what eche tribe should attaine after his death by drawinge of lottes Againe the same Moyses forsawe and fortolde in publique hearing of all the people how in tymes to come longe after his death the Iewes should forsake God and for their synnes be cast into manie banishementes and finallie be forsaken and the Gentiles receaued in their roome as in deed it came to passe And whence trow you could he learne this but from God alone In the booke of Iosue there is a curse layed vpō the place where Iericho stoode and vpon what soeuer person should goe about to rebuild the same to wit that in his eldest sonne he should lay the foundations and in his yongest sonne should he builde the gates therof which is to saye that before the foundations were layed and gates builded he should be punished with the death of all his children Which thing was fulfilled almost fiue hundred yeares after in one Hiel who presumed vnder wicked kinge Achab to rebuild Iericho againe and was terrified from the same by the suddaine death of Abiram and Segub his children as the booke of kinges reportech according to the vvorde of our Lord vvhich he had spoken in the hande of Iosue the fonne of Nun And since that tyme to this no man ether Iewe or Gētile hath taken vpon hym to raise againe the said Citie albeit the situation be most pleasant as by relation of Stories and Geographers appeareth In the third booke of kinges it is recorded that when Ieroboam had withdrawen ten tribes from th' obedience of Roboam kinge of Iuda to th' ende they might neuer haue occasion to revnite thē selues againe to Iuda by their goinge to sacrifice in Ierusalem as by the law they were appointed he builded for them a goodlie gorgeous highe Aulter in Bethel and there cōmanded them to doe their deuotions And when he was one day thero present hymself and offering his incense vpon the said Aulter and all the people lookinge on there came a man of God sayeth the scripture and stoode before the Aulter and cried out aloude and spake thes wordes O Aulter Aulter this sayeth our Lorde behold a childe shal be borne of the hovvse of Dauid vvhose name shal be Iosias and he shal sacrifice vpon thee thes idolatrous priestes that novv burne francomsense vpon the and he shal burne the bones of men vpon thee Thus spake that man of God in the presence and hearinge of all the people more then three hundred yeares before Iosias was borne and it was registred prosentelie according to the manner of that tyme which I haue noted before and with the same were registred also the miracles which happened about that fact as that the Aulter clefte in two vpō the mans wordes and Ieroboam extendinge owt his hande to apprehend hym lost presentelie the vse and feeling therof vntill it was restored againe by the said holie mans prayers who notwithstanding for that he disobeyed Gods commandement in his returne and dyd eate with a prophet of Samar a which was forbidden hym he was slaine in his way homeward by a Lion and his bodie was brought backe againe buried in Bethel nigh the said Aulter amongest the sepulchers of those idolatrous preestes of that place but yet with a superscription vpon his tombe conteining his name and what had happened There passed three hundred yeares and Iosias was borne and came to reigne in Iuda And one daye cōming to Bethel to ouerthrow the Aulter and to destroye the sepulchers of those idolitrous priestes that had bene buried i that place whē he began to breake their tombes he fownde by chance the sepulcher of the said man of God with the superscription vpon it By which superscription and by relation of the citizēs of Bethel when he perceaued that it was the sepalcher of hym that had fortolde his byrth his name and his doinges so manie hundred years before he was borne he lett the same stande vntouched as the fowerth booke of kinges doth declare Now consider whether among anie people in the world but onlie amonge the Iewes ther were euer anie such prophetie so certaine so particuler so longe fortolde before the tyme and so exactelie fulfilled But yet the holie scriptures are full of the lyke and tyme permitteth me onlie to touch some few of the principal Esay the prophet is wonderful in fortelling the mysteries and actes of the Messias his natiuitie his life and all the particulers that happened in his passiō In so much that S. Ierome sayeth he may seeme rather to write a storie of deedes past then a prophetie of euentes to come But yet among other thinges it is to be noted that he liuing in a peaceable and prosperous tyme in Iuda when the Iewes were in amitie and greate securitie with the Babyloniās he forsawe and fortolde the destruction of Ierusalem by the said Babylonians and the greeuous captiuitie of Iewes vnder them as also the destruction of Babylon againe by Cyrus kinge of Persia whose expresse name and greatnes he published in writing almost two hundred yeares before he was borne saying in the person of God First to Ezechias king of Iuda that reioysed in the frindshippe he had with Babylon behold the dayes shall come vvhen all that thou and thye fathers haue layed up shall be caried avvay to Babylon and thy children shal be eunuches in the king of Babylons Palace And next to Babylō he said the destruction of Babylon vvhich Esay the sonne of Amos savve c. houle crie for that the day of our Lorde is at hande c. And thirdlie to Cyrus not yet borne who was preordained to destroye the same and to restore the people from banishemēt to rebuild the temple in Ierusalē he sayeth thus I say to Cyrus thou art my shepheard and thou shalt fulfill all my vvill I say to Ierusalem thou shalt be builded againe I say to the temple thou shalt be founded again This sayeth our Lord to my amointed Cyrus I vvill goe before thee vvill humble the glorious people of the earthe in thy presence I vvill breake their brasen gates crushe in peeces their yron barres for my seruant Iacobs sake haue I called thee by thie Name and haue armed the vvher as thou knovvest not me Can anie thing be more clearlie or miraculouslie spoken in the world then to name a heathé not yet borne that should conquerre so stronge a Monarchie as Babylon was at this tyme should builde againe the temple of Ierusalem which others of his owne religiō had destroyed before hym what cause what reason what lykeliehode could be of this yet Esay speaketh it so confidentelie as he sayeth that he savve it and he nameth two witnesses therof that is Vrias and Zacharias that were not borne in manie yeares after saying and I tooke vnto me tvvo faithful vvitnesses Vrias the prieste and Zacharias
wordes folowing VVee be to the men of Israel 〈◊〉 that they shal slea the Messias God shal send his sonne in mans fleshe to vvashe them and they shal murder hym Wherto agreeth Rabbi Hadarsan and others and doe proue further out of the forealleadged prophetie of Daniel Chap. 9. vers 27. that after Messias shal haue preached halfe seuen yeares he shal be slaine For that Daniel saith in halfe of seuen yeares the Hoste Sacrifice shal cease Vpon which wordes they comment thus three yeares and a halfe shal the presence of God in flesh crie and preach vpon the Mounte Oliuet and then shal he be slaine Which wordes the Iewes ordinarie commentarie vpon the Psalmes doth interpret to be meante of Christs preaching three years a halfe before his passion Which disagreeth verie litle or nothing from the accompte of vs Christians and of our Euangelistes And so we see by all that hitherto hath bene said that the verie particulers of Christes whole death and Passion were foretolde most plainlie both to Iewe and Gentile and acknowledged also by the auncient Doctours of the Iewish nation before th' effectuatiō therof came to passe And Sibylla addeth further two particuler miracles that should fall out in the said Passion of the Messias to witt that the veil of the Ievves Temple should breake in tvvo and that at middaye there should be darkenes for three houres ouer all the vvorld Which thing to haue bene fulfilled at the death of Iesus not onelie S. Mathew doth assure vs in his Gospell but also Eusebius affirmeth that he had reade the same worde for worde recorded in diuers heathē writers And amongest other he citeth one Phlegō an exacte Chronicler that reporteth the same in the 4. yeare of the 202. Olympias which agreeth iust with the 18. yeare of Tyberius reigne wherin our Saueour suffered And he goeth so nighe as to name the very houres of the daye which our Euangelistes doe AEsculus also an olde Astronomer doth confirme the same and prooueth moreouer by the situation and constitution of the Sunne and Moone at that tyme that no Eclipse could then be naturally Which thing in like manner Dionysius Areopagita did obserue in the verie daye of Christs Passion being at that tyme but 25. yeares olde and yet well studdied in Astronomie as hym self testifieth And finallie Lucianus a learned priest of Antioche was accustumed to prouoke the Gentiles to their owne comentaries and stories for recorde and testimony of those thinges Ther ensueth now for ending and confirmation of al that hath bene said and prooued before to adde a worde or two of Iesus Resurrection Which point as of al other it is of most importance so was it most exactly fortolde both to Iewe and Gentile and promised by Christ him self in al his speeches while he was vpon earth And among the Iewes it was assured by al the propheties before recited which do promisse so great aboundāce of glorye ioye and triumphe to Christes church after his passion Which neuer possibly could be fulfilled onles he had risen from dearh againe And therfore the said Resurrectiō was prefigured in Ionas together with the time of his abode in the Sepulcher It was also expressle forshewed by Dauid affirming that God vvould not permit his holy one to see corruption And after him againe more plainely by Osee he shal quicked vs againe after tvvo daies in the third day he shal raise vs and vve shal liue in his sight And to the Gentiles Sibyllaieft writen not farre from the same time he shal ende the necessitie of death by three daies sleepe and then returning from death to light againe he shal be the first that shal shevv the beginning of Resurrection to his chosen for that by conquering death he shal bring vs life Thus much was promissed by Prophets before Christs appearance And Iesus to comfort his Disciples and folowers reiterated this promisse againe of him self in many speeches albeit oftentimes his meaning was not perceaued Which promisse of returne from death if it had bene made for some long time to come as Mahomet promissed his Sarasins after 800. yeares to reuisite them againe albeit the performance were neuer meante yet might the salshode lurke in the length of time But Iesus assuring all men that he would rise againe within three daies it can not be imagined but that he sincerely purposed to performe his promisse for that otherwise the fraude must soone haue bene discouered Now then let vs cōsider what maner of performance Iesus made hereof And first the persōs most interessed in the matter as they whose total hope staye refuge and felicitie depended hereof I meane his appaled dismaied and afflicted disciples doe recount twelue sundrie apparitiōs which Iesus made vnto them in flesh after his resurrectiō The first was to Mary Magdalene aparte when she with Salome and other women went and remained with ointments about the Sepulcher The second was to all the forsaid women together as they returned homewards who also were permitted to embrase his feete The third was to Simon Peter alone The fourth to the two disciples in their iourney to Emaus The fifth was to all the Apostles and other disciples together whē the doores were shut The sixt was to the same company againe after eight daies when Thomas was with them at what time also he did both eate and drincke and suffred his bodie to be handled among them The seuenth was to S. Peter and S. Ihon with fiue other disciples when they were in fishing at what time also he vouchsafed to eate with them The eight was to eleuen disciples at one time vpon the mounte Thabor in Galiley The ninth was to more then fiue hundreth brethern at one time as S. Paule testifieth The tenth was to S. Iames as the same Apostle recordeth The eleuenth was to al his Apostles disciples friends together vpon the mount Oliuet by Ierusalem when in their presence he ascended vp to heauen The twelueth and last was after his Ascension vnto S. Paul as him self beareth witnes Al thes apparitions are recorded in Scripture as made by Iesus after his Resurrection to such as by his eternal wisdome were preordained to be witnesses of so glorious a spectacle To whom as S. Luke affirmeth he shevved him self aliue by many argumentes for the space of 40 dayes together and reasoned vvith them of the kingdome of his father And why any mā should mistrust the testimonie of thes men that sawe him conuersed with him eate with him touched him and heard him speake whos entire estate and welfare depēded wholy of the certaintie hereof I see no reason For what comfort had it bene or consolation to thes men to haue deuised of them selues thes former apparitions What encouragemēt might they haue takē in thos doleful times of
