feared there is no garde vsually charged And what suspicion of daunger might your forefathers coÌ„ceaue of him after they had murthered him Debate the matter with your selues somewhat more substantially why any such feare might growe in the dead body of this one seely person more then in â—ny other But I will not vrge you any more herein only in this point I would faine be resolued Howe happened that the sepulchre beyng so stroÌ„gly couered with a stone of so huge weight so firmely ensealed with the seale of the high Prieste so strayghtly fenced with the force of armed knights was so shortly founde emptie You will say That his disciples crept thyther priuily and stale away the body of Iesu perdie whiles your souldiours were snorting in a deepe and sound slumber Well then And who I praye you sawe the disciples the meane time whiles your watchmen slept so soundly If their eye lyddes were ouerladen with such a deade slumber that they coulde not perceyue this with what face shame you to affirme that your watchemen sawe them noâ— If they did see them howe chaunced that beyng harnessed they withstood not such seely vnarmed wretches And why dyd not your forefathers lay this thefte to the Disciples charge synce they saw them dayly preaching in the Temple afterwards O monstruous cankered lyars as though the stone wherwith it was couered were not of greater quantitie theâ— could be remoued by a few or by any meanes might be rolled away without perceiueraÌ„câ— of your souldiours Wel yet howe happened that these seely caytiue petyt theeues fled noâ— away immediatly after they had committed this robbery Howe durst they be dayly conuersant amongst menâ— and preache openly in your Temple Nay rather to tell you the trueth simplie with what better or more probable argument could the worlde haue bene induced to beleeue that Christ was risen againe to the sure establishment of their faith then this your wicked curious diligence which your forefathers so carefully employed in watching the Sepulchre Forasmuch therfore as al these things are so most assured so manifest so vnreproueable approued with so many witnesses prophâ—ts ratified with so many reasons euideÌ„t proofes discouered by the euideÌ„t testimony not only of Angels but established also with the heaueÌ„ly Oracle of the holy ghost him selfe embraced beleeued by the faith of all nations of the world what one probabilitie caÌ„ al your generatioÌ„ of Hebrews alleadge for colour to the coÌ„trary If ye perceiue therefore that this is the verâ— true Messhias why doe ye not relent at the last forsake abandone your stifnecked rebellion ioyne with vs in professioÌ„ If as yet ye do not acknowledge him declare the cause then that breedeth this misliking in you and troubleth your consciences Is it because he liued in poore beggarly estate amongst the impouerished them that were worth nothing But your prophet Zacharie loÌ„g before he was reuealed reported that he should be eueÌ„ such a one Beholde saith he thy king coÌ„meth vnto thee righteous iust a sauior he is poore riding vpoÌ„ an asse c. And it behoued truely that he which should come to ouerthrow the high minded riche of this world to enrich the poore should be him selfe embased poore What els then is it because he was seene to walke in base and simple apparell and was despised amongst you Euen such a one doth the prophete Esay paynte out vnto vs in his 53. chapter We beheld him sayth he and he had neyther fourme nor beautie we helde him despised esteemed him for an outcast of men You haue seene him now of no reputation an abiect the poorest of men whome your hautines did disdaine Mark now vnder this vile contemptible basenes more then a kingly royaltie whereunto you ought all tâ— prostrate your selues do honor vnto Surely he hath borne our infirmities carried our sorowes he was taken out of prison from IudgemeÌ„t who shal declare his age by the knowledge of him selfe my seruaunt shall iustifie many for he shall beare their iniquities The will of the Lorde shall prosper in his hands and he shal deuide the spoyle with the strong The kings shal shut their mouthes at him You haue nowe therfore heard how he shoulde be poore and deformed according to the outwarde shewe of the fleshe euen such a one as our Gospel hath described him And briefely to be playne if he had not thus bene poore reiected from amongst you he could not haue bene the ryght Messhias in deede Uerily such a one he seemed to you once wheÌ„ it was according to the outward countenaÌ„ce of the flesh before he had obteined the power of the kingdome vpon the crosse But hauing then forthwith receiued y throne of his kingdome in what triuÌ„phant maiestie he sitteth reigneth now in heauen let the mystical Psalmist Dauid make report who in spirite foresaw him sitting at the right haÌ„d of the Lord. Let their witnes be heard also who were beholders of the whole action of his asceÌ„sion with their bodily eyes sawe the same whome Dauid beheld in spirit euen with their carnal eyes I say gazing vpon him whiles yet hee was lifted vp in their sight into heauen and did perfectly discerne him also sitting at the right hand of the maiestie Let them also record the same whose inward feeling minds of the soule he doeth inlighten with heauenly effectual operation and vouchsafeth daily to enterparten him selfe vnto And I would to God it might please the same to open your eyes also that once at the length you might throughly enioye the inestimable glory and vnspeakeable maiestie of his euerlasting kingdome In the meane space ye may easily conceiue a taste and feeling as it were of the trueth by groping the shadowes and prefigured tokens of the scriptures except ye had rather wilfully and wittingly shut fast your eyes from so manifest demonstration of infallible certainetie First what one thing was of more royaltie then the kingdome of Dauid And yet what one thing was more entangled and streighted whiles as yet like a seely moath he kept his fathers sheepe whiles he was tossed in turmoyle with most cruel persecution At what time Ioseph being circumuented by the iniurie of his brethren became carraine leane in a lothesome dungeon when as Abraham was commanded to abandone his natiue countrey and to become a banished outcast from his kindred and his fathers house whiles Iacob was constrayned to redouble his seruice vnder his vâ—ckle Laban what time Moyses was by Gods calling translated from an exiled outlawe to be a guide and leader of y Israelites from how great basenes and miserie were all these aduaunced to wonderfull estimation and dignitie And what was the meaning of the holy ghost els then vnder the shadowes and figures of those persons to represent vnto vs the very patterne and image of the sonne of God And yet if you duely
