Gods promise to Adam.

THe first promise, as touching the Messiah is this made to Adam af­ter his [...]all, Gen. 3.15 for the restoring of mankind to wit that the seed of the Woman should break the Serpents head, that is to say, one of her seed to be born in time, should conquer the Devil, Death and Sin, as the an­cient Jews understand this place, which being a spiritual conquest, and against a spiritual enemy the Devil, he (I mean the Messiah) must needs be a spiritual, and consequently not a temporal King, as the Jewes ima­gine.

Gods promise to Abraham.

THe second to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, often repeated. To Abraham, Gen. 12.3. In thee shall all the Families of the earth be bles­sed. To Isaac, Gen. 26.4. In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed. To Jacob Gen. 28:14. [Page 4] In thee and in thy seed shall all the Families of the earth be blessed. Therefore the Gentiles as well as the Jewes, the blessing is general without exception, all the Families of the earth, all Nations, no Prero­gative of the Jew, no exception of the Gentile, as touching the Mes­siah, I mean the benefit of this so general and great a blessing, though otherwise much every way, Rom. 3.2. Rom. 9.4. as the A­postle reasoneth to the Romans. Whereupon I infer as before, that the Messsiah must be a spiritual, and not a temporal King: otherwise it had been but a very small benedi­ction to Abraham, or others after him (who never saw their Messiah actually) if he must have been only a temporal King, and much less blessing had been to us Gentiles, if this Messiah of the Jews must have been a worldly and temporal Mo­narch, to destroy and subdue all those Nations formerly blessed (and blessed shall they be) to the servitude of Jury, as the latter Teachers do imagine.

The Prophesie of Jacob.

THe third, (which confirmeth the former) is the prophesie of Ja­cob at his death, Gen. 49.10. the rod or scepter shall not depart from Judah. nor a Lawgiver from between his feet, till Shiloh come, and the People or Na­tions shall be gathered unto him. Which the Chalde Paraphrase, as al­so Onkelos, both of singular autho­rity among the Jews, do interpret thus. Until Christ or the Messiah come (which is the hope and ex­pectation of all Nations, as well Gentiles as Jews) the government shall not cease in the House or Tribe of Juda. Whence I infer the same conclusion as before, that if the Messiah must be the hope and ex­pectation, as well of the Gentiles as of the Jews, then can he not be a temporal King to destroy the Gen­tiles, as the latter Jews would have it, but a spiritual King, as before hath been declared.

Secondly, if the temporal King­dom of the house of Juda, whereof [Page 6] the Messiah must com, shal cease and be destroyed at his comming, and not before, that being a certain sign of the time of his manifestation, how then can the Jews expect yet a temporal King for their Messiah, the Scepter already departed and gone, their Kingdom and Priesthood defa­ced, their City and Temple destroy­ed, themselves scattered amongst all Nations, and so have continued al­most this sixteen hundred years, yea such a fatal and final desolation by Gods just judgement brought upon that woful Nation, and that not ma­ny years after the death and passion of our Saviour Jesus Christ, Luk. 19.42 according to his prophesie in his life time, as may fully settle our faith in this point.

The Prophesie of Moses.

THe fourth is that of Moses to the people of Israel, Dut. 18.13 The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Pro­phet like unto me, from among you, even of thy brethren, unto him ye shall [Page 7] hearken, &c. and in the verses fol­lowing, Ver. 18. I will raise them up a Pro­phet from among their brethren like unto thee (saith God to Moses) and will put my words into his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him, and whosoever will not hearken unto my words, which he shall speak in my name, I will re­quire it of him. Which words can­not be understood of any other Pro­phet that ever lived after Moses a­mongst the Jews; but only of the Messiah, as appeareth most plainly in another place in Deutrenomy, where it is said, There arose not a Pro­phet in Israel like unto Moses, Deut. 34.30 whom the Lord knew face to face, in all the miracles and wonders which the Lord sent him to do, &c. no such Prophet except the Messiah ever af­ter to be expected: but the Messiah he it is that must match and over­match Moses every way, he must be a man as Moses was in respect of our infirmities, even according as the people of Israel themselves desired the Lord in Horeb, saying, Deut. 18.14 "Let me hear the voice of the Lord God no [Page 8] more, Deu. 18.16. nor see this great fire any more, that I dye not. And the Lord said unto Moses, they have well spo­ken, I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee. &c. He must be a Law­giver, as Moses was, but of a far more perfect Law, as hereafter shal appear, he must be such a one whom the Lord hath known face to face, as he did Moses, but of a far more divine nature. Isa. 53.8. For as it is in Isaiah, Who shall declare his age? Lastly, he must be approved to the world by miracles, signs and wonders, as Moses was, which the Lord shall send him to do, as he did Moses. But no such Prophet hath ever yet appeared in the world, nor ever shall, who hath so fitly answered this type, so perfectly observed the Law of Moses (which Moses himself could not do) giving us instead ther­of a far more excellent Law, as was prophesied long before, that he should. And finally, so miraculously approved himselfe to the world, to be sent from God, by signs and wonders done both by himself and [Page 9] his Apostles, as hereafter shall ap­pear) except this Christ which we profess, therefore he alone is the true Messiah, and no other to be expected.

The Prophesie of David.

THe fift, is the Prophesie of David, a type also of the Messiah, who for that he was a holy man, a man after Gods own heart, out of whose linage the Messiah was to come, had this Mystery most manifestly revea­led unto him, for the assurance whereof as of a great mystery, even that of Christ and his Church, God bindeth himselfe by an Oath, saying, Psal. 89.3. ‘I have made a Covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, thy seed will I establish for ever, and set up thy Throne from generation to generation, Se­lah.’ Which words although the lattter Jews will apply to King Solo­mon (and so in some sort they may, for that he also was a type of the Messiah) yet properly these words, [Page 10] I will establish the throne of his king­dom for ever, 2 Sam. 7.13 so often repeated, can­not be verified of Solomon, whose earthly Kingdom was rent and torn in pieces, streight after his death, by Jer [...]boam, and not long after, as it were extinguished, but they must needs be understood of an eternal King and Kingdom, 1 King. 12, as must also those other words of God in the Psalms: Psal. 2.7. ‘Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, ask of me, and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for thy possession, Thou shalt crush them with a rod of Iron, and break them in pieces like a Potters Vessel:’ which pro­phesie was never fulfilled in Solo­mon, nor in any other temporal King in Jury after him. And much lesse this that followeth, Psal. 72.5. ‘They shal fear thee as long as the Sun and Moon endureth, from Generation to Generation. In his days shall the righteous flourish, and aboun­dance of peace so long as the Moon endureth. Vers. 7. His dominion al­so shall be from Sea, to Sea, and [Page 11] from the River unto the ends of the Earth. They that dwell in the Wilderness shall kneel before him, and his enemies shall slick the dust. The Kings of Tharshish, and of the Isles shall bring presents: the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring gifts, yea all Kings shall worship him, all Nations shall serve him. His Name shall be for ever, his Name shall endure as long as the Sun, all Nations shall be blessed in him, and shall bless him. And blessed be the Lord God, even the God of Israel, which only doth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious Name for ever, and let all the Earth be filled with his glory, Amen, Amen.’ And so he endeth; as it were, in a trance, ravished beyond measure, with the sweet and Heavenly con­templation of this spiritual and ever­lasting Kingdom of the Messiah, for to him, and to no other can all these Circumstances, and Hyperbolical speeches of David (rapt with the Spirit of Prophesie) properly and primarily appertain, though literal­ly [Page] the Jews understand them of So­lomon, as they do many other places in like case, applying them only to the type, never looking to the subs­tance, whereof those types and fi­tures were but shadows and sem­blances; God of his mercy in his good time take away the vaile from their hearts, that at length they may see the true Solomon in all his roy­alty, not any longer to grope at noon days, winking with their eyes against the clear Sun like their fore-Fathers, as it is in Isaiah: a most fearful judgement of God laid upon that Nation of old, objected to them many times and oft, both by Christ and his Apostles, but in vain, ‘Go and say unto this people, Isa. 6.5. ye shall hear indeed but shall not under­stand, ye shall plainly see and not perceive, make the heart of this people fat, make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, least they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and convert And be healed.’ Whereupon ensueth (even upon this winking and wilful obstinasie) [Page 13] a most severe denunciation of final desolation. Lord how long (saith the Prophet) and he answered, Un­till the Cities be wasted without in­habitant, the houses without a man, and the Land be utterly desolate, &c. But yet a tenth reserved to re­turn, a holy seed remainig in due time to be converted. This judg­ment and desolation hath been a long time upon them, they feel it and groan under the burthen of it, as their forefathers did in Egypt un­der Pharaoh, and yet winking, shut their eys, and will not see it, I mean, acknowledge the true cause of these so great judgements revealed from Heaven upon them, even the con­tempt of Gods holy Prophets sent unto them from time to time, but especially of the Messiah, whose blood lyeth heavily upon them, even to this day, as their forefathers de­sired, His blood be upon vs and on our Children, which all the world seeth is come to pass yea they themselves feel it, yet winking with their eye they will not see it. But there is a tenth to return, &c. The rest which [Page 14] will not this Messiah to reign over them, let them look into that Parable in the Gospel, there shall they find a far more fearful destru­ction denounced then the former. The first being but for a time, but a type of the other, but a beginning of woes, the other eternal, for ever and ever. The first he pronounceth with tears over Jerusalem, the se­cond he denounceth as an angry Judge, provoked at length to exe­cute his fierce wrath upon them, without any compassion at all. His words are these, Luk. 19.27 ‘Moreover, those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them bring them hither, and slay them before me.’ Which words of our Savi­our although they will in no wise believe, no more then they did the former, yet shal they find his words one day, as truly fulfilled to them in the one as they have done already in the other. And howsoever hi­therto they have esteemed of him as a false Prophet, a Deceiver, yet hath he been to them but too true a Prophet in all their cala­mities [Page 15] both first and last. And so af­ter this long digression I come to the next.

The Prophesie of Jeremy.

THe sixt, which confirmeth the former, is that of Jer. 23.5. ‘Be­hold the dayes come, saith the Lord that I will raise up unto David a righteous branch, and a King shall reign, &c. And this is the name whereby they shall call him, The Lord our righteous­ness.’

This was spoken of Davids seed about 400. years after David was dead and buried, which proveth ma­nifest, that the former promises were not made unto him for Solomon his Son, or any other temporal King of his line, but only for the Messiah, who was called so peculiarly the Son and Seed of David.

The Prophesie of Ezekiel.

THe seventh which also confirmeth the other, is that of Ezek. 34.23. ‘I will set up a Shepherd over them, he shall feed them, even my ser­vant [Page 16] David, &c.’ In which words the Jews themselves do confesse in their Talmud, that their Messiah is called by the name of David, for that he shall descend of the seed of David, and so it must needs be, for that King David being dead so long before, could not now come again in his own person to seed them him­selfe.

