make him despâ—cable to any For God oftentimes suffereth the godly not onely to be vexed and disquieted by the wicked as righteous Lot was by the citizens of Sodome but also even to bee destroyed and slaine as is plaine by the example of Abel who was cruelly murdered of Isaâ—… who was sawâ—n in peeces and of the saven brethren in the Machabees who together with their mother were miserably â—oâ—mented and put to death The very Iewes themselves sing the Seâ—…h Psalme wherein are these words The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to bee meaâ— unto the fowles of the heaven the flesh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the earth Their blood have they shed like water round about Ierusalem and there was none to 〈◊〉 them And whosoever considers the words of Isaiah in the 53. chapter cannot deny that the Messias himselfe ought to have passed thorow much affâ—…ion and death to come into his Kingdome and obtain power to adorne his houshold or Church with excellent gifts The words in the Prophet are these Who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed For he shal grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of the dry ground Hee hath no forme or comelinesse and when wee shall see him there is no beauty that wee should desire him He is despised and rejected of men a man of sorrowes and acquainted with griefes And we hide as it were our faces from him He was despised and wee esteemed him not Surely hee hath borne our griefes and carried our sorrowes yet wee did esteeme him striken sâ—…itten of God and afflicted But hee was wounded for our trâ—…s hee was bruised for our â—â—quities the â—hastifement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes wee are healed All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his owne way And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of â—…ll He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth He is brought as a lambe to the slaughter and as a sheeps before â—â—â—shearers is dumbe so he openeth not his mouth Heâ— was taken from prisâ—… and from judgement and who shall declare his generation For he was out off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people he was striken and he made his gravwith the wicked and with the rich in his death because he had done no violence neither was any deceit in his mouth Yet iâ— hath plâ—â—sed the Lord to bruise him â—ee â—ath put him to griefe When thou 〈◊〉 make his soyle an offering for 〈◊〉 he shall see his seed he shall prâ—… his dayes and the pleasure of â—e Lord shall prosper in his hand Her shall â—ee of the travell of his soyle and shall be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous servant iustifie many For hee shall beare their iniquities therefore will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the 〈◊〉 with the strong because hee hath powred out his soule unto death And hee was numbred with the transgressors and he bare the sinne of many and made intercession for the transgressors Who is there either among the Kings or Prophets to whom these things can be applyed Surely none As touching that shift which some later Iewes have invented telling us that the Prophet speakes here of the Hebrewes dispersed thorow all nations that by his owne example and manner of speech hee might every where gaine the more Proselytes this sense first of all is repugnant to many testimonies of holy writ which say that no harme is befalne the Iewes which they by their evill deeds have not deserved and a great deale more Then againe the very forme of the Propheticall speech beares not that interpretation For either the Prophet which seemes more proper to that place or God saith This evill happened unto him for the iniquities of my people Now the people of Isaiah or the peculiar people of God are the people of the Hebrewes therefore hee who is said by Isaiah to have suffred for grievous things cannot be that people But the ancient Doctors of the Hebrewes more ingeâ—iously confesse that these things were spoken of the Messias whereupon some later among them have fained two Messiases the one they call the sonne of Ioseph who was to suffer many miseries and a bloody death the other is the sonne of David to whom all things should succeed prosperously Howbeit better it were and more consonant with the writings of the Prophets to acknowledge but one Messias who was to passe unto his Kingdome through many difficulties and death it selfe which we beleeve of Iesus as the matter it selfe declares to be most true SECT XX. As though they were honest men that put him to death MAny of the Iewes are kept backe from the discipline and profession of Iesus by a certain preconceived opinion of the vertue and honesty of their ancestors and specially of the Priests who out of prejudice condemned Iesus and rejected his doctrine But concerning the quality of their Ancestors that they may see I doe them no wrong let them heare the words of their owne law and Prophets wherein they are often called uncircumcisâ—d in heart and eares a people that honoured God with their lips and with the garnish of ceremonies but their hearts were farre from him It was their Ancestors that went about and were very neare to have kild their brother Ioseph and in very deed sold him into bondage It was their ancestors that by their continuall mutinies and seditions made Moses weary of his life who was their leader and redeemer to whom the earth the sea and the Aâ—…e obeyed These were they that loathed the bread that was sent from heaven complaining as though they had beene in greatest want and scarcity even when