had taught them The gospell he preached was not after man neyther receiued he it of man but by reuelation from Iesus Christ. Hee brought them no fancies visions dreames interpretations of Scripture hatched in his owne braine but the pure and sincere doctrine receyued by reuelation from GOD hymselfe and faythfully deliuered vnto them without hacke or mayme as he receiued it Therefore S. Ierome vppon that place considering how all Hereticks haue iugled with the Scriptures froÌ„ tyme to tyme sayth That Marcion and Basilides and other Heretiques the contagious botches and plague sores of the church haue not the Gospell of God because they haue not the Spyrite of GOD without which that which is taught groweth to be mans Gospell Thys maketh that learned Father to resolue vpon the matter that it is a dangerous thing peruersly to expound the holy Scriptures for by thys meanes that is by wrong and peruerse interpretation that which is Gods Gospell is made mans Gospell et quod peius est and that which is worse sayth thys holy Father it is made the deuils Gospell For discerning therefore of thys kynde of most pernicious people and theyr deuilish dealing and least we should be carried away with euery winde of docdrine by the wilinesse of men GOD hath ordained in hys Church Apostles Doctors Prophets Pastors Interpreters whom he hath so guyded and gouerned froÌ„ time to time with hys holy Spyrit that they haue beene able by the Scriptures to represse and beate downe whatsoeuer errours and heresies haue been raysed vp by the enemies of Gods truth contrary to the analogie of fayth rule of charitie that is to say beside the true sence and meaning of the Canonicall Scripture When there rose vp certaine seditious fellowes among the Iewes in the Primatiue Church making som contention about theyr ceremonies as did Simon Magus Nichâ—lasâ— Cerinthus Ebion and Meandâ—r that were Heretiques They were refelled and conuinced out of the scriptures by the Apostles and their Schollers Martialis Dyonisius Areopagita Ignatius Policarpus and other who were no doubt directed and guided by the Spyrit of GOD. Afterwarde when Basilides Cerdon Marcion ValeÌ„tinus Tatianus Apelles Montanus and diuers other troubled the Church wyth monstrous heresie they were coÌ„futed by Iustinus Martyr Dionisius Bishop of Corinth Iraeneus Clemens Alexandrinus Tertullian their equales who in all theyr controuersies had recourse vnto the Scriptures and beeing instructed and ledde by the spyrite of trueth preuailed mightilie against theyr aduersaries And so downward froÌ„ age to age vnto our dayes whatsoeuer heresie or different opynion hath sprung vp contrary to the doctrine of Christ and hys Apostles it hath beene checked and controlled by the Watchmen spiritual Pastors and Gouernors of the Church who alledged alway the coÌ„sent of y e scriptures for decyding of al doubts and were most graciously guided by the Spyrite of GOD in all theyr actions And heereof it is that the worde of God is called the sword of the spirit because as it was giuen by inspiration at the first so beeing expounded by the direction of the same Spirite it is most liuely and mighty in operation sharper then any two edged sword and entering through euen to the deuiding a sunder of the soule and the Spyrit of the ioynts and the marrowe and it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the hart This is that spyriual sword wherwith our Sauior Christ preuailed against sathan the head Lord maister of all Heretiques who notwithstanding pretended scriptures for his deuillish purposes And the Apostle Paule beeing furnished with thys onely weapon dysputed against the peruerse and ouer-thwart Iewes which dwelt at Damascus and confounded them proouing by conference of Scriptures that thys was verie Christ. Now as it was expedient that the Gospels should be written that we learning the truth fooâ—th of them should not be deceyued by the lyes of herâ—sies so was it necessary that the same gospels shold be preached for the confirmation of fayth And heereof it is that the Apostle Saint Paule Rom. 10 sayth that fayth coÌ„meth by hearing the word of God because the word preached is the ordinary meanes to beget and increase faith in vs for the which cause also it is called the incorruptible seede whereby we are borne a newe and whereby the Church is sanctifyed vnto the Lord. Wherfore to conclude this point seeing that the holy Scriptures are that most infallible and secure way mentioned by Esay seeing they are the rule and leuell both of our faith and lyfe containing in them sufficient matter to confute errour confirme the truth able to make a man wise vnto saluation and perfectly instructed vnto euery good worke this ought to be the duty of y e faythful that I may vse the words of Basil to be thorowly perswaded in his mind that those things are true and effectuall which are vttered in the Scripture to reiect nothing thereof For if whatsoeuer is not of fayth be sinne as sayth the Apostle and if fayth commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God without doubt when any thing is without the holy Scripture which cannot be of fayth it must needes bee sinne And therefore to speake as S. Augustine speaketh if any I will not say if wee but which S. Paule addeth if an Angel from heauen shal preach eyther of Christ or of his church or of any other thing which pertaineth to faith or to the leading of our lyfe otherwise then we haue receiued in the holy scriptures of the Law and the Gospell let them bee accursed Now if forsaking al by-pathes of mens inuentions and traditions we wil search diligently in the scriptures wherein we thinke to haue eternall lyfe we shall see that they testifie of nothing so much as of the promises of God in Christ Iesus who as he is the ende of the law for righteousnes to euery one that beleeueth so doe they send vs directly and as it were lead vs by the hand like a carefull Schoole-maister vnto hym teaching vs to apprehend and lay hold on hym with the hand of fayth and to apply hym with hys gifts graces vnto our selues and our own saluation So that fayth is made the meanes and as it were the Conduit to conuay Christ himselfe his death buriall and resurrection and all the rest of his benefits vnto vs which the Apostle witnesseth Colos. 2.12 Yee are buried saith he with hym thorow Baptisme in whom ye are also raised vp together through the sayth of GOD effectually working who raised hym from the dead Whereof it ensueth that all the faythfull doe not only obtaine y e benefit of Christes death and buriall by theyr Baptisme whereby they die vnto sinne but also doe receiue and enioy the fruite effect of his resurrection by a liuely faith wherby they are quickned and raised vp vnto righteousnes in thys life
the multitude of Propheciâ—s which are dysâ—ersed thorowe out the whole Scripture I might shew how Daniell fore-tolde to Baltasar King of Babylon in the midst of hys tryumph as in the hearing of all hys Peeres the destruction which insued vpon him the verie same night after I myght heere alledge how the same Daniel in the first yere of Darius the Median in the beginning of that second Monarchie of Medians and Persians fore-told howe manie Kings should raigne after him in Persia and how the last who was the fourth after him and hys name also Darius should fight against the Grecians be ouercome by a Grecian King which was Alexander and how the Kingdome also of the Grecians should be deuided and torne in peeces after Alexanders death and not passe to his posteritie as Iustine other Heathen writers doe testifie that it was by Antigonus Perdiccas Sâ—leuchus Antiochus Ptolomaeus and other Captaines of Alexander that deuided the same among themselues aboue a hundred yeeres after Darius was dead I might declare also how the same Daniell fore-saw and fore-told the four great Monarchies of the world and described the same as distinctly as if he had lyued in them all and as by experience we finde since to be true I myght alledge the particuler description of the fight betwixt Darius and Alexander sette downe by Daniel vnder the names of the great Ramme the fierce Gote with one horne which Goate himselfe interpreteth it to be meant of a Grecian King that should conquer the Persians And therfore Alexander as Iosephus reporteth comming to Ierusalem about a hundred yeeres after and hearing the Prophecie of Daniell interpreted vnto him by Iaddus the high Priest assured himselfe that he was the man therein signified so after long sacrifice doone to the God of Israel of whom he affirmed that he had appeared vnto him in Macedon and had exhorted him to take thys war in hand and after he had bestowed much honor many benefits vpon the high Priest Inhabitants of Ierusalem he went forward in his war against Darius with great alacritie had y t famous victorie which all the world knoweth A hundred such prophecies more which are as plaine as euident and as distinct as thys I might alledge of Elias Elizeus Samuel Dauid Ezechiel the twelue lesser Prophets and of other which I haue not named And in very truth the whole Scripture is nothing els but a diuine kind of body replenished throughout with the vital spirite of prophecie euery day some prophecie or other is fulfilled though we marke it not and shal be vnto the worlds end And the myracle of this matter is yet more increased if wee consider what manner of people they were for the most part by whom these Prophecies of hydden thinges werâ— vttered to wit not such men is could gather the fore-sight of things by Astronomie or Astrologie that is by contemplation of the starres as some fond Gentiles did pretende though Ptolomie denie that anie such thing can be fore-told but onelie by inspiration from God neyther yet were they so sharpe witted as to attaine to Prophecie by strange imaginations as most vainly Auerroes and his fellowes hold that some men may nor finally were they so delicatly fedde as by â—xact dyet and rules of Alchimie to come to Prophecieâ— as Alchimists dreame that a man may doe that