The Prophesie of Isaiah.

THe eighth is the Prophesie of Isaiah, 2.2. ‘It shall be in the last days, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all Nations shall flow unto it, &c. For the Law shall go forth of Sion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge among the Nations.’ Which very words Michah repeateth, Chap. 4.1. and are applied there as also here unto the Messiah, they can have no other meaning, by the judgment of the [Page 17] Jews themselves. Isa. 4.2. ‘In that day shall the Bud of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent. Isa. 9.6. Unto us a Child is born, and unto us a Son is given, and the Government is upon his shoulders, he shall call his name Wonderful, Councellour, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Fa­ther, the Prince of Peace, the in­crease of his Government shall have none end.’ And in the 11. Chapter, ‘There shall come a rod forth of the stock of Ishai, and a graff shall grow out of his root, and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him. Behold your God com­meth, &c. Then shall the eyes of the blind be lightened, and the ears of the deaf shall be opened; then shall the same man leap like a Hart, and the dumb mans tongue shall sing, &c. Chap. 35.4. 'And he said, It is a small thing that thou shouldst be my servant, to raise up the Tribes of Jacob, and to restore the desolations of Israel. I will also give thee for a light of the Gen­tiles, that thou maist be my salvati­on [Page 18] unto the ends of the earth, Chap. 49.6.’

Out of all which places before a­ledged, I conclude, first the com­ming of a Messiah, which the Jews will not deny: secondly, that he must be King, as well of the Gentiles as of the Jews, which they cannot deny: thirdly, that he must be a spiritual & a temporal King, as they imagin. It followeth next to be proved, that he must be both God and man, even the Son of God: the second per­son in Trinity to be blessed for ever­more, which also they shall not de­ny.

That the Messiah must be both God and Man.

THe Jews at the first agreed with us in all, or most points, as tou­ching the Messiah for to come, de­nying only the fulfilling or applica­tion thereof in our Saviour, but since the latter Jews finding them­selves not able to stand in that issue against us, they have devised a new [Page 19] plea, saying, that we attribute ma­ny things unto Jesus, that were not foretold of the Messiah to come, namely, that he should be God, and the Son of God, the second person in Trinity, which we will prove both by Scriptures, as also by the writings of their own forefathers. For Scrip­tures, it is evident by all (or the most) alledged before, that the Messiah must be God, even the Son of God, indued with mans nature, that is, both God and man. Genesis, where he is called the seed of the woman, it is apparent he must be man, and in the same place, where it is said, he shall break the Serpents head, who can do this but only God? So in Isaiah, Isa. 4.2. where he is called the bud of the Lord, his Godhead is signified, and when he is called the fruit of the earth, his Manhood. Isa. 7.14. And so in an­other place. ‘Behold a Virgin shal conceive and bare a Son and thou shalt call his name Immanuel, that is to say, God with us; which name can agree to none, but to him that is both God and man.’ And who can interpret these speeches, [Page 20] ‘That his Kingdom shall be ever­lasting, Isa. 9. That his name shall be for ever, it shall endure as long as the Sun and the Moon. That all Kings shall worship him, all Na­tions serve him, Psa. 72 worship him all ye Gods, Ps. 97. That no man can tell his age, Isa. 53, That he must sit at the right hand of God, Ps. 110.’ Who, I say, can understand or interpret them but of God, seeing in man they cannot be verified, with which place of Scrip­ture the Evangelists do report, that Jesus did put to silence divers of the learned Pharisees: for, saith he, ‘If the Messiah be Davids Son, how did David call him Lord?’ signify­ing thereby, that albeit he was to be Davids Son, as he was man yet was he to be Davids Lord, as he was God, and so do both Rab. Jonathan, and their own publick Commentaries in­terpret this place. Michah 5.2 Michah is plain, ‘His going forth is from the begin­ning, and from everlasting.’ And Isaiah is bold to proclaim him by his own name, even God, and to give him his right stile, with all additions, [Page 21] (as Herolds to great Kings and Princes use to do) ‘He shall call his name Wonderful, Councellor, Isa. 9.6. the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace, &c.’ In vaine therefore is that objection of the Jewes, that El, or Elohim, signifying God, is sometimes a ply­ed to a creature, here it cannot be so, nor in the next place following, Ps. 45.6. ‘Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever. &c. Wherefore God even thy God hath annoyn­ted thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows:’ Which cannot, be applyed to Solomon, but as a type of the Messiah. Howsoever the name JEHOVAH, which is of such reverence among the Jewes, that they dare not pronounce it, but in place thereof read Adonai, that I am sure they will never grant to be­long to any creature. Then what say they to that of Jer. 23.6. where the Messiah is called in plain terms Jehovah, ‘And this is the name whereby they shal cal him, Jehovah our righteousnesse.’ So likewise Chap. 33.16. over again is he cal­led [Page 22] by the same name Jehovah our rightousness. And so do the ancient Jews themselves expound this place, namely, Rabbi Abba, who asketh the question what the Messiah shal be called, and answereth out of this place, he shall be called the Eternal Jehovah. The like doth Misdrasch, upon the first verse of the 20. Psalm. And Rabbi Moyses Hadersan upon Gen. 41 expounding that of Zephany 3 9. concludeth thus: In this place Jehovah signifieth nothing else but the Messiah. And so did one of the Jews at unawares acknowledge to me, alledging that place out of the Psalmes, The Lord doth build up Je­rusalem, &c. that their Messiah at his comming should build a new City and Sanctuary, much more glo­rious then the former. So did he al­so interpret that place of Hag. 2.10. of a third Temple. Whereupon I inferred, seeing in those words he alledged, The Lord doth build up Je­rusalem, the Hebrew word is Jeho­vah, therefore by his own intepre­tation the Messiah must be Jehovah which he could not well shift off, but [Page 23] said that Adonai (for Jehovah they dare not name) must there be un­derstood, which point of the God­head of the Messiah the most an­cient Jews did ever acknowledge, proving by sundry places of Scrip­ture, not onely that he should be the Son of God, but also the word of God incarnate.

First that he should be the Son of God, they prove out of Gen. 49.10. ‘The Scepter shal not depart &c. til Shiloh come.’ Which Rabbi Kimhi proveth to signifie his Son, that is the Son of God Oat of Isaiah, Isa. 4.2. where he is called, 'The bud of the Lord Out of the Psalms, where it is said, Psal. 2.7. ‘Thou art my Son, this day have I begot­ten thee. And a little after 'Kiss the Son least he be angry, and ye perish, blessed are all they that trust in him.’ Which last words can­not be understood of the Son of any man, for it is written, ‘Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, Jer. 17.5.’

Secondly, that he shall be the Word of God, they prove out of Isaiah, as also out of Hosea, Hos. 1.7. where it is said, ‘I will save them by the Lord [Page 24] their God.’ Ionathan translateth it thus, I will save them by the Word of their God. So where it is sayd, ‘The Lord sayd to my Lord, Psal. 110.1. sit at my right hand, &c.’ The Lord said to his Word, Psal. 107.20 sit at my right hand. Also where it is sayd, ‘He sent his Word and healed them.’ Rabbi Isaack Arama upon Gen. 47. ex­poundeth it to be meant of the Mes­siah, that shall be Gods Word: So likewise that of Iob, Iob 19.16. ‘I shall see God in my flesh, &c.’ Rabbi Sime­on upon Gen. 10. gathereth there­upon, that the Word of God, shall take flesh womans womb. Ano­ther out of these words; Deut. 6.4. Jehovah our God is one Jehovah, proveth the blessed Trinity, saying, by the first Iehovah, is signified God the Father, by the next, which is Elohim, God the Son, and by the other Johovah, God the Holy Ghost proceeeding of them both: to all which is added the word one; to signifie, that these three are indivisible, but this secret (saith he) shall not be revealed until the coming of the Messiah. These are the words of Rabbi Ibda, repor­ted [Page 25] by Rabbi Simeon in a Treatise called Zoar, of great authority a­mong the Jews, where also they said Rabbi Simeon, interpreteth those words of Isaiah, Holy, Holy Holy, Lord God of Hosts, in this manner. Isaiah by repeating three times Holy (saith he) doth signifie as much as if he had said, Holy Father, Holy Son, and Holy Spirit: which three Holies do make but one Lord God of Hosts, which mystery of the bles­sed Trinity. Rabbi Hacadosch ga­thereth out of the very letters of JEHOVAH, Ier. 13.6. upon those words of Jeremy before recited, the two na­tures of the Messiah, both Divine and Humane, his two filiations, the one whereby he must be the Son of God, the other whereby he must be the Son of Man: concluding there­upon, that in him there shall be two Distinct Natures, and yet shall they make but one Christ, which is the same that we Christians hold. Philo that learned Jew shall end this first consideration, touching the Nature and Person of the Messiah, as him­self writeth in his Book De Exulibus, [Page 26] By tradition we have it, saith he, that we must expect the death of an high Priest, which Priest shall be the very Word of God, void of all sin, whose Father shall be God, and this Word shal be the Fathers wisdom, by which all things in this world were created, &c. Therefore the Messiah must be both God and Man, both by the Scriptures, as also by their own Writers they cannot deny it.

That the Messiah must change the Law of Moses.

AS the Messiah must be both God and Man, even the natural and onely begotten Son of God, and the very Word of God incarnate, void of all sin, able to satisfie the wrath of his Father, and to fulfil the Law of Moses for us: which Moses him­self could not do, nor any other af­ter him. It was a burthensome law to the Children of Israel, Acts. 15.10 ‘A yoak which neither they nor their forefathers were able to bear:’ so having once in his own person most exactly accomplished the same here on earth, together with all Rites, [Page 27] Ceremonies, Prophesies, Types, Fi­gures and Circumstances, of his com­ming clearly fulfilled in him, and by him. It was necessary (I say) the substance being once come, those shadows and ceremonies should cease and be abolished, I mean the ceremonial Law totally, for as tou­ching the moral Law, or the Com­mendments he saith, ‘I came not to destroy the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfil them,’ only thus far hath he abolished that too, he hath taken away the curse of it, hanging it on his Crosse; even ‘the hand writing that was against us, together with himselfe crucified.’