schollers and auditours Papias Ignatius Policarpus al which agree of the foure Ghospels and other writinges left vnto vs in the newe Testament affirming S. Iohn to haue approued the same These men were maisters againe to Iustinus Martyr Irenaeus and other whose writinges remaine vnto vs. And if they did not yet their sayinges and iudgementes touching the Scriptures are recorded vnto vs by Eusebius and other fathers of the next age after and so from hand to hand vntil our dayes So that of this ther can be no more doubt then whether Rome Constantinople Hierusalem and other such renoumed Cities knowen to al the world at this day be the very same wherof Authours haue treated so much in auncient times AND THVS MVCHE of Christs Euangelistes for whose more credit and for confirmation of thinges by them recorded his diuine prouidence preordained that infinite witnesses whom we cal Martyrs should offer vp their blood in the primatiue Churche and after Wheras for no other doctrine profession or religion in the world the like was euer heard of albeit among the Iewes in the tyme of the Machabies and at some other tymes also when that nation for their sinnes were affâ—icted by Heathen Princes some fewe were tyrannized and iniuriouslie put to death yet commonly and for the most parte this was rather of barbarous furie in the Paganes for their resistaÌ„ce theÌ„ directly for hatred of Iuishe religioÌ„ And for the number ther is no doubt but that more Christians were putt to death within two monethes for their beliefe throughout the world then were of Iewes in two thouland yeares before Christs comming Which is vndoubtedly a matter verie wounderful considering that the Iuishe religion impugned no lesse the Pagan Idolatrie then doth the doctrine of the Christians But this came to passe that Christes wordes might be fulfilled who said I come not to bring peace but the svvorde And againe I sende you forth as sheepe among vvolues That is to saye to be torne and harried and your bloud to be deuoured In which extreme and most incredible sufferinges of Christians thre pointes are worthie of great consideration The first what infinite multitudes of al states conditions sexe qualities and age did suffer dailie fortestimonie of this truth The second What intollerable and vnacustomed tormentes not hard of in the worlde before were deuised by Tyrantes for afflicting this kinde of people The third what inuincible courage and vnspeakable alacritie the ChristiaÌ„s shewed in bearing oute these afflictions which the enimies theselues could not attribute but to some diuine power and supernatural assistance And for this later point of comfort in their sufferings I will alleage onlie this testmonie of TertuliaÌ„ against the GeÌ„tiles who obiected that wicked men suffered also as wel as Christians Wherto this learned Doctour made answere in these wordes Truth it is that many men are prone to yl and do suffer for the same but yet dare they not defend their euil to be good as ChristiaÌ„s doe their cause For that euery euil thig by nature doth bring with it either feare or shame therfor we see that malefactours albeit they loue euill yet would they not appeare so to the world but desire rather to lie in couert They tremble when they are taken and when they are accused they deny all and do scarse oftentimes coÌ„fesse their doings vpon torments And finally when they are condemned they lament mone and do impute their il fortune to destinie or to the planets But the Christian what doth he like to this Is their any man ashamed or doth any man ' repent him when he is taken except it be for that he was not taken rather If he be noted by the enemy for a Christian he glorieth in the same if he be accused he defendeth not him self if he be asked the question he confesseth it willingly if he be coÌ„demned he veldeth thankes What euil theÌ„ is ther in this Christian cause which lacketh the natural sequele of euil I meane feare shame tergiuersatioÌ„ repentance sorowe and deploration what euil I say can this be deemed whose guiltines is ioye whose accusation is desire whose punishment is happines Hitherto are the wordes of learned Tertulian who was an eye-witnes of that he wrote had no smal part in the cause of thos that suffred being him self in that place and state as daily he might expect to taste of the same affliction To which combat how redie he was may appeare by diuers places of this his Apologie wherin he vttereth besides his zeale feruour a most confident securitie and certaine assurance of Iesus assistance by that which he had sene performed to infinite other in their greatest distresses from the same Lord before So that nothing doth more a-certaine vs of the diuine power and omnipotencie of Iesus then the fortitude inuincible which aboue al humane reason force and nature he imparted to his Martyrs AFTER VVHICH consideration there coÌ„meth to be weighed the fifte point before mentioned which is of the same power and omnipoteÌ„cie of Iesus declared and exercised vpon the spirites insernal Which thing partely may appeare by the Oracles alleaged in the ende of the former section wherin thos spirites foretolde that an Hebrew Childe should be borne to the vtter subuersion and ruine of their TyraÌ„nical dominion And much more at large the same might be declared by other answers Oracles vttered after Christes natiuitie and registred in the monumentes euen of the heathens them selues Wherof he that desireth to see more ample mention especially out of Porphyrie who then was liuing let him read Eusebius sixte booke de preparatione Euangelica where he shal finde store and namely that Apollo many times exclamed Hei mihi congemiscite Hei mihi hei mihi Oraculorum defecit me claritas Woe vnto me lament yee with me woe vnto me woe vnto me for that the honour of Oracles hath now foresakeÌ„ me Which coÌ„plaintes and lamentations are nothinge els but a plaine confession that Iesus was he of whom a prophet said diuers ages before Attenuabit omnes Deos terrae he shal weare-out bring to beggarie al the Godes or Idols of the earth This confessed also the wicked spirites them selues when at Christs appearing iÌ„ Iurie they came vnto him at diuers times and besought him not to afflict or torment them nor command them presently to returne to hel but rather to permit them some litle time of entertainment in the sea or mountaines or amoÌ„g heardes of swine or the like Which confession they made in the sight of all the world and declared the same afterwardes by their factes and deedes For presently vpon Iesus death vpon the preaching of his name and Ghospel throughout the worlde the Oracles which before were aboundant in euery prouince and countrie were put to sileÌ„ce Wherof I might alleage the testimonies of verie many GeÌ„tiles them selues as that of Iuuenal
the sonne of Barachias Wherof the first was a Prophet in Ieremies tyme a hundred years after Esay the secoÌ„d liued fowers kore years after that againe in the dayes of pari ' as by the beginig of his prophetie appeareth and yet both as you see were distinctely named by Esay so long before And whereas this booke of Esay was pronouÌ„ced opeÌ„lie to the people as other propheties also were and published into manie thousand handes before the captiuitie of Babylon fellowt and then carried also with the people and dispersed in Chaldea other partes of the world there can be no possible suspition of forgerie in this matter for that all the worlde both sawe it and redde it manie yeares before the thing came to passe yea when there was no opinioÌ„ of suche possibilitie The same captiuitie and destruction of Ierusalem by the Babyloniens was prophetied by Ieremie a hundred yeares after Esay and a litle before the matter came to passe Yea whiles the Babylonians were aboute the walles of Ierusalem and besieged the same for two yeares together Ieremie was within and tolde euerie man that it was but in vaine to defende the Citie sor that God had now deliuered it And albeit he were accompted a traitour for so speaking especiallie when by an armie of Egipt that came to th' ayde of Ierusalem froÌ„ Pharao the siege of Babylonians was raised for a certaine tyme yet Ieremie continued still his asseueration and said to Zedechias the king thou shalt be deliuered into the handes of the king of Babylon And to the people haec dicit Dominus tradendo tradetur haec ciuitas c. this sayeth our Lord this Citie most certainlie shal be deliuered into the handes of the Babylonians And so he continued notwithstanding he were putt in prison and whipt threatened daylie to be hanged vntil in deed the Citie was taken and Zedechias eyes puld out his children slaine before his face and all other thinges perfourmed which Ieremie had prophotied and fortolde them before And which is yet more maruelous Ieremie dyd not onelie fortell the particulers of this captiuitie but also the determinate tyme how longe it should indure sayinge And all this land of Jurie shal be into vvildernesse and astoniednesse and all this people shal serue the kinge of Babycon for threescore and ten yeares and vvhen three scare and ten yeares shal be complete I vvill visite vpon the kinge of Babylon and vpon that NatioÌ„ sayeth our Lordo and I vvill lay the same into aeternal desolation Eut vpon Iuda vvill I cast my pleasant eyes and vvil bringe them backe to this land againe c. In which prophetie is conteined first the particuler tyme how longe this captiuitie should indure Sechdlie the destruction of Babylon and of that Monarchie by the Persians and thirdlie the returning home of the Iewes againe which three thinges to haue bene after fulfilled not onelie Esdras that liued at that tyme and was an actor in perfourmaunce of the last but all other heathen writers besides doe recorde and testifie And this prophetie of Ieremie was so famous and certainlie beleeued amongest all the Iewes in the tyme of their captiuitie as when the daye of expiration drew neare Daniel writeth thus of hym selfe In the first yeare of Darius I Daniel vnderstoode in the scriptures the number of the seueÌ„tie yeares vvherof God spake to Ieremie that they should be fulfiled touching the desolation of Ierusalem and I turned my face to my Lord God and besoght hym in fasting and sakcloth c. Mother onelie the Iewes vnderstoode and beleeued this prophetie but euen Cyrus hym self that was a GeÌ„tile gaue full credit ther vnto therby was iuduced to restore the Iewes as appeareth both by his owne wordes and proclamation sett downe by Esdras that executed the same by his deedes also in restoring home the Iewes and rebuilding their temple at his owne great charges as all historiographers of the heathens doe confesse I might here alleage infinite other examples and make no ende if I would followe the multitude of propheties which are dispsed throughout the whole scripture I might shew how Daniel fortolde to Balsasar king of Babylon in the myddest of his triuÌ„phe and in the hearing of all his peeres the destruction which in sned vpon hym the verie same night after I might alleage how the same Daniel in the first yeare of Darius the Median in the beginning of that second Monarchie of Medians and Persians fortolde how manie kinges should regine after in Persia how the last who was the fowerth after hym his name also Dariê° should fight against the GraeciaÌ„s be ouercome by a GraeciaÌ„ king which was AlexaÌ„der and how that kingdome also of Greece should be deuided torne in peeces after Alexanders death and not passe to his posteritie as Iustine and other heathen writers doe testifie that it was by Antigonus Perdiccas Seleucus Antiochus Ptolomaeus and other Captaines of Alexander that deuided the same among them selues aboue a hundred yeares after Daniel was deade I might declare how the same Daniel forsawe and fortolde the fower greate Monarchies of the world and described the same as distinctelie as if he had liued in them all and as by experience we finde since to be true I might alleage the particuler descriptioÌ„ of the fight betwene Darius and Alexander sett downe by Daniel vnder the names of the greate Ramme the fearce Goate with one horne which Goate hymself interpreteth to be meant of a Graecian kinge that should conquer the Persians And therfore Alexander as Iosephus reporteth comming to Ierusalem about a huÌ„dred yeares after and reading this prophetie of Daniel interpreted vnto hym by Iaddus the highe priest assured hym self that he was the man therin signified and so after sacrifice doÌ„ne to the God of Israel of whom he affirmed that he had appeared vnto hym in Macedonie had exhorted hym to take this warre in hand and after he had bestowed much honour and manie benefits vpon the highe priest and inhabitans of Ierusalem he went forward in his warre against Darius with greate alacritie and had that famous victorie which all the world knoweth A hundreth such propheties more which are as plaine as euident and as distincte as this I might alleage of Elias Elizaeus Samuel Dauid Ezechiel the twelue lesser prophetes and of other which I haue not named And in verie truth the whole scripture is nothing els but a diuine kynde of bodie replenished throughout with the vital spirit of prophetie and euerie daye some prophetie or other is fulfilled though we marke it not and shal be to the worldes ende And the miracle of this matter is yet more increased if we consider what manner of people they were for the moste parte by whome thes propheties of hydden thiges were vttered to witt not such men as
