and theyr owne both liues deathes declare that they meant no falshood subiect to the corruption pride vanity or ambition of this life as other prophane and Heathen VVryters were and theyr deathes for the most part offered vp in holy martyrdom for defence of that truth which they had preached and written as appeareth in Esay that was sawed in peeces by King Manasses in Ieremie that was stoned to death by the common people in Ezechiell that was slaine by the Captaine of the Iewes at Babilon in Amos whose braines were beaten outâ— by Amasias the wicked and Idolatrous priest in Bethell in Michaeas whose neck was broken by Ioram sonne to King Achab in Zacharias that was slayne at the Altar and the like And this for the Prophets of the latter times among the Iewes But now if we consider the first Prophet of all that wrote among the people I meane Moses that was not onely a prophet but also an historiographer a Law-gyuer a Captaine a Priest the first that euer reduced that people to a Common-wealth and the first that put theyr acts and gestes in writing or rather the acts and gestes of the almighty God towards them thys man I say if we consider him onely I meane the circumstances of his person the Iâ—we thinketh this a sufficient motiue to make any man of reason beleeue what soeuer he hath left writen in the Bible without further confirmation And first for hys antiquitie I haue spoken before and the Heathens doe confesse and for myracles doone by him the greatest enemies that euer he had in the world that is Appion in his fourth booke against the Iewes and Porphyrie in hys fourth booke against Christians doe acknoweledge them and Porphyrie adioyneth more for proofe heereof that he found the same confirmed by the story of one Saconiathon a Gentile who liued as he affirmeth at the same time wyth Moses But what all those myracles say they were doone by Arte-magick and not by the power of God as Moses boasted But then asketh them the Iewe where Moses a sheepeheard could learne so much Magicke or why could not the Magitians of Pharao whose study vvas in that profession from theyr infancie eyther doe the lyke or at least wise delyuer themselues from the plagues of Egypt why did they cry out The finger of God is heere VVhere did you euer heare of such workes doone by Magick as Moses did when he deuided the Red-sea when he called into his Campe so many Quayles vppon the suddaine as sufficed to feede sixe hundred thousand men besides women and Children VVhen he made a Rocke to yeeld forth a Fountaine when he caused a dewe to fall from heauen that nourished hys whole Campe for forty yeeres together VVhen hee caused the ground to open and swallow down aliue three of the richest Noble men of all hys Army together with their Tabernacles and all other bagges baggage When he caused a fire to come from heauen and consume fiftie Gentlemen of the former Rebels and Adâ—â—rents without hurting any one that stood about them These things did Moses and maâ—y other in the sight of al his Army that is in the sight of manie hundred thousand people amoÌ„g which there were diuers his emulators sworne enemies as by the storie and Scripture it selfe appeareth Core Dathaâ— Abiron with their faction sought in all things to disgrace him and to diminish his credite and therefore if any one point of the miracles had been reproouable Moses would neuer haue durst to put the same in writing nor would the people haue stood with him and much lesse haue receiued his writings for diuine and for Gods own words being solicited against him by so potent means had not they knowne al things to be most true therein contained and had seene his strange myracles and familiaritie with God But he delt plainely and simply in thys behalfe he wrote the things of his owne doings which euery man present did know to be true and of Gods speeches communications to himselfe he wrote so much as hee was commaunded whereof both God and his conscience did beare hym witnesse Hee caused the whole to be read vnto the people and laide vp in the sacred Arke and Tabernacle as Gods owne writing couenant with that Nation He caused all the whole Armie to sweare and vow the obseruaunce thereof And then drawing towards his death he made a most exâ—ellent Exhortation vnto them perswading them sincerelie to the seruice of their God and confessing his owne infirmities and hovv for his offences he was to die before their entrance into the Land of promise Hee concealed not the offence of his brother Aaron of his grandfather Leui of his sister Marie and other of his kindred as worldlye princes for their honors are wont to doo neither did hee goe about to bring in gouernment after hys decease anie one of his owne sonnes which is greatly to bee obserued notwithstanding he left behind him goodly gentlemeÌ„ fit for the roome and himself of power to place them â—f hee had endeuoured but hee left â—he gouernment to a Straunger naâ—ed Iosua as God had commaunded him Al which things saith the Iew do â—rooue sufficiently that Moses was â—o man of ambition or of worldly â—pirit but a true seruant of God and consequently that he wrought not by Magicke or falshood but by the onely power of his Lord Master and that his writings are true and of the same authoritie that in his life death he affirmed them to be that is the vndoubted VVord of Almightie God The fourth proofe of Scriptures THis he confirmeth yet farther by a fourth reason which is the consent approbation of al later VVriters of the Bible that ensued after Moses For as among prophane writers of worldly spirit it is a common fashion for him that foloweth to reprehend the former and to hunt aftâ—r praise by his auncetors disgrace so in these VVriters of the Bible it is a most certaine argument that all wer guided by one Spirit from God that in continuance of so many Ages and thousand yeeres no one yet euer impugned the other but alwaies the latter supporting and approuing the former for true doth buiâ—d therupon as vpon a sure foundation Sâ— the writings of Iosua doo confirmâ— and approue the writings of Moses and the records of the Iudges do reuerence and allow the Booke of Iosâ—a The storie of the Kings Chronicles doth refer it selfe to the storie of Iudges One Prophet confirmeth another And finally Christ approâ—eth them all by the known diuision of the Law Psalmes and Prophets which is a demonstraâ—ion that all â—heir spirits agreed in one And thus hethertoo hath been declared the foure considerations that â—re externall or without the Bible to â—it the antiquitie an continuaunce of the Scriptures the maner of
are full of the lyke and time permitteth me onelie to touch some few of the principall The prophecie for the destruction of Ierusalem Babilon ESay the Prophet is wonderfull in fore-telling the misteries acts of the Messias his natiuitie his lyfe and all the particulers that happened in hys passion In so much that S. Ierom sayth he may seeme rather to write a story of deedes past then a Prophecie of euents to come But yet among other things it is to be noted that he lyuing in a peaceable and prosperous time in Iuda when the Iewes were in amitie and great securitie with the Babilonians hee fore-saw fore-told the destruction of Ierusalem by the sayd Babilonians and the grieuous captiuity of the Iewes vnder theÌ„ as also the destruction of Babilon again by Cyrus King of Persia whose expresse name and greatnes he published in wryting almost two hundred yeeres before he was borne saying in y e person of God First to Ezechias king of Iuda that reioyced in the friendshyp he had with Babilon Behold the dayes shall come when all that thou and thy Fathers haue layde vp shall be carried away to Babilon and thy chyldren shalâ— be Eunuches in the King of Babilons Pallace And next to Babilon he sayd The destruction of Babylon which Esay the sonne of Amos saw c. Howle and cry for that the day of the Lord is at hande c. The wonderfull prophecie for Cyrus King of Persia. THirdly vnto Cyrus not yet born who was preordained to destroy the same and to restore the people of Israell from banishment to rebuild the Temple in Ierusalem hee sayth thus I say to Cyrus thou art my shâ—epe-heard and thou shalt fulfill all my will I say to Ierusalem thou shalt be builded againe I say to the Temple thou shalt be founded againe This sayth the Lord to my annointed Cyrus I will goe before thee and will â—umble the glorious people of the earth in thy presence I will breake theyr brasen gates and crush in peces theyr yron barres for my seruant Iacobs sake haue I called thee by Name and haue armed thee whereas thou knowest not mee Can any thing be more cleerely or miraculously spoken in the world then to name a Heathen not yet borne that shold conquer so strong a Monarchie as Babilon was at thys time and should builde againe the Temple of Ierusalem which others of his owne Religion had destroyed before him What cause what reason whâ—t likeli-hoode could be of thys Yet Esay speaketh it so confidently as he sayth that he saw it and he nameth two witnesses thereof that is Vrias and Zacharias that were not borne in many yeâ—es after saying I tooke vnto me two faithfull witnesses Vrias the