in worshipping of Images and such like tromperie I am perswaded haue beene two maine obstacles to their conversion hitherto as some of them in Barbarie objected to me saying the Christian Religion could not be the true Religion for that it alloweth the worshipping of images which is expresly against the Law Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image And if we say they crucified Christ and therefore we hate and abhorre them even to the third and fourth generation that is to say their posterity for ever so doe we daily by our crying sinnes euen crucifie againe the Lord Iesus they but once and unwittingly as Saint Peter testifieth we often and that both wittingly and willingly to our greater condemnation in respect of the fulnesse of knowledge we haue in the Messiah This is that fulnesse of the Gentiles already come in whereof the Apostle long since prophecied as in knowledge abounding so in sinne super-abounding and that generally through out all Nations Of whom I doubt much whether I may say as it was said in times past of the Amorites as touching their fulnesse it was not yet come for I am sure the fulnesse of the Gentiles as touching sinne is already come fulnesse of Bread and aboundance of Idlenesse as in Sodome yea fulnesse and loathsomnesse even of Manna it selfe as the children of Israel in the end waxed wearie of that heavenly foode so is it with us in respect of the foode of our soules Else what meaneth so many Sects and Schismes in our Church at this day Diseases arising from some bad humours and corruptions in the body as all diseases doe which therefore ought to be purged Surely the varietie of the one argueth a fulnesse and sacietie of the other We are fallen from the names of Christians given to the Primitiue Church to be baptized into new names Anabaptists Arminians id genus farinae Corne I may not call them but chaffe yea rather tares sprung up with the good Corne over-spreading and over-topping it too in many places but both must grow together till the harvest Yea our fulnesse and nicenesse is such as we can taste no maner of meat almost but what some curious cookes for the nonce provide for us every one must have a cooke for his owne palate We are fallen into that time fore-prophecied by the Apostle 2. Tim 4. For the time will come when they will not suffer wholesome Doctrine but having their eares itching shall after their owne lusts get them a heape of Teachers We are even wearie of Manna as the children of Israel were And therefore now that they haue fasted so long time and that fulnesse of the Gentiles come upon us it standeth both with the Lords justice and his mercie both to us and them to doe to them as he did to us at the first and to us as he did to them Behold therefore the bountifulnesse and the severitie of God toward them which have fallen severitie but toward thee bountifulnesse if thou continue in his bountifulnesse or else thou shalt also be cut off and they also if they abide not still in unbeliefe shall be graffed in for God is able to graffe them in againe Of which gâ—orious worke of the conversion of the Iewish Nation and finishing of that mysterie of godlinesse if you most hâ—gh and mightie Lords shall be the first beginners in your owne Countrie as you haue already playd your parts against the mysterie of Iniquitie both at home and abroad both by Sea and by Land as the chiefe bulwarks of Christian Râ—ligion at this day against the power of Antichrist and all his adhaerâ—nts whereof you have borne the brunt as Tully saith of the Scipioes they were propugnacula belli punici and therefore deserve the prize aboue all other Nations you shall not onely highly advance your honour in this World as you have done already both in those your martiall affâ—ires and otherwise also by a generall eye of policie or rather so many Argus eyes watching over all estatâ—s to keepe them upright and in order especially those extraordiâ—ary and magnificent I may well call them so workes of Chariâ—ie towards the poore in those your stateâ—y Hoâ—pitals and Guest-houses and such lâ—ke places of provision no crying for bread nor complayning in your Streetes but also in the World to come you shall aâ—vance your selues in honour and glory aboue the Heaveâ—s where you shall shine like so many Starres in the â—irmament and as the Sunne in his strength for so it is said They that turne many to Righteousnesse shall shine as the Starres forever and ever And they that honour me saith the Lord I will honour then the which what greater incouragement And so humbly craving pardon for this my boldnesse being a Stranger or wherein otherwise I have erred I commit you according to your high and eminent Places Estates and orders which in my heart more I honour than eyther my tongue or Penne can worthily expresse not so well knowne vnto me to the Almighty To whose service I rest devoted IOHN HARRISON To the Reader I Must confesse Christian Reader that a great part of the proofes following together with the methode I have borrowed out of a Booke called the Christian Directorie or Resolution in English which I had with me in Barbarie none else of that argument but the Booke of Bookes which is the Bible And therefore least any one should accuse me hereafter of secret theft I doe ingeniously acknowledge before hand with the Poet Fateor me transtulisse But yet with many additions and alterations of my owne I have made it of right as it were my owne without any wrong to the Author And so I referre it to thy Christian censure THE MESSIAH ALREADIE COME First for the promises and prophecies of old as touching the coming of a Messiah whom we call CHRIST both they and we agree both of us reading dayly in our Churches Synagogues teaching holding for canonicall the verie self same Scriptures euen the Law and the Prophets In so much that the Gentile is oftentymes enforced to marvile wheÌ„ he seeth a people so extreaÌ„ly bent one against another as the Iewes are against Christians and yet doe stand so peremptorily in defence of those verie principles which are the proper causes of their disagreement But in the interpretation application thereof ariseth all the controversie they understanding and applying all things literally and carnally to their long looked for Messiah yet for to come we after a spirituall maner understanding all those promises and prophecies to be most truly and really fulfilled in the person of our blessed Mesiah alreadie come they expecting a temporall King to rule and conquer in this world we acknowledging a spirituall King whose kingdome is not of this world as himself did many tymes protest while he was in the world My kingdome is not of this World To beginne with Adam and so forward Gods
Promise to Adam THe first promise as touching the Messiah is this made to Adam after his fal for the restoring of mankind to witte that the seed of the woman should breake the serpents head that is to say one of her seed to be borne in tyme should conquer the divel death and sinne as the auncient Iewes understand this place which being a spirituall conquest and against a spirituall enemie the divel he I meane the Messiah must needs be a spirituall and consequently not a temporall King as the Iewes imagine Gods Promise to Abraham THe second to Abraham Isaack Iaacob often repeated To Abraham Gen. 12.3 In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed To Isaack Gen. 26.4 In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed To Iaakob Gen. 28.14 In thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed Therefore the Gentiles aswell as the Iewes the blessing is generall without exception all the families of the earth all nations no prerogatiue of the Iewe no exception of the Gentile as touching the Messiah I meane the benefit of this so generall and great a blessing though otherwise much everie waye as the Apostle reasoneth to the Romans Whereupon I inferre as before that the Messiah must be a spirituall and not a temporall King otherwise it had been but a verie small benediction to Abraham or others after him who neaver sawe their Messiah actually if he must haue been onely a temporall King and much lesse blessing had it been to us Gentiles if this Messiah of the Iewes must haue been a worldly and a temporall Monarch to destroy and subdue all those Nations formerly blessed and blessed shall they be to the servitude of Iurie as the later Teachers doe imagine The Prophecie of Iaakob THe third which confirmeth the former is the prophecie of Iaacob at his death Gen. 49.10 The rodde or scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a Lawgiver from between his feet till Shiloh come and the people or nations shall be gathered vnto him Which the Chaldie Paraphrase as also Onkelos both of singuler authoritie among the Iewes doe interpret thus Vntill Christ or the Messiah come which is the hope and expectation of all nations aswell Gentiles as Iewes the government shall not cease in the house or Tribe of Iuda Whence I inferre the same conclusion as before that if the Messiah must be the hope and expectation aswell of the Gentiles as of the Iewes then can he not be a temporall King to destroy the Gentiles as the later Iewes would haue it but a spirituall King as before hath been declared Secondly if the temporall Kingdome of the house of Iuda whereof the Messiah must come shall cease and be destroyed a◠his comming and not before that being a certayne signe of the tyme of his manifestation how then can the Iewes expect yet a temporall King for their Messiah the scepter alreadie departed gonne their kingdome and priesthood defaced their citie and temple destroyed themselues scattered amongst all nations and so haue continued almost this sixteene hundreth yeeres yea such a fatall and finall desolation by Gods just judgment brought upon that wofull Nation that not many yeares after the death and passion of our Saviour Iesus Christ according to his prophecie in his life tyme as may fully settle our fayth in this poynt The Prophecie of Moses THe fourth is that of Moses to the people of Israel The Lord thy God will rayse up unto thee a Prophet like unto me from among you euen of thy bretheren unto him ye shall hearken c. and in the verses following I will rayse them up a prophet from among their bretheren like unto thee sayth God to Moses and will put my words in his mouth and he shall speake unto them all that I shall command him and whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name I will require it of him Which words cannot be understood of any other Prophet that ever lived after Moses amongst the Iewes but onely of the Messiah as appeareth most playnly in another place in Deutro where it is sayd There arose not a Prophet in Israell like unto Moses whom the Lord knewe face to face in all the miracles wonders which the Lord sent him to doe c. no such Prophet except the Messiah ever after to be expected but the Messiah he it is that must match and overmatch Moses everie waie he must be a man as Moses was in respect of our infirmities euen according as the people of Israel themselues desired the Lord in Horeb saying let me heare the voyce of the Lord God no more nor see this great fire any more that I dye not And the Lord sayd unto Moses they haue well spoken I will rayse them up a Prophet from among their bretheren like unto thee c. He must be a Lawgiver as Moses was but of a farre more perfect Law as hereafter shall appeare he must be such a one whom the Lord hath knowne face to face as he did Moses but of a far more divine nature For as it is in Esay Who shall declare his age Lastly he must be approved to the World by miracles signes and wonders as Moses was which the Lord shall send him to doe as he did Moses But no such Prophet hath ever yet appeared in the world not ever shall who hath so fitly answered this type so perfectly observed the Law of Moses which Moses himself could not doe giving us in stead thereof a farre more excelent Law as was prophecied long before that he should And finally so miraculously approued himself to the world to be sent from God by signes and wonders donne both by himself his Apostles as hereafter shall appear except this Christ which we professe therefore he alone is the true Messiah and no other to be expected The Prophecie of David THe fift is the prophecie of David a type also of the Messiah who for that he was a holy man a mā after Gods own heart out of whose linage the Messiah was to come had this mysterie most manifestly reveiled unto him for the assurance whereof as of a great mysterie euen that of Christ and his Church God byndeth himself by an oath saying I haue made a covenant with my chosen I haue sworne unto David my servant thy seed will I stablish for ever and set up thy throne from generation to generation Selah Which words although the later Iewes will apply to King Salomon and so in some sorte they may for that he was also a type of the Messiah yet properly these words I will stablish the throne of his kingdome for ever so often repeated cannot be verified of Salomon whose earthly Kingdome was rent and torne in pieces streight after his death by Ieroboam and not long after as it were extinguished but
