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
Countries tymes places and persons a Law that shold be written in the bowels of our harts a Law that should be tollerable easie sweet plaine light breefe flexible as well to the poore as to the rich a Lawe to conclude that should consist in charitie This signified Moses when he said to his people after hee had deliuered the former Lawe vnto them The Lorde shall rayse vnto you a Prophet of your owne Nation and from among your owne bretheren as my selfe hym shall you heare As though he had saide you shall heare me vntill he come that must be a Law-giuer as my self but yet of a more perfect Lawe and therefore more to be hearde and obeyed And then he addeth who soeuer shall refuse to heare the words of this Prophet I my selfe will reuenge it saith the Lorde GOD. Which wordes can not be verified in anie other Prophet after Moses vntill Christ for that of those Prophets the Scripture sayth There arose no Prophet like vnto Moses in Israell Which is to be vnderstood that they had no authoritie to be Law-makers as Moses had but were all bounde to the obseruation of that Lawe onely which Moses left vntyll Christ came whom Moses heere calleth a Prophet as himselfe that is a Law-maker exhorteth all men to heare and obey him Thys yet is made more playne by the prophecie of Esay who sayth Out of Sion shall come a Lawe and the word of God out of Ierusalem which cannot be vnderstoode of Moses Law that had been published eyght hundred yeeres before thys was spoken that from the Mount Sinai and not from Sion But Christes Lawe began from Sion and Ierusalem and from thence was spred into all the worlde Which the same Esay fore-sawe when talking of the comming of the Messias he sayth In that day there shall be an Altar to God in the midst of the Land of Egipt And the tytle of the Lorde at the ende thereof c. And God shall be knowne to the Egiptians at that daie and they shall honour him with sacrifices and oblations Which words coulde not be verified in the olde Lawe of Moses for that by that Lawe the Egiptians coulde haue neither Aultar nor Sacrifice but at Christes comming it was fulfilled when the Egiptians were made Christians and enioyed both the Aultars and sacrifices that Christians do vse The same thing was fore-told by God in Malachie where hee sayth to the Iewes and of the Iewish sacrifices I haue no pleasure in you neither will I recâ—iue oblations at your handes For that from the vprising of the sunne vnto the going downe therof my name is great among the Gentiles and they doe sacrifice vnto me euerie where and doe offer vnto my name a pure oblation saith the Lorde God of hostes In which words we see first a reprobation of the Iewishe sacrifice and consequently of the Lawe of Moses which dependeth principallie of that sacrifice Secondly wee see that among the Gentiles there should be a pure manner of sacrifice more gratefull vnto GOD then the other was and such as might be performed in euery place of the worlde and not to be tyed to one place onely as the Moisaicall Law and sacrifice was And finally I wil conclude thys whole matter with the expresse wordes of God himselfe concerning the ceremonies and precepts of the old Lawe Dedi eis praecepta non bona iudicia in quibus non viuent I gaue vnto them precepts that were not good and iudgements wherin they shall not lyue That is they were not good to continue perpetually nor shall they lyue in them for euer but vntill the time by mee appointed of which time hee determineth more perticulerly by Ieremie the Prophet in these words Behold the daies shal come and I wil make a newe Couenaunt or Testament with the house of Israell and Iuda not according to that Couenaunt which I made with your Fathâ—rs when I brought them forth of the Lande of Egipt Where you see that at the coÌ„ming of Christ into thys world for of him hys byrth hee talketh at large in thys Chapter there shall be a newe Testament contayning a different Law from that of the olde Testament which was giuen to the Iewes at their going forth of Egipt Thus much then hetherto hath beene shewed that Christ in all ages was fore-told and promised that hee shoulde be GOD and that hys authoritie should be to change the Lawe of Moses that was giuen but for a tyme and to establishe a newe Lawe and Couenaunt and a newe Testament of hys owne that shoulde endure and continue for euer The fourth consideration AND albeit these thinges be very wonderfull and sufficient to establish anie mans beleefe in the world when he shall see them fulfilled which shall be the argument of my seconde Section yet resteth not the Scripture heere but passeth further fore-telleth euery perticuler acte accident circumstaunce that shall fall out of importance about the Messias in his comming incarnation byrth lyfe death and resurrection As for example at what perticuler time season he should appeare Genesis 49. verse 10. That he should be borne of a Virgine Esay 7. ver 14. That the place of hys birth should be the Towne of Bethleem Mich. 5 verse 1. That at hys byrth all the Infants rounde about Bethleem should be slaine for his sake Ieremie 31 verse 15. That the Kinges of the East shoulde come and adore him and offer Gold and other gyfts vnto him Psalme 71. verse 10. That hee shoulde be presented by hys Mother in the Temple of Ierusalem Malach 3 verse 1. That he should â—lee into Egipt and be recalled thence againe Ose 11. verse 2. Esay 19 verse 1. That Iohn Baptist shoulde goe before him and crye in the Desert Esay 40 verse 3. Malac. 