Priest and Zacharias the Sonne of Barachias Whereof the first was a Prophet in Ieremies time a hundred yeres after Esay and the second liued fourscore yeeres after that againe in the dayes of Dariâ—s as by the beginning of his prophecie appeareth and yet both as you see were dâ—stinctly named by Esay long tyme before And whereas thys Booke of Esay was pronounced openly to the people as other prophecies weâ—e and published into manie thousande hands before the captiuity of Babylon fell out and then carried also with the people and dyspersed in Chaldea other parts of the world there can be no possible suspition of forgery in thys matter for al that the world both saw it and read it many yeres before the thing came to passe yea when there was no likeli-hood of any such possibility to come The Prophecies and dooings of Ieremie in the siedge of Ierusalem THE same captiuitie destruction of Ierusalem by the Babylonians was prophecied by Ieremie a hundred yeeres after Esay a lyttle before the matter came to passe yea while the Babylonians were about the walles of Ierusalem besiedged the same for two yeres together Ieremie was within and tolde euery man that it was but in vaine to defend the Cittie for that GOD had nowe deliuered it And albeit he were accounted a Traytour for so saying especially when by an Armie of Egipt that came to the ayde of Ierusalem from Pharao the siedge of the Babylonians was raised for a certaine time yet Ieremy continued still in his asseueration said to Zedechias the King Thou shalt bee deliuered into the handes of the King of Babylon And to the people Hae dicit Dominus tradendo tradetur haec Ciuitas c. Thys sayth the Lorde thys Citty most certainly shal be deliuered into the hands of the Babylonians And so he continued notwithstanding he were put in prison and whipt and threatned daily to be hanged vntill indeed the Citty was taken and Zedechias eyes puld out hys chyldren slaine before his face al other things performed which Ieremie had prophecied fore-told them before And which was yet more meruailous Ieremy did not onely fore-tell the particulers of thys captiuitie but also the determinate time how long it should endure saying And all this Land of Iurie shall be into wildernes and astoniednesse and all this people shall serue the King of Babylon for three-score and tenne yeeres when three-score and tenne yeeres shall be complete I will visite vppon the King of Babilon vpon that Nation saith the Lord and I will lay the same into eterâ—all desolation But vppon Iudâ— will I cast my pleasant eyes and will bring them backâ— to this Land again c. In which prophecie is contained first the particuler tyme howe long thys captiuitie should endure Secondly the destruction of Babylon and of that Monarchie by the Persians And thirdly the returning home of the Iewes againe which three things to haue been afterward fulfilled not onely Esdras that liued at that tyme and was an actor in performance of the last but all other Heathen writers besides doe record and testifie And thys prophecie of Ieremie was so famous and certainly belieued amongst all the Iewes in the time of their captiuity as when the day of expiration drew neere Daniell writeth thus of himselfe In the first yeere of Darius I Daniell vnderstood in the scriptures the nuÌ„ber of the seauentie yeeres whereof God spake to Ieremie that they should be fulfilled touching the desolation of Ierusalem I turned my face to my Lord God and besought him in fasting sackcloth c. Neyther onely the Iewes vnderstoode and beleeued thys prophecie but euen Cyrus himselfe that was a Gentile gaue ful credite thervnto and theâ—eby was induced to restore the Iewes as appeareth both by hys own words and Proclamations sette downe by Esdras that executed the same and by hys deedes also in râ—storing home the Iewes rebuilding theyr Temple at his own great chaâ—ges as all Historiographers of the Heathen doe confesse I might heere alledge infinite other examples and make no end if I woulde followe
the multitude of Propheciâ—s which are dysâ—ersed thorowe out the whole Scripture I might shew how Daniell fore-tolde to Baltasar King of Babylon in the midst of hys tryumph as in the hearing of all hys Peeres the destruction which insued vpon him the verie same night after I myght heere alledge how the same Daniel in the first yere of Darius the Median in the beginning of that second Monarchie of Medians and Persians fore-told howe manie Kings should raigne after him in Persia and how the last who was the fourth after him and hys name also Darius should fight against the Grecians be ouercome by a Grecian King which was Alexander and how the Kingdome also of the Grecians should be deuided and torne in peeces after Alexanders death and not passe to his posteritie as Iustine other Heathen writers doe testifie that it was by Antigonus Perdiccas Sâ—leuchus Antiochus Ptolomaeus and other Captaines of Alexander that deuided the same among themselues aboue a hundred yeeres after Darius was dead I might declare also how the same Daniell fore-saw and fore-told the four great Monarchies of the world and described the same as distinctly as if he had lyued in them all and as by experience we finde since to be true I myght alledge the particuler description of the fight betwixt Darius and Alexander sette downe by Daniel vnder the names of the great Ramme the fierce Gote with one horne which Goate himselfe interpreteth it to be meant of a Grecian King that should conquer the Persians And therfore Alexander as Iosephus reporteth comming to Ierusalem about a hundred yeeres after and hearing the Prophecie of Daniell interpreted vnto him by Iaddus the high Priest assured himselfe that he was the man therein signified so after long sacrifice doone to the God of Israel of whom he affirmed that he had appeared vnto him in Macedon and had exhorted him to take thys war in hand and after he had bestowed much honor many benefits vpon the high Priest Inhabitants of Ierusalem he went forward in his war against Darius with great alacritie had y t famous victorie which all the world knoweth A hundred such prophecies more which are as plaine as euident and as distinct as thys I might alledge of Elias Elizeus Samuel Dauid Ezechiel the twelue lesser Prophets and of other which I haue not named And in very truth the whole Scripture is nothing els but a diuine kind of body replenished throughout with the vital spirite of prophecie euery day some prophecie or other is fulfilled though we marke it not and shal be vnto the worlds end And the myracle of this matter is yet more increased if wee consider what manner of people they were for the most part by whom these Prophecies of hydden thinges werâ— vttered to wit not such men is could gather the fore-sight of things by Astronomie or Astrologie that is by contemplation of the starres as some fond Gentiles did pretende though Ptolomie denie that anie such thing can be fore-told but onelie by inspiration from God neyther yet were they so sharpe witted as to attaine to Prophecie by strange imaginations as most vainly Auerroes and his fellowes hold that some men may nor finally were they so delicatly fedde as by â—xact dyet and rules of Alchimie to come to Prophecieâ— as Alchimists dreame that a man may doe that Appolonius Thyanaeus dyd who by stillified meates as they speake came to be stillified himselfe and so by helpe of hys Glasse called Alchimusi to soretel some matters affaires to come Our Prophets I say knew none of these fantasticall deuises beeing for the most part poore simple and vnlearned men as in particuler was recorded that Dauid was a sheepeheard Amos was a keeper of Oxen Yea oftentimes they were Women as Marie the sister of Aaron called in the Scripture by the name of Prophetesse Debora the wife of Lapidoth Hanna the Mother of Samuell Elizabeth the Mother of Iohn Baptist Anna the Daughter of Panuell and finally the most holy and blessed virgine Mary with the daughters of Phillip and manie such other both in the old and new TestameÌ„t who prophecied strangely nor could possibly receiue such fore-knowledge of things to come but onely from the Spirite of the lyuing GOD and by inspiration of the holy Ghost which is a manifest demonstration of the excellencie of Holy-writ and of the certainty contained therein The eyght proofe of Scriptures AND nowe albeit this myght seeme sufficient in the iudgment and conscience of euery reasonable man as the Iew supposeth to proue that the Scriptures be only â—roÌ„ God consequently by them that there is a GOD yet hath he one reason more to confirme theyr sinceriâ—ie which I will alledge in this place there-with make an ende His reason is that although these holy writings which proceede of Gods spirite doe not take theyr testimony or confirmation froÌ„ man yet â—or more euidence of the truth God hath so prouided that al the principall most strange and wonderfull things recounted in scripâ—ure should be reported also and confirmed by Infidels Pagans Gentiles and Heathen Writers themselues albeit in some poynts they dyffer from the Scriptures in the manner of theyr narrâ—tion for that they adioyne superstitions thereunto