Appolonius Thyanaeus dyd who by stillified meates as they speake came to be stillified himselfe and so by helpe of hys Glasse called Alchimusi to soretel some matters affaires to come Our Prophets I say knew none of these fantasticall deuises beeing for the most part poore simple and vnlearned men as in particuler was recorded that Dauid was a sheepeheard Amos was a keeper of Oxen Yea oftentimes they were Women as Marie the sister of Aaron called in the Scripture by the name of Prophetesse Debora the wife of Lapidoth Hanna the Mother of Samuell Elizabeth the Mother of Iohn Baptist Anna the Daughter of Panuell and finally the most holy and blessed virgine Mary with the daughters of Phillip and manie such other both in the old and new TestameÌ„t who prophecied strangely nor could possibly receiue such fore-knowledge of things to come but onely from the Spirite of the lyuing GOD and by inspiration of the holy Ghost which is a manifest demonstration of the excellencie of Holy-writ and of the certainty contained therein The eyght proofe of Scriptures AND nowe albeit this myght seeme sufficient in the iudgment and conscience of euery reasonable man as the Iew supposeth to proue that the Scriptures be only â—roÌ„ God consequently by them that there is a GOD yet hath he one reason more to confirme theyr sinceriâ—ie which I will alledge in this place there-with make an ende His reason is that although these holy writings which proceede of Gods spirite doe not take theyr testimony or confirmation froÌ„ man yet â—or more euidence of the truth God hath so prouided that al the principall most strange and wonderfull things recounted in scripâ—ure should be reported also and confirmed by Infidels Pagans Gentiles and Heathen Writers themselues albeit in some poynts they dyffer from the Scriptures in the manner of theyr narrâ—tion for that they adioyne superstitions thereunto Which maketh the more for approbation of the things for that heereby it appeareth they tooke not theyr stories direcâ—ly â—rom the Bible but by tradition and most auncient antiquities of theyr owne The Creation of the world FIrst theÌ„ he sheweth that the creation of the World which is the meruaile of all meruailes with the infusion of mans soule from God is â—oth graunted and agreed vpon by all those Heathen Phylosophers that haue beene cited before albeit the particularities be not so sette downe by them as they are in Scriptures and by all other that doe see in reason that of necessitie there must be yeelded som Creator of these things The floode of Noe. NExt to thys the flood of Noe is mencioned by diuers most auncient Heathen Wriâ—ers as by Baerosus Chaldaeus Ieronimus Egyptius Nicholaus Damascenus Abydenus and others according as both Iosephus and Eusebius doe proue And in Bresile and other Countries dyscouered in our age where neuer teachâ—rs were known to be beâ—ore they talke of a certaine drowâ—ing of the World which in tyme past happened and doe say that this was left vnto them by tradition from tyme out of minde by the first inhabitants of those places The long life of the first Fathers OF the long life of the first Patriarches according as the Scripture reporteth it not onely the former Authors but also Manethus that gathered the Historie of the Egiptians Molus Hestiaeus y t wrote the Acts of the Phaenicians Hesiodus Hecataeus Abderida Helanicus Acusilaus and Ephotus do testifie that those first inhabitants of the world
the Iewes no man can deny but that throughout the whole bodie and course of Scriptures that is from the very beginning to the last ende of theyr olde Testament they had promised vnto them a Messias which is the very same that we cal Christ that is to say a person annointed sent from God to be a Sauiour a Redeemer a Pacifier of Gods wrath a Mediator between God and man a Satisfier for the sinnes and offences of the whole worlde a Restorer of our innocencie lost in Paradise a Maister an Instructer a Law-giuer a Spirituall and eternall King that should sitte and rule and raigne in our harts to conquer the power and tyranny of satan y e enemy of mankinde who ouer-came our first Parents Adam and Eue and neuer ceaseth to assaile vs. The first couenaunt to Adam THIS is euident by the first couenant of all that euer GOD dyd make wyth man when he sayde to Adam our first Father in Paradise In what day soeuer thou shalt eate of the Tree that is forbidden thou shalt die Which couenaunt beeing after broken on the part of our sayd Progenitor he receiued hys iudgement but yet with a most benigne promise of redemption for the tyme to come for thus God said to y e deuill or Serpent that had deceiued hym The seede of the Woman shall crushe thy head and thou shalt lie in waite to hurt his heele That is one shall proceede in tyme of the seede of the Woman who shall conquer Death and Sinne that are thy weapons and shall not care for thy temptations but shall treade them vnder hiâ— feete and thys shall be Christ the Messias of the world Thus did not onely the eldest Iewes