raysing vppe of the brasen Serpent by all other sacrifices that were in the Lawe Fore-told not only by the Scriptures before alleaged but also most plainely by Daniel who was tolde by an Angel that after a certain time by him there appointed Ungetur Sanctus Sanctorum the Saint of Saints shall be annointed et occidetur Christus this annointed Saint or Christ shall be put to death Zacharie also about the same time doth not onely foretell his death but also the kind therof and from what people he should receiue the same for thus he saith in the person of Christ himselfe The inhabitants of Ierusalem at that day shall looke vpon me whom they haue Crucified But if ye will reade the whole storie of Christes passion sette downe at large sixe hundred yeeres before it fell out I refer you to a narration of Esay who to signifie the strangenes of the case beginneth with thys Praeface Who will giue credite to that we shall report c. And then a little after hee goeth on in these words He shal mount vp as a twig from a drie earth He hath no forme or beautie vppon him Wee behelde him and there was no countenance in him we saw him the most contemptible and dispised man in the worlde A man full of paines and experienced in infirmitie His countenaunce was obscure and despicable and wee made no account of him Truely hee tooke vppon himselfe our greefes and did beare our paines We accounted him as a Leaper and 〈…〉 man striken and punished by God But hee was wounded for our iniquities and crushed in peeces for our wickednes The discipline or correction of our peace lyeth vpon him and by his woundes we are made whole We haue all erred and gone astray like sheepe euery man after hys â—wne waies and God hath laide vpon him the iniquitie of vs all Hee was offered vppe for vs because he would so he shal be led to his slaughter as a Sheepe and as a Lambe he shal be silent befor his Shâ—arours For the sinnes of my people haue I striken him saith God He hath doone no iniquitie neither was there deceite founde in his mouth Yet would the Lord crush him in infirmitie But if he shall giue his life for sinne then shall hee see a long seede or generation and the will of the Lord shall be directed in his hand And for so much as his soule hath sustained labour it shall see and be filled And this MY IVST SERVAVNT in his knowledge shall iustifie manie and beare their iniquities And I will allotte vnto him verie many people and he shall deuide the spoyles of the stoute for that hee hath deliuered his soule vnto death and was accounted among the wicked and prayed for hiâ— transgressours Thus particularly as ye see was the death and passion of our Sauiour Christ fore-tolde by the Prophets of Israell to that Nation Nowe heare yee the prophecie of Sibylla◠〈◊〉 ye please wherein she fore-shewed the same to the Gentiles These are her owne words sette downe by Lactantius Hee shall appeare miserable ignominius and deformed to the ende he may giue hope vnto the miserable Afterward he shall come into the hands of most wicked and faithlâ—sse men they shall buffette him with their sacriligious fistes and shall spyt vpon him with their vncleane mouthes He shal yeeld his innocent backe to the whippe and shall saie nothing while he receiueth the stripes to the end he may speake to those that are dead Hee shall beare a Crowne of thornes and they shall giue him Gaule to eate and Vinegar to drinke And this shall be the hospitalitie he shall finde among them What thing can be more plainely described then this Neither doe the auncient Rabines and Teachers among the Iewes discent froÌ„ thys For that in theyr Thalmud that was gathered aboue one thousande and two hundred yeeres agone the plaine sentences of dyuers are sette downe that their Messias at hys comming shall be put to death And as for Rabbi Ionathan the Authour of the Chaldie Paraphrase who died a little before our Sauiour Christ was borne hee applyeth the whole narration of the Prophet Esay before recited as needes hee must to the murther of the Messias by the Iewes Whereuppon Rabbi Simeon that liued the next age after him wryteth these words following Woe be to the men of Israell for that they shall sley the Messias God shall send his sonne in mans fleshe to wash them and they shall murder him Whereto agreeth Rabbi Hadarsan and others and doe prooue further out of the fore-alleaged prophecie of Daniell Chapter 9. verse 27. that after Messias shal haue preached halfe seauen yeeres he shall be slayne For that Daniel saith In halfe of seauen yeeres the Hoste and Sacrifice shall cease Vpon which wordes they comment thus Three yeeres and a halfe shall the presence of God in flesh crie and preach vpon the Mount Oliuet and then shall he be slaine Which wordes the Iewes ordinarie Commentarie vppon the Psalmes doe interpret to be meant of Christes preaching three yeres an halfe before his passion Which disagreeth very little or nothing from the account of vs Christians and of our Euangelists And so wee see by all that hetherto hath beene said that