Which maketh the more for approbation of the things for that heereby it appeareth they tooke not theyr stories direcâ—ly â—rom the Bible but by tradition and most auncient antiquities of theyr owne The Creation of the world FIrst theÌ„ he sheweth that the creation of the World which is the meruaile of all meruailes with the infusion of mans soule from God is â—oth graunted and agreed vpon by all those Heathen Phylosophers that haue beene cited before albeit the particularities be not so sette downe by them as they are in Scriptures and by all other that doe see in reason that of necessitie there must be yeelded som Creator of these things The floode of Noe. NExt to thys the flood of Noe is mencioned by diuers most auncient Heathen Wriâ—ers as by Baerosus Chaldaeus Ieronimus Egyptius Nicholaus Damascenus Abydenus and others according as both Iosephus and Eusebius doe proue And in Bresile and other Countries dyscouered in our age where neuer teachâ—rs were known to be beâ—ore they talke of a certaine drowâ—ing of the World which in tyme past happened and doe say that this was left vnto them by tradition from tyme out of minde by the first inhabitants of those places The long life of the first Fathers OF the long life of the first Patriarches according as the Scripture reporteth it not onely the former Authors but also Manethus that gathered the Historie of the Egiptians Molus Hestiaeus y t wrote the Acts of the Phaenicians Hesiodus Hecataeus Abderida Helanicus Acusilaus and Ephotus do testifie that those first inhabitants of the world
liued commonly a thousand yeeres a piece and they alledge the reason thereof to be both for the multiplication of people and for bringing all Sciences to perfection especially Astronomie and Astrologie which as they write could not be brought to sufficient perfection by any one man that had lyued lesse then sixe hundred yeeres in which space the great yeere as they call it runneth about Of the Tower of Babilon OF the tower of Babilon and of the confusion of tongues at the same Eusebius citeth the testimonies at large both of Abydenus that lyued about King Alexanders time of Sibylla as also the words of Hestiaeus concerning the Land of Sennaar wher it was builded And these Gentiles doe shew by reason that if there had not beene some such myracle in the deuision of tongues no doubt but that al tongues being deriued of one as all men are of one Father the same tongues woulde haue retained the selfe same rooâ—es and priâ—ciples as in all dialâ—ctâ— or deriâ—ation of tongues we see â—hat it commeth to passe But now say they in many tongues at thys day we see that there is no likâ—lâ—-hoode or affinâ—tie â—mong them but all different the oâ—e â—rom the other and thereby it appâ—arâ—th that they were mâ—de diâ—ers â—nd distinct eâ—en from the â—egâ—nâ—ing Of Abrâ—ham OF Abraham and his â—â—â—ayres I haue allâ—dged sâ—me Heathen Writers before as Berosus Hâ—catâ—â—us and Nicholaus Damascenus But of all other Alexander Polyhistor alledgeth Eupolemus most at large of Abrahams being in Egypt of his teaching theÌ„ Astronomie tâ—ereâ— of his fight and victorie in the behalfe of Lot of his entertainment by K. Melchisedech of his wife and sister Sara and of other his doings especially of the sacrifice of his sonne Isaack To whom also agreeth Melo in hys bookes written against the Iewes and Artabanus And of the strange Lake wherinto Sodome and Gomorra were turned by theyr destruction called Mare mortuum the dead Sea wherin nothing can lyue Both Galen Pausanius Solinus Tacitus and Strabo doe testifie and shew the particuler wonders therof Of Isaacke Iacob Ioseph Iob c. FRom Abraham down to Moises writeth very particulerly the fore-named Alexander albeit he mingle sometimes certaine fables whereby appeareth that hee tooke hys storie not out of the Bible wholy And he alledgeth one Leodemus who as he sayth lyued with Moises and wrote the selfe same things that Moises did so that these writers agree almost in all things touching Isaacke Iacob Ioseph and all their affaires euen vnto Moises with these do concurre also Theodotus a most auncient Poet Artabanus and Phylon Gentiles Aristaeus in like manner about Aristotles time wrote a booke of Iob. Of Moises OF Moises and his acts not onely the fore-named especially Artabanus in hys Booke of the Iewes do make mention at large but manie others also as namely Eupolemus out of whoÌ„ Polyhistor reciteth very long narrations of the wonderful and stupendious things done by Moises in Egypt for which he sayth that in hys time he was worshipped as a God in that Countrey and called by many Mercurius And that the Ethiopians learned circumcision of hym which afterwarde alwayes they retained and so doe vnto thys day And as for his miracles done in Egipt hys leading the people thence by the Redde-sea hys lyuing with them fortie yeeres in the wildernes the Heathen Wryters agree in all things with the Scriptures sauing only that they recount diuers things to the prayse of Moises which hee hath not written of himselfe adding also his description to wit that hee was a long tale man with a yellow beard and long hayre wherwith also accordeth Numenius Pythagoricus touching the actes of Moises whose lyse he sayth that he had read in the auncientest records that were to be had The storie of Iosua the Iudges and the Kings BVT the fore-named Eupolemus goeth yet forward and pursueth the story of Iosua of the Iudges of Saul Dauid and of Salomon euen vnto the building of the Temple which he describeth at large with the particuler Letters written about that matter to the King of Tyrus which Iosephus sayth were in hys dayes kept in the records of the Tyâ—â—ans And with Eupolemus agree Polyhistor and Hecataeus Abderita that liued and serued in warre with King Alexander the great and they make mention among other things of the inestimable riches of Salomon and of the treasures which he had hyd and buried according to the fashion of that tyme in the Sepulcher of hys Father Dauid which to be no fable though not mentioned by the scripture Iosephus wel prooueth for that Hirâ—anus y â— high Priest and King of Iurie beeing besiedged in Ierusalem by Antiochus surnamed Pius not many yeeres before our Sauiour Christ his natiâ—ity to redeeme himselfe and the Cittie and to pay for his peace opened the sayd Sepulcher of Dauid and fecht out of one part thereof three thousande Talents in ready money which amount to sixe huÌ„dred thousand pounds English if we account the Talents but at the least size of Talentum Hâ—braicum The things that ensued after King Salomons dayes AND as for the things that ensued after Salomon as the deuision of the Tribes among themselues and theyr diuers warres aâ—flictions transmigrations into other Countries many Heathen Writers doe mention recorde them among other Herodotus and Diodorus Siâ—ulus And the fore-said Alexander Polyhistor talking of the captiuitie of Babilon sayth that Ieremie the Prophet tolde Ioachim hys King what would befall him that Nabuchodonoser hearing thereof was moued thereby to besiedge IerusaleÌ„ Of the flight of Senacherib from the siedge of Ierusalem and how he was killed at his returne home by hiw owne sonnes in the Temple according to the Prophecie of Esay story of the booke of Kings for that he had blasphemed the Lord God of Israell as Herodotus witnesseth and that after hys death he had a statue or Image of mettal erected in his memory with this inscription in Greeke Hee that beholdeth me let him learne to be godlie Confer Xenophon also in hys seauenth booke De Cyropaedia and you shal see him agree with Daniell in his narrations of Babylon And finally I wil conclude with Iosephus the learned Iew that wrote immediatly after Christes ascention protesteth that the publique writings of the Syrians Chaldaeans Phaenicians and innumerable hystories of the Graecians are sufficient to testifie the antiquity truth authoritie and certainty of the holy scriptures if there were no other proofe in the world besides The conclusion of this Chapter with the application SECT 4. THus â—arre haue I treated of the waies and meanes which haue beene left vnto the worlde from the beginning therby to know and vnderstande theyr Maker In treating which poynt I haue stayed my selfe the longer for that it is the ground and foundation of all
