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. XXI.

The means of these Jews thriving in Captivity. In what they exceeded other people, or were exceeded by them.

1 THese Allegations, and many other, which out of Heathen Writ•…•… could bring, sufficiently prove, that albeit these Jews rasted of as bit∣ter calamities as any other did: yet had they this strange Advantage of all; that whereas all other were forsaken of their Friends in their adversitie, and their Laws usually changed by their Conquerours, oft-times abroga∣ted or neglected by themselves upon their ill successe: these Jews still found most Friends, and their Laws (never forsaken by them) most earnest Fa∣vourers, in the time of their Captivitie and distresse. This was quite contrary to Nature Politick Observation, or Custom of the world. Wherefore seeing Na∣ture and Policie can afford us none, we must seek resolution from their Laws. The reasons subordinate to the Cause of Causes (Gods providence) were these. In the time of their distresse, They did more faithfully practise their Laws themselves, and had better opportunitie, or greater necessitie of communicating them unto others: they being of themselves alwayes most po∣tent to allure sober and discreet mindes to their observance, made known and not prejudiced by the foolish or sinister practise of their Prosessours. So their great Law-giver had foretold, Deut. 4. vers 5, 6, 7, 8. Behold I have taught 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and Laws, as the Lord my God commanded me, that ye should do even so in the land, whither ye go to possesse it. Keep them therefore a•…•…o them; for That is your Wisdom and Understanding in the sight of the people, which shall hear of all these ordinances, and shall say; Onely This People is Wise and of Understanding, and a great Nation. For what Nation is so Great unto whom the Gods come so near unto them, as the Lord our God is near unto us in all that we come unto Him 〈◊〉〈◊〉? And what Nation is so great that hath Ordinances and Laws so righteous, as all this law which I set before you this 〈◊〉〈◊〉? That They had not in later * 1.1 times so great prosperity, as others had, was no Argument that Their God was not more near to Them, then the Gods of other Nations to their Wor∣thippers; for He was the God of gods, and Lord of lords, which did good to every Nation; yea, He made the Romans so great a Nation, albeit they knew it not. That these Jews were now in subjection, and the Romans Lords, was no Argument, that He was better to the Romans then to Them, or that They were a lesse Nation, if we make an equal comparison. For if God should often recover a man from dangerous diseases, and propa∣gate his life unto 200. years, in health and strength competent for old Age; This were no argument to prove that He were not more Favourable to him, then to men of younger years or middle age, whose strength is greater for the present, but they unlikely to recover health often impaired, or to re∣new life once lost in Human Estimation, or to account half so many years. In like sort was This Peoples Often Recovery from so many Overthrows and Captivities; their long continuance a distinct Nation from others: more * 1.2 Extraordinarie then the Romans present Strength or Greatness. And albeit many other Empires and States were larger, then the Kingdom of Israel was at any time, yet no other people could be said so great a Nation as this. For others continued the same rather by Identitie of Soyl, or like Form of Government, then by any Real or Material Unitie or Identitie of people: their increase was meerly Political, and their greatnesse rose by way of