they belched up againe the fowle and food that they had eaten It was their Ancestors that forsaking David so excellent and good a King followed Absolon his rebellious sonne It was their Ancesters that slew Zachariah the sonne of â—ehâ—iada in the most holy place so making their Priest himselfe an oblation of their cruelty in the very Court of the house of the Lord. Now concerning the Priests they were such as conspired the death of Ieremy by a false accusation and had kild him indeed unlesse they had been hindered by the authority of the governors notwithstanding which they prevailed so farre as to have him imprisoned untill the very moment that the City was taken If any man imagine those were any thing better that lived in the times of Iesus then Iosephus will shew him his error who describes their villanous acts and grievous torments the like were never heard of and yet as hee thinkes below desert Neither may wee conceive more favourably of their great Councellor Senate specially because at that time the Senators were not chosen after the old custome by laying on of hands but by the
Circumcision and in some other things that of themselves are neither good nor bad Finally here in Christianity a moderate use of meats and wine is allowed of but there in Mahumetisme men are forbidden to eat swines flesh and to drink wine which notwithstanding is a great gift of God beneficiall both for body and minde if it bee soberly taken And it is no wonder if some childish rudiments were taught before so perfect a law as that of Christ is But after the promulgation thereof to returne againe to types and figures were prepostetous Neither can any just reason be given why after Christian Religion which is clearely the best there should any other bee propounded and taught SECT IX Answer to the Mahumetans objection concerning the Son of God THE Mahumetans tell us they are not a little displeased with us for saying that God hath a sonne seeing he useth not a wife As though the word sonne could not have a more divine signification in God But Mahumet himselfe attributes many things as dishonorable and ill-beseeming God as if he should be said to have a wife Thus hee saith that God had a cold hand which himselfe knew by experience that God was carried in a chaire and the like Howbeit when wee say that Iesus is the sonne of God we doe but signifie the same thing that he meanes when hee cals him the word of God For the word is after a sort generated of the minde Adde further that hee was borne of a Virgin onely by the operation of God supplying the vertue or esticacy of a Father that by the power of God hee was carried up into heaven all which being confessed even by Mahumet himselfe doe shew that Iesus by a singular preâ—ogative and peculiar right may and ought to be called the sonne of God SECT X. Many absurd things in the bookes of Mahumetans BVt on the other side it would be long to relate how many things there are contrary to the truth of history and many things very ridiculous in the writings of the Mahumetans Such is that fable of a faire and beautiful woman that learned a solemne tharâ—â—e or enchanting verse of some Angels that were merry with wine whereby shee was wont to ascend into the sky and likewise descend againe and ascending once a great height into heaven shee was caught of God and there made fast and so was called the starre of Venus Like to this is that of a mouse in Noahs Arke that was bred of an Elephants dung and a cat of the breath of a lion More specially the most notorious fiction of all is that concerning death which should bee changed into a Ramme that must remaine in the middle space betweene heaven and hell Such also is the fable of their delicate meats which they say shall bee purged out by sweat in the other life which is to come When likewise they imagine there shall bee whole troupes of women assigned to every man for pleasure of carnall copulation All which are so very egregious absurdities that whosoever beleeves them deserves to bee stupified and given over to a reprobate sense for his iniquity specially such a one as lives where the light of the Gospell shineth SECT XI A conclusion directed unto Christians admonishing them of their duty upon their occasion of what hath formerly beene handled ANd thus having ended this last disputation against the Mahumetans there remaines only a conclusion or exhortation not to aliens or strangers but to all sorts of Christians of what name nation or quality soever they be Wherein wee shall very briefly shew the use or application of what hath hitherto beene delivered to the end those things may be followed and sought after which are good and on the contrary the evill eschewed First of all then let Christians bee exhorted to lift up prire hands and hearts unto that God which of nothing made all visible and invisible things having sure confidence in him that his providence and care watcheth over us seeing that without his permission not so much as a Sparrow fals to the ground And let them not feare those which can only kiâ—l the body but rather let then feare him that hath like power both over soule and body And let them not onely trust in God the Father but also in Iesus Christ his sonne since there is no other name upon earth by which we can be saved And this they may rightly doe if they can bee verily perswaded that eternall life is prepared not for such as in word onely call God their Father and Iesus their Lord but for such as frame their life according to the will of Iesus and their Father which is in heaven Furthermore Christians may hereby be admonished faithfully