the very particulers of Christes whole death and passion were foretolde most plainelie both to Iewe and Gentile and acknowledged also by the auncient Doctors of the Iewish Nation before the effectuation thereof came to passe And Sibylla addeth further two perticuler miracles that shold fall out in the sayd passion of the Messias to wit That the veile of the Iewes Temple should breake in two and that at middaie there should be darknes for three houres ouer all the world Which thing to haue beene fulfilled at the death of Iesus not only Saint Matthewe doth assure vs in his Gospell but also Eusebius affirmeth that hee had reade the same word for word recorded in diuers heathen wryters And amongst other he citeth one Phlegon an exact Chronicler that reporteth the same in the fourth yeere of the two hundred and two Olympiad which agreeth iuste with the eyghteene yeere of Tyberius his raigne which was the yeere wherein our Sauiour Christ suffered And he goeth so nigh as to name the very houres of the day as our Euangelists doe AEsculus an old Astronomer doth confirme the same and proouoth more-ouer by the scituation and constitution of the Sunne Moone at that time that no Eclipse coulde then be naturally Which thing in like manner Dyonisius Areopagita did obserue in the verie day of Christes passion beeing at that tyme but twentie and fiue yeeres olde and yet well studied in Astronomie as himselfe testifieth And finally Lucianus a Learned Prieste of Antioche was accustomed to prouoke the Gentiles to theyr owne Commentaries and Stories for recorde and testimonie of
meant heere by Daniell in all the prophecie Fyrst then when the Angell came to comfort hym and to open vnto him secrets for the time to come he sayde these words Marke my speeche and vnderstande the vision The seauentie hebdomades or weâ—kes are shortned or hastened vppon thy people and vppon thy holy Cittie to the â—nd all preuarication and sinne may take an ende and iniquitie be blotted out and euerlasting iustice be brought in place thereof to the ende that visions and prophecies may be fulfilled the HOLY OF HOLIES may be annointed In which words it seemeth that the Angell did allude by naming seauentie vnto the seauentie yeeres of captiuitie prophecied by Ieremie after which ended the people shoulde be deliuered from theyr temporall bondage in Babylon And therefore Daniell nowe beeing in that place and perceiuing the same time to be expired prayed to GOD with great instance to fulfill hys promise made by Ieremie Whereto the Angel aunswered that it should be doone And as after the expiration of seauentie yeeres God was nowe to deliuer them from the bodily captiuitie of Babylon so was he also after seauentie Hebdomades more to deliuer them from bondage of sinne and preuarication and that by the annoynted MESSIAS which is indeede the Holie of all Holies Thys I say may be the reason of naming seauentie Hebdomades thereby to allude to the number of the seauentie yeres of that Babylonicall seruitude For that immediatly after the Angell appointeth the whole exact number to be threescore nyne Hebdomades that is seauen to the building of the Cittie and Temple and sixtie-two from that to the death of Christ in these words Know thou marke that from the end of this speech to the time that Ierusalem shall be builded and vnto Christ the Captaine there shall bee hebdomades seauen and hebdomades sixtie two and the streetes and walles of Ierusalem shall bee builded againe though with much difficultie of the times and after sixtie and two Hebdomades Christ shall be slaine And the people that shal denie him shal not be his c. And then vnto consummation end shal perseuer desolation Nowe then if we put these yeeres together which are heere mentioned by Daniell that is first the seauen Hebdomadesâ— which make fortie and nyne yeeres and then the threescore and two from the restauration of Ierusalem which make foure hundred thirty and foure more wee shall finde the whole number to be foure hundred and eyghtie three yeeres Which beeing begunne from the first yeere of Cyrusâ— as some wil for that he first determined the Iewes reduction or from the second yeeres of Darius as others wyll for that he confirmed put the same in execution or from the twentie yeere of the sayde Darius for that then hee made a newe Edict in the fauour of Nehemias and sent hym into Iurie euery way they wil end in the raigne of Herod and Augustus vnder whom Christ was borne or in the raigne of Tyberius Caesar vnder whom hee suffered And by no interpretation in the worlde can it be auoyded but that thys time appointed by Daniell is nowe out aboue a thousande and fiue hundred yeeres past whyle yet the Temple stood and was not put to desolation And therefore of necessitie Christ must be come about that tyme and neuer more heereafter to be looked for The traditions and obseruations of the olde Iewes themselues doe meruailouslie confirme thys beliefe of ours for that they all dyd runne to thys one poynt that about the tyme of Augustus