3. ver 1. After thys that he should begin his own preaching with all humilitie quietnes and clemencie of spirit Esay 42 verse 2. That he should doe strange miracles and heale all diseases Esay 29 verse 8. and 35 verse 5 61 verse 1. That hee should die for the sins of all the world Esay 53 Daniel 26. That he should be betrayed by his owne Disciple Psalme 40 verse 10 and 54 verse 14 and 108 verse 8. That hee shoulde be solde for thirtie peeces of siluer Zacharie 11 verse 12. That with those thirtie peeces there should be bought afterward a Field of pot-shardes Ieremie 30. That hee should ryde into Ierusalem vpon an Asse before his passion Zacharie 9 verse 9. That the Iewes shoulde beate and buffet hys face and defile the same with spitting vpon him Esay 50 ver 6. That they shoulde whyppe rent and teare his bodie before they put him to death Esay 53 verse 2 Psal 37 verse 18. That they should put hym to death among theeues and malefactors Esay 53 verse 12. That
iam temporis aetas Magnus ab integro saeculorum nascitur ordo Iam redit virgo rediunt Saturnia regna That is nowe is come the last age prophecied by Sibylla called Cumaea now coÌ„meth to be fulfilled the great ordinance and prouidence of God appointed from the beginning of the worlde these were Sibylles words nowe commeth the Virgine and the first golden daies of Saturnus shal return againe Thus much translated Virgil out of Sibylla touching the eternall determination of God for Christes comming into this world as also of hys Mother the Virgine and of the infinite blessinges that shoulde appeare wyth him Nowe ensueth in the same Poet what Sibylla had sayde for Christes actuall natiuitie Iam noua progenies caelo dimittitur alto Chara Deum soboles c. Now a newe progenie or of-spring is sent downe from Heauen the dearely beloued issue or chylde of the Gods And note here that Sibylla sayd plainly Chara Dei soboles the deerely beloued sonne of God and not of Gods but that Virgill would follow the style of hys time And thirdly hee setteth downe out of Sibylla the effect and cause of thys sonne of Gods natiuitie in these words Te duce si qua manent sceleris vestigia nostri Irrita perpetua soluent formidine terras That is thou beeing our leader or Captaine the remnant of our sins shall be made voyde or taken away and shall deliuer the world for euer from feare for the same These are Virgils wordes translated as I sayd out of Sibylla And nowe consider you in reason whether these prophecies might be applyed as Virgil applyed theÌ„ to those poore chyldren in Rome or no who dyed soone after thys flattery of Virgill wythout dooing good eyther to themselues or to others Albeit perhaps in thys point the Poet be to be excused in that he beeing not able to imagine what the Sibyl should mean made hys aduantage thereof in applying the same to the best pleasing of Augustus These then are the proofes which Constantine vsed for the credite and authoritie of the Sibyll verses And of Sibylla Erithraea in perticuler that made the Accrostike verses before mentioned of Christes death passion he concludeth in these wordes These are the things which fell from heauen into the minde of this Virgine to fore-tell For which cause I am induced to account her for blessed whom our Sauiour did vouchsafe to chuse for a Prophet to denounce vnto the worlde his holie prouidence towardes vs. And we may consider in thys whole dyscourse of Constantine for authoritie of these verses Fyrst that he vseth onely the testimony of such wryters as lyued before Christ was borne or Christians once thought vppon Secondly that hee vseth these proofes to no meaner audience then to a Councell congregation of learned men Thyrdly that he was an Emperour which vseth them that is one that had meanes to see and examine the originall Copies in the Romaine Treasury Fourthly for that hee had great learned men about him who were skilfull and would be diligent in the searche of such an antiquitie of importaunce especially Lactantius that was Maister to his sonne Crispus and who most of any other Author reciteth and confirmeth the sayd Sibyls verses and Eusebius Caesariensis that wrote the Ecclesiasticall hystorie and recorded thys Oration of Constantine therein And finally we may consider that Constantine was the first publique Christian Emperour liued within three hundred yeeres after Christ when the Recordes of the Romans were yet whole to be seene He was a religious vvise and graue Emperour and therefore woulde neuer haue bestowed so much labor to confirme