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
they must needs be understood of an eternall King and kingdome as must also those other words of God in the psalme Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee aske of me and I will giue thee the Heathen for thyne inheritance the ends of the earth for thy possession Thou shalt crush them with a rod of yron and breake them in pieces like a pâ—tters vessâ—l which prophecie was never fulfilled in Salomon nor in any other temporall King in Iewrie after him And much lesse this that followeth They shall feare thee as long as the sunne and moone endureth from generation to generation In his daies shall the righteous flourish and abondance of peace so long as the moone endureth His dominion also shall be from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the earth They that dwell in the wildernesse shall kneele before him and his enemies shall lick the dust The Kings of Tharshish and of the yles shall bring presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring gifts yea all Kings shall worship him all nations shall serue him His name shall be for ever his name shall indure as long as the sunne all Nations shall be blessed in him and shall blesse him And blessed be the Lord God euen the God of Israel which onely doth wonderous things And blessed be his glorious name for ever and let all the earth be filled with his glorie Amen Amen And so he endeth as it were in a traunce ravished beyond measure with the sweet and heauvenly contemplation of this spiritual and everlasting kingdome of the Messiah for to him and to no other can all these circumstances and hyperbolicall speaches of David rapte with the spirit of prophecie properly and primarily apperteyne though literally the Iewes understand them of Salomon as they doe many other places in like case applying them onely to the type never looking to the substance whereof those types and figures were but shadowes and semblances God of his mercie in his good tyme take away the vayle from their hearts that at length they may see the true Salomon in all his royaltie not any longer to grope at noone dayes wincking with their eyes against the cleare sunne like their forefathers as it is in Esay a most fearefull judgment of God layd upon that Nation of old objected to them many tymes and oft both by Christ and his Apostels but in vayne goe and say unto this people ye shall heare indeed but shall not understand ye shall playnly see and not perceiue make the heart of this people fatte make their eares heavie and shutte their eyes least they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and understand with their hearts and convert and be healed Whereupon ensueth euen upon this wincking and wilfull obstinacie a most severe denunciation of finall desolation Lord how long sayth the Prophet and he answered untill the cities be wasted without inhabitant the houses without a man and the land be utterly desolate c. But yet a tenth reserved to returne a holy seed remayning in due tyme to be converted This judgment and desolation hath been along tyme upon them they feel it and groane under the burden of it as their forefathers did in Egypt under Pharaoh yet wincking shutte their eyes and will not see it I meane acknowledge the true cause of these so great judgments revealed from heauen upon theÌ„ euen the contempt of Gods holy Prophets sent unto them from tyme to tyme but especially of the Messiah whose blood lyeth heavily upon them euen to this day as their forefathers desired his blood be upoÌ„ us on our children which all the world seeth is come to passe yea they themselues feele it yet wincking with their eyes they will not see it But there is a tenth to returne c. The rest which will not this their Messiah to raigne over them let them look into that parable in the Gospel there shall they finde a farre more fearefull destruction denounced then the former The first being but for a tyme but a type of the other but a beginning of woes the other eternall for ever and ever The first he pronounceth with teares over Ierusalem the second he denounceth as an angrie Iudge provoked at length to execute his fierce wrath upoÌ„ them without any compassion at all His words are these Moreover those mine enemies which would not that I should raigne over them bring them hither and slay them before me Which words of our Saviour although they will in no wise beleeve no more then they did the former yet shall they find his words one daye as truly fulfilled to them in the one as they haue done alreadie in the other And howsoever hitherto they haue esteemed of him as a false prophet a deceiver yet hath he been to them but too true a Prophet in all their calamities both first and last And so after this long digression I come to the next The Prophecie of Ieremie THe sixt which confirmeth the former is that of Iere. 23 5. Behold the dayes come sayth the Lord that I will rayse up unto David a righteous braunch and a