most fitly serue Saint Iohn to patterne antichrist an other Antiochus aswell for the like barbarous crueltie against the lightes of the world Phil. 2 15. the starres Dan. 12 3 Hebr. 11 12. and Host of heauen the true Christians Dan. 8 10 c. Reuelat. 8 12. and 12 4. and for the equall power giuen him of God thereunto Dan. 7 21. and 8 12. and 11 36. Reuel 13 7. as also for the semblable meanes of strength to accomplish his tyrannie Dan. 7 7. Reuel 13 1. and 17. ver 37 c. And lastly for the same iudgement and damnation of them both by booke euidence recording all their mischiefs against Gods people to be tormeÌ„ted in the fierie lake for euer Dan. 7 vers 10. 11. Reuel 19 20. and 20 12. was likewise the space that Christ the head of his church Eph. 1 22. indured all indignities euen to the shamefull death of the crosse Phil. 2 8 Hebr. 12 2. Isai 50 6. as the Prince of our saluation consecrated through afflictions because he that sanctifieth they which are sanctified are all of one Hebr. 2. ves 10. 11. And this space is also expressed sometime by halfe a propheticall weeke answerable to Daniels midweeke Dan. 9 27. viz. three daies and an halfe Reuelat. 11 9. sometime by 42 moneths Reuel 13 5. sometime by a time two times and halfe a time Dan. 7 25. and 12 7. Reuel 12 14. All which varieties expresse yet one space of time to signifie rather a certaine measure of afflictions determined in Gods euerlasting purpose to conforme his Church both of the Iewes and Gentiles to the image of his owne sonne Rom. 8 29. 2 Cor. 4 11. 1 Pet. 5 10. then any certaine time of persecution which the church of Christ must indure according to the will of God Rom. 6 6. 2 Cor. 1 5. and 4 10. Heb. 10 36. 1 Pet. 3 17. And immediatly after his baptisme he was visiblie replenished with the holie spirit Mat. 3 16. Luk. 4 1. And presently led by the same spirit into the wildernesse to be tempted of the deuil Mat. 4 1. Heb. 2 18. and 4 15. where he being among wild beastes Mark 1 13. which of old time were wont to frequent the deserts along the riuer Iorden Zechar. 11 3. continued fasting 40. daies in holie meditation before he entred that great worke of his fathers businesse which was inioined him of God in accomplishing the truth of Moses law by sealing vp and fulfilling the vision and Prophet and abolishing the dailie sacrifice oblation of the law Dan. 9. ve 24. 27. through the one oblatioÌ„ of himself Heb. 9 14. 10 14. wherby he cancelled the handwriting of the ceremoniall law which continuallie reuiued testified our sinnes against vs Col. 2 14. and thereby brought in euerlasting righteousnesse for vs all Dan. 9 24. Hebr. 10 14. Moses likewise at the giuing of the law had continued 40. daies fasting in the Lords presence vppon the mount Exod. 34 28. And Elias also at the restoring of the same law was 40. daies miraculouslie sustained without any food 1 King 19. v. 8. 14. which miraculous abstineÌ„ce of Moses Elias and of Christ sheweth the holie perfection of the law in it selfe Rom. 7 12. which was deliuered restored and abolished by one and the same miracle though through the infirmitie of our fleshe Rom. 8 3 it could not yet with all that perfectioÌ„ make vs perfect Heb. 7 19. and 10 1. but Christs one offring of himself hath made perfect for euer them that are sanctified Heb. 10 14. Thus therefore in the end of those 40. daies hauing put the Tempter to flight he came forth and preached the glad tydings of our saluation Mat. 4 17. and 9 35. euen the generall Iubilie of our euerlasting freedome from the captiuitie of Sathan sinne hell and eternall death Leuit 25. vers 9. 10. Luk 4. vers 17. 18 c. And these three orders namely kings high-priests and Prophets were ordeined according to the law by annointing Exod. 40 13. 1. Sam 16 13. 1. King 19 16. to shadow vnto vs the plentifull graces of Gods spirit which was in them by measure Act. 1 5. Eph. 4 7. 1 Ioh. 2. vers 20. 