Rabbines vnderstand thys place what-soeuer the latter haue dreamed that their Messias should be onely a temporall King but also the olde Chaldie Paraphrase named Thargum Hierosolimitanum expouÌ„deth it plainly in these words applyed vnto the deuil that had dâ—ceiued Adam They haue a certain and present remedy against thee O deuill for that the time shall come when they shal tread thee downe with theyr heeles by the helpe of Messias which shall be theyr King To Abraham and Isaacke THE same thing is confirmed by the very same promise seauen times repeated and established vnto Abraham that liued very neere two thousand yeeres after Adam and again to Isaack his sonne after him In semine tuo benedicentur omnes gentes terrae All Nations of the earth shall be blessed in thy seede Which had beene indeede but a very small benediction to Abraham or to the Iewes after him y t neuer saw theyr Messias actually if hee had beene onely to be a temporall king And much lesse blessing had it beene to the Gentiles all other Nations if this Messias of the Iewes must haue been a teÌ„poral worldly Monarch to destroy subdue them to the seruitude of Iurie as fondly the latter teachers of that Nation do contend Iacobs prophecie of Christ. THIS yet maketh the Patriarch Iacob more plaine who prophecying at his death of the coÌ„ming oâ— Christ hath these words The scepter or gouernment shall not be taken from the house of Iuda vntill â—ecome that is to be sent and he shall bâ— the expectation of Nations Which latter words the fore-named Chaldie Paraphrase as also great Onkeâ—los both of singuler authoritie aâ—mong the Iewes do interpret thus Donec Christus â—eu Messias veniaâ— c. Vntil Christ or y e Messias comâ— which is the hope and expectatioâ— of all Nations as wel Gentiles as 〈◊〉 vs that are Iewes the gouernment shall not cease in the house or Tribe of Iuda By which sentence of scripture and interpretation of the Iewes themselues we come to learne besides the promise of the Messias two consequences in this matter against y e Iewes of latter tymes First that if their Messias must be y e hope and expectation as well of the Gentiles as of the Iewes then can hee not be a temporall King to destroy the Gentiles as y e latter Iewes wold haue it but a spyrituall King to raigne ouer them and to bring in subiection theyr spyrituall enemies for theÌ„ I mean the flesh the world and the deuil as all true Christians doe beleeue Secondly if the temporal kingdome of the house of Iuda whereof Christ must come shall cease and be destroyed at the comming of Messias as the Scripture auoucheth how then can the Iewes expect yet a temporal King for their Messias as most fondly they doe But to leaue this controuersie with the latter Rabbines and to goe forwarde in declaration of that which we tooke in hand that is to shewe how Christ was fore-tolde and promised to the Iewes It is to be noted that after the death of Iacob last mentioned there is little recorded in scripture of the doings of his people during the space of foure hundred yeres being y e time of their bondage in Egipt but yet y e tradition of that NatioÌ„ teacheth that as soone as they were deliuered out of Egypt were in the Desert towards the Land of Promise the three sonnes of Chore called Aser Eleana and Abiasaphe of whom mention is made in the sixt chapter of Exodus other places made diuers songs Psalmes in the praise expectation of the Messias to come and that the holy men of that time did solace themselues with singing the same that king Dauid afterward in the second part of his Psalmes beginning from the fortie and one vnto the eyghty and seauen gathered the most parte of these old songs together as yet they are to be seene in his Psalter Moises Prophecie of Christ. BVT Moises who liued with the people and gouerned theÌ„ in the wildernesse had a cleere reuelation from GOD of thys Messias in these words I will raise vp a Prophet to this people from amongst theyr bretheren euen as my selfe and I will put my words in his mouth he shall speake vnto them all things which I shall ordaine vnto him and he that shal refuse to heare the wordes which he shal speake vnto them in my name I will be reuenged vppon that man Which words that they cannot be vnderstoode of any other Prophet that euer lyued after Moises among the Iewes but onely of CHRIST it appeareth most manifestly and plainly by the testimony of the holie Ghost where he sayth And there arose not any other Prophet in Israell like vnto Moises c Dauids Prophecie of Christ. AFter Moises about four hundred yeeres ensued Dauid who for that he was a holy man the first King of the house of Iuda out of whose linage y e Messias was to com the particulers of thys misterie were more aboundantly and manifestlie reuealed vnto him then vnto any other And first for assuraunce that Christ should be borne of his stock and lynage these are the wordes of GOD vnto hym I
