they must needs be understood of an eternall King and kingdome as must also those other words of God in the psalme Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee aske of me and I will giue thee the Heathen for thyne inheritance the ends of the earth for thy possession Thou shalt crush them with a rod of yron and breake them in pieces like a pâ—tters vessâ—l which prophecie was never fulfilled in Salomon nor in any other temporall King in Iewrie after him And much lesse this that followeth They shall feare thee as long as the sunne and moone endureth from generation to generation In his daies shall the righteous flourish and abondance of peace so long as the moone endureth His dominion also shall be from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the earth They that dwell in the wildernesse shall kneele before him and his enemies shall lick the dust The Kings of Tharshish and of the yles shall bring presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring gifts yea all Kings shall worship him all nations shall serue him His name shall be for ever his name shall indure as long as the sunne all Nations shall be blessed in him and shall blesse him And blessed be the Lord God euen the God of Israel which onely doth wonderous things And blessed be his glorious name for ever and let all the earth be filled with his glorie Amen Amen And so he endeth as it were in a traunce ravished beyond measure with the sweet and heauvenly contemplation of this spiritual and everlasting kingdome of the Messiah for to him and to no other can all these circumstances and hyperbolicall speaches of David rapte with the spirit of prophecie properly and primarily apperteyne though literally the Iewes understand them of Salomon as they doe many other places in like case applying them onely to the type never looking to the substance whereof those types and figures were but shadowes and semblances God of his mercie in his good tyme take away the vayle from their hearts that at length they may see the true Salomon in all his royaltie not any longer to grope at noone dayes wincking with their eyes against the cleare sunne like their forefathers as it is in Esay a most fearefull judgment of God layd upon that Nation of old objected to them many tymes and oft both by Christ and his Apostels but in vayne goe and say unto this people ye shall heare indeed but shall not understand ye shall playnly see and not perceiue make the heart of this people fatte make their eares heavie and shutte their eyes least they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and understand with their hearts and convert and be healed Whereupon ensueth euen upon this wincking and wilfull obstinacie a most severe denunciation of finall desolation Lord how long sayth the Prophet and he answered untill the cities be wasted without inhabitant the houses without a man and the land be utterly desolate c. But yet a tenth reserved to returne a holy seed remayning in due tyme to be converted This judgment and desolation hath been along tyme upon them they feel it and groane under the burden of it as their forefathers did in Egypt under Pharaoh yet wincking shutte their eyes and will not see it I meane acknowledge the true cause of these so great judgments revealed from heauen upon theÌ„ euen the contempt of Gods holy Prophets sent unto them from tyme to tyme but especially of the Messiah whose blood lyeth heavily upon them euen to this day as their forefathers desired his blood be upoÌ„ us on our children which all the world seeth is come to passe yea they themselues feele it yet wincking with their eyes they will not see it But there is a tenth to returne c. The rest which will not this their Messiah to raigne over them let them look into that parable in the Gospel there shall they finde a farre more fearefull destruction denounced then the former The first being but for a tyme but a type of the other but a beginning of woes the other eternall for ever and ever The first he pronounceth with teares over Ierusalem the second he denounceth as an angrie Iudge provoked at length to execute his fierce wrath upoÌ„ them without any compassion at all His words are these Moreover those mine enemies which would not that I should raigne over them bring them hither and slay them before me Which words of our Saviour although they will in no wise beleeve no more then they did the former yet shall they find his words one daye as truly fulfilled to them in the one as they haue done alreadie in the other And howsoever hitherto they haue esteemed of him as a false prophet a deceiver yet hath he been to them but too true a Prophet in all their calamities both first and last And so after this long digression I come to the next The Prophecie of Ieremie THe sixt which confirmeth the former is that of Iere. 23 5. Behold the dayes come sayth the Lord that I will rayse up unto David a righteous braunch and a King shall raigne c. And this is the nâ—me