquity (wherein their decrepit age consisteth) is come, They grow more and more incre∣dulous: so as they verisie the Latin Proverb concerning the disposition of old men: Nullus senex veneratur Jovem: more true of states;

As they grow old, Their zeal grows cold.

3 As the world was redeemed by Christ, so do nations begin a new Com∣putation of their ages, from their Admission to Christianity. Some were come to Youth, or Virility in that profession, before others were born in Christ: as Asia and Asrica, for the most part, were Christians before Europe. Again, the Ancient inhabitants in some provinces had been Christians, long before other people that afterward subdued them, and lived in their countreys: as the Brittains in this Island had been long partakers of Gods mercy in Christ, before the Saxons; and the Ancient Gauls, before the Franks, which after∣ward seated themselves in their habitations. Generally, Miracles were usual in the Infancy of Christianity, as we read in Ecclesiastical stories: nor can it be certainly gathered when they did generally cease. To say they indured no longer then the Primitive Church, can give no universal satisfaction, save only to such as think it enough for all the world to have the light of the Gospel lookt up in the Chancel of some one glorious Church: for some Churches were but in the Prime, or Change, when others were Full of Christian know∣ledge. The use of Miracles at the same instant was befitting the one, not the other. For God usually speaks to new-born children in Christ, by Mi∣racles or sensible declarations of his Power, Mercy, or Justice: as parents de∣•…•… their children from evil, in tender years, by the rod, or other sensible signs of their displeasure; and allure them to goodnesse with apples, or other

like visible pledges of their love: but, when they come to riper years, and are capable of discourse, or apprehensive of wholsom admonitions, they seek to rule them by reason. Proportionably to this course of parents doth God speak to his Church: in her Infancy, (wheresoever planted) by sensible documents of his Power; in her Maturity, by the ordinary Preaching of his word, which is is more apt to ripen and confirm true Christian Faith then any miracles are, so men would submit their reason unto the rules set down in Scripture, and un∣partially examine all events of time by them, as elsewhere, God willing, we shall shew.

4 These grounds, wel considered, wil move any sober spirit at the least to sus∣pend his assent, and not suffer his mind to be hastily overswayed with absolute distrust of all such Miracles, as either our writers report to have bin wrought in this our land at the Saxons first coming hither, or the French Historiographers record in the first conversion of the Franks, or in the Prime of that Church.

5 And the Franks and Saxons before their conversion to Christianity, were much-what of that temper, in respect of their present posterity, as Greece was of in Homers, or Italy in the dayes of Romulus, in respect of Cicero's, or Plutarchs time: nor would I deny, but that admonitions by dreams were usual amongst them, as they had been amongst the Eastern nations.

And, without prejudice to many noble Patriots and worthy members of Christ this day living in that famous Kingdom of France, I should interpret that dream of Bassina, Queen unto Childerick the first, of the present state of France: in which the last part of that threefold vision is more truly verified, then it was ever in the lineal succession of Childerick and Bassina, or any of the Merovingian, or Carlovingian Families.

6 The vision was of three sorts of beasts; The Frst, Lions and Leopards; The second, Bears and Wolves; The third, of Dogs or lesser creatures, biting and devou∣ring one another. The interpretation which Bassina made of it, was registred certain hundred years ago; That these troupes of vermin or lesser creatures, did signifie a people without fear or reverence of their Princes, so pliable and devoutly obsequious to follow the Peers or Potentates of that Nation in their factious quarrels, that they should involve themselves in inextricable tumults to their own destruction.

7 Had this vision been painted, only with this general notification; that it was to be Emblematically understood of some state in Europe: who is he that can discern a picture by the known partie whom it represents, but could have known as easily, that this was a map of those miseries that late∣ly have befalne France; whose bowels were almost rent and torn, with civil and domestick Broyles? God grant her closed wounds fall not to bleed a fresh again. and that her people be not so eagerly set to bite and tear one a∣nother (like dogs or other testie creatures) until all become a prey to Wolves and Bears, or other great ravenous Beasts; which seek not so much to tear or rent in heat of revenge, as lie in wait continually to devour and swal∣low with unsatiate greedinesse, the whole bodies of mightie Kingdoms, and to die her Robes, that rides as Queen of Monsters upon that many-Headed beast, with streams of bloud that issue from the bodies squezed and crushed between their violent teeth; yea, even with the Royal bloud of Kings and Princes. Many such examples of admonitions by dreams and other extra∣ordinarie signs of future wo or calamities, both foretold and fulfilled many hundred years since Bassina and Childericks dayes, I could bring, which might confirm the Historical truth of the like mentioned in Scriptures to any civil Heathen, as they have inforced such as we most suspect for Atheists, to acknow∣ledge

a divine power or providence in them. And I know not what reason any professour of truth can have to deny the like presignifications in later times upon extraordinary occasions, or in some transmutations of Kingdoms; if he have so much Religion as not to doubt of Nebuchad-nezzars vision. But of such signs, (whether good, or ominous) and of their lawful use elsewhere. Of the use of prophecies amongst the Heathen and Barbarous people, and of that offence which some take at such as seem to give any credit to them, as if this were against the truth of scriptures, we may perhaps take occasion to speak, when we come to unfold the divers kinds of prophecies amongst the Jews, with their interpretations. Thus much may suffice for the removal of that prejudice, which Atheists, Infidels, and other Worldly-wise men have, of their Ancestors Credulity, or Fabulosity, which were not incident to primary Antiquity, but unto Ages in succession nearer to those times wherein wonders had been plentiful: as commonly the Braggadochian humour doth hant the degenerate race of worthy Ancestors, before their posterity come to be Sneaks or Pesants, which in the race of private persons answers in proportion to Infi∣delity, the common Symptom of decrepit Age in Kingdoms.

Notes

• See Aimoin∣us (aliter Anno∣nius.) de Gestis Francorum Lib. 1. c. 7. & 8. in the Cor∣pus Francicae Histor. print∣ed in Folio. 1613. Hano∣viae.