such a thing at such a time to such an audience had not the matter been of singuler importance And thus much of the second point touching Prophets among the Gentiles Of the confessyon of Oracles concerning Christes comming THere remaineth onely a word or two to be spoken of the thirde which is of the confession of deuils and Oracles concerning Christes comming especially when the time of hys appearance drew neere and that they beganne to fore-tell his power and vertue Wherin as I might alleage diuers examples recorded by the Gentiles themselues so for that I haue been some what long in the former points and shall haue occasion to saie more of this matter in another place heereafter I wyll touch onely heere two Oracles of Apollo concerning thys matter The one wherof was to a Priest of his owne that demaunded him of true Relgion and of God to whom he aunswered thus in Greeke O thou vnhappie Priest why doost thou aske mee of God that is the father of all thinges and of this most renoumed Kings deere onely sonne and of the spirit that containeth all c. Alas that spirit will enforce me shortly to leaue thys habitation and place of Oracles The other Oracle was to Augustus Caesar euen about the very time that Christ was ready to appeare in flesh For whereas the sayd Emperor now drawing into age would needes goe to Delphos and there learne of Apollo who should raigne after hym and what should become of things when he was dead to which demaund Apollo for a great space wold make no aunswere notwithstanding Augustus had beene very liberall in making the great sacrifice called Hecatombe But in the ende when the Emperour began to iterate hys sacrifice againe and to be instant for an aunswer Apollo as it were inforced vttered these strange words vnto him An Hebrue childe that ruleth ouer the blessed Gods commaundeth me to leaue this habitation and out of hand to gette me to hell But yet doe you depart in silence from our Aultars Thus much was Apollo inforced to vtter of hys owne miserie of the comming of the Hebrue boy that shold put him to banishment But yet the deceytfull spirit to holde stil hys credite would not haue the matter reuealed to many Whereupon Augustus falling into a great musing with himselfe what thys aunswere might import returned to Rome and builded there an Aultar in the Capitole wyth thys Latine inscription as Nicephorê° affirmeth Ara primogeniti Dei The Aultar of Gods first begotten Sonne Thus then haue I declared howe that the comming of Gods sonne into the world was fore-tolde both to Iewe and Gentile by all meanes that possibly in reason myght be deuised that is by prophecies signes figures ceremonies tradition and by the confession of the deuils themselues Not onelie that hys comming was fore-tolde but also why and for what cause he was for to come that is to be the onely Sauiour of the world to die for the sinnes of all men to ordayne a new Law more perfect Common-wealth Howe also he was to come to wit in mans flesh in likenes of sinne in pouertie humilitie The time likewyse of his appearance was prefigured together with the manner of hys byrth life actions death resurrection and ascention
And finally nothing can be more desired for the fore-knowledge of any one thing to come then was deliuered and vttered concerning the Messias before that euer Christ or Christians were talked of in the world Nowe then remaineth it to consider examine whether these particularities fore-told so long agoe of the Messias to come doe agree in Christ whoÌ„ we acknowledge for the true Messias And thys shall be the subiect or argument of all the rest of our speech in thys Chapter How the former predictions were fulfilled in our Sauiour Christ at his being vpon earth SECT 2. ALbeit in the points before recited which are to be fulfilled in the Messias at hys comming wee haue some controuersie and dysagreement with the Iewe as hath beene shewed yet our principal contention in theÌ„ all is wyth the Gentiles and Heathen that beleeue no Scriptures For that in dyuers of the former Articles the Iewe standeth wyth vs and for vs and offereth hys life in defence thereof as farre forth as if he were a Christian In so much that the Gentile oftentimes is inforced to meruaile when he seeth a people so extreamely bent one against another as the Iewes are against Christians and yet doe stande so peremptorilie in defence of those verie principles which are the proper causes of theyr disagreement But hereunto the Iewe maketh aunswer that hys dysagreement from vs is in the application of those principles For that in no wise he will allowe that they were or may be verified in Iesus And heerein he standeth against vs much more obstinately then doth the Gentile For that the Gentile as soone as he commeth once to vnderstand and beleeue the prophecies of Scripture hee maketh no doubt or difficultie in the application thereof for that he seeth the same most euidently fulfilled in our Sauiour Christ. Which is the cause that few or no Gentiles since Christes appearaunce haue come to