and with due care to preserve the doctrine of Christ as a most precious treasure And for this cause let them often read and meditate the bookes of the holy scripture whereby no man can be deceived unlesse first hee deceive himselfe For the authors and penmen of those writings were more just and full of divine inspiration than that they would cozen us of necessary truthes or cover and conceale the same with any clouds Howbeit for the right understanding hereof wee must bring humble mindes together with obedient hearts and wils which if wee doe then nothing shall bee hid from us which ought to bee beleeved hoped for or done by us And by this meanes that holy Spirit may bee cherished and excited in us which is given us for a pledge of our future happinesse Moreover let Christians hereby learn not to immitate the customes of the Pagans specially in their worship of false Gods which are nothing but idle names that the damned spirits doe use to alienate our mindes and affections from the worship of the true God Wherefore wee cannot possibly participate with them in their services and expect to receive benefit by the sacrifice of Christ Secondly neither may Christians imitate the heathen in their licentious and dissolute manner os life having no other law than what is suggested by lust and prompted by concupiscence For it is requisite and meet that in holy conversation they should not onely farre excell the vitious and prophane Pagans but likewise the lawyers and Pharisies among the Iewes whose righteousnesse consisting onely in some outward performances could never bring them to the heavenly Kingdome Circumcision that is made with hands is now nothing worth but it is the inward Circumcision of the heart the keeping of Gods commandements the new creature faith that is perfected in love which make men knowne to be true Israelites and mysticall Iewes that is praisers of God and commendable in his sight The distinction of meats the Sabbathes and feast-dayes were but types and shadowes of things in Christ and in Christians In like manner by occasion of Mahumetisme wee may bee admonished of that which our Lord Iesus foretold namely that after his time there should arise false Christs and false Prophets
is manifest enough the same proceed from some kinde of reason as is plaine in Pismires and Bees and likewise in other creatures which before they have experience doe naturally eschew such things that are hurtfull and seeke after such things as are profitable for them Now that this instinct or inclination of seeking and judging things is not in them by their owne power it is cleare for that they doe alwayes operate after the same manner neither have they any vertue or efficacie to doe any thing which is contrary or aboue their ordinary course of operation wherefore they must needs receive their power from some reasonable externall Agent which directs them or imprints in them such efficacie as they have and this reasonable and intelligent Agent is no other than God himselfe In the next place consider we the Starres of heaven and amongst the rest as most eminent the Sunne and the Moone both which for the fruitfulnesse of the earth and for the preservation of living creatures doe so seasonably performe their course of motion as that a man cannot devise any thing better For though their motion thorow the Aequator were much much more simple yet wee see that they have another motion by an oblique Circle to the end the benefit of their favourable aspects might bee communicated to more parts of the earth Now as the earth is ordained for the use and benefit of living creatures so are all terrestriall things appointed for the service of man who by his wit and reason can subdue the most rackle and impetuous creature among them whence the very Stoicks did collect that the world was made for mans sake Howbeit since it exceeds the sphere of humane power to bring the heavenly bodies in subiection to him neither is it to bee imagined that they will ever submit themselves to man of their owne accord it followes therefore that there is some superior minde or spirit by whose sole appointment those faire and glorious bodies doe service unto man though he be placed farre below them which same minde is no other than the framer of the starres even the Maker of the whole world Also the motions of these starres which are said to be Excentricall and Epicycticall doe plainly shew that their establishment and being is from a free agent not by the power of the matter in them Moreover the most perfect forme and figure of this world to wit its roundnesse as also the parts thereof shut up as it were in the bosome of the heavens and disposed with a marvellous order doe all expresly declare that they were not tumbled together or conjoyned as they are by chance but wisely ordained by such an understanding as is endued with super-eminent excellencie For what Ninny is there so sottish what man so foolish as to imagine that so compleat and exact a worke as this came to passe by hap-hazard he might aswel think that the stones and trees of any building were united into the forme of some house by chance or scattered syllables and words became a Poem by meere fortune A thing so unlikely that even a few Geometricall figures espied on the Sea-shore gave the beholder just ground to argue that some man had beene there it being evident enough that such things could not proceed from meere chance Furthermore that mankinds was not from all eternity but at a certaine time had a common beginning may be manifested by the course of Arts and Sciences yea by the very ground whereupon