27. and 4 13 but in Christ without measure Psalm 45 7. Luk. 4 18. Ioh. 1 16. and 3 34. and 10 36. Acts. 10 38. as in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Col. 2 3. because in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead reallie Col. 2 9 for it pleased the father that in him should all fulnesse dwel Col. 1 19 and of his fulnesse haue all we receiued and grace vpon grace Ioh. 1 16. Eph. 4 7. Tit. 3 6. Psal 68 19. God hath forbidden all similitudes and likenesse of any Images thing either in heauen in earth or in the sea which lying in his chanell as it were vnderbeareth the earth Psal 24 2 to worship them or him thereby vppon paine of eternall death not onely on the spirituall adulterers themselues that is the breakers of that spirituall wedlocke Ier. 31 32. Ezech. 16 8 but euen to the 3. and 4. generation of their adulterous posteritie Exod. 20 5. Read Hos 2. vers 2. 3. 4. 5. And Moses exhorting the Israelites as knowing that he should verie shortly after be taken from them chargeth them diligently to attend to the law and commaundements of the Lord and especiallie that they should beware of idolatrie for the Lord saith he spake vnto you out of the mids of the fire and yee heard the voice of the words but saw no similitude saue a voice Take therefore good heed vnto your selues for you saw no image in the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb out of the mids of the fire that yee corrupt not your selues and make you a grauen image or representation of any figure c. Deut 4. vers 12. 15. 16. wherby Moses plainlie sheweth that the Lord of purpose with-held from them all shew of figure and likenesse causing them onlie to heare a voice for none can expresse the image of a voice as saith Esdras 4 Esd 5 37 because they should make no maner image at all no though it were possible for them to imitate the verie image of God himselfe to worship him therby yet were it vnlawfull for them so to doo for God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit truth for the father requireth euen such to worship him Iohn 4 23 c. Good works also these marchants most groslie abuse making them blasphemous and derogatorie to the due merits of Christes death and passion in in seeking v Albeit true christians worke not for reward Rom. 4. 4. but of dutie Luke 17 10 yet our God which 〈…〉 eth vs to worke Mat. 20 1 c. of his owne â—â—ere bountie and â—â—â—our Mat. 〈◊〉 14 15. hath 〈…〉 ed to re 〈…〉 our workes Mat. 10. 42. Luke â—â—3
BRIEFE DISâ—â—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 Imprinted at London by Richard Fâ—â—â—â—â—â—elling in the Blacke Friers near Ludâ—â—â—â— MDXCIII TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader grace and peace in Christ Iesus WHen it pleased the Lord in a mercifull and gentle correction to lay his fatherly rod of sicknesse and mortalitie in Autumne last vpon this Citie of London the schooles there both publike and priuate soone after as it vvas requisite began to breake-vp VVhereupon the Teachers vvere generally at more leysure to follovv that course of practise after the diuerse studies of their seuerall professions vvhich euery one affected Among vvhom my selfe purposed likevvise to publish somevvhat of my priuate readings as leysure gaue leaue in diuinitie VVherein this discourse I entred the rather for the behoofe and benefite of my Scholers to vvhom as their young yeares vvere able and capacities apt to conceiue I haue vsed to interpret a portion of the nevve Testament by the space of an houre euery Saboth in the morning before Common prayer vvherby I might the better both traine them to * remember Eccles 12 1. novv their Creator in the dayes of their youth and instill into their tender minds the vvonderfull consonancie concord of many notable senteÌ„ces vvith the vvord of God vvhich novve and then met theÌ„ in their vveekly lectures of * The study of humanitie is a dead darke and erronious labor