and popular language of all nations at that time to wit the Greek toÌ„gue They wrote their stories in divers countries farre distant one from another and yet agreed they all most exactly in one and the same narration as is to be seene though diversly related yet in truth and substance all one one sometymes supplying vvhat another hath not according to the discretion of one and the same spirit vvherevvith they vvere all guyded and directed like those four beasts in Ezech. 1.12 Everie one went streight forward whither their spirit ledde them they returned not They vvrote in divers times one after another and yet the later did neyther correct nor reprehend any thing in the former as heathen vvriters use to doe They published their vvritings vvhen infinite vvere aliue that knevve the facts and of them no small number vvho desired by all meanes to impugne them They set dovvne in most of their narrations the tyme the daye the hour the place the village the house the persons vvith all other circumstances vvhich the moe they are in number the more easie to be refuted if they were not true Neyther did they write of things donne in farre Countries or places remote but in the same Countrie where they were borne in townes and cities that were publiquely knowne in Ierusalem it self in Bethania and Bethsaida villages hard by Ierusalem in the Suburbs and hills about the citie in such a street at such a gate in such a porch of the temple at such a fishpoole publique places familiarly knowne to everie one for these things were not done in a corner as sayth the Apostle All which circumstances duly considered never yet impugned me thinks should perswade any man of reason to become a Christian as Agrippa in that verie place acknowledgeth to Paul saying almost thou perswadest me to become a Christian. They published their writings in their life time They altered not their writings afâ—erwards as other Authors are wont in their latter Editions nor ever corrected they one jote of that which they had first sâ—t downe And that which never happened in any other writings in the world besides nor ever monarch was able to bring to passe for credite of his Edicts they gaue their liues for defence and justifying of that which they had written Their maner of writing is sincere simple as becommeth so divine a Historie without all art or Rhethoricall amplifications as Historians use They flatter none no not Iesus himself whom they most adore nor in confessing him to be their God doe they conceale his infirmities of flesh in that he was man as his hunger and thirst his being werie how he wept his passions of feare and the like Nay these Evangelists were so sincere and religious in their narrations as they noted especially the imperfections of themselues and of such others as they principally respected Mathew nameth himself Mathew the Publican Mark Peters Disciple recordeth how S. Peter thrise denyed his Lord and Master and so of the rest These mens writings were published for canonicall and received for undoubted truth by all that lived in the verie same age and were privie to everie particular circumstance therein conteyned They were copied abroad into infinite mens hands and so conserved with all care and reverence as holy and divine Scripture They were read in Churches throughout all Countries and nations expounded preached and taught by all Pastors and Commentaries made upon them by holy Fathers from tyme to tyme. So that no doubt can be made at all eyther of the Authoritie of them as originally and immediately proceeding from the Holy Ghost or of the certaintie but that we haue the verie same incorrupt as the Authors left them for that it was impossible for any enemie to corrupt so manie copies over the world without discoverie and resistance And thus much for the credite and authoritie of our Evangelists The confession of Martyrs NOw for the Martyrs or witnesses appoynted by God for the sealing deliverie of this doctrine of the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ to all the world they were first and principally his owne Apostes and Disciples Now ye are witnesses of these things Who both heard his doctrine and sawe his myracles as S. Iohn testifieth that which wee haue heard which we haue seene with our eyes c. That I say which we haue seene and heard declare we unto you And S. Peter For we followed no deceiueable fables when we opened unto you the power and comming of our Lord Iesus Christ but with our eyes we sawe his majestie This doctrine I say of the glorious Gospel of our Lord and Saviour whereof they were so fully perswaded they did not onely professe it with their mouthes yea euen before Kings and were not ashamed as God sayth to Paul as thou hast testified of me in Ierusalem so must thou beare witnes also at Rome thou must be brought before Caesar but in witnes thereof they gaue up their liues and by their deaths