of the preaching of the Gospel which began at Ierusalem and from thence was spread over all the world Which the same Isay foresawe when talking of the Messiah he sayth In that daie shall five cities in the Land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan c. In that daie shall the alter of the Lord be in the middest of the Land of Egypt and a piller by the border thereof unto the Lord. And the Egyptians shall knowe the Lord in that daie and doe sacrifice and oblation and shall vowâ— vowes c. which could not be verified of the Law of Moses for by that Law the Egyptians could haue nether alter nor sacrifice but it was fulfilled upon the coÌ„ming of Christ when the Egyptians were made Christians Also in another place and the yles shall waite for his Law The same was likewise foretold by God in Malachie where he sayth to the Iewes and of the Iewish sacrifices I haue no pleasure in you neyther will I receiue an offring at your hands for from the rising of the sunne untâ—ll the going downe of the same my name iâ— great among the Gentiles and in everie place incense shal be offerâ—d 〈◊〉 my name and a pure offering for my name is great among the Gentiles sâ—â—th the Lord of Hosts Wherein we see first a reprobation of the Iewish Sacrifices consequently of the Law of Moses which dependeth principally thereupon Secondly that among the Gentiles there should be a pure maner of Sacrifice more gratefull unto God then the other not limited eyther in respect of tyme or place as the Mosaicall Law sacrifice was For so sayth God in Ezechiel I gaue them statutes which were not good and judgments wherein they shall not liue that is not good to continue perpetually nor shall they live in theÌ„ any longer but til the time by me appoynted Of which tyme he determineth more particularly by Ieremie in these words Behold the dayes come sayth the Lord that I will mak a newe covenant with the house of Israel and Iudah not according to that covenant which I made with their Fathers c. where you see a new covenant or Testament promised different from the old whereupon I conclude the old Law of Moses by the Messiah must be changed into a new The tyme of his manyfestation with all other circumstances NOw for the tyme of his manyfestation with all other circumstances of his birth lyfe death resurrection ascension and those things also that fell out afterwards if we shall consider how particulraly precisely they were all foretold by the Prophets and how long before some hundreths some thousands of yeares before they fell out as also how exactly they were all fulfilled in the person of our blessed Saviour all directed like so many lynes to one center we shall as it were in a mirrour see and behold both the truth of Christian religion setled vpon a most firme unmovable center as also the vanitie of all other religioÌ„s whatsoever especially this most vain expectatioÌ„ of the Iewes to this day of their Messiah yet for to come as vaine and fond altogither as was that opinion of one of the Phylosophers which the word center hath put me in mynd of that the earth forsooth did move and the heavens stand still how far they are degenerate not onely from all true light vnderstaÌ„ding in heavenly matters but also even from coÌ„mon sense and reason it selfe in things of that nature tending therevnto And first for the tyme. Daniell who lived in the first Monarchie foretold that there should be three monarchies more the last the greatest of all to witt the Romane Empire and then the eternall King or Messiah should come his 〈◊〉 are these In the dayes of these Kings shal the God of heaven set vp a kingdome which shall never be destroyed Dan. 2.44 And just according to this tyme was the Messiah born namely in the dayes of Augustus Caesar Luk. 2. as both we Christians account and the Iewes acknowledge even in those halcyon dayes of peace when the temple gates of Ianus were commannded to be shut and vpon that very day when Augustus commaunded that no man should call him Lord was this Prince of peace borne Therefore to him agreeth this circumstance of tyme very fitly most vainly therefore doe the Iewes after this tyme expect for another Secondly Iacob who lived many yeares before prophesied of this tyme very precisely as already hath bene aleadged that the Mesâ—iah whom he there calleth Shilo should come at that tyme when the scepter or goverment regall was departed from the house of Iudah which was in the dayes of Herod and never till then who first vsurped that government his father in law King Hircanus with all his ofâ—pring of the blood royall of Iuda togither with the Sanhedrim put to death The genealogies of the Kings and Princes burned A new pedegrie for himselfe divised In a word all authority regall whatsoever belonging to that tribe at that tyme quite extinguished And just according to this tyme was our Saviour borne namely in the dayes of Herod Math. 2.1 Therefore to him agreeth this circuÌ„stance of tyme very fitly most vainely therefore doe the Iewes after this tyme expect any longer Thirdly God himselfe saith by his Prophet Haggaâ— that the Messiah whome he there calleth the deâ—ired of all nations shall come in the tyme of the second temple which was then but new built farr inferior in statelynes and glory to the former built by Solomon which the old men in the book of Ezra testify by their weeping when they sawe this second temple and remembred the glory of the first The words of the Lord by his Prophet Haggai are these Speake vnto Zerubbabel who is left amonge you that saâ—e this housâ— in her first glory and how doe you see it now is it not in your eies in comparison of it as nothing yet now be of good cheere ô Zerubbubel for thus saith the Lord of hosts yet a litle while and I wil shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the drie land And I will move all nations and the desire of all nations shal come and I will fill this house with glory saith the Lord of hostes The glory of this last house shal be greater their the first c. which must needs be vnderstood of the coming of the Messiah to wit his personall presence in this second temple in whom is the fulnes of glory therefore could he and none other fill it with glory being himselfe indeed the King of glory Lifte vp your heads ô yee gates and be yee lift vp yee everlasting dores and the King of glory shall come in So doth Mallachie prophesy in these words The Lord whom yee seeke shall speedily come to his temple even the mâ—ssenger of the covenant whom yee desire behold he shall come sayth the Lord of hosts c.
world should endure six thousand yeares that is two thousand before the lawe two thousand under the lawe two thousand after that vnder the Messiah Which last two thousand yeares by all computation could not begin much from the birth of Iesus And your Rabbins long since complayned in that their Talmud that there seemed to them in those dayes seaven hundreth and odde yeares past since the Messiah by the Scripturâ— should have appeared and therefore they doe marveyle why 〈◊〉 so longe deferreth the same much more then may ye marvel vpon whome the ends of the world are come An other observation cabalisticall they have vpon those words of Isa. 9 7 The increase of his goverment and peace shall have no end where the Hebrew word is lemarbeh signifying to increase or multiply ad multiplicandum In which worde because they finde mem to be shut which is not vsual in the middle of a word they gather many secrets and amonge other that seeing mem signifieth 600 yeares so longe it should be from that time of Isai vntil the time of the Messiah which accompt of theirs falleth out so just that if you reckoÌ„ the yeares froÌ„ Achas King of Iuda in whose time Isay spake these words vntil the time of Herod vnder whom Christ was born ye shall find the nuÌ„ber to fail in litle or nothing A much like observation hath Rabby Moses ben Maimon in his Epistle to his countrymen the Iewes in Africa concerning the time of the Messiah which he thinketh to be past according to the Scriptures above a thousand yeares he lived about the yeare of Christ one thousand one hundreth forty but that God deferreth his manifestation for theire sinnes since which time hath passed almost 500. yeares more and yet yee heare nothing of his coÌ„ming Consider this yee Iewes of Barbary for to you partly seemeth this Epistle to be written Will you then stay still and say stil after so many hundreth yeares past and gone that for your sinnes God deferreth yet his coÌ„minge putting it of from one five hundreth yeares to another so in infinitum it is all one as if you say that for your sinnes God hath broken his promise nowe a thousande and six hundreth yeares and consequently it may be for your sinnes the Messiah will never come this must be your last refuge you may aswell say the one as the other But howsoever you make your selves sinfull yea out of measure sinful yet let God be iust and righteous in his promise as it is written make not him a lyer as you have done hitherto To this purpose also apperteyneth the narration of one Elias as Rabby Iosua reporteth it in the Thalmud that the Messiah was to be borne indeed according to the scriptures before the destruction of the second temple for that I say saith of the synagogue before she traveled she brought forth and before her paine came she was delivered of a man childe that is saith he before the Synagogue was afflicted and made desolate by the Romans she brought forth the Messiah But yet saith he this Messiah for our sinnes doth hide himself in the seas and other defarts till we be worthy of his comming Which is asmuch in effect as if he had said the one as probable as the other that perhaps for our sinnes and vnworthines the Messiah may not come at all but returne to heaven backe againe from whence he came And why I pray you not have stayed aswell in heaven all this while rather then in the seas and desarts for so many yeres to no purpose I am parswaded if Balaams Asse were aliue againe and did heare these and such like your idle fantasies dreames touching your Messiah the very asse woulde reprove you to your faces and make you ashamed of them wherof though I have read somewhat in divers authors yet coulde I hardly beleeve any such absurdities to be delivered much lesse defended by any reasonable creatures till I had heard some thinge my self I urged that place of Genesis to one of them to witte that the Scepter should not depart from Iuda till Shilo came that is the Messiah which being so long since departed and gone I asked what reason they had as yet to expect for a Messiah he answered the Scepter was not departed they had their sheckes that is to say chief men of their tribes in all parts where they inhabite Moreover that some of the Moores forsooth had brought them word of a people or nation of the Iewes inhabiting in a farre countrie he could not tell me the place where but first there is a river to be passed two trees growing on eyther side directly one against another which two trees everie saturday and no day els doe of their owne accord bowe one towards another making as it were a bridge for men to goe â—ver Now the Iewes by reason that day is their Sabath may not attempt to passe over it But the Messiah at his comming shall bring them alâ—ogether into the land of promise they knowe not how rebuyld the citie and sanctuarie in a trice much more glorious then ever it was before To which purpose he alledged that place out of the Psalmes The Lord doth buyld up Ierusalem gather togâ—ther the dispersâ—d of Israel So likewise interpreting that of Hag. the glorie of this last house shal be greater then the first of this third imaginarie temple So literally applying that of Isai that in those dayes the wolf should dwell with the Lambe the leoparde lye with the kidde the calf and the lyon the faâ—te beasts together and a litle childe to leade them c. That these things should thus come to passe literally according to the verie Hebrewe characters This is all the knowledge they haue in the Scriptures the bare Hebrew letters and no more Yet can they not speake one word of the true spirituall language of Canaan but in steede of Shiboleth like those Ephraimites they pronounce Siboleth no interpretation spirituall of the celestial Canaan the heauenly Ierusalem of the spirituall temple of the mysticall bodie of the Messiah that is to say his Church no relish at all of the Spirit of God or any spirituall worship amongst them And yet forsooth they will be the people of God alone and who but they the children of Abraham and of the promise and none but they yea they are so vaynly puft up with the foolish pride of this their high pedegree that they thinke verely and will speake it confidently I haue heard it from them that none of them unlesse for verie heynous offences as perjurie or such like shall be judged after this life or be in daunger of hell fire they onely to haue their punishment in this world and not els As though hell fire were onely prepared for us gentiles and heauen onely for the Iewes which unlesse they repent they shall find quite contrarie if the words of our
