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.
THE MESSIAH ALREADY COME OR PROFES OF CHRISTIANITIE BOTH OVT of the Scriptures and auncient Rabbins to convince the Iewes of their palpable and more then miserable blindnesse if more may be for their long vaine and endlesse expectation of their MESSIAH as they dreame yet for to come Written in Barbarie in the yeare 1610 and for that cause directed to the dispersed Iewes of that Countrie and in them to all others now groaning under the heauy yoake of this their long and intollerable captivitie which yet one day shall have an end as all other states and conditions in the World they have their periods even when the fulnesse of the Gentiles is come in and when that vayle shall be taken away from their hearts as is prophecied Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved Rom. 10.1 For I would not Brethren that ye should be ignorant of this secret that partly obstinacie is come to Israel untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved as it is written c. Rom. 11.25 And Ierusalem shall be troden under foot of the Gentiles untill the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled Luk. 21.24 Even to this day when Moses is read the vayle is laid over their hearts neverthelesse when their heart shall be turned to the Lord the vayle shall be taken away 2 Cor. 3 15. Verely I say unto you ye shall not see me untill the time come that ye shall say Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord. Luk. 13.35 How beautifull are the feete of them which bring glad tidings of peace and bring glad tidings of good things Rom. 10.15 AMSTERDAM Imprinted by Giles Thorp Anno M. DC XIX TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE FREDERICK KING OF BOHEMIA c. And TO HIS ROYALL SONNE the most hopefull yong Prince FREDERICK HENRY Most High and mightie Prince THis Treatise was published seven yeares agoe and Printed in the Low-Countries not long after the death of that noble Prince Henry my master And for that and some other reasons Dedicated to those high and honourable personages as by the Epistle following may appeare The same reasons have moued me to revise it and publish it a new vnder the Protection also of your Maiestie and Royall Issue that most hopefull yong Prince cujus eâ—go etiam nomine ipso recreor in whom the name of Prince Henry is now revived again to Gods Glory So likewise the name of Queene Elizabeth by your Majesties most happy inauguration King of Bohemia which two names are yet pretious and ever will be in the hearts of the English Nation and other Nations likewise The other reason for that the Iewes also whom this argument chiefly concerneth many of them remaine in your Maiesties Dominions whereof in time your Maiestie or Royall Issue as may be hoped raised vp of God for that very purpose may be a happy instrument as of the finall desolation of that Mysterie of Iniquitie Babylon so consequently of the finishing of that Mysterie of Godlinesse even the conversion of the Iewish Nation the very period of all Prophecies And then as Iohn concludeth his Revelation come Lord Iesu. He which testifieth these things saith surely I come quickly Amen Even so come Lord Iesu. Amen Amen Your Maties most humble devoted seruant IOHN HARRISON TO THE HIGH AND Mighty Lords the States Generall of the vnited Prouinces of the Low-Countries Also TO THE HIGH AND Mighty Prince Maurice Prince of Orange c. And To his noble Brother Prince Henrie All happinesse FOR two reasons I haue made bold to present unto your high and honourable considerations this Treatise following The one more particular in respect of that intyre amitie and correspondence which was betwixt my deare Master deceased Prince Henrie of famous memorie and your Exceâ—lencie and whole State whom he much honoured and thereof gaue sundry testimonies both publique and private whereof my selfe hauing the honour to be one of his Seruants neere unto him and by reason of my attendance much in his presence was oftentimes an eare-witnesse And that your princely Brother alter idem an other Henry cujus ego nomine ipso recreor even for my Masters sake that gone is and for that affection he shâ—wed towards his Highnesse both in Life and Death who was much conversant with him before his sicknâ—sse and in his sicknesse came diuâ—rs times to visite his Highnesse and to condole with us in our heavinesse can also I make no doubt witnesse sufficiently whose hearts or rather but one heart and soule as it is in that place seemed to be knit together like the soule of David and Ionathan by a muâ—uall sympâ—thie as in name so in nature and correspondence of disposition which had not untimely death prevented some further covenant like that of David and Ionathan might perhaps in time haue beene concluded worâ—â—â—e such heroicall spirits An other reason is for that the persons whom this Argument chiefly concerneth to wit the Iewes many of them remaine in your Countrie and haue their habitation in peace and safetie not in that slaverie as in other Nations accounted of in the basest maner that may be in the number of dogs rather then of Men. Which though it haue falâ—en upon them by the just judgement of God yea and by their owne judgement upon themselues so much the more just his blood be upon us and upon our children yet are they children of the Promise and beloved for the fathers sake as Paul pleadeth for them in divers places alledging both their prerogatives and priviledges aboue the Gentiles What is then the