sealed and delivered to the world the truth of that which in their liues they professed they haue sealed that God is true These are witnesses worthy to be beleeved these are Martyres Next to these are all those holy Disciples of theirs all those holy confessors of the Primitiue Church put to death with most exquisite torments under those cruell Roman tyrants during those tenne famous persecutions upon record called the ten persecutions Catexochen in respect of the rage furie and crueltie thereof and all against poore harmeles and innocent Christians dayly toâ—ne in pieces butchered by those wolues as sheep appointed for the slaughter whereof our Saviour long before had forewarned his Disciples Behold I sâ—nd you as lambes among wolues c. persecuted euen to the death for the Word of God and for the testimonie which they mâ—inteined In vvhich extreame most incredible sufferings of Christians three points are vvorthie of great consideration The first vvhat infinite multitudes of all estates conditions sexes qualities and age did suffer dayly for testimonie of this truth The second what intollerable and unaccustumed torments not heard of in the world before were devised by tyrants for afflicting this kind of people Thirdly and lastly what invincible courage and unspeakable alacritie these Christians shewed in bearing out these afflictions and torments which the enemies themselues could not attribute but to some divine powre and supernaturall assistance The subjection of Spirits ANother consideration followeth of his divine powre omnipotencie declared and exercised upon the spirits infernall which in those dayes spake in the oracles and till that time had possessed and deluded all nations Heare the complaint of one of them Hei mihi congemiscite hei mihi hei mihi oraculorum defecit me claritas Woe unto me lament ye with me woe woe to me for that the honour of oracles hath now forsaken me Which woefull complaint is nothing els but a
Promise to Adam THe first promise as touching the Messiah is this made to Adam after his fal for the restoring of mankind to witte that the seed of the woman should breake the serpents head that is to say one of her seed to be borne in tyme should conquer the divel death and sinne as the auncient Iewes understand this place which being a spirituall conquest and against a spirituall enemie the divel he I meane the Messiah must needs be a spirituall and consequently not a temporall King as the Iewes imagine Gods Promise to Abraham THe second to Abraham Isaack Iaacob often repeated To Abraham Gen. 12.3 In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed To Isaack Gen. 26.4 In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed To Iaakob Gen. 28.14 In thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed Therefore the Gentiles aswell as the Iewes the blessing is generall without exception all the families of the earth all nations no prerogatiue of the Iewe no exception of the Gentile as touching the Messiah I meane the benefit of this so generall and great a blessing though otherwise much everie waye as the Apostle reasoneth to the Romans Whereupon I inferre as before that the Messiah must be a spirituall and not a temporall King otherwise it had been but a verie small benediction to Abraham or others after him who neaver sawe their Messiah actually if he must haue been onely a temporall King and much lesse blessing had it been to us Gentiles if this Messiah of the Iewes must haue been a worldly and a temporall Monarch to destroy and subdue all those Nations formerly blessed and blessed shall they be to the servitude of Iurie as the later Teachers doe imagine The Prophecie of Iaakob THe third which confirmeth the former is the prophecie of Iaacob at his death Gen. 49.10 The rodde or scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a Lawgiver from between his feet till Shiloh come and the people or nations shall be gathered vnto him Which the Chaldie Paraphrase as also Onkelos both of singuler authoritie among the Iewes doe interpret thus Vntill Christ or the Messiah come which is the hope and expectation of all nations aswell Gentiles as Iewes the government shall not cease in the house or Tribe of Iuda Whence I inferre the same conclusion as before that if the Messiah must be the hope and expectation aswell of the Gentiles as of the Iewes then can he not be a temporall King to destroy the Gentiles as the later Iewes would haue it but a spirituall King as before hath been declared Secondly if the temporall Kingdome of the house of Iuda whereof the Messiah must come shall cease and be destroyed a◠his comming and not before that being a certayne signe of the tyme of his manifestation how then can the Iewes expect yet a temporall King for their Messiah the scepter alreadie departed gonne their kingdome and priesthood defaced their citie and temple destroyed themselues scattered