we tread which was anciently rude and untill'd but afterward became possessed with Iuhabitants which also the language spoken in some Islands derived from adjacent Countries doth witnesse The same is apparent by certaine ordinances so generally received amongst men that the institution thereof may not be thought to have proceeded from the instinct of nature or evidence of reason but from the perpetuall and constant tradition of the Ancients which was scarce ever interrupted in any place either by the malice or misery of man such was that ordinance for the killing of beasts in sacrifice used in former times and such also are now the modesty and shamefastnesse about venereall things the celebration of marriages and the banishment of incestuous persons SECT VII Answer to that objection concerning the cause of evill NEither need we unsay that which hath beene spoken because we see many evill things come to passe the source and cause whereof being not from God who as before hath beene showne is good after the most perfect and absolute degree of Goodnes For when we said that God was the author and cause of all things we added withal that hee was the cause of such things as really doe subsist And no absurdity that I see will follow if wee assirme that those things which haue true and reall existence may bee the causes of some certaine accidents as namely of actions or the like The Almighty we know created both man and those more honourable spirits the Angels endued with liberty of action which liberty in it selfe is not sinfull yet by power thereof some sinnes may be committed Now to make God the author of these sinnes which are morally euill is no better than blasphemy how bee it there are other kinde of evils so called because they afflict some person with griefe or losse and these we may affirme to bee inflicted by God for the reformation and amendment of some sinner or for the punishment of transgression which to say is no impiety since that such evils haue nothing in them contrary to goodnesse but rather they proceed from goodnesse it selfe like a bitter portion from a good Physitian SECT VIII Against the occasion of two Principles or causes of things HEre by the way it may be noted that the opinion of those men is to bee abandoned and avoided which make two efficient causes the one good and the other evill for from two contraries there may follow the ruine and destruction but in no wise a well ordered composition of things Neither is this to passe for truth to wit that as there is something good of it selfe so likewise there must needs bee something absolutely evill in it selfe seeing that evill is a certaine defect which cannot be but in a thing that hath existence which very hauing of existence or being is good SECT IX That God doth gouerne the whole world MOreover that this whole universe is governed by the prouidence of God it is evident for that not onely men which haue right reason and vnderstanding but also the fowles and beasts both wilde and tame haue in them some thing correspondent to reason and doe beare a kinde of prouidence or respectfull care over the issue which they bring forth Which perfection since it is a part of goodnesse must needs bee attributed to God and so much the rather because he is both omniscient and omnipotent so that hee can no way bee ignorant of such things as are done or to be done but can
commit adultery wee ought not to revenge injuries A man may bee the husband of one wife onely And the league or bond of Matrimony ought to bee constant and perpetuall man is bound to doe good unto all specially to them that are in want we must refraine from Swearing as much as may bee And as for our food and apparell wee ought to content our selves with so much as will suffice nature and the like Or if happily there bee some points in Christianity not altogether so credible yet the like also is found amongst the wisest of the heathen themselves as before wee have shewne concerning the immortality of soules and of the resurrection of bodies Thus Plate as hee learned from the Chaldeans distinguished the divine nature into the Father and the minde of the Father which hee cals both the Councell and branch of God who is the maker of the world as also the Soule or Spirit which preserveth all things Iâ—lian so great an enemy of Christians thought that the assumption of humane nature was possible for God as hee gave instance in Aesculapius whom hee imagined to have descended from heaven to the end hee might teach men the art of Physicke The Crosse of Christ offendeth many yet is there not worse related by the heathen writers concerning their Godâ— who tell us that some of them were attendants unto Kings and Princes others slaine with lightening others cut in sunder And the wisest of them say that any honest thing is the more joyous and delightsome by how much it cost them the dearer To conclude Plato in the second book of his common wealth as if hee had beene a Prophet saith for a man to become truly just and upright it is requisite that his vertue bee bereaved of all outward ornaments and that hee be by others accounted a wicked wretch and scoffed at and last of all hanged And indeed that Christ might be the patterne of greatest patience it could no otherwise come to passe The fifth Booke OF THE TRVNESSE OF Christian Religion SECT I. A refutation of the Iewes beginning with a speech unto them or prayer for them AS those that come out of a darke dungeon by little little perceive some brightnesse and glimmering betweene light and darkenesse So having done with the thinke mist of Paganisme and entring