without the knowledge of Diuinitie wherby it is quickned enlightened rectified and so it becommeth easie pleasant and profitable to the students humanitie and vvithall bring theÌ„ in disliking of other discord and vnseasonable speeches vvhich commonly in some Poets are vvithout all modesty But besides these the learned vvell knovv vvhat excellent sayings most consonant and conspiring vvith the vvord of God are scattered in heathen authors Greeke and Latine vvhich it vvere a great fault in the maister either lightly to ouerpasse vvith silence as vnprofitable or to leaue his scholers ignorant of those maruellous lights of Nature vvhich the Lord had left among the Heathen to the intent that they should be vvithout * Rom. 1 4. excuse euen testimonies of his vvill according to his vvritten vvord vttered by their ovvne mouthes hovvsoeuer yet the same vvere quickly quenched and vtterly turned to mere * Ro. 1 21. Eph. 4 17. mataeologie and foolish thoughts through the vanitie of their darke hearts and mindes For albeit they had the Shepherds Kalender or Plovv-mans alphabet of the vvorld vvherein vvas vvritten in great capitall letters that euery vnlearned man among them might plainly read * Rom. 1 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that vvhich may be * In steed of this knowledge of god is publikely protested by an ancient Record the ignorance of God and that in a solemne Altar at Athens their chiefe Vniuersity of learning wisdom Act. 17 23. See the cause why Rom. 1. v. 21. 24. 28. known of God as the Apostle vvell noteth to the Romans vvhich might haue taught them as much in effect for the true and distinct knovvledge of the godhead as the Lavve and vvord of God did instruct the Ievves Rom. 2 15. For by the very sight of the visible heauens ouer their heads declaring the glorious excellencie of the maker Psal 19 1. they might euidently see and certainly discerne his * Rom. 1 20. deitie and Godhead likevvise his * 1. Cor. 1 21. wisedome the sonne of God * Psal 136 5. Prou. 3 19. and 8 27. c. Heb. 1 2. by vvhom the Lord made heauen and earth the sea and all the creatures in them the secoÌ„d person in Trinitie And his * Rom. 1 20. eternall povver the holy Ghost * Genes 1 2. mouing and extending ouer all creatures * Hebr. 1 3. sustaining comforting and conseruing them the third person also in that diuine Trinitie Albeit I say they might clearely see that this God that created heauen and earth the sea and all things that in them are * Act. 14 15. c. left not him selfe vvithout vvitnesse amoÌ„g them in that he did them good * Matth. 5 45 made his sunne to arise vpon them and gaue them raine from heauen and frutefull seasons filling their hearts vvith food and gladnesse * Act. 17 25. c. giuing to all life and breath and all things for in him vve liue and moue and haue our being as also certaine of their ovvne Poets haue sayd yet vvere they so far from Dauids thoughts vpon the vievv of these heauens vvho in holy meditation confessed thus vnto God * Psal 8 3. c. VVhen I behold thy heauens euen the vvorks of thy fingers the Moone and the stars vvhich thou hast ordeined vvhat is man think I that thou art mindfull of him the son of man that thou visitest him c. that contraryvvise they * Psal 32 9. like the horse and mule vvhich vnderstand not * Rom. 1 25. turned the truth of God vnto a lye and vvorshipped the creature forsaking the Creator vvhich is blessed for euer And so vvhiles they * Rom. 1 22. 