the Iewes no man can deny but that throughout the whole bodie and course of Scriptures that is from the very beginning to the last ende of theyr olde Testament they had promised vnto them a Messias which is the very same that we cal Christ that is to say a person annointed sent from God to be a Sauiour a Redeemer a Pacifier of Gods wrath a Mediator between God and man a Satisfier for the sinnes and offences of the whole worlde a Restorer of our innocencie lost in Paradise a Maister an Instructer a Law-giuer a Spirituall and eternall King that should sitte and rule and raigne in our harts to conquer the power and tyranny of satan y e enemy of mankinde who ouer-came our first Parents Adam and Eue and neuer ceaseth to assaile vs. The first couenaunt to Adam THIS is euident by the first couenant of all that euer GOD dyd make wyth man when he sayde to Adam our first Father in Paradise In what day soeuer thou shalt eate of the Tree that is forbidden thou shalt die Which couenaunt beeing after broken on the part of our sayd Progenitor he receiued hys iudgement but yet with a most benigne promise of redemption for the tyme to come for thus God said to y e deuill or Serpent that had deceiued hym The seede of the Woman shall crushe thy head and thou shalt lie in waite to hurt his heele That is one shall proceede in tyme of the seede of the Woman who shall conquer Death and Sinne that are thy weapons and shall not care for thy temptations but shall treade them vnder hiâ— feete and thys shall be Christ the Messias of the world Thus did not onely the eldest Iewes Rabbines vnderstand thys place what-soeuer the latter haue dreamed that their Messias should be onely a temporall King but also the olde Chaldie Paraphrase named Thargum Hierosolimitanum expouÌ„deth it plainly in these words applyed vnto the deuil that had dâ—ceiued Adam They haue a certain and present remedy against thee O deuill for that the time shall come when they shal tread thee downe with theyr heeles by the helpe of Messias which shall be theyr King To Abraham and Isaacke THE same thing is confirmed by the very same promise seauen times repeated and established vnto Abraham that liued very neere two thousand yeeres after Adam and again to Isaack his sonne after him In semine tuo benedicentur omnes gentes terrae All Nations of the earth shall be blessed in thy seede Which had beene indeede but a very small benediction to Abraham or to the Iewes after him y t neuer saw theyr Messias actually if hee had beene onely to be a temporall king And much lesse blessing had it beene to the Gentiles all other Nations if this Messias of the Iewes must haue been a teÌ„poral worldly Monarch to destroy subdue them to the seruitude of Iurie as fondly the latter teachers of that Nation do contend Iacobs prophecie of Christ. THIS yet maketh the Patriarch Iacob more plaine who prophecying at his death of the coÌ„ming oâ— Christ hath these words The scepter or gouernment shall not be taken from the house of Iuda vntill â—ecome that is to be sent and he shall bâ— the expectation of Nations Which latter words the fore-named Chaldie Paraphrase as also great Onkeâ—los both of singuler authoritie aâ—mong the Iewes do interpret thus Donec Christus â—eu Messias veniaâ— c. Vntil Christ or y e Messias comâ— which is the hope and expectatioâ— of all Nations as wel Gentiles as 〈◊〉 vs that are Iewes the gouernment shall not cease in the house or Tribe of Iuda By which sentence of scripture and interpretation of the Iewes themselues we come to learne besides the promise of the Messias two consequences in this matter against y e Iewes of latter tymes First that if their Messias must be y e hope and expectation as well of the Gentiles as of the Iewes then can hee not be a temporall King to destroy the Gentiles as y e latter Iewes wold haue it but a spyrituall King to raigne ouer them and to bring in subiection theyr spyrituall enemies for theÌ„ I mean the flesh the world and the deuil as all true Christians doe beleeue Secondly if the temporal kingdome of the house of Iuda whereof Christ must come shall cease and be destroyed at the comming of Messias as the Scripture auoucheth how then can the Iewes expect yet a temporal King for their Messias as most fondly they doe But to leaue this controuersie with the latter Rabbines and to goe forwarde in declaration of that which we tooke in hand that is to shewe how Christ was fore-tolde and promised to the Iewes It is to be noted that after the death of Iacob last mentioned there is little recorded in scripture of the doings of his people during the space of foure hundred yeres being y e time of their bondage in Egipt but yet y e tradition of that NatioÌ„ teacheth that as soone as they were deliuered out of Egypt were in the Desert towards the Land of Promise the three sonnes of Chore called Aser Eleana and Abiasaphe of whom mention is made in the sixt chapter of Exodus other places made diuers songs Psalmes in the praise expectation of the Messias to come and that the holy men of that time did solace themselues with singing the same that king Dauid afterward in the second part of his Psalmes beginning from the fortie and one vnto the eyghty and seauen gathered the most parte of these old songs together as yet they are to be seene in his Psalter Moises Prophecie of Christ. BVT Moises who liued with the people and gouerned theÌ„ in the wildernesse had a cleere reuelation from GOD of thys Messias in these words I will raise vp a Prophet to this people from amongst theyr bretheren euen as my selfe and I will put my words in his mouth he shall speake vnto them all things which I shall ordaine vnto him and he that shal refuse to heare the wordes which he shal speake vnto them in my name I will be reuenged vppon that man Which words that they cannot be vnderstoode of any other Prophet that euer lyued after Moises among the Iewes but onely of CHRIST it appeareth most manifestly and plainly by the testimony of the holie Ghost where he sayth And there arose not any other Prophet in Israell like vnto Moises c Dauids Prophecie of Christ. AFter Moises about four hundred yeeres ensued Dauid who for that he was a holy man the first King of the house of Iuda out of whose linage y e Messias was to com the particulers of thys misterie were more aboundantly and manifestlie reuealed vnto him then vnto any other And first for assuraunce that Christ should be borne of his stock and lynage these are the wordes of GOD vnto hym I
haue sworne to Dauid my Seruaunt I will prepare thy seed from eternity and wil builde vp thy seate to al generations Which words albeit the latter Iewes wil apply it to King Salomon that was Dauids sonne and in some sence they may so be for that King Salomon was a figure of Christ to come yet properly these wordes And his kingdome shall stand for euer and for all eternitie which are so often repeated in thys other places of the Scripture cannot be verified in Salomon whose earthly kingdom was rent and torne in peeces straight after hys death by Ieroboam and not long after as it were extinguished but they must needes be vnderstood of an eternall King which should come of Dauids seede as must also these other wordes of GOD in the Psalmes Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee I will giue vnto thee the Gentiles for thine inheritaÌ„ce Which was neuer fulfilled in Salomon nor in any other temporall King in Iurie after him And much lesse these words which follow He shall endure with the sunne and before the Moone from generation to generation There shall ryse vp in his daies peace vntill the Moone be taken away he shal raigne from sea to sea vnto the ends of the world all kinges shall adore him and all Nations shall serue him for that hee shall deliuer the poore man that had no helper he shall saue theyr soules and deliuer them from vsurie from iniquitie all Trybes of the earth shall be blessed in him and all Nations shall magnifie him These words of Christes eternall kingdome of hys enduring to the worlds end of his vniuersal raigne ouer Iewe and Gentile of his adoration by all Nations of his deliuerie of soules from bondage of iniquitie and finally of hys making blessed all trybes of the earth cannot possibly be applied to any temporall King that euer was among the Iewes or euer shall be vnto the worlds end but onely Christ. Ieremies Prophecie of Christ. THIS promise made vnto Dauid for Christ to come of hys seede is repeated after his death by many Prophets and confirmed by GOD as in Ieremie where God vseth these words Behold the dayes come on and I wil rayse vp to Dauid a iust seede he shal raigne a king and shal be wise and shal doe iudgement and iustice vpon earth And in his dayes shal Iuda be saued and Israell shall dwell confidently and this is the Name that men shall call him OVR IVST GOD. All thys was spoken of Dauids seede aboue four hundred yeeres after Dauid was buried Which proueth manifestly that the former promises and speeches were not made to King Dauid for Salomon hys sonne or for anie other temporal King of Dauids line but for Christ who was called so particulerly The son seede of Dauid for that Dauid was the first King of the Trybe of Iuda and not onely was Christes Progenitor in the flesh but also did beare hys tipe figure in many other things Ezechiels prophecie of Christ. FOR which cause likewise in the Prophet Ezechiell who lyued about the same tyme y t Ieremie did the Messias is called by the name of Dauid himselfe for thus GOD spake at that time vnto Ezechiel I wil saue my flocke nor shal they be any longer left to the spoyle c. I will rayse ouer them ONE PASTOR which shall feede them my seruaunt DAVID he shal feede them he shall be theyr sheepheard Prince and I will be theyr God will make with them a couenaunt of peace c. In which words not onely we that are called Christians but the latter Iewes also themselues doe confesse in theyr Thalmud that their Messias is called by the name of Dauid for that he shall discend of the seede of Dauid as by reason