be Iewes but that presently also they passed ouer to bee Christians But the Iewe by no meanes will be mooued to yeelde albeit hee haue neither scripture nor reason or probabilitie for hys defence Which among other things is a verie greate argument to proue that Iesus was the true Messias indeede seeing that among the markes of the true Messias sette downe by Gods Prophets thys was one that he shold be refused of the Iewish Nation Heerehence aâ—e those wordes of the holy Ghost so long before vttered The stone which the builders refused is made the head stone of the corner this is doone by God and is meruailous in our eyes Heerehence is that great complaint of Esay touching the incredulitie and obstinacie of his people against their Messias at his comming which Moses also long before Esay expressed most effectually It maketh then not a little for our cause gentle Reader that the Iewish Nation is so wilfully bent against vs and that they refused Christ so peremptorily at hys beeing among them For whom soeuer that Nation should receiue and acknowledge it were a great argument by scripture that hee were not indeede the true Messias But yet to demonstrate to the worlde what little shewe of reason they haue in standing thus against theyr owne saluation and in refusing Christ as they doe I will in as great breuitie as I may runne ouer the cheefe poynts that passed at hys beeing vpon earth and therby examine by the testimonies of his greatest enemies whether the fore-sayd prophecies and all other signes which haue beene from the beginning to fore-tell vnto vs the true Messias were fulfilled in hym and his actions or no. And for that the matters are many and dyuers that will come hereiâ— to be handleâ—â— I wyl for order sake reduce all to foure considerations Whereof the first shal be touching the tyme fore-prophecied of the comming of Messias whether the same agreed with Christes natiuitie or no. The seconde shall be of diuers particulars that passed in Christes incarnation byrth circumcision other accidents vntill the time that he began to preach The third shall be of hys life conuersation myracles doctrine The fourth and last shall be of his passion death resurrection and ascention In all which as I said before I wyll vse no one Authour or testimonie of our owne side for approouing any thing that is in controuersie between vs but all shall passe by tryall eyther of theyr owne scriptures or of manifest force and consequence of reason or els by expresse recorde of our professed enemies The fyrst Consideration FOR the first then concerning the tyme which is the principall and head of al the rest it is to be noted that by consent of all Writers both Pagan Iewish and Christian IESVS whom we beleeue and confesse to be true CHRIST was borne the twentie-fiue day of December in the ende of the fortie-one yeere of the raigne of the Emperour Augustus Caesar which was fifteene yeeres before hys raigne ended Also in the beginning of the thirtie-three yeere of Herods raigne in Iurie which was foure yeeres and more before hys death And from the beginning of the worlde as some account foure thousand one hundred ninetie-nine And as others doe account it foure thousand foure-score and nyne for that in thys poynt betweene the Hebrues and the Graecians there is a difference of some litle more then a hundred yeeres concerning theyr reckoning The state of the worlde at Christes natiuitie was this The three Monarchies of the Assyrians Persians and Graecians were past ouer and ended the Romains were entered into the fourth that was greater then any of the rest according to the prophecie of Daniell fyue hundred yeeres before Octauius Caesar surnamed Augustus after fiue ciuil warres by himselfe waged and after infinite broyles and bloodshed in the worlde raigned peaceably alone for many yeeres together and in token of an vniuersall peace ouer all the earth hee caused the Temple gates of Ianus to be shut according to the custome of the Romans in such cases albeit thys had happened but twice before from the building of Rome vnto that tyme. And the very same day that Christ was borne in Iurie Augustus commaunded in Rome as afterward was obserued that no man shold call hym Lorde thereby to signifie the free libertie rest ioy and securitie wherein all men were after so long miseries which by continuall warres the worlde had suffered By thys we gather first that thys tyme of Christes birth agreed exactly with the prophecie so long before sette down in Daniell who lyued in the first Monarchie that after hys tyme there shoulde be three Monarchies more and the last biggest of all at whose appearing the Messias shoulde come and builde vppe Gods kingdome throughout all the world Secondly we see that fulfilled which Esay the Prophet aboue a hundred yeeres before Daniell fore-told that at the comming of Christ people shoulde sitte in