preferment of the Iew saith he much euery maner of way For to them apperteineth the adoption and the glorie and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the Promises of whom are the Fathers and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came c. And in that respect we Gentiles ought not so proudly and tyrannously to insult over them as many doe especially Christians of all others should not adde affliction to affliction but rather pitie and bewaile their induration as Paul doth in the place before cited expecting with patience their conversion in due time as the Lord hath promised for if God himselfe loue them being his enemies for they are beloved as I said before for the Fathers sake as he loved us before our conversion when we were his enemies he loved us so the Apostle testifieth why should we Christians hate and abhorre them who are so highly in Gods account even the beloved of the Lord and hold them in such disgrace and contempt as we doe as in my smaâ—l observation and experience I am able to testifie both by that I have seene and heard which rather exasperateth them against our profession then otherwise Which harshnesse and uncharitablenesse of ours together with the Idolatrie and superstition of the Church of Rome
Promise to Adam THe first promise as touching the Messiah is this made to Adam after his fal for the restoring of mankind to witte that the seed of the woman should breake the serpents head that is to say one of her seed to be borne in tyme should conquer the divel death and sinne as the auncient Iewes understand this place which being a spirituall conquest and against a spirituall enemie the divel he I meane the Messiah must needs be a spirituall and consequently not a temporall King as the Iewes imagine Gods Promise to Abraham THe second to Abraham Isaack Iaacob often repeated To Abraham Gen. 12.3 In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed To Isaack Gen. 26.4 In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed To Iaakob Gen. 28.14 In thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed Therefore the Gentiles aswell as the Iewes the blessing is generall without exception all the families of the earth all nations no prerogatiue of the Iewe no exception of the Gentile as touching the Messiah I meane the benefit of this so generall and great a blessing though otherwise much everie waye as the Apostle reasoneth to the Romans Whereupon I inferre as before that the Messiah must be a spirituall and not a temporall King otherwise it had been but a verie small benediction to Abraham or others after him who neaver sawe their Messiah actually if he must haue been onely a temporall King and much lesse blessing had it been to us Gentiles if this Messiah of the Iewes must haue been a worldly and a temporall Monarch to destroy and subdue all those Nations formerly blessed and blessed shall they be to the servitude of Iurie as the later Teachers doe imagine The Prophecie of Iaakob THe third which confirmeth the former is the prophecie of Iaacob at his death Gen. 49.10 The rodde or scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a Lawgiver from between his feet till Shiloh come and the people or nations shall be gathered vnto him Which the Chaldie Paraphrase as also Onkelos both of singuler authoritie among the Iewes doe interpret thus Vntill Christ or the Messiah come which is the hope and expectation of all nations aswell Gentiles as Iewes the government shall not cease in the house or Tribe of Iuda Whence I inferre the same conclusion as before that if the Messiah must be the hope and expectation aswell of the Gentiles as of the Iewes then can he not be a temporall King to destroy the Gentiles as the later Iewes would haue it but a spirituall King as before hath been declared Secondly if the temporall Kingdome of the house of Iuda whereof the Messiah must come shall cease and be destroyed a◠his comming and not before that being a certayne signe of the tyme of his manifestation how then can the Iewes expect yet a temporall King for their Messiah the scepter alreadie departed gonne their kingdome and priesthood defaced their citie and temple destroyed themselues scattered amongst all nations and so haue continued almost this sixteene hundreth yeeres yea such a fatall and finall desolation by Gods just judgment brought upon that wofull Nation that not many yeares after the death and passion of our Saviour Iesus Christ according to his prophecie in his life tyme as may fully settle our fayth in this poynt The Prophecie of Moses THe fourth is that of Moses to the people of Israel The Lord thy God will rayse up unto thee a Prophet like unto me from among you euen of thy bretheren unto him ye shall hearken c. and in the verses following I will rayse them up a prophet from among their bretheren like unto thee sayth God to Moses and will put my words in his mouth and he shall speake unto them all that I shall command him and whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name I will require it of him Which words cannot be understood of any other Prophet that ever lived after Moses amongst the Iewes but onely of the Messiah as appeareth most playnly in another place in Deutro where it is sayd There arose not a Prophet in Israell like unto Moses whom the Lord knewe face to face in all the miracles wonders which the Lord sent him to doe c. no such Prophet except the Messiah ever after to be expected but the Messiah he it is that must match and overmatch Moses