also it must of necessity be so for that King Dauid beeing dead four hundred yeres before these wordes were spoken as hath beene noted could not nowe come againe to feede Gods people or gouerne them himselfe The Prophecies of Esay touching Christ. ESay the Prophet who lyued about a hundred yeeres before Ieremie and Ezechiel had meruailous fore-knowledge of the Messias and hys affayres and describeth him very particulerly beginning in thys manner In the latter daies the HIL of Gods house shall be prepared vppon the toppe of Mountaines and all Nations or Gentiles shall flowe vnto him And many people shall say come and let vs ascend vnto the HIL of the Lord and he shall teach vs his waies and we shall walke in his pathes hee shall iudge Nations c. Which very words are also repeated in Michaeas the Prophet and are applyed there as also heere vnto the Messias and can haue no other meaning by the iudgement of the Iewes Hebrues themselues And Esay dooth prosecute the same matter afterwardes in dyuers Chapters As for example in the fourth talking of the same Messias which before he called the HIL of Gods house he addeth these words In that day shal the issue of the Lord be in magnificence and glory and the fruite of the earth in sublimitie and exultation to all such as shal be saued of Israell In which words he calleth the Messias both the issue of GOD and the fruite of the earth for that he should be both God and man And in the ninth Chapter he calleth him by these termes Admirable Counseller God Strong Father of the future world and Prince of peace In the eleuenth Chapter hee describeth him most wonderfully in these words There shall goe foorth a branch of the stocke of Iesse which Iesse was Dauids father and out of the roote of that branch there shall mount vp a flower and the Spirite of the Lord shal rest vpon him the spirite of wisdome of vnderstanding the spirit of counsell and fortitude the spirite of knowledge pietie he shal not iudge according to the sight of fleshlie eyes nor yet condemne according to the hearing of fleshlie eares but hee shall iudge poore men in iustice and shall dispute in equitie for the milde men of the earth Hee shal strike the earth with the rodde of his mouth and with the spirite of his lyps shal he sley the wicked man Iustice shall be the girdle of his loynes and fayth shall bee the bande of hys reynes c. Hetherto are the wordes of the Prophet wherin truely nothing can be more plaine euident then that by the rod or branch of Iesse is meant the Virgine Marie who directly discended of the linage of Iesse by the flower ascending froÌ„ this branche must needes be vnderstoode Christ that was borne of her and had all those excellencies and priuiledges aboue other men which Esay in this place assigneth vnto him Whose further grâ—ces yet speciall diuine properties the same Prophet expresseth more particulerly in the Chapters following where hee sayth Hee
more and the last biggest of all at whose appearing the Messias should come and builde vp Gods kingdome throughout the whole vvorld Secondly wee see that fulfilled vvhich Esay the Prophet aboue an hundred yeeres before Daniell foretolde that at the comming of Christ people should sit in the beautie in peace And againe there should bee no ende of peace And yet further hee shall be Prince of peace And K. Dauid long before him againe In his daies there shall arise iustice and aboundance of peace Which thing though especiallie it be to be vnderstood of the internal peace tranquillitie of our mindes and soules yet considering that external peace also was necessarie for a time for the quiet planting and publishing of Christes Gospell and seeing that y e same was brought to passe most miraculously vpon the suddain when in reason men might least expect the same for the infinite warres wherein the world a little before had been and by reason of the Romaine Monarchie so freshly established which in their beginnings are wont to be troublesome thys peace I say can not bee but a great argument that this was the proper time of the Messias his comming And thus much for the state of the world in generall And now for the particuler state of Iurie at Iesus natiuity thus it was according as Iosephus the Iew who was borne within fiue yeeres after Christes passion describeth y e same One Herod a stranger whose Father called Antipater came out of Idumaea was risen to acquaintance and fauour with the Romans partlie by his said Fathers meanes who was as Iosephus words are a well monied man industrious and factious and partlie by hys owne diligence and ambition beeing of himselfe both wittie beautifull and of excellent rare qualities By which commendations he came at length to marrie the daughter of Hyrcanus King of Iurie that was descended lineally of the house of Dauid and Tribe of Iuda And by this marriage obtayned of his Father in law to bee Gouernour of the Prouince of Galilie vnder him But Hircanus afterwards falling into the hands of the Parthyans that carried him into Parthya Herod ran away to Rome and there by the special helpe and fauour of Anthonie that ruled in company together with Octauius he obtained to be created King of Iurie without any title or interest in the world For that not onely his said Father in law Hyrcanus was yet aliue in Parthya 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 Herod then hauing procured by these meanes to be King of Iurie procured first to haue in his handes the fore-said King Hyrcanus and so put him to death he also brought to the same ende his younger brother Aristobulus and his three sons likewise He put to death also his owne wife Mariamnes that was K. Hyrcanus daughter as also Alexandra her Mother and soone after two of his owne sonnes which he had by the said Mariamnes for that they were of the blood royall of Iuda And a little after that again he put to death his thirde sonne named Antipater He caused also to bee slaine at one time fortie of the cheefest noble men of the Trybe of Iuda And as Phylo the Iew writeth that liued at the same time with him he put to death all the Sanhedrin that is the seauentie and two Senatours of the Trybe of Iuda that ruled the people Hee killed the chiefe of the Sect of the Pharisies He burned the Genealogies of all the Kings and Princes of the house of Iuda and caused one Nicholaus Damascenus an Historiographer that was his seruant to drawe out a Petidegree for him and his lyne as though he had discended from the auncient Kings of Iuda Hee translated the High priesthood and solde it to strangers And finallie he so rased dispersed and mangled the house of Iuda as no one iote of gouernment dignitie or principalitie remained therein And when he had done all this then was IESVS of the same house and lyne of Iuda borne in Bethleem the proper Cittie of Dauid which Dauid was the founder and first Author of Regalitie in Iuda Now then consider the prophecie of Iacob concerning the particuler time of Christes appearance almost two thousand yeeres before these things fell out Come hether my chyldren said he that I may tell you the things which are to happen in the latter dayes c. The Scepter shall not be taken from Iuda vntill he come who is to be sent and he shall be the expectation of Nations Which prophecie that it was fulfilled novv at Christes natiuitie vvhen Herod hâ—d extinguished all gouernment in Iuda no man can denie that will acknowledge the things set downe before which are recorded by Writers both of that time and of the Iewish Nation and Religion themselues And that it neuer vvas fulfilled from Dauids daies who began the gouernment of the house of Iuda vntill this time appeareth plainly by all Histories and Recordes both diuine and prophane For that from Dauid who was the first King vnto Zedechias that vvas the last and died in the captiuitie of Babilon the Scripture sheweth how all the Kings descended from the house of Iuda And during the time of their captiuitie in Babilon which was seauentie yeeres the Iewes were alwaies permitted to chuse themselues a Gouernour of the house of Iuda whom they called RESCHGALVTA And after their deliuerie from Babilon Zorobabel was their Captain of the same Tribe and so others after him vntill you come to the Macchabees who were both Captaines and Priestes for that they were by the Mothers side of the Tribe of Iuda and by the Fathers side of the Tribe of Leui as Rabbi Kimhi holdeth And from these men down to Hircanus and Aristobulus whom Herod slewe there continued stil the same lyne as Iosephus declareth So that by this Prophecie it is euident that Iesus was borne at the proper time appointed for the Messias wheÌ„ there was neither King nor Captain nor High Priest nor Counseller nor any one Gouernour of the house and Trybe of Iuda left in Iurie An other Prophecie there is no lesse euident then the former wherein it is affirmed that the Messias shold come before the second Temple of Ierusalem that was builded by Zorobabel after the Iewes were returned from their captiuity in Babilon should be destroyed by the Romaines For better vnderstanding whereof it is to be noted that the Temple of Ierusalem was builded twice first by Salomon which lasted about foure hundred and fortie two yeeres and then it was burned and destroied by Nabuchodonozer King of Babilon Wherefore about seauentie yeeres after it was builded againe by Zorobabel who reduced the Iewes from Babilon and so it continued vntil it was destroyed