hys raigne wherein Iesus was borne the Messias shold appeare It is often repeated in the Thalmud that one Elyas left thys tradition that the worlde should endure sixe thousand yeeres that is two thousand before the Law of Moses two thousande vnder the same Lawe and two thousande after that vnder the Messias Which last two thousand yeeres by al computation could not beginne much from the birth of Iesus And the Rabines a great while agone complained in theyr Thalmud that there seemed to them in those daies seauen hundred and foure-teene yeeres past since Christ by the Scriptures should haue appeared and therefore they doe meruaile vvhy God so long deferreth the same An other obseruation they haue vppon the words of Esay Paruulus natus est nobis a litle child is borne vnto vs. In which words for that they finde the Hebrue Letter Mem to be shut in the midst of a word which is strange in that tongue for that Mem is wont to be open in the middest of words and shut onely in the end they gather many secrets And among other that seeing Mem signifieth sixe hundred yeeres so long it shoulde be after Esay vntil the time of Christ. Which account of theyrs falleth out so iust that if you reckon the yeeres from Achaz King of Iuda in whose time Esay spake these words vntill the tyme of King Herod vnder whom Christ was borne you shall perceiue the number to fayle in little or nothing A much like obseruation hath Rabbi Moses the sonne of Maimon whom the Iewes doe holde in extreame great reuerence calling him the Doctor of iustice in hys Epistle to hys Countrimen of Affrica concerning the tyme of Christes appearaunce Which he thinketh to be past according to the Scriptures aboue a thousande yeeres in his dayes he liued about the yere of Christ one thousand one hundred and fortie but that GOD deferreth hys manifestation for theyr sinnes To which purpose also appertaineth the tradition of one Elias as Rabbi Iosue reporteth it in the Thalmud that the Messias was to be borne indeed according to the Scripture before the destruction of the seconde Temple for that Esay sayth of the Sinagogue Before she was with child she brought forth and before the greefe of trauaile came she was deliuered of a man child That is saith he before the Sinagogue was afflicted and put to desolation by the Romaines shee brought forth the Messias But yet saith he thys Messias for our sinnes doth hyde hymselfe for a time in the Sea and other desert places vntil we be worthie of hys comming To the lyke effect is the obseruation of the Thalmud it selfe of diuers Rabbines therein concerning the wicked manners of men that should be at Christes appearance vppon earth of whom they doe pronounce these words The wise men in Israell shall be extinguished the learning of our Scribes and Pharisies shall bee putrified the schooles of Diuinitie shall bee stewes at that time Which thing Iosephus that lyued in the same age with Christ affirmeth to be fulfilled in the tyme of Herod in so much that if the Romains had not destroyed theÌ„ without doubt saith he eyther the earth woulde haue opened and swallowed them downe or els fyre from heauen would haue consumed them All then runneth to thys ende both by
great inconueniences losses dangers and dis-fauours as they did and should continue with him in all hys afflictions and be content to die loose their liues rather then forsake him or abandon his seruice this I say is such a miracle as neuer in the worlde fell out the like and must needes be graunted by the enemie to be supernaturall The second poynt is of externall things and facts doone by Iesus aboue all power of humaine abilitie in the sight and knowledge of all the Iewes which facts were published by our Euangelists and especially by Saint Matthew in the Hebrue tongue while yet the persons were aliue vpon whō they were wrought or infinite other that might be witnesses thereof As for example the raysing of Lazarus in Bethania that was a Vyllage but a mile or two distant from Ierusalem at whose death and buriall beeing a Gentleman many Scribes Pharisies must needes be present according to the Iewish custom at that time as is reported by Iosephus and they sawe him both deceassed interred and the funerall feast obserued for him as also raised againe from death by Iesus after foure dayes of hys buriall With whom they dyd both eate and drinke and conuerse after hys returne to life and euery day might behlode him walking vppe and downe openly in the streetes of Ierusalem This storie I say how coulde it be feigned So in like manner the raysing of the Archisinagogues daughter whose name is affirmed to be Iairus wyth diuers other circumstaunces that doe make the thing most notorious The raising of the widdowes son before the gate of the Cittie Naim in the presence of all the people that bare the saide corps stood about it The healing of the Cripple in Ierusalem that had layne thirtie and eyght yeeres lame at the Pooles side or Bath called Probatica which miracle was done also in the sight of infinite people