Scriptures do vse this simplicitie of speech and do not admit that kind of painted and artificiall stile which humane writers doe so much couet yet in perswading instructing mouing of affections all other effects which speech or writing can work there is no comparision a thing most wonderfull betweene any other writing in the world and these Wherefore I could alledge many proofes and examples but that it were too-long Let any man reade attentiuely but the first Chapter of the prophecie of Esay and compare it with any one part or parcell of Tullies or Demosthines Orations and see whether the difference of wordes be as great as the difference of motions Let diuers Himnes and holie Psalmes of the Scriptures be conferred with the most patheticall Poems that mans wit hath inuented and see whether there bee any comparison in stirring and siering of affections or no This am I sure that Iosephus the Iâ—w who for glory of his eloquence had his Image of mettall erected by Titus the Emperour in the Market-place of Rome wrote the samâ— story which the Scriptures contaâ—ne and bestowed much labour and humane cunning therein But yet euen in those places where hee endeuoured most to shew his arte as in the Sacrifice of Isaack by his father and in the meeting of Iephte with his onelie daughter which by vowe he was constrayned to put to death the scriptures are able to pierce the hâ—rt and wring out teares of the Reader whom Iosephus will not greatlie mooue with hys rethoricall narration though otherwise verie learned and artificiallie penned Aristaeus that learned Gentile of whom wee haue made mention before who was in speciall fauor with Ptolomie the second great Monarch of Egipt about three hundred yeres before our Sauiour Christ his natiuitie and a chiefe doer in procuring the translation of the Hebrue Bible into the Greeke language reported of his owne knowledge â—o the saide King Ptolomie two strange accidents which had happened in hys time and which he had vnderstood oâ— the parties themselues to whom they had happened The first was of Theopompus an eloquent Historiographer who hauing translated manie things out of the Bible endeuouring to adorne the same with vaine collours of eloquence could not performe his desire but was striken with a suddaine maze and giddinesse in the head and was warned in his sleepe not to proceed any further in that work after that sort for that such manner of style was too base for so high matters as the scriptures contained The other example was of one Theodectes a writer of Tragaedies who told Aristaeus that he once attempted to bring certaine matters out of the Iewes Bible into a Pagan tragaedie and that thereupon he was presentlie striken blind wherewith he beeing astonished and falling to repentance for that he had done desisting from the enterprise as also Theopompus did they were both of them restored againe to their former healthes And thus much did these three Pagans confesse of the authoritie diuinitie and peculier sacred style of our Scriptures ¶ The seuenth proofe of Scriptures BVT now further it insueth in order that after the subiect and phrase we should consider a little the contents of these Scriptures which will perhaps more cleerelie direct vs to the viewe of their Author then any thing els that hetherto hath been said And for our present purpose I will note onelie two speciall things contained in the Bible The first shal be certain high and hidden doctrines which are aboue the reach and capacitie of humaine reason and consequentlie could neuer fall into mans braine to inuent them As for example that all this wonderfull frame of the world was created of nothing whereas Phylosophy saith That of nothing nothing can be made That Angels being created spirits were damned eternallie for their sinnes that Adam by disobedience in Paradise drewe all his posterity into the obligation of that his sinne and that the womans seed should deliuer vs from the same That God is one in substance and three in person that the second of these persons being God should become man and die vpon a crosse for the raunsome of mankind that after him the way to all felicitie and honour should bee by contempt suffering and dishonour These doctrines I say and many more contained in the Bible beeing things aboue mans capacitie to deuise and nothing agreeing with humane reason most euidentlie do declare that God was the Authour and enditer of the Scriptures for that by him onely and from no other these high secret misteries could be reuealed The second thing contained in the Scriptures that could not proceede but from GOD alone are certaine prophecies fore-tellings of things to come Wherein God himselfe prouoketh the Idols of the Gentiles to make experience of their power in these words Declare vnto vâ— what shall ensue heereafter and thereby wee shall know that you are Godâ— indeede Which is to be vnderstood if they could fore-tell particulerly plainly what was to come in things meerelie contingent or depending of mans will they should thereby declare their power to be diuine For albeit these Idols of the Gentilesâ— as Apollo and other that gaue forth Oracles which were nothing els indeed but certaine wicked spirites that tooke vppon them these names did sometimes happen vpon the truth fore-tel things to come as also most Astrologers Soothsaiers and Magitians doe either by â—ore-sight in the starres and other elements or by the assistance of these wicked spirits and deuils yet are the things which they pronosticate eyther natural not contingent so may be foreseene foretold in their causes as raine heate colde winds and the like or els if they be meere accidentall these predictions of theirs are onely coniectures and so most in certain subiect to errors This testifieth Porphirie the great Patron of Paganisme in a speciall book of the answers of gods wherin he sweareth that he hath gathered truely without addition or detraction the Oracles that was most famous before his time wyth the false and vncertaine euent thereof in consideration of vvhich euent he setteth down his iudgement of their power in predictions after this maner The Gods do fore-tell some naturall things to come for that they do obserue the order and coniunction of their naturall causes but of thinges that are coâ—tingent or doe depende of mans will they haue but coniectures onely in that by their subtiltie and celeritie they preuent vs. But yet they oftentimes doe lie and deceiue vs in both kindes for that as naturall things are variable so mans will is much more mutable Thus farre Porphirie of the prophecies of his Gods wherunto agreeth an other Heathen oâ— great credite among the Grecians named Oenomaus who for that he had been much delighted with Oracles and more deceiuedâ— wrote a special Booke in the ende of their falshood and
such as were or might bee tempted with infidelitie so can it not be but very comfortable to vs Christians of these daies to behold the certaintie of these Scriptures layd open before vs vpon which the foundation of our whole fayth dependeth ¶ The first proofe of Scriptures FIrst therefore the Iew for proofe of his Scriptures alledgeth the great wonderfull antiquitie thereof For as God sayth he was before Idols and trueth before falshood so was the Scripture which is the Storie of the true God long before the writings of Panims or Infidâ—ls Nay further he sheweth that the most part of things recounted in the Bible were do one before most of the Panym gods were extant and that the very last Writers of the Hebrue Cannon which are Esdras Aggaeus Zacharias and Malachie almost sixe hundred yeeres before the comming of Christ when the second Monarchie of Persians began were before most of the Heathen auncient Historiographers to wit before Hellanicus Herodotus Pherecides Thucydides and Xenophon And albeit the Gentiles had some Poets before as Orpheus Homer Hesiodus and Lycurgus the Law-maker that lyued a good whyle after yet the eldest of these arryued no higher than the daies of K. Salomon which was fiue hundred yeeres after Moses the first writer of the Bible After whose tyme the most part of Heathen gods were long vnborne as Ceres Vulcan Mercurie Apollo Aesculapius Castor Pollux Hercules as the Gentiles themselues in their Genealogies doe confesse And as for Abraham that liued fiue hundred yeres before Moses he was not only elder than these gods which I haue named but also than Iupiter Neptune Pluto such other who for dignities sake and antiquitie are called by the Gentiles Dij maiorum Gentium the gods of great Nations And yet before Abraham doe the Scriptures containe the story of two thousand yeeres or there abouts So that by this it is euident that the writing of Heathens and the multitude of theyr gods are but late Fables in respect of the olde and venerable antiquitie of Hebrue Scriptures and consequently the authoritie of these Scriptures must in reason be greater than all other writings in the world besides seeing they were extant before all others in those first times of simplicitie sinceritie and were in part translated into dyuers languages before the Monarchie of the Persians that is before any story of the Gentiles vvas written as Eusebius out of many Heathen Authors declareth ¶ The second proofe of Scriptures NExt to the reason of antiquitie is alledged the manner of writing authorising and conseruing these Scriptures which is such as greatly confirmeth the certainty of thinges contained therein For first what soeuer is sette downe in these writings was eyther taken immediatly from the mouth of God as were the prophecyes and bookes of the Lawe or els collected from time to time by generall consent according as matters myracles fell out as were the Bookes of Iudges the Bookes of Kings and Chronicles and some other that containe records and Hystories of times Which bookes were not gathered by some one pryuate man vpon heare-say or his own imagination long after things done as Heathen Hystories other prophane records and monuments are but they were vvriten by generall agreement in the selfe same dayes when things were in sight knowledge of all men and so coulde not be feigned Secondly when books were written they were not admited into the common authoritie of Scriptures that is of Gods word or diuine wrytings but vpon great deliberation most euident proofe of theyr vndoubted verity For either the whole Congregation or Sinagogue who had the approouing heereof and among whom commonly were dyuers Prophets did knowe most certainly the things and myracles to be true as did also the whole people that were recorded in these vvritings coÌ„cerning Histories or els they saw the same confirmed from God by signes wonders as in the books of the Prophets and of theyr Law-giuer Moses it fell out Thirdly vvhen any thing vvas written and admitted for Scripture the care of conseruation therof was such the reuerence of Iewes thervnto so great as may easily assure vs that no corruption or alteration could happeÌ„ vnto it For first y e thing was coppied out into twelue Autentical copies for al the twelue Tribes and then again in euery Trybe there were so many copies made as were particuler Synagogues within that Trybe All was doone by speciall Notaries Scribes Ouer-seers and Witnesses The copies after diligent reuiewe taken were laide vp by the whole congregation in the Treasure house of the Temple vnder dyuers locks keyes not to be touched but by men appointed not to be vsed but with singuler reuerence To add diminish corrupt or alter was present death by the Lawes of the Nation And then howe was it possible saith the Iewe that among these writings eyther falshood shoulde creepe in or trueth once receiued could afterward be corrupted It is not possible saith he in reason and therfore obserueth he another thing in thys case which in truth is of very great consideration to wit that no other Nation vnder heauen dyd euer so much esteeme their own writings that they would offer to dye for the same as the Iews were ready to do for euery sentence sillable of their Scriptures Wherfore also it did proceede that in all theyr miseries afflictions wherein they were a spectacle to all y e world in all theyr flights banishments to Egypt Babylon Persia Media and other corners of the earth in al their spoyles assaults and deuastations at home they euer yet had special care to conserue these writings more than theyr owne liues and so haue kept the same wythout mayme or corruption more ages together than all Nations in the world haue done any other Monuments ¶ The third proofe of Scriptures THE thirde perswasion which is vsed by the Iew for the veritie of these Scriptures is the coÌ„sideration of the particuler men that vvrote them who were such as in no reason can be suspected of deceipt or falshood For as I haue sayd the stories of the Bible were written from time to time by publique authoritie and by the testimonie of al men that saw and knew the things that are rehearsed The bookes of the prophecies were indited by the Prophets themselues who were plaine simple sincere men authorised from God by continual miracles yet so scrupulus timorus of their owne speeches as they durst say nothing but onely The Lord sayth thiâ— the Lord of Hostes commaundeth that c. And when they preached read theyr wrytings in the hearing of all the people they protested that it was not mans word but Gods and that for such they left it in the publique Treasurie of theyr Nation vntill by tract of time the euent and fulfilling of theyr prophecies shold proue them true as alwayes it did