is here determined vpon that nation and people of yours The which same weekes the Angel gathering again together deuideth into three seuerall distinct orders The first order comprehendeth seuen weekes the second three score two weekes the third one weeke only which was the last and the seuentieth in nomber In which last weeke he signifieth that it should come to passe that the holie of holie ones should be anoynted slayne and make an ende of sinne and sinne offrings appointed in the lawe of Moyses which things beeing accomplished and the full nomber of yeeres completed and finished the citie afterwardes should come to vtter ruine and destruction And because the Prophet shoulde the better conceiue the verie disposition and distinct proportion of tymes in which those things should be brought to passe the Angel doeth as it were leading by the hande instruct him by this deuided partition of weekes as if this were the purport of the prophesie For so much O Daniel greatly beloued of God as thou art so carefull and zealous for the estate and safetie of thy people it pleased Almighty God to heare thee euen in the beginning of thy prayers and withall to empart his heauenly will vnto thee by mee his messenger sent to this effect to make thee vnderstand the things that apperteine to thy nation and the whole estate of that kingdom For the Lorde hath so decreed by his secrete determination that this people beyng nowe in captiuitie shall returne agayne into their natiue country and the citie and Sanctuarie shal be restored and aduaunced to his ancient dignitie and estimation And if after the restitution and establishment thereof thou wylt further enquire of the continuaunce and durance of the same and withall what great enterprises and manifold successes shal happen therein vnderstande thou That seuentie weekes are concluded and determined vpon this people which beyng recompted by the Sabbathes of yeeres or reduced into tenne Iubiles wil make the nōber of seuen times seuentie to witte 490. yeeres for so many yeeres fully shall that common wealth prosper vntill wickednes be finished all curse of sinne be remoued al sinne offrings abolished and euerlasting righteousnes be brought in and all things be accomplished whatsoeuer were foretold by the prophets visions finally vntil the holy of holy ones be annoynted For as the administration of that common wealth was erected at the first for the Messhias his sake it could not be that kingdome vtterly to be abolished before the same Messhias was manifested in the fleshe I haue somewhat declared vnto you concerning the seuentie weekes For the better perceiuerāce of the orderly proceedings and enterchaunged successes whereof a threefold distinction of tymes ought seuerally to bee considered Namely Seuen weekes then three score two weekes and one weeke In the first seuen weekes all that entercourse of time is comprehended that must grow betwixt the laying the fundation of the seconde temple building therof vntil the ful finishing of the same for so many yeres are accompted from the first yere of Cyrus reigne vnto the vii or viii yere of Darius before the buylding of the Temple was throughly perfourmed which will amount to 49. yeres Agayne the three score two weekes doe note vnto vs the remnant of the time wherein Messhias the Lorde shoulde be borne in the citie of Dauid after that the citie Temple were repayred buylt againe which building was cōpleted in the 32. yere of the reigne of Darius the Assyrian or Artaxerxes Now that other one week which remained doth signifie vnto vs the annoynting preaching reuealing suffering of the same Meschias of those other things which were to ensue after his death In the middle part of which week shal Meschias be slayne to wit three yeres an halfe after his baptisme and annointing By which death he shall accomplishe the mysterie of mans redemption wherof the prophets did so oft prophecie and prognosticate long time before The residue of the weeke doth appertayne to the preaching of the Apostles to the calling of the Gētiles to the establishing of the couenant with many to the abolishing of the old circūcision external sacrifices of the ceremonial Law to the confirmatiō of free remissiō of sins to the performāce of the promise of rising againe life euerlasting All which were of al parts cōpleted ended in y last weeke that is to say in those 7. latter yeres wherein the Meschias shal be annoynted slayne ryse from death to lyfe ascende vp into heauen endue his Churche with the inestimable benefites of the holie Ghost and allure the Gentiles to the free mercy pronounced by his Gospel which weeke being added to the former will make the iust nomber of 70. weekes to wit 490. yeres For so many yeres did the mercifull God of Israel of his vnspeakeable bountie preserue that nation in peaceable tranquillitie not for any their deseruings but for his deare sonnes sake onely which was to yssue out of that seede generation It remaineth now that we make a proportionable comparison of the nomber of those yeres with the records of the continuall proceedinges and successes therof First this is a matter confessed That the deliuerie of the Iewes from their captiuitie was by the Proclamation of Cyrus the first yere of his reigne at what time the fundation of the Temple was layd which being hindered with sundry interruptions was yet at the last brought to full perfection in the sixt or seuenth yere of Darius reygne The Temple beeyng thus perfited in all fourniture commission was giuen at length to Nehemias in the xx yeere of the reygne of the same Darius with absolute authoritie to repaire their citie againe The same yere in the 25. daye of the moneth Elul the wall was erected and finished the whole doing whereof lasted 52. dayes only as Esdras reporteth in his sixt chapter But houses were not builded as yet as appeareth in the seuenth chapter for accomplishment whereof were allowed xii yeres more as appeareth playnely in the fift chapter of the same where you may heare what Nehemias him selfe speaketh after this maner From the twentieth yere sayth he euen to the xxxii yere of king Artaxerxes that is xii yere I and my brethren haue not eaten the bread of the gouernour c. So that it is euident that whiles the citie was buylding so many yeeres passed ouer For so we reade the Nehemias gaue his promise to returne to the king and queene as soone as the work was finished Thus much touching the ix chapter of Daniel neither is this al that Daniel reporteth of the Messhias for besides this many other his prophecies doe foreshewe and as it were directly leade vs by the hande to the kingdom of Messhias yea to the very distinct time thereof as is that of the Stone which being hewen out of a great hill without mās hande smote the image that represented