1. Cor. 1 22. professed them selues to be vvise they became starke fooles as the Apostle also vvitnesseth These heathen vve haue in this our Discourse declared vvho they vvere vvhat time they vvere seuered hovv long they continued separate from Gods people and by vvhom and hovve they vvere called and recoÌ„ciled to their brethren againe Of them therfore here vvill I vvrite no more but this vvhen in the yeare of the vvorld 3577 Alexander the great had subdued the Medes and Persians many other nations as vve haue briefly touched in this treatise the Greeke tongue vvhich though 600 years before that time it vvas very famous and florishing as may specially appeare by Homers vvorks for all the honor both of learning and Nature yet then chiefly began to be generally studied in all the vvorld insomuch that euery nation as they vvere subiect to the Grecians so they coueted chiefly to come in fauour by speaking their language But after that the Romanes had brought vnder the Grecians vvere also conquerors of the vvorld the Latin tongue likevvise grevv to be coÌ„mon among all nations vvhich held on til the coming of Christ VVherfore Pilat the Lord guiding his vvauering mind and pen both for the matter maner was not content to vvrite Christs Title in Luke 23. 38. Hebrue the Ievves tongue only but in Greeke and Latine the tongues of the heathen also that so it might appeare though Pilate thought of no such mysterie that asvvel the Gentiles heathen as the nation of the Ievves vvere to take notice reap benefit of Christs death and passion Novv the Theme or purport of my vvriting I desired such as might be both most necessarie for all sortes and least handled of any in particular VVhich thing in this kinde of studie in these our days vvherin mouing and vvorking in vs conceiue comfortable hope
â—odie the true sacrifice of our sinnes Isai 3 10. Ephes 5 2. 1 Pet. 2 24. was taken â—om the crosse Mat. 27. vers 57 58. No maruell now the time of Christes â—omming so long and so plainlie told beâ—ore and recorded in Daniels prophecie 〈◊〉 S. Iohn note this in the Iewes especiallie â—s a monstrous and yet general vnkindâ—esse proceeding of their wilfull ignoâ—ance of Gods mercifull visiting them by â—is owne v Manie of the Iewes of that time waited coÌ„tinuallie for Christs comming as Ioseph of Arimathea Luke 23 51. father Simeon An Phanuel and diuerse other Luk. 2 vers 25. 36. And in the yeare that Christ suffred Caiaphas prophâ—cied that one should die for the people c. Ioh. 11 49. not speaking that from Daniels writings but God putting the truth in his mouth as he did in Balams asse Numbers 22 28 he vttered thereby his owne malice which he bare in his minde to kill Christ so the caitife blasphemed and prophecied with one voice sonne that Christ Iesus came â—nto his owne and his owne receiued â—im not Ioh. 1 11. our Lord therefore â—harplie rebuketh those Pharisies and â—adduces for their grosse ignorance of â—he signes and times of his comming aâ—ong them telling them that they were â—etter seene in the face of the skie and â—ore wether-wise to discerne faire daies â—nd tempests then skilfull to know the â—mes of the Lords visitation Mat. 16 3. â—his their generall ignorance euen at his â—ast farewell to the citie moued him to â—eepe ouer Ierusalem and through sorrowfull sobbes euen to wanâ— words to expresse his griefe for their wofull miseries saying O if thou hadst knoweÌ„ at the least in this thy day those things which belong to thy peace but now are they hid from thine eies Luke 19 42. They had diuerse signes to haue put them in minde of his comming as the departure of the w Read Dan. 2 44. After the captiuitie of BabyloÌ„ there were no kings in Iewrie for the state was gouerned by deputies of the tribe of Iudah but that Herod Mat. 2 1 c. being an Arabian by nation descended of the stocke of the kings of that fourth kingdome Dan. 2 40 reigned king in Iudea so the scepter was translated from the tribe of Iudah when Christ was borne scepter from the tribe of Iudah Gen. 49 10. And the sending of Elias the Prophet Malac 4 5. not that verie Elias himselfe should rise againe to reproue as Sirachides supposed Eccles 48 4 c. And as the common opinion of the Iewes and t Iohn Baptist denieth that he is Elias Ioh. 1 21. but his deniall is after this sense of the Scribes for so his questioners ment it See Herods feare that 10. Baptist should be risen againe Mat. 14 2. The Iowes had long before this tiâ—e admitted Pythagoras his MeteÌ„psychôsis as also hâ—s profane opinion of the good ill angel attending each one 2 Machab. 