virgin And Isai appointeth this to Achaz for a wonderfull straunge signe from God therefore sayth he the Lord himself will giue you a signe behold which he could not haue done in reason if the Hebrewe word in that place had signified a young woman onely as some later Rabbins will affirme for that is no such signe nor straunge thing but verie common and ordinarie for young women to conceiue and bring forth children and so did the Elder Iewes understand it as Rabbi Simeon noteth And Rabbi Moses Haddersan upon those words Truth shall bud forth of the earth sayth thus Here Rabbi Ioden noteth that it is not sayd truth shall be ingendred but truth shall budde forth to signifie that the Messiah who is meant by the word truth shall not be begotten as other men are in carnall copulation To the same effect and after the same maner to be interpreted is that of Ieremie The Lord hath created a newe thing in the earth a woman shall compasse a man And Rabbi Haccadosch proveth by cabalâ— out of many places of Scripture not onely that the Mother of the Messiah must be a virgine but also that her name shall be Marie Now â—he birth of Iesus Christ was thus c. that is to say after this straunge and extraordinarie maner therefore must he needs be the true and undoubted Messiah The Messiah by the Scripture was to be borne at Bethlehem in Iudâ—a for so it is written by the Prophet And thou Bethlehem Ephrathah are litle to be among the thousands of Iudah yet out of â—hee shall he come forth unto me that shall be the ruler in Israel c which place the chief Priests themselues quoted to that purpose to Herod demanding of them where Christ should be borne and they answered him at Bethlehem in Iudea for so it is written by the prophet as before So also Dâ—vid afâ—er much restles studie and industrious search to finde out this mystâ—rie c. I will not enter into the tabernacle of my house nor 〈◊〉 upon my pallet or beâ—de nor suffer myne eyes to sleepe nor myne eye ledds to sâ—â—â—ber untill I finde out a place for the Lord c. At length the mysterie being reveiled unto him he doth 〈◊〉 it were point to the verie place in the words following Loâ— we heard of it at Ephrata which is Bethlehem Gen. 35.19 and found it iâ— the fiâ—lds of the forest Then addeth We will enter unto his Tabernacle worâ—hip before his footstool foreshewing that divine worship there afterwards done to Iesus by those Mags or wisemen who came froÌ„ the east to worship him in that place euen in the cratch and before his footstool presenting unto him gifts gold frankincense myrh as was also prophecied in another place that presents and gifts should be brought unto him from farre countries by great personages The kings of Tarshish and of the yles shall bring presents thâ— kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring gifts Cyprian sayth it is an old tradition of the Church that those Magi or wisemen were Kings or rather litle Lords of particuler places which is to be understood such litle Kings as Iosuah slewe thirtie in one battaile howsoever it is manifest they were men of place reputation in their countries neither are prophecies alwaies so strictly and litterally to be understood They brought with them a great treasure gold frankincense and myrrh yea both Herod and all Ierusalem tooke notice of their comming They had private conference with the king as touching the starre that appeared unto them leading theÌ„ to that most bright morning starre whereof Balaam long before prophecied saying I shall see him but not now I shall behold him but not neere there shall come a starre of Iaakâ—b c. Iesus then being borne at Bethlehem in Iudea as was prophecied long before the Messiah should be and indeed it standeth with great reason that he that was to be the sonne of David should also be borne in the citie of David the circumstances also of his birth duely considered both before and after first the Angels salutation to his Mother Marie foretelling that his name should be Iesus before ever he was conceiued So Esdras prophecied in the person of God himself saying Behold the tyme shall come that these tokens which I haue told thee shall come to passe c. for my sonne Iesus shall appeare c. and after thesâ— same yeeres shall my sonne Christ dye Here is both his birth and passion both his names Iesus Christ plainly expressed Which book though it be not canonicall yet was it extant in the world before ever Christ was borne Also Rabbi Haccadosch proveth by art Cabalist out of many places of Scripture that the name of the Messiah at his coÌ„ming shal be Iesus and among other he addeth this reason that as the name of him who first brought the Iewes out of bondage into the Land of promise was Iesus or Iosua which is all one so must his name be Iesus that shall the second tyme deliver them Secondly the Angels appearing to the shepherds in the night of the nativitie with this joyfull message from heauen Behold I bring you tydings of great joye that shall be to all people that unto you is borne this day in the citie of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord And this shal be a signe unto you yee shall finde the child swadled and layd in a cratch Thirdly the starre that appeared notifying his comming into the world whereof not onely the wisemen before mentioned but also generally all the Astronomers soothsayers of that age took speciall notice adjudging it to portend universall good to the earth some gathering thereupon that some God discended from heauen to the benefite of mankind and for that cause had that starre an image erected to it in Rome and as Plinies words are Is Cometa unus toto orbe colitur That onely Comet in all the world is adored Fourthly his presentation in the temple according to the Lawe of Moses where openly came old Symeon by the motion of the spirit for he had a revelation from God that he should not see death till he had seen the Lords Christ took the child in his armes acknowledged him for the Messiah prophecied that he should be a light to be revealed unto the Gentiles appointed for the fall rising againe of many in Israel with other events which afterwards came to passe So did likewise Anna the Prophetesse as it is in the same chaptâ—r Fiftly that most pitifull murder of all the Infants in and about Bethlehem upon this occasion as was prophecâ—ed by Ieremie saying A voyce was-heard on high mourning and bitter weeping Rahel weeping for her children and refused to be comforted because they were not Rahel was buried in the way to Ephrath which is Bethlem for that cause those infants were called her childreÌ„
albeit she were dead aboue two thousand yeeres before they were slayne aboue one thousand and fiue hundreth before Ieremie wrote this prophecie Among which Infants Herod also for more assurance slewe an infant of his owne for that he was descended by the mothers side of the line of Iuda Which crueltie comming to Augustus his eares he sayd he had rather be Hâ—rods swine then his sonne for that he being a Iewe was prohibited by his religion to kill his swine though not ashamed to kill his sonne Sixtly his flying into Aegypt herevpon as also to fulfill that prophecie out of Aegypt have I called my sonne which I say inlargeth further saying Behould the Lord rideth vpon a light cloud which is his flesh or humanity and shall come into Aegipt and all the Idols of Aegipt shall tremble at his presence which later pointe Eusebius sheweth was fulfilled most evidently in the sight of all the world for that no nation came to christian religion with so great celerity and fervour as did the Aegyptians who threwe downe theire Idols before any other nation And as they had beene the first in Idolatrie to other countries so were they the first by Christ his coÌ„ming vnto them that afterwards gave exaÌ„ple of true returne vnto their creator It followeth in Isay I will deliver the Egiptians into the hands of cruel Lords these were the Roman Lords and Princes Pompei Caesar Antonie c. a mightie King shall raigne over theÌ„ c. this must needs be Augustus the Emperor who after the death of Cleopatra the last of the blood of the Ptolimies tooke possession of all Egypt and subjected it as a province to the Romaine empire But after these temporall afflictions threatned against Egypt behold a most Euangelical promise of deliverance In that day shall fiue cities of the land of Egypt speake the language of Canaan c. In that day shall the altar of the Lord be in the middest of the Land of Egypt c. They shall crye unto the Lord because of their oppressors and he shall send them a Saviour and a great man and shall deliver them c. The Lord of Hosts shall blesse them saying Blessed be my people of Egypt c. This blessing I say the Egyptians obteyned by our Saviours being in Egypt whom here the Prophet calleth by his owne name Iesus a Saviour a great-man Finally the comming of Iohn Baptist his forerunner or Messenger as was propheciâ—d Behold I will send my Messenger and be shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom ye seeke shall speedâ—ly come to his temple And againe I will send you Eliah the Prophet that is to say Iohn the Baptist in the spirit and power of Eliah as an angell from heauen expoundeth it appearing to Zacharias his father in the temple sent to foretell him both of his birth as also by what name he should call him euen Iohn saying thou shalt call his name Iohn he shal be great in the sight of the Lord c. he shall goe before him in the power and spirit of Eliah And therefore our Saviour in plaine termes he calleth him Eliah Mat. 11 14. And if you wilt receiue it this is that Eliah which was to come he that hath ears to heare let him heare And as our Sauiour gaue him his due before a multitude then assembled calling him Eliah So did this Eliah also giue our Saviour his due in acknowledging him for the Messiah not assuming unto himself that honour offered unto him by the Iewes but refusing it absolutely and laying it upon Iesus our Saviour the true owner Then this is the recorde of Iohn when the Iewes sent Priests and Levites from Ierusalem to aske him who art thou and he confessed and denyed not and sayd plainly I am not the Christ I am not the Messiah I baptise you with water but there is one among you whom ye knowe not he it is that commeth after me which is preferred before me whose shoe lâ—tchet I am not worthie to unlose These things were done in Bethabara beyond Iordan where Iohn did baptise The next day Iohn seeth Iesus câ—mming to him and sayth behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the