chapter Put of thy mourning garments O Ierusalem and thinâ— affliction and decke thee with worship and honour because euerlasting glory commeth vnto thee from god Put on the garment of righteousnes that commeth from God and set a crowne vpon thy head of the glory of the euerlasting for God will declare thy brightnes vnto euery couÌ„trey vnder the heauens and God will name thee by his name for euer c. What can be of more efficacie then the testimonies of the foresaid scriptures in the which forasmuch as two things are set down chiefely to be noted ye must yeeld to the one of them of very necessitie either that this kingdome of Israel shal neuer decay againe after their returne from the Babylonical captiuitie which being construed after the carnal sense of the letter is most false as you maye plainely perceiue or els if the kingdome of Israel be ouerthrowen and haue an end and so theÌ„ the Prophets to lye which is the most absurde thing that may be spoken Whereby appeareth most euidently that all those sayings wherein the Prophets haue foretolde of the royaltie of Dauids throne and of the euerlasting glory therof must haue a certaine mysticall and spirituall interpretation For you are not ignorant your selues of that which happened to that fleshly and worldly estate of this kingdom and into how narowe streightes extremities it was forced when as your citie was besieged and razed by the Romanes your Temple consumed with fire and all things in the citie deuoured and ransacked euen to the rooting out of all your nation almost So that the circumstances of the times being duly weighed wil plainely conuince you that these promises made touching the perpetuall establishment of the kingdome of Dauid must be farre otherwise vnderstoode and that your selues either lye shamefully in the order of your exposition or els that your owne Prophets did prophesie contrary to the trueth Sith therfore one of these two must of necessitie be graunted chuse which you wil or els discouer some way how you may escape out of this Labyrinth First I suppose no man wil coÌ„demne the Prophets for liers for thei deliuered nothing vnto vs but that which by wonderful inspiratioÌ„ they receiued of the holy ghost yea the same also infallibly true as approued froÌ„ time to time by the circumstances and sequele of the time For they foresawe as trueth was being infourmed by the holy ghost first the deliuery of the remnant of that nation in the transmigration of Babylon and it came to passe they foresawe also that this captiuitie should endure no lesse theÌ„ lxx yeres This also came to passe Finally they foresawe that after the full expiration of this exile and banishment a prince should come and a sonne should be giuen in the fulnes of time which should possesse the throne of his father Dauid and take vpon him the gouernement of the kingdome and should establishe the same in a permanent and vnperishable course of continuance peace and tranquillitie for euer And this also was perfourmed euen then accordingly when as the sonne of God was borne in the citie of Dauid that woonderful counsailour the mightie God the prince of peace who albeit died once according to the flesh seemed to be vanquished yet was he not holden of death aboue three dayes but suruiued of his owne power and liueth for euer and euer and in dying hath obteyned an â—ndlesse conquest of death and triumpheth now not much vnlike vnto Sampson victoriously ouer death hath rent in sunder the yron gates of sinne hath crusht the tyranny of the deuil in pieces and purchased euerlasting life for his elect not perishable by any assault of hautie aduersary nor vanquishable by any power of worldly policie For as to that that the citie was put to the sacke by the puissant armie of the Romanes the Temple burnt and razed to the ground all this nothing at al diminisheth the credit of the Prophet touching the establishment of the glory of that throne but rather confirmeth and doeth argue it to be of much more estimation The rebel Iewes and trayterous murtherers of Christ were ouercome in battel but Christ him self Prince of that kingdome with his Church could not be brought vnder subiectioÌ„ neither shall at any time but hath conquered liueth and triumpheth dayly And although you can not yet conceiue this inuincible Maiestie of that euerlasting king yet your Prophets saw it yea your father Abraham sawe it and reioyced Esay sawe it witnessing the same with an othe The Lord hath sworne by his right hand and by the strength of his arme Surely I wil no more giue thy corne to bee meate for thine enemies surely the sonnes of the strangers shall not drinke the wine for the which thou hast laboured but they that haue gathered it shall eate thereof and shall praise the lord And the gatherers thereof shall drinke it in the courtes of my Sanctuarie c. Againe the same Esay speaking vnto Ierusalem as though she were prisoner in Babylon Whereas thou hast bene forsaken so that no man went by thee I wil make thee an eternall glorie and a ioye from generation to generation c. Moreouer in the 54. Chapter For a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a litle season but with euerlasting mercie haue I had compassion vpon thee saith the Lord thy redeemer for this is vnto me as in the waters of Noah to whome as I haue sworne that I would no more go ouer the earth with waters so haue I sworne that I would no more bee angrie with thee nor rebuke thee For the mountaines shall remoue and the hilles shall fall downe but my mercie shal not depart from thee neither shall the couenant of my peace fal away saieth the Lord that hath compassion on thee And againe in another place Go ye out of Babel flee ye from the Chaldeans with a voyce of ioy tel and declare this shew it forth to the endes of the earth Saye ye the Lord hath redeemed his seruaunt Iacob And within a litle after It is a small thing that thou shouldest be my seruant to rayse vp the tribes of Iacob and to restore the desolâ—tion of Israel I will giue thee also for a light to the Gentiles that thou maiest be my saluation vnto the end of the worlde Beholde I haue grauen thee vpon the palme of my hande thy walles are euer in my sight Thy buylders make haste thy destroyers and they that made thee waste are departed from thee c. Neither did Esay see these things alone The other Prophets Patriarches and holy ones also dyd awayte for the royall excellencie of this kingdome before it was come The Angels signified out of heauen that he was presently come his miraculous works doe ratifie the same his rysing againe at the feast of Easter confirmeth it yea the deuils them selues felt it and dyd