contende This yet maketh the Patriarche Iacob more plaine who prophesing at his death of the comminge of Christ hathe thes wordes the scepter or gouernment shall not be taken from the house of Iuda vntill be come that is to be sent and he shal be the expectation of Nations Which later wordes the fornamed Chaldie paraphrase as also great Onkelos both of singuler authoritie amōgest the Iewes doe interprete thus Donee Christus seu Messias veniat c. vntil Christ or the Messias come which is the hope and expectation of all Nations as well Gentiles as of vs that are Iewes the gouernment shall not ceasse in the house or tribe of Iuda By which sentence of scripture and interpretation of the Iewes thē selues we come to learne besides the promisse for the Messias two cōsequences in this matter against the Iewes of later tymes First that if their Messias must be the hope and expectation as well of Gentiles as of Iewes then can he not be a temporal kinge to destroye the Gentiles as the latter Iewes would haue it but a spiritual king to reigne ouer them and to bring in subiection their spiritual enimies for them I meane the fleshe world and deuil as we Christians doe beloeue Secondlie if the temporal kingdome of the house of Iuda where of Christ must come shall ceasse and be destroyed at the comming of Messias as this scripture auoucheth how then can the Iewes expect yet a temporal king for their Messias as most fondlie they doe But to leaue this controuersie with the later Rabines and to goe forward in declaration of that which we tooke in hand that is to shew howe Christ was fortolde fore-promissed to the Iewes it is to be noted that after the death of Iacob last mentioned there is litle recorded in scripture of the doinges of his people during the fower hundred yeares of their bondoge in Egypt But yet the tradition of that Nation teacheth that as soone as they were deliuered out of Egypt and were in the desert towardes the lande of promisse the three sonnes of Chore called Aser Eleana Abiasaphe of whome there is mention in the sixth chapter of Exodus and other where made diuers songes and Psalmes in the praise and expectation of the Messias to come and that the holie men of that tyme did solace thē selues with singing the same and that king Dauid afterward in the second parte of his Psalmes begining from the 41. vnto the 87. gathered the most parte of those olde songes together as yet they are to be seene in his psalter But Moyses who liued with that people gouerned them in the wildernes had a cleare reuelatiō from God of this Messias in thes wordes I vvill raise vp a Prophet to this people from amongest their brethren euen as thy self and I vvill putt my vvordes in his mouth and he shal speak vnto them all thinges vvhich I shal ordaine vnto him and he that shal refuse to heare the vvordes vvhich he shal speake vnto thē in my name I vvill he reuenged vpon that man Which wordes that they can not be vnderstoode of anie other Prophet that euer liued after Moyses among the Iewes but onlie of Christ it appeareth plainelie by this testimonie of the holye ghoste And were arose not anie other Prophet in Israel like unto Moyses c. After Moyses about fower hundred yeares ensued Dauid whoe for that he was a holie man and the first king of the howse of Iuda out of whose linage the Messias was to come the particulers of this mysterie were more abundantlie and manifestlie reueiled vnto hym then vnto anie other And first for assurance that Christ should be borne of his stocke and linage thes are the wordes of God vnto hym I haue svvorne to Dauid my seruant I vvil prepare thie seed for eternitie and vvill build vp thie seat to all generations Which wordes albeit the later Iewes will applie to king Salomon that was Dauides sonne and in some sense they may so bee for that Salomon was a figure of Christ to come yet properlie thes wordes and his kingdome shal stand for euer and for all eternitie which are so often repeated in this and other places of scripture can not be verified in Salomō whose earthelie kingdome was rent torne in peeces straight after his death by Ieroboam and not longe after as it were extinguished but they must needes be vnderstoode of an eternal king which should come of Dauids seede as must also thes other wordes of God in the psalmes Thou arte my sonne this day haue I begotten the I vvill gyue vnto thee the Gentiles for thine inheritance Which was neuer fulfilled in Salomon nor in anie temporal king of Iurie after hym And muche lesse thes wordes that follow He shall endure vvith the sunne and before the moone from generation to generation There shal rise vp in his dayes peace vntil the moone be taken avvay he shal reigne from sea to sea vnto the endes of the vvorld All kinges shal adore hym and all Nations shal serue hym for that he shal deliuer the pooreman that had no helper he shal saue their soules and deliuer them from vsurie and from iniquitie all tribes of the earth shal be blessed in hym and all Nations shal magnisie hym Thes wordes of Christs eternal kingdome of his enduring to the worlds ende of his vniuersal raigne ouer Iew and Gentile of his adoration by all Nations of his deliuerie of soules from bondage of iniquitie and finallie of his making blessed all tribes of the earth can not possiblie be applied to anie temporal kinge that euer was among the Iewes or euer shal be but onlie to Christ. This promisse made vnto Dauid for Christ to come of his seede is repeated after his death by manie prophetes and confirmed by God as in Ieremie where God vseth thes wordes Behold the dayes come on and I vvill raise vp to Dauid a iust seede and he shal reigne a kinge and shal be vvise and shal doe iudgement and iustice vpon earth And in his dayes shal Iuda be saued and Israel shal dvvel confidentlie this is the name that men shall call hym OVR IVST GOD. All this was spoken of Dauids seede aboue fower hundred yeares after Dauid was dead Whiche proueth manifestlie that the former promisses and speeches were not made to Dauide for Salomon or for anie other temporal kinge of Dauids lyne but for Christ who was called so peculierlie the sonne and seede of Dauid for that Dauid was the first king of the tribe of Iuda and not onelie was Christs Progenitor in flesh but also did beare his Type and Figure in manie other thinges For which cause likewise in the prophet Ezechiel who lyued about the same tyme that Ieremie did the Messias is called by the name of Dauid hym self For this God spake at that tyme vnto Ezechiel I vvil saue my
finallie we may consider that Constantine was the first publique Christian Emperour and liued within 300. years after Christ whē the recordes of the Romās were yet whole to be seene He was a religious wise and graue Emperour and therfore would neuer haue bestowed so muche labour to confirme suche a thing at such a tyme to such an audiēce had not the matter bene of singuler importance And thus much of the second pointe touchinge prophetes among Gentiles There remaineth onlie a worde or two to be spokē of the thirde which is of the confession of deuils and Oracles concerning Christs comminge especiallie whē the tyme of his appearance drew neare and that they begā to forefeele his power and vertue Wherin as I might alleage diuers examples recorded by the Gentiles them selues so for that I haue bene somewhat longe in the former pointes and shall haue occasion to saye more of this matter in an other place hereafter I will touche onlie here two oracles of Apollo concerninge this matter Th' one wherof was to a priest of his owne that demaunded hym of true religion and of God to whom he answered thus in greeke ô thou unhappie priest vvhy doest thou aske me of God that is the father of all thinges and of this most renoumed kynges deare and onlie sonne and of the spirit that conteineth all c. Alas that spirit vvill inforce me shortelie to leaue this habitation and place of oracles Th' other oracle was to Augustus Gaesar euen about the verie tyme that Christ was redy to appeare in flesh For where as the said Emperour now drawinge into age would needes goe to Delphos and there learne of Apollo who should reigne after hym what should become of thinges whē he was dead Apollo would not answere for a greate space notwithstanding Augustus had bene verie liberal in making the greate sacrifice called Hecatombe But in th' ende when th' Emperour began to iterate his sacrifice againe and to be instant for an answer Apollo as it were inforced vttered thes straunge wordes vnto hym An Hebrue childe that ruleth ouer the blessed Gods commaundeth me to leaue this habitation and oute of hand to gett me to hel But yet doe you'departe in silence from our Aulters Thus much was Apollo inforced to vtter of his owne miserie and of the cōming of th' Ebrue boye that should putt hym to banishment But yet the deceptful spirit to holde still his credire would not haue the matter reueiled to many Wherupon Augustus falling into a greate musinge with hym self what this answer might importe returned to Rome and builded there an Aulter in the Capitole with this latine inscription as Nicephorus affirmeth Ara primogeniti Dei Th' Aulter of Godes first begotten sonne Thus then haue I declared how that the cōming of Gods sōne into the world was for tolde both to Iewe and Gentile by all meanes that possiblie in reason might be deuised that is by propheties signes figures ceremonies tradition and by the confession of deuils them selues Nor onlie that his comming was fortold but also why and for what cause he was to come that is to be a Saueour of the world to die for sinne to ordeine a new law and more perfect common wealth How also he was to come to witt in mans fleshe in likenes of sinne in pouertie humilitie The tyme likewise of his appearance was foresignified together with the maner of his birth life actions death resurrection and ascensiō And finallie nothing can be more desired for the fore knowledge of anie one thing to come then was deliuered vttered cōcernīg the Messias before Christ or Christians were talked of in the world Now thē remaineth it to consider examine whether thes particularities fortolde so lōg agoe of the Messias to come doe agree in Iesus whom we acknowledge for the true Messias And this shall be the subiect argument of all the rest of our speeche in this chapter Hovv the former predictions vvere fulfilled in Iesus at his being vpon earth Sect. 2. ALbeit in the pointes before recited which are to be fulfilled in the Messias at his comming we haue some controuersie and disagreemēt with the Iewe as hath bene shewed yet our principal contention in them all is with the Gentile and heathen that beleeueth no scriptures For that in diuers of the fornamed articles the Iewe standeth with vs and for vs offereth his life in defence therof as farre foorth as if he were a Christiā In so much that the Gētile oftē times is inforced to maruaile when he seeth a people so extremelie bent against an other as the Iewes are against Christiās and yet to stand so peremptorilie in defence of thos verie principles which are the proper causes of their disagreement But hereunto the Iew maketh answer that his disagreement from vs is in th' application of thos principles For that in no wise he will allowe that they were or may bee verified in Iesus And herein he standeth against vs much more obstinatelie then doth the Gentile For that the Gentile as soone as he commeth once to vnderstande and beleeue the propheties of scripture he maketh no doubt or difficultie in th' application thereof for that he seeth the same most euidentelie fulfilled in our Saueour Which is the cause that fewe or no Gentiles since Christs appearance haue come to be Iewes but that presentelie also they passed ouer to be Christians But the Iewe by no meanes wil be moued to yeeld albeit he haue neither scripture nor reason nor probabilitie for his defence Which among other thinges is a verie great argument to proue that Iesus was the true Messias in deed seing that among the markes of the true Messias set downe by Gods Prophetes this was one that he should be refused by the Iuishe Nation Herehence are those wordes of the Holie Ghost so longe before vttered The stone vvhich the builders refused is made the head stone of the corner this is donne by God and is maruailous in our eyes Hence is that great complainte of Esay touching th' incredulitie obstinacie of this people against their Messias at his comming which Moyses also longe before Esay expressed most effectuallie It maketh then not a litle for our cause gentle reader that the Iuishe Nation is so wilfullie bent against vs and that they refused Christ so peremptorilie at his being among them For whom so euer that Nation should receyue and acknowledge it were a great argument by scripture that he were not in deede the true Messias But yet to demonstrate 〈◊〉 worlde how litle shew of reason they haue in standing thus against their owne saluation and in refusing Iesus as they doe I will in as great breuitie as I may runne ouer the chief pointes that passed at his being vpon earth and therby examine by the testimonies of his greatest enimies whether the forsaid propheties and all other
signes which haue bene frō the beginning to fortell vnto vs the true Meisias were fulfilled in hym and his actions or no. And for that the matters are manie and diuers that will come herein to be handled I will for order sake reduce all to fower considerations Wherof the first shal be touching the tyme foreprophetied of the comming of Meisias and whether the same agreed with Christes Natiuitie or no. The seconde shal be of diuers particulers that passed in Christes incarnation birth circumcision and other accidētes vntill the tyme that he began to preach The third shal be of his life conuersatiō miracles and doctrine The fowerth and last of his Passion death resurrection and Ascensiō In all which as I sayed before I will vse no one Authour or testimonie of our owne side for prouing anie thing that is in controuersie bytwene vs but all shall passe by trial either of their owne scriptures or of manifest force and consequence of reason or els by expresse recorde of our professed enimies FOR THE first then concerning the tyme which is the principal and head of all the rest it is to be noted that by consent of all writers both Pagan Iuishe Christian Iesus whom we beleeue and confesse to be true Christ was borne the 25. daye of December in th' ende of the 41. yeare of th' Emperour Augustus reigne which was 15. years before his reigne ended Also in the beginning of the 33. yeare of Herodes reigne in Iurie which was 4. yeares and more before his death And from the beginning of the world as some accompt 5199. And as other 4089. for that in this pointe betwene the Hebrues and Graecians there is a differēce of some litle more then a hundreth years concerninge their reconinge The state of the worlde at Iesus Natiuitie was this The three Monarchies of the Assyrians Persians and Graeciās were past ouer and ended the Romans were entered into the fowerth that was greater then anie of the rest according to the prophetie of Daniel 500 yeares before Octauius Caesar surnamed Augustus after fyue ciuil warres by hym self waged and after infinit broyles and bloodshed in the worlde reigned peaceablie alone for many yeares together in tokē of an vniuersal peace ouer all th' earth he caused the temple gates of IANVS to be shutt according to the custome of the Romans in such cases albeit this had happened but twise before from the buylding of Rome vnto that tyme. And the verie same daye that Christ was borne in Iurie Augustus commaūded in Rome as afterward was obserued that no man