This ceremonial Law of Moses (I say) consisting of such a multitude of Ceremonies, Figures, Types, Sa­crifices, &c. all of them for the most part pointing at the Messiah to come; for by those outward signs and services appointed by God to his people, they were still put in mind of his Covenant, and assured of his promise, that the Messiah should come. Moreover it being proper and peculiar to one only Na­tion [Page 28] in all the world, namely Jury, the exercise thereof permitted, but in one onely place of that Country, namely Jerusalem, whither every man was bound to repair three times every year, to wit, at the Pasqua, Pentecost, and the Feast of Taber­bernacles, there and no where else to offer sacrifice. I say this Law of Moses, being altogether Ceremo­nial, and peculiar to that Nati­on, it was necessary at the coming of the Messiah, the same should be abolished, and a more general and perfect Law given and established, a Law that should be common to all men, serve for all countries, times, places, and persons, otherwise how could the Gentiles be made parta­kers of the Covenant, as well as the Jews, how could all these nations so far distant from Jerusalem, repair thrice every year thither, how should every woman dwelling in the East or west India's repair thither for her purification, after every Childbirth, as by the Law of Moses she was commanded, Levit. 12. Therefore it is manifest, that this Law of Moses [Page 29] was given to continue but for a time even till the comming of the Mes­siah, and then another to come in place to continue, till the worlds end. This signified Moses to the people, after he had delivered the former Law to them, saying, ‘The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet like unto me, from among you, even of thy brethren, Deu. 18.15. unto him shalt thou hearken.’ As if he had said, ye shall hear me till he come, who must be a Lawgiver as my selfe but of a far more absolute and perfect Law, and therefore more to be reverenced and obeyed. And then he addeth in the person of God himself, this thundering sen­tence against all mis-believers: ‘Whosoever will not hearken unto my Word, which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.’ Which words cannot be verefied in any other Prophet after Moses un­til Christ, for that of those Prophets 'there arose none in Israel like un­to Moses, Deut. 34.10. They had no authority to be Lawgivers, as Moses had, but were all bound to [Page 30] the observation of his Law till Christ should come, whom Moses here calleth a Prophet like unto him­self, that is, a Lawmaker, exhorting all men to hear and obey him. Here­unto the Prophets subscribe, none of them all presuming to take upon them that priviledge to be like unto him. A Prophet like unto Moses, they must let that alone to the Mes­siah, whose office it is to change the Law of Moses, given upon mount Sinai, and in stead thereof to pro­mulgate a new Law, to begin at Si­on, as saith the Prophet Isaiah, ‘The Law shall go forth of Sion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.’ Isa. 2.3. Which cannot be understood of Moses Law, published eight hun­dred years before this Prophesie, and that from Sinai, not from Sion, but of the preaching of the Gospel, which began at Jerusalem, and from thence was spread over al the world. Which the same Isaiah foresaw, when talking of the Messiah, he saith, Isa. 29.28. ‘In that day shall five Cities in the Land of Egypt speak the lan­guage of Canaan, &c. In that day [Page 31] shall the Altar of the Lord be in the midst of the Land of Egypt, and a pillar by the border thereof, unto the Lord. And the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day, and do sacrifice and oblation, and shall vow vows, &c.’ which could not be verified of the Law of Moses, for by that Law, the Egyptians could have neither Altar nor Sacrifice, but it was fulfilled upon the coming of Christ, when the Egyptians were made Christians. Also in another place, ‘And the Isles shall wait for his Law.’ The same was likewise foretold by God in Malachy, where he saith to the Jews, and of the Jew­ish Sacrifices, ‘I have no pleasure in you, neither will I receive an of­fering at your hands, Isa. 42.4. Mal. 1.10. for from the rising of the Sun, until the going down of the same my name is great among the Gentiles, and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering, for my name is great among the Gen­tiles, saith the Lord of Hosts.’ Wherein we see, first a reprobation of the Jewish Sacrifices, and conse­quently [Page 32] of the Law of Moses, which dependeth principally thereupon. Secondly, that among the Gentiles there should be a pure manner of Sacrifice, more grateful unto God then the other, not limitted either in respect of time or place, as the Mosaical Law and Sacrifice was. For so saith God in Ezekiel, ‘I gave them statutes which were not good, Ezek. 20.25 and judgements, wherein they shal not live, that is not good to continue perpetually, nor shal they live in them any longer, but til the time by me appointed.’ Of which time he determineth more particularly by Jeremiah in these word, ‘Behold the days come, saith the Lord, Ier. 31.31 that I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and Judah, not according to that Covenant which I made with their Fathers, &c.’ Where you see a new Covenant or Testament promised different from the old, Whereupon I conclude, the old Law of Moses by the Messiah must be changed into a New.

The time of his manifestation with all other circumstances.

NOw for the time of his manife­station, with all other circum­stances, of his birth, life, death, re­surrection, ascension and those things also that fel out afterwards, if we shal consider how particularly, and precisely they were all foretold by the Prophets, and how long before (some hundreds, some thousands of years) before they fel out; as also how exactly they were all fulfilled in the person of our blessed Saviour: all directed like so many lines to one Center: we shal (as it were in a mirrour) see and behold both the truth of Christan Religion setled up­on a most firm and unmoveable cen­ter; as also the vanity of all other Religions whatsoever, especially this most vain expectation of the Jews to this day, of their Messiah yet for to come, as vain and fond altogether, as was that opinion of one of the Philosophers which the word Cen­ter hath put me in mind of, that the [Page 34] Earth, forsooth, did move, and the Heavens stand still: and how far they are degenerate, not only from all true light and understanding in heavenly matters, but also even from common sense and reason it self in things of that nature tending there­unto.

And first for the time. Daniel who lived in the first Monarchy, foretold that there should be three Monarchies more, the last the grea­test of all, to wit, the Roman Em­pire, and then the Eternal King or Messiah should come, his words are these. In the days of these Kings, shall the God of Heaven ser up a Kingdom which shall I never be de­stroyed, Dan. 2.44. And just accor­ding to this time was the Messiah born, namely in the days of Au­gustus Cesar, Luk. 2. (as both we Christians account and the Jews ac­knowledge) even in those Halcyon days of peace, when the Temple gates of Janus were commanded to be shut, and upon that very day when Augustus commanded that no man should cal him Lord, was this [Page 35] Prince of Peace born. Therefore to him agreeth this circumstance of time very fitly, most vainly there­fore do the Jews after this time ex­pect another.

Secondly, Jacob who lived many yeares before, Gen. 49.10. prophesied of this time very precisely, as already hath been alledged, that the Messiah whom he there called Shiloh, should come at that time, when the Scepter or Government Regal was departed from the house of Judah, which was in the days of Herod, and never till then, who first usurped that govern­ment, his Father-in-Law King Hir­canus with all his off-spring of the blood Royal of Judah, together with the Sanhedrim put to death. The Genealogies of the Kings and Princes burned. A new pedegree for himselfe devised. In a word, all au­thority regal whatsoever belonging to that Tribe, at that time, quite extinguished. And just according to this time was our Saviour born, namely in the days of Herod, Mat. 2.1. Therefore to him agreeth this circumstance of time very fitly: [Page 36] most vainly therefore do the Jews after this time expect any lon­ger.

Thirdly, God himselfe saith by his Prophet Haggai, that the Messiah whom he there calleth The desired of all Nations: shall come in the time of the second Temple, which was then but new built, far inferiour in stateliness and glory to the former built by Solomon, which the old men in the book of Ezra testifie by their weeping when they saw this second Temple, Ezr. 3.12. and remembred the glory of the first. The words of the Lord by his Prophet Haggai, are these. ‘Speak unto Zerubbabel, who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory, and how do you see it now?’ it is not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? yet now ‘be of good cheer O Zerubbabel, for thus saith the Lord of Hosts, yet a little while and I will shake the Heavens and the Earth, and the Sea, and the dry Land. And I will move all Nations, and the de­sire of all Nations shal come, and I wil fil this house with glory, saith [Page 37] the Lord of Hosts.’ The glory of ‘this last house shal be greater then the first, &c.’ which must needs be understood of the comming of the Messiah, to wit, his personal presence in this second Temple, in whom is the fulness of glory, and therefore could he and none other, fil it with glory, being himself indeed the King of glory. Psal. 24.7 ‘Lift up your heads O ye gates, and be ye lift up ye e­verlasting doors, and the King of glory shal come in.’ So doth Ma­lachy prophesie in these words. ‘The Lord whom ye seek shal spee­dily come to his Temple, Mal. 3.1. even the Messenger of the Covenant whom ye desire, behold he shal come, saith the Lord of Hosts, &c.’ And so indeed he did, for Christ Jesus came into the world during this second Temple, and did himself likewise foretel the destruction thereof, which came to pass even in that age. There­fore to him agreeth this Circum­stance of time very fitly, most vain­ly therefore do the Jews after this time, to wit, the destruction of the second Temple expect any further.