testimonie and confirmation hereof they were most ready to spend their liues And could all thys trow you proceed onely of a dead bodie which they had gotten by stealth into their possession woulde not rather the presence and sight of such a bodie so torne mangled and deformed as Iesus bodie was both vpon the Crosse and before haue rather dismayed them more then haue giuen them comfort Yes truelie And therfore Pilate the Gouernor considering these circumstaunces and that it was vnlikelie that eyther the body shoulde be stolne awaie without priuitie of the Souldiours or if it had been that it should yeeld such life hart consolation courage to the stealers beganne to giue eare more diligentlie to the matter and calling to him the Souldiers that kept the watch vnderstood by theÌ„ the whole trueth of the accident to wit that in theyr sight and presence Iesus was risen out of his Sepulcher to life that at hys rysing there was so dreadfull an earthquake with trembling and opening of Sepulchers rounde about such skriches cries and commotion of all elements as they durst not abide longer but ran and told the Iewish Magistrates thereof who beeing greatly discontented as it seemed with the aduertisement gaue theÌ„ money to say that while they were sleeping the body was stolne away from them by his Disciples All thys wrote Pilate presently to hys Lorde Tyberius who was then Emperor of Rome And hee sent withall the particular examinations coÌ„fessions of diuers others that had seene and spoken with such as were rysen from death at that time had appeared to many of theyr acquaintance in Ierusalem assuring them also of the resurrection of Iesus Which informations when Tyberius the Emperor had coÌ„sidered he was greatly mooued therewith and proposed to the Senate that Iesus might be admitted among the rest of the Romaine Gods offering hys owne consent with the priuiledge of his supreame royall suffrage to that decree But the Senate in no wise woulde agree thereunto Whereupon Tyberius beeing offended gaue licence to all men to beleeue in Iesus that would and forbid vpon pain of death that any Officer or other shoulde molest or trouble such as bare good affection zeale or reuerence to that name Thus much testifieth Tertulian against the Gentiles of hys own knowledge who liuing in Rome a learned man and pleader of causes diuers yeeres before he was a Christian which was about one hundred and foure-score yeres after our Sauiour Christes ascention had great abilitie by reason of the honour of his familie learning and place wherein he liued to see and know the Records of the Romains And the same doth affirme also Egisippus an other auncient Wryter of no lesse authoritie then Tertulian before whom he liued Neither onely diuers Gentiles had thys opinion of Iesus Resurrection againe from death but also sundry Iewes of great credit and wisedome at that time were inforced to beleeue it notwithstanding it pleased not God to giue them so much grace as to become Christians Thys appeareth plainly by the learned Iosephus who writing his storie not aboue fortie yeres after Christes passion tooke occasion to speake of Iesus and of his Disciples And after he had shewed how he was Crucified by Pilate at the instance of the Iewes and that for all thys his disciples ceassed not to loue him styll hee adioyneth forthwith these words Idcirco illis tertio die vita resumpta denuo apparuit That is for this loue of his Disciples he appeared vnto theÌ„ againe the third day when hee had resumed life vnto him Which expresse plaine and resolute words we may in reason take not as the confession onely of Iosephus but as the common iudgement opinion and sentence of all the discreete sober men of that time layde downe and recorded by thys Historiographer In whose dayes there were yet manie Christians aliue that had seene spoken with Iesus after hys Resurrection and infinite Iewes that had hearde the same protested by their fathers bretheren Kins-folke and freendes who had beene themselues eye witnesses thereof And thus hauing declared and prooued the Resurrection of our Sauiour Iesus bothe howe it was fore-shewed as also fulfilled there remaineth nothing more of necessitie to be said in this Section For that who soeuer seeth and acknowledgeth that Iesus being dead could rayse himselfe againe to life will easily beleeue also that he was able likewise to ascende vppe to heauen Whereof notwithstanding Saint Luke alleageth one hundred and twentie witnesses at the least in whose presence he ascended from the top of the Mount Oliuet after fortie daies space which he had spent with them froÌ„ the time of hys Resurrection Hee alleageth also the appearing of two Angels among al the people for testimonie thereof He nameth the day and place when where it happened Hee recounteth the very wordes that Iesus spake at his ascention He telleth the manner how he ascended and howe a Clowde came downe and receiued him into it out of their â—ight He declareth what the multitude did whether they went and in what place they remained afer theyr departure thence And finally hee setteth downe so many perticulers as it had beene the easiest matter in the worlde for his enemies to haue