in many translations as for example where Esay saith Israell shall be saued in Iehoua with eternall saluation which Iehoua signifieth Christ as al men do coÌ„fesâ—e Ionathan turneth it thus Israell shall be saued by Gods word So againe where God sayth by Hosea I will saue the house of Iuda by Iehoua theyr God which is by Christ Ionathan translateth it thus I wyll saue Iuda by the word of theyr God In lyke manner where Dauid wryteth Iehoua sayd to my Lord sitte at my right hand c. Ionathan expresseth it thus Iehoua sayde vnto his worde sitte at my right hand So Rabbi Isaack Arama writing vpon Genesis expoundeth this verse of the Psalme he sent his word and healed them c. to be meant of Messias that shal be Gods word And Rabbi Simeon the chiefe of all the Cabalistes vpon these words of Iob I shall see GOD in my flesh gathereth that the word of God shal take flesh in a womans wombe So that thys doctrine was nothing strange among the auncient Rabbines For further confirmation whereof seeing the matter is of so great importance consider what is recorded in a Treatise called Zoar of high authoritie among the Iewes where Rabbi Simeon that was last before alledged citeth a place out of olde Rabbi Ibda vppon these wordes in Deuteronomie Iehoua our Lorde is one Iehoua which words the sayde auncient Rabbi Ibda interpreteth in thys manner by the first Iehoua in thys sentence being the incoÌ„munible name of God is signified sayth he GOD the Father Prince of all things By the next words our Lorde is signified GOD the sonne that iâ— fountaine of all Sciences And bâ— the second Iehoua in the same senâ—tence is signified GOD the holie Ghost proceeding of theÌ„ both To all which there is added the worde One to signify that these three are inuincible But this secrete shall not be reuealed vntill the comming of Messias Hetherto are the words of Rabbi Ibda reported in Zoar by Rabbi Simeon where also the said Rabbi Simeon interpreteth these words of Esay Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabaoth in this manner Esay by repeating three times holy sayth he doth as much as if he had sayd Holy Father holy Son holy Spirite which three Holies doe make but one only Lord God of Sabaoth Finally I will conclude thys controuersie betweene the latter Iewes and vs with the authoritie of learned Philo who lyued in the verie same time with Christ and was sent Embassadour twise to Rome in the behalfe of his Nation in Alexandria that is first in the 15. yeere of Tyberius the Emperour which was three yeeres before Christes passion and the very same yeere wherein he was baptised by S. Iohn and the second time about eyght yeres after to wit in the first yere of the raigne of Caligula Thys man that was the learnedest that euer wrote among the Iewes after y e writers of holy scriptures ceased made a speciall Booke of the banishment of hys Countrimen where hee hath thys discourse ensuing What tyme may be appointed saith he for the returne home of vs banished Iewes it is hard to determine For by tradition we haue that we must expect the death of an high Priest But of those some die quicklie and some liue longer But I am of opinion that this high Priest shal be the very word of GODâ— which shall be voyde of all sinne both voluntarie and inuoluntarie whose Father shall be GOD this word shall be that Fathers wisedome by which all things in thys world were created His head shal be annointed with oyle and hys kingdome shall florish and shyne for euer Thys wrote Phylo at that tyme when he little imagined y t the same high Priest whom he so much expected and the same word of God whose kingdome he describeth was now already come into the worlde And this shall suffise for our second consideration what maner of Messias the Iewes did expect The third Consideration NOw in the third place commeth to be considered what authoritie and power the Messias shoulde haue at hys appearance vpon earth and whether he should change and abrogate the Law of Moses or no Wherein there is no lesse controuersie between vs and the latter Iewes then in the former point of his diuinitie For we hold with Saint Paule that the Lawe of Moses was gyuen vnto the Iewes but for a time to entertaine the people withall and by the outward signes and ceremonies which it had whereof y e most paâ—t or aâ—l prefigured Christ to come to be their Schoole-maister and leader to the tyme of fayth wherein it should be abrogated a far more perfect law seâ—te downe by Christ in place thereof This we prooue first for that the Lawe of Moses was an imperfect Law bringing nothing to perfection as S. Paule well noteth It was as S. Peter saith a burdensome law which the Iewes theÌ„selues were not able to beare for the multitude of ceremonies therein contayned It was a carnall and seruile Law consisting most in the external It was a Law of terror and feare more then of loue and liberty of the spirite It was a Lawe as I sayd before of signes figures for things to come consequently to cease wheÌ„ those things which it prefigured shoulde come to be present It was a Lawe peculier and proper to the Iewes only without respect of all the rest