upoÌ„ Iudaisme we behold some beames and light of truth wherfore I request the Iews that they would heare us patiently Wee are not ignorant how that they are the of spring of holy men whom God was wont to visit both by his holy Prophets and blessed Angels Of this nation sprang our Messias and the first Doctors of Christianity they are the tree wherinto we are ingraffed they are the keepers of Gods Oracles which we doe revereÌ„ce asmuch as they even making sighs unto God for them praying that the day may quickly come when the vaile being taken away which hangs over their faces they with us shall see the fulfilling of the law And when as it is in their Prophecies every one of us shal lay hold on the Cloake of the Hebrew man desiring that we may together with a holy consent worship the onely true God who is the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob SECT II. The Iewes ought to account the miracles of Christ sufficiently proved FIrst of all then wee must intre at them not to think that to bee unjust in another mans â—ase which they judge to be just and equitable in their owne If any Pagan demand of them why they belceve that miracles were wrought by Moses they can give no other answer save that there was alwayes so constant a report thereof among their nation that it could not but proceed from the testimony of such as had seene the same Thus that the widowes oyle was increased by Elisaus that Naamâ—d the Syrian was suddenly cured of the leprosie that the hostesses daughter was restored to life and other such like are beleeved by the Iewes for no other reason than because witnesses of good credit have recorded to posterity that such things were done And they beleeve Elias hiâ— taking up into heaven onely for the testimony of Elizaeus a man beyond all exception But wee can produce twelve witnesses oâ—… honest report to testifie that Christ ascended up into heaven after hee had beene seene upon earth after his death by many more persons Which things iâ—… they bee true then necessarily Christs doctrine is true also and indeed nothing at all can bee alleaged by the Iewes for themselves which by equall right or more just title belongs not unto us But to omit further testimonies it is the confession of the authors of the Talmud and other Iewes themselves that strange unders were wrought by Christ which may suffice for this particular Neither could God any way more effectually gaine authority unto his doctrine which was published by man than by the working of miracles SECT III. And not beleeve that they were done by the helpe of Devils THese miracles of Christ some say were done by the helpe of Devils But this calumny hath beene confuted before when we shewed that wheresoever the doctrine of Christ was taught and knowne there all power of the Devils vanished away Others reply that Iesus learned Magicke arts in Egypt but this slander hath no more nay not so much colour of truth then the like accusation by the Pagans framed against Moses whereof wee reade in Pliny and Apuleius For that ever Iesus was in Egypt cannot be proved save only out of the writings of his Disciples who adde further that he was an Infant when he returned thence But it is certain by other proofes that Moses lived the most part of his youth in Aegypt Howbeit the law aswell of Moses as of Christ frees them both from this crime plainly forbidding such arts as being abominable in the sight of God And without all question if in the time of Christ and his Disciples there had beene either in Egypt or any where else any such Magicall art whereby men might have beene enabled to doe the like marvels as are related of Christ to wit the curing of the speechlesse the healing of the lame the giving sight to the blind then would Tyberius Nero and other Emperors have had notice therof who spared no costs and charges in the inquiry after such like things Nay if it were true which the Iewes relate how that the Seâ—… of the great Councell were child in Magicke arts that they might convince them that were guilty of that iniquity then surely they being so mightily incensed against Iesus as they were and envying the honour and respect which hee obtained by his miracles would either themselves have done the like workes by the same art or by sufficient reasons would have made it appeare that the workes of Christ proceeded from no other cause SECT IIII. Or by the power of words and sillables MOreover that is but a meere fable or impudenâ—lye which certaine
of the Iewes have invented concerning the miracles done by Christ namely in that they ascribe the same unto a mysticall unknowne name which as they say being placed in the Temple by Salomon was to be preserved safe by two lions during the space of one thousand yeares and more afterward was stolne away by Iesus For there is no mention made of those lyons either in the books of Kings and Chronicles or by Iosephus nor was there any such thing found by the Romans who accompanying Pompey entred into that Temple before the times of Iesus SECT V. The miracles of Iesus were divine because hee taught the worship of one God the maker of the world IT being then granted as the Iewes cannot deny that wonders were wrought by Christ by the very law of Moses it will follow that he must be beleeved Fâ—r God saith Deuteron 18. that 〈…〉 Prophets after the time of Moses â—hould bee raised up of God to whom the people should be obedient or otherwise become liable to grievous punishments Now miracles are the most infallible markes of the Prophets than the which more certaine notes cannot be imagined But in Deuteron 13. it is said that if