The casting out of a Legion of deuils frō a man that for many yeeres together was known to liue possessed in the Mountaines which deuils by peculier lycence obtayned of Iesus to enter into a hearde of Swyne and so presently carried two thousande of them away into the Sea and drowned them Whereuppon the whole Countrey about of the people called Gerasines beeing striken with extreame feare vpon sight of the fact besought Iesus most humbly to depart frō their borders The feeding and filling of fiue thousand men besides women and children with fiue Barley loaues and two fishes onely The turning of water into wine at a marriage in Cana in the presence of all the Guestes The healing of hym by a worde onelie that had an incurable dropsie and thys at the table of a principall Pharisie and in the sight of all that sate at dynner wyth him These I say and diuers other such myracles which were done in the presence and sight of so infinite a number of people and recorded by our Euangelists at such tymes when many desired to discredite the same might haue doone easilie by many witnesses and authoritie if any one part thereof had been subiect to calumniation cannot in reason or probabilitie be doubted of And therfore I must conclude that seeing these things are aboue all power of humaine nature and coulde not be doone but by the finger and vertue of the liuing GOD himselfe considering also that it is impossible that God should assist or giue testimonie to any falsehoode it must needes ensue that al was true and sincere which Iesus affirmed and consequently seeing he affirmed himselfe to be the Sonne of God and the true and onelie Messias it must needes follow by these miracles that hee was so indeede which is the ground of that speech of hys to the faithlesse Pharisies If you will not beleeue my words beleeue my deedes And thus much of Iesus life doctrine conuersation and miracles The fourth Consideration THere remaineth nowe onely the fourth and last consideration of thys Section which is the passion resurrection ascention of Iesus And about his passion there is little or no controuersie for that all his enemies doe agree and graunt that hee was betrayed by his owne disciple apprehended afflicted and deliuered vppe by the Iewes and finally put to death vppon a Crosse by the Gentiles The testimonie of Iosephus may serue for all heerein whose wordes are these That the principall Iewes of his Country hauing accused and deliuered ouer Iesus to Pilate that was Gouernour of Iurie for the Romaine Emperor he adiudged him to the Crosse. The same doe other Iewes and Gentiles record and in thys they take great offence scandale that wee shoulde attibute diuinitie vnto a man that had suffered death vpon the Crosse. But if wee shewe that this was the eternall preordination and appointment of God for sauing of mankinde and that the same was fore-tolde both to Iewe and Gentile from the beginning and so vnderstood also by the Iewish Doctors thēselues of elder times then euery reasonable man I trowe will remaine satis-fied and preferre Gods diuine wysedome before mans follie First then consider that when Christ had ended hys preaching and wrought so many miracles as seemed sufficient to hys eternall wisedom and when the time was come pre-ordained for his passion whereof hee tolde publiquely his Disciples before hee went vppe to Ierusalem of purpose to receiue his death and made a solemne entrie into that Cittie vppon an Asse which was prophecied of him many yeres before Reioyce daughter of Sion Behold thy IVST KING and SAVIOVR shall come vnto thee vpon an Asse And after hys aboade some dayes in that place he was betrayed and sold by his owne Disciple as Dauid before hand in many places had fore-told shold come to passe Then followed his apprehension and most seruile abusage by the Iewes whereof it was fore-prophecied in hys person by Esay I gaue my bodie to them that beate it and my cheekes to them that buffeted the same I did not turne my selfe away from them that reproched mee nor yet from them that did spitte in my face After this barbarous intreatie by the Iewes they deliuered him ouer to Pilate a Gentile and neuer ceassed to solicite and pursue theyr vnquenchable hatred against him vntill they sawe him on the Crosse where also hee was vsed in the highest degree of spightfull dealing Wherof likewise the Prophet Dauid made mention long before in the person of the Messias when hee sayd They pearsed my handes and feete they deuided among them my apparrell and vppon my vpper garment they did cast lots And againe of another crueltie hee complaineth saying they gaue me Gaule to eate and in my thyrst they refreshed me with Vineger And finally that Christ shoulde die for the sinnes of mankinde is a common principle both prefigured and fore-tolde throughout all the olde Scripture Prefigured by the sacrifice of Isaac by the