everie waie he must be a man as Moses was in respect of our infirmities euen according as the people of Israel themselues desired the Lord in Horeb saying let me heare the voyce of the Lord God no more nor see this great fire any more that I dye not And the Lord sayd unto Moses they haue well spoken I will rayse them up a Prophet from among their bretheren like unto thee c. He must be a Lawgiver as Moses was but of a farre more perfect Law as hereafter shall appeare he must be such a one whom the Lord hath knowne face to face as he did Moses but of a far more divine nature For as it is in Esay Who shall declare his age Lastly he must be approved to the World by miracles signes and wonders as Moses was which the Lord shall send him to doe as he did Moses But no such Prophet hath ever yet appeared in the world not ever shall who hath so fitly answered this type so perfectly observed the Law of Moses which Moses himself could not doe giving us in stead thereof a farre more excelent Law as was prophecied long before that he should And finally so miraculously approued himself to the world to be sent from God by signes and wonders donne both by himself his Apostles as hereafter shall appear except this Christ which we professe therefore he alone is the true Messiah and no other to be expected The Prophecie of David THe fift is the prophecie of David a type also of the Messiah who for that he was a holy man a mā after Gods own heart out of whose linage the Messiah was to come had this mysterie most manifestly reveiled unto him for the assurance whereof as of a great mysterie euen that of Christ and his Church God byndeth himself by an oath saying I haue made a covenant with my chosen I haue sworne unto David my servant thy seed will I stablish for ever and set up thy throne from generation to generation Selah Which words although the later Iewes will apply to King Salomon and so in some sorte they may for that he was also a type of the Messiah yet properly these words I will stablish the throne of his kingdome for ever so often repeated cannot be verified of Salomon whose earthly Kingdome was rent and torne in pieces streight after his death by Ieroboam and not long after as it were extinguished but
they must needs be understood of an eternall King and kingdome as must also those other words of God in the psalme Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee aske of me and I will giue thee the Heathen for thyne inheritance the ends of the earth for thy possession Thou shalt crush them with a rod of yron and breake them in pieces like a pâ—tters vessâ—l which prophecie was never fulfilled in Salomon nor in any other temporall King in Iewrie after him And much lesse this that followeth They shall feare thee as long as the sunne and moone endureth from generation to generation In his daies shall the righteous flourish and abondance of peace so long as the moone endureth His dominion also shall be from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the earth They that dwell in the wildernesse shall kneele before him and his enemies shall lick the dust The Kings of Tharshish and of the yles shall bring presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring gifts yea all Kings shall worship him all nations shall serue him His name shall be for ever his name shall indure as long as the sunne all Nations shall be blessed in him and shall blesse him And blessed be the Lord God euen the God of Israel which onely doth wonderous things And blessed be his glorious name for ever and let all the earth be filled with his glorie Amen Amen And so he endeth as it were in a traunce ravished beyond measure with the sweet and heauvenly contemplation of this spiritual and everlasting kingdome of the Messiah for to him and to no other can all these circumstances and hyperbolicall speaches of David rapte with the spirit of prophecie properly and primarily apperteyne though literally the Iewes understand them of Salomon as they doe many other places in like case applying them onely to the type never looking to the substance whereof those types and figures were but shadowes and semblances God of his mercie in his good tyme take away the vayle from their hearts that at length they may see the true Salomon in all his royaltie not any longer to grope at noone dayes wincking with their eyes against the cleare sunne like their forefathers as it is in Esay a most fearefull judgment of God layd upon that Nation of old objected to them many tymes and oft both by Christ and his Apostels but in vayne goe and say unto this people ye shall heare indeed but shall not understand ye shall playnly see and not perceiue make the heart of this people fatte make their eares heavie and shutte their eyes least they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and understand with their hearts and convert and be healed Whereupon ensueth euen upon this wincking and wilfull obstinacie a most severe denunciation of finall desolation Lord how long sayth the Prophet and he answered untill the cities be wasted without inhabitant the houses without a man and the land be utterly desolate c. But yet a tenth reserved to returne a holy seed remayning in due tyme to be converted This judgment and desolation hath been along tyme upon them they feel it and groane under the burden of it as their forefathers did in Egypt under Pharaoh yet wincking shutte their eyes and will not see it I meane acknowledge the true cause of these so great judgments revealed from