she wold haue feigned anie it is like she would haue taken one of them as soone as this which had not been the name of any great Patriarch There followeth the comming of the three Magi or wisemen froÌ„ the East of whom Cyprians wordes are these It is an old tradition of the Church that the Magi of the East were Kings or rather little Lords of particuler places Which is to be vnderstoode such little Kings as Iosua slew thirty in one battaile And it is to be noted that S. Matthew maketh mention of the comming of these Kinges to Ierusalem as of a knowne publique matter whereof all Ierusalem and Iurie were able to beare him witnesse For he talketh of theyr often comming to Ierusalem and of the inquiâ—y for the new borne King of their speech conference had with Herod as also of Herods consultation with y e Scribes and Pharisies about the place of the Messias birth And finally he sheweth the most pittiful murder that ensued of almost infinite infants in all the circuite of Bethleem for thys matter Which could not be a thing vnknown to all Iurie much lesse fained by the holy Euangelist Saint Mathew for that he shoulde haue giuen his aduersaries the greatest aduantage in the world if he had begun his Gospell with so notorious and open an vntruth which might haue been refuted by infinite persons that were yet aliue Epiphanius is of opinion that the three Kinges arriued in Ierusalem two yeeres after Christes Natiuitie for that Herod slewe all the infants of that age But other holde more probablie that the starre appeared vnto them two yeeres before Christes natiuity so that they came to Bethleem the thirteenth day after Christes byrth according as the Church doth celebrate the Epiphanie Saint Basile thinketh that they were learned men and myght by theyr learning and Arte Magicke wherein those Countrimen at that tyme were very skilful vnderstande and feele that the power of theyr Heathen Gods was greatly diminished and broken They might also be stirred vp with that coÌ„mon brute and generall prophecie spred ouer all the East in those dayes as both Suâ—tonius and Iosephus do recorde That out of Iurie should come an vniuersall King ouer all the worlde By these meanes I say and by the prophecie of Balaam lest among them from Mosâ—s time for he was a Gentile whereby was signified that a starre should rise and declare a great and mighty King in Israell they might be induced at the sight of this starre to take so long a iourney as they dyd towards Iurie Thys starre as I haue sayd was fore-told by Balaam a Heathen prophet aboue one thousand and fiue hundred yeeres before it appeared And after Balaam againe it was prophecied by Dauid that Kings of Arabia Saba and other Easterne Countries should come and adore Christ and offer both golde and other gyfts vnto him The murder also of those infants of Bethleem was presignified by Ieremie in the weeping of Rachell for the slaughter oâ— her children which Rachel was buried in Bethleem and for that cause those Infants were called her chylâ—dreÌ„ albeit she were dead aboue twâ— thousande yeeres before they were slaine and aboue one thousand and fiue hundred yeeres before Ieremie wrote thys prophecie Amongst which infants Herode also for more assuraunce slewe an infant of his own For that as Phylo noteth he was discended by hys Mothers side of the lyne of Iuda Which crueltie comming to Augustus eares he sayd as Macrobius reporteth that he had rather bee Herods swine then hys sonne for that he being a Iewe was forbidden by his religion to kil his swine though not ashamed to kill his sonne The same starre wherof we spake is mentioned by dyuers Heathen Wryters as by Plinie vnder the name of a Comete for so they termed all extraordinary starres which appeared in the latter end of Augustus dayes were far different from all other that euer appeared And therefore contrary to the nature of those kind of starres it was adiudged by the whole Colledge of Soothsaiers to pretend vniuersall good vnto the earth and for that cause had an Image of mettall erected to it in Rome and as Plinies wordes are Is Cometa vnus tota orbe colitur that onely Comete is worshypped thorow out the whole world Origine also writeth of one Chaeremon a Stoike that was much moued with the consideration of thys Starre and for that after the appearance therof he perceiued the power of hys Gods decayed tooke a iourney into Iurie in companie of other Astronomers to informe himselfe further of the matter Wherunto Chalcidius a Platonicke doth ad that the Chaldaean Astronomers did gather by conteÌ„plation of this star that some God discended from heauen to the benefit of mankind And finally the Sibyls talking of the coÌ„ming of Christ affirmed plainlie Rutilans eum Sydus monstrabit a blazing starre shal declare his comming Which prophecie Virgil the Poet hauing read in Augustus tyme and soone hauing seene y e same fulfilled applyed it as I haue shewed before of all the rest to the flattering of Caesar and therfore he sayth in the place before alledged Ecce Dionaei processit Caesaris astrum Behold the star of Caesar descended of Venus hath now appeared Which starre indeede was the starre of Caesars Lord and Maister After fortie daies past ouer Saint Luke reporteth how Iesus by hys Mother was presented in the Temple of Ierusalem and therewithall recounteth two strange thinges thâ—t hâ—ppened at the same time to wit that two graue and reuerende persons Simeon surnamed Iust and Anna the Prophetesse both of singuler sanctitie amongst the Iewes comming into the Temple at the same time when Iesus was there in hys Mothers armes tooke notice of hym and acknowledged him publiquely for the Messias and Sauiour of the world Fore-telling also by the Spyrite of prophecie dyuers particuler things y t were to ensue both to Christ and Christians especially to hys Mother the blessed Virgine Which things being published at that time and confirmed afterwards by the euent doe well declare that thys narration of S. Luke could not be forged as doe also the number of particuler circumstaunces sette downe about the tyme place and persons most notoriously knowne to all Ierusalem For as for Anna she had lyued from her youth vntill four-score yeeres of age in the Temple and thereby was knowne to the most part of Iurie And as for Simeon he was the Scholler of the most famous Hillel condisciple to Ionathan maker of the Chaldie Paraphrase of whom I spake before and the Iewes Thalmud conâ—esseth that by the death of these two men especially of Simeon fayled the spyrite of the great Sinagogue called Sanhedrin which after the captiuitie of Babilon vntill Herods tyme supplied in a sort the spirit of prophecie that was expresly in Israell before the
yet sometimes for manifestation of hys omnipotencie as especially it was behoueâ—ul in those first daies of hys appearaunce in the worlde hee chasteneth them also euen heere on earth in the eye and sight of al men So wee reade of the most infamous and myserable death of Herode the first surnamed Ascolonita who after hys persecution of Christ in hys infancie the slaughter of the infants in Bethleem for hys sake was wearied out by a lothsome lyfe in feare and horrour of hys owne wife and children whom after he had most cruelly murthered was enforced also by desperation through hys vnspeakeable griefes vexations and torments to offer his owne hande to hys owne destruction if he had not been staied by his friends that stood about hym After hym Archelaus his eldest Sonne that was a terrour to Iesus at hys returne from Egypt fell also by Gods iustice into meruailous calamities For first beeing left a King by hys Father Augustus would not allow or ratifie that succession but of a King made him a Tetrarch assigning vnto hym onely the fourth part of that dominion which his father had before And then againe after nine yeeres space tooke that away in lyke manner with the greatest dishonour he could deuise seazing vpon all hys treasure and riches by the way of confiscation and condemning hys person to perpetuall banishment wherein hee died most myserably in Vienna in Fraunce Not long after thys the seconde sonne of Herod the first named Herod Antipas Tetrarch of Galilie who put S. Iohn Baptist to death scorned Iesus before his passion whereat both himselfe and Herodias hys Concubine was present was deposed also by Caius the Emperor beeing accused by Agrippa his neerest kinseman and most contumeliously sent in exile first to Lyons in Fraunce and after that to the most deserte and inhabitable places in Spayne where hee with Herodias wandred vp and down in extreame calamity so long as they lyued and finally ended theyr daies abandoned of all men In which misery also it is recorded that the dauncing daughter of Herodias who had in her iolity demaunded Iohn Baptists head beeing on a certaine time enforced to passe ouer a frosen Riuer suddainly the Ise brake and she in her fall had