their writing preseruing from corrupâ—ion the sinceritie vertue and simâ—licitie of their VVriters together â—ith their agreement and coherence none spirit But now further saith he learned Iew if you will but open â—â—e Booke it selfe and looke into the â—ext and that which therein is conâ—â—ined you shall see Gods ovvne â—â—nd Gods owne charecters Gods â—wne signâ— and seale and subscriptiâ—â— to the paper You shall see Gods â—mnipotencie Gods Spirite Gods â—rouidence no lesse in these Letters â—f his Booke than you behelde the same before in the tables of his creatures Nay much more sayth he for these letters were deuised for declaration of those Tables to the end that such as for their blindnes could not see him in his creatures might learn at least to read him in his scriptures ¶ The fifth prooâ—e of Scriptures COnsider then first saith hee the subiect or Argument which the Scriptures do handle together with their scope ende whereuntoo they doo leuell You shall find that thâ— first is nothing els but the actes and gests of one eternall God as beforâ— hath been mentioned the second nothing els but the onely glorie anâ— exaltation of the same great God together with the saluation of mankinde vpon earth And shal you finâ— anie writings in the world besidesâ— that haue so worthy an argument oâ— so high an end Read all the volumes and monuments of the Pagans turn ouer all their Authors of what kindâ— name or profession soeuer and see vvhat mention they make of theâ—â— two thingsâ— I meane of the honour of God and the saluation of man Read their Philosophers see whether euer they name or pretend these things Read their Historiographers and marke how manie battailes and victories they attribute vnto God They will describe to you often the particuler commendation of theyr Captaine they will defraud no one Souldiour of his praise in the victorie they will attribute much to the wisedome of their Generall much to his courage much to his watchfulnes much to his fortune They will attribute to the place to the winde to the weather to the shining of the Sun to the raising of the dust in the enemies eyes to the flying of some little bird in the ayre and to a thousand such pettie obseruations besides but to God nothing VVhereas contrariwise in the Scriptures it is in euerie battaile recorded God deliâ—â—â—ed them into their enemies handes Gâ—d ouer-threwe them God gaue the â—â—ctorie Againe consider the Lawes law makers among the Gentiles as Lyâ—â—â—gus Solon Draco Numa and the â—â—â—e and see whether you finde anie one such Law or tending to such an end as this of the Iewes Thou shalâ— loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart and with all thy soule and shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Consider in all the Sooth-sayers and Diuines among the Gentiles whether they vsed to say in their predictions as the prophetes of Israell did Dominus dixit the Lord hath spoken it or els Ego dico I do speake it Compare their versifiers and Poets with those of the Scripture and see whether they haue laboured in the praise of men or of God And whereas Heathen Poets haue filled vp their Bookes as also the most part of ours at this day with matteâ— of carnall loue marke where any oâ— them euer brake foorth inâ—o such panges of spiritual chast loue as holie Dauid did when he said I will loue thee my God my strength my firmament my refuge my deliuerer my helper my protector and thâ— horne of my saluation And againâ— in another verse What haue I desired vpon earth besides thee my fleâ—â— and hart haue fainted for thee thoâ— God of my hart thou God art mâ— part and portion euerlasting By all which is euident that as prophane writings and Wryters which do treate of men extol men seeke the grace of men referre all to the commoditie and good lyking of men doe proceede of the spyrite of man and are subiect to those infirmities of falshood errour and vanitie wherewith mâ—n is entangled in thys life so the Scriptures which handle matters aboue the compasse of flesh and blood that referre al to God and supernaturall ends could not proceed of nature or of humane spirit For thâ—t by nature the Iewes were men as the Gentiles were and had their infirmities of fleshe and blood as the other had And therefore it must needes be concluded that these hygh and supernaturall writings among them proceeded from God that speciallie directed them and gaue them light of vnderstanding aboue all other Nations and people in the world ¶ The sixt proofe of Scripture NExt after the argument and ende of the Scriptures the Iewe willeth vs to consider the peculier style and phrase which they vse for that saith he it being different from all manner of writings in the world vnimitable to man it doth discouer the finger of God by which it was framed For wheras humaine writers do labor much in adorning their style and in reducing their words to number weight measure sound with addition of many figures and other ornaments for allurement of the Reader the Scripture taketh quite another course and vseth a most meruailous simplicitie therby to accomodate it selfe to the capacitie of the weakest but yet alwaies carrying with it so great profundity as the best learned in the serch therof shall confesse theyr owne ignorance For examples sake consider but the very â—irst words of the Bible In the beginning God created heauen and earth and the earth was emptie and voide and darkenesse was vpon the face of the deapth and the Spirit of God was carried vpon the waters and God said let light be made and light was made c. What can be more plaine and simple then this narration to instruct the most vnlearned about the beginning and creation oâ— the world and yet when learned men come to examine euery point thereof how and what and where and in what maner when things were done it astonisheth them all to consider the difficulties which they finde and the depth of so infinite inscrutable misteries Besides this there goeth in the same simplicitie a strange maiestie and grauitie of speech declaring sufficientlie from how great potent a Prince it proceedeth For as great Monarches in their Ediâ—ts proclamatioÌ„s are wont to speak vnto their subiects not in figures or rethorical phâ—ases but plainlie breefelie and peremptorilie to shew their authoritie so the Scriptures to declare whose Edicts they be do vse the like manner of phrase and style to all the world without alluring or flattering any man without reâ—pect of Monarch Emperor King Prince or Potentate Fac hoc viues do this and thou shalt liue Si peccaueris in me â—â—rieris in aeternum if thou sin against mee thou shalt die euerlastinglie And albeit as I haue saide the
lyes and yet sheweth that in many things wherin they deceiued it was not easie to conuince them of open falshood for that they would inuolue their aunswers of purpose with such obscurities generalitâ—es equiuocations and doubtâ—ulnâ—sse as alwaies they woulde leaue them selues a corner wherein to saue their credites when the euent shoulde prooue false As for example when Craesus that famous rich Monarch of Lydia consulâ—ed with the Oracle of Apollo whether he should make warre against the Persians therby obtain theyr Empire or no Apollo desirous of bloodshed as all wicâ—ed spirits are gaue his Oracle in these words for deceyuing of Craesus If Craesus without feare shall passe ouer Halys this was a Riuer that lay betweene him and Persia he shal bring tâ— confusion a great riche kingdome Vpon which words Craesus passed ouer his Armie in hope to get Persia but soone after he lost Lydia by euill vnderstanding of this doubtful prophecie This then is the imbecilitie of both humane and angelicall power in pronosticating things to come which are meere contingent In which kinde notwithstanding seeing that the Scriptures haue manie and almost infinite prophecies foretold many yeres somtimes ages before they came to passe set downe in plaine particuler and resolute speech at such tyme as there wâ—s neyther cause to coniecture them nor probabilitie that euer they shold be true deliuered by simple and vnlearned persons that could fore-see nothing by skill or arte and yet that all these by theyr euents haue prooued most true and neuer any one iote in the same haue fayled this I say alone doth conuince most apparently all proofes reasons and other argumeÌ„ts laid aside that these Scriptuâ—es are of God of his eternall and infallible Spirit And therefore of these Prophecies I wil alledg in this place some few examples ¶ The Prophecie to Abraham for his posteritie ABraham the first Father and speciall Patriarch of the Iewes had manie prophecies and predictions made vnto him as of hys issue when he had yet none nor euer like to haue of his inheriting the Land of Canaan and the like But thys which followeth is wonderful of his posterities discent into Egypt of their time of seruitude and manner of deliuerance thence the same being fore told more then foure hundred yeeres before it was fulfilled at that time when no likelyhood thereof in the world appeared The words are these Know thou beâ—oâ—e hande that thy issue shall be a strangeâ— in a forraine Land and they shall subiect them to seruitude and shall afflict them for foure hundred yeeres but yeâ— I will iudge the Nation vnto whom they haue been slaues and aâ—ter that they shall depart thence with great riches This is the Prophecie and how exactlie it was afterward fulfilled by the ruine of the Egyptians and deliuerance of the Israelites euen at that time which is heere appointed not onely the book of Exodus doth declare where the whole storie is laid downe at large but also the consent of Heathen writers as before hath been touched And it is speciallie to be noted that this prophecie was so common and wel known among all the Iewes from Abrahams time down vnto Moses and so deliuered by tradition from fathers vnto their children as it was the onelie comfort and stay not onely of all that â—eople in their seruitude of Egypt but also of Moses others that gouerned the people afterwards for forty yeres together in the desert and was the onely meanâ— indeede whereby to pacifiâ— them in their distresses and miseries and therefore Moses in euery exhortation almost maketh mention of this promise and prophecie as of a thing well known vnto them all and not deuised or inuented by himselfe or any other ¶ The Prophecie for the gouernment of Iuda LOng after this Iacob that was Abrahams Nephewe beeing in Egypt and making his Testament said of his fourth sonne Iuda Iuda thy brother shall praise thee and the children of thy Father shall boowe vnto thee c. The scepter shall not be taken from Iuda vntill hee come that is to â—e sent and he shall be the expectation of Nations Which latter part of the prophecie all Hebrues do expound that it was meant of the comming of Messias which was fulfilled almost two thousand yeeres after at the comming of Christ as shall be shewed in another speciall Chapter For at that time King Herod a stranger put out quite the line of Iuda from the gouernment of Iurie But for the first part touching Iudaes scepter it is wonderfull to consider the circumstances of this prophecie For first when it was spoken and vttered by Iacob there was no probabilitie of any scepter at all to be among the Iewes for that the Israelites or sonnes of Iacob at that day were poore and few in number and neuer like to be a distinct Nation of themselues or to depart foorth of Egypt againe And secondly if any such thing should come to passe as they might be a people and haue a scepter of gouernmeÌ„t of their own yet was it not likelie that Iuda and his posteritie should possesse y e same for that he had three elder Brothers to wit Ruben Simeon and Leui who in all likeli-hoode were to go before him And thirdly when Moses recorded and put in writing thys prophecie which was diuers hundered yeeres after Iacob had spoken it it was much lesse likelie that euer it should be true for that Moses then present in gouernment was of the Tribe of Leui and Iosua designed by God for his successor was of the Tribe of Ephraim and not of Iuda which maketh greatlie for the certaintie of this recorde For that it is most apparant that Moses would neuer haue put such a prophecie in writing to the disgrace of his owne Tribe and to the preiudice and offence of Ruben Simeon Ephraim and other Trybes neyther would they euer haue suffered such a derogation but that it vvas euident to them by tradition that their Grand-sire Iacob had spoken it albeit then presently there was no great likelyhood that euer after it should come to be fulfilled And this was for the time of Moses but yet consider further that from Moses to Samuell that was last of all the Iudges there passed foure hundred yeeres more and yet was there no appearance of fulfilling this prophecie in Israel for that the Tribe of Iuda was not established in that gouernment At length they came to haue Kings to rule and then was there chosen one Saul to that place not of the Tribe of Iuda but of Beniamin and he indued with dyueâ—s chyldren to succeede him And who would then haue thought that this prophecie could euer haue beene fulfilled but yet for that it was Gods word it must needes take place and therefore when no man thought thereof there was a poore Sheepeheard chosen out of the Tribe of Iuda