amongst all nations and so haue continued almost this sixteene hundreth yeeres yea such a fatall and finall desolation by Gods just judgment brought upon that wofull Nation that not many yeares after the death and passion of our Saviour Iesus Christ according to his prophecie in his life tyme as may fully settle our fayth in this poynt The Prophecie of Moses THe fourth is that of Moses to the people of Israel The Lord thy God will rayse up unto thee a Prophet like unto me from among you euen of thy bretheren unto him ye shall hearken c. and in the verses following I will rayse them up a prophet from among their bretheren like unto thee sayth God to Moses and will put my words in his mouth and he shall speake unto them all that I shall command him and whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name I will require it of him Which words cannot be understood of any other Prophet that ever lived after Moses amongst the Iewes but onely of the Messiah as appeareth most playnly in another place in Deutro where it is sayd There arose not a Prophet in Israell like unto Moses whom the Lord knewe face to face in all the miracles wonders which the Lord sent him to doe c. no such Prophet except the Messiah ever after to be expected but the Messiah he it is that must match and overmatch Moses everie waie he must be a man as Moses was in respect of our infirmities euen according as the people of Israel themselues desired the Lord in Horeb saying let me heare the voyce of the Lord God no more nor see this great fire any more that I dye not And the Lord sayd unto Moses they haue well spoken I will rayse them up a Prophet from among their bretheren like unto thee c. He must be a Lawgiver as Moses was but of a farre more perfect Law as hereafter shall appeare he must be such a one whom the Lord hath knowne face to face as he did Moses but of a far more divine nature For as it is in Esay Who shall declare his age Lastly he must be approved to the World by miracles signes and wonders as Moses was which the Lord shall send him to doe as he did Moses But no such Prophet hath ever yet appeared in the world not ever shall who hath so fitly answered this type so perfectly observed the Law of Moses which Moses himself could not doe giving us in stead thereof a farre more excelent Law as was prophecied long before that he should And finally so miraculously approued himself to the world to be sent from God by signes and wonders donne both by himself his Apostles as hereafter shall appear except this Christ which we professe therefore he alone is the true Messiah and no other to be expected The Prophecie of David THe fift is the prophecie of David a type also of the Messiah who for that he was a holy man a mā after Gods own heart out of whose linage the Messiah was to come had this mysterie most manifestly reveiled unto him for the assurance whereof as of a great mysterie euen that of Christ and his Church God byndeth himself by an oath saying I haue made a covenant with my chosen I haue sworne unto David my servant thy seed will I stablish for ever and set up thy throne from generation to generation Selah Which words although the later Iewes will apply to King Salomon and so in some sorte they may for that he was also a type of the Messiah yet properly these words I will stablish the throne of his kingdome for ever so often repeated cannot be verified of Salomon whose earthly Kingdome was rent and torne in pieces streight after his death by Ieroboam and not long after as it were extinguished but
clowd of witnesses ever deny the truth thereof the parties themselves then living and conversing amongst them upon whom they were wrought They had no other evasion but this to say and that most blasphemoussie contrary to their owne knowledge and conscience and therefore our Saviour layeth it to their charge as that fearefull sin against the holy Ghost not to be praied for that he wrought these his miracles by the help of Beelzebub the Prince of Divils Wheras it is most apparant the Divill himselfe had never that power giuen him to rayse one from the dead and though he had yet would he sooner by his good will take away both lyfe and breath from all men at once if it were possible wishing all men in the world had but one head or neck like that cruell tyrant in Rome rather than give life to any one for he is a murtherer froÌ„ the beginning And yet the Iewes themselves in their Thalmud doe acknowledge that the Messiah at his coming shal be most wonderfull in working myracles And in their publick commentary vpon ecclesiastes they haue these words all the former miracles of the Prophets or Saincts shall be nothing to the myracles of the Messiah when he coÌ„meth But such were the myracles of our Saviour the whole multitude applauding hereunto the like was never seen in Israel he hath done all things well never man spake like this man Seing also