ministerie of thy chaÌ„pions thou gauest to him for foode is turned into thy poyson for vs into the bread of life Doest thou not remember how y famous soleÌ„ne feast day wherein he did triuÌ„phe ouer death when he spoiled principalities powers and made a shewe of them openly triumphing ouer them in his ovvne person wherein thou thy selfe with thy mates dydst reioyce by the space of two dayes was erected to vs for a perpetuall monument of eternall ioye and freedome At the very naming wherâ—of the whole rabble of thy adherentes do trâ—â—ble and quake for feare Doest thou not acknowledge now at the length y glorious name that was gyuen him aboue al names the power whereof thou doest feele now and then among to thy great griefe and whereunto all the furies of hell confederats of thy malice are compelled to yeelde maugre their teeth Doth not this victorious conquerour by contrary enterchaunge of tymes treade downe thy cowardise deseruedly as saying thus Death where is thy sting Death where is thy victorie And what auaileth thee being altogether vanquished aud brought into thralldome to kicke against the conqueror inciting prouoking the Pharises kings of the Gentiles so furiously to rage agaynst the godly Martyres Goe to and what hast thou wonne by their imprisonmeÌ„ts chaynes stoning to death scourgings tormeÌ„tings by fiery enflamed plates tortures and rackings burning broylinges and skorchinges by all kindes of horror and crueltie and by so many their slaughters I will tell thee Thou hast confirmed the faith of Christ thou hast established enlarged the kingdome of Christ and hast heaped vpon thy selfe and thy broode double tormentes of vnquencheable flames And heerein we are somewhat behoâ—â—ing to thee for that through this deadly madnes it commeth to passe that throughout the whole worlde the name of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesu Christ is magnified and renowmed and also because thou ceasest not to lye in wayte against his heele dayly as yet but he that is in heauen doeth skorne at thy malicious deuises he derydeth thy subtill sleyghtes that hath skill to conuert thy despite and outrage to the benefit of his elect and to the glorious encrease of their eternall felicitie But I returne to the prophets againe out of euery of whome I do not purpose to sette downe all that they wryte touching my purpose but I will giue you a taste of a fewe speciall sentences taken out of an infinite nomber skatteringly here and there and wil gather them together to fâ—t our present matter that ye shall neyther be able with shifte or cauillation whatsoeuer to delude the manifest proofes concerning Christ Iesu our Lord vnlesse you disclaime wholy from your owne prophetes nor yet allowe of your prâ—phets vnlesse you do admit withal our sauior Iesu christ Amongst whom because I wil not be long to omit the notable prophecies of Ezechiel very much auaylable to this our discourse wherin he foretelleth of the returne of the dispersed Iewes froÌ„ Babylon to their owne citie and the seconde buylding vp of their temple which from thenceforth shoulâ— stande vnshaken and neuer peryshe any more nor be molested by any inuasion of the enemie For euen to that effect doth the prophete treate very largely in the xxviii of his prophecie saying And they shall dwell in their laÌ„d with all securitie they shal buyld houses shal plant vineyards shall inhabit the land confidently when I shal execute iudgement against all theÌ„ that shal stand against them rounde about them c. And againe in the 34. chapter thus he sayeth And they shal be safe in their lande they shall no more be spoyled of the heathen neither shall the beasts of the lande deuoure them but they shall dwell confidently and none shall make them afrayde And I will rayse vp for them a plant of renowme And they shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land neyther beare the reproche of the Heathen any more c. And in his xxxvi chapter speaking to the mountaines of Israel And I wyll bryng my people agayne sayeth he vnto them and you shall bee theyr inheritaunce and they shall possesse you Thou shalt not waste thy people from hencefoorth And I wyll cause no more to heare in thee the shame of the Heathen any waye neyther shalt thou beare the reproche of the people any more c. And immediately in the chapter next ensuyng And they shall be no more two people neyther be deuided any more from hencefoorth into kingdomes neyther shall they be polluted any more with their Idolles nor with any of their transgressions But they shall dwell vpon their lande them selues euen their sonnes and their sonnes sonnes for euer And my seruaunt Dauid shall be theyr Prince for euer And I wyll make a couenaunt of peace with them it shall be an euerlastyng couenaunt with them And I wyll multyplye them and wyll place my Sanctuarie among them for euermore And in an other chapter a lyttle before And I wyll call for corne and I will encrease it and laye no famine vpon you c. Nowe considering and conferring with this the great famine that not long after ensued the citie beeyng besieged by the Romanes when as mothers were enforced through famine to slay their suckling babes yea the citie besides were almost starued pyned vp with hunger I can not see how that saying can be verified vnlesse you vnderstand it as hauing relation to the spirituall kingdome of Israel and not to the carnall But to passe ouer these because we shal not be able to stande vpon all their testimonyes spoken to this effect as I haue sayde before we wyll proceede to others And first let vs consider the place taken out of the ix chapter of Daniel his prophecie because it fitteth this purpose more notably then any other where the heauenly Prophete doeth in fewe woordes comprehende the whole estate of your common weale from your returne out of the Babylonicall captiuitie euen to the vttermost poynt of your desolation describing withal in the same chapter the death of the Messhias the ende and consummation of sinne together with the vtter abolishment of the obseruances and sacrifices of the ceremonial Law by such special markes tokeÌ„s so euideÌ„tly that it can by no meanes possible be gainsayde Wherefore let vs with good aduise ponder the words of the prophet with no lesse diligeÌ„ce theÌ„ the matter requireth For in this wise the Angel Gabriel doth cal vpon Daniel whiles he was praying and speaketh the wordes ensuing At the beginning of thy supplications sayth he the commandement came forth And I am come to shewe thee for thou art greatly beloued Therefore vnderstande the matter and consider the vision Seuentie weekes are shortened or determined vpon thy people and vpon thy holy citie to finish the wickednes to seale vp the sinnes to recoÌ„cile the iniquitie to bring in the