Addition or Accumulation; that is, by admitting such mixture of others, that from the first Erection of the Kingdom, ere it came to its full great∣nesse, the number of Aliens might overspread and hide the natural in∣habitants, or Progenyes of such as laid the Fundamental Laws thereof, which were seldome so continuate by direct Succession, as they might be rightly distinguished from others. And as Theseus his ship was ac∣counted one and the same, because it retained the same Form, though not so much of the same Timber, whereof it was first built, as did go to the making of Half the Keel: so the greatest States amongst the Heathens, retai∣ned perhaps some few Fundamental Laws, or reliques of Ancient Families descending from their First Founders, in which respect alone they might be taken for one Kingdom, but not so properly termed one People or Nation, to whom greatnesse could be truly Attributed, seeing a great many of se∣veral people were to share in this Title. But These Jews (besides the perpe∣tual Unitie of their Particular, as well as Fundamental Laws, lesse varied either by change, addition, or abrogation, then the Laws of any other Nation) continued still One and the same People by a strict Union of Su∣ccession, their grouth was natural, after the manner of Vital Augmentation. For albeit they admitted some mixture of strangers, they could notwith∣standing alwayes distinguish the Progeny of Forrain Stocks from their natural Branches, which they could still derive from their several Stemmes, and these all from one and the same Root: so that after so many Changes, and Alterations of their State from better to worse, and back again; after so ma∣nie glorious Victories, as Scriptures mention gotten by them over others; and so many captivityes of their persons and desolations of their countries, as others had wrought, They remained still one and the same people, by such a kinde of Unity, as a great Oak is said One and the Same Tree, from its sirsi Spring to its last Fall, whether naked and berest of leaves by blasts of Au∣tumn or Winters frost, or stoyled of Boughs by the Loppers Ax, or Beau∣tified with pleasant Leaf, or ••ar-spreading Branches. If the glorie of other Kingdoms were more Splendent for a Flash, presently to be extinguished, (as being greater then their corruptible nature was capable of:) this no way impeacheth Gods promise for making Abrahams Seed a Mighty Nation; see∣ing it was not at any time so great a People as at all times it might have been, had they observed the means appointed for their grouth. How incompara∣ble the Height of Sions Roof, above other Nations, might have been, we may 〈◊〉〈◊〉 from the Capacity of her Foundations. The known Altitude and conti∣nuance of her Wals, though never finished to her Founders desire, yet Such, * 1.3 as whoso shall look upon with an unpartial eye, must acknowledge ordain∣ed for Extraordinarie Strength and Creatnesse. For take we this Kingdom with its defects; what wonder can Revolutions of time afford like to this late mentioned? That by such an Unity of Natural propagation from One Root, (almost perished before it sprouted) & distinct lineal succession never interrupt∣ed, Abrahams Seed should continue One and the Same Nation for Two Thousand years: sometimes the mightiest amongst Coeval Kingdoms, a scourge and ter∣r••ur to all neighbour Countries; and after many greivous wounds and dead∣ly, (in their estimation that gave them, received from others) still preserved alive, to see the successive rise and fall of Three great and potent Monar∣chies, yet able in decrepit dayes, to hold play with the Fourth, the migh∣•…•… that ever was on earth, even whilest it was in it's Best Age, full Strength and perfect Health, free from any intestine Broyles, secure of all exter∣nal Assaults. Much better were these Jews able to encounter the Ro∣man

Empire, in Tacitus his life time, then It, (within three hundred years after his death) to defend the Imperial Seat against Barbarous, silly, and foolish Nations, unhatched when the Roman / Eagles wings were spread over the most famous Kingdoms of the earth. Suppose the Roman Em∣pire had received, at the same time, but half so terrible a blow in Italy, as these Jews had done in Jury and Hierusalem under Vespasian, and his Son: * 1.4 how easily had the commotions of their Reliques, in Trajans and Adrians times, shaken the Roman yoak from off the Nations neck? Or if the other ten Tribes return had been but half so entire and complete, as Judahs and Ben∣jamins were; the Roman Eagles had never come to prey upon their Carkases in the territories of Judea. But it was their Strong God, which before had scat∣tered Israel amongst the Nations, and at the time appointed shut these Jews up in Hierusalem, as in a Prison.