of the world and the exercise thereof was allowed onely in the Countrey of Iurie and that which is more it was not permitted but in one place onely of that Countrey that is in Ierusalem whether euery man was bound to repayre three times a yere to wit at the Pasqua at the Pentecoste at the feast of Tabernacles in that place alone to make theyr sacrifices and in no other Countrey or place besides Now then reasoneth the learned Diuine if thys Lawe of Moses were for the Iewes and Iurie onely howe could it serue for y e tyme of the Messias who was to be King as well of the Gentiles as of the Iewes and to rule all people in the worlde that shoulde belieue in hym vnder one Law If the exercise of this law were allowable onely and lawâ—ull in Ierusalem how could it possiblie be fulfilled by Christians that are dyspersed ouer all the world as for example howe could they repayre to Ierusalem thrise euery yeere howe should euery woman that shoulde dwell in England or India repayre to Ierusalem for her purification after euery chyld-byrth as by the law of Moses she was commaunded Most euident is it then which we sayd before that thys Law was gyuen but to endure for a time And to vse S. Paules owne words it was but Introductio melioris spei an introduction to a better hope It was but an entertainement to that people which by theyr beeing among the Egiptians
at that time Which thing Iosephus that lyued in the same age with our Sauiour Christ affirmeth to be fulfilled in the tyme of Herode in so much that if the Romaines had not destroyed theÌ„ without doubt sayth he eyther the earth would haue opened and swallowed them downe or els fire from heauen would haue consumed them All then runneth to this end both by Scripture tradition obseruation and instinct of God himselâ—e that about Herods time the true Messias should be borne And heereof came that common and publique fame that is recorded by Tacitus Suetonius and Iosephus which was also written in open sight vpon the chiefest Tower of the Citty of IerusaleÌ„ that out of Iurie should riseâ— A generall Lord of the vniuersall worlde Which Prophecie as the Romaines eyther contemned or turned another way applying the same afterward to the Emperour Vespasian so the Iewes vnderstood it of their Messiâ—s and Herode feared the matter greatly and for that was so watchfull to extinguish the line of Dauid as hath beene already shewed Heereof also it did proceede that the Magi or Wise men of the East attended so diligently about y t time to expect the starre that Balaam had promised at the comming of thys King Heere-hence also it was that the whole people of Iurie remained so attent at thys time more then euer beâ—ore or since in expecting the Messias Whereupon so soone as euer they hearde of I. Baptist in the Deserte they ran vnto him asking if he were Christ As afterward also they flocked to Iesus demaunding Art thou he which is to come or do we expect another Which wordes import the great expectation wherein that people remained in those dayes Neither wanted that expectation in the chiefe Gouernors themselues as may appeare by that spâ—ech of theirs to Iesus How long wilt thou kill vs with thys expectation if thou be Christ tell vs plainlie Of which fame expectation and greedie desire of the people diuers deceiuers tooke occasion to cal theÌ„selues the Messias in those daies and the people followed them presently which thing had not happened in any age before And among other there is named one Iudas Gaulonites or Galilaeus as S. Luke calleth hym and another Iudas the sonne of Ezechias both of them very wicked and licentious fellowes One also called A tonges a sheepheard and two other named Theudas Egiptus most notable deceiuers And aboue all there was one Barcozbam who as the Thalmud affirmeth for thirty yeeres together was receiued for the Messias by the Rabbines themselues vntill at last they slewe him for that he was not able to deliuer them from the Romaines Which facility in the people wheÌ„ Herod sawe hee caused Nicholaus Damascenus as I noted before to deuise a petidegree for him from the auncientest Kinges of Iuda and so he as well as other tooke vpon him to be the Messias whom diuers carnall Iewes that expected the Messias to be a magnificent King as Herod was would seeme to beleeue and divulgate abroade and thereof in the Gospell they are thought to haue beene called Herodiani that is Herodians or followers of Herod who came to tempt Christ with the Scribes and Pharisies Wherefore to conclude at length this weighty poynt of the tyme of Christes appearing seeing that about y e birth of Iesus vnder Herods raigne there concurred so manie signes and arguments together as the generall peace of the Romaine Empyre the defection of the lyne and regiment of Iuda the open decay of the second Temple the iust calculation of Daniels Hebdomades the attestation of Oracles the obseruation of Rabbines the publique fame expectation of all the Iewes together with the palpable experience of more then fifâ—eene hundred