refuted hys narration if all had not been true Neyther was there any to receiue more domage by the falshood thereof then himselfe those of hys profession if the matter had beene feigned Wherefore to conclude at length thys treatise of the Byrth Life Doctrine Actions Death Resurrection and Ascention of Iesus seeing nothing hath happened in the same which was not forâ—-told by the Prophets of God nor any thing foreshewed by the same Prophets coÌ„cerning the Messias which was not fulfilled most exactly within the compasse and course of Iesus abode vppon earth we may most certainly assure our selues that as God can neyther fore-tell an vntruth nor yeelde testimonie to the same so can it not be but that these thinges which wee haue shewed to haue been so manifestly foreprophecied so euidently accomplished must needes assure vs that Iesus was the true Messias Which thing shal yet more particularly appeare by that which ensued by his power and vertue after his ascention which shall be the argument of the next Section which followeth Howe Iesus prooued his Deitie after his departure to heauen SECT 3. AS by the deedes and actions of IESVS while he was vpon the earth compared with the predictions of Gods Prophets from time to time he hath beene declared in the former Sections to be the true Messias and Sauiour of the worlde so in thys that nowe we take in hande shall the same be shewed by such thinges as ensued after his ascention and departure from this world Wherein his power and Deitie appeared more manifestlie if it may be so spoken then in other his workes which hee wrought in his life In which kind albeit
Arte-Magick Thus said the Iewes of the miracles of Iesus and so sayd Iulian the Apostata of the wonderfull strange things doone by S. Peter and Saint Paule affirming them to haue beene the most expert in Magick of any that euer lyued that Christ wrote a special booke of that profession and dedicated the same to Peter and Paule whereas notwithstanding it is most euident that Paule was a persecutor diuers yeeres after Christ departed One Hierocles also wrote a booke wherin he feigned Appolonius Tyanaeus to haue doone the lyke myracles by Magicke which Christ and hys Apostles did by diuine power And finally it is a generall opinion â—â—aâ— both Nero and Iulian gaue themselues so extreamely to the studie of that vaine Science as no men euer dyd the like vppon emulation only of the miracles done in Rome by Peter and Paule when Nero liued and by other Saints and Disciples in the tyme of Iulian But what was the end Plinie that was a Pagan writeth thus of Nero that as no man euer laboured more then he in that Science so no man euer left a more certaine testimonie of the meruailous exceeding vanitie thereof The like in effect wryteth Zosimus of Iulian albeit himselfe a malitious Heathen And if it were not written yet theyr seuerall extraordinarie calamities and most miserable deathes which by all their Magick they coulde not fore-see doth sufficientlie testifie the same vnto vs especially the last words of Iulian Uicisti Galilaee vicisti Thou hast wonne ô Galilaean thou hast gotten the victorie Acknowledging thereby as wel the trueth of Christes myracles and of his folowers as also the vanitie follie and madnes of hys owne endeuours Thus then went forward Christes Apostles preached him euery where throughout the world Domino cooperante sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis that is as S. Marke affirmeth the Lorde Iesus working with them and confirming theyr preaching by signes and myracles In respecte of which benigne assistance of Iesus in theyr actions Saint Luke sayth further they dealt most confidently in the Lord his word of grace giuing testimonie vnto their dooings and shevving foorth signes and most prodigious wonders by their hands No persecution no terrour no threates of enemies no difficultie or daunger that might occurre coulde stay theÌ„ from theyr course of setting foorth Christes name and glorie And they were so assured of the trueth by the inwarde illuminations which they had and by thys certaine testimonie of Gods fauour and assistance in dooing myracles â—s one of them wryteth thus That which wee haue hearde which wee haue seene with our eyes which we haue beheld which our hands haue handled of the word of life that we doe testifie announce vnto you And another who had beene a greeuous persecutor and was conuerted wythout any conference with any Christian in the world sayd of Iesus that was dead and risen againe that neither tribulation nor distresse nor famine nor beggerie nor danger nor persecution nor dint of sword could daunt him from the seruice of such a Mayster And in another place he sayth that hee esteemed all things of thys world wherein a man might glorie to be as very dounge and detriments in respect of the eminent knowledge that is hys worde of his Lorde Iesus Christ. In which very name he tooke so exceeding great delight as in a fewe Epistles which he left written he is obserued to haue vsed this sentence