and more perfect Common-wealth How also he was to come to wit in mans flâ—sh in likenes of sinne in pouertie and humilitie The time likewise of his appearance was prefigured together with the manner of his byrth lyfe actions death resurrection and ascention And finally nothing can be more desired for the foreknowledge of any one thing to come then was deliuered vttered concerning the Messias before that euer Christ or Christians vvere talked of in the world Now then remaineth it to consider and examine whether these particularities fore-told so long ago of the Messias to come do agree in Christ whom we acknowledge for the true Messias And this shall be the subiect or argument of all the rest of our speech in this Chapter ¶ How the former predictions were fulfilled in our Sauior Christ at his beeing vpon earth SECT 2. ALbeit in the points before recited which are to be fulfilled in the Messias at his comming we haue some controuersie disagreement with the Iewe as hath been shewed yet our principall contention in theÌ„ all is with the Gentiles Heathen that beleeue no Scriptures For that in diuers of the former Articles the Iew standeth with vs and for vs offereth his life in defence therof as far forth as if he were a Christian. In so much as the Gentile oftentimes is inforced to meruaile when he seeeth a people so extreamely bent one against another as the Iewes are against Christians and yet doest and so peremptorilie in defence of those verie principles which are the proper causes of their disagreement But heereunto the Iewe maketh aunswer that his disagreement from vs is in the application of those principles For that in no wise he wil allow that they were or may be verified in Iesus And heerein he stâ—ndeth against vs much more obstinatly then doth the Gentile For that the Gentile as soone as he commeth once to vnderstand and beleeue the Prophecies of Scripture he maketh no doubt or difficultie in the application thereof for that he seeth the same most euidentlie fulfilled in our Sauiour Christ. Which is the cause that few or no Gentiles since Christes appearance haue come to bee Iewes but that presentlie also they passed ouer to be Christians But the Iewe by no meanes wil be moued to yeeld albeit he haue neyther Scripture nor reason or probability for his deâ—ence Which among other things is a verie great argument to prooue that Iesus was the true Messias indeede seeing that among the markes of the true Messias set downe by Gods Prophets that was one that he should be refused of the Iewish Nation Heerehence are those wordes of the holie Ghost so long before vttered The stone which the builders refused is made the head stone of the corner this is done by God and it is maruailous in our eyes Heereâ—hence is that great complaint of Esay touching the incredulitie and obstinacie of his people against their Messias at his comming which Moses also long before Esay expressed most effectually It maketh then not a little for our cause gentle Reader that the Iewish Nation is so wilfully bent against vs and that they refused Christ so peremptorily at his being among them For whom soeuer that Nation shold receiue and acknowledge it were a great argument by Scripture that he were not indeede the true Messias But yet to demonstrate to the world what little shew of reason they haue in standing thus against their owne saluation and in refusing Christ as they doe I will in as great breuitie as I may run ouer the chiefe points that passed at his beeing vpon earth and thereby examine by the testimonies of his greatest enemies whether the foresaid Prophecies and all other signes which haue beene from the beginning to fore-tell vnto vs the true Messias vvere fulfilled in him and his actions or no. And for that the matters are manie and diuers that will come heerin to be handled I will for order sake reduce all to fower considerations Whereof the first shal be touching the time fore-prophecied of y e comming of the Messias and whether the same agreed with Christes natiuitie or no. The second shall be of dyuers particulers that passed in Christes incarnation birth circumcision and other accidents vntil the time that he began to preach The third shall be of his life conuersation miracles and doctrine The fourth and last shal be of his passion death resurrection and ascention In all which as I said before I will vse no one Authour or testimonie of our owne side for approuing any thing that is in controuersie beetweene vs but all shal passe by trial either of their owne Scriptures or of manifest force and consequence of reason or els by expresse recorde of our professed enemies ¶ The first consideration FOR the first then concerning the time which is the principall and heade of all the rest it is to bee noted that by consent of all Writers both Pagan Iewish and Christian IESVS whom we beleeue and confesse to be true CHRIST was borne the twentie fiue day of December in the ende of the fortie and one yeere of the raigne of the Emperour Augustus Caesar vvhich was fifteene yeeres before his raigne ended Also in the beginning of the thirty-three yeere of Herods raigne in Iurie which was foure yeeres and more before his death And from the beginning of the world as some account foure thousand one hundred and ninetie-nine And as others doe account foure thousand foure-score and nine for that in this point betweene the Hebrues and the Graecians there is a difference of some little more then an hundred yeeres concerning their reckoning The state of the world at Christes natiuitie was this The three Monarchies of the Assirians Persians and Graecians were past ouer and ended and the Romaines were entered into the fourth that was greater then any of the rest according to the Prophecie of Daniell fiue hundred yeeres before Octauius Caesar surnamed Augustus after fiue ciuill warres by himselfe waged and after infinite broyles bloodshed in the world raigned peaceably alone for many yeeres together and in token of an vniuersall peace ouer all the earth he caused the Temple gates of Ianus to be shutte according to the custome of the Romans in such cases albeit this had happened but twice before from the building of Rome vnto that time And the verie same day that Christ vvas borne in Iurie Augustus commaunded in Rome as afterward was obserued that no man should call him Lord thereby to signifie the free libertie rest â—oy and securitie wherein all men were after so long miseries which by continuall warres the vvorld had sustained By this we gather first that thys time of Christes birth agreed exactlie vvith the Prophecie so long before set downe in Daniell who liued in the first Monarchie that after his time there should be three Monarchies
iust blood By which words most wretched end hee more greeuously offendâ—d and iniured hys most louing and merciful Sauiour then by all hys former iniquities committed against hym Thys then most louing brother is the first and greatest Rock whereat a sinfull soule ouerburdened with the charge of her own iniquities tossed in the waues of dreadfull cogitations by the blastes stormes of Gods threates against sinners doth coÌ„monly make her shipwraâ—k That is that most horrible depth dungion wherof the holy scripture saith The impious man when hee is come into the bottom profundity of his sinnes conteÌ„neth all That is y â— remediles sore incurable wounde wherwith God himselfe charged Ierusalem when he sayde Insanabilis fractura tua thy rupture is irremediable And the Prophet Michaeas considering the same people thorow the multitude of their wickednes to encline nowe to dispaire of Gods goodnes towards them brake forth into this most pittiful coÌ„plaint For this will weepe lament extreamely I wil stryp off my clothes wander naked I wil rore like vnto Dragons and sound out my sorow at Struthious in the desert for that the wounde and malady of my people is desperate Thys is that great and maine impediment that stoppeth the conduits of Gods holy grace from flowing into the soule of a sinfull man This is the knyfe that cutteth in sunder all those heauenly and blessed cordes wherewith our sweet Lorde and Sauiour endeuoureth to drawe vnto repentance the harts of sinners saying by his Prophet I wil pul them vnto me with the chaines of loue and charitie For by thys meanes euerie sinful conscience commeth to aunswer almighty God as did IerusaleÌ„ wheÌ„ being admonished of her sins and exhorted by hys Prophet to amendement of lyfe she sayd Desperaui nequaquam faciam I am become desperate I will neuer thinke of any such thing To which lamentable estate when a sinfull man is once arriued the next step hee maketh is for auoyding al remorse trouble of coÌ„science to engulfe him selfe into the depth of all detestable enormities to abandon his soule to the very sinck of al filth abhominations according as S. Paul said of the Gentiles in lyke case That by dispaire they deliuered theÌ„selues ouer to a dissolute life thereby to commit all manner of vncleannes Which wicked resolution of the impious is the thing as I haue noted before that most of all other offences vpon earth dooth exasperate the ire of GOD depriuing his diuine Maiestie of that most excellent propertie wherin he chiefely delighteth glorieth which is hys infinite and vnspeakable mercy This might be declared by dyuers and sundry examples of holy writ how beit two onely shall suffise for thys present The first is of the people of Israel not long before their banishment into Babilon who being threatned from God by the Prophet Ieremie that manifolde punishments were imminent ouer their heads for their greeuous sinnes committed against his Maiestie began in sted of repentance to fall to desperation and coÌ„sequently resolued to take that impious course of all dissolute lyfe alledged before out of S. Paule for thus they aunswered God exhorting them by his threates to reforme their wicked liues We are now growne desperate and therefore we will heereafter follow our own cogitations and euery one fulfill the wickednesse of hys owne conceite Wherat God stormed infinitely and brake forth into thys vehement interrogatioÌ„ Interrogate Gentes quis audiuit talia horribilia Aske and enquire of the very Gentiles whether euer among theÌ„ were heard any such horible blasphemies And after thys for the more declaration of thys intollerable iniurie heerein offered to hys Maiestie hee commaunded the Prophet Ieremie to goe forth out of his owne house and to gette him to a Potters shopâ— which in y e Village was framing hys vessels vpon the wheele Which Ieremie hauing done he sawe before his face a pot crushed broken by the Potter al in peeces vpon the wheele and thinking thereby that the vessel had been vtterly vnprofitable to be cast away he sawe the same clay presently framed agaiâ—e by the Potter into a newe vessell more excellent then before Wherat he meruailing God sayd vnto him Dost not thou think Ieremy that I can doe with the house of Israel as this Potter hath doone with his Vessell or is not y e house of Israel in my hands as the clay in y e hands of this craftesman I wyll denounce vpon a suddaine against a Nation kingdom that I will roote it vp and destroy it and if that Nation or Kingdome do repent from theyr wickednes I also will repent mee of the punishment which I intended to lay vpon them And theÌ„ he proceedeth forward declaring vnto Ieremie the excâ—eding griefe indignation which he conceiueth that any sinner whatsoeuer should dyspaire of mercy and pardon at hys hands The second example is of y e same people of Israel during the tyme of their banishmeÌ„t in Babilon at what time being afflicted with many miseries for theyr sinnes threatned with many more to come for that they changed not the course of their former wicked conuersation they began to dispaire of Gods mercy to say to the Prophet Ezechiell that lyued banished among them exhorted them to amendement vppon assured hope of Gods fauor towards them Our iniquities and sins doe lye greeuously vpon vs and we languishe in them and what hope of life then may we haue At which cogitation and speech God being greatly mouedâ— appeared presently to Ezechiel and sayd vnto hym Tell this people I doe lyue saith the Lord God of hostes I wishe not the death of the impious but rather that he should turne from his wicked waâ—es and lyue Why will the house of Israel die in their sinnes rather then turn vnto me And then he maketh a large vehement protestation that how grieuously soeuer any person should offend hym and how great punishments soeuer he shall denounce against hym yea if he had giuen expresse sentence of death damnation vpon him yet Si egerit paenitentiam a peccato suo feceritque iudicium et iusticiam that is if he repent himselfe of hys sinnes exercise iudgement and iustice for the time to come all his sinnes that he hath committed shal be forgiuen him sayth almighty God for that he hath done iudgement and iustice And thys nowe might be sufficient albeit nothing els were spoken for remoouing thys first obstacle impedimeÌ„t of true resolution which is the despaire of Gods infinite goodnes and mercy Neuerthelesse for more euident cleering and demonstration of thys matter and for the greater comfort of such as feele theÌ„selues burdened with the heauie weight of their iniquities committed against his diuine Maiestie I haue thought expedient in thys place to declare more at large this aboundant subiect of endlesse mercie towards al