King shall raigne c. And this is the nâ—me whereby they shall call him the Lord our righteousnes This was spoken of Davids seed aboue 400 yeeres after David was dead and buried which proveth manifestly that the former promises were not made unto him for Salomon his sonne or any other temporall King of his line but onely for the Messiah who was called so peculiarly the sonne and seed of David The Prophecie of Ezechiel THe seauenth which also confirmeth the other is that of Ezec. 34.23 I will set up ashepheard over them he shall feede them euen my servant David c. In which words the Iewes themselues doe confesse in their Talmud that their Messiah is called by the name of David for that he shall discend of the seed of David and so it must needs be for that King David being dead so long before could not now come againe in his owne person to feed them him self The Prophecie of Isaie THe eight is the prophecie of Isaiah 2.2 It shall be in the last dayes that the mountayne of the house of the Lord shal be prepared in the toppe of the mountaines and shall be exalted aboue the hilles and all nations shall flowe unto it c. for the Law shall goe forth of Syon and the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem He shall judge among the Nations Which verie words Michah repeateth cap. 4.1 and are applyed there as also here unto the Meâ—siah they can haue no other meaning by the judgement of the Iewes themselues In that daie shall the budde of the Lord be beautifull and glorious and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent Vnto us a child is borne unto us a sonne is giuen and the gouvernment is upon his shoulders he shâ—ll call his
THE MESSIAH ALREADY COME OR PROFES OF CHRISTIANITIE BOTH OVT of the Scriptures and auncient Rabbins to convince the Iewes of their palpable and more then miserable blindnesse if more may be for their long vaine and endlesse expectation of their MESSIAH as they dreame yet for to come Written in Barbarie in the yeare 1610 and for that cause directed to the dispersed Iewes of that Countrie and in them to all others now groaning under the heauy yoake of this their long and intollerable captivitie which yet one day shall have an end as all other states and conditions in the World they have their periods even when the fulnesse of the Gentiles is come in and when that vayle shall be taken away from their hearts as is prophecied Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved Rom. 10.1 For I would not Brethren that ye should be ignorant of this secret that partly obstinacie is come to Israel untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved as it is written c. Rom. 11.25 And Ierusalem shall be troden under foot of the Gentiles untill the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled Luk. 21.24 Even to this day when Moses is read the vayle is laid over their hearts neverthelesse when their heart shall be turned to the Lord the vayle shall be taken away 2 Cor. 3 15. Verely I say unto you ye shall not see me untill the time come that ye shall say Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord. Luk. 13.35 How beautifull are the feete of them which bring glad tidings of peace and bring glad tidings of good things Rom. 10.15 AMSTERDAM Imprinted by Giles Thorp Anno M. DC XIX TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE FREDERICK KING OF BOHEMIA c. And TO HIS ROYALL SONNE the most hopefull yong Prince FREDERICK HENRY Most High and mightie Prince THis Treatise was published seven yeares agoe and Printed in the Low-Countries not long after the death of that noble Prince Henry my master And for that and some other reasons Dedicated to those high and honourable personages as by the Epistle following may appeare The same reasons have moued me to revise it and publish it a new vnder the Protection also of your Maiestie and Royall Issue that most hopefull yong Prince cujus eâ—go etiam nomine ipso recreor in whom the name of Prince Henry is now revived again to Gods Glory So likewise the name of Queene Elizabeth by your Majesties most happy inauguration King of Bohemia which two names are yet pretious and ever will be in the hearts of the English Nation and other Nations likewise The other reason for that the Iewes also whom this argument chiefly concerneth many of them remaine in your Maiesties Dominions whereof in time your Maiestie or Royall Issue as may be hoped raised vp of God for that very purpose may be a happy instrument as of the finall desolation of that Mysterie of Iniquitie Babylon so consequently of the finishing of that Mysterie of Godlinesse even the conversion of the Iewish Nation the very period of all Prophecies And then as Iohn concludeth his Revelation come Lord Iesu. He which testifieth these things saith surely I come quickly Amen Even so come Lord Iesu. Amen Amen Your Maties most humble devoted seruant IOHN HARRISON TO THE HIGH AND Mighty Lords the States Generall of the vnited Prouinces of the Low-Countries Also