blessed for ever Rom. 5.9 to be Davids Son Mat. 22.42 and Davids Lord also There were also some other things foretold concerning the Messiah As that he should call the Gentiles enter into the second Temple ruine the Idols of the Heathen silence their Oracles c. But of these I have spoken in the last Chapter Also there are some lesser matters as that he should be called a Nazarite that he should be brought up and preach in Galilee and the like But these things which I have mentioned are some of the chief things that are contained in the Prophesies concerning the Messiah To sum up therefore the Argument If all things that were foretold concerning the person of the Messiah or concerning what he should do and suffer upon earth did concur in that Jesus in whom we believe then may we conclude him to be the true Messiah But all things did concur in his person as to his Conception Birth c. and all things were done and suffered by him which the Prophers foretold concerning the Messiah Therefore we may undoubtedly believe that the same Jesils in whom we believe is the true Messiah who was promised to come into the world CHAP. IX The fourth Proposition confirmed viz. That the Apostles and Evangelists of the New Testament do hold forth unto us such a Christ as was really and in a proper sense God and Man hypostatically united in one Person And who did in a real and proper sense satisfie Gods justice for our sins and purchase eternal Salvation for us by his Merits WE have proceeded so far as to shew evident proof of these truths that the Son of God was promised to the fathers of the Old Testament to take our Nature upon him and to become our Saviour and that the time for the fulfilling of these Promises yea the set time is long since come and withal that the same Jesus in whom we believe is that very Messiah who was promised to the fathers And me-thinks to men of moderately clear Reason and competent Modesty this might be sufficient both to satisfie all doubts and also to stop their mouths from cavilling at or contradicting our Christian Faith But because first there are a generation of people so wise in their own eyes that they conceit themselves to see something more in the name of Christ then the Churches of God in all ages have seen And secondly do talk of a perfection of righteousness by walking up to the dictates of I know not what light within And thirdly do seek for the confirmation of all points of Faith out of the New Testament as if the Old Testament were too old to be good I shall therefore for the convincing of these men if possible or at least for the stopping of their mouths and withal for the strengthning of our Faith against the cavils of seducers without and the suggestions of Satan within endeavour from the writings of the Apostles and Evangelists to prove First that Christ was really such as we believe him to be and such as the Prophets foretold him to be The Son of God made Man or The Word made Flesh Secondly that he did fully and in a true and proper sense make satisfaction to Gods justice for our sins and that there is no way to be saved but by his Merits First That Christ was such as we believe him to be and such as the Prophets did foretel that he should be viz. God and Man or the Word made flesh Deut. 17.6 By the mouth of two or three witnesses saith God in the Law shall every word be established And it is our comfort that God hath given us not onely two or three witnesses Heb. â—2 1 but even a whole cloud of witnesses to establish this Word of Faith Christ chose twelve Apostles to be witnesses of what he did and spake upon earth and besides them there are many other witnesses of this Truth First the Angels whose Ministry God was pleased to use in the revealing of this great Mystery to the World Before he was conceived in the Womb the Angel speaking to Zacharias calls him The Lord as to his Divine Nature Luke 1.17 and speaks of his coming after John Baptist as to his humane Nature And speaking to the B. Virgin v. 30.31 he tells her that she should conceive in her Womb and bear a Son This notes his humane Nature And he shall be called The Son of the Highest and the Lord God shall â—ive him the Throne of his father David This notes the truth of his Divinity And â—hen he was conceived in the Womb Mat. 1.20 21. an Anâ—el tells Joseph that That which was conceived in the Blessed Virgin was of the holy Ghost and that she should call his Name Jesus because he should save his people from their sins Behold both his Humanity in his Conception and his Divinity in his Office to save his people And again when he was born the Angel saith to the Shepherds Luk. 2.10 11. To you is born a Saviour which is Christ the Lord he is born this notes his Humanity he is Christ the Lord that notes his Divinity Again after his Resurrection an Angel saith unto the Women that Christ who was crucified was risen up again Mat. 28.5 6. That shews that he was truely man Come see the place where the Lord lay Act. 1.11 That shews him to be truely God Yea after he was ascended into Heaven they say of him This same Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven shall