changeable and inconstant Pleasures of the body and voluptuousnes for that they are common to vs with beastes and alwayes haue annexed thy râ—sting and discontentation when they are past Morrall vertues for that they consist in a certain perpetual fight war with our own passions which neuer giue vs rest or repose in this life Finally whether soeuer we turn our selues or what so euer wee lay our hands vpon in thys life to make our felicitie or summum bonum it fayleth vs saith Plato neyther giueth it any durable contentation to our minde wherfore this felicitie is to be sought and obtayned in the life to come Thus farre arriueth Morrall phylosophie by reason to proue that mans felicitie or final end cannot be in any thing of this life or world It proueth also by the same reason as in part it hath been touched before that this felicitie of our minde in the life to come must be a spirituall and immaterial obiect for that our mind and soule is a spirite it must bee immortal for that our soule is immortall But what goeth yet humaine phylosophy any further or can Plato assigne the particuler point wherin it standeth Heare his words and confesse that not without reason he was called Diuine In this it consisteth saith he Vt coniungamur Deo qui omnis beatitudinis fastigium meta finis That we be ioyned to GOD who is the top the butt and the end of all blessednes And can aâ—y Christian think you say more than this Yet haâ—ken what a scholler of hys sayth for explication of his Masters sentence Supremus hominis finis supremum bonum id est Deus The finall end of man wherto he tendeth is a supreame or soueraigne good thing and this is God himselfe By which wordes we see that these Heathens by the ende of man could finde out God which was the second argument propounded in Morrall phylosophy A third argument vseth the Morral Phylosopher for proofe of God which shall be the last I will alledge in this place deduced from consideration of good and euill vice vertue and especially of the rewarde which by nature reason and equity is due to the one as also of the punishment belonging to the other For saith he as in all other things creâ—tures and actions of this world that passe from the Creator wee see proportion order iustice wisedom and prouidence obserued so much more must we assure our selues that the same is obserued in the same Creators actions proceedings towards man that is the cheefe and principall of all other his creatures Now then we see beholde that all other creatures are directed to theyr ends by nature and do receiue comfort and contentation so long as they holde that course and losse disease and griefe as soone as they breake and swarue from the same Onely man hath reason giuen him whereby to knowe and iudge of his end and the holy Scriptures wherby he may eyther direct hys vvay to the same by vertue or run astray by following of wickednes Wherupon it ensueth that in all equitie and iustice there must remaine reward for such as doe wel and follow the right path assigned them to theyr end and felicitie which is by good life and punishment for the other that abandon the same for pleasure and sensualitie But we see in this world saith the Phylosopher that most wicked men doe receyue least punishment and many there be as Princes and high Potentates whose liues actions be they neuer so vicious yet are they aboue the correctioÌ„ of mortall men and many poore men on the contrary part who for theyr vertue paâ—ience honestie receiue nothing in this lyfe but enuie mâ—lyce contempt reproch despite and oppression VVherfore saith he eyther wanteth there prouidence equitie in the gouernment disposition of these affaires which we see not to want in things of lesser moment or els must there bee a place of punishment rewarde in the life to come vpon the soules of such as part from hence and a iust and powerful Iudge to make recompence of these inequalities and iniustices permitted in this world VVhich Iudge can bee none but the Creator himselfe And so hetherto haue I declared how euery particuler Science among the Gentiles had particuler meanes and wayes to demonstrate God by contemplation of his creatures and by force of reason which no man could deny Now remayneth it to shew howe the Iewe or faithfull Israelite before Christes appearance in the flâ—sh was able to confirme thys veritie to a Heathen which shall be the subiect of the Section following How the Iewes were able to prooue God SECT 3. THE people of Israell that for many yeres ages were the peculiar people and partage of God as they dwelt inuironed with Gentiles of each side that impugned theyr Religion worship of one God and had many weak-lings among themselues that were often tempted to doubt of the same Religion by the example of so many Nations and Countryes about them that made profession of a contrary Religion so had the Diuines and learned men of this people diuers forcible proofes most reasonable arguments peculier to themselues besides the gyft of faith or any other demonstration that hetherto hath beene alleadged to confirme their bretheren in y e beleefe of one God to conuince all Atheists or Infidels in the world And albeit these proofes which they vsed were many as the creation of the world by one God the deuiding of the Hebrue Religion from the beginning the conuersation of God with Abraham of whom the Iewes descended the myraculous deliuering of that Nation froÌ„ Egipt the Law receyued from Gods owne mouth by Moses the strange enâ—rance of the Iewes into the Land of Promise the extinguishing of the Gentiles vvhich before inhabited there the errection of the Iewish Monarchie and protection thereof against all Nations the myraculous deedes and sayings of Prophets and a thousand reasons besides which confirme most euidently that the Iewes God was the only true God yet for that all these things and sayings with an Infidell had no more credite than the wrytings or Scriptures wherein they were recorded hereby it came to passe that al which a Iewe could say for proofe of God more than a Gentile depended only vpon y e authoritie of his Scriptures and for this cause he referred all hys proofes and arguments to make euident the trueth certaintie of these Scriptures which thing once performed the being of one God cannot be called into controuersie for that these Scriptures are nothing els but a narration of the acts gests of that only God which the Iewes professe VVe are now to see then what the Iew was able to say for proofe of his Scriptures consequently for demonstration of God of his iudgements declared therin VVhich discourse as it was profitable in olde time for stay confirmation of all
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
liued commonly a thousand yeeres a piece and they alledge the reason thereof to be both for the multiplication of people and for bringing all Sciences to perfection especially Astronomie and Astrologie which as they write could not be brought to sufficient perfection by any one man that had lyued lesse then sixe hundred yeeres in which space the great yeere as they call it runneth about Of the Tower of Babilon OF the tower of Babilon and of the confusion of tongues at the same Eusebius citeth the testimonies at large both of Abydenus that lyued about King Alexanders time of Sibylla as also the words of Hestiaeus concerning the Land of Sennaar wher it was builded And these Gentiles doe shew by reason that if there had not beene some such myracle in the deuision of tongues no doubt but that al tongues being deriued of one as all men are of one Father the same tongues woulde haue retained the selfe same rooâ—es and priâ—ciples as in all dialâ—ctâ— or deriâ—ation of tongues we see â—hat it commeth to passe But now say they in many tongues at thys day we see that there is no likâ—lâ—-hoode or affinâ—tie â—mong them but all different the oâ—e â—rom the other and thereby it appâ—arâ—th that they were mâ—de diâ—ers â—nd distinct eâ—en from the â—egâ—nâ—ing Of Abrâ—ham OF Abraham and his â—â—â—ayres I haue allâ—dged sâ—me Heathen Writers before as Berosus Hâ—catâ—â—us and Nicholaus Damascenus But of all other Alexander Polyhistor alledgeth Eupolemus most at large of Abrahams being in Egypt of his teaching theÌ„ Astronomie tâ—ereâ— of his fight and victorie in the behalfe of Lot of his entertainment by K. Melchisedech of his wife and sister Sara and of other his doings especially of the sacrifice of his sonne Isaack To whom also agreeth Melo in hys bookes written against the Iewes and Artabanus And of the strange Lake wherinto Sodome and Gomorra were turned by theyr destruction called Mare mortuum the dead Sea wherin nothing can lyue Both Galen Pausanius Solinus Tacitus and Strabo doe testifie and shew the particuler wonders therof Of Isaacke Iacob Ioseph Iob c. FRom Abraham down to Moises writeth very particulerly the fore-named Alexander albeit he mingle sometimes certaine fables whereby appeareth that hee tooke hys storie not out of the Bible wholy And he alledgeth one Leodemus who as he sayth lyued with Moises and wrote the selfe same things that Moises did so that these writers agree almost in all things touching Isaacke Iacob Ioseph and all their affaires euen vnto Moises with these do concurre also Theodotus a most auncient Poet Artabanus and Phylon Gentiles Aristaeus in like manner about Aristotles time wrote a booke of Iob. Of Moises OF Moises and his acts not onely the fore-named especially Artabanus in hys Booke of the Iewes do make mention at large but manie others also as namely Eupolemus out of whoÌ„ Polyhistor reciteth very long narrations of the wonderful and stupendious things done by Moises in Egypt for which he sayth that in hys time he was worshipped as a God in that Countrey and called by many Mercurius And that the Ethiopians learned circumcision of hym which afterwarde alwayes they retained and so doe vnto thys day And as for his miracles done in Egipt hys leading the people thence by the Redde-sea hys lyuing with them fortie yeeres in the wildernes the Heathen Wryters agree in all things with the Scriptures sauing only that they recount diuers things to the prayse of Moises which hee hath not written of himselfe adding also his description to wit that hee was a long tale man with a yellow beard and long hayre wherwith also accordeth Numenius Pythagoricus touching the actes of Moises whose lyse he sayth that he had read in the auncientest records that were to be had The storie of Iosua the Iudges and the Kings BVT the fore-named Eupolemus goeth yet forward and pursueth the story of Iosua of the Iudges of Saul Dauid and of Salomon euen vnto the building of the Temple which he describeth at large with the particuler Letters written about that matter to the King of Tyrus which Iosephus sayth were in hys dayes kept in the records of the Tyâ—â—ans And with Eupolemus agree Polyhistor and Hecataeus Abderita that liued and serued in warre with King Alexander the great and they make mention among other things of the inestimable riches of Salomon and of the treasures which he had hyd and buried according to the fashion of that tyme in the Sepulcher of hys Father Dauid which to be no fable though not mentioned by the scripture Iosephus wel prooueth for that Hirâ—anus y â— high Priest and King of Iurie beeing besiedged in Ierusalem by Antiochus surnamed Pius not many yeeres before our Sauiour Christ his natiâ—ity to redeeme himselfe and the Cittie and to pay for his peace opened the sayd Sepulcher of Dauid and fecht out of one part thereof three thousande Talents in ready money which amount to sixe huÌ„dred thousand pounds English if we account the Talents but at the least size of Talentum Hâ—braicum The things that ensued after King Salomons dayes AND as for the things that ensued after Salomon as the deuision of the Tribes among themselues and theyr diuers warres aâ—flictions transmigrations into other Countries many Heathen Writers doe mention recorde them among other Herodotus and Diodorus Siâ—ulus And the fore-said Alexander Polyhistor talking of the captiuitie of Babilon sayth that Ieremie the Prophet tolde Ioachim hys King what would befall him that Nabuchodonoser hearing thereof was moued thereby to besiedge IerusaleÌ„ Of the flight of Senacherib from the siedge of Ierusalem and how he was killed at his returne home by hiw owne sonnes in the Temple according to the Prophecie of Esay story of the booke of Kings for that he had blasphemed the Lord God of Israell as Herodotus witnesseth and that after hys death he had a statue or Image of mettal erected in his memory with this inscription in Greeke Hee that beholdeth me let him learne to be godlie Confer Xenophon also in hys seauenth booke De Cyropaedia and you shal see him agree with Daniell in his narrations of Babylon And finally I wil conclude with Iosephus the learned Iew that wrote immediatly after Christes ascention protesteth that the publique writings of the Syrians Chaldaeans Phaenicians and innumerable hystories of the Graecians are sufficient to testifie the antiquity truth authoritie and certainty of the holy scriptures if there were no other proofe in the world besides The conclusion of this Chapter with the application SECT 4. THus â—arre haue I treated of the waies and meanes which haue beene left vnto the worlde from the beginning therby to know and vnderstande theyr Maker In treating which poynt I haue stayed my selfe the longer for that it is the ground and foundation of all