[Page 38]Fourthly, the Messiah by the true computation of Daniels Prophesie, accounting his Hebdomades or Weeks for so many years to be mul­tiplyed by seven: that is to say, Weeks of Years (as they must needs be understood) was to come just ac­cording to the time before mention­ed, his words are these: ‘Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and upon thine holy City: know therefore, and understand, that from the going forth of the Commandement to bring again the people, and to build Jerusalem un­to Messiah the Prince, shal be se­ven weeks, and threescore and two weeks. And after threescore and two weeks shal the Messiah be slain and not for himself. And the peo­ple of the Prince that shal come, shal destroy the City and Sanctu­ary, and he shal confirm the Co­venant with many for one week, and in the midst of the week he shal cause the sacrifice and obla­tions to cease.’ Which Hebdo­mades, or weeks of years, whether we account from the first year of [Page 39] Cyrus who first determined the Jews reduction, or from the second of Darius, who confirmed, and put the same in execution, or from the twentieth year of Darius, for that he then made a new Edict in the favour of Nehemias, and sent him into Jury: every way they will end in the reign of Herod and Augustus, under whom Christ was born, or in the reign of Tiberius, under whom he suffered. And by no interpreta­tion can it be avoided, but that this time is now our, above one thousand five hundred years. Besides this being a clear prophesie of the Mes­siah (howsoever somewhat more intricate and obscure, in respect of the years, wherein the Prophet al­ludeth to the Captivity of Babylon, as some think) must needs be inter­preted according to the former pro­phesies also of the Messiah. And so doth the Prophet expound himself in the former words, namely, That the Messiah should be slain, before the destruction of the City and San­ctuary. Yet is there one week more to make up the number of se­venty, [Page 40] in the midst of which week the Messiah should be slain, which came to pass accordingly, for in the midst of that week, that is, about three years and an half after his bap­tisme▪ Christ Jesus the true Messiah was slain, and not for himself, for Pilate could find no fault in him: I finde no fault in the man, I find no cause of death in him, Luk. 23.14.22. Mat. 27. Isa. 53.5. I am innocent of the blood of this just man, look ye to it. Not for himself, but for us was he wounded (as saith the Pro­phet Isaiah) He was wounded for our transgressions. Therefore to him doth this circumstance of time bear witness, and consequently the Jews after these times by God himself ap­pointed for the Messiah, expecting yet for another, besides the vanity of this their expectation, they make God himself a lyar, yea and all their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Ioh. 8.56. Act. 3.21. Chap. 8.44. and all the holy Prophets (whose Children they hold them­selves to be) who all of them saw these days, and prophesied of them, Abraham rejoyced to see my day (saith our Saviour) and he saw it, and was [Page 41] glad. All these make they Lyars with themselves whereby they shew themselves, rather to be the Chil­dren of the Devil, who is the Father of lyes, then of Abraham, who is the Father of the Faithful only. For so did that vile Serpent at the first, even dare to give God himself the lye (as it is in Genesis) God saith there to Adam: In the day that thou eatest of such a tree thou shalt dye the death: Gen. 2.17. Gen. 3.4. Mat. 3.7. No (saith the Devil) it is not so, ye shall not dye at all. So do these Imps of Satan, Generation of Vipers, as John the Baptist in his time called them, even just after the same man­ner. For saith God by his Prophets, at such a time will I send the Messi­ah into the world, and by such and such marks ye shall know him: no saith this froward Generation, it is not so, he hath not yet sent him, he is not yet come, we acknowledge no such marks, as that he shall be poor and of no reputation in this world, put to death. We look for a mag­nificent Prince, we will none of such a base fellow, as this Jesus to reign over us, a false Prophet, a deceiver, [Page 42] and so forth, with whatsoever else their malicious hearts can imagine, their blasphemous tongues being set on fire of hell, are ready to utter to his disgrace. But let them look in­to that Parable of our Saviour, and there they shall find him another manner of person then they imagin, I will repeat it unto them. Luk. 19.27 More­over those mine enemies who would not that I should reign over them, bring them hither and slay them before me. God of his mercy give them repen­tance in time of their heinous and high blasphemies, that they may mourn for him whom they have pierced, every Family and Tribe a­part. ‘Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, And think not to say with your selves. We have Abraham to our Father, for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto A­braham. Now is the Ax put to the root of the Tree.’ The last Trumpet will blow, and then it will be too late, when ye shall hear that shril voice ringing in your ears, arise ye dead and come to judgment, that [Page 43] voice wil awake you out of all your dreams, and mate you arise whether you will or no, when ye shal see the Son of man come in his glory, even your long looked for Messiah, like a magnificent Prince indeed, but lit­tle to the comfort of those that re­main obstinate. Awake therefore to your salvation, Eph. 5.14. that ye be not a­wakened hereafter to your condem­nation; ‘Awake thou that sleepest, stand up from the dead, and Christ shal give thee light;’ shake off all your idle dreams and foolish fanta­sies of our imaginary Messiah, fit­ter for Children then Men of discre­tion; consider with your selves at length, how long you have overslept your selves, how many ages are now past and gone, since both by com­putation of Scriptures (as aforesaid) as also by the observation of your own Doctors and Teachers, your Messiah was to come, and yet you see him not, no nor any likelyhood at all of his comming, more then at the first, yea rather all evidences and probabilities to the contrary that may be; look into your Tal­mud, [Page 44] and there you shal see plainly, if you be not blind there also, as you are in the Scriptures, the vanity of vanities of this your expectation, for so it is indeed.

It is often repeated in your Tal­mud, that one Elias left this Tradi­tion, that the world should endure six thousand years, that is, two thou­sand before the Law, two thousand under the Law, and two thousand after that, under the Messiah. Which last two thousand years, by all com­putation, could not begin much from the birth of Jesus. And your Rabbins long since complained in that their Talmud, that there seem-to them in those days seven hundred and odd years past since the Messi­ah by the Scripture should have ap­peared; therefore they do marvaile why God so long deferreth me same, much more then may ye mar­vail upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Another observation Cabalistical they have upon those words of Isa. 9 7. The encrease of his Government and Peace shall have no end, where [Page 45] the Hebrew word is Lemarbeh, sig­nifying to encrease or multiply ad multiplicandum: In which word, because they find mem to be shut, which is not usual in the middle of a word they gather many secrets, and and among other, that seeing mem signifieth 600 years, so long it should be from that time of Isaiah, until the time of the Messiah, which accompt of theirs falleth our so just, that if you reckon the years from Acha [...] King of Judah, in whose time Isaiah spake these words, until the time of Herod under whom Christ was born, you shal finde the number to fail in little or nothing.

A much like observation hath Rabby Moses ben Maimon in his Epistle to his Country men the Jews in Africa, concerning the time of the Messiah, which he thinketh to be past, according to the Scriptures a­bove a thousand years (he lived about the year or Christ one thou­sand, one hundred and forty) but that God deferreth his manifestati­on for their sins, since which time, hath passed almost 500. years more [Page 46] and yet ye hear nothing of his com­ming. Consider this ye Jews of Barbary, for to you partly seemeth this Epistle to be written. Wil you then stay stil, and say stil after so many hundred years past and gone, that for your sins God referreth yet his comming, putting it off from one five hundred years to another, and so in infinitum? it is all one as if you say, that for your sins God hath broken his promise now, 1 thousand and six hundred years; and conse­quently it may be for your sins the Messiah will never come, this must be your last refuge, you may as wel say the one as the other. But how­soever you make your selves sinful, yea out of measure sinful, Psal. 71.4. Rom. 3.4. yet let God be just and righteous in his promise (as it is Written) make not him a lyar as you have done hitherto.

To this purpose also appertaineth the Narration of one Elias (as Rab­by Josua reporteth it in the Talmud) that the Messiah was to be born in­deed according to the Scriptures before the destruction of the second Temple, for that Isaiah saith of the [Page 47] Synagogue: before she travailed, she brought forth, and before her paine came, Isa. 66.7. she was delivered of a man child, that is, saith he, before the Synagogue was afflicted and made desolate, by the Romans she brought forth the Messiah. But yet, saith he, this Messiah for our sins doth hide himself in the Seas and other De­sarts, till we be worthy of his com­ming. Which is as much in effect as if he had said (the one as proba­ble as the other) that perhaps for our sins and unworthiness the Mes­siah may not come at all, but return to Heaven back again from whence he came. And why I pray have you not stayed as wel in Heaven all this while, rather then in the Seas and Desarts for so many years, to no purpose, I am perswaded if Ba­laams Ass were alive again, and did hear these, and such like your idle fantasies and dreams touching your Messiah, the very Ass would reprove you to your faces, and make you a­shamed of them, whereof though I have read somewhat in divers Au­thors, yet could I hardly beleeve [Page 48] any such absurdities to be delivered, much less defended by any reason­able creatures, till I had heard some­thing my self. I urged that place of Genesis to one of them, to wit, that the Scepter should not depart from Judah till Shiloh came, that is, the Messiah, which being so long since departed and gone, I asked what reason they had, as yet to expect for a Messiah, he answered, the Scepter was not departed, they had their Sheckes, that is to say, chief men of their Tribes, in all parts where they inhabit. Moreover that some of the Moores, forsooth had brought them word of a People or Nation of the Jewes, inhabiting in a far Coun­try, he could not tell me the place where, but first there is a River to be passed, two Trees growing on either side directly one against ano­ther, which two trees every saturday, and no day else, do of their own accord bow one towards ano­ther, making, as it were, a bridg for men to go over. Now the Jews by reason that day is their Sabbath, may not attempt to pass over it. [Page 49] But the Messiah at his comming shal bring them altogether, into the Land of promise they know not how, rebuild the City and Sanctuary in a trice, much more glorious then ever it was before. To which pur­pose he alledged that place out of the Psalms, Psal. 147.2. ‘The Lord doth build up Jerusalem, and gather together the dispersed of Israel.’ Hag. 2.10. So likewise interpreting that of Haggai ( ‘the glory of this last house shal be grea­ter then the first) of this third imaginary Temple.’ So literally ap­plying that of Isaiah, Isa. 11.6. ‘that in those days the Wolfe should dwell with the Lamb the Leopard lie with the Kid, the Calf and the Lyon, and the fat beasts together, and a little child to lead them, &c.’ That these things should thus come to pass litte­rally, according to the very Hebrew Characters. This is all the know­ledge they have in the Scriptures, the bare Hebrew letters, and no more. Yet can they not speak one word of the true spiritual language of Canaan, but in stead of Shiboleth (like those Ephraimites, Judg. 12.6 they pro­nounce [Page 50] Siboleth, no interpretation spiritual of the Celestial Canaan, the Heavenly Jerusalem, of the spiritu­al Temple, of the mystical body of the Messiah, that is to say, his Church no relish at all of the spirit of God, or any spiritual worship amongst them. And yet, forsooth, they will be the people of God alone, and who but they, the Children of A­braham, and of the promise, and none but they, yea they are so vainly puft up with the foolish pride of this their high pedigree, that they think veri­ly, and will speak it confidently (I have heard it from them) that none of them, unless for very heinous of­fences, as Perjury or such like shall be judged after this life, or be in danger of hell fire, they only to have their punishment in this world, and not else. As though hell fire were only prepared for us Gentiles, and Heaven only for the Jews, which unless they repent, they shall finde quite contrary, if the words of our Saviour be found true, which hither­to they have found but too true, to their wo, as I noted before. ‘I say [Page 51] unto you that many shall come from the East, and from the West, Mat. 8.11. and shal sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the King­dom of Heaven, and the Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into utter darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Where are now the Jews with their lofty pedigree, Even as Esau sold to Jacob his birth-right for a mess of pottage, so have the Jews to us Gen­tiles their birthright to the King­dom of Heaven, for a mess of idle dreams and fantasies they imagin to themselves, Towers and Castles in the air, Crowns and Kingdoms in expectance, even in this world, ano­ther Paradice here on earth. But in the end they shall find themselves to have been all this while in a fools Paradice, and as it were in a dream, which when one awaketh vanisheth, and so I leave them to their dreams and profound sleep, till it shal please God of his mercy to awake them.