the foure Monarchies of the worlde and brake his head his breast his legges his feete in pieces that no place was founde for them but the stone it selfe became a great mountaine and filled the whole earth But what is the purport of al these things And first what is meant by the stone hewen downe without hands falling from a great hill what by that striking and breaking the image in pieces by that huge mountaine by that exceeding increase of the stone into an vnmeasurable quaÌ„titie the incredible greatnesse whereof ouerthrowing all other kingdomes of the earth should possesse the whole world besides WheruÌ„to tend al these what do they import what do they represent vnto vs els theÌ„ the same which we perceiue most plainly was accoÌ„plished in the sonne of God who desceÌ„ding from the highest heaueÌ„s into the woÌ„â—e of a base virgine borne of his mother without al carnal knowledge who alone comming into the world without all ayde of naturall generation did vanquishe all power and pompe of the world and the deuill by holding his peace onely brake the gates of hell in sunder with suffering onely ouercame death with dying onely and purchased thereby an euerlasting kingdome of perpetuall felicitie for his chosen and elect which kingdome shall endure in vnmoueable eternitie aboue and beyonde all other kingdomes and empires of the worlde For all other empires standing in most fickle estate by enterchaunge of elder yeeres waxe transitorie and vanishe awaye and with mutuall emnitie do pursue eche other to vtter destruction This onely kingdome raysed vp without handes by the eternall God can not be shyuered with any vyolence or waxe olde with any processe of tyme nor be subdued by any force or polycie of man but with his vnperysheable perpetuitie shall crushe in pieces and weare out all other kingdomes and it selfe persiste neuerthelesse vnuanquisheable for euer and euer And this so incomprehensible Maiestis of this kingdome the Prophete doeth not in one place alone prophecie shoulde come nor doeth he promyse it onely but discouereth also the very mynute and instant of tyme wherein this kingdome shoulde flouryshe so that the commendation wherewith your Ioseph doeth so hyghly aduaunce this Prophete is not vnaptly applyed To wytte that he doeth not onely foreshewe the euents and successes to tymes as other prophets doe but with a most playne viewe as it were doth poynt with the finger to the time it selfe in which all these things should come that should ensue c. I coulde vouche out of the same Daniel sundry sentences many also out of other prophets to the like effect for what els doth the whole propheticall history of the Bible euen from the beginning to the ende thereof describe vnto vs then Christ Iesu his kingdome very base simple in the eye iudgement of carnall capacitie but to the spiritual beholders most beautiful glorious What doth the deliuery of Ionas out of the whales belly the thirde day prefigure vnto vs other then the resurrection of Christ What doeth the translating of Elias into heauen in a firy charriot signifie other then the ascension of Christ What doeth that brasen serpent foreshewe other then Christ crucified vpon the crosse What doe the manifold afflictions of king Dauid represent but the continual persecution of Christ in this world What doth Moyses signifie but a deliuerer Iosuah but the victorious conquest of Christ ouer all his enemies What doth the rule gouernmeÌ„t of Ioseph with a certaine royall maiestie ouer the Egyptians emply but the kingdome of Messhias at whose bâ—â—ks all thinges in earth and heauen should be obedient and subiect It would require a long discourse tâ— ouerrunne all the mystical sâ—yings of the prophets I wil adde hereunto one or two places out of the prophet Malachie Malachie beyng of one minde iudgemeÌ„t that Daniel and our Paul were of dotâ— not onely foretell the casting away of your â—â—â—ion but rendreth also the reason that procured Gods wrath agaynst your people For Malachie and Daniel doe both agree in this poynt that the vttâ—r destruction of that nation was decreed vpon by the secrete counsell of God to the ende they shoulde becoâ—e a president whereby the wicked myght be forewarâ—ed of the seuere Iustice of God as also for this cause chiefely by reason that els the vaine â—ersuasion that hath taken roote so long in the hearts of the people touching the righteousnes of the Law touching â—â—rcumcision 〈◊〉 to offrings sacrifices could not be rased out of their mindes if the ceremoniall Law should coÌ„tinue in her former authoritie And therefore it pleased Almightie God to make manifest to all men that thâ—se eâ—tâ—â—nall rytes shadowes and Ceremâ—â—ieâ— were not auaylable to procure true ryghtoâ—â—nesse and that the ryghâ—eousnesse of the Lawe was not that pure ryghteâ—uâ—snes wherâ—unto the promyses dyd direct thâ—m But lette us heare â—he woordes of Malachie I haue no pleasure in you â—ayeth the Lorde of hostes nâ—yther wyll I accept ofâ—ring at your handeâ—â—â—or from the rysing of the Sunne vnto 〈◊〉 goyng downe of the same my name is great among the Gentiles And in euery 〈…〉 offered vnto my name for my name is great among the Gentâ—les sayeth the Lorde of hostes â— Amongst mâ—â—â— thynges wâ—â—â—thie 〈◊〉 be noted in thâ—â— saying of the Pâ—rophete there are â—hreâ— specâ—all 〈◊〉 to â—ee conâ—â—â—ered Namelyâ— thâ— one coâ—cernyng you that are Iewâ—s secondly concerâ—â—â—â— your Sacrifices lastly the plâ—câ— it selfe where offryng shalbâ— made For the 〈◊〉 had promysed â—hat he woulde alter 〈◊〉 â—enewâ— euâ—ry of these to the ende 〈…〉 thereby despoyle you of all matter to glory vpoâ— as vpon yoâ—r parentage 〈◊〉 â—oâ—shippings yea your temple it selfe your offrings and Sacrifices And whyâ—s because he had determined to make an innouation of them as ye doe heare and to translate them from you to others which thing the same holie Ghost doeth manifestly set downe in an other place in like woordes by his Prophete Esay Beholde sayeth he I wyl create newe heauens and a newe earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into minde And agayne in an other place And the Lorde shall kyll thee and shall call his seruauntes by an other name c. The woordes are somewhat vnlike but the sense is all one nothing differyng from the saying of Malachie I haue no pleasure in you c. Doest thou not perceyue in these woordes howe thou shalt â—e cast away thou proude generationâ— And because you shal knowâ— that God wil neuerthelesse not be destitute of a people that shall glorifie his name though you be cleane â—ewen of from the Oliue tree My name sayeth he is great among the Gentiles I haue declared vnto you what shall become of your nation and people Now wil I proceede to explane vnto you of your Temple and place of prayer whereupon you vaunt your selues so much The Prophete therefore goeth forwarde In all places