this that a rich man or worldling attending with all his industrie to heape vp riâ—hes as the fashion is can not attende nor euer doth to that for which he came into this world and conseqâ—ently can neuer attaine heaueâ— except God worke a miracle thereby doe cause him to spende out hys riches to the benefit of his soule as sometimes he doth so do lessen the Cammell in such sort as hee may passe the needles eye Whereof we haue a very rare example in the Gospell of Zacheus who beeing a very rich man dyd presently vppon the entering of christ into his house but much more as appeareth into hys hart by fayth resolue himselfe to change his former course touching riches and at one blow to beginne with-all gaue away halfe of all hee possesâ—ed to the poore and for the rest made proclamation that whosoeuer had receiued any wrong at his handes as commonly many do by theÌ„ that are rich he shold come and receyue foure times so much amendes By which almes and restitution hee was deliuered from the Camels gib or bunch on his backe that letted his passage through the needles eye And thys extraordinary fauour and grace he receiued by the fortunate presence of his most blessed and bountifull guest who had signified before in an-other place that himselfe was able so to draw the Camel as he should passe the needles eye for that the thinges which are vnpossible with man are possible with GOD. But to leaue this and to goe forward in our former purpose no meruaile it is if in the world abroade so few be saued seeing y t of thousands scarce one doth account of that busines which of all other is the chiefe and principall Consider you y e multitude of all sorts of people vppon earth and see what theyr traffique and negotiation is see whether they treate thys affaire or no see wherin their care study cogitation consisteth How many thousand finde you in Christendome who spende not one houre of four and twentie nor one halfe day in forty in the seruice of GOD or businesse of theyr â—oule How infinite haue you that breake theyr braines about worldlie commodities and how few that are troubled with this other cogitation How many find time to eate drink sleepe disport deck and trym themselues to the view of others and yet haue no time to bestow in this greatest busines of all other businesse How manie passe ouer whole dayes weekes monthes and yeeres and finally their whole life time in hauking hunting and other pastimes without regard of this important affaire How many miserable women haue you in the world that spende more dâ—yes in one yeere in pricking vp theyr apparrel adorning theyr carkasse then they doe houres in prayer for the space of all theyr lyâ—e And what alas shall becom of this people in the ende what will they doe or say at the day of account what excuse will they alledge what way will they turne them If the Merchant-factor which I mentioned before after many yeres spent in forraine Countries vpon his Maisters expences should returne at length and gyue vp his accounts of so much tyme and money spent in singing so much in dauncing so much in fencing so much in courting and the like who would not laugh at so fonde a reâ—koning but beeing further demaunded by hys Maister what time he had bestowed vpon the Merchandise affaires for which hee was sent if the man should aunswer that he had no leysure to thinke vpon that thing for the great occupation which he had in the other who woulde not esteeme him woorthy of all punishment and confusion And much more shame confusion no doubt shal they sustaine at the last dreadful day in the face and presence of God and all his Angels who beeing sent into thys worlde to traffique so rich a Merchandise as is the kingdome of heauen haue neglected the same and haue bestowed theyr studies vpon the most vayne trifles and fâ—llies of thys world withoâ—t cogitation or care of the other O yee children of Adam saith the Spyrit of GOD why loue ye so vanitie and seeke after lyes why leaue you the Fountaine and seeke after Cesterns If a golden game of inestimable value should be proposed for such as would runne and could winne the same when the course or râ—se were begun if some shoulde sâ—ep aside and follow flyes or fethers that passed in the ayre without any regard of the prize and gole proposed who wold not meruaile take pitty of their folly euen so is it with men of the worlde if we beleeue S. Paule who affirmeth that we are all placed together in a course or race and that the kingdome of heauen is propounded vnto vs for the Game or Prize but euery man sayth hee arriueth not thether and why for that most men doe steppe aside and leaue the marke Most men do run awry and doe follow fethers vp and downe in the ayre most men doe pursue vanities doe weary themselues out in the pursute thereof vntil they can neyther run nor goe nor mooue theyr lyms any further and then for the most part it is too-lâ—te to amend theyr folly Will you heere the lamentations of such vnfortunate men these are theyr owne words recorded by scripture We are wearied out in the way of iniquitie and perdition and the way of God haue we not knowne What profit haue we receiued of al our pompe and pride and vaunting riches what good haue they done vs They are nowe past away as a shadow and as a Messenger that rydeâ—h in post and we are consumed in our owne iniquities Thys is the lamentable complaint of such men as ranne awry and followed a wrong course in their actions of thys lyfe These are they who pursued riches honour pompe and such lyke vanities and â—orgate the great and weighty busines for which they were sentâ— These are they who were esteemed happy men in thys worlde and thought to run a most fortunate course in that they heaped much riches together aduaunced themselues their families to great dignities became gorgious glorious and dreadful to others and finally obtained what-soeuer theyr lust concupiscence desired Thys made them seeme blessed to worldly cogitations and the way wherein they ran to be most prosperous and happy And I make no doubt by experience of these our tymes but they had admirours and enuiours in great aboundaunce who burned in desire to obtaine y e same course And yet when I heare their complaint in this place and theyr owne confession wherein they say expreslie We sencelesse men did erre from the way of truth When I consider also the addition of scripture Talia dixerunt in inferno they spake these thinges when they were in hell I cannot but esteeme theyr course for most miserable and condemne wholy the iudgement of flesh in thys affaire
ô Christian vse thys experience to thy commoditie vse it to thy instructioÌ„ vse it to thy forewarning That which they are now thou shalt be shortly and of all follies it is the greatest not to profite or flee from danger by the example of others The difference betweene a wiseman and a foole is this that the one prouideth for a mischiefe while time serueth and the other would doe when it is too-late If thou mightest feele now the state case wherin thy poore hart shall be at the last day for neglecting the thing that of all other it shoulde haue studied and thought vpon most thou wouldest take from thy meate and sleep and other necessaries to repaire that is past Hetherto hast thou time to reforme thy course of lyfe if thou be willing which is no small benefite if all were knowne For in this sence no doubt it is most true which the wise man sayth that better it is to be a liuing dog then a dead Lyon For that while the day time of thys life endureth all things amisse may easilie be amended But the dreadful nyght of death will ouer-take thee shortly and then shall there be no more space of â—eformation Oh that men would be wise and fore-see things to come sayth one Prophet The greatest wisedome in the world deere brother is to looke and attende to our saluation for as the scripture sayth most truely Hee is a wise man indeede that is wise to his owne soule And of this wisdom it is written in the very same Booke as spoken by herselfe In mee is the grace of all life and truth and in me is the hope of all lyfe and vertue In morrall actions and humaine wisedome we see that the first chiefest circumstaunce is to regard well and consider the end And how then doe we omit the same in this great affayre of the kingdome of heauen If our end be heauen what meane we so much to affect our selues to earth If our end be God why seeke we so greedily the worldly fauour of men If our end be the saluation eternitie of our soule why doe wee follow vanities and temporalities of thys lyfe Why spend yee your money and not in bread sayth GOD by the mouth of Esay Why bestow ye your labour on things that will not yeeld ye saturitie If our inheritance be that we should raigne as Kings why put we our selues in such slauery of creatures If our byrth allow vs to feede of bread in our Fathers house why delight we to eate huskes prouided for the swyne But alas we may say with the wise man in the Scripture Fascinatio nugacitatis obscurat bona The bewitching of worldly trifles doe obscure and hide vs from the things that are good and behoueful for our soules ô most daungerous enchauntment But what shal thys excuse vs no truely for the same Spyrite of GOD hath left recorded Populus non intelligens vapulabit The people that vnderstandeth not shall be beaten for it And another Prophet to the same effect pronounceth This people is not wise and therfore he that made them shall not pardon them neyther shal he that created them take mercie of them It is written of fooles Ventum seminabunt et turbinem metent They shall sowe and cast their seede vppon the windes and shall receiue for theyr haruest noâ—hing els but a storme or tempest Whereby is signified that they shall not onelie cast away and leese theyr labours but also be punished for the same Consider then I beseech thee my deere brother attentiuely what thou wilt doe or say when thy Lord shal come at the last day aske thee an account of al thy labors actions time spent in thys life wheÌ„ he shall require a reckoning of his talents lent vnto thee when he shal say as he said to the Farmour or Steward in the Gospel Redde rationem villicationis tuae giue account of thy stewardship and charge committed vnto thee What wilt thou say when he shal examine weigh and try thy doings as gold is examined tryed in the fornace that is what end they had wherto they were applyed to what glory of God to what profit of thy soule what measure weight and substance they beare Baltasar King of Babilon sitting at his banquet merry vppon a time espied suddainly certain fingers with out a hand that wrote on the wall right ouer-against hys Table these three Hebrewe wordes MANE THEKEL PHARES Which words Daniell interpreted in three sentences vnto the King in thys maner Mane God hath numbred thee Baltasar and thy kingdom Thekell he hath weighed thee in y e Goldsmithes ballance and thou art found too-light Phares for this cause hath he deuided thee from thy kingdome and hath giuen the same to the Medes and Persians Oh that these three most golden and most significant words engrauen by the Angell vppon Baltasars wal were registred vpon euery doore and post in Christendome or rather imprinted in the hart of each Christian especially the two first that import the numbring and weighing of all our actions and that in the weights and ballance of the Goldsmyth where euery graine is espied that wanteth And if Baltasars actions that was a Gentile were to be examined in so nyse and delicate a payre of Ballance for theyr trial and if hee had so seuere a sentence pronounced vpon him that he should be deuided from life kingdome as he was the same night folowing Quia inuentus est minus habens for that hee was founde to haue lesse weight in him then he shold haue what shall we thinke of our selues that are Christians of whom it is written aboue al others I will search the sinnes of Ierusalem with a candle What shal we expect that haue not onely lesse weight then we shoulde haue but no weight at all in the most of our actions what may such men I say expect but onelie that most terrible threat of diuisioÌ„ made to Baltasar or rather worse if worse may be that is to be deuided from God and hys Angels from participation of God our Sauior from communion of Saints from hope of our inheritance from our portion celestial lyfe euerlasting according to the expresse declaration made heereof by Christ himselfe in these words to the negligent seruant The Lorde of such a seruant shal come at a day when he hopeth not at an houre that he knoweth not and shall deuide him out and assigne his part with hypocrites where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherfore deere brother to conclude this chapter I can say nothing more in this dangerous case wherin the world so runneth awry but onelie exhort thee as the Apostle doth not to conforme thy selfe to the coÌ„mon errour that leadeth to perdition Fal at length to some reckoning and account with thy selfe and see where thou standest