come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven his Ascention which was a change of Place notes his Humanity his coming to Judge the world his Divine Power and Authority So that all along the Angels witness him to be truely God and truely Man 2. We have the testimony of many Pious Persons in the New Testament which though to a Jew or Heathen it be of little value yet to all that profess obedience to the holy Scriptures it is of great moment Let us see the confession of Zachary Luk. 1.68 He calls him the Lord God of Israel who had visited his people so as to Redeem them a clear testimony of both his Natures vers 43. And Elizabeth calleth the Blessed Virgin vers 47. The mother of her Lord. And the Blessed Virgin her self calls him that was conceived in her Womb The Lord her Sauiour a clear proof of his two Natures 3. John Baptist gives testimony to this whose testimony may well be reckoned distinctly from other Saints because he was sent especially about this Message to bear witness of Christ Joh. 1.29 He calls him The Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world Here he gives Testimony both to his Divinity in that he was able to make satisfaction to Gods justice and to take away sin and to his Humanity in that he was a Lamb that had a body to sacrifice
present we do worship the true God so the Histories of our Nation do report that we have been turned from Idols near 1600 years ago which argues the Messiah to be long since come Secondly 2 Argument we argue from the destruction of the second Temple built at Jerusalem The Messiah was promised to come into that Temple and therefore that Temple being long since destroyed it argues him to be long since come We read that when the Foundation of this later house was laid Many of the ancient men Ezr. 3.12 who had seen the former house went to see how far this came short of the first and this did discourage the people from going on with the Work Upon this God sends the Prophet Haggai to encourage them to go on and he speaks thus Hag. 2.3 Who is left among you that saw this house in its first glory Is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing Yet now be strong O Zerubbabel c. And how doth he incourage them I will shake all Nations vers 7. and the desire of all Nations shall come and I will fill this house with Glory saith the Lord of Hosts And the glory of the latter house shall be greater then the former vers 9. You see then that the latter Temple was promised to excel the former And how should that be Not for famous structure for as to this it came so far short of it that it seemed in their eyes in comparison of it as nothing nor was it so glorious as to the Vessels of the Temple for there were five things wanting in this latter Temple which were in the former The Ark the Mercy-seat Godwins Antiq the Tables of Stone wherein God with his own hand wrote the Ten Commandments the Vrim and Thummim and the holy anointing Oyl Now sure it must be some great thing that could make up all these wants and render the Glory of the latter Temple greater than that of the former Now as to this the Prophet tells us that the desire of all Nations that is Christ who was desirable to all Nations as he in whom all the Families of the earth should be blessed He should come into this Temple to teach and work Miracles there and this should make it more glorious The former Temple had Solomon to pray and offer Sacrifice in it but a greater than Solomon was in this latter Temple So also Malachi tells them Mal. 3.1 Behold I will send my Messenger and he shall prepare my way before me and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come into his Temple even the messenger of the Covenant in whom ye delight This Angel or Messenger of the Covenant is the Lord Jesus Christ and he is promised to come into this Temple and therefore we must conclude that his coming must be before the utter destruction of this Temple Now it is sufficiently evident that this Temple together with the City of Jerusalem hath been utterly destroyed near 1600 years ago Buchol Chronol for it was in the 71 year of Christ that Titus took the City and set fire upon the Temple and ever since it hath lain desolate yea when Julian the Apostate in despight to the Christian Religion gave the Jews liberty and encouragement to rebuild the Temple there was an earthquake which so shook the foundation that they had laid that it left not one stone upon another â— Sozomen and when for all this they obstinately persisted in attempting to build the Temple God sent a fire from Heaven which consumed divers of the Builders And therefore seeing that Temple is long since destroyed the Messiah is undoubtedly long since come Thirdly I argue from the Scepter 's being departed from Judah the government 3 Argument even all face of a government being departed from that Nation Jacob in blessing his Sons Gen. 49.10 tells Judah that The Scepter should not depart from him nor the law giver from between his feet till Shiloh should come This place is frequently urged for the conviction of the present Jews and to which indeed they can oppose nothing but a resolute and stiff-necked