whereby they shall call him the Lord our righteousnes This was spoken of Davids seed aboue 400 yeeres after David was dead and buried which proveth manifestly that the former promises were not made unto him for Salomon his sonne or any other temporall King of his line but onely for the Messiah who was called so peculiarly the sonne and seed of David The Prophecie of Ezechiel THe seauenth which also confirmeth the other is that of Ezec. 34.23 I will set up ashepheard over them he shall feede them euen my servant David c. In which words the Iewes themselues doe confesse in their Talmud that their Messiah is called by the name of David for that he shall discend of the seed of David and so it must needs be for that King David being dead so long before could not now come againe in his owne person to feed them him self The Prophecie of Isaie THe eight is the prophecie of Isaiah 2.2 It shall be in the last dayes that the mountayne of the house of the Lord shal be prepared in the toppe of the mountaines and shall be exalted aboue the hilles and all nations shall flowe unto it c. for the Law shall goe forth of Syon and the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem He shall judge among the Nations Which verie words Michah repeateth cap. 4.1 and are applyed there as also here unto the Meâ—siah they can haue no other meaning by the judgement of the Iewes themselues In that daie shall the budde of the Lord be beautifull and glorious and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent Vnto us a child is borne unto us a sonne is giuen and the gouvernment is upon his shoulders he shâ—ll call his
it is sayd I will saue them by the Lord their God Ionathan translateth it thus I will saue theÌ„ by the Word of their God So where it is sayd The Lord sayd to my Lord sit at my right hand c. The Lord sayd to his Word sit at my right hand Also where it is sayd He sent his Word and healed them Rabbi Isaack Arama upon Gen. 47. expoundeth it to be meante of the Messiah that shall be Gods Word So likewise that of Iob I shall see God in my flesh c. Rabbi Simeon upon Gen. 10. gathereth therupon that the Word of God shall take flesh in a womans wombe Another out of these words Iehovah our God is one Iehovah proveth the blessed Trinitie saying by the first Iehovah is signified God the Father by the next which is Elohim God the sonne and by the other Iehova God the Holy Ghost proceeding of them both to all which is added the word one to signifie that these three are indivisible but this secret sayth he shall not be reveâ—led untill the coming of the Messiah These are the words of Rabbi Ibda reported by Rabbi Simeon in a Treatise called Zoar of great authoritie among the Iewes where also the sayd Rabbi Simeon interpreteth those words of Isay Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts in this maner Esay by repeating three tymes Holy sayth he doth signifie as much as if he had sayd Holy Father holy Sonne and holy Spirit which three Holies doe make but one Lord God of Hosts which mysterie of the blessed Trinitie Rabbi Hacadosch gathereth out of the verie letters of IEHOVAH upon those words of Ieremie before recited the two natures of the Messiah both divine and humane his two filiations the one whereby he must be the sonne of God the other whereby he must be the sonne of man concluding thereupon that in him there shall be two distinct natures and yet shall they make but one Christ which is the same that we Christians hold Philo that learned Iewe shall ende this first consideration touching the nature and person of the Messiah as himself writeth in his Book De Exulibus By tradition we haue it sayth he that we must expect the death of an high Priest which Priest shall be the verie Word of God voyde of all sinne whose Father shall be God and this Word shall be the Fathâ—rs wisdome by which all things in this World were created c. Thâ—refore the Messiah must be both God and man both by the Scriptures as also by their owne writers they cannot deny it That the Messiah must change the Law of Moses AS the Messiah must be both God and man euen the naturall and onely begotten Sonne of God and the verie Word of God incarnate voyde of all sinne able to satisfie the wrath of his Father and to fulfill the Law of Moses for us which Moses himself could not doe nor any other after him It was a burdensome Lawe to the children of Israel A yoake which neither they nor their forefathers were able to beare so having once in his owne person most exactly accomplished the same here on earth together with all rites ceremonies prophecies types figures and circumstances of his comming clearely fulfilled in him and by him It was necessarie I say the substance being once come those shadowes and ceremonies should cease and be abolished I meane the ceremoniall Law totally for as touching the morall Law or the Commandements he sayth I came not to destroy the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them onely thus