should call hym LORDE therby to signifie the free libertie rest ioye securitie wherin al mē were after so longe miseries which by continual warres the world had suffered By this we gather first that this tyme of Iesus birth agreed exactelie with the prophetie so longe before sett downe in Daniel who lyued in the first Monarchie that after his tyme there should be three Monarchies more and the last biggest of all at whose appearinge the Messias should come and build vp Gods kingdome throughout all the world Secondlie we see that fulfilled which Esay aboue a hundreth yeares before Daniel fortold that at the cōming of Christ people should sitt in the beautie in peace And againe there shal be no ende of peace And yet further he shall be Prince of peace And kinge Dauid longe before hym againe in his dayes there shal ryse iustice and abundance of peace Which thinge though especiallie it be to be vnderstoode of th' internal peace and tranquilitie of our myndes and soules yet considering that external peace also was necessarie for a tyme for the quiet plantinge publishinge of Christes Gospel and seinge that the same wās brought to passe most miraculouslie vpon the suddain when in reason men least might expect the same for th' infinite warres wherin the worlde a litle before had bene and by reason of the Roman Monarchie so freshelie established whiche in their begininges are wont to be troublesome this peace I saye can not be but a greate argument that this was the proper tyme of the Messias his comminge And this for the state of the world in general But now for the particuler state of Iurie at Iesus natiuitie thus it was according as Iosephus the Iew who was borne within fyue yeares after Christ his passion describeth the same One Herod a straunger whose father called Antipater came out of Idumaea was rysen to acquaintance and fauour with the Romans partelie by his said fathers meanes who was as Iosephus wordes are a vvell monicd man industrious and sactious and partelie also by his owne diligence and ambition being of hymself both wittie beautiful and of excellent rare qualities By which cōmendatiōs he came at length to marry the daughter of Hyrcanus kinge of Iurie that was descended liniallie of the house of Dauid and tribe of Iuda And by this mariage obteined of his father-in-law to be Gouernour of the prouince of Galilie vnder hym But Hyrcanus afterwardes fallinge into the handes of the Parthyians that caried hym into parthia Herod ranne away to Rome and there by the helpe and special fauour of Antonie that ruled in company together with Octauius he obteined to be created kinge of Iurie without all title or interest ī the world For that not onlie his said fatherinlaw Hyrcanus was yet a lyue in Parthia but also his yonger brother Aristobulus and three of his sonnes named Antigonus Alexander and Aristobulus and diuers other of the blood Royall in Iurie Herodthen hauing procured by thes meanes to be kinge of Iurie procured first to haue into his handes the forsaid kinge Hyrcanus and so put hym to death as also he brought to the same ende his yonger brother Aristobulus together with all his three sonnes He putt to death also his owne wife Mariamnes that was kinge Hyreanus daughter as also Alexandra her mother And soone after two of his owne sonnes by the said Mariamnes for that they were of the blood Royal of Iuda And a litle after that againe he put to death his third sonne named Antipater He caused to be slaine at one tyme 40. of the chiefest noble men of the tribe of Iuda And as Philo the Iewe writeth that liued at the same tyme with hym he putt to death all the Sanhedrin that is the seuentie and two Senatours of the tribe of Iuda that ruled the people He kylled the chief of the sect of Pharisies He burned the genealogies of all the kinges and princes of the house of Iuda and caused one Nicolaus Damascenus an Historiographer that was his seruant to draw out apetidegree for hym and his line as though he had descended from the auncient kinges of Iuda He translated the highe priesthode solde it to straungers And finallie he so rased dispersed and mangled the house of
withstanding God saith as you see that the glorie of this second temple shal be much greater then the first by the comminge of Christ into the same Which thing Malachie the prophet that lyued at the same tyme when the second temple was in buildinge confirmeth yet more expresselie in thes wordes Beholde I send my Angel and he shal prepare the vvay before my face And straight after shal come to his temple the Lord or ruler vvhom you seeke and the MESSENGER OF THE TESTAMENT vvhome you desyre Beholde 〈◊〉 cometh cometh saith the Lord of hosles and vvho ca imagine the day of his comming or vvho can stande or abyde te see him for he shal be as a purging fire c. By all which is made euidēt that Christ must come and appeare in the seconde téple before it be destroyed as Iesus did and therfore he can not be new to come seing the laid temple was destroyed aboue 1500. year past by the Romas as hath bene said Which destruction and final desolation was prophetied by Daniel to ensue soone after the byrth and death of Christ in thes wordes After sixtie and tvvo heb 〈◊〉 Christ shal be slaine And a people vvith their Captaine to come shall destroye the Cittie and the Sanctuarie and th' ende therof shal be vastitie or spoile And after the vvarre ended there shall ensue th' appointed desolation Which prophetit to haue fallen out lytterallie about fortie yeares after Iesus was put to death when Ierusalem was destroyed and the temple ouerthrowen by Titus the storie of Iosephus the learned Iewe who was a Captaine against Titus in that warre doth manifestlie at large declare AND for that we haue made mention here of Daniels prpohetie concerning the particuler tyme of Christs comming and of his death which confirmeth the purpose we treate so perspicuouslie as nothing can be said more euident it shall not be amisse to examine the same before we passe anie further For better conceyuinge wherof it is to be vnderstood that this greeke worde Hebdomada signifying seuen doth sometyme importe a weeke of seuen dayes accordinge to our commó vse and then it is called in scripture Hebdomada dierum a weeke of dayes as Dan. 10. v. 2. where Daniel sayeth that he did mourne three weekes of dayes But at other tymes it signifieth the space of seué yeares and is called in Scripture Hebdomada annorum a weeke of yeares As in Leuiticus wher it is said Thou shalt number to theoseuen vveekes of years that is seuen tymes seuen vvhich make fortie and Nine years Now then it is certaine that Daniel in the prophetie before alleaged where he assigneth 62. weekes to the tyme of Christs death could not meane vveekes of dayes for that he appointeth onlie seuen weekes to the rebuilding of the cittie of Ierusalem of the Temple of the walles aboute which were not ended but in fortie and nyne yeares after as may be gathered by the bookes of Esdras which 49. weekes doe make iust seuen weekes of yeares And therfore it is certaine that such Hebdomades of yeares are meāt here by Daniel in all the prophetie First then when th' Angel came to cōfort hym and to open vnto hym secretes for the tyme to come he said thes words Marke my speech and vnderstand the vision The seuentie hebdomades or vveekes are shortened or hastened vpon thy people and vpon thie holie Cittie to th' end all preuarication and sinne may take an ende and iniquitie be blotted out euerlasting iustice be brought in place therof to th' ende that visions and propheties may be fulfilled and the HOLIE OF HOLIES may be annointed In which wordes it seemeth that the Angel did allude by naming seuentie vnto the seuētie yeares of captiuitie prophetied by Ieremie after which ended the people should be deliuered frō their tēporal bondage in Babylō And therfore Daniel now being ī that place perceauing the same time to be expired prayed to God with great instance to fulfill his promisse made by Ieremie Wherto th' Angel answered that it should be donne And as after the expiration of seuentie years God was now to deliuer them from the bodilie captiuitie of Babylon so was he also after seuentie hebdomades more to deliuer them from bondage of sinne and preuarication and that by th' annointed MESSIAS which is indeede the Holie of all Holies This I say may be the reason of naming seuentie hebdomades therby to allude to the number of the seuentie years of that Babylonical seruitude For that immediatelie after the Angel appointeth the whole exacte nūber to be three skore and nine hebdomades that is seuen to the building of the cittie and temple three skore and two from that to the death of Christ in thes wordes Knovv thou and marke that from the ende of this speech to the tyme that Ierusalem shal be builded and vnto Christ the Captaine there shal be hebdomades seuē and Hebdomades sixtie tvvo and the streetes and vvalles of Jerusalem shal be builded againe though vvith much difficultie of the tymes and after sixtie and tvvo Hebdomades Christ shal be slaine And the people that shal denie hym shal not be his c. And then vnto consummation and ende shal perseuer desolation Now then if we putt thes yeares together whiche are here mentioned by Daniel that is first the seuen Hebdomades which make fortie and nyne yeares and then the three skore and two from the restauratiō of Ierusalem which make fower hundred thirtie and fower more we shall fynde the whole number to be 483. yeares Which being begonne from the first yeare of Cyrus as some wil for that he first determined the Iewes reduction or from the second yeare of Darius as other will for that he confirmed and putt the same in execution or from the twēteth yeare of the said Darius for that then he made a new edicte in the fauour of Nehemias and sent hym into Iurie euerie waye they will ende in the reigne of Herod and of Augustus vnder whome Christ was borne or in the reigne of Tyberius Caesar vnder whome he suffered And by no interpretation in the world can it be auoided but that this tyme appointed by Daniel is now owt aboue a thousand fyue hūdred yeares past whyle yet the temple stoode and was not putt to desolation And therfore of necessitie Christ must be come about that tyme and neuer more hereafter to be looked for THE traditions and obseruations of th' old Iewes thē selues doe maruelouslie confirme this belief of ours for that they all did runne to this one pointe that aboute the tyme of Augustus his reigne wherin Iesus was borne the Messias should appeare It is often repeated in the Thalmud that one Elias left this traditiō that the worlde should endure six thousand yeares two thousand before the law of Moyses two thousand vnder the same law
putt to death vpō a Crosse by the Gentiles The testimonie of Iosephus may suffice for all herein whose wordes are that the principal Ievves ofbis countrie hauing accused and deliuered ouer Iesus to Pilat that vvas Gouernour of Iurie for the Roman Emperour he adiudged hym to the Crosse. The same doe all other Iewes Gentiles recorde and in this they take great offence and scandale that we should attribute diuinitie vnto a man that had suffred on the Crosse. But if we shew that this was th' eternal preordination and appointement of God for sauing of mankinde and that the same was fortolde both to Iewe Gentile from the beginning and so vnderstood also by the Iuishe Doctors of elder tymes then euerie reasonnable man I trow will remaine satisfied and preferre Gods diuine wisdome before mās follie First then consider that when Christ had ended his preaching and wrought so manie miracles as seemed sufficient to his eternal wisdome and when the tyme was come preordained for his passion wherof he tolde publiquelie his disciples before he went vp to Hierusalem of purpose to receyue his death and made a solemne entrie into that Citie vpon an asse which was prophetied of hym by Zacharie manie yeares before Reioyce daughter of Sion Bcholde thie I VST KING SAVEOVR shall come vnto thec vpon an asse And after his abode some dayes in that place he was betrayed and solde by his owne disciple as Dauid beforehande in manie places had foretolde should come to passe Then folowed his apprehension and most seruile abusage by the Iewes wher of it was foreprophitied in his person by Esay I gaue my bodie to them that beate it and my cheekes to them that bussited the same I did not turne my self avvay from them that reproched mee nor yet from them that did spitte in my sace After this barbarous intreatie by the Iewes they deliuered hym ouer to Pilat a Gentile and neuer ceased to solicite and pursue their vnquenshable hatred against him vntil they sawe him on the Crosse. Where also he was vsed in the highest degree of spiteful dealīg Wherof the foresaid Dauid made mention longe before in the person of the Messias when he said they pearsed my handes and seete they deuided among them my apparaile and vpon my vpper Garmente they did caste lottes And aganie of another crueltie he cōplaineth saing they gaue me Gaule to eate and in my 〈◊〉 they refreshed me vvith vinegar And finallie that Christ should die for the sinnes of mankind ys a common principle bothe prefygured and foretolde throughout all the olde scripture Prefigured by the sacrifice of Isaac by the raising vp of the Brasen Serpent and by all other sacrifices that were in that lawe Fortolde not onely by the scriptures before aleadged but also must plainely by Daniel who was tolde by an Angel that after a certaine time by him there apointed vngetur sanctus senctorum The Saint of Saintes shal be anointed occidetur Christus this anointed Saint or Christ shal be put to death Zacharie also about the same time doth not onely fortel his death but also the kinde therof and from what people he should receyue the same for thus he saith in the person of Christ him self The inhabitantes of Icrusalem at that daye shal looke vpon me vvhom they haue Crucisied But if ye will reade the whole storie of Christs passion set downe at large 600 yeares before it fel out I referre you to a narration of Esay who to signifie the straungnes of the case begineth with this