Christ should change the Law of Moses Gala 3 4. Hebru 7. 1. Corin 10. The Lawe of Moses imperfect Hebrues 7. Acts 15. Gala. 3. Deut 15. Deut 13 14 Leuit. 5 23 Exodus 23. Deut 27. Good reasons Psal 2,21,26 Esay 2,11 19. Leuit. 12. Exod 13. Numb 8. Hebrues 7. The new law of Christ and the perfections thereof Deut. 18. Deuter 34. Esay 2. A newe Lawe prophecied Esay 19. Malach. 1. The reprobation of the old Lawe with a promise of a nevve Ezech. 20. Ieremie 3. A newe Tâ—stament promised The summe of that which hath been said All particulers fore-told of Christ. Math 1. Luke 2. Math 2 Math 2 Luke 2 Math 5. Math 4 8. Marke 8. Math 27 Math 16 27 Math 21 7. Math 26,67 Luke 22. Math 27 Math 28 Luke 24 Acts 7. Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles * Chap 2. Three particuler waies wher by the Gentiles myght heare of christ The first way Tradition of learning among Iewes and Gentiles Eusebius in Chron. Abraham Iob. Zoroastres * The Iewes haue a tradition that Abraham serued Sem fyfteene yeeres in Chaldaea * See Clem. Alex lib. 1. strom et Orig. lib. 6. contra Celsum et Procl lib. 2. et 3 in Parm. Plato Trismegistus Mercurius Herm. in PaemaÌ„d cap. 1 et deincepi Graecians The prophecies touching Christ among the Gentiles Lactan. lib. 1. diâ—i instit cap. 6 Of the Sibyls Lact. lib. 4. instit cap. 6. * S. Augu. translateth all the verses lib. 18. de ciu Dei cap. 23. The Greeke verses of the Sibyls of what importance authoritie * See this Oration in Eusebiu lib. 4. cap. 32. de vita Constantini aâ— the ende Varro lib. de rebus diui ad C. Caesarem pont max. Fenest cap. de 15. viris Lactant. lib 1 instiâ— cap. 6. Cicero * See Cicero of this Acrostike verses of Sibylla lib. 2. de diuinatione Cicero lib 2 de diuin paulo post medium Cicero lib 1 ep fam ep 1,2,3 4,5,6 * See lib 2 Oraculorum Sibyl * Epist. 5. * He was father to Cleopatra The fear which the Romains had of the vniuersall King prophecied by Sibylla Dion libro 39 histor Sueto tranq cap 3 de vit Augu. The prophecies of Sibylla alleaged by Virgil. Virgil. Eclog. 4 Christes pre-ordination Christes byrth Christes cause of comming Constantines opinion of the spirit of Sibylla Erythraea orat ad caetum Sanct cap. 18 Lactantius * See Eusebi lib. 4. cap. 32 de vita Constant. how this Oration was fiâ—st written in latine and translated into Greeke The fyrst Oracle Suidas in Thulis et Porphy et Plutarch de oracul The second Oracle Suidas in vita August Niceph. lib. 1. hist. cap. 17. Niceph. lib. 1. hist cap. 17. The conclusion of thys first Section The argument of the two sections following Our controuersie wyth Gentiles Our controuersie wyth the Iewes The obstinacie of the Iewes Psalm 118. * The Iewes are the builders who take vpon them to build Gods house Math 21. Esay 6. Deute 28 The Iewes obstinacie against vs a great argument for vs. The deuision of thys section into foure coÌ„siderations The testimonies heerâ— vsed The tyme appoynted * See Eusebius in Chron. The generall state of the world at Christes comming Daniel 2. Sueton tranq et Aurel. victor et aliâ— in vita Augusti * Oros. lib. 6. his cap. 22. The fyrst proofe The Romaine Monarchie Daniel 2. The seconde proofe The peace of all the world Esay 32 ver 18. and 9. ver 6,7 Psalm 71. The thyrde proofe The Scepter of Iuda * His Grandfather was a Sextane in Apollos temple and his father was brought vppe among theeues in Idumaea Eusebius lib. 1. cap. 6. ex Aphricano Ioseph lib. 14. antiq cap. 2. The first rising of Herode Ascolonita Iosephus lib. 15. antiq cap. 9.11 The most horrible murders committed by Herode Librâ— 17. cap. 10. Libro 15. cap. 1 Philo lib. de tempore Ioseph lib 14. cap. 2. A patterne of an ambicious Tyrant The prophecie of Iacob touching the scepter of Iuda Gene. 49 That the scepter neuer failed in Iuda vntyll Herode came 1 Reg 16. 4. Reg. 29. Ierem 37. Thalm. in tract Sanhed ca. Dineâ— Manmonoth Rab. Moses Egip in praesat Maimonim Esd. l. 1. ca. 1.2.3 Mach. lib. 1. caâ— 2.3 Rab. Kimhi com in Agg. Ioseph lib. 13. â—â— 14 antiq The fourth proofe The destruction of the second Temple 3 Reg 6. 7. 2 Chron 3. Eusebius in Chron. Clem. lib. 1. strom 4 Reg 25. 1. Esdras 1 3 4. 1. Esdras 5. and 6. The building of the second Temple lesse gorgeous then the fyrst 1. Esdras 5. Agge 2. Agge 2. * This he sayd for that the three Monarchies ensued wherin there was continuall warre and blood-shed 1. Esdras 3. * Thys was fulfilled when Christ was personally and taught in the Temple Luke 1,2 19. Math 21 26. c. Prerogatiues of the first Temple Rab Samuel tract Sanhed in Thalm. Heirosol Rab. Aba in lib. dierum Malachie 3. * Thys Christ interpreted of S. Iohn Baptist Math 11. Dâ—niel 9. The seconde Temple to be destroyed presently after Christes passion Ioseph de bello Iudaico lib. 6. The fyft proofe The 72. Hebdomades Two kindes of weekes Leui. 25. vide etiam cap. 23. et alibi passim Libro 1. et 2. Daniel 9. verse 23. Ieremie 25. and 29. Why the Angell named 70 Hebdomades in thys place Daniell 9. verse 25. The exact nuÌ„ber of weekes from the building of the second Temple to the death of Christ 62. The account of Daniels weeks The sixt proofe The traditions of Rabines Thalm. tract Sandr