farre hath he abolished that too he hath taken away the curse of it hanging it on his crosse euen the handwriting that was against us together with himself crucified This ceremoniall Law of Moses I say consisting of such a multitude of ceremonies figures types sacrifices c. all of them for the most part pointing at the Messiah to come for by those outward signes and services appointed by God to his people they were still put in mind of his covenant and assured of his promise that the Messiah should come Moreover it being proper and peculier to one onely nation in all the world namely Iurie the exercise thereof permitted but in one onely place of that countrie namely Ierusalem whither everie man waâ— bound to repaire three tymes everie yeere to wit at the Pasqua Pentecost and the feast of Tabernacles there no where else to offer sacrifice I say this Lawe of Moses being altogether ceremoniall and peculier to that nation it was necessarie at the comming of the Messiah the same should be abolished and a more generall and perfect Law giuen and established a Law that should be coÌ„mon to all men serue for all countries tymes places and persons otherwise how could the Gentiles be made pertakers of the covenant aswell as the Iewes how could all these nations so farre distant from Ierusalem repaire thrice everie yeere thither how should everie woman dwelling in the East or West Indies repaire thither for her purification after everie childbirth as by the Law of Moses she was commanded Levit. 12. Therefore it is manifest that this Law of Moses was giuen to continue but for a tyme euen till the comming of the Messiah and then another to come in place to continue till the worlds ende This signifyed Moses to the people after he had delivered the former Law to them saying The Lord thy God will rayse up unto thee a Prophet like unto me from among you euen of thy brethren unto him thou shalt hearken As if he had sayd yee shall heare me till he come who must be a Lawgiver as my self but of a farre more absolute and perfect Law and therefore more to be reverenced and obeyed And then he addeth in the person of God himself this thundering sentence against all misbelievers Whosoever will not hearken unto my Word which he shall speak in my name I will require it of him Which words cannot be verefied in any other Prophet after Moses untill Christ for that of those Prophets there arose none in Israel like unto Moses Deut. 34.10 They had no authoritie to be Law givers as Moses had but were all bound to the observation of his Law till Christ should come whom Moses here calleth a Prophet like unto himself that is a Lawmaker exhorting all men to heare and obey him Hereunto the Prophets subscribe none of them all presuming to take upon them that priviledge to be like unto him A prophet like unto Moses they must let that alone to the Messiah whose office it is to change the Law of Moses giuen upon mount Sinay in stead thereof to promulgate a new Law to beginne at Sion as sayth the Prophet Isay The Law shall goe forth of Sion and the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem Which cannot be understood of Moses Law published eight hundreth yeeres before this prophecie and that from Sinai not from Sion 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.
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
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
name Wonderfull Councellor the mightie God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace the increase of his gouvernment shall haue none end And in the 11. chap. There shall come a rod forth of the stock of Ishai and a graffe shall growe out of his root the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him Behold your God cometh c. Then shall the eyes of the blynd be lightned and the eares of the deaf shall be opened then shall the lame man leape like a hart and the dumme mans tongue shall sing c. chap. 35.4 And he sayd it is a small thing that thou shouldest be my servant to rayse up the tribes of Iacob and to restore the desolations of Israell I will also giue thee for a lâ—ght of the Gentiles that thou mayest be my Salvaâ—ion unto the ends of the earth chap. 49.6 Out of all which places before aledged I conclude first the coÌ„ming of a Messiah which the Iewes will not denie secondly that he must be King aswell of the Gentiles as of the Iewes which they cannot deny thirdly that he must be a spirituall and not a temporall king as they imagine It followeth next to be proved that he must be both God and man euen the sonne of God the second person in Trinitie to be blessed for evermore which also they shall not deny That the Messiah must be both God and Man The Iewes at the first agreed with us in all or most poynts as touching the Messiah for to come denying onely the fulfilling or application thereof in our Saviour but since the later Iewes finding themselues not able to stand in that issue against us they haue devised a new plea saying