TO THE HIGH AND Mighty Prince Maurice Prince of Orange c. And To his noble Brother Prince Henrie All happinesse FOR two reasons I haue made bold to present unto your high and honourable considerations this Treatise following The one more particular in respect of that intyre amitie and correspondence which was betwixt my deare Master deceased Prince Henrie of famous memorie and your Exceâ—lencie and whole State whom he much honoured and thereof gaue sundry testimonies both publique and private whereof my selfe hauing the honour to be one of his Seruants neere unto him and by reason of my attendance much in his presence was oftentimes an eare-witnesse And that your princely Brother alter idem an other Henry cujus ego nomine ipso recreor even for my Masters sake that gone is and for that affection he shâ—wed towards his Highnesse both in Life and Death who was much conversant with him before his sicknâ—sse and in his sicknesse came diuâ—rs times to visite his Highnesse and to condole with us in our heavinesse can also I make no doubt witnesse sufficiently whose hearts or rather but one heart and soule as it is in that place seemed to be knit together like the soule of David and Ionathan by a muâ—uall sympâ—thie as in name so in nature and correspondence of disposition which had not untimely death prevented some further covenant like that of David and Ionathan might perhaps in time haue beene concluded worâ—â—â—e such heroicall spirits An other reason is for that the persons whom this Argument chiefly concerneth to wit the Iewes many of them remaine in your Countrie and haue their habitation in peace and safetie not in that slaverie as in other Nations accounted of in the basest maner that may be in the number of dogs rather then of Men. Which though it haue falâ—en upon them by the just judgement of God yea and by their owne judgement upon themselues so much the more just his blood be upon us and upon our children yet are they children of the Promise and beloved for the fathers sake as Paul pleadeth for them in divers places alledging both their prerogatives and priviledges aboue the Gentiles What is then the preferment of the Iew saith he much euery maner of way For to them apperteineth the adoption and the glorie and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the Promises of whom are the Fathers and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came c. And in that respect we Gentiles ought not so proudly and tyrannously to insult over them as many doe especially Christians of all others should not adde affliction to affliction but rather pitie and bewaile their induration as Paul doth in the place before cited expecting with patience their conversion in due time as the Lord hath promised for if God himselfe loue them being his enemies for they are beloved as I said before for the Fathers sake as he loved us before our conversion when we were his enemies he loved us so the Apostle testifieth why should we Christians hate and abhorre them who are so highly in Gods account even the beloved of the Lord and hold them in such disgrace and contempt as we doe as in my smaâ—l observation and experience I am able to testifie both by that I have seene and heard which rather exasperateth them against our profession then otherwise Which harshnesse and uncharitablenesse of ours together with the Idolatrie and superstition of the Church of Rome
of the preaching of the Gospel which began at Ierusalem and from thence was spread over all the world Which the same Isay foresawe when talking of the Messiah he sayth In that daie shall five cities in the Land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan c. In that daie shall the alter of the Lord be in the middest of the Land of Egypt and a piller by the border thereof unto the Lord. And the Egyptians shall knowe the Lord in that daie and doe sacrifice and oblation and shall vowâ— vowes c. which could not be verified of the Law of Moses for by that Law the Egyptians could haue nether alter nor sacrifice but it was fulfilled upon the coÌ„ming of Christ when the Egyptians were made Christians Also in another place and the yles shall waite for his Law The same was likewise foretold by God in Malachie where he sayth to the Iewes and of the Iewish sacrifices I haue no pleasure in you neyther will I receiue an offring at your hands for from the rising of the sunne untâ—ll the going downe of the same my name iâ— great among the Gentiles and in everie place incense shal be offerâ—d 〈◊〉 my name and a pure offering for my name is great among the Gentiles sâ—â—th the Lord of Hosts Wherein we see first a reprobation of the Iewish Sacrifices consequently of the Law of Moses which dependeth principally thereupon Secondly that among the Gentiles there should be a pure maner of Sacrifice more gratefull unto God then the other not limited eyther in respect of tyme or place as the Mosaicall Law sacrifice was For so sayth God in Ezechiel I gaue them statutes