shal for euer ouer-throwe and destroy death he shall open the eyes of the blynde and the eares of the deafe hee shall not cry nor contende nor shal he accept the person of anie man but in truth shal he bring forth iudgement He shal not be sorrowfull nor turbulent c. And finally in the forty nine Chapter he alledgeth the wordes of God y e Father vnto Christ touching hys commission in thys sort It is too-little that thou be to me a seruant to rayse vp the trybes of Iacob and to conuert vnto mee the dregs of Israell Behold I haue appointed thee also for a light vnto the Gentilesâ— that thou be my saluation vnto the vttermost parts of the earth Daniels prophecie of Christ. AND to conclude thys matter without alledging more Prophecies for the same which in truth are infinite throughout the Bible Daniell that liued in the end of the captiuity of Babilon a lyttle before Aggaeus Zacharias and Malachias who were the last Prophets that euer florished among the Iewes almost fiue hundred yeeres before the natiuity of Christ this Daniel I say reporteth of hymselfe that being in Babilon and hauing fasted worne sack-cloth and prayed long vnto GOD there came the Angell Gabriell vnto him at the time of the euening sacrifice fore-tolde hym not onely of the deliueraunce of the people of Israell from the captiuitie of Babilon out of hand for that the seauentie yeeres of their punishment fore-told by Ieremie were nowe expired but also he tolde him further that the time of the vniuersall deliueraunce of man-kinde from the bondage and captiuitie of sin was now shortned and that after seuentie Hebdomades which as shal be shewed after make vp iust the time that passed from the rebuilding of the Temple of Ierusalem after theyr deliueraunce from Babilon vnto the byrth of Christ there shoulde be borne the Sauiour of the world and be put to death for the redemption of man-kind The Angels wordes are these I am come to shew thee O Daniell for that thou art a man of good desires And therefore doe thou marke my speech and vnderstande this vision The seauentie Hebdomades are shortned vpon thy people vpon thy holy Cittie to the end preuarication may be consumed and sin receiue an ende to the ende iniquitie may be blotted out and eternall iustice brought in her place and to the end visions and prophecies may be fulfilled and the SAINT OF SAINTS annoynted Know thou therefore and marke that from the end of the speech for rebuilding of Ierusalem vnto Christ the CAPTAINE there shal be hebdomades seauen and hebdomades sixtie two and after sixty two hebdomades Christ shall be put to death and the people which shall denie him shall not be his people I myght passe on further to other Prophets and make no ende if I would alledge what might be sayde in thys behalfe for that the whole Scripture runneth all to thys one poynt to fore-tell and manifest Christ by signes figures parables and prophecies and for thys cause was it principally written But that which is already spoken shall bee sufficient for our first consideration whereby is seene that among the Iewes from age to age Christ was prophecied and fore-told together with the eternitie of his kingdome that should be spirituall The second Consideration NOwe followeth there a seconde consideration of the qualitie of Christes person of no lesse importance then the former and wherein the latter Iewes doe more dyscent from vs that is of the God-head of the Messias promised I say the latter Iewes or Rabbines are different herein froÌ„ vs as also they are in many other poynts articles wherin theyr auncestors that were no Christians did fully agree Euen as all Heretiques are wont to doe that first breake in one poynt then in another from the true Catholique fayth of Christ to followe mens traditions and so doe run on from one to one making themselues in al things as dislike as they can for hatred of that vnitie whereunto theyr pride wil not suffer them to return So is it in the generation of thys reprobate people who first agreed with vs in all or most poynts touching Christ to come and denyed onely the fulfilling or applycation thereof in Iesus our Sauiour but afterward their vngracious of-spring being not able to stand in that issue against vs deuised a newe plea and be tooke themselues to a far higher degree of impietie affirming that we attribute many thinges vnto Iesus that were not fore-tolde of the Messias to come among other that he should be GOD and the sonne of God and the second person in Trinitie c. But heerein no doubt these obstinate and gracelesse men do shew themselues both ignoraunt of theyr own scriptures disagreeing from the writings of theyr owne fore-fathers For as for scriptures it is euident by all or most of the Prophets alledged before that Christ or the Messias must be GOD the son of God indued with mans nature that is both God and man So in Genesis where he is called the seede of the Woman it is apparent that he shal be man and in the same place when he is promised to crush the deuil and to breake his head who can doe thys but onely God Likewise when he is called Germen Iehouae the seede of our Lorde God hys God-head is signified as is his man-head also when in the same place hee is named the fruite of the earth Who can interprete these speeches That his kingdom shalbe euerlasting That he shall endure vntill the Moone be taken away and after That God begaâ—e him before Lucifer was created That no man can tell or recount his generation That all Nations and Angels must adore him That hee must sitte at the right hand of God And many other such speeches pronounced directly and expresly of the Messias who I say can vnderstand or interprete them but of God seeing that in man they cannot be verified And as for the last of these testimonies coÌ„cerning Christes sitting at hys Fathers right hand three of our Euangelists doe report that Iesus did blancke diuers of the learnedest Pharisies with alledging onelie these words of Dauid The Lorde said to my Lord sit at my right hand vntill I put thine enemies as thy footstoole For saide Iesus if Christ be Dauids sonne how did Dauid call him hys Lord signifying heereby that albeit the Messias was to be Dauids sonne according to his man-head yet was he to be Dauids Lord according to his God-head And so doe both Rabbi Ionathan and the publique Commentaries of the Hebrues interprete thys place Micheas is plaine And thou Bethleem out of thee shall proceede a RVLER in Israell and his going foorth is froÌ„ the beginning from the dayes of eternitie Thys cannot be vnderstood of any mortall man that euer was or shall
That they should whip rent and teare his body before they put hym to death Esay 53 ve 2. Psa. 37. verse 18. That they should put him to death among thieues malefactors Esay 53 ver 12. That they should giue him vineger to drinke deuide his apparrel and cast lots for hys vpper garment Psal 68 ver 22 and 21 verse 19. That he shoulde rise againe from death the third day Psalm 15. verse 19. Ose 6 ve 3. That he should ascend to heauen and sit at the right hand of God his Father for euer Psal 67 verse 19 109. verse 1. All these particularities and a nuÌ„ber more were reuealed in scripture touching the Messias some four thousand yeres some two thousand and some one thousand the last of all aboue foure hundred yeeres before Christ was borne Which if we lay together and doe consider withall how exactly they were fulfilled afterwarde in the person of Christ as in the next Section shall be declared if we adde also to this that we haue receiued these Prophecies and predictions from a Nation that most of all other doth hate vs and that the same are to be seene read in theyr Bibles euen worde for word as they are in ours if you hold in memorie also what inuincible proofes are alledged before in the second chapter for the infallible truth and certainty of those Hebrue scriptures you shall find that hardly any thing can be imagined for manifestation of a truth before it com to passe which God hath not obserued in fore-shewing the Messias The fift Consideration AND all these considerations are touching the Iewes There remayneth some-what to be sayde of the Gentiles who albeit they were to receiue their principal knowledge in thys affayre from the Iewish Nation to whom the Messias was first and principally promised and from whom the Gentiles had to expect both theyr Sauiour and hys Apostles as also the Scriptures for testimonie and witnesse of them both and finally al theyr certaine knowledge and sounde vnderstanding in the misteries of Christ yet had they also among themselues some kinde of notice and fore-warning in thys matter which beeing ioyned with that which I haue sette down before of the Iewes and examined at the light of Gods diuine Prophecies before alledged it wil make very much for confirmation of our Christian veritie And therefore thys last consideration shal be of the foreknowledge of Gentiles in thys behalfe For better vnderstanding wherof it is to be noted y t besides all knowledge of y e Messias that diuers Gentiles might haue by the Hebruâ— scriptures which as I haue shewed before were in the Greeke language diuers ages before Christ was â—orne or by the instruction or conuersation of the Iewes with whom many Pagans dyd lyue familiarlie there remained three waies peculier to the Gentiles wherby they receiued some vnderstanding and fore-warning of this great mistery The first was by tradition and writing of theyr auncestours The second by prophecies of theyr owne The third by admonishment of their Idoles Oracles especially when the time of Chrisâ—es appearaunce drew neere And for the first way it is euident that as the Iewes receiued diuers things by succession from their forefathers they againe from Moses and Moses from the Patriarches Iacob Isaack Abraham who was the first man froÌ„ whom that whole Nation proceeded and in whom they were distinguished from all other people in the world so had the Gentiles other Nations theyr succession also of doctrine and monuments euen from the beginning albeit the lower they went the more corrupt they were and more obscured in diuine knowledge by theyr exercise in Idolatry So we knowe that the Romains had their learning from the Graecians the Graecians from the Egyptians and the Egyptians from the Chaldaeans who were the first people that receiued instruction in diuine matters from Adam Methusalem Noe and others of those first auncient Fathers Now then it is to be considered that by consent of Writers there were three famous men that lyued together in those auncient times to wit Aâ—raham who descending from HEBER was the Father and beginner of the Iewes or Hebrues and with him Iob and one Zoroastres that were not of that linage of HEBER but as we call them for distinctions sake eyther Heathens or Gentiles albeit that difference was not then in vre And of Iob wee know by y e testimony of his booke that he was a most holy vertuous man Of Zoroastres we know onelie that he was greatly learned and left testimonies thereof vnto his posteritie Thys Zoroastres lyuing in Abrahams tyme might by account of Scripture see or speake with Noe. For Abraham was borne three-score yeeres before Noe deceassed And Noe was borne aboue fiue hundred yeeres before Metâ—usaleÌ„ died which Methusalem had liued two hundred and fortie yeeres with our first Father Adâ—m and had enioyed conuersation both with God Angels And thereby no doubt could tell many high and secrete misteries especially touching Christ in whom all hys hope for redemption of hys posterity did consist Which misterie and hidden knowledge it is not vnlike but that Abraham Iob Zoroastres others who lyued at that time with them might receiue at the third hand by Noe and his children I meane Sem Cham and Iaphet who had liued before the flood and had seene Methusalem which Methusalem lyued as I said before so many yeeres with Adam Heere-hence it is that in the wrytings of Zoroastres which are extant or recorded by other Authors in his name there be found very plaine speeches of the Son of GOD whom he calleth Secundam mentem the second minde And much more is to be seene in y e writings of Hermes Trismegistus who liued after in Egipt and receiued his learning from thys Zoroastres that these fyrst Heathen Philosophers had manifest vnderstanding of this second person in Trinitie whom Hermes calleth The first begotten Sonne of God his onely sonne his deere eternall immutable and incorruptible Sonne whose sacred Name is ineffable those are hys words And after him againe among the Graecians were Orpheus Hesiodus and others that vttered the like speeches of the son of God as also the Platonists whose wordes and sentences were too-long to repeate in this place But he that will see them gathered together at large let hym reade eyther Origen against Celsus the Heathen or els S. Cyrill in his first booke against Iulian the Apostata And thys shall suffise for thys first way whereby the Gentiles had vnderstanding of Christ. For the second thing which I meÌ„tioned is to be vnderstoode that among the Gentiles there were certayne Prophetesses or women Prophets called Sibyllae which in the Greek tongue as Lactantius gathereth may signifie so much as either Counselleâ—s to God or Reuealers of Gods councell And these women being indued as
