his divine power they were also foretold by the Prophets to wit the sending of the Holy Ghost that comforter from on high with the sodayne strange and myraculous increase of his Church throughout the world even against all worldly power and policie by the onely power and ministerie of his worde confirmed with signes and wonders that followed wrought by his Apostles Disciples and other his faithfull servants and witnesses in the primitive Church then the which there can be no greater argument in the world of the truth of Christian Religion if we consider how all other religions in the world have growne and been maynteined by force of armes fyre and sword this onely by the preaching of Christ crucified in all naâ—ions hath increased multiplyed shall doe more more to the end of the world this must increase all others decrease how so ever the Turks have possessed the greatest part of the world at this day yet our Saviours prophecie in the end shal be found true this gospel of the kingdoÌ„ shal be preached throughout the whol world for a witnesunto al natioÌ„s Now for the first increase of it how smal a number were there gathered together after the ascention at Ierusalem from wheÌ„ce they were to march even the twelue Apostles no great armie Godwat to coÌ„quer the world as it is in that place The law shall goe forth froÌ„ ZioÌ„ the word of God froÌ„ IerusaleÌ„ There was the Rendevous there they staid there they rested there they coÌ„tinued in prayer and fasting till such time as Christ afâ—er his ascension according to his promise sent them the comforter even the holy Ghost induing them with power froÌ„ on high arming theÌ„ at all points for so great a work When and where being gathered togither all with one accord in one place sodenly there came a sound from heaven as of a mighty wind and filled all the house where they sate And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like fyre and it sate upon each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as there is mentioned And with these fiery cloven tongues these 12. silly soules without any other meanes men money or munitioÌ„ in a very short time conquered a great part of the world In so much that at one sermon of S. Peter at the same time there were added to the Church three thowsand soules And so multiplied successively from time to time and from place to place spreading it selfe from one country to another and from one nation to an other and so at length into all nations there is neyther speach nor language where their voice is not heard their line is gone forth through all the earth and their words into the ends of the world as we see it is come to passe this day Of which coÌ„ming of the Holy Ghost in the time of the Messiah Ioel prophesied saying And it shal be in the last dayes that I wil power out my spirit vpon all flesh c. and on my servants and on my handmaids I will powre out my spirit c. It filled all the howse where they sate it sate upon each of them and they were all filled with the holy Ghost Here is a deluge of Gods grace powred upon the world immediately upon the ascension of our Lord and Saviour First vpon his Apostles and disciples of those times in greater measure as the first fruites of his spirit by the which they wrought miracles spake all manner of languages healed all maner of diseases cast out Divils raysed the dead and lastly sealed the same with their blood Poore fishermen and such like of no reputation in the world without learning without credite without meanes as before yet by this meanes conquered the world to the subjection of their maister Christ that stone cast aside of the builders but now become the heade stone of the corner this is the Lordes doing and it is marvelous in our eyes The sinceritie of the Evangelistes NOw for the Evangelists or writers of the Gospell that is to say the registers of his birth life doctrine and death it is to be noted that our Saviour being God tooke a different way from the custome of man in delivering vnto us his lawes precepts For that men who have been lawmakers vnto the world knew no surer way of publishing their lawes and procuring authoritie to the same than to write them with their owns handes and in their life time to establish their promulgation So Lycurgus Solon and others among the Grecians Numa to the Romans Mahomet to the Sarasins But Iesus to shew this divine power in directing the pen and stile of his Evangelists would not leave any thing written by himselfe but passed from this world in simplicity and silence without any further shewe or ostentation of his owne doings Meaning notwithstanding afterwards to his glorie and the aedification of his Church here on earth by foure irrefragable witnesses or remembrancers the four EvaÌ„gelists every word should be established recorded As may appear by that place where he saith These things have I spoken vnto you being present with you but the Comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father wil send in my name he shal bring all things to your remembrance