it is impossible yea blasphemie to think that God should give testimonie to any untruth it must needs followe that all was true which Iesus affirmed therfore seing he affirmed himself to be the sone of God and the Messiah it must needs followe I say by these his miracles that he was so in deed according to that speech of his to the Iewes the woâ—kes that I doe in my fathers name they beare witnesse of me And againe If I doe not the workes of my father beleeve me not but if I doe them though ye beleeve not me yet beleeve my works As also that answer of his to Iohns Disciples sent to inquire of him as touching that mysterie of the Messiah art thou he that shall come c. Iesus answered goe and tell Iohn what things ye have seen and heard the blinde see the halt goe the leapers are cleansed the deafe heare and the dead rise againe c. The calling of his Apostles HErevnto as an appendix to his myracles I may well annexe the calling of his Apostles Disciples and followers whereof Iosephus maketh mention as of a great myracle who being of divers callings states and conditions in the world yet all on the sodaine vpon his call lefte both Father Mother Wife Children other temporall respects and followed him who had nothing to give or promise them in this world but crosses and afflictions he that will be my Disciple let him take vp his crosse and followe me A man that never spake them faire but ever cossed them in theyr humors savouring of flesh blood get thee behinde me Sathan thou art an offence vnto me His doctrine ever harshe hard and repugnant to flesh and blood this is a hard saying who can heare it A man in disgrace with the higher powers the Rulers high Priests Scribes Pharisees doe any of the rulers or of the Pharisees beleeue in him A man that had neyther friends in the world to beare him out nor a house to put his head in the foxes haue holes and the soules of the heauen they haue nests but the sonne of man hath not whereon to rest his head And yet notwithstanding all this that worldly men and women and some also notorious sinners and loose livers before should leaue all their worldly hopes ease profit pleasure and their sweet sinnes too to follow such a man with so great inconveniences losses daungers and disgraces as they did and should continue with him in all his afflictions temptations and persecutions and be content to dye and loose their liues rather then forsake him or abandon his service this Isay is such a myracle as never in the world fell out the like and must needs be graunted by the enemie to be supernaturall We reade of an Emperour that taking in hand to conquer the world made this proclamation for winning men unto his partie Whosoever will come and be my servant if he be a foot man I will make him a horseman if he be a horseman I will make him ride with coaches if he be a farmer I will make him a gentleman if he possesse a cottage I will giue him a village if he haue a village I will giue him a citie if he be Lord of a citie I will make him prince of a Region or countrie And as for gold I will poure it forth unto them by heapes and waight and not by number This was the proclamation of Cyrus the great King of Persia to his followers verie glorious as we see in pompe of words and to the eye of flesh and blood Let us now compare herewith the proclamation of our Cyrus Iesus Christ to his disciples and followers the entrance and preface whereof was this Repent c. And then it followeth in stedd of whosoever will come and be my servant If he be a footman I will make him a horseman If any man will followe me sayth Christ let him forsake himsâ—lf and take up his crosse and followe me not on horseback as the Pope doth with all his proud Cardinals and Bishops in his pontificalibus I haue seene servants on horses and princes walking as servants on the ground so did an Emperor bare footed to his holynes but what would Salomon haue sayd if he had seene a Prince hold his stirrope and yet forsooth will this proude Prelate be Servus servorum a follower of Christ and Peters Successor In steede of possessing lands and lordships gold and treasures he sayth possesse not gold nor silver nor money in your purses nor a scrip for the journey neyther two coats neyther shoes nor so much as a staffe in your hands In steede of these preferments and pleasures of the world sayth Christ contrarie to Cyrus In this world ye shall haue affliction yea which is more ye shal be delivered up to the Counsels and to the Synagoues ye shal be beaten and brought before rulers Kings for my sake ye shal be hated of all men for my names sake ye shal be betrayed also of your parents bretheren kinsmen and friends And which is most of all ye shal be put to death for whoâ—oever will saue his life shall loose it Finally if any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and bretheren and sisters yea his owne life also he cannot be my disciple And whosoever beareth not his crosse and commeth after me he cannot be my disciple For which of you mynding to