world This is he of whom I sayd after me coÌ„meth a man that is preferred before me for he was before me and I knew him not but becâ—usâ— he should be declared to Israel therefore am I come baptizing with water So Iohn bare record saying I sawe the spirit come downe from heauen lâ—kâ— a doue abiding upon him And I knewe him not but he that sent me to baptise with water he sayd unto me upon whom thou shalt see the spirit come downe and stay still upon him that is he which baptiseth with the Holy Ghost And I sawe and bare record that this is the sonne of God According as it is in the other three Euangelists more at large expressed how that Iesus when he was baptised came strait out of the water and loe the heauens were opened unto him And Iohn sawe the spirit of God discending lâ—ke a doue and lighting upon him And loe a voyce came from heaven saying This is my beloved sonne in whom I am well pleased The next dâ—y Iohn stood againe and two of his disciples and he beheld Iesus wâ—lking by and sayd Behold the Lambe of God and the two disciples heard him speak and followed Iesus All this was done at Bethabara beyond Iordan in the sight and hearing of a number of people there present as three of our Euangelists doe report which they would never haue presumed to haue done had not the matter beene most evident and without all compasse of denyall or contradiction And truely no one thing in all this storie of Iesus life doth more establish the certaintie of his being the true Messiah then that Iohn the Baptist whose wisedome learning vertue and rare sanctitie is confessâ—d and recorded by the writings of all our adversaries should refuse the honour of the Messiah offered unto himself and lay it upon Iesus and also should direct those disciples that depended upon him to the onely following and imbracing of Iesus doctrine which is most evidently proved that he did for that somany followers and Disciples as himselfe had not one appeared ever after that was not a Christian. These circuÌ„stances I say of the birth coÌ„ming of the Messiah into this world so loÌ„g before foretold by the Prophets fulfilled so exactly in the person of our blessed Lord Saviour wel considered I may at length conclude Heaven and earth concurring men and Angels with all other creatures applauding therevnto yea God himselfe from heaven pronouncing it this is my beloved sonne in whome I am well pleased That therefore as sure as God is God and cannot lye nor give testimony to any vntruth so sure is Iesus Christ the sonne of God the true Messiah and
Saviour of the worlde no other to be expected His preaching or doctrine THus having evicted by the birth of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ together with the circumstances both before and after that he was by birthright the onely legitimate as I may say and true borne Messiah all others that were before him or since have sprunge vp or shall doe hereafter to the worlds end but bastards and vsurpers yea theeves and robbers and that in the highest degree of theeverie that may be even robbing God of his honor which he wil not impart to any other it remaineth yet furthere to demonstrate the same by his life death resurrection ascention with all other accidents and circumstances accordingly to be observed which may make this mistery more more manifest or rather palpable as the Apostle witnesseth saying that which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seene with these our eies which we have lookâ—d vpon and these hands of ours have handled c. that I say which we have seene and heard declare we vnto you what can be more palpable After his baptisme he began to preach hauing before gotten his living as most conjecture with his owne hands and eaten his bread with the sweat of his browes to shew himselfe true man and that he was made a curse for vs as it is written in the sweat of thy browes shâ—lt thou eate thy bread what was his doctrine of this world or worldly delights of pleasure or profite no no quite contrarie to the humours of this wicked world and to the corruptions of flesh and blood which procured him the more hatred as in all the foure Euangelists Mathewe Marke Luke and Iohn who recorded both his sayings and doings may appeare wholly tending to the sinceare service of God in spirit and truth to the exaltation of Gods glorie the beating downe of mans pride by discovering his miserie to the contempt of this wicked world and vaine pompe thereof to the mortifiation of all sinnes in vs patience peace of conscience c. in a word all directed to the manifestation of his fathers will and amendment of mans life tending whollie to this one ground or principle thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy soule which is the first and great coÌ„mandement and thy neighbour as thy selfe on which two hangeth the whole law and the Prophet The maner of his doctrine was simple plaine and easie altogither according to the evidence of the spirit not in the enticing words of mans wisdome like the heathen orators Philosophers nor like the Scribes Pharisees but with power and authoritie without eyther feare or flatterie of any mans person rebuking all mens sinnes even to their faces which I say procured him such a generall hatred It tooke away no one spirituall point of Moses law but the ceremoniall onely and provinciall which by the comming of the Messiah was to be taken away yea rather revived interpreted and made perfect the same corrupted much by the Iewes false interpretations and glosses That as they taught commaunding external observance onely this adding internall obedience also For whereas that enjoyned according to the letter and as they interpreted to loue our neighbours and friends and no further this adjoyneth love also your enemiâ—s blesse them that curse you Math. 5.43 Where that prohibited actually to commit adulterie no more as they imagined this forbiddeth the adulterie of the eye and of the verie hart And so of all the rest of the decalogue our Saviours doctrine is nothing else but a most exact and sincere exposition according to the true intent of the Law-giver God the father Therefore I conclude this doctrine so quite contrarie to the grosse humours of this wicked world and so repugnant to flâ—sh blood so wholly devoted to Gods glorie and the sincere observation of his law is the doctrine proper to the Messiah which the Prophets of God foretold should be delivered by him at his comming into â—he world His life and conversation FOr his life and conversation the expresse image of his doâ—trine it was staineles and without reproof even by the testitestimonie of his very enimiâ—s acknowledged also by the divills themselves A man of such gravitie as never in his lyfe he was noted to laugh but often to weepe of such humilitie as being the sonne of God yet scarce took vpon him the dignitie of a servant of so mild and sweet a nature as all the injuries of his enimies never wrâ—stâ—d from him an anâ—rie worde but on the contrarie prayers and teares in theire behalfs In prayer often the day he spent in the temple and elsewhere preaching to the broken harted doing good to al meÌ„ healing all maner of diseases as the Prophets foretolde the Messiah should doe the night on mount Olivet other places in praier In fastings often fortie daies fortie nights togither that the Iewes might knowe he was more then a man Finally he was such a one as was described by God in Isay so many ages before he was borne Behold my servant c. he shall not crie A bruised reed he shall not break As also in Zacharie Behold thy King commeth vnto thee he is iust having salvatioÌ„ lowly c. Such a one Isay was our Saviour as touching his integrity sanctity pietie humilitie all other vertues even by the testimonie of his greatest enemies Porphyry and others yea of the Divils themselves Ergo. His myracles FOr his myracles which he wrought for the confirmation of his doctrine approbation of his person as sent from good the Iewes themselves doe graunt and record the same in divers places of their Thalmud yea they make mention of many wonderfull thinges â—hat Iesus did which are not written by our Evangelists So doth Mahomet in his Alcoran affirming him to have beene a great Prophet and to have wrought his myracles by the onely power and spirit of God And they weresuch as first were foretold by the Prophets that the Messiah should worke as namely to give sight to the blinde to open the eares of the deafe to make the lame to leape the dumme to spâ—â—ke c Secondly such as were altogether unpossible for any mortall man to effect but by the meer power and finger of God as the raysing of the dead to life againe as he did Lazarus after he had lyen foure dayes stincking in the grave Iairus his daughter a cheif ruler of the synagogue The widowes sonne before the gates of the city Nain in the presence of a multitude of people there assembled to the funerall With many other straunge myracles recorded by such faithful witnesses the Evangelists I mean foure in number though two or three had been sufficient in lawe who afterwardes sealed the truth thereof euen with their dearest blood as did infinite others after them Neyther could the Iewes of those times compassed about with such a
clowd of witnesses ever deny the truth thereof the parties themselves then living and conversing amongst them upon whom they were wrought They had no other evasion but this to say and that most blasphemoussie contrary to their owne knowledge and conscience and therefore our Saviour layeth it to their charge as that fearefull sin against the holy Ghost not to be praied for that he wrought these his miracles by the help of Beelzebub the Prince of Divils Wheras it is most apparant the Divill himselfe had never that power giuen him to rayse one from the dead and though he had yet would he sooner by his good will take away both lyfe and breath from all men at once if it were possible wishing all men in the world had but one head or neck like that cruell tyrant in Rome rather than give life to any one for he is a murtherer froÌ„ the beginning And yet the Iewes themselves in their Thalmud doe acknowledge that the Messiah at his coming shal be most wonderfull in working myracles And in their publick commentary vpon ecclesiastes they haue these words all the former miracles of the Prophets or Saincts shall be nothing to the myracles of the Messiah when he coÌ„meth But such were the myracles of our Saviour the whole multitude applauding hereunto the like was never seen in Israel he hath done all things well never man spake like this man Seing also it is impossible yea blasphemie to think that God should give testimonie to any untruth it must needs followe that all was true which Iesus affirmed therfore seing he affirmed himself to be the sone of God and the Messiah it must needs followe I say by these his miracles that he was so in deed according to that speech of his to the Iewes the woâ—kes that I doe in my fathers name they beare witnesse of me And againe If I doe not the workes of my father beleeve me not but if I doe them though ye beleeve not me yet beleeve my works As also that answer of his to Iohns Disciples sent to inquire of him as touching that mysterie of the Messiah art thou he that shall come c. Iesus answered goe and tell Iohn what things ye have seen and heard the blinde see the halt goe the leapers are cleansed the deafe heare and the dead rise againe c. The calling of his Apostles HErevnto as an appendix to his myracles I may well annexe the calling of his Apostles Disciples and followers whereof Iosephus maketh mention as of a great myracle who being of divers callings states and conditions in the world yet all on the sodaine vpon his call lefte both Father Mother Wife Children other temporall respects and followed him who had nothing to give or promise them in this world but crosses and afflictions he that will be my Disciple let him take vp his crosse and followe me A man that never spake them faire but ever cossed them in theyr humors savouring of flesh blood get thee behinde me Sathan thou art an offence vnto me His doctrine ever harshe hard and repugnant to flesh and blood this is a hard saying who can heare it A man in disgrace with the higher powers the Rulers high Priests Scribes Pharisees doe