foâ— that hee appoynteth onely seauen weekes to the rebuilding of the Citâ—tie of Ierusalem of the Temple anâ— of the wals about which were not ended but in forty and nine yeeres after as mâ—y be gathered by the Bookes of Esdrâ—s which forty nine weekes do make iust seauen weekes of yeeres And therâ—ore it is certaine that such Hebdomades of yeeres are meant heere by Daniell in all the prophecie First then wheÌ„ the Angel came to comfort him and to open vnto him secrets for the time to come he sayd these words Marke my speech and vnderstand the vision The seauentie Hebdomades or weekes are shortened or hastened vpon thy people vppon thy holy Citty to the end all preuarication and sinne may take an end and iniquity be blotted out euerlasting iustice be brought in place therof to the end that visions prophecies may be fulfilled and the HOLY OF HOLIES may be annointed In which words it seemeth that the Angel did allude by naming sâ—auentie vnto the seauentie yeeres of captiuitie prophecied by Ieremie after which ended the people should be deliuered â—rom their temporall bondage in Babylon And therfore Daniell nowe being in that place and perceiuing the same tyme to be expired prayed to God with great instance to fulfill his promise made by Ieremie Whereto the Angell aunswered that it should be done And as after the expiration of 70. yeeres God was now to deliuer them from the bodily captiuity of Babilon so was hee also aâ—ter seauentie Hebdomades more to deliuer them from bondage of sinne preâ—arication and that by the annointed MESSIAS which is indeed the Holy of all Holâ—es This I say may be the reason of naming seauentie Hebdomades thereby to allude to the number of the seâ—uentie yeeres of that Babilonicall seruitude For that immediâ—tly aâ—ter the Angell appoynteth the whole exact nuÌ„ber to be three-score and nyne Hebdomades that is seauen to the building of the Citâ—y and Temple and sixtie-two from that to y â— death of Christ in these words Know â—hou and marke that from the end oâ— this speech to the time that IerusaleÌ„ shal be builded and vnto Christ the Captaine there shal be Hebdomades seauen and Hebdomades sixtie-two and the streetes wals of Ierusalem shal be builded again though with much difficultie of the times after sixtie and two Hebdomadâ—s Christ shall be slaine And the people that shall denie him shall not be hisâ— c. And then vnto consumation and end shall perseuer desolâ—tion Now then if we put these yeeâ—es together which are here mencioned by Daniâ—ll that is fiâ—st the seauen Hebdomades whiâ—h make fortie and nine yeeres and then the threescore and two from the restauration of Ierusalem which make foure hundred thirty and foure more we shall finde the whole number to be foure hundred and eyghtie-three yeeres Which being begunne from the first yeere of Cyrus as some wil for y t he first determined the Iewes reduction or from the second yere of Darius as others will for that hee confirmed and put the same in execution or from the twenty yeâ—e of the said Darius for that then hee made a new Edict in the fauour of Nehemias and sent him into Iurie euery way they wil end in the raigne of Herod and Augustus vnder whoÌ„ Christ was borne or in the râ—igne of Tyberius Caesar vnder whom he suffered And by no interpretation in the world can it be auoided but that this time appointed by Daniel is now out aboue one thousand and fiue hundred yeeres past whyle yet the Temple stoode and was not put to desolation And therefore of necessity Christ must be come about that time and neuer more heerafter to be looked for The traditions and obseruations of the olde Iewes themselues doe meruailously confirme thys beleefe of ours for that they all dyd run to thys one poynt that about the tyme of Augustus his raigne wherein Iesus was borne the Messias shoulde appeare It is often repeated in the Thalmud that one Elyas left thys tradition that the world should endure sixe thousande yeeres that is two thousand before the Lawe of Moses two thousand vnder the same Lawe and two thousand after that vnder the Messias Which last two thousande yeeres by all computation could not begin much from the byrth of Iesus And the Rabbines a great while agone complained in theyr Thalmud that there seemed to them in those dayes seauen hundred and fourteene yeeres past since Christ by the Scriptures shold haue appeared and therefore they doe meruaile why God so long deferreth the same An other obseruation they haue vpon the words of Esay Paruulus natus est nobis a little chyld is borne vnto vs. In which wordes for that they finde the Hebrue Letter Mem to be shut in the midst of a worde which is strange in that tongue for that Mem is wont to be open in the midst of words and shut onely in the end they gather many secretes And among other that seeing Mem signifieth sixe hundred yeres so long it should be after Esay vntil the time of Christ. Which account of theirs falleth out so iust that if you reckon the yeeres from Achaz King of Iuda in whose tyme Esay spake these wordes vntil the time of King Herod vnder whom Christ was borne you shall perceiue the nuÌ„ber to fayle in little or nothing A much lyke obseruation hath Rabbi Moses the son of Maimon whom the Iewes doe holde in extreame great reuerence calling hym the Doctor of iustice in his Epistle to hys Countrimen of Affrica concerning the time of Christes appearaunce which hee thinketh to be past according to the Scriptures aboue a thousand yeeres in his daies he lyued about the yeere of Christ one thousand one hundred fortie but that God deferreth his manifestation for theyr sinnes To which purpose also appertaineth the Narration of one Elias as Rabbi Iosue reporteth it in y e Thalmud y t the Messias was to be borne indeede according to the Scripture before the destruction of the second Temple for that Esay saith of the Sinagogue Before she was with child shee brought foorth and before the griefe of trauaile came she was deliuered of a man child That is sayth hee before the Sinagogue was afflicted and put to desolation by the Romaines she brought foorth the Messias But yet sayth he this Messias for our sinnes dooth hyde himselfe for a time in the Sea and other desert places vntill we be worthy of his comming To the lyke effect is the obseruation of the Thalmud it selfe and of diuers Rabbines therin concerning the wicked manners of men that should be at Christes appearance vppon earth of whoÌ„ they doe pronounce these wordes The wise men in Israell shall be extinguished the learning of our Scribes and Pharisies shall be putrified the schooles of Diuinitie shal be stewes
compasse of this work I meane onely at thys tyme for the comfort of such as are already in the right way and for some light vnto others who perhaps of simplicity may walk awry to â—ette downe with as great breuiâ—y as possibly may be som few generall notes or obseruations for theyr better helpe in thys behalâ—e In which great affaire of our sayth and beleefe wherein consisteth as well the ground and foundation of our eternall welfare as also the fruite and entire vtilitie of Christes comming into this world it is to be coÌ„sidered that GOD could not of his infinite wisedome fore-seeing all things and times to come nor euer would of his vnspeakable goodnes desiring our saluation as he dooth leaâ—e vs in this life without most sure certaine and cleere euidence of thys matter and consequently we must imagine that all our errors coÌ„mitted heerein I meane in matters of fayth beleefe among Christians doe proceede rather of sin negligence wilfulnes or inconsideraâ—ion of our selues then eyther of dyfficulty or doubtfulnes in the means left vnto vs for discerning of y e same or of the want of Gods holy assistaunce to that effect if we woulde with humilitie accept thereof Thys Esay made plaine when he prophecied of thys perspicuitie that is of this most excellent priuiledge in Christian religion so many hundred yeeres before Christ was borne For after that in diuers chapters hee had declared the glorious comming of Christ in signes and myracles as also the multitude of Gentiles that should embrace hys doctrine together with the ioy and exultation of theyr conuersion he fore-sheweth presently the wonderful prouidence of God also in prouiding for Christians so manifest a way of direction for theyr fayth and Religion as the most simple and vnlearned man in the world should not be able but of wilfulnes to goe astray therein Hys wordes are these directed to the Gentiles Take comfort and feare not Behold your God shall come and saue you Then shall the eyes of the blinde be opened and the eares of the deafe shall be restored c. And there shall be a path away which shalbe called The holy way and it shalbe vnto you so direct away as fooles shall not be able to erre therin By which words we see that among other rare benefits that Christes people were to receiue by his coÌ„ming thys shold be one and not the least that after hys holy doctrine once published receyued it shoulde not be easie for the weakest in capacitie or learning that might be whom Esay heere noteth â—y the name of Fooles to runne awry in matters of theyr beleefe sâ— plaine cleere and euident should the way for tryall thereof be made God hath opened hymselfe vnto vs in y e holy scripturâ—s the wrytings and doctrine of Moses and the Prophets of Christ and hys Apostles wherin is contayned what soeuer is necessary for our saluation For although the inuisible things of God that is hys power and God-heade may be seene by the workmanshyp and creation of the world wherein as in a booke written with the hand of GOD and layd open to the eyes of men the glory of God and hys mighty power appeareth Yet because eyther we read not this booke at all or if wee doe we read it carelesly therefore it was necessary that the Lord God should adde another Booke more plaine and easie to be read so as he may run that readeth it and this is as hath been said his holy will reuealed vnto vs in hys written word Which S. Augustine therefore very well calleth y e Letters or Epistle of GOD sent vnto vs from our heauenly Countrey to teach vs to lyue godly and righteously whilst wee soiourne heere in thys present world Thys is that Lanthorne whereby our feete may be directed and that light wherby our paths may be guided vnto Christ it is that most certaine and infallible rule and leuel of all our actions whereby both our fayth lyfe are to be squared and framed Yea it is that holy and vndefiled way and withal that plaine easy way denoted by Esay which euen the very entraunce thereof gyueth lyght and vnderstanding as Dauid speaketh vnto the simple And although we must confesse with S. Peter that there are some things in the Scripture harde to be vnderstoode yet we may also say with the same Peter that they are hard to those that are vnlearned and vnstable which peruert and wrest them to their owne destruction So that if the Gospell of Christ be yet hyd it is hid vnto them that perish whose sences sathan hath closed that the lyght thereof shoulde not shyne vnto them And heere-hence it is that the Apostle S. Paule pronounceth so peremptorily of a contentious and hereticall man that hee is damned by the testimony of his own iudgement or conscience for that hee hath abandoned thys common direct and publique way which all men might see hath deuised particuler paths and turnings to himselfe And heere-hence is it that the auncient Fathers of Christes Primatiue Church dysputing against the same kind of people defended alwaies that theyr errour was of malice and wilful blindnes and not of ignoraunce applying these wordes of prophecie vnto them They that sawe me ranne out from me Thus then it appeareth that the plaine and direct way mentioned by Esay wherin no simple or ignorant man can erre is the doctrine taught by the mouth of our Sauiour Christ and hys Apostles which howsoeuer it seeme to be obscure darksome to men of peruerse mindes that are not exercised in it yet to the godlie and studious readers hearers that haue theyr eyes opened and theyr mindes lightened to see the trueth it is most plaine easie to be vnderstood And thys is the cause that those holy and sage Apostles of Christ for the better peruerting of al bie-waies crooked pathes and blinde lanes of errors that afterwards might arise as by reuelation from Iesus they vnderstoode there shoulde doe many so earnestly exhorted so vehemently called vppon the people to stand fast in the documents theÌ„ receyued to hold firmely the faith doctrine already deliuered as a Depositum treasure committed to be safely kept vntill the last day And aboue all other things they most dilligentlie fore-warned them to beware of new-fangled Teachers whom they called Heretiques who shold breake froÌ„ the vnity of that body whereof Christ is the head shoulde deuise newe glosses expositions and interpretations of Scripture bring in new senses doctrines opinions and deuisions to the renting of Gods Church and citty now builded and to the perdition of infinite soules The Apostle S. Paule euen whilst he lyued found some of hys Schollers to be remooued by new fangled Teachers to another Gospell the better to make them see their error hee appealeth to the Gospell which he