Thus then it is manifest both by Scripture, Tradition, and Observa­tion of the Jews themselves, that a­bout [Page 52] the time before mentioned, to wit, in the days of Augustus Cesar, the new Roman Emperor, and of Herod the usurper King of Jury, who was the first that took away the Scepter from Judah, even in the time of the second Temple, the true Mes­siah was to be born. And hence it was that the whole nation of the Jews remained so accent at this time, more then ever before or since in expecting the Messiah. Whereup­on so soon as ever they heard of John Baptist in the Desart. Ioh. 19. ‘The Jews sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem, to ask if he were the Messiah. And in another place it is said, 'As the people waited and all men mused in their hearts of John if he were the Messiah, John answered and said unto them, Lu 7.3.15. &c.’ So that you see in those days the whole people of the Jews waited for his comming, all men mused up­on their Messiah, So did also John himselfe being in prison, sent two of his Disciples to Jesus, Mat. 11.3. demanding, ‘Art thou he that shall come, or shall we look for another:’ and a­gain [Page 53] at the feast of the Dedication, they came flocking to him from all parts, they came round about him, as it is in that place, saying, ‘How long dost thou hold us in suspense, Ioh. 10.24. if thou be that Christ tell us plainly.’ All which importeth the great ex­pectation wherein the people remai­ned in those days, of which fame, expectation, and greedy desire of the people divers deceivers took oc­casion to call themselves the Messi­ah, Judas Galilaeus, Judas the Son of Hezechias, Atonges a Shepherd, Theudas and Egyptus, all notable deceivers. But above all one Bar­cozham, who as the Talmud affir­meth, for thirty years together was received for the Messiah by the Rab­bins themselves, till at last they slew him, because he was not able to de­liver them from the Romans. Which facility in the people, when Herod saw, he caused one Nicholaus Damascenus to devise a pedigree for him from the ancient Kings of Juda, and so he as well as the rest took up­on him the title of the Messiah, whom divers carnal Jews that expe­cted [Page 54] the Messiah to be a magnificent King, as Herod was, would seem to beleeve and publish abroad, where­upon they are thought to be called Herodians in the Gospel, who came to tempt Christ. Mat. 22.16. But all these de­ceivers are vanished and gone, their memorial is perished with them: whereunto our Saviour, seemeth to allude, Joh. 10.8. where he saith, ‘All that e­ver came before me are theeves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.’ I say all these false Messiahs with their followers, they are vanish­ed and gone; onely Jesus Christ and his Religion, contrary to all o­ther Religions in the world, without either sword, spear or shield, against all world strength and policy hath increased and multiplied, and shall do to the end of the world, as Ga­maliel long ago prophesied to the Jews, wilfully bent, put all in vain, even in the very first infancy thereof to have destroyed it. His words are these. 'And now I say unto you, refrain your selves from these men, and let them alone: for if this coun­cel, or this work be of men it will [Page 55] ‘come to naught, but if it be of God, ye cannot destroy it, lest ye be found even fighters against God.’

Wherefore to conclude, at length this main point of the time of Christs appearing, which cutteth the very throat of the Jews vain expectation, seeing at or about that time there concurred so many signs and argu­ments together, Dan. 2.44. as 1 the establish­ment of the Roman Empire newly erected (for then by Daniels pro­phesie was the God of heaven to set up his Kingdom.) 2. The departure of the Rod or Scepter from the house of Juda. 3. The destruction of the second Temple, foretold by our Sa­viour, and comming to pass accor­dingly even in that age. 4. The just calculation of Daniels Hebdomades, or weeks of years. 5. The observa­tion of Rabbins. 6. The publique fame and expectation of all the Jews together with the palpable experi­ence of more then sixteen hundred years past since Jesus appeared; wherein we see the Jewish people in vain do expect another Messiah, [Page 56] they being dispersed over all the world without Temple, Sacrifice, Prophet, or any other pledge at all of Gods favour, which never hap­pened to them, till after the death of our Saviour, for that in all other their banishments, captivities and afflictions, they had some prophesie, consolation or promise left to them for their comfort, but now they wan­der up and down (God having set a mark upon them as he did upon Cain) as a people forlorn, and a­bandoned both of God and Men.

His Linage or Pedegre.

SEcondly, the Messiah by the Scripture was to be born of the Tribe of Judah, and to descend li­neally from the house of David. ‘There shall come a rod out of the stock of Ishai, &c.’ Isa. 11.1. So did our Sa­viour, as appeareth by his Genealo­gy set down by his Evangelists, Mat. 1. Luk. 3. as also by the Thalmud it self, which saith, ‘That Jesus of Nazareth crucified, was of the [Page 57] blood royal from Zerabbabel of the house of David, confirmed by the going up of Joseph and Mary his Mother to Bethlehem to be tax­ed, 'Which was the City of David, Luk. 2.4. who was born there, as also it is ma­nifest, for that the Scribes and the Pharisees, who objected many mat­ters of much less importance against him: as that he was a Carpenters Son, &c. yet never objected they against him, that he was not of the house of David, which could they have proved, would quickly have ended the whole controversie.’

His Birth with the Circumstances thereof.

THirdly the Messiah by the Scrip­ture was to be born of a Virgin, so saith Isaiah, ‘Behold a Virgin shal conceive and bring forth a son:’ Isa. 7.14. the Hebrew is He emphaticum, the Virgin. And Isaiah appointeth this to Achaz, for a wonderful and strange sign from God▪ therefore, saith he, ‘The Lord himself will give [Page 58] you a sign behold, which he could not have done in reason, if the He­brew word in that place had signi­fied a young woman only, as some latter Rabbins will affirm, for that is no such sign nor strange thing, but very common and ordinary for young women to conceive and bring forth Children, and so did the elder Jews understand it, as Rabbi Simeon noteth.’ And Rabbi Moses Hadder­san, upon those words, ‘Truth shall bud forth of the Earth, saith thus.’ Here Rabbis Joden noteth, that it is not said, Truth shall be engendered, but Truth shall bud forth, to signi­fie that the Messiah, who is meant by the word Truth, shall not be be­gotten as other men are, in carnal copulation. To the same effect, and after the same manner to be inter­preted is that of Jeremy, ‘The Lord hath created a new thing in the Earth, a Woman shall compass a Man.’ And Rabbi Haccadosch pro­veth by Cabala out of many places of Scripture, not only that the Mo­ther of the Messiah must be a Virgin, but also that her name shall be Ma­ry. [Page 59] ‘Now the birth of Jesus Christ was thus, &c, that is to say, Mat. 1.18. after this strange and extraordinary man­ner, therefore must he needs be the true and undoubted Messiah.’

The Messiah by the Scripture was to born at Bethlehem in Judea, for so it is written by the Prophet. Mich. 5.2. Mat. 2.5. ‘And thou Bethlehem Ephrathah art little to be among the thousands of Ju­dah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me, that shall be the Ruler of Israel, &c.’ which place the chief Priests themselves quoted to that purpose to Herod, deman­ding of them where Christ should be born, and they answered him, at Bethlehem in Judea, for so it is writ­ten by the Prophet, as before. So also David after much restless study and industrious search to find out this mystery, &c. ‘I will not enter into the Tabernacle of my house, Psal. 132.3. nor come upon my pallet or bed, nor suffer mine eyes to sleep, nor mine eyelids to slumber, until I find out a place for the Lord, &c.’ At length, the mystery being revealed unto him, he doth as it were, point [Page 60] to the very place in the words fol­lowing, ‘Lo we heard of it at Ephra­tah, which is Bethlehem, Gen. 35.19. and found it in the fields of the Forrest. Then addeth, 'We will enter into his Tabernacle, and wor­ship before his footstoole:’ fore­shewing that divine worship there afterwards done to Jesus by those Magi or wise men, who came from the East to worship him in that place, even in the Cratch, and before his footstoole, ‘Presenting unto him gifts of Gold, Mat. 2.1. Frankincense and mirrh:’ as was also prophesied in another place, that presents and gifts should be brought unto him from far countries and by great per­sonages. Psa. 72.10. ‘The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shal bring presents, the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring gifts.’ Cyprian saith, it is an old tradition of the Church, that those Magi or wise men were Kings, or rather little Lords of particular places, which is to be understood, such little Kings as Josuah slew thirty in one battel: [...] 12. howsoever it is mani­fest they were men of place and re­putation [Page 61] in their countries (neither are prophesies always so strictly and literally to be understood) They brought with them a great treasure, Gold, Frankincense and Mirrh, yea both Herod and all Jerusalem took notice of their comming. They had private conference with the King, as touching the star that appeared un­to them, leading them to that most bright morning star whereof Ba­laam long before prophesied, saying, ‘I shall see him, but not now, I shall behold him, but not neer, Numb. 24.17. there shal come a star of Jacob, &c.’ Jesus then being born at Bethlehem in Judea (as was prophesied long before the Messiah should be) and indeed it standeth with great reason, that he that was to be the Son of David, should also be born in the City of David: the circumstances also of his birth duely considered both before and after, first the Angels salutation to his Mother Mary, Luk. 1.28. Chap. 2.21. foretelling that his name should be Jesus, before ever he was conceived. So Esdras prophesied in the person of God himselfe, saying, ‘Behold, the time [Page 62] shall come, 2 Esd. 7.26. that these tokens which I have told thee shal come to pass, &c. for my son Jesus shal appear, &c. and after these same years shal my son Christ dye:’ Here is both his birth and passion, both his names, Jesus, Christ, plainly expressed. Which book, though it be not cano­nical, yet was it extant in the world before ever Christ was born. Also Rabbi Haccadosch proveth by art Cabalist out of many places of Scrip­ture, that the name of the Messiah at his comming shall be Jesus, and among other he addeth this reason, that as the name of him who first brought the Jews out of bondage into the Land of promise, was Jesus or Josua (which is all one) so must his name be Jesus, that shal the se­cond time deliver them. Secondly, the Angels appearing to the Shep­herds in the night of the Nativity, with this joyful message from Hea­ven, ‘Behold I bring you tidings of great joy, that shal be to all peo­ple, that unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord:’ And this [Page 63] is shall be a sign unto you, ye shal find the child swad' led and laid in a cratch.

Thirdly, the star that appeared, notifying his comming into the world, whereof not onely the wise men before mentioned, but also generally, all the Astronomers and Soothsayers of that age took special notice, adjudging it to portend u­niversal good to the earth, some ga­thering thereupon, that some God descended from heaven to the bene­fit of mankind, and for that cause had that star an image erected to it in Rome, and as Plinies words are, Is Cometa unus toto orbe colitur. That onely Comet in all the world is adored. Fourthly, his presentation in the Temple, Luk. 2. according to the Law of Moses, where openly came old Simeon by the motion of the spi­rit ( ‘for he had a revelation from God, that he should not see death, till he had seen the Lords Christ) took the child in his arms, acknow­ledged him for the Messiah, prophe­sied that he should be a light to be revealed unto the Gentiles, appoin­ted [Page 64] for the fall and rising again o many in Israel, with other events, which afterwards came to pass.’ So did likewise Anne the Prophetess, as it is in the same Chapter. Fiftly, that most pitiful murder of all the Infants in and about Bethlehem, Mat. 3.16. upon this occasion, as was prophesied by Jere­my, saying, ‘A voice was heard on high, mourning and bitter weeping. Rachel weeping for her children, and refused to be comforted, Jer. 31.15. be­cause they were not, Rachel was buried in the way to Ephrath which is Bethlehem:’ and for that cause those infants were called her children, Gen. 35.19. albeit she were dead above two thousand years before they were slain, and above one thousand and five hundred before Jeremy wrote this pro­phecy. Among which Infants Herod also for more assurance, slew an infant of his own, for that he was descended by the Mothers side, of the line of Ju­dah. Which cruelty comming to Augustus his ears, he said he had rather be Herods swine, then his [Page 65] son, for that he being a Jew, was prohibited by his religion to kill his swine, though not ashamed to kill his Son.