2 Again other Kingdoms gained little by their greatnesse, save onely Mag∣nificent Names or swelling Titles. No other people enjoyed so great proseritie, so good cheap, as This sometimes did, and all times might have done. No other had so good Assurance or Security of that Prosperitie or Peace they en∣joyed▪ as This People had, unlesse themselves had made a wilful Forfeiture: nor was the Publick Health or Welfare of any other State or Kingdom so fully communicated to every particular and inferiour member. For usually the Titularie or abstract Brightnesse of that Glory, wherewith other Great States outwardly seemed most to shine, was maintained with the perpetual Harmes and internal secret Mischiefs of many private persons, as Great Flames are not nourished without great store of Fuell: whereas the prosperitie of Da∣vids Throne, as in other points so in this, was established like the Moon: that whilest They turned unto their God, their State was capable of greatest Splendor, without consumption of their natural parts or Substance. And even whilest other States did for their Sins prevail against Theirs, yet such Peers as had been principal Instruments of their wo, and took Occasion to disgrace their Laws or Religion, in their Captivitie and distresse, had for the most part, (as was observed before) Fearful and disasterous Ends: and might more justly have taken up that complaint, after their spoils of Jewry, which Diomedes did after the destruction of Troy,

Quicunque Iliacos ferro violavimus Agros, —nefanda per Orbem Supplicia scelerum poenas expendimus Omnes.

What did Troys Fall, or Phrygian Spoyles, the Graecians State advance? Whom Fearful Plagues Haunt through the world: Such was the Victors chance.

Many of them (no doubt) before their dying day, had observed as he did, that they had fought against some God, whilst they wrong'd this people: and would have been as unwilling to bear Arms against them again, as he was against the Reliques of the Trojans:

Nec mihi cum Teucris ullum post eruta Bellum Pergama: nec veterum memini laetorve malorum.

With Troy my Splene to Trojans ceas't, her flames quench th'heat of War I little Joy of what is past; Rub not a Bleeding Scar.

3 For these and many like Consequents, this people in the Issue and up-shot of their greatest calamities, had both reason to rejoyce, and the Heathens just cause to say: The Lord had done great things for them, albeit he often suf∣fered * 1.5 them to be Conquered. For even this Sicklinesse of their State was a means of its long life, Their Scourges and Phlebotomies a Sign of Gods tender Care over their Health, until they grew proud of his Favour, and waxed obdurate by his often Fatherly corrections, as one of their own writers well observes. The Lord doth not long wait for us, as for other Nations whom He punisheth when * 1.6 they are come to the Fulnesse of their Sins. But thus He dealeth with us, that our sins should not be heaped up to the Full, so that afterwards He should punish us, and therefore He never withdraws His mercy from us, and though He punish with ad∣versitie, yet doth He never forsake his people.

4 Finally, their Decay and Increase was such as could not be measured by the Rules of Policie. Hence was it that Tacitus was not tacitus, but a Tatler, transported from himself, his wonted sagacity and ingenuitie, as being quite out of his natural Element, while he medled with their affairs. That Contra∣rietie, which he observes betwixt Theirs and the Romans Religion, was as great betwixt their Policies. What was good in the One, was nought in the Other: that which Rome did think might preserve her in health, was appre∣hended, by the wisest amongst this People, as ready Poison for their State. Those Plots which would have crushed any other People once brought un∣der, did oft work Their Advancement, and their Enemies Fall. Whence both their Rising and Falling, and Consequently, the Successe of such as opposed themselves against Them, were, in other Nations apprehension, sometime in their own, meerly Fatal, altogether Incorrigible by worldly Policie, especially in more Ancient times. Hence did the Wise Men of Caldea, upon the first no∣tice of the Windes Turning for them, read Hantans Destinie, but too late: If Mordecai be of the Seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to Fall, thou * 1.7 shalt not prevail against Him, but shalt surely Fall before Him. Achior the Am∣monites Speech to Holofirnes, whether truly uttered by him, or Fained by the Pen-man of that Storie, was framed (no doubt) according to the known Experience of thosetimes, and contains such Advise, as a Faithful Councellor, well acquainted with their Estate, upon like Occasion should have given unto his Lord, not so well acquainted with it. This he was bound unto by the rules of Poetrie, which the Author of that Book (unlesse perhaps his Memo∣rie * 1.8 faild him in the Circumstance of Time, an Escape incident to Fictions, for their Assinitie with Lies) very well observes, if his work be rather to be cen∣sured for a Poem then an Historie; his Advice was This: And whiles They sinned not before their God, They prospered, because the God that hated iniquity was with Them. But when They departed from the way which he appointed Them, They were destroyed in many Battails after a Wonderful Sort, and were led Captive into a Land which was not theirs: and the Temple of their God was cast to the ground, and their Cities were taken by the Enemies. But now They are turned to their God, and are come up from the Scattering wherein They were scattered, and have possessed Hierusalem, where their Temple is, and dwell in the Mountains which were Desolate. Now therefore my Lord and Governour, if there be any Fault in this People, so that They have sinned against their God, let us consider that this shall be their Ruine, and let us go up, that we may overcome Them. But of there be none Iniquity in this People, let my Lord Pass By, lest their Lord defend Them, and their God be for Them, and we become a Reproach before all the World. The first Root of all such Effects or known Experiments, as in Ancient time, yielded matter to their Neighbours of this or like observation, was Gods