thee nor allurâ—tâ— thee to abandone thy doting error for thou doest as yet breathe out villanie against the king of the Iewes whose name we haue in greatest estimation But what thinkest thou to gaine by kicking against the pricke Doest thou not perceiue how God hath made frustrate all thy deuises contrary to thine expectation Doest thou not see how thy mischieuous practises recoyle backe vpon thine owne head Doest thou not feele thy downfall into the pit which thy selfe hast diggedâ— Thou seest the Temple so razed and ouerthrowen to the ground that no stone thereof can be found thou doest see thy religion vtterly abolished the priesthode the Lawe the kingdom your cities your nation your race and kindred wholy extinguished brieâ—ely thou canst recompt no one thing remaining but a fewe wretched roages and contemptuous runnagates true monuments of the outragious insolencie and miserable calamitie of their forlorne forefathers yea that seely small porcion also enduring through none other priuilege then by this commendation of Paul and the gentle sufferâ—â—ce of the Christians And beeing thus continuallyâ— turmoyled wyth sundrie miseries notwithstanding Gods iust iudgement doeth daylie execute newe encreases of his seuere wrath against you yet are your myndes so intoxicate with the poysoned doâ—â—oreanche of bewitched ignoraunce that these woonderfull scourges can plie your heartes to no better grace persisting still in peruerse frowardnes as that these pinching plagues y horrour whereof might haue preuayled to procure amendement seeme rather to stirre and prouoke you to further crueltie For albeitâ— you do plainely perceiue and can not denye but that all whatsoeuer your owne Prophets haue foretolde of the Messhias is absolutely accomplished in the person of Christ Iesu albeit you may easily learne out of the holie Scriptures by continual experience and successes of tymes that there is none other Christ but euen the same whome the whole worlde doeth worshippe at this present albeit you sensibly feele that you are become a mockerie not to almightie God onely but accompted also no better then rascalles runnagates of al nations of y world yet do yee curse Christ in your synagogues dayly and expect yet an other Messhias I know not whome which you shal neuer see but in that terrible dreadfull day of wrath at what time maugte your teeth you shal beholde him whome you haue cruelly crucified What monstruous hardnes of heart is this yee men and Hebrewes that so manyâ— heauenly oracles of so many your owne Prophets so many manifest testimonies of sacred scriptures so many horrible punishments so many vnmercifull plagues wherewith your nation is and hath bene continually tormented can not enduce you to conceiue some sparkle of true repentance The Romanes did â—ansacke you with such outrage in their conquest that they spared neither yong nor olde men women nor infants neither left one stone standing vpon an other of your whole citie Finally your habitations are become waste and desolate ye haue now neither citie nor temple kingdome nor priesthode people nor Prophete and which of all other is most lamentable you haue eyes that can not see eares that can not heare nor hearts that can vnderstand whereby you may repent and be conuerted to your liege Lord and â—â—uâ—reigne king Buâ— go ye to let all that which is past be imputed either to your ignoraunce or to the wrathful vengeaÌ„ce of God for your vnbeliefe sake because ye knewe not the tyme of your visitation And beyng allured stirred vp to better remembrance by so manifold exaÌ„ples learne now at the length by the preaching of the Gospel to acknowledge our Christâ—Iesu the Lord of peace of meekenes of humilitie to be the onely Messhias sent from God the father in whose name all nations of the earth shal be saued to whome all knees in heauen and earth ought to bow downe and prostrate them selues There was sometimes an vnsaâ—orie season of darkened ignorance when as our Temples also were polluted with filthy Idolatrie but nowe sithence all cloudes of foggy superstitioÌ„ are for the more part scattered and vanished out of sight the cleare dawning of the lightsome trueth of Christs Gospel displayeth his orient beames treade no longer the dyrty tracke of superstitiouse mismases but returne with vs and be made partakers of the liuely welspring of syncere and pure doctrine The same Christ whome you do persecute must be worshipped whose doctrine you do practize to roote out euen he doth offer you saluation freely and frâ—nkely The same whome you contemptuously entreated as a man is woorshipped in all the worlde both God and man howsoeuer ye despised him as Ioseph was sometyme reiected of his brethren yet reygneth he in the glorie of his father whome you mortall men beleeâ—ed to dye the naturall death the same reuiued agayne immortall and shall lyue in immortalitie for euer Whome your forefathers embased vnder the raskall rabble of the people and accompted for an abiect and outcast of all men euen to his Maiestie doe all the loftie estates and stately powers of heauen and earth prostrate and humble them selues that the saying of Esay may aptly be verified in this place The kings of the earth shal stoppe their mouthes before him Whom you reproched with the most shamefull death of the crosse the very same crosse is turned into his glorie to our saluation to the iudgement of the world to the destruction of his enemies and euerlasting consolation of them that be redeemed So that here agayne the prophecie of Esay may seeme to take effectâ— And euerlasting ioye shal be vpon their heads and sorow and mourning shall flee away Finally whose name your forefathers hoped to haue bene razed out of all mens memory the very same name hath God magnified aboue all the glorie of Angels and men at the calling vpon whose name the dead aryse againe maladies are cured deuils doe tremble and quake for feare vncleane spirites are tormented and flee awaye yea the whole Ierarchie of Angels doe bowe downe and worshippe Nowe for as much as these thinges are so manifest that no man can be ignoraunt of them I doe woonder much what reason you can alleadge to colour your obstinate contumacie who being taught by so many examples can content your selues neuerthelesse to lye still snorting and slumbring in vanishing shadowes neglecting the very naturall sonne of God can groâ—e like buzzards after aseÌ„selesse imaginatiue shape of I know not what Meschias when as your true Meschias is already comeâ— or besides him els shal neuer any one come vnlesse al your own prophets were lyars who haue described vnto you none other Meschias but this one onely person But this matter happely may offeÌ„d you to repete againe somewhat of that I haue spokeÌ„ because his comming was contemptible base of no reputation because he was condemned to death because he was crueified on the crosse because he dyed and was buryed But if euery of these had