Dominus noster Iesus Christus aboue two hundred times Neyther endured thys in these Apostles for a tyme onely but all theyr liues which as they spent the same with alacritie in the seruice of Iesus so in the ende they gaue vp the same most cheerefully to what soeuer death presented it selfe for confirmation sealing of theyr former doctrine neuer so full of confidence courage and consolation as at that houre nor euer so boldly denouncing theyr Maister or talking so ioyfully of rewards Crownes and kingdomes as at the very last instant vpshotte of their worldly combat Thys then declareth most manifestly that the actions of these men proceeded not of humaine spirit nor could be performed by the power of man but by the diuine force supernaturall assistance of their Lord and God whom they confessed The thyrd Consideration AND thus much in breuitie of Christes Apostles There ensue next his Euangelists that is such men as haue left vnto vs written hys byrth life doctrine and death Wherein is to be noted that Iesus beeing God tooke a different way froÌ„ the custome of man in deliuering vnto vs his Lawes and precepts For that men who haue been law-makers vnto the world knewe no surer way of publishing theyr Lawe and procuring authoritie to the same then to write them with their owne handes and in theyr life time to establish theyr promulgation So Lycurgus Solon others among the Graecians Numa to the Romaines Mahomet to the Sarafins and diuers other in like manner But Iesus to shew hys diuine power in directing the penne and style of his Euangelists would not leaue any thing written by himselfe but passed from thys world in simplicitie and silence wythout any further shew or ostentation of hys owne doings meaning notwithstanding by hys eternall wisedome that the prophecie of Ezechiell shoulde be fulfilled which fore-signified the beeing of his foure irrefragable witnesses which day night without rest shold preach extoll magnifie theyr Lord Maister to the worlds end Foure then were fore-prophecied and foure as wee see by Gods prouidence were prouided to fulfill the same prophecie The first and last are two Apostles that wrote as they had seene The two middle are two disciples who registred things as they had vnderstoode by conference with the Apostles The first Gospell was written by an Apostle to giue light and open the way to al the rest And the last in like manner was written by an Apostle to giue authoritie and confirmation to all the former The first was written in the Hebrue or Iewish tongue for that Iesus actions were done in that Countrie to the ende that thereby eyther the whole Nation might beleeue them or the obstinate impugne them The other three were wrytten in the publique tongues of all other Nations that is in the Greeke Romaine languages if it be true which diuers holde that S. Markes Gospell was first written in Latine They wrote theyr stories in diuers Countries each one remaining farre distant from another and yet agreed they all as wee see most exactlie in the very same narration They wrote in diuers times the one after the other and yet the latter did neyther correct nor reprehend any thing in the former They published theyr stories when infinite were aliue that knewe the facts and manie more that desired to impugne them They sette downe in most of theyr particuler narrations the time
any man but in trueth shall hée bring forth iudgement He shall not be sorrowfull nor turbulent c. And finally in the forty nine Chapter he alleageth the words of God the Father vnto Christ touching hys commission in this sort It is too-little that thou be to me a seruaunt to raise vp the Trybes of Iacob and to conuert vnto me the drâ—gs of Israell Beholde I haue appointed thee also â—or a light vnto the Gentiles that thou be my saluation vnto the vttermost parts of the earth DANIELS PROPHECIE OF CHRIST AND to conclude thys matter without alleaging more prophecies for the same which in trueth are infinite throughout the Bible Daniell that liued in the ende of the captiuitie of Babylon a little before Aggaeus Zacharias and Malachias who were the last Prophets that euer florished among the Iewes almost fiue hundred yeeres before the natiuitie of Christ thys Daniell I say reporteth of himselfe that beeing in Babylon and hauing fasted worne sacke-cloth and prayed long vnto God there came the Angel Gabriell vnto him at the time of euening sacrifice and fore-told him not onely of the deliuerance of the people of Israell from the captiuitie of Babylon out of hande for that the seauentie yeres of their punishment fore-told by Ieremie were now expired but also he tolde him further that the time of the vniuersall deliueraunce of man-kind from the bondage and captiuitie of sinne was nowe shortenedâ— and that after seuentie Hebdomades which as shall be shewed after make vppe iust the tyme that passed from the rebuilding of the Temple of Ierusalem after theyr deliueraunce from Babylon vnto the byrth of Christ there should be borne the Sauiour of the world and be put to