obstinacy That by Shiloh is understood the Messiah I have shewed already and the Jews themselves confess it And for the precise time when the Scepter departed we need not to be very nice in enquiring Judah was governed by Kings Joseph Antig. by the space of 514 years in all At the end whereof they were carried away Captives into Babylon by the space of 70 years After this they had Governours for divers years then the Maccabees held both the Government and High-Priest-hood for four successions Then Aristobulus the first made himself King and so the Posterity of the Maccabees held both the Kingdom and Priest-hood till the days of Herod the Son of Antipater He slew Hircanus and Aristobulus the last of the Asmonean Family and also many of the Jewish Sanhedrim and enjoyed the sole Government and Kingdom of Judea And now many thought that the Scepter was departed from Judah for Herod was a stranger born who had the Government and therefore many did now begin to look for the Messiah Some were such flatterers of Herod that they perswaded him that he was the Messiah and thence say some came that Sect of Herodians mentioned in the Evangelists There was also one Theudas not long before Christ who boasted himself to be the Messiah and drew a company of people after him Acts 5.36 but was destroyed with those that followed him And after him arose Judas of Galilee in the days of taxing vers 37. Josephus saith this man arose in the time of the gathering of that Tax which was levyed by Augustus when Christ was born and some conceive those Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with their Sacrifices Luke 13.2 3. to have been followers of him And divers others have arisen since who have boasted themselves to be the Messiah So that though the generality of the Jews rejected Christ yet many of them did follow false christs Joh. 5.43 as himself told them I am come in my Fathers name and ye receive me not if another man come in his own name him ye will receive Thus you see how many of the worse sort of the Jews believing the Scepter to be already departed did follow false christs but if we look further we shall find that many of the devout sort amongst them did begin now to expect the coming of the Messiah Luke 1.25 So we read of Simeon that he waited for the consolation of Israel and Anna spake of Christ to all them that looked for Redemption in Jerusalem vers 38. and Joseph of Arimathea is said to have waited for the Kingdom of God that is the coming of the Messiah Luk. 2.51 So that it is evident that many of the Jews did now think the Scepter to be departed in the days of Herod
conceive and bear a Son c. The Jews of late have endeavoured to evade the force of this Text by corrupting it telling us that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render a Virgin doth onely signifie a Woman but this as it doth offer great violence to the word here used so also to the scope of the Text and Context For the words are spoken as a signe to Ahaz Now what signe or wonder would it have been to tell them that a Woman should conceive or bear a Son But for a Virgin to conceive and yet continue a Virgin still that is a wonder and fit to be given as a Signe Now this also was fulfilled in that Jesus in whom we believe as the Scripture shew Mat. 1.18 The Angel of God came to a Virgin whose name was Mary and told her Behold thou shalt conceive in thy Womb c. and when She asked Luk. 1.34 35. How can this be seeing I know not a man It was answered The Holy Ghost shall come upon Thee and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow Thee c. 3. The Messiâ—h was to be born in Bethlehem Thou Bethlehem Ephrata Mic. 5.2 though thou be mean amongst the Tribes of Israel yet out of thee shall he come forth who shall be Ruler of my people The Jews were sensible of this and therefore the Scribes and Elders directed the Wise-men thither Mat. 2. Luk. 2. and cite this place of the Prophet for it Now Jesus was born there and it is the more observable because of that Providence which brought Joseph and the blessed Virgin hither without any thoughts of him that called them thither 4. It was foretold that the Messiah should have John Baptist to go before him Behold I will send my Messenger before thy face Mal. 3.1 which shall prepare thy way before thee and then The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come into his Temple And elsewhere Isa 40.3 he is called the Voice of one crying in the Wilderness Prepare the way of the Lord make his paths straight Now Jesus in whom we believe had John Baptist to be born six months before him Luk. 1. Mal. 3. and he is said to begin a little before Jesus began to Preach and he Taught in the Wilderness of Judea the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of sin Mark 1.1 2. And it is observable how St. Mark begins his Gospel as it were taking at these Prophesies of Isaiah and Malachy The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as it is written in the Prophets Behold I send my messenger before thy face c. 5. The Prophet fortold that when the Messiah should come he should confirm his Doctrine by many and great Miracles Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened Isa 35.5 6. and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped then shall the lame man leap as an Hart and the tongue of the dumb shall sing Now Jesus did confirm his Doctrine with these and many other Miracles as I have shewed But to apply his Miracles particularly to this Prophesie He opened the eyes of the blind Matt. 9.27 he unstopped the ears of the deaf Mar. 7.32 he made the lame to walk Matt. 15.30 and the dumb to speak Matt. 9.32 6. It was foretold that the Messiah should enter into Jerusalem in a kinde of a triumphant manner That they should cry to him Hosanna Zech. 9.9 Psal 118.25 26. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. For the word Hosanna signifies Save we beseech thee and in the Original of that place of the Psalm the word Hosanna is used And this also was fulfilled in Jesus Christ as you may see at large Mat. 21. 7. It was foretold that he should be betrayed by one of his own Servants As David in his own person speaketh Psal 41.9 Yea mine own familiar friend in whom I trusted who did eat of my bread hath lift up his heel against me Zech. 11.13 And that he should be sold for thirty pieces of silver with which thirty pieces the potters field should be purchased Now this was exactly fulfilled in Jesus for Judas one of the twelve went to the Chief-priests and said What will ye give me Mat. 26.14 15. and I will deliver him unto you and they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver with which after Judas in remorse of conscience had restored it Mat. 27.7 8 9. they consulted together and bought the Potters field to bury strangers in And whereas there may be some scruple here in that the Greek cites Jeremy the Prophet when the words are not to be found in him but in Zechariah for the resolving of this see Junius in Parallelis Doctor Hammon in loc and other Commentators 8. It was foretold that the Messiah should suffer death Isa 53.12 vers 5. that he should pour out his soul unto death that he should be numbred with transgressors that he should be scourged to the end Psal 22.17 that by his stripes we might be healed That he should be crucified I may tell all my bones they look and stare upon me this crucifying was such a torment as did as it were put all his bones out of joynt That he should be mocked by his enemies as he hanged upon the Cross vers 7.8 Psa 69.21 Psal 22.19 That he should have vinegar mingled with gall given him to drink That they should divide his Garments among them and cast lots upon his Vesture Now these things were all fulfilled in Jesus Christ as we may see if we consult the story of his death in the Evangelists and in particular Mat. 27.15 26 34 35 38 39. 9. It was foretold that the Messiah should rise again from the dead the third day That when he had made his soul an offering for sin Isa 53.11 he should see his seed and prolong his days And some take those words in Hosea to foretel his rising the third day Hos 6.4 After two days he will revive us and the third day we shall live in his sight That he should ascend into Heaven Psal 68.19 Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captivity captive and received gifts for men And some take that other place to be a prophesie of the same Psal 24.4 5. Lift up your heads O ye gates and be ye lift up ye ever lasting doors and the King of glory shall come in Now this also was fulfilled in Jesus Christ Matt. 28.1 who rose again from the dead the third day and ascended into heaven before divers witnesses Mar. 16.19 Lastly it was foretold that the Mesliah should be God as well as Man as I have shewed fully before Isa 9.6 by those Names that are given to him Now Jesus in whom we believe as he was evident to all that knew him to be truely man so is he affirmed to be over all God
solid and setled in the Faith that we may be secured in these troublesome times when there are so many blustering winds of strange Doctrin abroad to try our stability And this calls me to the V. 5 Part. Part of the Text viz. The instrument of this great mistake which he sets forth in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the winds of strange Doctrine New fancied and false Doctrines may fitly be compared to the Wind. 1. As to the original of them both The Wind is conceived to be an Exhalation arising out of the Caverns of the Earth Arist 2. Meteor c. 4. And false Doctrines are Exhalations arising out of the bottomless pit sent forth by that infernal Aeolus at the command of an angry Juno Raised I say by the Prince of darkness though in the shape of New Lights permitted by the wise and just providence of God whom we have thereunto provoked by our sins 2. As to the substance of them the Wind is so leight and fluid a body that it escapes our sight nor are we well able to tell what it is Such are false doctrines though they make a great noise and bustle so as to fill the world as the Wind doth yet are they indeed if well looked into but vain and empty nothings contending to appear as something extraordinary to men of common apprehensions 3. As to the effects of them Pulchra Metaphora dum omnes hominum