which I haue told you Wherevpon I inferre that the Evangelists and Apostolicall writers were all of them guided and directed by one and the same spirit even the spirite of God for the registring of all things eyther sayd or donne by our Saviour so farre forth as seemed best to his divine will and pleasure to be registred and recorded for the benefite and edification of his Church For there were many other things which Iesus did as Io. the EvaÌ„gelist testifieth which are not written that is to say which the holy spirit of God thought needlesse to faith and salvation but saith he these things are written that ye might beleeve that Iesus is the Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeving ye might have life through his name Now for these EvaÌ„gelists foure in nomber which some have reseÌ„bled to the foure beasts in Ezek the first last are Apostles that wrote as they had seen the two middle at disciples who registred things as they had uÌ„derstood by coÌ„fereÌ„ce with the Apostles The first gospel was written by an Apostle to give light to the rest and the last also by an Apostle to give authoritie and confirmation to the former The first was written in the Hebrew tongue for that all those myracles which Iesus wrought were doone in that countrie he was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel to the end that eyther the whole nation might beleeve them or the obstinate impugne them which yet never any of theire Rabbines tooke in hand to doe The other three were written in the most famous
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
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
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„
behold him whom they haue pierced and smite their brests prickâ—d in their hearts like those Iewes in the Acts and crye out Men and bretheren what shall we doe and returne to the Lord and be baptised everie one in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes which God grant And the Lord powre upon them the spirit of grace and of compassion that in soul spirit they may look upon him whom they haue pierced and lament for him as it is in the prophet everie tribe and familie apart His Resurrection FOr his Resurrection it was also foretold by the prophets and prefigured in Ionas David sayth in the person of the Messiah of whom he prophecied in divers places and was a type I haue set the Lord alwaies before me c. Wherefore myne heart is gladde and my tongue rejoyceth my flesh also doth rest in hope for thou wilt not leaue my soule in the graue nor suffer thyne Holy one to see corruption Also Hosea sayth After two dayes will he revâ—ke us and in the third day he will rayse us up Vs in the plurall number poynting as it should seeme both at the Resurrection of our Saviour the third day as also the raysing of a number of the Saincts together with him at the same tyme prefigured in Ionas together vvith the tyme of his abode in the sepulchre foreshevved many tymes by our Saviour himself to his disciples such and such things shall be donne to the sonne of man He shall be apprehended evill intreated mocked scourged put to death but the third day he shall rise againe Also to the Ievves demanding a signe he ansvvered Destroy this temple and in three dayes I will rayse it up againe And at another tyme An evill and adulterous generation seâ—keth a signe but no signe shall be giuen them saue the signe of the prophet Ionas for as Ionas was three dayes and three nights in the whales bâ—llâ—e so shall the Sonne of man be three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth Which prophecie of his they full vvell remembring and fearing the event immediatly upon his burial they vvent to Pilaâ— saying Sir we remember that deceiver sayd while he was living within three dayes I will rise againe commaund therefore the sepulchre to be made sure till the third day least his disciples steale him away by night say unto the people he is risen from the dead so the last error be worse then the first All which was done according to their desire a strong watch appointed the Sepulchre sealed up all things made so sure by the Iewes as might be for they had gotten from Pilate a speciall commission for that purpose to whom he was as forward to grant it as they to aske it and that in as large and ample maner as themselues knewe or could devise All which notwithstanding after a most miraculous maner The angel of the Lord discending from heauen with an earthquake and rolling back the stone from the doore of the sepulchre the keepers astonied and become as dead men Iesus our Saviour according to the former prophecies is risen againe and hath appeared to his Apostles and disciples his faithfull witnesses a number of them at divers severall times to whom he presented himself aliue as S. Luke writeth by manie infallible tokens being seene of them by the space of fortie dayes and speaking of those things which apperteyne to the kingdome of God how soever the Iewes suborned the soldiours giving them largely