cap. helec et alibi Thalm. in tract Auodazara Esay 9 ver 6 An obseruation of the Cabalistes Thalm. in lib. Sabbath et in tract Sanhedrin Esay 7. Math. 2. The obseruation of Rabbi Moses Rab. Mos. Ben. Maimon ep ad Iudaeos African Rab. Iosâ—â— Ben. Leui. in Thal. tract Sanhed cap. haelaec Esay 66. verse 7. Christ hydeth himselfe in the Sea The obseruation of the Thalmud Thalm. tract Sanhed cap. helâ—â— Rab. Iohanan Rab. Iudae Rab. Nehorai c. Ioseph lib. 20. antiq cap 6. et 8. et lib. 6. de bello Iud. 15. et lib 7. cap. 9. The seauenth proofe Foreboding Tacit lib. 21. Sueton. in vita Vesp. Ioseph de bello Iudai lib. 7. cap. 12. The eyght proofe The generall expectation of the people Iohn 1. Iohn 10. Dyuers false Christes did rise in Iurie Acts 5. Ioseph lib. 17. ca. 8. et lib. 18. cap. 1. et 2. et lib. 20. cap. 2. et 6. Thalm. tract Sanh cap. helec Rabâ— Mos. Ben. Maim in Sententiis Nicol. Damscenus Ioseph lib. 14. antiq cap. 2. Math 22. Mark 3. 12. The conclusion of thys first coÌ„sideration of the tyme. Christ hys byrth Iesus Lyne * 3 Reg 7. Psalm 80. Esay 11. Math 1. Luke 3. * Of this matter writeth Iosephus li. 18. cap. 1. antiq 1 Reg 17. 2. Reg 2. Math
peculier stile and phrase which they vseâ— the sixt proofe 85. The contents of the Scriptures the seauenth proofe 90. The circumstaunces of prophecies set down in the Scriptures page 94. 1. The prophecie to AbrahaÌ„ for his posteritie 95. 2. The prophecie for the gouernment of Iuda 96. 3. The prophecie for the greatnesse of Ephraim aboue Manasses 99. 4. The fore-sight of Moses 101. 5. The prophecie for the perpetuall desolation of Iericho 101. 6. The prophecie for the byrth and acts of King Iosias page 102. 7. The prophecie for the destruction of Ierusalem and Babilon 105. 8. The wonderfull prophecie for Cyrus King of Persia. 106. 9. The prophecies and dooings of Ieremie in the siege of Ierusalem 108. Approbation of Heathen Writers the eyght proofe 114 1. The creation of the world 115 2. The floode of Noe. 115. 3. The long life of the first fathers 116. 4. Of the Tower of Babilon 117. 5. Of Abraham and his affayres 117 6. Of Isaac Iacob Ioseph Iob c. 118. 7. Of Moses and his acts 119. 8. The story of Iosua the Iudges the kings 120 9. The thinges that ensued after King Salomons dayes 121. The fourth Section The conclusion of the Chapter with the application page 122 No excuse can auaile of the ignoraunce of God page 123 The applycation to our selues of the premisses page 125. The third Chapter Of the finall end and cause why man was created by God and placed in this world And of the obligation he hath thereby to attende to the affaire for which he came hether The matters handled in thys Chapter Howe man was made to serue God therefore cannot be free or at his own appointment 128 Man shall be accountant of euery idle worde he vttereth 129 Profitable demaundes and considerations for a man to thinke vppon 130 How a man may take a scantling of his owne estate with God by following the right course for which he was sent and shunning the wrong and daungerous course 132 The reason why so fewe are saued 133 A perfect example of a good conuersion 134 The complaint of worldlings in the end of their lyfe page 138 A comparison expressing our greefe in the ende for running a wrong course page 140 The misery of a soule that hath gone awry at the last day 140 Two rare examples of humane felicitie in Herode the first and Agrippa with their seuerall strange and wonderfull ends 142 143 144 Errour in our course of life is not pardoned 146 A rare chaunce that happened to Baltasar king of Babilon page 148 If God examin straightly the actions of Infidels much more wyll he doe of careles Christians 148 The daungerous and most dreadfull deuision from God our Sauiour and the Communion of Saints page 149. The fourth Chapter That the seruice which God requireth of man in thys present life is Religion with the particuler confirmations of Christian Religion aboue all other in the worlde What speciall poynts are handled in thys Chapter and first for the formost part An aunswer to the demaund what seruice God requireth of vs concerning religion pietie and obseruaunce wyth theyr differences 151,152 The internall and externall acts and operations of Religion page 152 No way left to obtaine this seruice but the light and instruction of Christian Religion 153 Howe men in olde time were saued wythout Christian Religion 154 The difference betweene our beleefe and the olde Fathers 155 Diuers testimonies from GOD of the thinges that we beleeue The principall heads of thys Chapter deuided into three parts and handled in foure Sections 1. The things that past before the natiuitie incarnation of Christ. 160. 2. The thinges doone and verified from that time vntill his ascention 160. 3. Such euents as happened for confirmation of his Deitie after his departure page 160 The first Section Howe Christ was foretold both to Iewe Gentile declared in foure considerations 161. The first consideration touching the Messias promised 161 The first couenaunt to Adam in Paradise 162 The same promise to Abraham and Isaac 163 Iacobs prophecie of the comming of Christ. 