buyld a tower sitteth not downe before and counteth the cost c. So likewise whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my disciple This was the proclamation and Edict of Christ to his followers This was the entertaynement proposed by Iesus to such as would come and serue under his colours with expresse protestation that himself was sent into the world not to bring peace rest and ease to flesh and blood but rather to be the cause of sworde fire and tribulation Thinke not that I am come to send peace into the earth I came not to send peace but the sword And yet with these cold offers presented to the world first by himself to his Apostles and disciples wonne thereby to follow him euen upon the first call they left all and followed him and by them to all others afterwards Isay by this doctrine so crosse and opposite to mans nature inclination and sensuall appetite he gayned moe harts unto him within the space of fortie yeeres then ever did monarch in the world possesse loving subjects by whatsoever temporall alurements they did or might propose which argueth the omnipotent puisance of him that contrarie to mans reason in so shorte a tyme could bringe to passe so miraculous a conquest were there no other argument in the world of the truth of Christian Religion this were sufficient His death and passion FOr his death and passion with all the disgrace dispite and indignities were done unto him by the Iewes it was also foretold by the Prophets and so expounded by their owne Rabbins as also by our Sauiour himself behold we goe up to Ierusalem and all things shall be fulfilled to the Sonne of man that are written by the Prophets c. He made his entrance into the citie upon an aâ—â—e in all humilitie as was prophecied the Messiah should doe Rejoyce greatly o daughter Zion shoute for joye c. Fulfilled euen at the same tyme when the people spread their garments in the way cutte downe branches from the trees and strowed them in the way crying Hosanna to the Sonne of David c. He was betrayed by his owne disciple as David in divers places had foretold under a type of those his secret enemies in the dayes of Saul as also himself prophecied before hand saying He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish he shall betraye me Being apprehended he was most barbarously entreated by the Iewes according to that of Isay I gaue my back to the smyters my checkes to the nippers I hidde not my face from shame and spiâ—ting After all this inhumane dealing he was nayled to the crosse hand and foote according to that of David they pearced my hands and my feete I may tell all my bones they beheld and looked upon me they parted my garments among them and cast his upon my vesture And in another place they gaue me gal in my meate and in my thirst they gaue me vineger to drinke He was crucified betweene two malefactors or evildoers one on the right hand the other on the left according to that of Isay He was counted with the transgressors yea Barabas a murtherer in the esteeme of the Ieâ—es preferred before Iesus and quitte by a common consâ—nt and crye awâ—y with him deliver unto us Barabas crucifie him crucifie him He prayed for his enemies and persecutors Father forgiue them for they knowe not what they doe according to that of Isay He bare the sinne of many and prayed for the trespassers Not a bone of him was broken according to that Law of the Passeover a liuely type thereof To conclude that Christ should dye for the sinnes of the world it was a received opinion of the Iewes in all ages both prefigured and foreâ—old throughout all the Scripture prefigured by the sacrifice of Isaack the lifting up of the brasen serpent and by all other sacrifices in the Law Foretold not onely by the Scriptures before mentioned but also by Daniel in most plaine tearmes after threescore and two weeks shall the Messiah be slayne c. acknowledged also by Cayphas himself Highpriest euen the selfe same yeere that Christ â—uffered his words are these to the Pharisees taxing their great blindnes in this point and in them the whole nation of the Iewes to this day Ye perceiue nothing at all noryet doe you consider that it is expedient for us that one man dye for the people and that the whole nation perish not c. But he that will read the whole storie of Christ crucified with the particulars described many hundreth yeeres before the same fell out let him turne to Isay and acknowledge him foran Euangelist who to signifie the straungnes of the case beginneth first with a preface who will beleeue our report c. All which narration Rabbi Ionathan the author of the Chaldie Paraphrase applyeth to the murther of the Messiah by the Iewes whereunto agree Rabbi Simeon Rabbi Hadersan and others proving further out of Dan. 9. ver 27. That after