preface vvho vvill gyue credit to that vve shal reporte c. And then after a litle he goeth on in thes wordes He shall mount vp as a tvvigge from a drie earth He hath no fourme or beautie vpon him VVe beheld him and ther vvas no countenance in him vve savve him the most contemtible and dispised man in the vvorld A man full of paines and experienced in infirmitie His countenance vvas obscure and despicable and vve made no accompt of him Truly he tooke vpon him self our greefes and did beare our paines VVe accompted him as a leaper as a mā stricken and punished by God But he vvas vvounded for our iniquities and crushed in peaces for our vvickednes The discipline or correction of our peace lieth vpon him and by his vvoundes vve are made vvhole VVe haue all erred gone astraye like sheepe euery man after his ovvne vvayes and God hath layde vpon him the iniquitie of vs all He vvas offred vp for vs because he vvould soe he shal be led le to his slaughter as a sheepe and as a Lambe he shal be silent before his Shearours For the sinnes of my people haue I stricke thyn saith God He hath donne no iniquitie neither vvas there decepte founde in his mouth Yet vvould our Lord crush hym in infirmitie But if he shal gyue his life for sinne then shal he see a long seede or generation and the vvill of our Lord shal be derected in his hād And for so much as his soule hath susteined labour it shal see and be filled And this MY IVST SERVANT in his knovvledge shal Iustifie many and beare their iniquities And I vvil allotte vnto hym verie many people and he shal deuide the spoiles of the stoute for that he hath deliuered his soule vnto death and vvas accompted among the vvicked prayed for his transgressours Thus particularlie as ye see was the death and Passion of Christ foretolde by the Prophettes of Israel to that Nation Now heare ye the prophetie of Sibylla if ye please wherin she foreshewed the same to the Gētiles Thes are her wordes set downe by Lactātius He shal appeare miserable Ignominious and descurmed to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may giue hope vnto the miserable Aftervvard he shall come into the handes of most vvicked 〈◊〉 faithlesse men they shal busset hym vvith their sacrilegious fistes and shal spitte vpo hym vvith there vncleane mouthes He shal yeelde his innocent backe to the vvhippe and shal say nothing vvhile he receyueth the stripes to th end he may speake to those that are deade He shal 〈◊〉 Crovvne of thornes and they shal giue hym Gaule to eate and vinegar to drinke And this shal be the hospitalitie he shal finde amonge them What thinge can bee more plainly described then this Neither doe the Auncient Rabbines and teachers among the Iewes dessent from this For that in their Talmud that was gathered aboue 1200. yeares gone the plaine sentēce of diuers are sette downe that their Messias at his comming shal be put to death And as for Rabbi Ionathan Authour of the Chaldaie paraphrase who died a litle before Christ was borne he applieth the whole narration of Esay before recited as needes he must to the murder of the Messias by the Iewe. Whereupon RabbiSimeon that liked the next age after writeth thes
desolation and afflictiō to haue had among them the dead bodie of him on whos only life their vniuersal hope and confidence depended The Scribes Pharisees beīg a stonished with the sudaine newes of his rising againe cōfirmed vnto them by their owne souldiars that sawe it found no other waie to resist the fame therof but onely by saying as also their posteritie doe vnto this dave that his disciples came by night and stole away his bodie whiles the souldiours were a sleepe But what likelihood or possibilitie can there be in this For first it is euident to al the world that his Apostles thēselues who were the heads of al the rest were so dismaied discomforted and deiected at that time as they durst not once goe out of the dore For which cause only thos seely women who for their sexe esteemed them selues more free from violence presumed alone to visite his Sepulcher which no one man durst for feare of the souldiours vntil by thos women they were informed that the forsaid band of souldiours were terrefied and put to flight by Christes Resurrection And how then was it likely that men so much amazed ouercome with feare should aduenture to steale a bodie from a Guarde of Souldiours that kept it Or if their hartes had serued them to aduenture so greate a daunger what hope or probabilitie had ther bene of successe especiallie consideringe the said bodie lay e in a new sepulcher of stone shutt vp and locked and fast sealed by the Magistrate How was it possible I say that his disciples should come thyther breake vp the Monument take out his bodie and carie the same away neuer after to be sene or founde without espial of some one amōgest so many that attended ther Or if this were possible as in reason it is not yet what profite what pleasure what comfort could they receaue hereby We see that thes apostles and disciples of his who were so abandoned of life and hart in his Passion after two dayes onlie they were so changed as life and death can be no more contrarie For wheras before they kept home in all feare and durst appeare no wher except amonge their owne priuate friēdes now they came foorth into the streetes and common places and auouched with all alacritie and irresistible constancie euen in the faces and hearinge of their greatest enimies that Iesus was rysen frō death to life that they had sene hym spoken with hym and enioyed his presence And that for restimonie and confirmation hereof they were most redie to spēd their liues And could all this trow you proceede onlie of a dead bodie which they had gotten by stealth into their possession Would not rather the presence and sight of such a bodie so torne mangled deformed as Iesus bodie was both vpō the Crosse and before haue rather dismayed them more then haue gyuen them cōfort Yes trulie And therfore Pilat the Gouernour considering thes circumstances and that it was vnlikelie that either the bodie should be stolne without priuitie of the Souldiars or if it had bene that it should yeeld such life hart consolation courage to the stealers beganne to gyue eare more diligentelie to the matter and calling to him the Souldiars that kept the watch vnderstoode by them the whole truth of th' accident to witt that in their sight and presence Iesus was risen out of his sepulcher to life and that at his rising ther was so dreadful an earth-quacke with trembling opening of sepulchers rounde about such skriches cries cōmotion of all elementes as they durst not abyde longer but ranne and tolde the Iuishe magistrates therof who being greatelie discontented as it seemed with th' aduertisement gaue them money to saye that while they were sleeping the bodie was stolne by his disciples frō them All this wrote Pilate presentlie to his Lord Tyberius then Emperour of Rome And he sent withal the particuler examinations and confelsions of diuers other that had sene and spoken with such as were risen from death at the same tyme and had appeared to many of their acquaintance in Hicrusalem assuring them also of the resurrection of Iesus Which informations when Tyberius th' Emperour had considered he was greatelie moued therwith proposed to the Senate that Iesus might be admitted among the rest of the Roman Godes offering his owne consent with the priuiledge of his supreme royal suffrage to that decree But the Senate in no wise would agree therunto Whervpon Tyberius being offended gaue licence to all men to beleeue in Iesus that would and forbydde vpō paine of death that anie officer or other should molest or trouble such as bare good affectiō zeale or reuerence to that name Thus much testifiethe Tertulian againste the Gentiles of his owne knowledge who liuing in Rome a learned man pleader of causes diuers years before he was a Christian which was about 180. yeares after Christes Ascension had great abilitie by reason of th' honour of his familie learning and place wherin he liued to see and know the recordes of the Romās And the same doth cōfirme also Egesippus an other Auncient writer of no lesse authoritie then Tertulian before whom he liued Neither onlie diuers Gentiles had this opinion of Iesus resurrection againe from death but also sundrye Iewes of great credite and wisdome at that tyme were inforced to beleeue it notwithstanding it pleased not God to gyue them so much grace as to become Christians This appeareth plainelie by the learned Ioiephus who writing his storie not aboue fortie years after Christs Passion tooke occasion to speake of Iesus and of his disciples And after he had shewed how he was Crucified by Pilat at th' instance of the Iewes and that for all this his disciples ceased not to loue hym still he adioyneth furth with these wordes Idcirco iliis tertio die vita resumpta denuo apparuit That is for this loue of his disciples he appeared vnto them againe the third daye whē he had resumed life vnto hym Which expresse plaine and resolute wordes we may in reason take not as the consession onlie of Iosephus but as the common iudgement opinion and sentence of all the discrete and sober men of that tyme layed downe and recorded by this Historiographer In whose dayes ther were yet manie Christians a lyue that had seene spoken with Iesus after his resurrection and infinite Iewes that had heard the same protested by their fathers brethren kinlfolke friends who had bene them selues Eye-witnesses therof AND thus hauinge declared and prooued the resurrection of our Saue our Iesus both how it was forshewed as also fulfilled there remaineth nothing more of necessitie to be said in this Section For that who soeuer seeth and acknowledgeth that Iesus beinge deade could rayse hym selfe againe to life will easilie belieue also that he was able to ascende to heauē Wherof notwithstandinge S. Luke alleageth six
of publishing their lawes and procuring authoritie to the same then to write them with their owne handes and in their life time to establishe their promulgation So Lycurgus Solon others among the Grecians Numa to the Romanes Mahomet to his Sarasins and diuers other in like maner But Iesus to shew his Diuine power in directing the penne and stile of his Euangelistes would not leaue any thing writing him self but passed from this world in simplicitie and filence whithout any further shewe or ostentatiō of his own doings meaning notwithstāding by his eternal wisdome that the prophetie of Ezechiel should be fulfilled which foresignified the being of his fowre irrefragable witnesses which daie and night without rest should preache extolle and magnifie their Lord and Maister to the worldes ende Foure then were fore-prophetied and foure as we see by Gods prouidence were prouided to fulfil the same prophetie The first and last are two Apostles that wrote as they had sene The two midle are two diseiples who registred thinges as they had vnderstoode by conference with the Apostles The first Ghospel was written by an Apostle to giue light open the waie to al the rest And the last in like maner was written by an Apostle to giue authoritie and confirmation to al the former The first was writtē in Hebrue or Iewish tongue for that Iesus actions were dóne in that countrie to th' ende that therby eyther the whole Nation might beleeue them or the obstinate impugne them The other three were written in the publique tongues of al other nations that is in the Greeke and Romane languages if it be true which diuers holde that S. Marcs Ghospel was first written in Latin They wrote their stories in diuers countries eche one remaning farre distant frō an other and yet agreed they al as we see most exactly in the verie same narration They wrote in diuers times the one after the other and yet the later did neither correct nor reprehend anie thing i the former They published their stories when infinite were aliue that knew the factes and many more that desired to impugne them They set doune in most of their particuler narrations the time the day the houre the place the village the house the persons the men the women and other the like Which circumstances the more they are in number the more easie to be refuted if they were not true Neither did they in Iurie write of thinges done in India but in the same countrie it self in Townes Cities that were publiquely knowen in Bethania and Bethsaida villages hard by Ierusalem in the Suburbes and hiles about the Citie in such a Streete at such a Gate in such a Porch of the Temple at such a fishpoole which al people in Ierusalem did euery daie beholde They published their writinges in their owne life time and preached in worde so much as in writing they had recorded They permitted the same to the iudgment and examination of al Christs church especially of the Apostles who were able to discerne euerie least thing therin contained So Marke set forth his Ghospel by the instruction and approbation of S. Peter as also did Luke by the authoritie of S. Paul They altered not their writinges afterward as other authours are wont in their later editions nor euer corrected they anie one iote of that which they had first set doune And that which neuer happened in any other writinges in the world besides nor euer Prince or Monarch was able to bring to passe for credite of his edictes or sanctions they gaue their liues for defence and iustefying of that they had written Their maner of writing is sincere and simple without al arte amplification or Rhetorical exornatiō They flatter none no not Iesus him self whom they most adore nor in confessing him to be their God and Creatour doe they conceale his infirmities of fleshe in that he was man as his hunger and thirst his being wearie how he wept his passions of feare and the like So lykewise in the Apostles that were the gouernours superiours and heads of al the rest doe thes Euangelistes dissemble hide or passe ouer no such thinges as were defects and might seeme to worldlie eies to turne to their discredites As for exāple how Christ rebuked them for their dulnes in vnderstanding how after long instruction they proposed