11 6. Acts. 12 15. Scribes was Mat. 17 10 but that Iohn Baptist should go before Christ in the spirit and power of Elias as Gabriel interpreteth Malachis meaning to Zacharias Luke 1 17. Christ maketh it plaine Mat. 11 14. This finall blindnesse in Israell Moses by the spirit foresaw therefore brast out with this hearty wish of their only happinesse Oh that they were wise then they would vnderstand this they would coÌ„sider their latter end Deut. 32 29. with sorrow inough the Prophet doubled this complaint who is blind but my seruant or deafe as my messenger that I sent who is blinde as the x He alludeth to the name Ierusalem which signifieth visible peace for the Lord had set it in the middes of the nations as a spectacle in their sight of all peace and prosperitie to his people but the Iewes breaking the conditions thereof were yet vainly confident of peace which thus the prophet reprocheth Ezech. 5 5. Ier. 7 4. and our Lord Luke 19 42. endowed-with-peace Isai 42 19. wherefore our Sauiour as he went to the crosse turning backe to those wailing women which lamenting him little thought of their owne calamities that should shortlie ensue mercifullie forewarneth them Weepe not for me ye daughters of Ierusalem but weepe for your selues and for your children for behold the daies will come when men shall say Blessed are the baren and the wombes that neuer bare the brestes that neuer gaue sucke Luk. 23. vers 28. 29. But I am here caried farther then I purposed yet not so far from my purpose whereunto I returne S. Iohn saith that this Iesus Christ the iust is our aduocat with the father the reconciliatioÌ„ for all our sinnes 1 Iohn 2 verse 1. 2. And that his bloud clenseth vs from al sinne 1 Iohn 1 7. for as the Baptist saith he is the lamb of God which taketh away the sinne of the world Ioh. 1 29. Neither is their as S. Pet. witnesseth saluation in any other for amoÌ„g meÌ„ there is geuen none other name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued Acts. 4 12. To him also giue all the Prophets witnesse that through his name all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes Act. 10 4â— Therefore the true Christian touching all the worke of his saluation both in heart beleeueth with mouth confesseth with the Psalmist thus Whom haue I in heauen but thee And I haue desired none in the earth with thee Psa 73 25. He alone is God all-sufficient Gen 17 1. mightie and sufficient to saue Isai 63 1. neither is there anie other that heareth our words Isai 41 26. and 63. vers â— 16. Wherefore Dauid calleth him O thou that hearest the praier Psal 65. 2. And Isay setteth downe the verie foâ—me of euerie Christians faith and confession thus Onely in the Lord touching me shall he say is y Righteousnes in the orginall tâ—ngue is red in thâ— plâ—nâ—mber to sigâ—ifie vnto vs thâ—â— all our rightâ—â—â—sâ—esse is of the Lord â—hat we should neuer once open our mouth to iustifie our selues Eze. 10 63. all my righteousnesse strength Isai 45 24. for Christ Iesus who is al in al Col. â— 11. Ioh. 1 9. RoÌ„ 9 16. Eph. 1 23 Phil. 2 13 of God is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification redemption that God alone might haue al the glorie 1 Cor. 1. vers 30. 31. Now the meanes to obtaine this righteousnesse in Christ is by hearing the word of God either red Exod. 24 7. Deu. â—1 11. Ioh. 20 31. Act. 15 21. Eph. 3 4. Col. 4 16 1 Thes 5 27. or Preached Act. 8 35 c and 16. vers 14. 32. 1 Cor. 14. vers 24 25 assuredly to beleeue all the promises of God in his son our Sauiour 2 Cor. 1 20. 1 Ioh. 5. vers 10. 11 applying them to thy selfe thus That Christ Iesus died for my sinnes and rose againe for my iustication Rom 4 25. And the Apostle saith if thou shalt confesse with thy