which were not good and judgments wherein they shall not liue that is not good to continue perpetually nor shall they live in theÌ„ any longer but til the time by me appoynted Of which tyme he determineth more particularly by Ieremie in these words Behold the dayes come sayth the Lord that I will mak a newe covenant with the house of Israel and Iudah not according to that covenant which I made with their Fathers c. where you see a new covenant or Testament promised different from the old whereupon I conclude the old Law of Moses by the Messiah must be changed into a new The tyme of his manyfestation with all other circumstances NOw for the tyme of his manyfestation with all other circumstances of his birth lyfe death resurrection ascension and those things also that fell out afterwards if we shall consider how particulraly precisely they were all foretold by the Prophets and how long before some hundreths some thousands of yeares before they fell out as also how exactly they were all fulfilled in the person of our blessed Saviour all directed like so many lynes to one center we shall as it were in a mirrour see and behold both the truth of Christian religion setled vpon a most firme unmovable center as also the vanitie of all other religioÌ„s whatsoever especially this most vain expectatioÌ„ of the Iewes to this day of their Messiah yet for to come as vaine and fond altogither as was that opinion of one of the Phylosophers which the word center hath put me in mynd of that the earth forsooth did move and the heavens stand still how far they are degenerate not onely from all true light vnderstaÌ„ding in heavenly matters but also even from coÌ„mon sense and reason it selfe in things of that nature tending therevnto And first for the tyme. Daniell who lived in the first Monarchie foretold that there should be three monarchies more the last the greatest of all to witt the Romane Empire and then the eternall King or Messiah should come his 〈◊〉 are these In the dayes of these Kings shal the God of heaven set vp a kingdome which shall never be destroyed Dan. 2.44 And just according to this tyme was the Messiah born namely in the dayes of Augustus Caesar Luk. 2. as both we Christians account and the Iewes acknowledge even in those halcyon dayes of peace when the temple gates of Ianus were commannded to be shut and vpon that very day when Augustus commaunded that no man should call him Lord was this Prince of peace borne Therefore to him agreeth this circumstance of tyme very fitly most vainly therefore doe the Iewes after this tyme expect for another Secondly Iacob who lived many yeares before prophesied of this tyme very precisely as already hath bene aleadged that the Mesâ—iah whom he there calleth Shilo should come at that tyme when the scepter or goverment regall was departed from the house of Iudah which was in the dayes of Herod and never till then who first vsurped that government his father in law King Hircanus with all his ofâ—pring of the blood royall of Iuda togither with the Sanhedrim put to death The genealogies of the Kings and Princes burned A new pedegrie for himselfe divised In a word all authority regall whatsoever belonging to that tribe at that tyme quite extinguished And just according to this tyme was our Saviour borne namely in the dayes of Herod Math. 2.1 Therefore to him agreeth this circuÌ„stance of tyme very fitly most vainely therefore doe the Iewes after this tyme expect any longer Thirdly God himselfe saith by his Prophet Haggaâ— that the Messiah whome he there calleth the deâ—ired of all nations shall come in the tyme of the second temple which was then but new built farr inferior in statelynes and glory to the former built by Solomon which the old men in the book of Ezra testify by their weeping when they sawe this second temple and remembred the glory of the first The words of the Lord by his Prophet Haggai are these Speake vnto Zerubbabel who is left amonge you that saâ—e this housâ— in her first glory and how doe you see it now is it not in your eies in comparison of it as nothing yet now be of good cheere ô Zerubbubel for thus saith the Lord of hosts yet a litle while and I wil shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the drie land And I will move all nations and the desire of all nations shal come and I will fill this house with glory saith the Lord of hostes The glory of this last house shal be greater their the first c. which must needs be vnderstood of the coming of the Messiah to wit his personall presence in this second temple in whom is the fulnes of glory therefore could he and none other fill it with glory being himselfe indeed the King of glory Lifte vp your heads ô yee gates and be yee lift vp yee everlasting dores and the King of glory shall come in So doth Mallachie prophesy in these words The Lord whom yee seeke shall speedily come to his temple even the mâ—ssenger of the covenant whom yee desire behold he shall come sayth the Lord of hosts c.