to say his disciples came by night and stole him away while they slept which saying is noysed among the Iewes to this day How probably the former circumstances considered let the world judge Therefore I will conclude this point also with that of Paul touching the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour He hath declared himself mightily to be the sonne of God by the Resurrection from the dead and consequently that Messiah promised before by the Prophets in the holy Scriptures as the same Apostle urgeth His Ascention FOr his Ascention it was also foretold by the Prophets and necessarily followeth upon his Resurrection to be believed to wit that having finished the worke of our Redemption here on earth he ascended up into heauen and there sitteth at the right hand of God David sayth Thou art gone up on high thou hast ledde captivitie captiue and received gifts for men c. And in another place The Lord said to my Lord sitte thou at my right hand c. which is the place alledged by our Saviour wherewith he put the Iewes to silence both as touching the Dietie and the humanitie of the Messiah for sayth he if David call him Lord how is he then his sonne where we may see David acknowledgeth him his Lord and consequently his God euen the sonne of God sitting at the right hand of God for the present as touching his divinitie afterwards to be accomplished also in his humanitie which David believed as verely should come to passe and forsawe by the eye of fayth as did Thomas when it was come to passe putting his hand into his side and crying My Lord my God so sayth David here my Lord The Lord sayd unto my Lord c. I say this article of our fayth as touching his Ascention it followeth necessarily to be concluded upon his Resurrection it needeth no other proof For that whosoever seeth and acknowledgeth that Iesus being dead could raise himself to life againe will easily belieue also that he was able to ascend up to heauen at his pleasure And hereof we haue also all his Apostles and Disciples for witnesses eye-witnesses in whose presence and sight he ascended as it is in that place they looked stedfastly towards heauen as he went And in witnesse thereof gaue up their liues and sealed the same with their blood Therefore I conclude vpon all these premises so necessarily following and depending one apon an other to witt his birth life doctrin actions death resurrection and ascention seing nothing hath happened in the same which was not foretold by the Prophets of God nor any thing foretold by the same Prophets concerning the Messiah which was not fulfilled most exactly in the person of our Saviour We may most certainly assure our selves that as God is truth and therefore can neither foretell an vntruth nor yeeld testimonie to the same so it can not be but that these things which have beene shewed to be so manifestly foreprophecied and so evidently accomplished in the person of this our blessed Lord and Saviour must needs I say assure vs Christians that he was indeed the true Messiah quite confound the Iewes in theire vaine imagination and expectation of another The sending of the Holy Ghost with the first plantation wonderfull increase of the Church NOw for those things that followed after his ascention as argumeÌ„ts effects of
plaine confession that Iesus was he of whom a prophet sayd divers ages before He shall consume all the Gods of the earth and everie man shall worship him from his place euen all the yles of the Heathen This confessed also the wicked spirits themselues when at Christs appearing in Iewrie they came and did their homage to him and besought him not to afflict or torment them before the time nor command them presently to returne to hell but rather to permit them some litle time of entertainement in the sea or mountaines or among heards of swine or the like which confâ—ssion they made openly before all men and declared the same afterwards by their deeds For presently upon Christ his death upon the preaching of his name Gospel throughout the world the oracle in all places ceased whereof the Poets themselues beare witnes Cessant Oracula Delphis Whereupon Plutarch that lived within one hundreth yeeres after Christ made a speciall Treatise to sifte out the causes why the oracles of the Gods as they deemed them were ceased in his time And after much turning and winding manie waies at length resolved upon two principall points or causes thereof The first for that in his tyme there was more store of wisemen then before whose answers might stand in steede of Oracles and the other for that perhaps the Spirits accustumed to yeelde Oracles were by length of tyme growen old and dead Both which reasons in the common-sence of all men must needs be false by Plutarch himself cannot stand with probabilitie For first in his books which he wrote of the liues of auncient famous men he confesseth that in such kind of wisdome as he most esteemed they had not their equals among their posteritie Secondly in his Treatise of Phylosophie he passeth it for a