heauen upon theÌ„ euen the contempt of Gods holy Prophets sent unto them from tyme to tyme but especially of the Messiah whose blood lyeth heavily upon them euen to this day as their forefathers desired his blood be upoÌ„ us on our children which all the world seeth is come to passe yea they themselues feele it yet wincking with their eyes they will not see it But there is a tenth to returne c. The rest which will not this their Messiah to raigne over them let them look into that parable in the Gospel there shall they finde a farre more fearefull destruction denounced then the former The first being but for a tyme but a type of the other but a beginning of woes the other eternall for ever and ever The first he pronounceth with teares over Ierusalem the second he denounceth as an angrie Iudge provoked at length to execute his fierce wrath upoÌ„ them without any compassion at all His words are these Moreover those mine enemies which would not that I should raigne over them bring them hither and slay them before me Which words of our Saviour although they will in no wise beleeve no more then they did the former yet shall they find his words one daye as truly fulfilled to them in the one as they haue done alreadie in the other And howsoever hitherto they haue esteemed of him as a false prophet a deceiver yet hath he been to them but too true a Prophet in all their calamities both first and last And so after this long digression I come to the next The Prophecie of Ieremie THe sixt which confirmeth the former is that of Iere. 23 5. Behold the dayes come sayth the Lord that I will rayse up unto David a righteous braunch and a King shall raigne c. And this is the nâ—me whereby they shall call him the Lord our righteousnes This was spoken of Davids seed aboue 400 yeeres after David was dead and buried which proveth manifestly that the former promises were not made unto him for Salomon his sonne or any other temporall King of his line but onely for the Messiah who was called so peculiarly the sonne and seed of David The Prophecie of Ezechiel THe seauenth which also confirmeth the other is that of Ezec. 34.23 I will set up ashepheard over them he shall feede them euen my servant David c. In which words the Iewes themselues doe confesse in their Talmud that their Messiah is called by the name of David for that he shall discend of the seed of David and so it must needs be for that King David being dead so long before could not now come againe in his owne person to feed them him self The Prophecie of Isaie THe eight is the prophecie of Isaiah 2.2 It shall be in the last dayes that the mountayne of the house of the Lord shal be prepared in the toppe of the mountaines and shall be exalted aboue the hilles and all nations shall flowe unto it c. for the Law shall goe forth of Syon and the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem He shall judge among the Nations Which verie words Michah repeateth cap. 4.1 and are applyed there as also here unto the Meâ—siah they can haue no other meaning by the judgement of the Iewes themselues In that daie shall the budde of the Lord be beautifull and glorious and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent Vnto us a child is borne unto us a sonne is giuen and the gouvernment is upon his shoulders he shâ—ll call his
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
Saviour be found true which hitherto they haue found but to true to their woe as I noted before I say unto you that many shall come from the east and from the west and shall sitte downe with Abraham and Isaack and Iaakob in the kingdome of heauen and the children of the kingdome shall be cast out into utter darknes there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Where are now the Iewes with their loftie pedegree Euen as Esau sould to Iaakob his birthrigh for a messe of pottage so haue the Iewes to us Gentiles their birthright to the kingdome of heauen for a messe of idle dreames add fantasies they imagine to themselues towres castles in the aire crownes kingdomes in expectance euen in this world another paradice here on earth But in the end they shall find themselues to haue been all this while in a fooles paradice and as it were in a dreame which when one awaketh vanisheth and so I leaue them to their dreames and profound sleep till it shall please God of his mercie to awake them Thus then it is manifest both by Scripture tradition and observation of the Iewes themselues that about the tyme before mentioned to witte in the dayes of Augustus Caesar the newe Roman Emperor and of Herod the vsurper King of Iury who was the first that tooke away the scepter from Iuda euen in the tyme of the seconde Temple the true Messiah was to be borne And hence it â—as that the whole nation of the Iewes remayned so attente at this tyme more then ever before or since in expecting the Mâ—ssiah Wherevpon so soone as ever they hearde of Iohn Baptist in the desart the Iewes sent Preists Levites from Ierusalem to ask if he were the Messiah and in another place it is saide as the people wayted all men mused in their harts of Iohn if he were the Messiah Iohn answered saide vnto them c. So that you see in those dayes the whole people of the Iewes wayted for his comming all men mused vppon their Messiah So did also Iohn himselfe being in prison send two of his Disciples to Iesus demanding art thou he that shall come or shall we looke for an other and againe at the feast of the dedication they came flocking to him from all parts