yeeres past since Iesus appeared wherein we see the Iewish people in vaine doe expect another Messias they being dispersed ouer all the world without Temple law Sacrifice Prophet or promise for their redemption which neuer happened vnto theÌ„ til after Iesus death for that in all other theyr banishments captiuities and afflictions they had some Prophecie consolation or promise for theyr deliuerie These things all I say considered and put together we may most vndoubtedly and assuredly conclude that Iesus was borne at the iust time appointed and fore-told by the spirite of GOD and consequentlie that he only was the true Messias Sauior of the world which yet shall better appeare by examination of other things that are to follow The second Consideration NOw in the second consideration there come to be weighed these poynts following the lyne stock of Iesus his manner of conception the place of hys byrth his circumcision name hys adoration by the Magi his presentation in the Temple and hys flight to Egypt For hys line and stock there was neuer man denied or doubted but â—hat Iesus was directly of the Trybe of Iuda and descended linially by hys Mother of the peculier house of Dauid according as it was foretolde that the Messias should doe which is prooued most cleerely by the two Genealogies petidegrees sette downe by S. Matthewe and S. Luke of the blessed Virgins whole discent from Dauid to Ioseph that was of the same Tribe and kindred with her And it is confirmed by theyr repayring to Bethleem when Proclamation was made by Câ—renius in Augustus name that euerie person should repaire to the heade Cittie of theyr Trybe and family to be cessed for theyr Tribute seeing that Bethleem was the proper Cittie onely of them that were of the house and line of Dauid for that K. Dauid was borne therein And finally it is euident by that the Scribes and Pharisies who obiected matters of much lesse importance then thys against Iesus as that he was a Carpenters sonne therby to debase him for hys pouerty yet neuer obiected they against him that he was not of the house of Dauid which they would neuer haue omitted if they might haue doone it with any colour for that it wold haue weighed more against him then all the rest and would in one word haue dyspatched the whole controuersie Nay I adde further that it remaineth registred in the Iewes Thalmud it self that Iesus of Nazareth Crucified was of the blood royal from Zorobabel of the hoâ—se of Dauid For the maner of his conception and of the Message or annunciation made vnto hys Mother by the Angel albeit it depend principally vppon the relation and credite of the Virgine herselfe who onely was priuie thereunto and â—ppon the testimonie of Ioseph to whom it was reâ—ealed by the same Angel afterward yet he that shall consider the circuÌ„stances of the thing it selfe as first the simplicity of both the reporters then howe that it is not vnlikeliâ— that Ioseph beeing iust as he is described woulde haue concealed a thing so much against himselfe against the Law if he
1. proofe The generall state of the worlde at Christes natiuitie page 449 2. proofe The peace of all the worlde at his comming page 250 3. proofe The Scepter of Iuda and most horrible murders coÌ„mitted by Herod 251 253 The prophecie of Iacob touching the Scepter of Iuda 254 That the Scepter neuer failed in Iuda vntill Herods tyme. eodem 4. proofe The destruction of the second Temple page 256 The building of the seconde Temple lesse gorgious then the first 257. Fiue speciall prerogatiues of the fyrst Temple page 259 The seconde Templâ— to be destroyed presently after Christes passion 261 5. proofe The seauentie-two Hebdomades prophecied by Daniell 261 Why the Angell named seauenty HebdoÌ„mades in thys place 263 The exact number of weekes from the building of the seconde temple to the death of Christ sixtie-two 264 6. proofe The traditions and obseruations of the old Iewes themselues 266 Christ hideth himselfe in the sea 268 7. proofe That out of Iurie shoulde rise a generall Lord of the vniuersall world 269 8â— proofe The generall expectation of the people page 270 The seconde consideration concerning the byrth of Christ c. 274 Iesus lyne and stocke directly of the Trybe of Iuda and lineally by hys Mother of the peculier house of Dauid page eodem The manner of hys conception and the message made by the Angell c. page 275 Iesus natiuitie and in what manner page 276 The place appointed for the birth of the Messias page 278 The singing of the Angels and of the Name of Iesus page 280 The comming of the three Magi or wise men of the East 282 Prophecies of thinges that shoulde fall out in Bethleem 284 Heathen testimonies for the starre which guyded the Wisemen page 285 The presentation of Iesus in Ierusalem 287 Christes flight into Egipt for feare of Herode page 288 The benefite that Egypt receiued by Christes flyght into it 289 The thyrd consideration shewing the life conuersation doctrine and myracles of Iesus page 290 Saint Iohn Baptist the Messenger of