Sixtly his flying into Egypt here­upon, as also to fulfil that prophesie, Mat. 2.13. Hos. 11.1. Isa. 19. [...]. Euseb. lib. 'out of Egypt have I called my Son; which Isaiah enlargeth further, say­ing, ‘Behold the Lord rideth upon a light cloud (which is his flesh or humanity) and shal come into E­gypt, and all the Idols of Egypt shal tremble at his presence:’ Which latter point Eusebius sheweth, was fulfilled most evidently in the sight of all the world, for that no nation came to Christian Religion with so great celerity and fervour, as did the Egyptians, who threw down their Idols before any other Nation. And as they had been the first in Idolatry to other countries, so were they the first by Christ his comming unto them that afterwards gave ex­ample of true return unto their Creator. It followeth in Isaiah, ‘I wil deliver the Egyptians into the hands of cruel Lords (these were the Roman Lords and Princes, Pom­pey, [Page 66] Caesar, Antony &c.) 'And a migh-King shal reign over them, &c.’ this must needs be Augustus the Emperor, who after the death of Cleopatra the last of the blood of the Ptolomies, took possession of all Egypt and subjected it as a Province to the Roman Empire. But after these tem­poral afflictions threatned against Egypt, behold a most Evangelical promise of deliverance: ‘In that day shal five Cities of the Land of E­gypt speak the Language of Cana­an, &c. In that day shal the Altar of the Lord, be in the midst of the Land of Egypt, &c. They shal cry unto the Lord, because of their op­pressors, and he shall send them a Saviour, and a great man, and shal deliver them, &c. The Lord of Hosts shall bless them saying, Bles­sed be my people of Egypt, &c.’ This blessing (I say) the Egyptians obtained by our Saviours being in Egypt, whom here the Prophet cal­leth by his own name Jesus, a Savi­our, a great man. Finally the com­ming of John Baptist, his forerunner or Messenger, as was prophesied, [Page 67] ‘Behold, Mal. 3.1. I will send my Messenger and he shal prepare the way before me, Chap. 4.5. and the Lord whom ye seek shal speedily come to his Temple.’ And again, ‘I will send you Eliah the Prophet, that is to say,’ John the Baptist, in the spirit and power of Eliah, as an Angel from Heaven expoundeth it, appearing to Zacha­rias his Father in the Temple, sent to foretel him both of his birth, as also by what name he should call him, even John, saying, Luk. 1.13. ‘Thou shalt call his name John, he shal be great in the sight of the Lord, he shall go before him in the power and spirit of Eliah.’ And therefore out Saviour in plain terms he calleth him Eliah, Mat. 11.14. ‘And if you will receive it, this is that Eliah which was to come, he that hath ears to hear, let him hear.’ And as our Saviour gave him his due, be­fore a multitude then assembled, cal­ling him Eliah: So did this Eliah also give our Saviour his due, in ac­knowledging him for the Messiah, not assuming unto himself that ho­nour offered unto him by the Jews, [Page 68] but refusing it absolutely, and laying it upon Jesus our Saviour the true owner. ‘Then this is the record of John, when the Jews sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Ioh. 1.19. who art thou? and he con­fessed and denyed not, and said plainly, I am not the Christ. I am not the Messiah; I Baptize you with water, but there is one among you, whom you know not, he it is that cometh after me, which is pre­ferred before me, whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to unloose, These things were done in Betha­bara, beyond Jordan, where John did Baptize. The next day John seeth Jesus comming to him, and saith behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he whom I said, af­ter me commeth a man that is pre­ferred before me, for he was before me, and I knew him not, but be­cause he should be declared to Israel, therefore am I come bapti­zing with water. So John bare re­cord saying, I saw the spirit come down from Heaven, like a Dove, [Page 69] and abiding upon him. And I knew him not, but he that sent me to baptize with water, he said unto me, upon whom thou shalt see the spirit come down, and stay stil up­on him, that is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God.’ According as it is, in the other three Evangelists more at large expressed, how that ‘Jesus when he was baptized came strait out of the water, and lo the Hea­vens were opened unto him. Mat. 3.16. Mar. [...].10. Luk. 3.21. And John saw the spirit of God de­scending like a Dove; and light­ing upon him. And loe a voice came from Heaven, say­ing, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am wel pleased. The next day John stood again, and two of his Disciples, and he beheld Jesus walking by and said: Joh. 1.31. Behold the Lamb of God, and the two Disciples heard him speak, and followed Je­sus.’ All this was done at Betha­bara, beyond Jordan, in the sight and hearing of a number of people there present, as three of our Evan­gelists [Page 70] do report, which they would never have presumed to have done, had not the matter been most evi­dent, and without all compass of de­nial or contradiction. And truely no one thing in all this story of Jesus life, doth more establish certain­ty of his being the true Messiah, then that John the Baptist, whose wisdom, learning, vertue and rare sanctity is confessed, and recorded by the wri­tings of all our adversaries, should refuse the honour of the Messiah offered unto himself, and lay it upon Jesus, and also should direct those Disciples that depended upon him, to the onely following and imbra­cing of Jesus doctrine which is most evidently proved, that he did, for that so many followers and Disciples as himself had, not one appeared ever after, that was not a Christi­an.

These circumstances I say of the birth and comming of the Messiah into this world, so long before fore­told by the Prophets, and fulfilled so exactly in the person of our bles­sed Lord and Saviour wel conside­red; [Page 71] I may at length conclude. Heaven and Earth concurring. Men and Angels with all other Creatures applauding thereunto, yea and God himself from Heaven pronouncing it ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am wel pleased.’ That therefore as sure as God is God, and cannot lye nor give Testimony to any un­truth, so sure is Jesus Christ the Son of God, the true Messiah and Savi­our of the world, no other to be ex­pected.

His preaching or doctrine.

THus having evicted by the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, together with the circum­stances, both before and after, that he was by birthright the only legiti­mate (as I may say) and true born Messiah, all others that were before him, or since, have sprung up, or shal do hereafter to the worlds end, but bastards and usurpers, yea theeves and robbers, and that in the highest degree of thee very that may be, e­ven [Page 72] robbing God of his honour▪ which he wil not impart to any o­ther: it remaineth yet further to demonstrate the same by his life, death, resurrection, and ascension, with all other accidents and circum­stances accordingly to be observed, which may make this mystery more and more manifest, or rather palpable as the Apostle witnesseth, say­ing that ‘which was from the begin­ning, which we have heard, which we have seen with these our eyes, which we have looked upon, and these hands of ours have handled, &c. that I say which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you:’ what can be more palpable?

After his baptisme he began to preach (having before gotten his living (as most conjecture) with his own hands, and eaten his bread with the sweat of his brows, to shew himself true man, and that he was made a curse for us (as it is written, ‘In the sweat of thy brows shalt thou eat thy bread) and what was his doctrine?’ of this world, or worldly delights, of pleasure, or pro­fit, [Page 73] no, no, quite contrary to the humors of this wicked world, and to the corruptions of flesh and blood, which procured him the more hatred (as in all the four Evan­gelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, who recorded both his sayings and doings may appear) wholly tending to the sincere ser­vice of God in spirit and truth, to the exaltation of Gods glory, the beating down of mans pride, by discovering his misery, to the con­tempt of this wicked world, and vain pomp thereof, to the mortifica­tion of all sins in us, patience, peace of conscience, &c. in a word, all directed to the manifestation of his Fathers will, and amendment of mans life; tending wholly to this one ground or principle, Deut. 6.5. Mat. 22.37. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soul, which is the first and great command­ment; and thy Neighbour as thy self, on which two hangeth the whole Law and the Prophets. The manner of his Doctrine was simple, plain, and easie, altogether according to the evidence of the Spirit, not in the en­ticing [Page 74] words of mans, wisdom, like the Heathen Orators and Phyloso­phers, nor like the Scribes and Pha­risees, but with power and authori­ty, without either fear or flattery of any mans person, rebuking all mens sins even to their faces, which (I say) procured him such a general hatred. It took away no one spiri­tual point of Moses Law (but the Ceremonial only and Provincial, which by the coming of the Messiah was to be taken away) yea rather revived, interpreted, and made per­fect the same, corrupted much by the Jews false interpretations and glos­ses. That (as they taught) com­manding external observance only, this adding internal obedience also. For whereas that enjoyned (accord­ing to the letter, and as they inter­preted) to love our neighbours and friends, and no further; this adjoyn­eth love also your enemies, bless them that curse, you, Matth. 5.43. Where that prohibited actually to commit Adultry and no more (as they ima­gined) this forbiddeth the adultry of the eye, and of the very heart. And [Page 75] so of all the rest of the decalogue, our Saviours doctrine is nothing else but a most exact and sincere exposi­tion, according to the true intent of the Law-giver, God the Father. Therefore I conclude this doctrine so quite contrary to the gross hu­mors of this wicked world, and so repugnant to flesh and blood, so wholly devoted to Gods glory, and the sincere observation of his Law, is the doctrine proper to the Messiah, which the Prophets of God foretold should be delivered by him (at his coming) into the world.

His life and conversation.

FOr his life and conversation (the express Image of his Doctrine) it was stainless, and without reproof, even by the testimony of his very e­nemies; acknowledged also by the Divels themselves. A man of such gravity, as never in his life he was noted to laugh, but often to weep: of such humility, as being the Son of God, yet scarce took upon him [Page 76] the dignity of a servant; of so mild and sweet a nature, as all the inju­ries of his enemies never wrested from him an angry word, but on the contrary prayers and tears in their behalfs. In prayer often; the day he spent in the Temple, and else­where, preaching to the broken hearted, doing good to all men, healing all manner of diseases, as the Prophets foretold the Messiah should do; the night on mount O­livet, and other places in prayer. In fastings often, forty days and forty nights together, that the Jews might know he was more then a man. Fi­nally he was such a one as was de­scribed by God in Isaiah so many a­ges before he was born. Behold my servant &c. Isa. 42.1. Zach. 9.9. Porph. lib. De laud. Philo. he shall not cry. A bruised reed he shall not break. As also in Zachary, Behold thy King cometh unto thee, he is just, and having salvation, lowly, &c. Such an one I say was our Saviour as touching his integrity sanctity, piety, humility, and all other vertues, even by the testimony of his greatest enemies, Porphyry, and o­thers, yea of the Divels themselves, Ergo.

His Miracles.