death for the redemption of man-kinde The Angels words are these I am come to shewe vnto thee O Daniell for that thou art a man of good desires And therefore doe thou marke my speeche and vnderstande thys vision The seauentie hebdomades are shortened vppon thy people and vpon thy holy Cittie to the end preuarication may be consumed and sin receiue an end to the ende iniquitie may be blotted out and eternall iustice brought in her place and to the ende visions and prophecies may be fulfilled and the SAINT OF SAINTS annoynted Knowe thou therefore and marke that from the end of the speech for rebuilding of Ierusalem vnto Christ the CAPTAINE there shall be hebdomades seuen and hebdomades sixtie two and after sixtie two hebdomades Christ shal be put to death and the people which shall denie him shall not be his people I might passe on further to other Prophets and make no ende if I would alleage what might be sayde in thys behalfe for that the whole Scripture runneth all to this one point to fore-tell and manifest Christ by signes figures parables prophecies and for thys cause was it principally written But that which is already spoken shall be sufficient for our first consideration whereby is seene that among the Iewes from age to age Christ was prophecied and fore-tolde together with the eternitie of hys kingdom that shoulde be spirituall The second consideration NOwe followeth there a second consideration of the qualitie of Christes person of no lesse importaunce then the former and wherein the later Iewes doe more dyscent from vs that is of the God-head of the Messias promised I say the later Iewes or Rabines are different heerein from vs as also they are in many other poynts and articles wherein theyr auncestors that were no Christians did fully agree Euen as all Heretiques are wont to doe that first breake in one point and then in another from the true Catholique fayth of Christ to followe mens traditions and so doe runne on from one to one making themselues in all thinges as dislike as they can for hatred of that vnitie whereunto theyr pryde wyll not suffer them to returne So is it in the generation of this reprobate people who first agreed wyth vs in all or most pointes touching Christ to come and denyed onely the fulfilling or applycation thereof in Iesus our Sauiour but afterward theyr vngracious of-spring beeing not able to stand in that issue against vs deuised a newe plea and betooke themselues to a far higher degree of impietie affirming that wee attribute many thinges vnto Iesus that were not fore-tolde of the Messias to come and among other that he shoulde be God and the sonne of God and the second person in Trinitiâ— c. But heerein no doubt these obstinate and gracelesse men doe shewe themselues both ignoraunt of theyr own Scriptures and disagreeing from the wrytings of theyr own fore-fathers For as for scriptures it is â—uident by all or most of the Prophets allâ—â—ged before that Christ or the Messias must be GOD and the sonne of God indued wyth mans nature that is both man and God So in Genesis where he is called the sâ—ede of the woman it is apparent that he shall be man and in the same place when hee is promised to crush the deuill and breake his heade vvho can do thys but onely God Likewise when he is called Germen Iehouae the seede of our Lord God his God-head is signified as is hys man-heade also when in the same place he is named the fâ—uite of the earth Who can interprete these speeches That his kingdom shall be euerlasting That he shall endure vntil the Moone be taken away after That God begate him before Lucifer was created That no man can tell or recounte his generation That all Nations and Angels must adore him That he must sitte at the right hande of God and many other such speeches pronounced directly and expresly of the Messias who I say can vnderstand or interprete them but of God seeing that in man they cannot be verified And as for the last of these testimonies concerning Christes sitting at hys Fathers right hande three of our Euangelists doe report that Iesus did blanck diuers of the learnedest Pharisies with alleaging onelie these words of Dauid The Lord said to my Lord sitte at my right-hande vntill I put thine enemies as thy foote-stoole For saide Iesus yf Christ be Dauids sonne howe did Dauid call hym hys Lord signifying heereby that albeit the Messias was to be Dauids Sonne according to his man-head yet was he to be Dauids Lorde according to his God-heade And so doe both Rabbi Ionathan and the publique Commentaries of the Hebrues interprete the place Micheas is plaine And thou Bethleem out of thee shall proceede a RVLER in Israel and his going soorth is from the beginning and from the dayes of eternitie This cannot be vnderstoode of any mortall man that euer was or shall be But yet Esay goeth further when he sayth A little child is borne vnto vs and a young sonne is giuen vnto vs and his principalitie is vpon his owne shoulder and his name shall be GOD the
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