any of the rulers or of the Pharisees beleeue in him A man that had neyther friends in the world to beare him out nor a house to put his head in the foxes haue holes and the soules of the heauen they haue nests but the sonne of man hath not whereon to rest his head And yet notwithstanding all this that worldly men and women and some also notorious sinners and loose livers before should leaue all their worldly hopes ease profit pleasure and their sweet sinnes too to follow such a man with so great inconveniences losses daungers and disgraces as they did and should continue with him in all his afflictions temptations and persecutions and be content to dye and loose their liues rather then forsake him or abandon his service this Isay is such a myracle as never in the world fell out the like and must needs be graunted by the enemie to be supernaturall We reade of an Emperour that taking in hand to conquer the world made this proclamation for winning men unto his partie Whosoever will come and be my servant if he be a foot man I will make him a horseman if he be a horseman I will make him ride with coaches if he be a farmer I will make him a gentleman if he possesse a cottage I will giue him a village if he haue a village I will giue him a citie if he be Lord of a citie I will make him prince of a Region or countrie And as for gold I will poure it forth unto them by heapes and waight and not by number This was the proclamation of Cyrus the great King of Persia to his followers verie glorious as we see in pompe of words and to the eye of flesh and blood Let us now compare herewith the proclamation of our Cyrus Iesus Christ to his disciples and followers the entrance and preface whereof was this Repent c. And then it followeth in stedd of whosoever will come and be my servant If he be a footman I will make him a horseman If any man will followe me sayth Christ let him forsake himsâ—lf and take up his crosse and followe me not on horseback as the Pope doth with all his proud Cardinals and Bishops in his pontificalibus I haue seene servants on horses and princes walking as servants on the ground so did an Emperor bare footed to his holynes but what would Salomon haue sayd if he had seene a Prince hold his stirrope and yet forsooth will this proude Prelate be Servus servorum a follower of Christ and Peters Successor In steede of possessing lands and lordships gold and treasures he sayth possesse not gold nor silver nor money in your purses nor a scrip for the journey neyther two coats neyther shoes nor so much as a staffe in your hands In steede of these preferments and pleasures of the world sayth Christ contrarie to Cyrus In this world ye shall haue affliction yea which is more ye shal be delivered up to the Counsels and to the Synagoues ye shal be beaten and brought before rulers Kings for my sake ye shal be hated of all men for my names sake ye shal be betrayed also of your parents bretheren kinsmen and friends And which is most of all ye shal be put to death for whoâ—oever will saue his life shall loose it Finally if any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and bretheren and sisters yea his owne life also he cannot be my disciple And whosoever beareth not his crosse and commeth after me he cannot be my disciple For which of you mynding to
his divine power they were also foretold by the Prophets to wit the sending of the Holy Ghost that comforter from on high with the sodayne strange and myraculous increase of his Church throughout the world even against all worldly power and policie by the onely power and ministerie of his worde confirmed with signes and wonders that followed wrought by his Apostles Disciples and other his faithfull servants and witnesses in the primitive Church then the which there can be no greater argument in the world of the truth of Christian Religion if we consider how all other religions in the world have growne and been maynteined by force of armes fyre and sword this onely by the preaching of Christ crucified in all naâ—ions hath increased multiplyed shall doe more more to the end of the world this must increase all others decrease how so ever the Turks have possessed the greatest part of the world at this day yet our Saviours prophecie in the end shal be found true this gospel of the kingdoÌ„ shal be preached throughout the whol world for a witnesunto al natioÌ„s Now for the first increase of it how smal a number were there gathered together after the ascention at Ierusalem from wheÌ„ce they were to march even the twelue Apostles no great armie Godwat to coÌ„quer the world as it is in that place The law shall goe forth froÌ„ ZioÌ„ the word of God froÌ„ IerusaleÌ„ There was the Rendevous there they staid there they rested there they coÌ„tinued in prayer and fasting till such time as Christ afâ—er his ascension according to his promise sent them the comforter even the holy Ghost induing them with power froÌ„ on high arming theÌ„ at all points for so great a work When and where being gathered togither all with one accord in one place sodenly there came a sound from heaven as of a mighty wind and filled all the house where they sate And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like fyre and it sate upon each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as there is mentioned And with these fiery cloven tongues these 12. silly soules without any other meanes men money or munitioÌ„ in a very short time conquered a great part of the world In so much that at one sermon of S. Peter at the same time there were added to the Church three thowsand soules And so multiplied successively from time to time and from place to place spreading it selfe from one country to another and from one nation to an other and so at length into all nations there is neyther speach nor language where their voice is not heard their line is gone forth through all the earth and their words into the ends of the world as we see it is come to passe this day Of which coÌ„ming of the Holy Ghost in the time of the Messiah Ioel prophesied saying And it shal be in the last dayes that I wil power out my spirit vpon all flesh c. and on my servants and on my handmaids I will powre out my spirit c. It filled all the howse where they sate it sate upon each of them and they were all filled with the holy Ghost Here is a deluge of Gods grace powred upon the world immediately upon the ascension of our Lord and Saviour First vpon his Apostles and disciples of those times in greater measure as the first fruites of his spirit by the which they wrought miracles spake all manner of languages healed all maner of diseases cast out Divils raysed the dead and lastly sealed the same with their blood Poore fishermen and such like of no reputation in the world without learning without credite without meanes as before yet by this meanes conquered the world to the subjection of their maister Christ that stone cast aside of the builders but now become the heade stone of the corner this is the Lordes doing and it is marvelous in our eyes The sinceritie of the Evangelistes NOw for the Evangelists or writers of the Gospell that is to say the registers of his birth life doctrine and death it is to be noted that our Saviour being God tooke a different way from the custome of man in delivering vnto us his lawes precepts For that men who have been lawmakers vnto the world knew no surer way of publishing their lawes and procuring authoritie to the same than to write them with their owns handes and in their life time to establish their promulgation So Lycurgus Solon and others among the Grecians Numa to the Romans Mahomet to the Sarasins But Iesus to shew this divine power in directing the pen and stile of his Evangelists would not leave any thing written by himselfe but passed from this world in simplicity and silence without any further shewe or ostentation of his owne doings Meaning notwithstanding afterwards to his glorie and the aedification of his Church here on earth by foure irrefragable witnesses or remembrancers the four EvaÌ„gelists every word should be established recorded As may appear by that place where he saith These things have I spoken vnto you being present with you but the Comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father wil send in my name he shal bring all things to your remembrance which I haue told you Wherevpon I inferre that the Evangelists and Apostolicall writers were all of them guided and directed by one and the same spirit even the spirite of God for the registring of all things eyther sayd or donne by our Saviour so farre forth as seemed best to his divine will and pleasure to be registred and recorded for the benefite and edification of his Church For there were many other things which Iesus did as Io. the EvaÌ„gelist testifieth which are not written that is to say which the holy spirit of God thought needlesse to faith and salvation but saith he these things are written that ye might beleeve that Iesus is the Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeving ye might have life through his name Now for these EvaÌ„gelists foure in nomber which some have reseÌ„bled to the foure beasts in Ezek the first last are Apostles that wrote as they had seen the two middle at disciples who registred things as they had uÌ„derstood by coÌ„fereÌ„ce with the Apostles The first gospel was written by an Apostle to give light to the rest and the last also by an Apostle to give authoritie and confirmation to the former The first was written in the Hebrew tongue for that all those myracles which Iesus wrought were doone in that countrie he was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel to the end that eyther the whole nation might beleeve them or the obstinate impugne them which yet never any of theire Rabbines tooke in hand to doe The other three were written in the most famous
plaine confession that Iesus was he of whom a prophet sayd divers ages before He shall consume all the Gods of the earth and everie man shall worship him from his place euen all the yles of the Heathen This confessed also the wicked spirits themselues when at Christs appearing in Iewrie they came and did their homage to him and besought him not to afflict or torment them before the time nor command them presently to returne to hell but rather to permit them some litle time of entertainement in the sea or mountaines or among heards of swine or the like which confâ—ssion they made openly before all men and declared the same afterwards by their deeds For presently upon Christ his death upon the preaching of his name Gospel throughout the world the oracle in all places ceased whereof the Poets themselues beare witnes Cessant Oracula Delphis Whereupon Plutarch that lived within one hundreth yeeres after Christ made a speciall Treatise to sifte out the causes why the oracles of the Gods as they deemed them were ceased in his time And after much turning and winding manie waies at length resolved upon two principall points or causes thereof The first for that in his tyme there was more store of wisemen then before whose answers might stand in steede of Oracles and the other for that perhaps the Spirits accustumed to yeelde Oracles were by length of tyme growen old and dead Both which reasons in the common-sence of all men must needs be false by Plutarch himself cannot stand with probabilitie For first in his books which he wrote of the liues of auncient famous men he confesseth that in such kind of wisdome as he most esteemed they had not their equals among their posteritie Secondly in his Treatise of Phylosophie he passeth it for a ground that Spirits can not dye or waxe old And therefore of necessitie there must be some other cause yeelded of the ceasing of these Oracles which can not be but the presence and commandement of some higher power according to that saying of S. Iohn for to this end and purpose appeared the sonne of God to wit that he might destroy the works of the divel Neyther did Iesus this alone in his owne person but gaue also powre and authoritie to his disciples and followers to doe the like according to that their commission in the Gospel Then called he the twelue Disciples together and gaue them powre and authoritie over all divils c. And not only to these twelue did he