her heade cutte off by the same Ise without hurting the rest of her body to the great admiration of all the lookers on The lyke euent had another of Herods family named Herod Agrippa the accuser of the fore-named Herode the Tetrarch who in hys great glory tryumph hauing put to death S. Iames the brother of S. Iohn Euangelist and imprisoned S. Peter was soone after in a publique assembly of Princes and Nobles at Caesaria striken from heauen with a most horrible disease whereby hys body putrified and was eaten with vermine as both S. Luke recordeth and Iosephus affirmeth And the same Iosephus with no small meruaile in himselfe declareth that at the very same time when hee wrote hys story which was about threescore and ten yeeres after the death of Herod the first the whole progenie and of-spring kindred familie of the said Herod which he saith was exceeding great by reason hee had many wiues together with many chyldren brothers and sisters besides Nephewes kins-folke wâ—re all extinguished in most miserable sort and gaue a testimony sayth Iosephus to the worlde of the most vaine confidence that men doe put in humaine felicitie And as the punishments lighted openly vpon Iesus professed enemies in Iurie so escaped not all the Romaines their chastisement I meane such as especially had their hands in persecution of him or of his followers after hymâ— For first of Pontius Pilate that gaâ—e sentence of death against him we read that after great disgrace recâ—iâ—ed in â—urie hee was sent home into Italie anâ— there by maniâ—est dysfauours shewed vnto hym by the Emâ—erour hys Maister fell intâ— sâ—ch desâ—eraâ—ionâ— as he slew himselfâ— with hiâ—â—wne hâ—nds Aâ—â— secondly oâ— the very Emperouâ—s themselâ—es wâ—o liued â—rom Tyâ—â—â—iâ—s vâ—der whom â—esus sufferedâ— vnto Constantine the great vnder whom Christian Religion tooke dominion ouer the worlde which contayned the space of three hundred yeres very few or none escaped the manifest scourges of Gods dreadfull iustice shewed vpon theÌ„ at the knitting vp of their daies For examples sake Tyberius that permitted Christians to lyue freely and made a Lawe against theyr molestation as before hath beene shewed dyed peaceably in hys bed But Caligula that followed him for his contempt shewed against all diuine power in making hymselfe a God was soone after murthered by the consent of his deerest freendes Nero also who first of all other began persecution against the christians within fewe Monethes after he had put S. Peter and S. Paule to death in Rome hauing murthered in lyke manner hys owne Mother Brother Wyfe and Maister was vpon the suddaine from hys glorious estate and Maiestie throwne down into such horrible distresse confusion in the sight of all men as beeing condemned by the Senate to haue â—ys head thrust into a Pyllary and there most ignominiously to be whypped to death was constrayned for auoyding the execution of that terrible sentence to massacre hymselfe with hys own handes by the assistance of such as were deerest vnto hym The lyke may be shewed in the tragicall endes of Galba Otho Vitellius Domitian Commodus Pertinax Iulian Marcinus Antoninus Alexander Decius Gallus Volutianus Aemilianus Valerianus Galienus Caius Carinus Maximianus Maxentius Lucinius and others Whose miserable deathes a noble man Counseller wel neere one thousand yeeres past dyd gather against Zosimus a Heathen Wryter to shew thereby the powerful hand of Iesus vppon his enemies adding furthermore that since the tyme of Constantine whiles Emperors haue been christians few or no such examples can be shewed except it be vpon Iulian the Apostata Valens the Arian heretique or some other of lyke detestable notorious wickednes And thus much of particuler men chastised by Iesus But if we desire to haue a ful example of hys iustice vppon a whole Nation together let vs coÌ„sider what befell Ierusalem and the people of Iurie for theyr barbarous crueltie practised vpon hym in hys death passion And truly if we belieue Iosephus and Phylo the Iewish Historiographers who lyued either with Christ or immediatly after him it can hardly be expressed by y e tongue or penne of man what insufferable calamities and miseries were inflicted to that people presently vppon the ascention of IESVS by Pylate theyr Gouernour vnder Tyberius the Emperour and then againe by Petronius vnder Caligula and after that by Cumanus vnder Claudius and lastly by Festus and Albinus vnder Nero. Through whose cruelties that Nation was enforced finally to rebell and take Armes against the Romaine Empyre which was the cause of theyr vtter ruine and extirpation by Tytus and Vespasian
foreshewed Secondly that the very same particulers speciall poynts that were dissigned and sette downe by the sayde Prophets were also fulfilled most exactly with theyr circumstances in the person actions of Iesus Christ our Lord Sauiour Thirdly that besides the accomplishment of all the fore-sayde prophecies there were gyuen by Iesus many signes manifestations most infallible arguments of hys deitie omnipotent puissaunce after hys ascention or departure from all humaine and corporall conuersation in thys world By all which wayes meanes arguments and proofes and by ten thousand more which to the tongue or penne of man are inexplicable the christian mind remaineth setled most firmely grounded in the vndoubted beliefe of his Religion hauing besides al other things euidences certainties internal comâ—orts and assuraâ—nces which are infinite these eyght demonstratiue reasons perswasions which ensue for his more ample and aboundant satisfaction therein The Prophecies FIrst that it was impossible that so many things should be foretolde so precisely with so many particularities in so many ages by so different persons of al sanctity with so great concorde consent and vnitie and that so long before hande but by the Spyrit of God alone that onely hath the fore-knowledge of future euents The fulfilling SEcondly that it could not possibly be that so many thinges so difficult and strange with all theyr particularities and circumstaunces should be so exactly precisely â—ulfilled but in hym alone of whom they were truely meant Gods assistance THirdly that it can no wayes bee imagined that GOD would euer haue concurred with Iesus dooings or assisted him aboue al course of nature with so aboundant myracles as the Gentiles doe confesse that he wrought if he had beene a seducer or taken vppon him to sette forth a false doctrine Iesus doctrine FOurthly if Iesus had intended to deceiue and seduce the world he would neuer haue proposed a doctrine so difficult and repugnant to al sensualitie but rather would haue taught things pleasant and gratefull to mans voluptuous delight as Mahomet did after him Neither could the nature of man haue euer effectuously embraced such aâ—steritie without the assistance of some diuine and supernaturall power Iesus manner of teaching FIfâ—ly for that Iesus beeing poorely borne and vnlettered as by hys aduersaries confession doth appeare and that in such an age and tyme when all worldly learning was in most florishing estate he could neuâ—r possibly but by diuine power haue attayned to such exquisite knowledge in al kind of learningâ— as to be able to decide all doubtes and controuersies of Phylosophers before hym as he dyd laying downe more plainly distinctly perspicuouslly the pyth of all humane and diuine learning within the compasse of three yeeres teaching and that to auditors of so great simplicity then dyd all the Sages of the worlde vnto that day insomuch that euen then the most vnlearned Christian at that time could say more in certainty of trueth concerning the knowledge of God the creation of the worlde the end of man the rewarde of vertue the punishment of vice the immortalitie and rest of our soules after thys life and in other such high poynâ—s and mysteries of true phylosophy then coulde the most famous and learned of all the Gentiles that had for so many ages before beaten theyr braynes in contention about the same Iesus lyfe and manner of proceeding SIxtlie if Iesus had not meant plainly and sincerely in al his doings according as he professed he would neuer haue taken so seuere a course of lyfe to himselfe neyther would he haue refused all temporall dignities and aduaâ—ncements as he did he wold neuer haue chosen to die so opprobriously in the sight of all men or made election of Apostles and Disciples so poore and contemptible in the world nor if hee had would euer worldly men haue folowed him in so great multitudes with so great feruour zeale coÌ„stancie and perseuerance vnto death The beginners first publishers of Christian Religion SEuenthly we see that the first beginners and founders of Christian religion left by Iesus were a multitude of simple and vnskilfull persons vnapt to deceiue or deuise any thing of themselues They beganne against all probability of mans reason they went forward against the streame and strength of the world they continued and increased abouâ— humaine possibilitie they perseuered in torments and afflictions insufferable they wrought myracles aboue the reach and compasse of mans ability they ouerthrewe Idolatry