redeemer and attaine eternall saluation of bodie and soule together with vs in thy euerlasting kingdom through thee our Lord and Sauiour Amen FINIS Imprinted at London by Christopher Barker Printer to the Queenes Maiestie ANNO. 1578. The confession of faith which Nathanael a lewe borne made before the Congregation in the Parish church of Alhallowes in Lombard streete at London whereupon he was according to his desire receiued into the number of the faithfull and so baptized the first of April 1577. MEn and brethreÌ„ to whom God hath reuealed in these later dayes the secrete of his sonne which was hidden from you many ages it is not vnknowen vnto you how that in the dayes of our forefathers God chose vs to be a precious people vnto himself aboue all the people that are vpon the earth and he loued vs and chose vs not because we were mo in number then anie people for we were the fewest of all people but hee chose vs onely because hee loued vs and because he would keepe the othe which he had sworne vnto our fathers Abraham Isaac Iacob By vertue of which promise the same our Lord and God whose name is Iehouah brought our fathers by a mightie hande and deliuered them out of the house of bondage from the hande of Pharaoh King of Egypt that they might knowe that the Lorde their God is the God in deede the faithfull God which keepeth couenant and mercie vnto theÌ„ that loue him and keepe his coÌ„mandements euen to a thousand generations According to which great vnspeakeable louing kindnesse he kept and preserued our fathers in the land of Israel which he had giuen them vnder the obedience of his Lawe in such seruice of sacrifices and other rites as he had appointed them to be done and practised all the dayes of their liues in the citie of Ierusalem where was his Temple built vpon the mount Sion so long as they kept them selues in obedience to the same Lawe and ordinances But when they forsaked the Lord their God and cleaued vnto false gods he rewarded them to their face because they hated him and brought them to destruction by deliuering them into the handes of manie enemies as into the hands of Nabuchadnezer by whom they were caried into captiuitie to Babylon and there remained the dayes foretolde them by our Prophet Ieremie Fulfilling thereby the wordes of our Prophet Moseh foretelling vs that it should so be if we forsooke the Lord our God and leauing vs their posteritie an example thereby that if we followed like iniquitie like seueritie of punishment should ouertake vs As it came to passe and is fulfilled in the eyes of all the world by this captiuitie which we are now in and haue been in we and our forefathers euer since the death of that righteous man Iesus Christ whome the Scribes and Pharisies and Elders of our people deliuered into the handes of Pontius Pilate to be put to death being before betrayed into their handes by one of his owne disciples that sonne of perdition Iudas Ishcarioth As our forefathers then pronouÌ„ced against them selues Let his bloud be vpon our heads and vpon our children so it is come to passe by the righteous iudgement of that mightie dreadfull god For euen from those dayes vnto this present the whole house of Israel that is wee that come of the stocke of Abraham after the fleshe is are strangers out of the land of Israel our owne countrie without Lawe or Prophets without all exercise of his statutes and ordinances concerning his worshippe prescribed vnto vs by the hande of his seruant Moseh This long and weariesome captiuitie hath consumed a great number of our forefathers â—nd hath caused some of vs froÌ„ time to time through the grace and loue of God wherewith hee loueth vs for the promise sake to thinke vpoÌ„ our promised Messhiach conferring these dayes of sorowe calamitie with our former captiuities of our fathers which were nothing so many in number of yeres nor so grieuous for want of our Prophets These fiftene hundreth yeres haue we bene strangers these fiftene huÌ„dreth yeres haue we lacked our Prophets a thing not seen at any time before wheÌ„ we our fathers were caried into a strange land For in Egypt they had Mosheh Aaron and in Babylon they had Ieremie Daniel besides Ezra Nechemiah and manie other onely in this captiuitie is Israel left desolate and our Prophets cleane gone Whereof when it pleased God I should haue consideration I was lead to thinke that our Messhiach is come and that our long looking for an other was but in vaine And that rather for that I see the wordes of Iacob our father accomplished where hee sayeth The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a lawegiuer from betweene his feete vntill Shiloh come and the people shal be gathered vnto him For the Scepter and gouernement was continued in the house of Iudah as our fathers accord vntill the comming of this man Iesus in whom if it were not continued according to the woordes of our scriptures it hath failed and wanted euer since For since the dayes of that iust man there hath bene no Scepter amongest vs neither haue we or do we runne for iudgements vnto Ierusalem So that if the wordes of our father Iacob be true That the Scepter should not depart from the house of Iudah vntill Shilo came and there is no Scepter nor Lawegiuer nowe in that house then must it needes be that this man Iesus whoÌ„ you confesse and beleeue is that Shilo which was to come and is that childe of whom one or our Prophetes sayeth Unto vs a childe is borne and vnto vs a sonne is giuen and the gouernement is vpon his shoulder And hee shall call his name Wonderfull Counseller The mightie God The euerlasting Father the Prince of peace the increase of his gouernement and peace shall haue none end he shall sitte vpon the throne of Dauid and vpon his kingdome to order it to stablish it with iudgement and iustice from henceforth euen for euer The zeale of the Lord of hosts will performe this This man then no doubt is that Messhiach which was looked for according to promise and our fathers and people acknowledge not fulfilling in them selues the wordes of their owne mouth His bloud be vpon our heads In deede it seemed strange to me and doth to the rest of my brethren according to the flesh eueÌ„ vnto this daye in whome this blindnesse and hardnesse of heart is in part continued through occasion giuen by them that professe the name of this man Iesus And not onely in vs which are of the house of Israel but in other as the Turkes and Mahomets which are of the race of Ishmael For had it not bene for the great and manifolde Idolatrie that is committed and vsed amongst the Christians almost in all places where his Name is professed manie of our nation had repeÌ„ted in