doctrinas c. saith Calvin in locum It is an elegant Metaphor whereby the Apostle compares all the novel Doctrines of men to the Wind for as the Wind doth remove things from their places and tosseth them to and fro so false doctrines do tend to unsettle us and remove us from the Faith whereas the intent of the Word of Truth is to root men and settle them in the Faith And hereunto I may add that as the Wind though a leight and fluid body yet hath a very great strength and force in it so false doctrines though in themselves lighter then vanity yet are very powerful to amuse and unsettle mens mindes from their former profession 4. As to the uncertainty of them Adhaec incertam dubiam falsam doctrinam confert Paulus cum vento c. saith Sarcerius in locum The Apostle compares false doctrines to the Wind for their uncertainty and doubtfulness Nothing more variable then the Wind and nothing more uncertain then they that have once left the Foundation of their first Faith to embrace Novelties And further saith he this expression denotes the imperpetuity and short continuance of errours The Truth shall endure for ever like the Heavens but Errour shall vanish like the Wind when it hath spent its boysterous blasts as long as the most wise God sees fit False doctrines then as you have heard are like the Wind But these Winds have an Aeolus that sends them abroad and manageth them to the mischief of mankind And this leads us to the Sixth 6 Part. and last thing in the Text viz. the Authours or foundation of this great mischeif set forth in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we render it not improperly by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive Beza renders it In hominum alea per veteratoriam ad insidiose fallendum versutiam which I would thus translate By the cogging of men and their pestilent craftiness whereby they endeavour to betray men into the snares of errour Tremellius out of the Syriack reads it thus Ad omnem ventum doctrinarum versutarum filiorum hominis qui per astutiam suam sese componunt ut fallant By the wind of subtil doctrines of the sons of men who by their subtilty do compose themselves to deceive others Our Doctor Hammond in his Marginal Note reads it By the subtilty of men through their craftiness for the contriving of deceit which seems to me to come nearest to the sense of the words in the Greek All these versions concurr in the substance and shew us that there is a great deal of subtilty and cogging which Seducers do make use of in order to the beguiling of ignorant and unstable Souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Dye may signifie cogging Some would make this construction of it Vt hic per aleam intelligantur incerti illi casus Marlorat quibus jactantur homines c. As nothing is more moveable than a Dye so nothing more uncertain and wavering than the mindes of erronious persons But I rather incline to them that say Per aleam intelligitur aleatoria quaedam vafrities Such craft as is used by Gamesters in cogging the Dice So Calvin and Bullinger in locum Alludens ad lusorum quorundam artes c. He alludes to the cogging of Gamesters whereby they cheat those that play with them False teachers have an art of cogging with the Holy Scriptures to make them seem to fall to their own minde and to maintain their own Opinions and thereby they easily impose upon those they have to deal withal For there is such a reverence in the mindes of well-disposed persons towards the Authority of the Scriptures as being the Word of the God of Truth that they are presently induced to receive with a great deal of respect and zeal whatsoever appears to them to be grounded upon the Word of God And therefore it is that Seducers do take this course as that which they have alwayes by experience found to be very effectual Yea further saith Calvin Huc decedit quod ad struendas insidias excubant They are said to lye in wait to deceive Which notes the vigilance and unwearied diligence that false teachers use to catch poor Souls into snares They humble themselves and stoop and creep and comply to intise men into their snares even as Vitellius in the Historian who is said projicere oscula c. quicquam facere pro Imperio that he would prostitute his Salutations and Embraces to gain mens hearts to own him as Emperour Or as Absalom who hugged the people and kissed them and gave them good words when they came to him complaining of the King his Father and promising them great matters when he should come to the Kingdom and by these arts he stole away the hearts of the men of Israel 2 Sam. 15. Even so these Seducers do humble themselves and give fair words to those that follow them they complain of great disorders in the Church of England and promise them strange things if they will but come over to their Sect or Party and by such arts they lay in wait to steal away the hearts of simple people Yea they spare no pains but as our Saviour saith of the Pharisees Mat. 23.15 They compass Sea and Land to gain one Proselyte to their opinions Now as this shews the inveterate malice and subtilty of that old Serpent who hath been so long versed in the accursed art of