notwithstanding verie rude and impertinent questions vnto him how Thomas would not beleeue the attestation of his fellowes how S. Ihon and S. Iames the sonnes of Zebedee ambitiouslie sollicited to haue the preheminence of sitting nearest to Christ ī his glorie Which later clause beīg set doune clearly by S. Marke while yet S. Ihon the Apostle was liuing the same was neuer denied nor taken yll by the said Apostle neither S. Markes Ghospel the lesse approued by him albeit he liued longest and wrote last of al the rest Nay which is more and greatly no doubt to be obserued thes Euangelistes were so sincere and religious in their narrations as they noted especiallie the impersections of them selues and of such other as they principally respected So S. Mathew nameth him self Mathevv the Publican And so S. Marke being Peters disciple recordeth particulerly how S. Peter thrise denied his maister S. Luke that was scholler and dependent of S. Paul maketh mention alone of the litle differences betwene Paul and Barnabas in the storie of S. Stephens death after al his narration ended he addeth a clause that in humane iudgement might haue bene left out to witt Saulus erat consentiës neci eius Saul was cōsenting culpable of Stephens death Wherby we may perceaue most perspicuouslie that as thes men were plaine sincere and simple and farre from presuming to deuise any thinge of them selues so were they religious and had scruple to passe ouer or leaue oute any thinge of the truth in fauour of them selues or of any other whosoeuer Thes mens writinges then were published receyued for vndoubted truth by all that liued in the verie same age and were pryuie to the particulers therin cōteined They were copied abrode into infinit mens handes and so conserued with all care reuerence as holie and diuine scripture They were read in churches throughout all countries and Nations expounded preached and taught by all pastours and commentaries made vpon them by holie fathers from tyme to tyme. So that no doubt can be made but that we haue the verie sa ne writinges incorrupt as th' authours left them for that it was impossible for anie enimie to corrupt so manie Copies ouer al the world without discoucrie and resiitance And the same very text wordes and sentences which from age to age the learned fathers doe alleage out of thes scriptures we fynde them now as they had them at that tyme. As for example S. Iohn that lyued longest of all th' Apostles and Euangelistes had amōge other
which Plutarch in his forenamed booke doth report that in the later yeares of Tyberius raigne a strange voice and exceeding horrible clamour with hideous cries skriches and houlinges were heard by many in the Greciāsea complaining that the great God PAN was now departed And this Plutarch that was a Gētile affirmeth to haue bene alleaged and proued before th' Emperour Tyberius who maruailed greatly could not by al his diuines and South sayers whom he called to that consultation gather out any reasonable meaning of this wonderful accident But we Christians comparing the time wherin it happened vnto the time of Iesus death and passion and finding the same fully to agree may more then probably persuade our selues that by the death of their great God PAN which signifieth all was imported the ruine and vtter ouerthrow of all the wicked spirites and Idoles vpon earth AND THVS HATH the Deitie of Iesus bene declared and proued by his omnipotent power in subduing infernal enimies Now resteth it for vs to make manifest the same by his like power and diuine iustice shewed vpon diuers of his enimies here on earth whos greatest punishment albeit for the most part he reserueth for the life to come yet sometimes for manifestation of his omnipotēcie as especially it was behoueful i thos first daics of his appearāce in the world he chasteneth thē also euen here on earth in the eye and sight of al men So we read of the most in famous and miserable death of Herode the first surnamed Ascolonita who after his persecution of Christ in his infancie and the slaughter of the infantes in Bethleem for his sake was wearied out by a lothsome life in feare and horrour of his owne wife and children whom after he had most cruelly murdered was enforced also by desperation thorough his inspeakable vexations grieues and torments to offer his owne hand to his owne destructiō if he had not bene staied by friends that stood about After him Archelaus his eldest sonne that was a terrour to Iesus at his returne from Egipt fel also by Gods Iustice into maruailous calamities For first being left as king by his father Augustus would not allow or ratefie that successiō but of a king made him a Tetrarch assigning to him onlie the fourth part of that dominion which his father had before And then againe after nine yeares space tooke that away in like maner with the greatest dishonour he could deuise seazing vpon al his treasure and riches by way of confiscation and condemning his person to perpetual banishment wherin he died most miserablie in Vienna in France Not long after this the second sonne of Herode the first named Herode Antipas Tetrarch of Galiley who put S. Ihon Baptist to death and scorned Iesus before his passion wherat both him self and Herodias his concubine were present was deposed also by Caius th' Emperour being accused by Agrippa his nearest kinseman and most contumeliously sent in exile first to Lions in France and after that to the most desert and inhabitable places of Spaine wher he with Herodias wandered vp and doune in extreme calamitie so long as they liued and finally ended their daies abandonned of al men In which miserie also it is recorded that the daunsing daughter of Herodias who had in her Iolitie demaunded Iohn Baptists Head being on a certaine time enforced to passe ouer a frosen riuer the yse brake and she in her fall had her head cut of by the same yse without hurting the rest of her body to the great admiration of al the lookers on The like euent had an other of Herode familie named Herod Agrippa th' acculer of the fornamed Herod the Tetrarch who in his great glorie and triumphe hauing yut to death S. Iames the brother of S. Ihon Euangelist and imprisoned S. Peter was soone after in a publique assemblie of Princes and Nobles at Caesarea striken from heauen with a most horrible disease wherby his bodie putrified and was eaten with vermine as both S. Luke reporteth and Iosephus confirmeth And the same Iosephus with no small maruaile in hym self declareth that at the verie time when he wrote his storie which was aboute 70 yeares after the death of Herod the first the whole progenie and ofspring kinred and familie of the said Herod which he sayeth was exceeding great by reason he had niene wiues together with many children brothers sisters nephews and kinsefolke were all extinguished in most miserable sorte and gaue a testimonie saith Iosephus to the world of the most vaine confidence that men doe put in humane felicitie And as thes punishements lighted openlie vpon Iesus professed enimies in Iurie So escaped not also the Romans their chastissement I meane such as especiallie had their handes in persecution of hym or of his followers after hym For first of Pontius Pilate that gaue sentence of death against hym we reade that after great disgrace receyued in Iurie he was sent home into Italie and ther by manifold disfauours shewed vnto him by the Emperour his maister sel into such desperation as he slewe him self with his owne handes And secondlie of the very Emperours them selues who liued from Tyberius vnder whom Iesus suffred vnto Constātine the great vnder whom Christian religion tooke dominion ouer the world which contained the space of three hūdreth yeares very few or none escaped the manifest scourges of Gods dreadful iustice shewed vpon them at the knitting vp of their daies For examples sake Tyberius that permitted Christians to liue freely and made a lawe against their molestation as before hath bene shewed died peaceably in his bedde But Caligula that folowed him for his contempt shewed against al diuine power in making him self a God was soone after murdered by the cōspiracie of his dearest friendes Nero also who first of al other beganne persecution against the Christians within fewe monethes after he had put S. Peter and S. Paul to death in Rome hauing murdered in like manner his owne mother brother wife maister was vpon the sudaine from his glorious estate and maiestie throwen doune into such horrible distresse and confusion in the sight of al men as being condemned by the Senate to haue his heade thrust into a pillorie and ther most ignominiously to be whipped to death was cōstrained for auoiding th' execution of that terrible sentence to massacre him self with his owne handes by the assistance of such as were dearest vnto him The like might be shewed in the tragical endes of Galba Otho Vitellius Domitian Commodus Pertinax Iulian Macrinus Antoninus Alexander Maximinus Gordianus Aurelianus Decius Gallus Volutianus Aemilianus Valerianus Galienus Caius Carinus Maximianus Maxentius Licinius and others whos miserable deathes a noble man Councellour wel neare a thousand yeares past did gather against Zosimus a heathen writer to shew therby the pouerful hand of
the truth of our beleefe it would be ouer tedious to lay doune euery particuler waie that might be assigned for discussion therof for that it would bring in the contention of al times aswel auncient as present about cōtrouersies in Christian faith which hath bene impugned from age to age by the seditious instruments of Christs infernal enemie And therfore as well in respecte of the lēgth wherof this place is not capable as also for that of purpose I doe auoide al dealing with matters of controuersie within the cōpasse of this worke I meane only at this time for the comfort of such as are alredy in the right waie and for some light to others who perhaps of simplicitie may walke awrie to let doune with as great breuitie as possibly may be some few general notes or obseruations for their better helpe in this behalfe In which great affaire of our faith and beleefe wherin consisteth as well the ground and foundatiō of our eternal welfare as also the fruite entire vtilitie of Christs comming into this world it is to be considered that God could not of his infinite wisdome forseeing al thigs and times to come nor euer would of his vnspeakable goodnes desiring our saluatiō as he doth leaue vs in this life without most sure certaine and cleare euidencie in this matter and consequētly we must imagine that all our errours cōmitted herein I meane in matters of faith and beleefe among Christians doe proceede rather of finne negligence wilfulnes or inconsideration in our selues then either of difficultie or doubtfulnes in the meanes left vnto vs for discerning the same or of the want of Gods holie assistance to that effect if we would with humilitie accept therof This Esay made plaine when he prophetied of this perspicuitie that is of this most excellent priuilege in Christian religion so many hundred yeares before Christ was borne For after that in diuers chapters he had declared the glorious cōming of Christ in signes and miracles as also the multitude of Gētiles that should imbrace his doctrine together with the ioye and exultation of their cōuersion he forsheweth presentlie the wōderful prouidence of God also in prouidinge for Christians so manifest a waye of directiō for their faith and religion as the most simple and vnlearned man in the world should not be able but of wilfulnes to goe astraye therin His wordes are thes directed to the Gentiles Take comfort and feare not beholde your God shall come and saue you Then shall the eyes of the blinde be opened and the eares of the deafe shal be restored c. And there shal be a path vvaye and it shal be called THE HOLIE WAYE it shal be vnto you so direct a vvay as fooles shall not be able to erre therin By which wordes we see that among other rare benefites that Christes people were to receaue by his comminge this should be one and not the least that after his holie doctrine once published and receyued it should not be easie for the weakest in capacitie or learning that might be whom Esay here noteth by the name of fooles to runne awrie in matters of their beliefe so plaine cleare euidēt should the waye for trial therof be made Here hence it is that S. Paul pronounceth so peremptorilie of a contētious and heretical man that he is damned by the testimenie of his ovvne iudgement or conscience for that he hath abandoned this common direct and publique waye which all men might see and hath deuised particuler pathes and turninges to hymself Herehēce it is that th' auncient fathers of Christe primatiue Church disputinge against the same kynde of people defended alwayes that their errour was of malice and wilful blindnes and not of ignorance applyinge thos wordes of prophetie vnto thē they that savve me rannc out from me That is saith S. Augustine they which sawe and beheld the Catholique Church of Christ which is the plaine waye denoted byEsay and the most eminēt mountaine described by Daniel as also by Esay hymself in an other place expounded by Christ in S. Mathewes Ghospel this Churche saith he wicked heretiques beholding for that no mā can auoide the sight therof but he that most obstinatelie will shut his eyes yet for hatred and malice doe they runne out of the same and doe raise vp heresies and schismes against th' vnitie therof Thus much saith this holie doctour by whose discourse we maye perceyue that the plaine and direct waye mentioned by Esay wherin no simple or ignorant man can erre is the general bodie of Christes visible Church vpon earth planted by his Apostles throughout al countries Nations and cōtinuinge by succession vnto the worldes ende In which Church whosoeuer remaineth beleeueth al thinges that are taught therin cā not possiblie fall into errour of faith For that this church or vniuersal bodie is guided by Christes spirit who is the heade therof and so no waies subiect or withi cōpasse of errour For which cause S. Paul nameth it the pillar and sirmament of truth And the same Church is so manifest and euident and shal be so to the worldes ende as the same learned Doctour and other his equals doe proue that it is more easie to fynde it out then it is to see the Sunne or Moone when it shy neth brightest or to beholde the greatest hill or mountaine in the world For as S. Augustines wordes are albeit particuler hilles in one countrie may be vnknowen in an other as Olympus in Greece may be vnknowen in Affrica and the mountaine Giddaba of Affrike may be vnknowen in Greece yet saith this holie father a mountaine that passeth throughout all Countries and filleth vp the whole world as Daniel prophetied Christes Church should doe can not be but apparent to the sight of al men and consequentlie must needes be knowē of al men but onlie of such as wilfullie doe shut their eyes from sight therof For declaration of which reason argument and discourse of Holy-Fathers being also the discourse of Christ hym self in the Ghospel when he remitteth mē to the visible Church that is placed on an hill it is to be noted that in the time frō Christes ascension vntil the 14. yeare of Neroes raigne who first of the Romane Emperours beganne open persecution against the proceedinges of Christians put to death S. Peter and S. Paul In this time I saie of tolleration vnder the Romane Empire which cōtained the space of 37. yeares Christes Apostles and Disciples had preached and planted one vniforme Ghospell thoroughout all the worlde as both by their actes and gestes recorded as also by the peculier testimonie of S. Paul to the Romanes may appeare Which thing being done most miraculoussie by the power and vertue of their Maister and Bishops pastours and other gouernours being ordained in euery Church and countrie for guiding and directing the same by