that then possessed the worlde and confounded all powers infernal by the onely name vertue of their Maister They saw the prophecies of Iesus fulfilled all hys diuine speeches and predictions come to passe They sawe the punishment of theyr enemies chiefe impugners to fall vpon them in their dayes They saw euery day whole Prouinces Countries and Kingdomes conuerted to their saith And finally the whole Romaine Empire world besides to subiect it selfe to the lawe obedience and Gospel of theyr Maister The present state of the Iewes LAstly among all other reasons and arguments this may be one most manifest vnto vs that wheras by many testimonies and expresse prophecies of the old Testament it is affirmed that the people of Israell should abandon persecute and put to death the true Messias at hys coÌ„ming as before hath beene shewed and for that fact should it selfe be abandoned of God and brought to ruine and dispersion ouer all the world wherein according to the words of Ose They shall sitte for a long time without a King without Prince without sacrifice without Altar without Ephode or Images and after this again the chyldren of Israell shall returne and seeke theyr God in the last daies We see in this age the same particularities fulfilled in that Nation and so haue continued nowe for these 15. hundred yeeres that is we see the Iewish people afflicted aboue al Nations of y e world dispersed in seruility throughout all corners of the earth without dygnitie or reputation without King Prince or common-wealth of themselues prohibited by all Princes both Christian and other to make theyr sacrifice where they inhabite depriued of all meanes to attaine to good knowledge in good litterature whereby daily they fall into more grosse ignoraunce and absurdities against coÌ„mon reason in theyr latter doctrine theÌ„ dyd the most barbarous Infidels that euer were hauing lost all sence and feeling in spyrituall affayres all knowledge and vnderstanding in celestiall thinges for the life to come hauing among them no Prophet no graue teacher no man directed by Gods holy Spyrite and finally as men forlorne filled wyth all kynd of myserie doe both by theyr inwarde and externall calamities preach denounce and testifie to the world that Iesus whoÌ„ they crucified was the onely true Messias and Sauiour of man-kinde and that hys bloode as they themselues required lyeth heauily vppon theyr generation for euer The conclusion of the Chapter with an admoâ—ishment WHerfore to conclude
their writing preseruing from corrupâ—ion the sinceritie vertue and simâ—licitie of their VVriters together â—ith their agreement and coherence none spirit But now further saith he learned Iew if you will but open â—â—e Booke it selfe and looke into the â—ext and that which therein is conâ—â—ined you shall see Gods ovvne â—â—nd Gods owne charecters Gods â—wne signâ— and seale and subscriptiâ—â— to the paper You shall see Gods â—mnipotencie Gods Spirite Gods â—rouidence no lesse in these Letters â—f his Booke than you behelde the same before in the tables of his creatures Nay much more sayth he for these letters were deuised for declaration of those Tables to the end that such as for their blindnes could not see him in his creatures might learn at least to read him in his scriptures ¶ The fifth prooâ—e of Scriptures COnsider then first saith hee the subiect or Argument which the Scriptures do handle together with their scope ende whereuntoo they doo leuell You shall find that thâ— first is nothing els but the actes and gests of one eternall God as beforâ— hath been mentioned the second nothing els but the onely glorie anâ— exaltation of the same great God together with the saluation of mankinde vpon earth And shal you finâ— anie writings in the world besidesâ— that haue so worthy an argument oâ— so high an end Read all the volumes and monuments of the Pagans turn ouer all their Authors of what kindâ— name or profession soeuer and see vvhat mention they make of theâ—â— two thingsâ— I meane of the honour of God and the saluation of man Read their Philosophers see whether euer they name or pretend these things Read their Historiographers and marke how manie battailes and victories they attribute vnto God They will describe to you often the particuler commendation of theyr Captaine they will defraud no one Souldiour of his praise in the victorie they will attribute much to the wisedome of their Generall much to his courage much to his watchfulnes much to his fortune They will attribute to the place to the winde to the weather to the shining of the Sun to the raising of the dust in the enemies eyes to the flying of some little bird in the ayre and to a thousand such pettie obseruations besides but to God nothing VVhereas contrariwise in the Scriptures it is in euerie battaile recorded God deliâ—â—â—ed them into their enemies handes Gâ—d ouer-threwe them God gaue the â—â—ctorie Againe consider the Lawes law makers among the Gentiles as Lyâ—â—â—gus Solon Draco Numa and the â—â—â—e and see whether you finde anie one such Law or tending to such an end as this of the Iewes Thou shalâ— loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart and with all thy soule and shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Consider in all the Sooth-sayers and Diuines among the Gentiles whether they vsed to say in their predictions as the prophetes of Israell did Dominus dixit the Lord hath spoken it or els Ego dico I do speake it Compare their versifiers and Poets with those of the Scripture and see whether they haue laboured in the praise of men or of God And whereas Heathen Poets haue filled vp their Bookes as also the most part of ours at this day with matteâ— of carnall loue marke where any oâ— them euer brake foorth inâ—o such panges of spiritual chast loue as holie Dauid did when he said I will loue thee my God my strength my firmament my refuge my deliuerer my helper my protector and thâ— horne of my saluation And againâ— in another verse What haue I desired vpon earth besides thee my fleâ—â— and hart haue fainted for thee thoâ— God of my hart thou God art mâ— part and portion euerlasting By all which is euident that as prophane writings and Wryters which do treate of men extol men seeke the grace of men referre all to the commoditie and good lyking of men doe proceede of the spyrite of man and are subiect to those infirmities of falshood errour and vanitie wherewith mâ—n is entangled in thys life so the Scriptures which handle matters aboue the compasse of flesh and blood that referre al to God and supernaturall ends could not proceed of nature or of humane spirit For thâ—t by nature the Iewes were men as the Gentiles were and had their infirmities of fleshe and blood as the other had And therefore it must needes be concluded that these hygh and supernaturall writings among them proceeded from God that speciallie directed them and gaue them light of vnderstanding aboue all other Nations and people in the world ¶ The sixt proofe of Scripture NExt after the argument and ende of the Scriptures the Iewe willeth vs to consider the peculier style and phrase which they vse for that saith he it being different from all manner of writings in the world vnimitable to man it doth discouer the finger of God by which it was framed For wheras humaine writers do labor much in adorning their style and in reducing their words to number weight measure sound with addition of many figures and other ornaments for allurement of the Reader the Scripture taketh quite another course and vseth a most meruailous simplicitie therby to accomodate it selfe to the capacitie of the weakest but yet alwaies carrying with it so great profundity as the best learned in the serch therof shall confesse theyr owne ignorance For examples sake consider but the very â—irst words of the Bible In the beginning God created heauen and earth and the earth was emptie and voide and darkenesse was vpon the face of the deapth and the Spirit of God was carried vpon the waters and God said let light be made and light was made c. What can be more plaine and simple then this narration to instruct the most vnlearned about the beginning and creation oâ— the world and yet when learned men come to examine euery point thereof how and what and where and in what maner when things were done it astonisheth them all to consider the difficulties which they finde and the depth of so infinite inscrutable misteries Besides this there goeth in the same simplicitie a strange maiestie and grauitie of speech declaring sufficientlie from how great potent a Prince it proceedeth For as great Monarches in their Ediâ—ts proclamatioÌ„s are wont to speak vnto their subiects not in figures or rethorical phâ—ases but plainlie breefelie and peremptorilie to shew their authoritie so the Scriptures to declare whose Edicts they be do vse the like manner of phrase and style to all the world without alluring or flattering any man without reâ—pect of Monarch Emperor King Prince or Potentate Fac hoc viues do this and thou shalt liue Si peccaueris in me â—â—rieris in aeternum if thou sin against mee thou shalt die euerlastinglie And albeit as I haue saide the