FOr his miracles which he wrought for the confirmation of his do­ctrine, and approbation of his per­son, as sent from God, the Jews themselves do grant, and record the same in divers places of their Thal­mud; yea they make mention of many wonderful things that Jesus did, which are not written by our Evangelists. So doth Mahomet in his Alcoran, affirming him to have been a great Prophet, and to have wrought his miracles by the only power and spirit of God; and they were such as first were foretold by the Prophets that the Messiah should work, as namely, Isa. 35.5. to give sight to the blind, to open the ears of the deaf, to make the lame to leap, the dumb to speak, &c. Secondly, such as were altogether unpossible for any mortal man to effect, but by the meer pow­er and finger of God, as the raising of the dead to life again, as he did Lazarus after he had lain four days [Page 78] stinking in the grave. Jairus his daughter, a chief Ruler of the Sy­nagogue. Ioh. 11.17. Mark 5.22. Luke 7.11. The widdows son before the gates of the City Nain in the presence of a multitude of people there assembled to the funeral, with many other strange miracles record­ed by such faithful witnesses (the E­vangelists I mean) four in number, though two or three had been suffici­ent in Law, Deu. 19.15. who afterwards sealed the truth thereof even with their dearest blood, as did infinite others after them. Neither could the Jews of those times, compassed about with such a cloud of witnesses, ever deny the truth thereof; the parties themselves then living, and conver­sing amongst them, upon whom they were wrought. They had no other evasion but this, to say (and that most blasphemously, contrary to their own knowledge and conscience and therefore our Saviour layeth it to their charge as that fearful sin a­gainst the holy Ghost not to be prayed for) that he wrought these his miracles by the help of Beelze­bub the Prince of Divels. Whereas [Page 79] it is most apparent the Divel himself had never that power given him to raise one from the dead; and though he had, yet would he sooner by his good will take away both life and breath from all men at once (if it were possible) wishing all men in the world had but one head or neck, like that cruel Tyrant in Rome, rather then give life to any one; for he is a murtherer from the beginning. And yet the Jews themselves in their Thal­mud do acknowledge, that the Mes­siah at his coming shall be most wonderful in working miracles. And in their publike commentary upon Ecclesiastes they have these words. All the former miracles of the Pro­phets or Saints shall be nothing to the miracles of the Messiah when he cometh. But such were the mi­racles of our Saviour, the whole multitude applauding hereunto: Mat. 9.33. the like was never seen in Israel, he hath done all things well; never man spake leke this man. Seeing also it is impos­sible, yea blasphemy to think that God should give testimony to any untruth, it must needs follow that [Page 80] all was true which Jesus affirmed, and therefore seeing he affirmed himself to be the Son of God, and the Mes­siah, it must needs follow (I say) by these his miracles, that he was so in­deed, according to that speech of his to the Jews; Ioh. 10.25.37. the works that I do in my Fathers name, they bear witness of me: Luk. 7.20. And again, If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not, but if I do them, though ye believe not me, yet believe my works. As also that an­swer of his to Johns Disciples sent to enquire of him as touching that mysterie of the Messiah, Art thou he that shall come? Luk. 7.20. &c. Jesus an­swered, Go and tell John what things ye have seen and heard, the blinde see, the halt go, the Lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, and the dead rise a­gain, &c.

The calling of his Apostles.

HEreunto (as an Appendix to his miracles) I may well annex the calling of his Apostles, Disciples, and Followers, whereof Josephus maketh [Page 81] mention as of a great miracle, who being of divers callings, states, and conditions in the world, yet all on the sudden upon his call left both Father, Mother, Wife, Children, and other temporal respects, and followed him, who had nothing to give or promise them in this world, but crosses and afflictions: Mat. 16.24▪ He that will be my Disciple, let him take up his cross and follow me. A man that never spake them fair, but ever cros­sed them in their humors favouring of flesh and blood; Get thee behind me Satan, thou art an offence unto me: Cha. 16.23. His doctrine ever harsh, hard, and repugnant to flesh and blood; This is an hard saying, who can hear it? Joh. 6.60. A man in disgrace with the higher Powers, the Rulers, high Priests, Scribes and Pharisees, Ch. 7.48. Do any of the Rulers, or of the Pharisees believe in him? A man that had neither friends in the world to bear him out, nor a house to put his head in: Mat. 8.20. The fox­es have kotes, and the Fowls of the hea­ven have nests, but the Son of man hath not whereon to rest his head. And yet notwithstanding all this, that [Page 82] worldly men and women, and some also notorious sinners, and loose livers before, should leave all their worldly hopes, ease, profit, plea­sure (and their sweet sins too) to fol­low such a man, with so great incon­veniences, losses, dangers, and disgraces (as they did) and should continue with him in all his afflicti­ons, temptations, and persecutions, and be content to die, and lose their lives, rather then forsake him, or a­bandon his service; this I say is such a miracle, as never in the world fell out the like, and must needs be grant­ed by the enemy to be supernatural. We read of an Emperour that taking in hand to conquer the world, made this Proclamation for winning men unto his party: Plut. Apo. Prisc. re­gum. Whosoever will come and be my servant, if he be a Footman, I will make him a Horse­man; if he be an Horseman, I will make him ride with Coaches; if he be a Farmer, I will make him a Gentleman; if he possess a Cottage, I will give him a Village; if he have a Village, I will give him a City; if he be Lord of a City, I will make [Page 83] him Prince of a Region or Country; and as for gold, I will pour it forth unto them by heaps and weight, and not by number. This was the Pro­clamation of Cyrus the great King of Persia to his followers, very glo­rious (as we see) in pomp of words, and to the eye of flesh and blood.

Let us now compare herewith the proclamation of our Cyrus, Jesus Christ, to his Disciples and Follow­ers; the entrance and preface where­of was this, Repent, &c. Mark 1.15. And then it followeth (instead of whosoever will come and be my servant, if he be a Footman, I wil make him a Horse­man) If any man wil follow me, Mat. 16.24. saith Christ, let him forsake himself, and take up his cross and follow me; not on horseback, as the Pope doth, with all his proud Cardinals & Bishops, in his pontificalibus; Eccl. 107. I have seen servants on horses, and Princes walking as ser­vants on the ground: So did an Em­perour bare-footed to his Holiness: But what would Solomon have said if he had seen a Prince hold his stir­rop? and yet forsooth will this proud Prelate be Servus servorum, a [Page 84] follower of Christ, and Peter's Suc­cessor. Insteed of possessing lands and Lordships, gold and treasures, he saith, Mat. 10.9. ‘Possess not gold nor silver, nor money in your purses, nor a scrip for the journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor so much as a staff in your hands.’ Insteed of these preferments and pleasures of the world, saith Christ, contrary to Cyrus, Ioh. 16.33. ‘In this world ye shall have affliction: Mark 13.9. yea which is more, 'Ye shall be delivered up to the Coun­cels, Ch. 13.13. Luk. 21.16. and to the Synagogues, ye shall be beaten, and brought be­fore Rulers and Kings for my sake, ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake, ye shall be betrayed al­so of your Parents, brethren, kins­men and friends.’ And which is most of all, ‘Ye shall be put to death; Mat. 36.25. for whosoever will save his life, Luk. 14.26. shall lose it: Finally, If any man come to me, and hate not his Father and Mother, and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my Disciple. And whosoever beareth not his cross, and cometh [Page 85] after me, he cannot be my Disci­ple: For which of you minding to build a Tower, sitteth not down before and counteth the cost? &c. So likewise whosoever he be of you that forsaketh nor all that he hath, he cannot be my Disciple.’ This was the Proclamation and Edict of Christ to his followers. This was the entertainment proposed by Jesus to such as would come and serve un­der his colours, with express prote­station that himself was sent into the world not to bring peace, rest, and ease to flesh and blood, but rather to be the cause of sword, fire, Mat. 10.34. and tri­bulation. ‘Think not that I am come to send peace into the earth, I came not to send peace, but the sword:’ and yet with these cold offers pre­sented to the world, first by himself to his Apostles and Disciples won thereby to follow him, even upon the first call, they left all and fol­lowed him; and by them to all o­thers afterwards: I say, by this Do­ctrine so cross and opposite to mans nature, inclination, and sensual appe­tite, he gained more hearts unto [Page 86] him within the space of forty yeers, then ever did Monarch in the world possess loving subjects, by whatsoe­ver temporal allurements they did or might propose; which argueth the omnipotent puissance of him, that contrary to mans reason in so short a time could bring to pass so miraculous a conquest, were there no other argument in the world of the truth of Christian Religion, this were sufficient.

His Death and Passion.

FOr his Death and Passion, with all the disgrace, despite, and indigni­ties were done unto him by the Jews, it was also foretold by the Prophets, and so expounded by their own Rabbins, as also by our Saviour himself: Behold we go up to Jeru­salem, Luk. 18.31. and all things shall be fulfilled to the Son of man that are written by the Prophet, Mat. 21.2. &c. He made his entrance into the Citie upon an Ass, in all humility as was prophesied the Messiah should do, Zach. 9.9. Rejoyce greatly, [Page 87] O daughter Zion, shout for joy, &c. Fulfilled even at the same time, when the people spread their garments in the way, cut down branches from the Trees, and strewed them in the way, crying, Mat. 21.8. Hosanna to the Son of David, &c.

He was betrayed by his own Di­sciple, Psal. 55.13. as David in divers places had foretold, under a type of those his secret enemies, in the days of Saul, & 109.4. as also himself prophesied beforehand, saying, Mat. 26. [...]. He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray me.

Being apprehended, he was most barbarously entreated by the Jews. according to that of Isai, Mat. 26.67. Isa. 50.6. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to the nippers, I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

After all this inhumane dealing, he was nailed to the cross hand and foot, according to that of David: Luk. 23.33. Psal. 22.16. Zach. 12.10 They pierced my hands and my feet, I may tell all my bones; they beheld and looked upon me, they parted my gar­ments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. And in another place, They gave me gall in my meat, Psal. 69.21. and in [Page 88] my thirst they gave me vineger to drink.

Luk. 23.32.He was crucified between two ma­lefactors or evil doers, one on the right hand, the other on the left; according to that of Isaiah, Isa. 53.12 He was counted with the Transgressors; yea Barrabas, a murderer in the esteem of the Jews, preferred before Jesus, and quit by a common consent, and cry away with him, and deliver unto us Barrabas, Luk. 23.18. crucifie him, crucifie him.

He prayed for his enemies and per­secutors; Father forgive them, for they know not what they do, according to that of Isaiah, He bare the sin of many, Isa. 53.12. and prayed for the trespassers.

Ioh. 19.36. Exo. 12.46. Not a bone of him was broken, ac­cording to that Law of the Passover, a lively type thereof.