infinite and consequently deserueth infinite hatred and infinite punishment at gods handes Hereof foloweth the reason of diuers thinges both sayed and donne by God in the scriptures and taught by diuines towching the punishments of sinne which seeme verie straunge vnto the wisedome of the world and in deede to them scarce credible As first of al the most dreadful punishment of eternal and irreuocable damnation of so manie thowsandes or rather millions of Angels that were created to glorie with almost infinite perfection that for one onlie sinne but once committed and that onlye in thought as diuines are of opinion Secondlie the rigourous punishment of our first parents Adam and Eue and al their posteritie for the eatinge of a seely aple for which fault besides the chastisinge of the offenders themselues and al the creatures of the earth for the same and al their children and ofspring after them both before our redemption and after for albeit we are deliuered frō the guilte of that sinne yet tēporal punishmētes doe remaine vpon vs for the same as hunger thirst cold sicknes death and a thousand other miseries besides also the infinite soules damned for the same before the comming of Christ by the space offower thousand yeres as also since as wel infidels which are not baptized as others besides al this I say which in mās reason maye seeme seuere enough gods wrath and iustice could not be sufficiētly satisfied except his owne onlie sonne had come downe into the worlde takē our flesh vpon him and by his paines death made satisfaction for the same And when he was now come into the world had in our flesh subiected him self vnto his fathers iustice albeit the loue his father bare vnto him were infinite and euery litle paine that he endured for vs or at leastwise euery droppe of bloode which he shed for our cause had ben sufficient for the whole satisfactiō for that his fleshe being vnited to his godhead made euerie such satisfactorie action of his of infinite value and merite and consequently of infinite satisfaction correspondent to the infinitie of our first parents sinne yet to the ende that God might shew the greatnes of his hatred and iustice against the said sinne and al other he neuer ceased to adde affliction to affliction and to heape tormentes vpō the bodie and flesh of this his most deare and blessed sonne for by Esaye he sayeth that him self was the doer therof vntil he had brought him vnto that most rueful plight that his flesh being all mangled and most lamentably torne in peeces retained no one droppe of blood within it He spared him not I saye euen then when he beheld him sorowful vnto death and bathed in that agonie of blood and water when he hard him vtter thos most dolorous and compassionable speeches O my father if it be possible let this cuppe passe from me And after that againe muche more pitifully vpon the Crosse O my God my God vvhy hast thou forsaken me Notwithstanding al which cries and lamentatiōs his most merciful father louing him as he did would not deliuer him but for satisfying of his Iustice laied vpon him stripe vpon stripe paine vpon paine torment after torment vntil he had rendred vp his life soule into his sayed fathers handes which is a wounderful dreadful documēt of godes hatred against sinne I might here mention the sinne of Esau in selling his inheritance for a litle meate of which S. Paule sayeth he founde no place of repentance after though he sought the same vvith teares Also the sinne of Saule whos sinne beinge but one and that onlie of omissiō in not killinge Agag the kinge of Amalech and his cattel as he was willed was notwithstanding vtterlie cast of by God for the same though he were his annointed and chosen seruāt before could neuer get remission therof albeit both he and Samuel Gods holie prophet did greatly lament and bewaile and made intercession in that behalfe In like maner might I alleage the exāple of kinge Dauid whose two sinnes albeit vpon his hartie repentance God forgaue yet notwithstanding the said repentance and sorrow and all the weepinge fastinge watchinge lyinge on the grounde wearinge of sackloth and other bodilie chasticementes which this holie prophet recordeth that him self did put in vre God punished him besides with maruelous seueritie as by the death of his dearlie beloued childe by manie other continual afflictions and temporal punishementes during the rase of his whole life And al this to shew his hatred against sinne thereby to terrifie vs from committinge the same Of this also doe proceede al those harde and seuere speeches of holie write touching sinners which comming from the mouth of the Holie Ghost and therfore no doubt both true and certaine may iustlie yeeld greate cause of feare to al such as liue in sinful state As for example where it is saied death bloode contentiō edge of svvorde oppression hunger contrition and vvhippes all thes thinges are created for vvicked sinners And againe God shal raine snares of fyre vppon sinners brimstone vvith tēpestuous vvindes shal be the portion of their cup. And yet further ī manie other places thes most dreadful speeches and comminations are to be founde God wil be knowen at the day of iudgement vpon the sinner who shal be taken in the workes of his owne handes manie whippes belong vnto a sinner let sinners be turned into hell God shal scatter al sinners and shal dash ther teeth out of their mouthes God shal scoffe at a sinner when he seeth his daye of destructiō cōmeth on the sworde of sinners shall turne into their owne hartes The armes of sinners shal be crushed and broken and they shal wither and dry vp like haye from the face of the earth desire not the glorie and riches of a sinner for thou doest not know the suddaine subuersion which shall come vpon hym for God hath gyuē him riches to deceyue him therwith beholde the daye of our Lord shal come a cruel daye and ful of indignation wrath and furie to make desolate the earth and to crush in peeces her sinners within her Thē shal the iust man reioice seinge this reuenge and shal wash his handes in the blood of sinners Thes loe my deare brother and innumerable other such sentēces of scripture pronounced by the holie spirit of God against sinners maye instruct vs of their pitifull estate of the vnspeakable hatred of his diuine Maiestie against thē so lōg as they persist in their sinful life and cōuersation Of all which considerations the self same holie scriptures doe gather certaine conclusions greatelie to be obserued wherof the first and more general is that sinne bringeth al people to miserie secondlie and more particulerlie that he vvhich loueth sinne bateth his ovvn soule Or as the Angel Raphael
who was chaffe Many lost their soules saith he in this combat many got them eternal crounes The edict was executed with al rigour and fury throughout al Prouinces at once and diuers were the issues of such as came into trial But the infinit glorie of such as conquered surpassed far the infamie of such as fel. And the ennemy in the end being vtterly confounded would gladly haue seemed to haue brought that to passe which he neither did nor could For whē by force he had drawen Christians vnto the tēples of the Idols he would haue had it seeme that they came voluntarily whē men would not sacrifice he was desirous at least-wise that they should permit him to say publish that they had sacrificed others being beaten doune with clubbes vpon their knees were reported to haue kneeled of their owne wils for adoring the Godes wherof some cried opēly notwithstanding that they neither had nor euer would doe so for any torment that could be laid vpon thē But the more resolute sorte they were dealt with in al most cruel and barbarous maner without measure reason or order Wherof you may reade both many and strange examples in the eight and ninth bookes of Eusebius who wrote the things as he saw them passe and when our Sauiour permitted al thes extremities to fal vpon his Church then was the time neerest that he had determined to beautifie her in earth with greatest peace rest riches and glorie euen as he did immediatly after by conuerting Constantine to be so zelous a Christian. AND HERE NOVV doth end the storie of Eusebius which conteinēth the conflictes of the first three hundred yeares after Christes departure But the ecclesiastical writers that doe ensue after him ech man in his age doe declare that after the times of Constantine the Catholique Church inioyed not longe her temporal peace but had her exercise from time to time albeit in an other sorte then before that is to saie not by Pagans but by such as some times had bene her owne childrē a far more lothesome odious cruel and dangerous afflictiō then the former For as soone as Constantine was deade and had left the Romane Empire diuided vnto his sonnes one of them which gouerned al the east being corrupted by his wife became an Arrian By whom and other Princes infected afterward with the same heresies the Church of God susteined incredible distresses for many yeares together And then againe after al the children of Costantine were dead one Iulian that had bene brought vp in Christian religiō came to haue the whole Empire to him self and falling from Christ became an Apostata of whom Ruffinus that liued at the same time writeth thus He was a more conning persecutour then the 〈◊〉 and consequently cruel proceeding not so much by force and tormentes a by rewardes honours flatteries 〈◊〉 and deceit By which meanes he ouerthrew more soules thē if he had proceeded altogether by violence The worthie father S. Gregorie Nazianzenus writeth two large 〈◊〉 this mans doings and sheweth that in his youth both he S. Basile were acquainted with Iulian in the grammer schole At what time he saith they wel fore saw great signes of wickednes in him notwithstánding at that time he seemed verie deuout and for deuotions sake though he were a great Prince he would needes take vpon him the office of lectorship in the Catholique Church and besides that saith S. Gregorie began to build Churches also to christian Martyrs But when he came to be Emperour he washed of his baptisme with bloud and profaned his hands of purpose saith S. Gregorie wher with before he had touched the most pure vnbloudy sacrifice of the aulter by vvhich vve are made partakers of the passion and diuinitie of our Saueour After this he made an edict for the spoiling and profaning saith this Sainct of al Church-stuffe mony sacred ornaments and holy vestements that were to be had for defiling of aulters for deshonoring preestes deacons and Virgins but principally for breaking downe of Martyrs sepulchres and for the distroying their Churches In respect wherof this holy father writeth vnto him thus Thou persecutour after Herod thou traitour after Iudas thou murderer of Christ after Pilat thou ennemy of God after the Iewes dost thou not reuerence those holie sacricrifices slaine for Christ Doest thou not feare those noble champions Iohn Peter Paul and others that past thorough fier sword beastes tyrantes and what other cruelties so euer might be denounced against them with a mery hart Doest thou not feare thē to whom now are assigned so great honours and to whom festiual daies are ordeined vpon earth by whom deuils ar driuen away and disseafes are cured and whose onely bodies ar able to doe the same miracles now which their holy soules did when they were vpon earth Their bodies I say when they are handled by vs honoured yea the only apparitions and predictions the onely dropes of bloud of thes bodies doe as great miracles as the bodies them selues Thes bodies therfore doest thou not worship c Thus far S. Gregorie Naziāzene But now after the death of wicked Iulian albeit some times good Emperors were sent by God yet indured they not long but the Arriā heretiques came in gouernmēt againe so did beare the swaie for diuers ages after afflicting persecuting most extremely the Catholiks as may appeare by al the ecclesiastical writers that are extāt of that time And for a better coniecture what was done and suffered in the whole world abrod I would wish thee gentle reader but to vew that which remaineth writé of one parte only and that for the space of few years I meane of the persecution of the Arrian Vandals in Africa which began not long before S. Augustins death and indured diuers years after and is recorded in three seueral bookes by the holy man Victor bishope of Vtica that was one of the sufferers The storie is strange and most worthie the reading for that it hath very many things which set foorth the perfect forme of times that haue insued since and yet doe indure Possidius that liued with S. Augustin after writ the storie of his life reporteth in the same that when the holy man saw but the beginninges of this persecution he was wonderfully afflicted with compassion in his minde For saieth he he saw now alredy Catholique Churches destitute of their priestes sacred Virgins and others that liued continent to be dissipated and cast out the Hymnes and praises of God to haue ceased in most Churches the buildings of Churches burned the solemne seruice due vnto almightie God to be no more vsed in their proper places the diuine sacrifices and sacramentes either not to be sought for any longer or els that ther were not easily found priestes to minister the same vnto such as sought them Hitherto are the wordes of