giue this absolute powre and authoritie over uncleane Spirits but to the rest likewise as may appeare in the next chapter following upon the returne of their commission And the seauentie returned with joy saying Lord euen the Divils are subdued to us through thy name And he sayd unto them I sawe Sathan like lightning fall downe from heaven and so renueth their commission saying Behold I giue unto you powre to tread on Serpents scorpions and over all the power of the enemie that is to say the Divil neverthelesse sayth he in this rejoyce not that the spirits are subdued unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are are written in heauen And this authoritie over the spirits infernall given by Iesus to his Disciples in the primitive Church extended it selfe so far that not onely theire words and commaundements but even theire verâ—e presence did shut the mouthes and drive into feare the miserable spirits as both Lactantius and others doe witnesse whence it proceeded that in all sacrifices conjurations and other mysteries of the gentiles there was brought in that phraise recorded by scoffing Lucian exeant Christiaâ—i let Christians depart for that while they were present nothing could be well accomplished And that professed enemie of Christianitie Porphyrie who of all other most earnestly endeavoured to empugne vs Christians to hold vp the honour of his enfeebled Idols yet discoursing of the great plague that reigned most furiously in the citie of Messina in Cicilie where he dwelt yeeldeth this reason why Aesculapius the God of physick much adored in that place was not able to help them in that extremitie It is no merveile saith he if this citie so many yeares be vexed with the plague seeing that both Aesculapius and all other Gods be now departed from it by the comming of Christians for since that men have begun to worship this Iesus we could never obtaine any prophet by our Gods Thus much coÌ„fessed this patrone of paganisme concerning the mayme that his Gods had received by the power and comming of our Lord Iesus Christ which albeit he spake with a malicious minde to bring Christians in hatred yet is the confession notable confirmeth that storie which Plutarch in his forenamed book doth report that in the latter yeares of the reigne of the Emperour Tiberius a strange voice and exceeding horrible clamor with hideous cries skryches and howlings were heard by many in the Graecian sea complayning that the great God Pan was now departed And this afâ—irmeth Plutarch that was a gentile to have been alleadged and approved before the Emperour Tyberius who merveyled greatly thereat and could not by all his diviners and southsayers whom he called to that consultation gather out any reasonable meaning of this woÌ„derfull accident But we Christians comparing the time wherein it happened vnto the time of Christ his death and passion and finding the same fully to agree we may more then pabablie perswade our selves that by the death of their great God Pan which signifieth all was imported the vtter overthrow of all wicked spirits and Idols vpon earth according to that vision of our Lord saviour before mentioned I saw Sathan like lightning fall down froÌ„ heaven c. againe in an other place now is the judgment of this woâ—ld now shall the Prince of this world be cast out even this great God Pan who in an other place is called the God of this world the Prince that ruleth in the ayre therefore may well be said by our Saviour to fal down froÌ„ heaveÌ„ being before time worshiped in those Idols oracles and heathenish prophanations as a God in all the world and exalted as it were into the highest heavens But behold as Dagon that idol of the Philistims â—â—ll flat on his face and that twice his head and hands dismembred before the arke of God in Ashdod so did Sathan this great God Pan the God of this world the Prince of the ayre c let me give the Divil his due yea rather more then his due as doth the hoâ—y scripture so did Sathan I say immediately vpon the comming of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ into this world and preaching of his Gospel the ark of his everlasting covenant fall flat one his face to the ground his head and hands dismembred according to that first promise and covenant to our first parents which was this that
he to wit the Messiah should breake the serpents head c. which he hath done not onely in his owne person by subduing Sathan with all his whole legions of Divills and power infernall traÌ„pling them vnder his feet but also in his members to whom also he gave lyke authoritie as before he gave them power and authoritie over all Divills yea over all the power of the enemie which argueth againe the power and omnipotencie of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ who not onely in his owne person here on earth but also in his servants disciples and followers was able to conquer and subdue even the Devills themselves as they themselves acknowledge Iesus I acknowledge and Paul I knowe c. And thus much of the subjection of spirits The punishment of enemies NOw resteth this his divine power and omnipotencie yet further to be manifested by an other consideratioÌ„ of his justice severitie shewed from heaven upon divers his greatest enemies here on earth after his departure out of this world As we may read in Iosephus of Herod the first who persecuted Christ even in his cradle and slue all those infants in and about Bethlehem And that other Herod Tetrarch of Gililie who put Iohn Baptist to death and scorned Iesâ—â— before his passion himself scorned afterwards by the Emperour and disgracefully sent into exile first to Lions in France and after that to the most desert and inhâ—bitable places in Spaine where he with Herodias wandred up downe in extreaâ—e calamitie all their life time and finally ended their dayes as forlorne and abandoned of all men In which miserie also it is recorded that the dâ—uncing daughter of Herodias who demaunded Iohn Baptists hâ—ad being on a time to passe over a frosen river suddenly the yce brake and she in her fall had her head cut off by the same yce without hurting the rest of her bodie So likewise it is recorded in the Acts of Herod Agrippa who stretâ—hed forth his hand to vexe certaine of the Church killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword and imprisoned Peter howe immediately thereupon as it is in that chapter going downe to Cefarea he was there in a solemne assemblie striken froÌ„ heaven with a most horrible disease whereby his bodie putrified and was eaten of wormes as also Iosephus maketh mention Pilate that gave sentence of death against our Lord and Saviour we read that after great disgrace received in Iurie he was sent home into Italie and there slewe himself with his owne hands And of the very Emperours themselves who lived from Tiberius under whom Iesus suffered unto Constantine the great under wâ—om Christian Religion took dominion over the world which contayned the space of some three hundred yeares or there abouts very fewe or none escaped the manifest scourges of Gods dreadfull justice shewed upon them at the knitting up of their dayes Whereas since the tyme of Constantine whiles Emperours have bene Christians as one hath observed fewe or no such examples can be shewed except upon Iulian the Apostata Valens the Arian haeretique or some other of lâ—ke detestable and notorious wickednes And thus much of particular men chastised by Iesus But if we desire to have a fuâ—l exampâ—e of his justice upon a whole nation together let vs considâ—r what befel Ierusalem and the people of that place for their barbarous crueltie practised vpon him in his death and passion And if we beleeve Iâ—sephus Phylo the Iewish historiographers wâ—o lived in those times it caÌ„ hardly be exprâ—ssed by the toÌ„gue â—r pen of maÌ„ what insufferable calamities miseries were inflâ—cted upon that people presently after his assension First of all by Pilate their governour under Tibeâ—ius and then againe by Petronius under Caligula after that by Cumanus under Claudius and lastly by Festus and Albinus under Nero. Through whose cruelties that nation was inforced aâ— last to rebell and take armes against the Roman Empire which was the cause of their utter ruine and exterpation by Titus and Vespasian At what time besides the overthrowe of their citie burning of their temple and other infinite distresses which Iosephus an eye witnes protesteth that no speach or discourse humane can declare the same authour likewise recordeth xj C. M. persons to have beene slaine and fourescore and seventene thowsand taken alive who were either put to death afterward in publique triumphes or sold openly for bondslaves into all partes of the world And in this vniversall calamitie of the Iewish nation being the most notorious and greevous that ever happened to any people or nation eyther before or aftâ—r â—hem for the Romanes never practised the like upon others it is singularly to be observed that in the same time and place in which they put Iesus to death before that is in the feast of the Pascha when their whole nation was assembled at IerusaleÌ„ from all parts Provinces and contries they received this theire most pittifull subversion and overthrowe that by the hands of the Romane Caesar to whom by publique crie they had appealed from Iesus not long before Wee have no king but Caesar. c. Yea further it is observed that as they apprehended Iesus and made the entrance to his passion upon Mount Olivet where â—e vsed much to pray and meditate so Titus as Iosephus writeth upoÌ„ the same Mount planted his first siege for their finall destruction And as they led Iesus from Caiphas to Pilate afflicting him in their presence so now were they themselves led up and down from Iohn to Simon two seditious Captaines within the citie and were scourged and tormented before the tribunall seates Againe as they had caused Iesus to be scoffed beaten and villanously entreated by the soldiours in Pilates Pallace so were now their owne principall rulers as Iosephus writeth most scrornefully abused beaten and crucified that by the soldiers Which latter point of crucifying or villanous putting to death upon the crosse was begun to be practised by the Romanes upon the Iewish gentrie iâ—mediately after Christ his death and not before And now at this time of the warre Iosephus affirmeth that in some one day fâ—ve hundreth of his nation were taken and put to this opprobrious kind of punishmeÌ„t in so much that for the great mulltitude he saith nec locus suâ—ficeret crucibus nec cruces corporibus This dreadfull and unspeakeable miserie fell upon the Iewes about 40. yeares after Christs assention when they had shewed themselves most obstinate and obdurate against his doctrine delivered unto them not onely by himself but also by his disciples of which they had now slaine S. Steven and S. Iames and driven into baniment both Peter and Paul and others that had preached unto theÌ„ This theÌ„ was the providence of God for the punishmeÌ„t of the Iews at that time And ever after their estate declined froÌ„ worse to worse and their miseries daily multiplied throughout