First Promise unto Abraham: And I will make of thee a great Nation, and will bless Thee, and make Thy Name Great, and Thou shalt be a Blessing, I will also bless them that bless Thee, and curse them that curse Thee, and in Thee shall all the Fa∣milies * 1.9 of the earth be Blessed. Which promise, as it doth concern the Tem∣poral State of the Jews, was to be limited according to the Tenor of Achiors Speech, and did then onely take Effect, when they followed Abrahams Foot-steps, and lived in Faithful Obedience to Gods Laws, or having transgressed them, did turn again with their whole Heart to seek the God of their Fathers. † 1.10 From Experience of their good Successe in such cases, partly (I think) were their Neighbour Countries so Savage and Merciless towards them in their greatest Distresse, alwayes Crying, upon like occasion, as the Edomites did in the Day of Hierusalem, Down with it! Down with it! Even to the Ground. Because they could not hope for any Revenge, but by waiting the Turning of their Fates, and taking them in the Ebbing of their Fortunes: for when they be∣gun to rise, they knew there was no means to stay them. The * 1.11 Arabians Immane and Savage Practises upon their Embassadors, seeking Compassion to their Lamentable Estate torn and ruinate by the Mighty Hand of their God, in a Fearful and Prodigious Earthquake, do argue a deep rooted Memory of their Ancestors strange Overthrowes (mentioned in Scripture) by this peo∣ples Forefathers, and these later Arabians, long lying in wait to do these Jews a Mischief, if they had not been restrained by the Mighty Hand of God; who now, as they suppose, being turned their Enemie, they apprehend this Opportunitie of working a Full Revenge. Nor are their hard hearts molli∣fied with their Publick Miseries, nor their inveterate malice so quenched with their Embassadors Bloud, shed in the seventh year of Herods raign, but it burst out again in Vespasians time. For these Arabians, though never (as Am. Marcellinus Lib 14. notes) any true Friends, or Well-willers to the Roman State, were the forwardest men to assist Titus in Hierusalems last and Fatal Siege. For the same reasons were the Nations round about them as earnest∣ly bent to hinder the Re-edifying of Hierusalem, after the Return from Ca∣ptivitie, as these were now to pull it down, as fearing lest this Peoples good Fortunes should rise again with their City Wals. But as Nehemiah notes, After the enemies had heard that the Wall was finished, they were afraid, and their Courage failed them, for they knew that this Work was wrought by God. Nehem. 6. 16.

5 These and like Observations make me think, it was not Skil in Astrologie, or such Arts as the Magi used, (whereunto this of all people was least addict∣ed) which first hatched that opinion of the ‖ 1.12 Jews descent from the Magi: ra∣ther the later Heathen, ignorant of their Original, and not able to derive that strange successe which did hant them, or their demeanour answerable there∣to, from Ordinary or natural Causes, referred all to Magick Spels, or some Art of Divination. So unwilling is Flesh and Bloud to acknowledge such as They Hate, for the Beloved of the Lord; and so powerful is the Prince of darknesse, either to blind the hearts of the worldly wise, or to avert their eyes from beholding an Un∣pleasant Truth, that if at any time the Finger of God appear in the Deliver∣ance or good Successe of his people, the Infidel or Natural man ascribes such effects as Magicians (unlesse upon presumption of Travellers Priviledge a∣mongst the Ignorant) durst not arrogate to themselves, unto Magical or other like Arts; because the corruption of their Nature is more capable of such Practises, then of true Belief in God, and they more prone in distresse to flie unto Sorceries or Magick Charms, then with true Faith and Firm Constancy to expect The Deliverance of the Lord by such means as the Faithful Israelites