they came round about him as it is in that place saying how longe dost thou holde vs in suspence if thou be that Christ tell vs plainly All which importeth the greate expectation wherein the people remayned in those dayes of which fame expectation greedy desire of the people divers deceivers tooke occasion to call themselves the Messiah Iudas Galilaeus Iudas the sonne of Hezechias Atonges a Shepharde Theudas and Egiptus all notable deceivers But aboue all one Barcozbam who as the Talmud affirmeth for thirty yeares together was received for the Messiah by the Rabbins themselves til at last they flew him because he was not able to deliver them from the Romains Which facility in the people when Herod sawe he caused one Nicolaus Damascenus to devise a pedegree for him from the Ancient Kings of Iuda and so he as well as the rest tooke vppon him the tytle of the Messiah whom divers carnall Iewes that expected the Messiah to be a magnificient King as Herod was would sâ—em to beleeve and publish abroade wherevpon they are thought to be called Herodians in the Gospell who came to tempte Christ But all these deceivers are vanished and gone their memoriall is perished with them wherevnto our Saviour seemeth to allude where he saith All that ever came before me are theeves robbers but the sheepe did not heare them I say all these false Messiahs with their followers they are vanished and gone onely Iesus Christ and his religion contrarie to all other religions in the worlde without either sworde speare or shield against all worldly strength and pollicy hath increased and multiplied and shall doe to the end of the world as Gamaliel longe agoe prophecied to the Iewes wilfully bent but all in vaine even in the verie first infancie therof to have destroyed it His words are these And now I say vnto you râ—fraine your selves from these men and let them alone for if this councell or this worke be of men it will câ—me to naught but if it be of God yee cannot distroy it least yeâ— be found even fighters against God Wherefore to conclude at length this maine pointe of the timâ— of Christs appearing which cutâ—eth the very â—hroat of the Iewes vaine expectation seeing at or about that time there concurred so many signes and arguments together as 1. the establishment of the Romane Empire newly erected for then by Daniels prophesie was the Gâ—d of Heaven to set vp his Kingdome 2. The departure of the rod or scepter from the howse of Iuda 3. The destruction of the seconde Temple foretolde by our Saviour and coÌ„ming to passe accordingly even in that age 4. The just calculation of Daniels hebdomades or weekes of yeares 5. The observation of Rabbines 6. The publike fame and expectation of all the Iewes together with the palpable experience of more then sixteene hundreth yeares past since Iesus appeared wherein we see the Iewish people in vaine doe eâ—pâ—ct an other Messiah they being dispersed over all the worlde without Temple Sacrifice Prophet or any other pledge at all of Gods favoure which never happened to them till after the death of our Saviour for that in all other their banishmentes captivities and afflictions they had some prophesie consolation or promise lefte vnto them for theire comforte but nowe they wander vp and downe God having set a marke vpon them as he did vpon Cain as a people forlorne and abandoned both of God and men His linage or pedegree Secondly the Messiah by the scripture was to be borne of the tribe of Iuda and to descend lineally from the house of David There shall come a rod forth â—f the flocke of Ishai c. So did our Saviour as appeareth by his genealogie set downe by his evangelists Math. 1. Luk. 3. as also by the Thalmud it selfe which sayth that Iâ—sus of Nazareth crucifyed was of the blood royal from Zerubbabell of the hâ—use of David confiâ—med by the going vp of Ioseph and Marie his mother to Bethelem to be taxed which was the city of David who was borne therâ— as also it is manifest for that the Scribes and the Pharâ—sies â—â—o objected many matters of much lesse importaunce against him as that he was a carpenters sonne c. yet never objâ—cted they against him that he was not of the house of David which could they haue proved would quickly haue ended the whole controversie His birth with the circumstances thereof THirdly the Messiah by the Scripture was to be borne of a virgin so sayth Isay. Behold a virgin shall conceiue and bring forth a sonne the Hebrewe is He emphatioum the
Temple of Ierusalem for the greater glorie of that second temple That he should flee into Egypt and be called thence againe That a starre should appeare at his birth to notifie his comming into the world That Iohn Baptist who came in the spirit and power of Eliah and therefore was called Eliah Luk. 1 17. Mat. 11 10 14. should be the messenger to goe before him and to prepare the way to crye in the desert That he should beginne his owne preaching with all humilitie quietnes clemencie of spirit That he should be poor abject and of no reputation in this world That he should doe strange miracles and heale all diseases That he should dye and be slayne for the sinnes of his people That he should be betrayed by one of his owne familiars That he should be sold for thirtie pieces of silver That with those thirtie pieces there should be bought afterwards a field of â—oâ—sheards That he should ride into Ierusalem upon an asse That the Iewes should beat and buffet his face and defile the same with spitting That they should whippe rent and teare