Emperor by whose command the finall subversion of that Iewish nation was brought to passe this Phlegon I say though a Pagan yet upon consideration of these events and others that he sawe as the extreame persecution of Christians foretold by Christ and the like he pronounced that never any man foretold things so certainly to come or that so precisely were accomplished as were the predictions and prophecies of Iesus And now albeit these praedictions and prophecies concerning the punishment and reprobation of the Iewes fulfilled so evideâ—tly in the sight of all the world might be a sufficient demonstration of his divine prescience and foreknowledge in things to come yet were there also many other things besides foreshewed by him which fell out as exactly as these did which by no humane reason or learning could possibly be foreseene As for example the foretelling of his owne death resurrection and ascention with all their severall circumstances the maner time place and all other particulariâ—ies as precisely as if they had been alâ—eadie accomplished and that not onely to his owne Disciples but euen to the Scribes Pharisees who came of purpose to tempt him as he that shall but examine the quotations following which for brevirie sake I haue but onely zyphered and as it were pointed at in figures may easely perceiue First to his Disciples Matth. 16 21. chap. 17 9 22. chap. 20 17. chap. 26 1 11 31.45 Ioh. 13 33. chap. â—6 16. 13 3. 18 4. 14 2 28. Then to the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 12 38. chap. 21 38. Luk. 13 31. Ioh. 2 18. chap. 3. 12. chap. 7 33. chap. 8. 21 28. chap. 12 31. Also how his Disciples should be scattered and forsake him Ioh. 16 32. Of Peters denyal Mat. 26 34. And by what maner of death he should glorifie God Ioh. 21 18. How Iudas one of his owne Disciples should betray him Ioh. 6 64 70. chap. 13 10 26. chap. 17 12. Mat. 26 21 46. Of the sending of the holy Ghost Ioh. 7 38. chap. 14 16 26. chap. 15 26. chap. 16 7. Luk. 24 49. Of his Disciples myracles which they should work in his name Mark 16 17. Luk. 10 18. Iohn 14 12. The cruell persecution that should arise to the professors of his name in all places Mat. 10 16. chap. 24 9. Ioh. 16.1 The buylding of his Church notwithstanding in despite of the Divel and all oppositions upon a rock with this sure word of promise never to fayle that the gates of hell shall not overcome it Mat. 16 18. And again I am with you alwaies euen to the end of the world Mat. 28 20 The signes tokens that should goe before the end of the world as first the false Christs and false Prophets that should arise here and there with the Church yea and in the church that abhomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet to be set in the holy place Matth. 24 5 11.15 23. Meaning and so I thinke would the Holy Ghost haue all men to understand it when he addeth this parenthesis Let him that readeth consider it euen that Arch-Antichrist now sitting in that holy place or church for so it was in tymes past whose fayth was once so famous in all the world Rom. 1 8. Warres and rumours of Warres pestilence famine and earthquakes Mat. 24 6. Persecution as before Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kâ—ll you and ye shall be hated of all nations for my names sake Mat. 24 9. So were Christians in the Primitiue Church under the Roman Emperors those cruell Caesars and so haue been of latter tymes also under the tyrannie of this Arch-antichristian Caesar that abomination of desolation now sitting in the selfe same place druncken with the blood of the Saincts and with the blood of the martyrs of Iesus whose destruction sleepeth not Come I will shewe thee the damnation of the great whore c. Finally the preaching of the Gospel to all nations Mat. 24 14. and the uniting and gathering together both of Iew and Gentile into one fold under one shepheard euen that great shepheard of our soules that there may be one sheepfold and one shepheard Ioh. 10 16. This is one of the last signes foretold by our Saviour but in part remayneth to be accomplished and what hindereth Euen that abomination of Desolation before spoken of which hath been a stumbling block to all nations hetherto both Turks and Iewes for comming to Christianitie which the Lord in due time will remoue For Babylon shall fall as it is in the Revelation it is fallen it is fallen Babylon that great citie In part it is fallen alreadie and what hindereth but that dayly and hourely we may expect the finall desolation thereof Dayly and hourely I say for with such celeritie violence when it shall please God to put in their hearts whom it may concerne to fulfill his wil Rev. 17.17 shall this sentence be executed In one day shall her plagues come upoÌ„ her death â—orrowe and famine and she shall be burnt with fire c. In one houre she shall be made desolate Rejoyce over her thou heauen and ye Holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath giuen your judgment on her And a mightie Angel tooke up a stone like a great milstone and cast it into the sea saying with such violence shall that great citie Babylon be throwne downe And here I might cast up together in like maner making but one totall summe of all the prophecies of all those Holy Apostles and Disciples of our Lord and Saviour both as touching divers particulars whereof they prophecied in those tymes fulfilled most exactly as also touching the generall state of the Church successiuely in all ages euen to the end of the world and of the ende of the world it self First for the particulars I will but point at them as before One of those Holy Prophets prophecied of a generall dearth to falâ— out in those tymes which happened accordingly under Claâ—dius Caesar Act. 11.27 also of Pauls imprisonment Act. 21 10. Paul in his sayling towards Rome foretelleth the Centurion and the rest of the tempestuous weather to ensue Act. 27.10 Of their shipwrack but yet with safetie of their liues veâ— 22. and precisely the place where they should be cast a shore to wit upon a certaine Iland vers 26. In one of his Epistles he prophecieth of his owne death 2 Tim. 4.6 So doth also Peter 2 Pet. 1.14 Secondly for the future state of the Church in these last daies with the comming of Antichrist into the world all his damned crue those hellish furies see how precisely these Holy Apostles and Prophets foretell of these times thâ—sâ— persâ—ous times and how liuely they set him out in his colours with all his additions as well becommeth such an infernall King the angel of the bottomlesse pâ—tte whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon in Greeke Apollyon that Antichrist
natioÌ„ or people under which you live not onely in Barbary but in al other parts of the world besides as a fatal effect of that heavie curse laid on you by your own forefathers long agoe vpon the death of Christ when Pilate the judge washed his hands saying I am innocent of the blood of this iust man looke yee to it they cried with one consent his blood be vpon vs on our children As also of that prophesie of our Saviour in his life time when he wept over Ierusalem saying ô if thou haddest even knowne at the least in this thy day those things which belong to thy peace but now are they hid froÌ„ thine eyes c. And more particularly to his Disciples he renueth it over againe when yee shall see Ierusalem besieged with soldiers then know yee that her desolation is at hand For these be the dayes of vengaâ—ce to fulfill all things that are written For there shall be great distresse in this land and wrath over this people And they shall fall one the cadge of the sword and shall be lead captive into all nations c. Which heavie curse of your owne forefathers and prophisie of his how truely they have been fulfilled both the one the other all the world seeth and yee your selves feele the effect as before The Lord in mercie take away the vayle from your hearts that at length ye may know those things which beloÌ„g to your peace which now are hid froÌ„ your eyes for why will ye dye ô ye house of Israel These considerations I say and reasons with some others have moved me and partly in recompence of those your definaes and dainties wherof I tasted so often while I was amongst you to send you here a smal banket of such dainties as Christendome can afford wishing you would but tast some part of mine as I did of yours being indeed Sabbath dayes dainties tast I say and see how sweet the Lord is And the rather doe I invite you to this banket yea rather provoke you therevnto even to your owne salvation which through your fall is come to us Gentiles to provoke you as it is that place for that now the time of your redemtion draweth neare with ours much nearer now theÌ„ wheÌ„ we beleeved foretold also both by Christ and his Apostles as was your desolation and shall one day as surely and certainely come to passe the one as the other For God that hath promised is of power to performe it he will doe it he is able to graffe you in againe into your owne olive tree Verely I tell you saith our Saviour to the Pharisies ye shall not see me vntill the time come that yee shall say blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord. Therefore such a time shall coÌ„e with out all doubt whearein ye shall so say that is to say most willingly obey the Heavenly calling without any more resisting the Holy Ghost as did your forefathers Also in an other place and Ierusalem shall be troden vnder foote of the Gentiles vntill the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled So long and no longer there is the period And Paul the Apostle in a most fervent manner both prayeth and prophesieth to this effect brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved Then prophecieth at large in the chapter following and that most divinely as of their fall so of their generall call in due time with many arguments and reasons to that purpose Which praier and prophesie of his proceeding from a divine instinct and revelation no doubt shall one day take effect For it can not be but that the word of God should take effect For it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth to the Iew first and also to the Grecian To the Iew first thereis the promise there is the priviledge Lift up your heades now therefore ó ye Iewes sonnes of Abraham children of the promise to whom pertayneth the adoption and the glorie and the covenants and the giving of the law and the service of God and the promises of whom are the fâ—thers and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came I say lift up your heads and listen to the heavenly call of Christ and his Apostle Paul for your redemtion draweth nere This is the generation of them that seeke him of them that sâ—eke thy face Iaacob Silah Lift up your heads ye gates be ye liâ—t up ye everlasting doores and the King of glorie shall come in And let us Christians also upon whom the ends of the World are come lift up our heads and knowe remembring that parable of the figtree when wâ— sâ—e these things beginne to come to passe that the kingdome of God is near eueâ— at the doores Verely I say unto you this generation shall not passe till all these things be donne Heauen and earth shall pâ—sse away but my Words shall not passe away They are the words of our Saviour And now bretheren to returne to Paul I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to buyld you up and to giue you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified Be favourable unto Sion for thy good pleasure build the walls of Ierusalem Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of righteousnes euen the burnâ—offring and oblation then shall they offer calues upon thyne altar Oh giue salvation unto Israel out of Sion when God turneth the captivitie of his people then shall Iaakob rejoice and Israel shall be glad When the Lord brought againe the captivitie of Sion we were like them that dreame then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with joye then sayd they among the Heathen The Lord hath dâ—ne great things for them The Lord hath done great things for us wherof we rejâ—ice O Lord bring againe our captivitie at the rivers in the south Saue us O Lord our God and gather us from among the Heathen that we may praise thyne holy name and glorie in thy praise Comfort us according to the dayes that thou hast afflicted us according to the yeeres that we haâ—e seene eâ—el Thou wilt arise and haue mercie upon Sion for the time to haue mercie thereon for the appointed time is come For thy servants delight in the stones thereof and hâ—ue pitie on the dust thereof Then the Heâ—then shall â—eare the name of the Lord and all the kings of the earth thy glorie when the Lord shall buyld up Siâ—n and shall appeare in his glorie and shall turne unto the prayer of the desolate not dispisâ— then pâ—ayer This shall be written for the generation to come and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord for he hath looked downe from the height of his sanctuarie out of the heaven did the Lord behold the earth thâ—t he might