of a Leuit God punished the whole tribe in this order as holy scripture recounteth He caused al the other eleuen tribes to rise against them first to come to the house of God in Silo to aske his aduise and to folow his direction in this warre against their brethren And thence hauing by Godes appointement ioined battaile twise with the tribe of Beniamin the third daie God gaue them so great a victorie as they slew al the liuing creatures within the compasse of that tribe except onelie six hundred men that escaped awaie into the desert the rest were slaine both man woman children and infantes together with al the beastes and cattel al the cities villages and howses burnt with fire And al this for one sinne committed onelie at one time with one woman And who then deare Christian brother wil not confesse with Moyses that God is a iust God a great God and a terrible God Who wil not confesse with S. Paul that it is horrible to fal into the handes of the liuing God Who wil not say with holy Dauid A Iudicijs tuis timui I haue feared at the remembrance of thy iudgementes If God would not spare the destroying of a whole tribe for one sinne onely if he would not perdon Chore Dathan and Abiron for once the sonnes of Aaron for once Ananias Saphira for once if he would not forgiue Esau though he demaunded it with teares as S. Paul saieth if he would not remit the punishment of one fault to Moyses Aaron albeit they asked it with great instance if he would not forgiue one proude cogitation vnto the Angels nor the eating of one apple vnto Adā without infinite punishment nor would passe ouer the cuppe of affliction from his own deare sonne though he required the same thrise vpō his verie knees with the sweate of blood and water in his presence what reason hast thou my brother to thike that he wil let passe so many sinnes of thine vnpunished what cause hast thou to induce thy imagination that he wil deale extraordinarilie with thee breake the course of his iustice for thy sake Art thou better then thos whom I haue named or hast thou any priuilege from his Maiestie aboue them If thou wouldest consider the great and strange effectes of his iustice which we see dailie executed in the world thou shouldest haue litle cause to persuade thy self so fauorablie or rather to flatter thy self so daungerously as thou doest We see that notwithstanding Godes mercie yea after the death and passion of Christ our Sauiour for sauing of the whole world yet so many infinite millions be damned daily by the iustice of almightie God so many insideles heathens Iewes and Turkes that remaine in the darknes of their owne ignorance and among Christīans so many heretiques and misbeleuers and among Catholiques so many euel liuers as Christ truely said that few were they which should be saued albeit his death was paid for al if by their own wickednes they made them selues not vnworthie therof And before the comming of our Sauiour much more we see that al the world went awrie to damnatió for many thousand yeres together excepting a few Iewes which were the people of God And yet among them also the greater part perhappes were not saued as may be cōiectured by the speeches of the prophetes from time to time and specially by the sayings of Christ to the harisees and other rulers therof Now then if God for the satisfying of his justice could let so many millions perish through their own sinnes as he doth also now daily permit without any preiudice or impechement to his infinit mercie why may not he also damne thee forthy sinnes notwithstanding his mercie seing thou doest not onely commit them without feare but also doest confidently persist in the same The 2. part of the chapter BVT HERE now perhappes some man may say if this be so that God is so seuere in punishment of euery sinne and that he damneth so many thousandes for one that he saueth how is it true that the mercies of God are aboue al his other vvorkes as holy scripture affirmeth and that it passeth and exalteth it self aboue his iudgement For if the number of the damned doe exceede so much the number of thos which are saued it seemeth that the worke of iustice doth passe the worke of mercie To which I answere that touching the smal number of them that are saued as also of th' infinit quantitie of such as are damned we may in no wise doute for that besides al other prophetes Christ our Sauiour hath made the matter certaine and out of question We haue to see therfore how notwithstāding al this the mercie of God doth exceede his other workes And first his mercie may be said to exceede for that al our saluation is of his mercie and our damnation from our selues only as from the first and principal causes therof according to the saying of God by the prophet Perditio tua Israel tantummodò in me auxilium tuum Thy perdition is onely from thy self ô Israel and thy assistance to doe good is onely from me So that as we must acknowledge Gods grace and mercie for th' author of euerie good thought and acte that we doe and consequently ascribe al our saluatiō vnto him so none of our euil actes for which we are damned doe proceede from him but onely from our selues and so he is no cause at al of our damnation and in this doth his mercie exceede his iustice Secondlie his mercie doth exceede in that he desireth al men to be saued as S. Paul teacheth and him self protesteth when he saieth I vvil not the death of a sinner but rather that he turne from his vvikednes and liue And againe by the prophet Ieremie he complaineth greeuouslie that men wil not accept of his mercie offered Turne from your vvicked vvaies saith he vvhy vvil ye die a you house of Israel By which appeareth that he offereth his mercie most willinglie and freelie to al but vseth his iustice onelie vpon necessitie as it were cōstrained therunto by our obstinate behauiour This our Sauiour Christ signifieth more plainlie when he saith to Ierusalem O Ierusalem which killest the prophetes and stonest them to death that are sent vnto thee how oftē wold I haue gathered thy children together as the henne clocketh her chickins vnderneth her winges but thou woldest not behold thy house for this cause shal be made desert and left without children Here you see thee mercie of God often offered vnto the Iewes but for that they refused it he was enforced in a certaine maner to pronounce this heauie sentence of destruction and desolatiō vpon them which he fulfilled within fortie or fiftie yeares after by the handes of Titus and Vespasian Emperours of Rome who vtterlie ouerthrewe the citie of Ierusalem and the whole nation
Knovv thou before hande that thy issue shal be a straunger in a forraine lande and they shal subiect them to seruitude and shall asstict them for fovver hundred yeares but yet I vvill iudge the nation vnto vvhome they haue bene slaues and ester that they shal departe thence vvith greate riches This is the prophetie and how exactelie it was afterwarde fulfilled by the ruine of the Egytians and deliuerance of the Israelites euen at that tyme which is here appointed not onelie the booke of Exodus doth declare wher the whole storie is layed downe at large but also the cōsent of heathen wryters as before hath bene touched And it is speciallie to be noted that this prophetie was so cōmon and well knowen amōg all Iewes from Abrahams tyme downe vnto Moyses and so deliuered by tradition frō fathers to their children as it was the onelie comfort and staye not onlie of all that people in their seruitude of Egypt but also of Moyses and others that gouerned the people afterwardes for fortie yeares together in the deserte was the onelie meane in deede wherby to pacifie them in their distresses and miseries and therfore Moyses in euerie exhortation almost maketh mention of this promisse and prophetie as of a thing well knowen vnto them all and not deuised or inuēted by hym selfe or anie other Longe after this Iacob that was Abrahams nepheue being in Egipt making his testament said of his sowerth sonne Iuda Iuda thie brothers shal praise thee and the childrē of thie father shal bovve vnto the c. the Scepter shal not be taken from Iuda vntil he come that is to be sent and he shal be the expectation of nations Which later parte of the prophetie all Hebrewes doe expounde that it was meant of the comming of Messias which was fulfilled almost two thousand yeares after at the coming of Christ as shal be shewed in an other special chapter For at that tyme kinge Herod 2 straūger putt owt quite the line of Iuda from the gouernment of Iurie But for the first parte touching Iudas scepter it is wonderfull to consider the circumstances of this prophetie For first when it was spokē and vttered by Iacob there was no probabilitie of anie Scepter at all to be amōg the Iewes for that the Israelites or sōnes of Iacob at that daye were poore and few in nūber and neuer like to be a distincte nation of themselues or to depart foorth of Egypt againe And secondlie if anie such thinge should come to passe as they might be a people and haue a scepter or gouernmēt of their owne yet was it not lyklie that Iuda and his posteritie should possesse the same for that he had three elder brothers to witt Ruben Simeō and Leuie who in all likelihode were to goe before hym And thirdlie when Moyses recorded and putt in wryting this prophetie whiche was diuers hundreth yeares after Iacob had spoken it it was muche lesse likelie that euer it should be true for that Moyses then present in gouernmēt was of the tribe of Leuie Iosue designed by Godfor his successour was of the tribe of Ephrai and not of Iuda Which maketh greatelie for the certaintie of this record For that it is most apparent that Moyses would neuer haue putt suche a prophetie in writing to the disgrace of his owne tribe and to the preiudice and offence of Rubē Simeon Ephraim and other tribes nether would they euer haue suffred such a derogation but that it was euident to them by tradition that their Grandsire Iacob had spoken it albeit then presentelie there was no greate likelihode that euer after it should come to be fulfilled And this was for the tyme of Moyses but yet consider further that from Moyses to Samuel that was last of all the Iudges there passed fower hūdreth years more yet was there no apparēce of fulfillinge this prophetie in Israel for that the tribe of Iuda was not established in gouernmēt At lengthe they came to haue kinges to rule then was there chosen one Saul to that place not of the tribe of Iuda but of Beniamin he indued with diuers children to succede hym And who would then haue thought that this prophetie could euer haue bene fulfilled but yet for that it was gods worde it must needes take place and therfore when no man thought therof there was a poore shepheard chosen owt of the tribe of Iuda to be kinge the regiment scepter so established in his posteritie that albeit manie of his descendentes offended God more greeuouslie then euer Saul did who was putt out before and albeit ten tribes at once brake from Iuda and neuer returned to obedience againe but conspired with the Gentiles and other enimies of euerie syde to extinguishe the said kingdome and regiment of Iuda yet for the fulfilling of this prophetie the gouernmēt of Iuda held owt still for more then a thowsand and two hundred yeares together vntill Herodes tyme as I haue said Which is more then anie one familie in the world besides can shew for his nobilitie or continuance in gouernment The same Iacob when he came to blesse his litle nepheues Manasses and Ephraim that were Iosephs children though hym self were now dimme of sight and could not well discerne them yet dyd he putt his right hande vpon the head of the youger and his left hand vpon the elder and that of purpose as it proued afterwarde For when Ioseph their father misliked the placing of their Grād-fathers hādes would haue remoued the right hande fró Ephraim and haue placed it vpon the head of Manasses that was the elder Iacob would not suffer hym but answered I knovv my Jonne I knovv that Manasses is the elder be shall be multiplied into manie people but yet his yonger brother shal be greater then be Which afterward was fulfilled for that Ephraim was alwayes the greater and strōger tribe and in fine became the head of the kyngdome of Israel or of the ten tribes wherof there was no suspition or likelihode when Iacob spake this or when Moyses recorded it And how then came Iacob to forsee this so manie hundred yeares before as also to forsee and fortell the particuler places of his childrens habitations in the lande of promisse as Zabulon at the sea side Aser in the fertile pastures and other the like fower hundred yeares and more Wherhence had he this I say to fortell what lottes so longe after should appointe but onelie from God who gouerned their lottes The like might be asked concerninge Moyses who before his death in the desert deuided out the lande of Canaan to euerie tribe euē as though he had bene in possession therof as afterwarde it fell out by casting of lottes as in the booke of Iosue it doth appeare And could any humane witt or science thinke you forsee