any professing himselfe to be a Prophet and doth worke wonders yet the same must not be beleeved if hee goe about to entice the people to a new worship of the Gods For though such miracles bee done by him yet this is onely by Gods permission for triall whether the people would persist constantly in the worship of the true God From which places compared together the Hebrew interpreters do rightly collect that every one must be beleeved that worketh miracles unlesse thereby hee intice men from the worship of the true God and in that case only miracles are not to bee credited though in shew most glorious Now Iesus did not onely prohibit the worshipping of false Gods but also expresly condemned it as a most grievous crime and taught us to reverence the writings both of Moses and the Prophets that succeeded him Wherefore there is nothing that can bee objected against the miracles that were wrought by Christ SECT VI. Answer to the objection taken from the difference betweene the Law of Moses and of Christ where is showne that a more perfect law than that of Moses might be given AS touching that which some alleage concerning the difference betweene the law of Moses and the law of Christ it seemes but of small moment For the Hebrew Doctors themselves make this rule namely that by the authority of a Prophet who worketh miracles any precept whatsoever may bee violated and transgressed except that onely which concernes the worship of the true God And surely that power of making lawes which belonged unto God when hee gave the commandements by the hand of Moses went not from him Neither can any man that of his owne power makes lawes bee thereby hundred from making the contrary That which they object of Gods immutability is nothing for wee speake not here of Gods nature and essence but of his works Light is changed into darknesse youth into old age summer into winter and all by the worke of God This God at the beginning gave Adam leave in Paradise to eat of other apples but he forbad him to eat of the fruit of one tree Why even because it so pleased him Generally hee prohibited men to commit murder yet he commanded Abraham to kill his sonne One while hee forbad to offer sacrifices apart from the Tabernacle another while he admitted of them Neither will it follow because the Law which was given by Moses was good therefore no better could bee given Parents are wont to babble and prattle with infants to wink at the vices of their childhood and entice them to learne with an apple or a butter-lep But so soone as they come to riper age their speech is amended the precepts of vertue are taught them by degrees and they learne what is the goodnesse and benefit of honesty Now it is plaine that the precepts of that law of Moses were not exactly perfect because many holy men of those times lod a more holy life than thos commandements required Thus Moses who suffered the revenge of a wrong to bee exacted partly by blowes and partly by sentence himselfe being vexed with most bitter injuries became an intercessor for his enemies So David willing to have his rebellious Sonne to be spared did patiently endure reproachfull speeches cast upon himselfe We finde not that any good men left their wives which notwithstanding was permitted by the law The reason of all this chiefly is because those lawes were accommodated to the greater part of that people therefore in the state and condition they were in it was meet something should bee kept had and reserved which afterward might be perfected when God by a greater efficacy of the Spirit was to chuse unto himselfe a peculiar people out of all nations Yea all the rewards which are expresly promised by the law of Moses belong onely to this mortall life wherefore it must bee granted that there might some better law be given whereby the reward of eternall happinesse should be promised not under any shadowes but in plaine and expresse termes which we see is done by the law of Christ SECT VII The law of Moses was observed by Iesus who abolished â—o commandements that were essentially good ANd here by the way for the conviction of the Iewes it must be noted that those Iewes who lived in Christs time used him most basely and punished him most severely when as yet there could no just accusation bee laid against him for transgressing the law He was circumcised hee used the same food and apparell that the Iews used those that were healed of lepers hee sent unto the Priests The Passeover and other festivall dayes he religiously observed Though he did cure some upon the Sabbath day yet hee shewed both by the law and by the common received opinions that such works were not unlawfull to be done upon the Sabbath day And then chiefly began he to publish the abrogation of some lawes when after his triumphover death he asceÌ„ded into heaven adorning his Disciples upon earth with gracious gifts of the holy Spirit whereby he made it evident that hee had obtained a regall power which includes the authority of making a law And that according to Daniels prophecie ch 3. 7. compared with chap. 8. 11. where he foretold how that a little after the destruction of the Kingdomes of Syria and Aegypt the latter whereof happened in the raigne of Augustus God would give the kingdome to a man which should seem but simple and necessitous to a people chosen out of all nations and languages which Kingdome should never have an end Now that part of the law the necessity whereof was taken away by Christ contained nothing that was honest in â—â—s owne nature but consisted of things that were indifferent in themselves and consequently not immutable