164 Moses prophecie of Christ liuing in the wildernâ—sse with the people c. page 166 Dauids prophecie of Christ foure hundred yeeres after page 167 Ieremies prophecie of Christ four hundred yeeres after Dauid page 169 Ezechiels prophecie of Christ wherein hee is called by the name of Dauid 170 The prophecies of Esay touching Christ wyth hys wonderfull properties 171 172 Daniels prophecie of Christ in the ende of Babilons captiuitie page 173 The seconde Consideration that Christ should be both God and man sixe waies prooued page 176 1. That he should crush the deuill and breake his heade page 177 2. That hee shoulde be a Ruler in Israell and hys name God page 178 3. That he should be called Iehoua wyth the interpretation of the Rabbines 179 4. That hee shoulde be called the very Sonne of God page 182 5. That he should be the word of the father 183 6. Learned Philo his discourse for the returne home of the banished Iewes page 185 The thyrd consideration whether Christ shold chaunge the law of Moses or no. 187 Moses Law was an imperfect Law bringing nothing to perfection page 187 The newe Lawe of Christ and the perfections thereof page 189 The reprobation of the olde Lawe with a promise of a newe 191 The fourth consideration wherin all particulers are fore-tolde of Christ for his incarnation birth life death and resurrection 193 194 The fift consideration touching manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles 195 Three particuler waies whereby the Gentiles myght heare of Christ. page 197 Prophecies touching Christ among the Gentiles by the Sibyls 200 Of what importaunce authoritie the Greeke verses of the Sibyls were page 201 Foure seuerall proofes for credite of the Sibyls verses 202 203 205 Of the confession of Oracles concerning Christes comming page 209 210 The second Section Howe the former predections were fulfilled in our Sauiour Christ at his beeing vpon earth 212 The first consideration of the appointed tyme for Christes byrth 215 1. proofe The generall state of the worlde at Christes natiuitie the three Monarchies of the Assirians Persians Grecians beeing ended and the Romaines entered into the fourth page 216 2. proofe The peace of all the world at his comming page 217 3. proofe The Scepter of Iuda most horrible murders committed by Herod 218 219 The prophecie of Iacob touching the Scepter of Iuda page 221 That the Scepter neuer fayled in Iuda vntill Herods time page 221 4. proofe The destruction of the seconde Temple page 222 The building of the seconde Temple lesse gorgeous then the first page 223 Fiue speciall prerogatiues of the first Temple page 225 The seconde Temple to be destroyed presently after Christes passion 226 5. proofe The seauentie-two Hebdomades prophecied by Daniell page 227 Why the Angell named seauentie Hebdomades in thys place 228 The exact number of weekes from the building
of the second Temple to the death of Christ sixtie-two 229 6. proofe The traditions and obseruations of the olde Iewes themselues page 230 Christ hydeth himselfe in the Sea 233 7. proofe That out of Iurie should ryse a generall Lord of the vniuersall world 233. 8. proofe The generall expectation of the people page 234 The seconde Consideration concerning the byrth of Christ c. page 237 Iesus lyne and stocke directly of the Trybe of Iuda and lineally by hys mother of the peculiar house of Dauid page 237 The manner of his conception and the message made by the Angell c. 238 Iesus natiuitie and in what manner page 239 The place appointed for the byrth of the Messias page 241 The singing of the Angels and of the name of Iesus page 243 The comming of the three Magi or wyse men of the East page 244 Prophecies of thinges that shoulde fall out in Bethleem 246. Heathen testimonies for the starre which guided the wyse men 247 The presentation of Iesus in Ierusalem 248 Christes flight into Egypt for feare of Herode page 249 The benefit that Egypt receiued by Christes flight vnto it page 250 The thyrd consideration shewing the lyfe conuersation doctrine and miracles of Iesus page 251. Saint Iohn Baptist the Messenger of the Testament page 252 The order of Iesus preaching doctrine 253 The comparison of Christes Lawe wyth that of Moses page 254 The meaning effect of Christes doctrine 255 The life conuersation of Iesus testified by his greatest aduersaries page 256 Of Iesus miracles and of the predictions of the Messias hys miracles 257 The confession of Iesus myracles by his verie enemies page 259 The calling of hys Apostles and other folowers page 260 Externall miracles done by Iesus aboue all power of humaine capacitie page 261 The fourth consideration deliuering the passion resurrection and ascention of Iesus page 264 Christes ascending to Ierusalem to reciue hys passion 265. Hys barbarous abusage fore-told by prophecie as also his death most plainely 266 The wonderfull prediction of hys passion sette downe by the