vs by the hand of Mosheh beeing assured by the scriptures that the Ierusalem which we shal be restored vnto is the kingdome of heauen from which wee were cast through vnbeliefe and are againe restored vnto it as manie of vs as beleeue in this our Immanuel by the same God with vsâ— whose bloud hath opened vs the waye anâ— not the bloud of our goates calues whicâ— were figures of this true and perfect sacrifice wrought by this man vpon the crosse by vertue whereof they were auaylable to so many of our fathers as did beleeue for the remissâ— of sinnes and deliuerie out of that thraldoâ—â— of the soule and not out of the captiuitie â—â—ther of Egypt or Babylon or this wherâ—â— we and our forefathers haue iustly bene euâ—â— since the vnrighteous shedding of this riâ—â—â—teous mans bloud Moreouer I confesse with my mouthe 〈◊〉 beleeue in my heart that this same man Iesus the sonne of that virgin is not onely 〈◊〉 but God both God and man so called by our Prophets Immanuel God with vs God not made in time nor after a season but God from the beginning and without beginning who was before the sunne shal be after the sunne as our Prophet Dauid sayth by whoÌ„â—s al things were made from the beginning so are they preserued by his mightie power and of his kingdome there shal be none ende Who as he is called the word of God his father so were all the Prophets giuen and sent â—y him the onely true interpreter and messenger of his Fathers will which he reueaâ—â—d from time to time to his people by the handes of his Prophets as he thought best ordering the measure of the reuelatioÌ„ of him selfe as might best stand with the time of his comming when he was to be presented vnto the world And therefore he opened him self â—nto our fathers in the times and dayes of â—ur Prophetes but darkely vnder types and â—igures laying a vayle as it were ouer our eyes to the end we should be more earnest painefull in seeking after him But in the fulâ—es of time when the season appointed hy his Father was come then he reuealed him selfe fully and plainly preaching both him selfe the kingdome of heauen and sending forth his Apostles to do the same vpon whom therefore he powred out the holy Ghost which is called his Spirit so performing that which our Elders set downe as a proper marke of the comming of our Meshiach to witte that in that daye our Prophets should cease thâ— holy Ghost should be giuen to ignorant anâ— vnlearned men which we haue seen fulfilled in the eyes of all Israel And therefore I receiue this word of God which hath been froâ— those daies called the New Testament as the true vndoubted word of God vttered by y same Spirit which spake in our Prophets Againe I confesse with my mouthe and beleeue in my heaâ—te that that holye Ghost and Spirit who was the directour of all our Prophets and was also promised by this mâ—â—â— Iesus our Immanuel to be alwayes with 〈◊〉 people to leade them into all trueth vnto 〈◊〉 worldes ende is also verie God one in sâ—â—â—stance and nature with God the Father 〈◊〉 God the Sonne but an other in persone◠〈◊〉 the Father the SoÌ„ne differ in person 〈◊〉 that there are not three Gods but one Goâ—â— neither one onely person but three personâ—â— Which person of the holy Ghost as he hath bene from the beginning of the world by the euerlasting counsel and determinate purpose of God the directour and gouernour of his Church that is to say the assemblie and companie of his people agreeing together in vnitie of faith and doctrine and did therefore for the bringing and maintenance of them into the vnitie of this faith and doctrine deliuer them from God diuers rites ceremonies diuers in outward shewe but one selfe same in effect and substance hauing onely for their ground and matter this man and God Iesus Christ our Immanuel So doth he continue still to nourishe vs vp in the same and therefore commendeth to vs to be kept for 〈◊〉 euerlasting couenant two sacraments the one of Baptisme the other of the Lordes supper which two the will of our Lord God was and is should be in place of the circumcision and Passeouer coÌ„manded to our forefathers Which I stedfastly beleeue and religiously confesse and therefore renouncing the former as also al other rites and ceremonies of the Lawe being but shadowes of the bodie which is now performed and come I most humbly desire to be receiued into the fellowship of these Sacramentes that as it hath pleased our Lord God and heaueÌ„ly 〈…〉 ther to reueale his sonne vnto me to 〈◊〉 me againe into the stocke of my father Abâ—â—â—ham from whence I was cast out throâ—â—â— vnbeliefe with my forefathers the stifneck 〈◊〉 and disobedient So I may through Bâ—â—tisme be receiued and taken for a membe◠〈◊〉 this our Meshiach whom I confesse and 〈◊〉 knowledge to be the â—â—â—ly promised Chrâ—â— in whome whosoeuer will haue life must 〈◊〉 saued whereof I â—â—â—ke and trust to be 〈◊〉 taker in the 〈◊〉 of the righteouâ— which shal 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 agaiâ—â— of this our Immanâ—el when hee shaâ— come to iudge the â—uâ—cke and the â—eaâ— FINIS To his beloued Mother I. K. sendeth greeting in the Lorde THE desire that I haue to heare of your continuaÌ„ce which Christ Iesus in the day of this his battell which shortly shall end to the confusion of his proud enimies neither by tong neither yet by penne can I expresse beloued Mother Assuredly it is such that it vanquisheth and ouercommeth all remembrance solicitude which the fleshe vseth to take for feeding and defence of herselfe For in euery realme and nation God wil stirre vp some one or other to minister those thinges that appertaine to this wretched life and if men wil ceasse to doe their office yet will hee sende his rauens so that in euery place perchance I may finde some fethers to my body But alas where I shal finde children to be begotten vnto God by the worde of life that can I not presently consider And therfore the spiritual life of such as somtime boldly proâ—essed Christ god knoweth is to my hearte more deare then all the glory riches and honour in the earth And the falling backe of such men as I heare dayly Fides implicita Luke .24 Act .17 The theame out of the xi to the Romanes The summarie effect of Paules discourse câ—mprehâ—nded in few words The first isâ—ues of Gods promise The Oliue tree consisteth of three members the roote the stocke the braunches The Church how it standeth and groweth Augustin putat non amputat The authoritie of the person that speaketh I wil magniâ—ie mine office Rom. 11. Galat. 5. An expositioÌ„ of the matters here treated vpoÌ„ The first part concerning the Iewes and Gentiles The second part concerning the reiection of the one and receyuing of the other