the Messiah shall haue proached half seauen yeeres he shall be slayne which disagreeth litle or nothing froÌ„ the account of us Christians Also in their Talmud it is setâ—e downe for a principle and the sentence pronounced before hand peremptorily in playne termes that the Messiah at his comming shall be put to death So then I may conclude upon all these particulars of Christ his Death Passion foretold by the Prophets prefigured in the â—awe and so oxpounded and acknowledged by the Iewes themselues the auncient Rabbins before mentioned and finally so exactly fulfilled in our Lord and Saviour as by the quotations in the margent may appeare together with the milde maner of his death praying for his enemies Father forgiue them and meekely recommending his soule into the Hands of God Father into thy hands I commend my spirit with other straunge accidents and circumstances that miraculous eclipse of the sunne at that verie instant from the sixt to the ninth houre there was darknes over all the Land the vaile of the temple rent in twaine from the toppe to the bottome and the earth did quake and the stones were cloven and the graues did open themselues and manie bodies of the Saincts which slept arose c. Isay upon all these particularities and circumstances I hope I may conclude as it is in that place with the Centurion and those that were with him watching Iesus who when they sawe the earthquake and the things that were done they feared greatly saaying truly it is was the sonne of God And all the people that came together to that sight beholding the things which were done smote their brests and returned So may I conclude Truly this was the sonne of God truly this is the Messiah and let all the people of the Iewes come together againe to this sight and
that man of sinne the sonne of perdition that wicked one c. with all other adjuncts and circumstances so liuely described as if he had been then alreadie come for euen in these daiâ—s as the Apostle speaketh did this mysterie of iniquitie beginne to worke See then I say 2 Thes. 2. 1 Tim 3. 2 Tim. 4. 2 Pet. 2. 1 Iohn 2 18. chap. 4 1. 2 Ioh. ver 7. yea the whole Revelation is nothing els but a continued prophecie of all such things as should happen to thâ— church militant euen from the Apostles tymes to the ende of the world All which prophecies we see accomplished except bâ—fore excepted the finall destruction of Babylon and the calling of the Iewes whereof both our Saviour himself as also Paul hath prophecied Rom. 11. both which we dayly expect and then as it is in the Revelation Come Lord Iesus Of which second comming or generall doome with the maner of it and all other circumstances we haue also sundrie prophecies both of Christ his Apostles which here I will joyne in one as proceeding all from one and the same spirit for here all prophecies must come to a full period nil ultra I will onely quote them as formerly Mat. 16 27. chap. 19 28. chap. 20 1. chap. 24. chap. 25. chap. 26.64 Iohn 5 25. c. 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes. 4 14. chap. 5 1. Iam. 5 8. 1 Pet. 4 7. 2 Pet. 3. Iude ver 6. 14. Rev. 21. where you shall see a new heaven and a new earth c. New Ierusalem descending from God out of heauen prepared as a bride trimmed for her husband Thus haue I brought you at length as after a long and tedious passage by sea to see land and as it were the sea-mark whereunto after so many variable winds and so often tacking to and againe we haue directed our course euen from the first prophecie made to Adam in Paradise Gen. 3 15. to the verie last period of all prophecies in the Revelation shutte up in the second Adam Iesus Christ who is the first and the last Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending in whoÌ„ all prophecies kisse each other haue their consummation These are the words sayth he which I spake unto you while I was yet with you that all must be fulfillâ—d which are written of me in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes c. Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise againe from the dead the third day and that repentance remission of sinnes should be preached in his name among all Nations beginning at Ierusalem I say from this Ierusalem which now lyeth desolate I haue brought you to the New Ierusâ—lem comming downe from heauen as a bride adorned for her husband from an earthly to a heauenly paradise and there I leaue you FINIS A COLLECTION DEMONSTRATIVE OR Summe of the former proofes The Messiah must be a spirituall King to conquer the Divill death and sinne both by scripture as also by the interpretation of the ancient Iewes themselves vpon that place of Genesis he shall break thine head Therefore not a temporall King as the later Iewes imagine The Messiah must be King over the Gentiles as well as the Iewes both by scripture as also by theire owne writers Therefore not a teÌ„porall King to reigne