did. * 1.13 So when the Christian Legion had, by their Prayers, relieved Anto∣ninus's Army, readie to swound for Thirst, with plentie of water, in as Mi∣raculous Sort as Elishd did sometime the Host of Israel; the Heathens, ac∣knowledging the Effect for Supernatural, ascribed it to Arnuphis, the Egyptian Sorcerer, his acquaintance with Mercury, and other supposed Gods of the Air. In like sort the modern Jew, acknowledging many Wonders wrought * 1.14 by our Saviour; takes it for a sufficient Argument. That all of them were wrought by Magick Skill onely because the Evangelist saith, He had been in E∣gypt; so is he b••••nded with wilful malice, that he cannot see how, by this Ob∣jection, he laies all the wonders which Moses wrought, open to the like Exception of Atheists, Insidels, and Heathen. For both Moses, in whom he Trusts, and Abraham in whom he Glories, and all the Patriarches, from whom the Jews descended, had been in Egypt in ripe Age, where our Saviour came not but in his Infancie. As for his Miracles, the Testimonie of Moses, and other Prophets, whose divine Authoritie is acknowledged by the Jew, shall evince them, wrought by The Einger of God. In the mean time the estate of the Jews since Their death, sufficiently known to all the world, and foretold by Them, shall manifest against the Atheist, that They all wrote by The Spirit of God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  God was mo•••• ••avourable to these Jews then 〈◊〉〈◊〉 any o∣ther People,
• * 1.2

  In what sense the Jews might truly be thought a Mighty Na∣tion.
• * 1.3

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉.
• * 1.4

  The Roman Em¦pire had never the like push before it fell, as it had by the Jews in Adri∣ans time.
• * 1.5

  Psal. 126. 2.
• * 1.6

  2 Ma••••. 6. 14.
• * 1.7

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 6. 13.
• * 1.8

  Unto what time 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Hi∣stories to be referred, See Sul•…•…. Seve∣〈◊〉〈◊〉 Judith 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 17, &c.
• * 1.9

  Gen. 12. 2.
• † 1.10

  The causes of the Heathes, In∣sulting over the Jews in their distresse.
• * 1.11

  Judaea ter∣ra quali nun∣quā ante mo∣tu concussa, magnam per∣totam eam re∣gionem jactu∣ram fecit pe∣cudum: quin & hominū op∣pressa sunt rui∣nis aedium cir∣citer decem millia. M ilita∣ris tamē mul∣titudo nihil detrimēti ac∣cepit, ut pote sub dio agitās. Haec clades e∣tiā in maius aucta rumori∣bus, quos nun∣cii, gentilium odiorum non ignari, dabant auribus Ara∣bum, immane quantum ex∣tulit hostium animos, quasi subversis Ju∣daeorum urbi∣bus & extin∣ctis homini∣bus, nulli jam superessēt. Le∣gatos itaque gentis, qui re∣bus afflictis pacem petitu∣ri venerant cō∣prehensos ne∣caverūt, mox∣que magna a∣lacritate pro∣peraverunt ad hostilem ex∣ercitum. Jo∣seph. Antiq. l. 15. c. 7.
• ‖ 1.12

  Refer: Diog. Lae•…•…us in Prooemio. p. 6.
• * 1.13

  Dion Xi∣phil. l. 71. 2 Kings 3.
• * 1.14

  See Munster on the Second Chapter of Math. Hebr.