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
mirabilib Iob. 38. The thinges in man declare God Iamblicus de Mist. cap. 1. Acts. 17. Olde Atheists Laâ—rtius lib. 2. et 4. de vit Phylos Psalm 13. and 52. Rom. 1. Phil. 3. Lactant. lib. 3. institut Phylosophers Foure principall Sciences The Mathematick proueth not GOD. The first argument in Naturall phylosophy Arist. lib. 7. et 8. phy Primum mobile Plato lib. 10. de legib Arist. lib. 8 pysic cap. 5. An argument taken from the Clocke Arist. lib. de mundo A similitude The second argument of Naturall phylosophy Phylo lib. de opific. mund The third argument of Naturall philosophy * Vide Plutarch de placetis phylos Arist. lib. 8. phys et lib. de Gen. et corrup Arist. lib. de mund Et vide Ploti lib. de mundo The first argument in Metaphisicke A Maxime in Metaphisicke Arist. lib. 8. metapis capit 2. Howe all creatures are by participation of GOD. The second argument in Metaphisicke Multitude Plato in Parmen Primum mobile MICROCOSMOS The infinite things that proceede from the soule The third argument in Metaphisick Subordination A similitude The fourth argument in Metasick Prouidence * Lucrecius made diuers bookes against the workmanship of the world Galen lib. 5. de vsu part Lib. 3. de vsu. par A wonderfull speech of a Heathen Plotin lib. de proui The fift argument in Metaphisicke Immortalitie of the soule Plato lib. 10 de Republ. VVhen the desire of our soule shall be satisfied Themist in lib. de anima Plut. de placit phylos The meaning of olde Phylosophers touching Anima mundi Eccle. 12. The first argument of Morral phylosophy * Tertullian handleth thys poynt excellently in Apolog. Seneca lib. 1. de ira Suet. in Caligu The saying of Zeno touching the death of Atheists The reason why there can be but one God Lact. lib. 2. diui instit cap. 2. Deus et noâ— Dij Plato Epist. 13. ad Dyonisi Cyrillus lib. 2. cont Iuli. Plotin Ennea 1. lib. 8.1 2. et Eu. 6. lib. 4. capit 12.3.4 Porhy lib. 2. de abst et lib. de occa cap. 21. Procl in theolo Platon et lib. de anima et Daem 1.31.42.53 Socrates Apuleius Alegus et Laerti in vita Socratis Aristotle the Peripateticks Iustin. in Apolo Arist. lib. de mundo Theo. in metaph Alex. Aphrod lib. de prouiden Zeno the Stoickes Plut. de oracul defect de â—ranc de quest Plat. Seneca de vita beat de prouid in Epist. Epict. apud Arianum The Academickes * So in this tyme of varietie of Sects Arnob. cont gentes All old Philosophers acknowledged one GOD. * Vide apud Plutarch de placitis phylos Trismeg in Paemand et in Asclep The recollection of the first argument in Morral philosophy Trismeg in Paeman cap. 2 3 4 5 6 c. In Asclep 1.2.6 c. Cicero hys opinion of the multitude of Panyme gods how they were made The second argument of Morral philosophy Euery thing in thys world hath a naturall desire to his end The felicity of beastes Cic. lib. de sibonorum malorum The conteÌ„tion of Phylosophers about the felicity of man Aug. lib. 19. de ciuit cap. 1 The senteÌ„ce of Plato in Phaedon How nothing in this life can be our felicity How farre Morral phylosophy reacheth in determining mans felicitie Plato in Phaedon Plotin Enu 1. lib. 4. cap. 1 The third argument in Morral phylosophy touching reward punishment * See of this matter Socrates in Apolog Plato in Cratil et in Gorgia et in Phaed. et in lib. 10. de legibus Plutarch de Sera numinis vindicta others The people of Israell Gods partage Diuers thingâ— wher by the Iewes shew God Comfortable to heare the certainty of Scriptures declared Antiquitie * Iosephus lib. 10. con Appion handleth this at large * Eusebius assigneth them 570. in Chron. Euphemerus Missen in Genealo Deorum Ciâ—â— de natura Deorum Euseb. lib. 9. de praep Euang. cap. 2.3.4 Their manner of wryting conseruing How Scriptures were authorised The care of conseruation The estimation that the Iewes had of theyr Scriptures The sinceritie of the VVriters The liues deaths of the Prophets * See Epiphan de vitis Propheta A peculier consideration of Moses first writer in the Bible Euseb. lib. 9 et 10. de pre Euan. Ioseph lib. 1. de content Appio et li. 2. anti Exo. 3.4.8 The miraculous works of Moses Exo. 14. Exo. 16. Numb 11. Iosua 5. Psalm 77. Numb 16. Ioseph lib. 4. antiq cap. 2. 3. Numb 16. Deut. 11. Psalm 125. The plaine and sincere proceeding of Moses Num. 20. and 17. Deut. 31. Exod. 32. Gen. 49. Numb 12. Deut. 14. Numb 27. Deut. 3. Consent Foure considerations externall Considerations internall Their argument and ende Philosophers Historiographers Heathen Law-makers Deut. 6. Prophets Sooth-sayers Versifyers Poets Psalm 17. The vehement loue of Dauid Psalm 72. Prophane writers treat onelie of men Their style * See S. Augustine of this at large Lib. 12. de ciuit Dei Simplicitie Profunditie Gene. 1. The grauity and maiesty of speech in the Scriptures Deâ— 4.16 and 22. The force of the scriptures in mouing of affections Flauius Iosephus de antiq Iud. See S. Ierom lib. de scrip Eccle. Gene. 12. Iudg. 11. Two Miracles reported by Aristaeus Aristaeus libello de traÌ„slat Bibli apud Euseb. lib. 8. de praep Eâ—ang cap. 1 Theopompus Theodectes The Contents High doctrines The prophecies in Scriptures do declare theyr Authour Esay 42.23 Howe the Deuils and other creatures may fore-tell things to come The opinion of a Heathen touching the Prophecies of his gods Porphiry lib. de resp et Oraculorum Oenomaus de falsitate oracul et de artificibus maleficijs Deceitfull Oracles Euseb. Lib. 5. de praep Euan cap. 10 The circuÌ„stances of prophecies set down in the Scriptures Gene. 12.13.15.17.18 c. Gene. 15. Exod. 12. Gala. 3. * Porph. lib. 4. contra Christia Appion lib. 4 cont Iudâ— Gene. 49. Iosep. de antiqu lib. 14. Vnlikeli-hoods of this prophecie Exod. 2. Iosua 15. 1. Regu 1. and 8. 2. Reg. 9. * Dauid 1. Reg. 16. 3. Reg. 12â— 2. Chro. 11. The wonderful prouidence of God towards the house of Iuda Euseb. in Chron. Gâ—ne 48. Iosua 16. and 17. Eccle. 47. Esay 7.28 Ierem. 31. Ezech. 37. Hâ—sea 5. Gene. 49. Iosua 14. Exod. 12. Gala. 3. Acts 13. Numbâ— 34 35 36. Iosua 15.16.17 Deu 31 32 Deut 32 verse 21. Iosua 6. 3 Regu 16 3. Reg. 1â— 3. Reg. 13. Disobedience punished greeuously in Gods deerest 4. Reg. 23. Chap 23 Hieron in prol Galeatâ— 4 Reg 20 verse 17 Esay 5. 4. Reg. 20. Esay 13 Esay 24. Esay 25. * Thys he sayth for that Cyrus was an Infidel Esay 13 Esâ—y 8 verse 2. Ierem 26 verse 20 Zach 1 verse 1 Circumstances of certaine truth Ierem 37. Iere 38 Iere 39 4 Reg 24 25 Ierem 25 The yeeres fore-told of the captiuitie of Babilon Iere 24 and 29 1. Esdr. 1 2. 2 Esdr. 2.
are full of the lyke and time permitteth me onelie to touch some few of the principall The prophecie for the destruction of Ierusalem Babilon ESay the Prophet is wonderfull in fore-telling the misteries acts of the Messias his natiuitie his lyfe and all the particulers that happened in hys passion In so much that S. Ierom sayth he may seeme rather to write a story of deedes past then a Prophecie of euents to come But yet among other things it is to be noted that he lyuing in a peaceable and prosperous time in Iuda when the Iewes were in amitie and great securitie with the Babilonians hee fore-saw fore-told the destruction of Ierusalem by the sayd Babilonians and the grieuous captiuity of the Iewes vnder theÌ„ as also the destruction of Babilon again by Cyrus King of Persia whose expresse name and greatnes he published in wryting almost two hundred yeeres before he was borne saying in y e person of God First to Ezechias king of Iuda that reioyced in the friendshyp he had with Babilon Behold the dayes shall come when all that thou and thy Fathers haue layde vp shall be carried away to Babilon and thy chyldren shalâ— be Eunuches in the King of Babilons Pallace And next to Babilon he sayd The destruction of Babylon which Esay the sonne of Amos saw c. Howle and cry for that the day of the Lord is at hande c. The wonderfull prophecie for Cyrus King of Persia. THirdly vnto Cyrus not yet born who was preordained to destroy the same and to restore the people of Israell from banishment to rebuild the Temple in Ierusalem hee sayth thus I say to Cyrus thou art my shâ—epe-heard and thou shalt fulfill all my will I say to Ierusalem thou shalt be builded againe I say to the Temple thou shalt be founded againe This sayth the Lord to my annointed Cyrus I will goe before thee and will â—umble the glorious people of the earth in thy presence I will breake theyr brasen gates and crush in peces theyr yron barres for my seruant Iacobs sake haue I called thee by Name and haue armed thee whereas thou knowest not mee Can any thing be more cleerely or miraculously spoken in the world then to name a Heathen not yet borne that shold conquer so strong a Monarchie as Babilon was at thys time and should builde againe the Temple of Ierusalem which others of his owne Religion had destroyed before him What cause what reason whâ—t likeli-hoode could be of thys Yet Esay speaketh it so confidently as he sayth that he saw it and he nameth two witnesses thereof that is Vrias and Zacharias that were not borne in many yeâ—es after saying I tooke vnto me two faithfull witnesses Vrias the Priest and Zacharias the Sonne of Barachias Whereof the first was a Prophet in Ieremies time a hundred yeres after Esay and the second liued fourscore yeeres after that againe in the dayes of Dariâ—s as by the beginning of his prophecie appeareth and yet both as you see were dâ—stinctly named by Esay long tyme before And whereas thys Booke of Esay was pronounced openly to the people as other prophecies weâ—e and published into manie thousande hands before the captiuity of Babylon fell out and then carried also with the people and dyspersed in Chaldea other parts of the world there can be no possible suspition of forgery in thys matter for al that the world both saw it and read it many yeres before the thing came to passe yea when there was no likeli-hood of any such possibility to come The Prophecies and dooings of Ieremie in the siedge of Ierusalem THE same captiuitie destruction of Ierusalem by the Babylonians was prophecied by Ieremie a hundred yeeres after Esay a lyttle before the matter came to passe yea while the Babylonians were about the walles of Ierusalem besiedged the same for two yeres together Ieremie was within and tolde euery man that it was but in vaine to defend the Cittie for that GOD had nowe deliuered it And albeit he were accounted a Traytour for so saying especially when by an Armie of Egipt that came to the ayde of Ierusalem from Pharao the siedge of the Babylonians was raised for a certaine time yet Ieremy continued still in his asseueration said to Zedechias the King Thou shalt bee deliuered into the handes of the King of Babylon And to the people Hae dicit Dominus tradendo tradetur haec Ciuitas c. Thys sayth the Lorde thys Citty most certainly shal be deliuered into the hands of the Babylonians And so he continued notwithstanding he were put in prison and whipt and threatned daily to be hanged vntill indeed the Citty was taken and Zedechias eyes puld out hys chyldren slaine before his face al other things performed which Ieremie had prophecied fore-told them before And which was yet more meruailous Ieremy did not onely fore-tell the particulers of thys captiuitie but also the determinate time how long it should endure saying And all this Land of Iurie shall be into wildernes and astoniednesse and all this people shall serue the King of Babylon for three-score and tenne yeeres when three-score and tenne yeeres shall be complete I will visite vppon the King of Babilon vpon that Nation saith the Lord and I will lay the same into eterâ—all desolation But vppon Iudâ— will I cast my pleasant eyes and will bring them backâ— to this Land again c. In which prophecie is contained first the particuler tyme howe long thys captiuitie should endure Secondly the destruction of Babylon and of that Monarchie by the Persians And thirdly the returning home of the Iewes againe which three things to haue been afterward fulfilled not onely Esdras that liued at that tyme and was an actor in performance of the last but all other Heathen writers besides doe record and testifie And thys prophecie of Ieremie was so famous and certainly belieued amongst all the Iewes in the time of their captiuity as when the day of expiration drew neere Daniell writeth thus of himselfe In the first yeere of Darius I Daniell vnderstood in the scriptures the nuÌ„ber of the seauentie yeeres whereof God spake to Ieremie that they should be fulfilled touching the desolation of Ierusalem I turned my face to my Lord God and besought him in fasting sackcloth c. Neyther onely the Iewes vnderstoode and beleeued thys prophecie but euen Cyrus himselfe that was a Gentile gaue ful credite thervnto and theâ—eby was induced to restore the Iewes as appeareth both by hys own words and Proclamations sette downe by Esdras that executed the same and by hys deedes also in râ—storing home the Iewes rebuilding theyr Temple at his own great chaâ—ges as all Historiographers of the Heathen doe confesse I might heere alledge infinite other examples and make no end if I woulde followe