over theÌ„ onely much lesse to subdue the Gentiles to the servitude of Iurie as some of them imagine The Messiâ—h must be both God and man the sonne of God the Word of God incarnate The second person in Trinitie both by the scriptures as also by their owne writers Therefore no such earthly Monarch as they exspect The Messiah at his comming being to be King both of Iew and Gentile must change the lawe of Moses to wit the ceremoniall and provinciall proper to the Iewes onely and insteed thereof give a generall law to both absolute and perfect to serve for all persons times places to indure euen to the end of the world therfore no such temporall monarchie to be expected as they looke after For one and the same conclusion followeth vpon all the premisses beating vpon theire mayne ground to wit a temporall or earthly kingdome which being once shaken the rest falleth to the ground All prophesiâ—s whatsoever with everie particular circumstance foretold by the Prophets of the Messiah were both substancially circumstancially fulfilleâ— in the person of our blessâ—d Saviour both as touching his birâ—h life doctrine myracles death resurrection ascâ—ntion and oâ—her effects afterwards of his divinâ— power in sending of the Holy Ghost and the myraculous increase of his Church c. Therefore was he in deed the Messiah no other to be expected The Messiah by Daniels prophecie was to appeare immediatly vpon the establishment of the Roman Empire for saith he in the â—ayes of these Kings shall the God of heaven set vp a kingdom which shall not be destroyed Dan. 2.44 which must needs be vnderstood of the kingdome of Christ or the Messiah And in these dayes was our Saviour borne even in the dayes of Augustus Caesar Therefore in him is the circumstance of time verified The Messiah by Iacobs prophecie was to appeare imediately when the rod or scepter was departed from the house of Iuda Then appearred that state of Iacob our Lord and Saviour ergo The Messiah by the prophesie of Haggai as also by theirâ— owne Thalmud was to come during the second temple then came our Lord and Saviour ergo And consequently the Ievves after this time to wit the destruction of the second temple in vaine expect for another The Messiah by the true account and calculation of Daniels Hebdomades or weekes of yeares was to come just according to the times before mentioned So did our Saviour as is aforesaid therfore to him doth this circumstance of time beare witnes And consâ—quently the Iewes after these times by God himselfe appointed for the Messiah or rather one the same time for there is no other difference but onely in adjuncts and circumstances expecting yet for an other besides their vaine expectation make God himselfe a lyer The Messiah by the scriptures was to be borne of the tribe of Iudah of the house of David so vvas our Saviour Therefore he alone the legitimate and true borne Messiah by birth-right as I may say as also by praescriptioÌ„ â—fter so long time of peaceablâ— possession no other to be expected The Messiah by the scripture as also by theire ovvne Rabbins was to be borne of a Virgin so vvas our Saviour ergo All other particulars foretold of the Messiah see them fulfilled as followeth To wit That the place of his birth should be Bethlehem That at his birth all the infants thereabouts should be slayne That Kings or great personages should come adore him offer gold other gifts unto him That he should be presented in the
heare the mourning of the prisoner and deliver the children appointed unto death that they may declâ—re the name of the Lord in Sion and his praise in Ierusalâ—m For God will saue Sion and buiâ—d the cities of Iuda that men may dwell there and haue it in possâ—ssion the seed as of his servants shall iâ—â—erit it and they thaâ—â—â—ue his name shâ—ll â—wâ—lâ— therâ—in Surely the Lord wilâ— not sayle his pâ—ople neyther will he foâ—sake his inheritance He hath alway remembred his covenant and promise that he made to a thouâ—and generations Thou wilt thinke upon thy congregation which thou hast possessed of old on the rodde of thine inheritance which thou hast redeemed and on mount Sion wherein thou hast dwelt Yea when the Lord turneth againe the captivitie of hiâ— people which will be when they turne unto him by hartie repentance not before when they cryed to the Lord in their trouble he delivered them out of their distresse then will he make euen their verie enimies to become their friends giue them grace favour in the sight of all those kings and princes under whom now they liue and groane in most miserable slaverie and bondage as in their former captivities may be observed He sawe when thâ—y were in affliction and heard their crye He remeÌ„bred his covenant towards them and repented according to the multitude of his mercies and gaue them favour in the sight of all them that led them captiues for the hearts of Kings are in the hands