that we attrâ—buâ—e manie things unto Iesus that were not foretold of the Messiah to come namely that he should be God and the sonne of God the second person in Trinitie which we will proue both by Scriptures as also by the writings of their own forefathers For Scriptures it is evident by all or the most alledged before that the Messiah must be God euen the sonne of God indued with mans nature that is both God and man So in Genesis where he is called the seed of the woman it is apparant he must be man and in the same place where it is sayd he shall breake the serpents head who can doe this but onely God So in Isay where he is called the budde of the Lord his Godhead is signified and when he is called the fruit of the earth his Manhood And so in an other place Behold a virgine shall conceiue and beare a sonne and thou shalt call his name Immanuel that is to say God with us which name can agree to none but to him that is both God and man And who can interpret these speeches that his kingdome shall be everlasting Isa. 9. That his name shall be for ever â—it shall indure as long as the sunne and the moone That all Kings shall worship him all nations serue him Psal. 72. worship him all ye Gods Psal. 97. that no man can tell his age Isai. 53. that he must sitte at the right hand of God Psal. 110. Who I say can understand or interpret them but of God seeing in man they cannot be verified with which place of Scripture the Euangelists doe report that Iesus did put to silence divers of the learned Pharises for sayth he if the Messiah be Davids sonne how did David call him Lord signifying thereby that albeit he was to be Davids sonne as he was man yet was he to be Davids Lord as he was God and so doe both Rab. Ionathan and their owne publique commentaries interpret this place Michah is plaine His going forth is from the beginning and from everlasting And Isay is bold to proclaime him by his owne name euen God and to giue him his right stile with all his additions as Herolds to great Kings and Princes use to doe he shall call his name Wonderfull Councellor the mightie God the everlasting Father the prince of peace c. In vayne therefore is that objection of the Iewes that El or Elohim signifying God is sometymes applyed to a creature here it cannot be so nor in the next place following Psal. 45.6 Thy throne o God is for ever and ever c. Wherefore God euen thy God hath anoynted thee with the oyle of gladnes abâ—ue thy fellowes which cannot be applied to Salomon but as a type of the Messiah Howsoever the name IEHOVA which is of such reverence among the Iewes that they dare not pronounce it but in place thereof read Adonai that I am sure they will never grant to belong to any creature Then what say they to that of Ier. 23.6 where the Messiah is called in plaine termes Iehovah And this is the name whereby they shall call him Iehovah our righteousnes So likewise chap. 33.16 over againe is he called by the same name Iehovah our righteousnes And so doe the auncient Iewes themselues expound this place namely Rabbi Abba who asketh the questioÌ„ what the Messiah shall be called and answereth out of this place he shall be called the Eternall Iehovah The like doth Misdrasch upon the first verse of the 20 Psalme And Rabbi Moyses Hadersan upon Gen. 41 expounding that of Zephanie 3.9 concludeth thus In this place Iehovah signifieth nothing els but the Messiah and so did one of the Iewes at unawares acknowledge to me alledging that place out of the Psalmes the Lord doth build up Ierusalem c. that their Messiah at his coming should build a new citie and Sanctuarie much more glorious then the former So did he also interpret that place of Hagg. 2.10 of a third temple Whereupon I inferred seeing in those words he alledged the Lord doth builde vp Ierusalem the Hebrew word is Iehovah therefore by his own interpretation the Messiah must be Iehovah which he could not well shifte off but sayd that Adonai for Iehovah they dare not name must there be understood which point of the Godhead of the Messiah the most auncient Iewes did ever acknowledge proving by sundrie places of Scripture not onely that he should be the sonne of God but also the word of God incarnate First that he should be the sonne of God they proue out of Gen. 49.10 The scepter shall not depart c. till Shiloh come Which Rabbi Kinhi proveth to signifie his sonne that is the sonne of God Out of Isai where he is called the budde of the Lord. Out of the Psalmes where it is sayd thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee And a litle after kisse the sonne least he be angrie and ye perish blessed are all they that trust in him which last words cannot be understood of the sonne of any man for it is written Cursed be the man that trusteth in man Ier. 17.5 Secondly that he shal be the Word of God they proue out of Isay as also out of Hosea where
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„
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