ground that Spirits can not dye or waxe old And therefore of necessitie there must be some other cause yeelded of the ceasing of these Oracles which can not be but the presence and commandement of some higher power according to that saying of S. Iohn for to this end and purpose appeared the sonne of God to wit that he might destroy the works of the divel Neyther did Iesus this alone in his owne person but gaue also powre and authoritie to his disciples and followers to doe the like according to that their commission in the Gospel Then called he the twelue Disciples together and gaue them powre and authoritie over all divils c. And not only to these twelue did he giue this absolute powre and authoritie over uncleane Spirits but to the rest likewise as may appeare in the next chapter following upon the returne of their commission And the seauentie returned with joy saying Lord euen the Divils are subdued to us through thy name And he sayd unto them I sawe Sathan like lightning fall downe from heaven and so renueth their commission saying Behold I giue unto you powre to tread on Serpents scorpions and over all the power of the enemie that is to say the Divil neverthelesse sayth he in this rejoyce not that the spirits are subdued unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are are written in heauen And this authoritie over the spirits infernall given by Iesus to his Disciples in the primitive Church extended it selfe so far that not onely theire words and commaundements but even theire verâ—e presence did shut the mouthes and drive into feare the miserable spirits as both Lactantius and others doe witnesse whence it proceeded that in all sacrifices conjurations and other mysteries of the gentiles there was brought in that phraise recorded by scoffing Lucian exeant Christiaâ—i let Christians depart for that while they were present nothing could be well accomplished And that professed enemie of Christianitie Porphyrie who of all other most earnestly endeavoured to empugne vs Christians to hold vp the honour of his enfeebled Idols yet discoursing of the great plague that reigned most furiously in the citie of Messina in Cicilie where he dwelt yeeldeth this reason why Aesculapius the God of physick much adored in that place was not able to help them in that extremitie It is no merveile saith he if this citie so many yeares be vexed with the plague seeing that both Aesculapius and all other Gods be now departed from it by the comming of Christians for since that men have begun to worship this Iesus we could never obtaine any prophet by our Gods Thus much coÌ„fessed this patrone of paganisme concerning the mayme that his Gods had received by the power and comming of our Lord Iesus Christ which albeit he spake with a malicious minde to bring Christians in hatred yet is the confession notable confirmeth that storie which Plutarch in his forenamed book doth report that in the latter yeares of the reigne of the Emperour Tiberius a strange voice and exceeding horrible clamor with hideous cries skryches and howlings were heard by many in the Graecian sea complayning that the great God Pan was now departed And this afâ—irmeth Plutarch that was a gentile to have been alleadged and approved before the Emperour Tyberius who merveyled greatly thereat and could not by all his diviners and southsayers whom he called to that consultation gather out any reasonable meaning of this woÌ„derfull accident But we Christians comparing the time wherein it happened vnto the time of Christ his death and passion and finding the same fully to agree we may more then pabablie perswade our selves that by the death of their great God Pan which signifieth all was imported the vtter overthrow of all wicked spirits and Idols vpon earth according to that vision of our Lord saviour before mentioned I saw Sathan like lightning fall down froÌ„ heaven c. againe in an other place now is the judgment of this woâ—ld now shall the Prince of this world be cast out even this great God Pan who in an other place is called the God of this world the Prince that ruleth in the ayre therefore may well be said by our Saviour to fal down froÌ„ heaveÌ„ being before time worshiped in those Idols oracles and heathenish prophanations as a God in all the world and exalted as it were into the highest heavens But behold as Dagon that idol of the Philistims â—â—ll flat on his face and that twice his head and hands dismembred before the arke of God in Ashdod so did Sathan this great God Pan the God of this world the Prince of the ayre c let me give the Divil his due yea rather more then his due as doth the hoâ—y scripture so did Sathan I say immediately vpon the comming of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ into this world and preaching of his Gospel the ark of his everlasting covenant fall flat one his face to the ground his head and hands dismembred according to that first promise and covenant to our first parents which was this that
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.