of the Lord as the rivers of waters he turneth them which way soever it pleasâ—th him So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia after that their seauentie yeeres captivitie in Babylon as also Darius and others to write in their behalf sundrie most favourable edicts for their returne into their owne countrie again with large liberalitie for the reaâ—difying of the temple of God in Ierusalem for the Lord had made them glad and turned the heart of the King of Asshur unto them to incourage them in the work of the house of God euen the God of Israel Therefore Ezra blesseth the Lord â—or all these extraordinarie favours saying Blessed be the Lord God of our Fathers which so hath put in the Kings heart to beautifie the house of the Lord that is in Ierusalem c. Yea rather then fayle of his promised deliverance to his people when they crye unto him in their distresse he will rebuke euen kings for their sakes As he did Pharaoh king of Aegypt in the dayes of old with this peremptorie commaund by the hand of Moses over and over Let my people goe that they may serue me or if thou wilt not c. inflicting upon them one plague after another till at length they were forced to driue them away as it is in that place Rise up get you out from among my people and goe serue the Lord as ye haue sayd And the Egyptiaâ—s did force the people because they would send them out of the Land in hast for they sayd we dye all giving them favour in the meane tyme in the sight of the Egyptians also Moses was verie great in the Land of Egypt in the siâ—â—t â—f Pharoahs servants and in the sight of the people Behold I haue made thee Phâ—raohs God sayth the Lord so he brought out Israel from among them for his mercie endureth for evrr with a mightie hand and out stretched arme c. after four hundreth and thirtie yeeres captivitie in Aegypt And when the four hundreth and thirtie yeeres were expyred euen the self same day departed all the hosts of the Lord out of the Land of Aegypt And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud to lead them the way and by night in a pillar of fire to giue them light He divided the sea in two parts made Israel to passe through the mids of it and overthrewe Pharaoh and his host in the red sea for his mercie indureth for ever So leading them through the wildernes feeding them fortie yeeres with Manna froÌ„ heauen till at length he brought them safe sound as it were upon egles wings maugre all difficulties and oppositions of enimies what soever euen to the promised Land of Canaan the lot of their inheritance Where they continued in peace and prosperitie so long as they served him kept his commandements but when once they sinned against him or rather as often as they sinned for it was not once but often forgat the Lord their God which brought them out of the Land of Aegypt out of the house of bondage then he suffered their enemies to prevayle against them tyrannize over them sometymes one and sometimes another till at length they were caried captiues to Babylon Yet ever as the burdeÌ„ of that psalm is wheÌ„ they cryed to the Lord in their trouble he delivered them out of their distresse raysing up from tyme to tyme Iudges as he did Moses and Ioshua at the first which delivered them out of the hands of their oppressors Othoniâ—l who delivered theÌ„ out of the hands of the King of AraÌ„ as it is in that place where it is said that the children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the Lord forgat the Lord their God served Baalim therfore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel he sold theÌ„ into the hand oâ— Chushan-rishathaim king of Aram whoÌ„ they served eight yeeres But when they cryed unto the Lord the Lord stirred them up a Saviour euen Othoniel c. So the land had rest fortie yeeres Ehud who delivered theÌ„ out of the hand of Eglon king of Moab Then the childreÌ„ of Israel â—gain coÌ„mitted wickednes in the sight of the Lord the Lord strengthned Eglon king of Moab c. So they served Eglon king of Moab 18 yeeres But wheÌ„ they cryed unto the Lord the Lord stirred theÌ„ up a Saviour Ehud the sonne of Gera c. So the land had rest 80 yeres And after him was Shamgar the sonne of Anath which slew of the Philistims 600 men with an oxe goad he also delivered Israel Deborah Barack who delivered theÌ„ out of the hand of Iabin king of Canaan And the children of Israel began again to do wickedly in the sight of the Lord the Lord sold theÌ„ into the hand of Iabin king of Canaan whose chief Captain was Sisera Then the children of Israel cryed to the Lord c. And at that time Deborah a Prophetesse judged Israel then she sent called Barak c. And the Lord destroyed Sisera all his charets c. And the land had rest 40 yeares Gedeon who delivered them out of the hands of the Midianites Afterward the children of Israel committed wickednes in the sight of the Lord the Lord gaue them into