Prophet Esay c. 267 The particulers of hys passion fore-tolde by Sibylla 268 Of the miracles that fell out in his death and passion page 269 Hys resurrection exactly fore-told both to Iewe and Gentile 271 The appearings which Iesus made after his resurrection page 273. Circumstaunces confirming the true resurrection of Iesus 275. The great chaunge in hys Disciples by his Resurrection 276 The examination of the matter by Pilate 277 Pilats Letters to Tyberius and hys proceeding thereupon 278. The opinion of the wiser sort of Iewes touching Iesus resurrection in that tyme. 279 Likeli-hoodes of trueth concerning Iesus ascention page 280. The thyrd Section How Iesus prooued his Deitie after his departure to heauen 282. The first consideration declaring the sustentation protection increase and continuation of Christes little Church kingdome that hymselfe first planted and left vpon earth page 283 The state of Christes first Church in persecution 284 The comming of the holy Ghost and what comforts he brought wyth hym 285 The wonderfull quicke increase of Christ hys Church 287. The increase of Christians against nature 288. The second consideration concerning the Apostles of Christ. 290. The miracles reported of the Apostles could not be feigned neither durst any impugne theyr myracles but by calumniation 292 293. The successe of the Apostles 295 The assuraunce and ioyfull ending of the Apostles 296. The thyrd consideration treating of the Euangelists 297. The dyfferent qualities and circumstaunces of the foure Euangelists 298. Circumstances of trueth in the Euangelists 299 The publishing of the Gospels and the manner of stile vsed by the Euangelists 300. A speciall poynt to be obserued in the Euangelists 301. No doubt but we haue the true writings of the Euangelists page 303. The fourth consideration of Martyrs that by theyr blood should confirme thys doctrine page 304 Three poynts to be considered in our Martyrs and the singuler alacritie of Christians in their sufferings page 305. Iesus assistance to hys Martyrs page 306 The fift consideration concerning the subiection of the infernall spyrits 307 Of the myraculous ceassing of Oracles at Christes appearing 309 The wonderfull authoritie of Christians ouer spyrits page 312 The sixt consideration of the punishment of Christes enemies here on earth 315 Herod Ascolonita Archelaus Herode Antipas Herodias daughter Herode Agrippa and the stocke of Herode soone extinguished 316,317 The punishment of the Romaines 318 The chastisement of Ierusalem of the Iewish people 320 Wyth what circumstaunces Christes death was punished vpon the Iewes 321 A meruailous prouidence of GOD for deliuering the Christians that were in Ierusalem at the tyme of the destruction thereof 323. The Iewish miserie after the destruction of Ierusalem page 324. The finall desolation of the Iewish Nation 325. The seauenth consideration the fulfilling of such speeches and prophecies as Iesus vttered on earth page 326. The circumstaunces of the tyme when Iesus spake hys words and when they were written 328. The testimonie of a Heathen for the fulfilling of Christes prophecies 329. Other prophecies of Iesus fulfilled to his Disciples 329 Prophecies fulfilled in the sight of Gentiles 331. The fourth Section The summe of the three former Sections wyth eyght demonstratiue reasons for better satis-factiō 332. 333. 334. 335. 336. 337. The conclusion of the Chapter with an admonishment 338. An illation vppon the premisses with an exhortation 340. The fift Chapter Howe a man may iudge or discerne of himselfe whether he be a true Christian or not with a declaration of the two parts belonging to that profession which are beleefe and life The matters handled in thys Chapter The first part concerning our beleefe howe to examine the trueth thereof page 345. The matters of fayth and beleefe easie among Christians page 346. The direct holie way of Christians vnder the Gospell page 347. No heresie finally preuailed against the Sciptures page 352. The spirituall sworde wherewith our Sauiour Christ preuailed against Sathan the head Lorde and master of all heretiques 353. What the diligent reading of the Scriptures leadeth vs vnto forsaking the by pathes of mens inuentions and traditions 355. A discription of the forme force and nature of fayth 356. The fulnes of fayth conteyneth in it three especiall thinges 358. That which is meat to the flesh that is faith to the soule 359. A conclusion of this first parte according to Saint Ierome 360. The second part of this Chapter concerning life and manners 362. Two causes of heresie according to the opinion of the holie Fathers of Christes primatiue Church 363. The doings of Precismatiques in handling the Scriptures 363. The obseruation of S. Cyprian concerning the originall causes of heretiques 364. Many causes of euil life as erring in beleefe 364. The effect of Christes most excellent Sermon on the Mountaine 365. A similitude touching faith and workes 367. The summe of faith and workes according to Iames. page