the Testament 291 The order of Iesus preaching and doctrine 293 The comparison of Christes Lawe with that of Moses page 294 The meaning and effect of Christes doctrine page 295 The lyfe and conuersation of Iesus testified by hys greatest aduersaries 296 Of Iesus myracles and of the predictions of the Messias hys myracles 298 The confession of Iesus myracles by hys verie enemies page 300 The calling of hys Apostles and other followers page 301 Externall myracles doone by Iesus aboue all power of humaine capacitie 302 The fourth consideration deliuering the passion resurrection and ascention of Iesus page 305. Christes ascending to Ierusalem to receiue hys passion page 307 His barbarous abusage foretold by prophecie as also his death most plainely 308 The wonderfull predictions of hys passion set downe by the Prophet Esay 309 The particulers of hys passion fore-tolde by Sibylla page 311 Of the myracles that fell out in hys death and passion page 314 Hys resurrection exactly fore-tolde both to Iew Gentile page 315. The appearings which Iesus made after his Resurrection page 317 Circumstances confirming the true Resurrection of Iesus page 320 The great change in his Disciples by hys Resurrection page 322 The examination of the matter by Pilate 322 Pylats Letters to Tyberius and hys proceeding thereupon page 323 The opinion of the wiser sorte of Iewes touching Iesus resurrection at that tyme 325 Likeli-hoodes of truth concerning Iesus ascention page 326 The third Section Howe Iesus prooued hys Deitie after his departure to heauen page 328 The first consideration declaring the sustentation protection increase continuation of Christes little Church and kingdome c. 330 The state of Christes first Church c 331 The comming of the holy Ghost and what comforts he brought with him c. 332 The wonderfull quicke increase of Christ hys Church 334 The increase of Christians against nature 335 The second consideration concerning the Apostles of Christâ— 337 The myracles reported of the Apostles coulde not be fained c. 339 340 The successe of the Apostles 342 The assurance and ioyâ—ull ending of the Apostles 344 The thyrd consideration treating of the Euangelists page 346 The different qualities and circumstaunces of the foure Euangelists 347 Circumstances of trueth in the Euangelists page 348 The publishing of the Gospels and the manner of stile vsed by the Euangelists 349 350 A speciall poynt to be obserued in the Euangelists page 351 No doubt but we haue the true writing of the Euangelists 353 The fourth consideration of Martyrs that by theyr bloode shoulde confirme â—hys doctrine 354 Three poynts to be considered in our Martyrs and the singuler alacrity of Christians in theyr sufferings page 355 Iesus assistance to his Martyrs 357 The fift consideration concerning the subiection of the infernall spirits 358 Of the myraculous ceasing of Oracles at Christes appearing 359 The wonderfâ—ll authoritie of Christians ouer Spyrits page 364 The sixt consideration of the punishment of Christes enemies here on earth page 367 Herod Ascolonita Archelaus Herod Antipas Herodias daughter Herod Agrippa and the stocke of Herode soone extinguished page 368 369 370. The punishment of the Romans 371 The chastisement of Ierusalem and of the Iewish people page 373 With what circumstaunces Christes death was punished vpon the Iewes page 375 A meruailous promise of God for deliuering the Christians that were in Ierusalem 377 The Iewish misery after the destruction of Ierusalem page 378 The finall desolâ—tion of the Iewish Nation page 379 The seauenth consideration the fulfilling of such speeches and prophecies as Iesus vttered on earth 380 The circumstaunces of the tyme when Iesus spake hys wordes and when they were written page 382 The testimonie of a Heathen for the fulfilling of Christes prophecies page 383 Other prophecies of Iesus fulfilled to his Disciples page 384 Prophecies fulfilled in the sight of Gentiles page 385 The fourth Section The summe of the three former Sections wyth eyght demonstratiue reasons for better satisfaction page 387 388 389 c The conclusion of the Chapter with an admonishment page 395 An illation vpon the premisses with an exhortation page 397 The fift Chapter How a man may iudge or discerne of himselfe whether hee be a true Christian or not with a declaration of the two parts belonging to that profession which are beleefe and lyfe The matters handled in this Chapter The first part concerning our beleefe howe to examine the trueth thereof page 402 The matters of fayth and beleefe easie among Christians page 403 The direct holy way of Christians vnder the Gospell page 404 No heresie finally preuailed against the Scriptures page 410 The spirituall sworde where-with our Sauior Christ preuailed against sathan the head Lorde and â—hiefe maister of all heretiques 414 What the diligent reading of the Scriptures leadeth vs vnto forsaking the by pathes of mens inuentions and traditions page 414 A discription of the forme force and nature of fayth 415.