his bodie before they put him to death That he should be put to death among theeues and malâ—factors That he should be silent before his enemies as a sheep before his shearer That he should pray for his enemies and persecutors That they should giue him vineger to drinke divide his apparel and cast lots for his upper garment That the maner of his death should be crucifying that is nayling of his hands and his feete to the crosse That his side should be pearced and that they should looke upon him whom they had so pearced That not a bone of him should be broken figured in the Passeover by that spotles lambe without blemish a type thereof and therefore is he called in the newe Testament the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world the Lambe slayne from the beginning of the world That he should rise againe from death the third day That he should ascend into heauen and there sitte at the right hand of his Father triumphantly for ever All these particulars foretold of the Messiah see I say and examine how exactly they were all fulfilled in our Saviour And there withall consider those things which fell out afterwards as effects of his divine power To wit the sending of the Holy Ghost immediately after his ascension with the miraculous increasse of his Church even in the middest of persecution The severe punishmeÌ„t of all his enemies especially that of the Iewish nation The subjection of the Devil with all his infernall power vnder his Apostles and Disciples feete togeaâ—her with the ceasing of oracles And finally the fulfilling of all his Prophecies with those likewise of his Apostles and Disciples most exactly I say all these with the former put togeather and well considered may sâ—ttle the hart of any Christian man against all Induisme Paganisme yea and Atheisme too in the most undoubted truth of his profession to wit the Christian religion with this full and finall perswasion wherewith I will knit up all that there is no other name under heaven given so the sonnes of men whereby to be saved but the name of Iesus Christ. And therefore to him be the honour of our Salvation ascribâ—d and to no other To him I sâ—â— with the Father and the Spirite even tâ—at bessed Trinitie 〈…〉 glorie now and evermore Amen Amen To the forlorne and distressed Ievves in Barbarie And in them to all others now groaning under the heavie yoak of captivitie in what natioÌ„ soever scattered dispersed throughout the vvorld Grace mercy and peace be multiplied in Christ Iesus the true Messiah BEing imployed not long since into Barbarie the land of your captâ—vitie where at this present you live in great bondage slavâ—riâ— so have done this long time as doe also the rest of your brethren and nation elsewhere dispersed throughout the world groaning under the yoak of their cruell taskmaisters as did your forefathers in the Land of Egypt foure hundred and thirtie yeres this captivitie of yours having continued now almost foure tymes 400 yeeres the last and greatest of all than the which was never heard nor read of greater of any people from the creation of the world to this day nor shall be the King at that time of my arrâ—vall vpon his expedition towards Fez I appointed to stay at Saphia till his returne back from those warrs where I remained in the lower castle almost six monthes solitary and in suspense expecting the doubtfull event thereof Whâ—ther resorted to me often to accompany me and for my better instruction in the Hebrue whereof I had a litle tast before one of the cheife Rabbins of that your synagogue Rabbi Shimeon a man of grave and sober cariage and pleasant otherwise of whose company I was very glad Now and then among other matters arguing and reasoning of the Messiah as ye say yet to come but as we say c are able to prove by invincible arguments and demonstrations both out of your owne Lawe Rabbines alâ—eadie come which gaue me occasion having little els to doe and not knowing how to passe that tedious time better â—o gather togither all those arguments and reasons I had read or for the present could conceive of my self drawne both out of the sacred scripture and other bookes as touching that controversie Wherâ— by I might be the more able over and besides the matter of imployment busynes I came about to maintayne that Religion profâ—ssâ—d in my countrie and the undoubted faith whereof his Maiestie the King of Great Britayne as others his predecessors have donne professeth himselfe a cheife defender according to that his most iust tytle defender of the faith And afterwards when the King sent for me to Morocus being lodged amongst you by his appointment in the Iudaria in one of your principall Houses where I staid before I could get my despatch from the King three Monthes and a halfe where also I grewe familiarly acquainted with divers of your nation and was presented at sundrie times especially at your mariages and solemne feasts with divers of your dainties which I tooke very kindly and ever since have studied what Christian dainties I might send you backe againe in recompence or rather duties in steed of those dainties Seeing also in the meane time which I could not choose but see with much pity and compassion the great and grievous oppression vnder which you grone taxations vexations exactions grammings as you call them even with torments rather than fayle drubbings so many hundreth blowes at once as my selfe have both seen and heard with that base servile and most contemptible state and condition otherwise above any other