albeit she were dead aboue two thousand yeeres before they were slayne aboue one thousand and fiue hundreth before Ieremie wrote this prophecie Among which Infants Herod also for more assurance slewe an infant of his owne for that he was descended by the mothers side of the line of Iuda Which crueltie comming to Augustus his eares he sayd he had rather be Hâ—rods swine then his sonne for that he being a Iewe was prohibited by his religion to kill his swine though not ashamed to kill his sonne Sixtly his flying into Aegypt herevpon as also to fulfill that prophecie out of Aegypt have I called my sonne which I say inlargeth further saying Behould the Lord rideth vpon a light cloud which is his flesh or humanity and shall come into Aegipt and all the Idols of Aegipt shall tremble at his presence which later pointe Eusebius sheweth was fulfilled most evidently in the sight of all the world for that no nation came to christian religion with so great celerity and fervour as did the Aegyptians who threwe downe theire Idols before any other nation And as they had beene the first in Idolatrie to other countries so were they the first by Christ his coÌ„ming vnto them that afterwards gave exaÌ„ple of true returne vnto their creator It followeth in Isay I will deliver the Egiptians into the hands of cruel Lords these were the Roman Lords and Princes Pompei Caesar Antonie c. a mightie King shall raigne over theÌ„ c. this must needs be Augustus the Emperor who after the death of Cleopatra the last of the blood of the Ptolimies tooke possession of all Egypt and subjected it as a province to the Romaine empire But after these temporall afflictions threatned against Egypt behold a most Euangelical promise of deliverance In that day shall fiue cities of the land of Egypt speake the language of Canaan c. In that day shall the altar of the Lord be in the middest of the Land of Egypt c. They shall crye unto the Lord because of their oppressors and he shall send them a Saviour and a great man and shall deliver them c. The Lord of Hosts shall blesse them saying Blessed be my people of Egypt c. This blessing I say the Egyptians obteyned by our Saviours being in Egypt whom here the Prophet calleth by his owne name Iesus a Saviour a great-man Finally the comming of Iohn Baptist his forerunner or Messenger as was propheciâ—d Behold I will send my Messenger and be shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom ye seeke shall speedâ—ly come to his temple And againe I will send you Eliah the Prophet that is to say Iohn the Baptist in the spirit and power of Eliah as an angell from heauen expoundeth it appearing to Zacharias his father in the temple sent to foretell him both of his birth as also by what name he should call him euen Iohn saying thou shalt call his name Iohn he shal be great in the sight of the Lord c. he shall goe before him in the power and spirit of Eliah And therefore our Saviour in plaine termes he calleth him Eliah Mat. 11 14. And if you wilt receiue it this is that Eliah which was to come he that hath ears to heare let him heare And as our Sauiour gaue him his due before a multitude then assembled calling him Eliah So did this Eliah also giue our Saviour his due in acknowledging him for the Messiah not assuming unto himself that honour offered unto him by the Iewes but refusing it absolutely and laying it upon Iesus our Saviour the true owner Then this is the recorde of Iohn when the Iewes sent Priests and Levites from Ierusalem to aske him who art thou and he confessed and denyed not and sayd plainly I am not the Christ I am not the Messiah I baptise you with water but there is one among you whom ye knowe not he it is that commeth after me which is preferred before me whose shoe lâ—tchet I am not worthie to unlose These things were done in Bethabara beyond Iordan where Iohn did baptise The next day Iohn seeth Iesus câ—mming to him and sayth behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the world This is he of whom I sayd after me coÌ„meth a man that is preferred before me for he was before me and I knew him not but becâ—usâ— he should be declared to Israel therefore am I come baptizing with water So Iohn bare record saying I sawe the spirit come downe from heauen lâ—kâ— a doue abiding upon him And I knewe him not but he that sent me to baptise with water he sayd unto me upon whom thou shalt see the spirit come downe and stay still upon him that is he which baptiseth with the Holy Ghost And I sawe and bare record that this is the sonne of God According as it is in the other three Euangelists more at large expressed how that Iesus when he was baptised came strait out of the water and loe the heauens were opened unto him And Iohn sawe the spirit of God discending lâ—ke a doue and lighting upon him And loe a voyce came from heaven saying This is my beloved sonne in whom I am well pleased The next dâ—y Iohn stood againe and two of his disciples and he beheld Iesus wâ—lking by and sayd Behold the Lambe of God and the two disciples heard him speak and followed Iesus All this was done at Bethabara beyond Iordan in the sight and hearing of a number of people there present as three of our Euangelists doe report which they would never haue presumed to haue done had not the matter beene most evident and without all compasse of denyall or contradiction And truely no one thing in all this storie of Iesus life doth more establish the certaintie of his being the true Messiah then that Iohn the Baptist whose wisedome learning vertue and rare sanctitie is confessâ—d and recorded by the writings of all our adversaries should refuse the honour of the Messiah offered unto himself and lay it upon Iesus and also should direct those disciples that depended upon him to the onely following and imbracing of Iesus doctrine which is most evidently proved that he did for that somany followers and Disciples as himselfe had not one appeared ever after that was not a Christian. These circuÌ„stances I say of the birth coÌ„ming of the Messiah into this world so loÌ„g before foretold by the Prophets fulfilled so exactly in the person of our blessed Lord Saviour wel considered I may at length conclude Heaven and earth concurring men and Angels with all other creatures applauding therevnto yea God himselfe from heaven pronouncing it this is my beloved sonne in whome I am well pleased That therefore as sure as God is God and cannot lye nor give testimony to any vntruth so sure is Iesus Christ the sonne of God the true Messiah and
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
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
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