heare the mourning of the prisoner and deliver the children appointed unto death that they may declâ—re the name of the Lord in Sion and his praise in Ierusalâ—m For God will saue Sion and buiâ—d the cities of Iuda that men may dwell there and haue it in possâ—ssion the seed as of his servants shall iâ—â—erit it and they thaâ—â—â—ue his name shâ—ll â—wâ—lâ— therâ—in Surely the Lord wilâ— not sayle his pâ—ople neyther will he foâ—sake his inheritance He hath alway remembred his covenant and promise that he made to a thouâ—and generations Thou wilt thinke upon thy congregation which thou hast possessed of old on the rodde of thine inheritance which thou hast redeemed and on mount Sion wherein thou hast dwelt Yea when the Lord turneth againe the captivitie of hiâ— people which will be when they turne unto him by hartie repentance not before when they cryed to the Lord in their trouble he delivered them out of their distresse then will he make euen their verie enimies to become their friends giue them grace favour in the sight of all those kings and princes under whom now they liue and groane in most miserable slaverie and bondage as in their former captivities may be observed He sawe when thâ—y were in affliction and heard their crye He remeÌ„bred his covenant towards them and repented according to the multitude of his mercies and gaue them favour in the sight of all them that led them captiues for the hearts of Kings are in the hands of the Lord as the rivers of waters he turneth them which way soever it pleasâ—th him So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia after that their seauentie yeeres captivitie in Babylon as also Darius and others to write in their behalf sundrie most favourable edicts for their returne into their owne countrie again with large liberalitie for the reaâ—difying of the temple of God in Ierusalem for the Lord had made them glad and turned the heart of the King of Asshur unto them to incourage them in the work of the house of God euen the God of Israel Therefore Ezra blesseth the Lord â—or all these extraordinarie favours saying Blessed be the Lord God of our Fathers which so hath put in the Kings heart to beautifie the house of the Lord that is in Ierusalem c. Yea rather then fayle of his promised deliverance to his people when they crye unto him in their distresse he will rebuke euen kings for their sakes As he did Pharaoh king of Aegypt in the dayes of old with this peremptorie commaund by the hand of Moses over and over Let my people goe that they may serue me or if thou wilt not c. inflicting upon them one plague after another till at length they were forced to driue them away as it is in that place Rise up get you out from among my people and goe serue the Lord as ye haue sayd And the Egyptiaâ—s did force the people because they would send them out of the Land in hast for they sayd we dye all giving them favour in the meane tyme in the sight of the Egyptians also Moses was verie great in the Land of Egypt in the siâ—â—t â—f Pharoahs servants and in the sight of the people Behold I haue made thee Phâ—raohs God sayth the Lord so he brought out Israel from among them for his mercie endureth for evrr with a mightie hand and out stretched arme c. after four hundreth and thirtie yeeres captivitie in Aegypt And when the four hundreth and thirtie yeeres were expyred euen the self same day departed all the hosts of the Lord out of the Land of Aegypt And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud to lead them the way and by night in a pillar of fire to giue them light He divided the sea in two parts made Israel to passe through the mids of it and overthrewe Pharaoh and his host in the red sea for his mercie indureth for ever So leading them through the wildernes feeding them fortie yeeres with Manna froÌ„ heauen till at length he brought them safe sound as it were upon egles wings maugre all difficulties and oppositions of enimies what soever euen to the promised Land of Canaan the lot of their inheritance Where they continued in peace and prosperitie so long as they served him kept his commandements but when once they sinned against him or rather as often as they sinned for it was not once but often forgat the Lord their God which brought them out of the Land of Aegypt out of the house of bondage then he suffered their enemies to prevayle against them tyrannize over them sometymes one and sometimes another till at length they were caried captiues to Babylon Yet ever as the burdeÌ„ of that psalm is wheÌ„ they cryed to the Lord in their trouble he delivered them out of their distresse raysing up from tyme to tyme Iudges as he did Moses and Ioshua at the first which delivered them out of the hands of their oppressors Othoniâ—l who delivered theÌ„ out of the hands of the King of AraÌ„ as it is in that place where it is said that the children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the Lord forgat the Lord their God served Baalim therfore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel he sold theÌ„ into the hand oâ— Chushan-rishathaim king of Aram whoÌ„ they served eight yeeres But when they cryed unto the Lord the Lord stirred them up a Saviour euen Othoniel c. So the land had rest fortie yeeres Ehud who delivered theÌ„ out of the hand of Eglon king of Moab Then the childreÌ„ of Israel â—gain coÌ„mitted wickednes in the sight of the Lord the Lord strengthned Eglon king of Moab c. So they served Eglon king of Moab 18 yeeres But wheÌ„ they cryed unto the Lord the Lord stirred theÌ„ up a Saviour Ehud the sonne of Gera c. So the land had rest 80 yeres And after him was Shamgar the sonne of Anath which slew of the Philistims 600 men with an oxe goad he also delivered Israel Deborah Barack who delivered theÌ„ out of the hand of Iabin king of Canaan And the children of Israel began again to do wickedly in the sight of the Lord the Lord sold theÌ„ into the hand of Iabin king of Canaan whose chief Captain was Sisera Then the children of Israel cryed to the Lord c. And at that time Deborah a Prophetesse judged Israel then she sent called Barak c. And the Lord destroyed Sisera all his charets c. And the land had rest 40 yeares Gedeon who delivered them out of the hands of the Midianites Afterward the children of Israel committed wickednes in the sight of the Lord the Lord gaue them into
the hands of Midian 7 yeares c. So was Israel exceedingly impoverished by the Midianites therfore the childreÌ„ of Israel cryed unto the Lord c. he raised them another Saviour even Gedeon that valiant man who with three hundreth men no more such as lapped water with their tongues the rest sent away by the Lords command overthrew the whole host of Midian with this cry the sword of the Lord of Gedeon Thus was Midian brought low before the children of Israel so that they lift vp their heads no more the countrie was in quietnes 40 yeres in the dayes of Gedeon But when Gedeon was dead the children of Israel turned away c. and remembred not the Lord their God which had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side c. After him succeeded Abimilech his sonne After Abimilech Tola After Tola Iair the Gileadite After these arose Iepthe who delivered them out of the hand of the Ammonites And the children of Israel wrought wickednes again in the sight of the Lord and served Baalim c forsooke the Lord served not him Therfore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel and the Lord sold them into the hands of the Philistims and into the hands of the children of Ammon c. Then the children of Israel cryed unto the Lord c. So the Lord raised them up another valiant man even Iepthe Then the spirit of the Lord came upon Iepthe c. So Iepthe went unto the children of Ammon to fight against them and the Lord delivered them into his hands Thus the children of Ammon were humbled before the children of Israel And lepthe judged Israel 6 yeares After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel After him Elon After Elon Abdon But the children of Israel continued to commit wickednesse in the sight of the Lord and the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Philistims 40 yeares Then God raysed up Sampson who with the jâ—w-bone of an Asse slew a thousand of the Philistims at once And he judged Israel in the daies of the Philistims 20 yeares Thus may we see by all these examples and make vse thereof â—f we be wise what the state and condition of Gods people hath beene ever of old the effect in briefe or burden of the song nothing else but this when they sinned against the Lord he delivered them into the hands of their enemies but when they cryed to the Lord in their trouble that is to say repented he straight-way delivered them out of their distresse raysing up from time to time one Saviour or deliverer after another so immediatly governing them by Iudges till the daies of Samuel When this people still growing worse and worse and not contented with this sacred kind of government immediately from God himselfe but desiring a King like all other Nations Make us now a King to judge us like all other Nations he gave them a King in his anger saying to Samuel heare the voyce of the people in all that they shall say unto thee for they have not cast thee away but they haue cast me away that I should not raigne over theÌ„ c. And as before under the Iudges so now under the Kings still as they sinned and multiplied their transgressions so did the Lord inflict and multiply upon them his judgements one plague after another till at length they were caried captiues into Babylon After which long captivitie yet restored againe upon their repentance the time was not long but they fell againe to their old byas and forgate the Lord their God which had done so great things for them yea rather now worse then ever persecuting the Prophets from time to time whom God raysed up amongst them and killing them one after another even till the comming of the Messiah and him likewise they crucified Whereupon ensued this last and finall desolation as the full measure of their sinnes deserved and as themselves desired saying his blood be upon us and upon our children which hath continued now almost this 1600 yeares the longest captivitie and greatest miserie that ever happened to any people and so shall continve till they as did their forefathers turne to the Lord by trve and hearty repentance and cry unto the Lord in their trouble and then will the Lord deliver them out of their distresse according to the former examples and not before And this is the state and condition of the Iewes at this day the miserable state I say with the cause and the remedie which God graunt they may make use of Amen Escapes Pag. 22 line 26. adde these words Seeing I say so many signes and arguments at once concurring together I may well conclude as before pag. 51. l. 14 put out these words of a trve Prophet and consequently pag. 58. l 9. for in the read is the. line 10. for was appeare read was to appeare line 12. for State read Starre With what other faulte else I desire the judicious Reader to Correct with his Penne. 1 Sam. 18.1 Rom. 3.1 Rom. 9.4 Act. 3.17 Act. 11.26 Mat. 13.24 Rom. 11.22 〈◊〉 12. Gen. 3 15. Rom. 3 2. Rom. 9.4 Luk. 19.42 Deu. 18 1â— ver 18. Deu. 34.10 Deu. 18.26 Esa. 53.8 Psal. 89.3 2 Sam. 7.13 1 Kin. 12. Psal. 2.7 Psal. 72 5. ver 7. ver 17. Esai 6. â— Luc. 19 27. Isai. 4 2. Isaie 9 6. Isai. 4.2 Isa. 7 14. Micah 5.2 Isai. 9.6 Isai. 4.2 Psal. 2.7 Hose 1 7. 〈◊〉 11â— 1 Psa. 107 20 Iob. 19 26. Deut. 6 4. Ier. 23 6. Act. 25.10 Deu. 18.15 Isai. 2.3 Esa. 29.18 Isai. 42.4 â—saâ— 8.10 Ezec. 20 2â— Ier. 31.32 â—oâ— 49.10 Ler. 3 12. Hag. 2. Psal. 24. â— Mal 3.1 Luk. 23.14.22 Mat. 27. Isai. 53.5 Ioh. 8 56. Act. 3 21. Chap. 8 44. Gen. 2 17. Gen. 3.4 Mat. 3.7 Luk. 19 27. Eph. 5.14 Psal 51.4 Rom. 3.4 〈◊〉 66.7 Psal. 147.2 Hag. 2.10 Isa. 11.6 Iudg. 12.6 Mat. 8.11 Ioh. 19. Luc. 3 1â— Mat. 11.3 Ioh. 10.24 Math. 22.16 Ioh. 10. ◠〈◊〉 5 38. Dan. 2.44 Isay. 11.12 Luk. 2. â— Isai. 7.14 Ier. 32.22 Mat. 1 â—8 Mich. 5.2 Mat. 2.5 Psal. 132 3. Mat. 2.1 Psa. 72 10. Iosua 12. Num. 24.17 Luk. â— 28. Chap. 2 31. 2 Esd. 7.26 Luk. 2 â— Luk. 10. Mat. 2 â—â— Ier. 31 15. Gen. 35.19 Mat. 2.13 Hos. 11.1 Isay. 19 1. Euseb. iib. 6. Mal. 3 1. chap. 4 5. Luk. 1.13 Ioh. 1 19. Mat. 3.16 Mar. 1.10 Luk. 3 21. Iohn 1 3â— Deut. 6.5 Mat. 22.37 Isa. 42.1 Zach. 9.9 Porph. lib. Delaud Philo Isa. 35.5 Iohn 1â— 17 Mark 5.22 * Deut. 19.15 Luk. 7.11 Mat. 9.33 Ioh. 10 2â—.37 * Luk. 7.20 Luk. 7.20 〈◊〉 16. â—â— Ch. 16.23 Ioh. 6.60 Ch. 7.48 Mat. 8.20 Plut apophth prise regum Mar. 1.35 Mat. 16.24 Eccl. 10.7 Mat. 10.9 Ioh. 16.33 Mar. 13 9. chap. 13 13 Luk 21.16 Mat. 16 25. Luk. 14 26. Mat. 10 34.