To conclude, that Christ should die for the sins of the world, it was a received opinion of the Jews in all a­ges, both prefigured and foretold throughout all the Scripture prefi­gured by the sacrifice of Isaac, Gen. 22.1. Num. 21.8. the lifting up of the brazen Serpent, and by all other sacrifices in the Law. Foretold not only by the Scriptures [Page 89] before mentioned, but also by Daniel in most plain terms, Dau. 9.26. After threescore and two weeks shall the Messiah be slain, &c. acknowledged also by Cai­phas himself, high Priest even the self same year that Christ suffered; his words are these to the Pharisees, tax­ing their great blindness in this point and in them the whole Nation of the Jews to this day: Ioh. 11.49. ‘Ye perceive no­thing at all, nor yet do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man die for the people, and that the whole Nation perish not, &c.’ But he that will read the whole story of Christ crucified, with the particulars described many hundred yeers be­fore the same fell out, let him turn to Isaiah, and acknowledge him for an Evangelist, who to signifie the strangeness of the case, beginneth first with a preface, Isa. 53. Who will believe our report? &c. All which narration Rabbi Jonathan, the author of the Chaldy Paraphrase applyeth to the murder of the Messiah by the Jews, whereunto agree Rabbi Simeon, Rab­bi Hadersan, and others: proving further out of Dan. 9.27. That after [Page 90] the Messiah shall have preached half seven yeers he shall be slain: which disagreeth little or nothing from the account of us Christians. Also in their Thalmud it is set down for a princi­ple, and the sentence pronounced be­forehand peremptorily, and in plain terms, that the Messiah at his coming shall be put to death. So then I may conclude upon all these particulars of Christ his Death & Passion, fore­told by the Prophets, prefigured in the Law, and so expounded and ac­knowledged by the Jews themselves, the ancient Rabbins before mention­ed, and finally, so exactly fulfilled in our Lord and Saviour (as by the quotations in the margent may ap­pear) together with the mild manner of his death, Mat. 27. praying for his enemies, Father forgive them: and meekly re­commending his soul into the hands of God, Luk. 23. Father, into thy hands I com­mend my spirit, with other strange ac­cidents and circumstances, that mira­culous eclipse of the Sun at that very instant, from the sixt to the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land, the vail of the Temple rent in [Page 91] twain, from the top to the bottome, and the earth did quake, and the stones were cloven, and the graves did open themselves, and many bo­dies of the Saints which slept, arose, &c. I say, upon all these particulari­ties and circumstances, I hope, I may conclude (as it is in that place) with the Centurion, and those that were with him watching Jesus, who when ‘they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and re­turned.’ So may I conclude, Truly this was the Son of God, truly this is the Messiah, and let all the people of the Jews come together again to this sight, and behold him whom they have pierced, and smite their breasts, pricked in their hearts, Acts 2.37. like those Jews in the Acts, and cry out. Men and Brethren, what shall we do? and re­turn to the Lord, and ‘be baptised every one in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, [Page 92] which God grant.’ And the Lord pour upon them the spirit of grace and of compassion, that in soul and spirit they may look upon him whom they have pierced, Zach. 12.10 and lament for him (as it is in the Prophet) every Tribe and Family apart.

His Resurrection.

FOr his Resurrection it was also foretold by the Prophets, and pre­figured in Jonas. David saith in the person of the Messiah, of whom he prophesied in divers places, and was a type, Psal. 16. [...]. ‘I have set the Lord always before me, &c. Wherefore mine heart is glad, and my tongue rejoy­ceth, my flesh also doth rest in hope, for thou wilt not leave my soul in the grave, nor suffer thine holy One to see corruption.’ Also Hosea saith, Hos. 6.2. ‘After two days will he revive us, and in the third day he will raise us up.’ Us in the plural number, pointing (as it should seem) both at the Resurrection of our Sa­viour the third day, as also the rai­sing [Page 93] of a number of the Saints toge­ther with him at the same time, pre­figured in Jonas, together with the time of his abode in the Sepulcher, Jonah 1.17 and foreshewed many times by our Saviour himself to his Disciples, such and such things shall be done to the Son of man: ‘He shall be appre­hended, evil entreated, mocked, Luk. 18.31. scourged, put to death, but the third day he shall rise again.’ Also to the Jews demanding a sign, he answered, ‘Destroy this Temple, John 2.18. and in three days I will raise it up again.’ And at another time, ‘An evil and adulte­rous generation seeketh a sign, Mat. 12.38. but no signe shall be given them, save the signe of the prophet Jonas: for as Jonas was three days and three nights in the Whales belly, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.’ Which Prophesie of his they full wel remembring, and fearing the event, immediately upon his burial they went to Pilate, saying, ‘Sir, Ch. 27.62. we remember that Deceiver said while he was living, within three days I will rise again: Command therefore [Page 94] the Sepulcher to be made sure till the third day, lest hit Disciples steal him away by night, and say unto the people, he is risen from the dead: and so the last error be worse then the first.’ All which was done ac­cording to their desire: a strong watch appointed, the Sepulcher seal­ed up, all things made so sure by the Jews as might be: for they had got­ten from Pilate a special commission for that purpose to whom he was as forward to grant it, as they to ask it, and that in as large and ample man­ner as themselves knew or could de­vise. All which, notwithstanding after a most miraculous manner, Mat. 28.2. The An­gel of the Lord descending from heaven with an earthquake, and rolling back the stone from the Door of the Sepul­cher, the Keepers astonied, and become as dead men: Jesus our Saviour ac­cording to the former prophesies is risen again, and hath appeared to his Apostles and Disciples his faithful witnesses, a number of them, at di­vers several times, Act. 1.3. to whom he present­ed himself alive (as S. Luke writeth) by many infallible tokens, being seen of [Page 95] them by the space of forty days, and speaking of those things which apper­tain to the Kingdom of God: howso­ever the Jews suborned the Soldiers, giving them largely, to say, His Di­sciples came by night and stole him a­way, while they slept; which saying is noised among the Jews to this day. How probably (the former circumstances considered) let the world judge. Therefore I will conclude this point also (with that of Paul) touching the Resurrection of our Lord and Savi­our, Rom. 4.4. He hath declared himself mighti­ly to be the Son of God by the Resur­rection from the dead, and consequent­ly, that Messiah promised before by the Prophets in the holy Scriptures, Rom. 1.2. as the same Apostle urgeth.

His Ascention.

FOr his Ascension, it was also fore­told by the Prophets, and necessa­rily followeth upon his Resurrection to be believed▪ to wit, that having finished the work of our Redempti­on here one earth, he ascended up into [Page 96] heaven, and there sitteth at the right hand of God. Psa. 68.18. David saith, Thou art gone up on high, thou hast led captivity captive, and received gifts for men, &c. Psal. 110.1. And in another place, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, &c. which is the place alledged by our Saviour, wherewith he put the Jews to silence, both as touching the Deity and the Humanity of the Mes­siah; for saith he, If David call him Lord, how is he then his Son? Where we may see David acknowledgeth him his Lord, and consequently his God, even the Son of God, sitting at the right hand of God (for the present, as touching his Divinity) af­terwards to be accomplished also in his Humanity, which David believed as verily should come to pass, and foresaw by the eye of Faith, as did Thomas, when it was come to pass, putting his hand into his side, and crying, My Lord and my God; so saith David here, my Lord: The Lord said unto my Lord, &c. I say, this ar­ticle of our Faith, as touching his Ascension, it followeth necessarily to be concluded upon his Resurrection [Page 97] it needeth no other proof. For that whosoever seeth and acknowledgeth that Jesus being dead could raise himself to life again, will easily be­lieve also that he was able to ascend up to heaven at his pleasure. And hereof we have also all his Apostles and Disciples for witnesses, eye wit­nesses; in whose presence and sight he ascended: as it is in that place, Acts 1.10 They looked stedfastly towards heaven as he went: and in witness thereof gave up their lives, and sealed the same with their blood.

Therefore I conclude upon all these premisses so necessarily follow­ing and depending one upon ano­ther, to wit, his birth, life, doctrine, actions, death, resurrection, & ascen­sion; seeing nothing hath hapned in the same which was not foretold by the Prophets of God, nor any thing foretold by the same Prophets con­cerning the Messiah, which was not fulfilled most exactly in the person of our Saviour; We may most cer­tainly assure our selves, that as God is truth, and therefore can neither foretel an untruth, nor yeild testimo­ny [Page 98] to the same; so it cannot be but that these things which have been shewed to be so manifestly fore pro­phesied, and so evidently accom­plished in the person of this our bles­sed Lord and Saviour; must needs (I say) assure us Christians, that he was indeed the true Messiah: and quite confound the Jews in their vain imagination and expectation of another.

The sending of the holy Ghost, with the first Plantation, and wonderful in­crease of the Church.

NOw for those things that fol­lowed after his Ascension, as arguments and effects of his Divine power, they were also foretold by the Prophets: to wit, the sending of the holy Ghost (that Comforter) from on high, with the sudden, strange, and miraculous increase of his Church throughout the world, even against all worldly power and policy, by the only power and mini­stry [Page 99] of his word, confirmed with signs and wonders that followed, wrought by his Apostles, Disciples, and other his faithful servants and witnesses in the Primitive Church: then the which there can be no grea­ter argument in the world of the truth of Christian Religion; if we consider how all other Religions in the world have grown and been maintained by force of Arms, Fire, and Sword; this only by the preach­ing of Christ crucified, in all Nations hath encreased and multiplyed, and shal do more and more to the end of the world; this must increase, all o­thers decrease; howsoever the Turks have possessed the greatest part of the world at this day, Mat. 24.14. yet our Savi­ours prophesie in the end shall be found true: this Gospel of the king­dom shall be preached throughout the whole world, for a witness unto all Nations Now for the first increase of it, Luk. 24.47 How small a number were there gathered together after the ascensi­on at Jerusalem, from whence they were to march (even the twelve A­postles, no great army God wot) to [Page 100] conquer the world? Isa. 2.3. as it is in that place, The Law shall go forth from Zion, and the Word of God from Jeru­salem. There was the Rendevous, there they stayed, there they rested, there they continued in prayer and fasting, Ioh. 14.26. ch. 15.26. and 16.7. till such time as Christ after his ascension, according to his pro­mise, sent them the Comforter, even the holy Ghost, enduing them with power from on high, and arming them at all points for so great a work. When and where being ga­thered together, Acts 2.4. all with one accord in one place, suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind, and filled all the house where they sate. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like fire, and it sate upon each of them, and they were all filled with the holy Ghost, and began to speak with other Tongues, as there is mentioned. And with these fiery cloven tongues these twelve silly souls without any means, men, money, or munition, in a very short time conquered a great part of the world; insomuch that at one Sermon of S. Peter, at the same time there were added to the Church [Page 101] three thousand souls: and so multiply­ed successively from time to time, and from place to place, spreading it self from one Country to another, and from one Nation to another and so at length into all Nations: There is neither Speech nor Language where their voice is not heard, Their line is gone forth through all the earth, and their words into the ends of the world: as we see it is come to pass this day. Of which coming of the holy Ghost in the time of the Messiah, Joel pro­phesied saying; Joel 2.28. And it shall be in the last days, that I will pour out my spirit, &c. and on my servants and on my handmaids I will pour out my spi­rit, &c. It filled all the house where they sate, and it sate upon each of them, and they were all filled with the holy Ghost Here is a deluge of Gods grace poured upon the world immediately upon the ascension of our Lord and Saviour. First upon his Apostles and Disciples of those times in greater measure, as the first fruits of his spi­rit by the which they wrought mira­cles, spake all manner of languages, healed all manner of diseases, cast out [Page 102] Divels, raised the dead, and lastly sealed the same with their blood. Poor Fishermen and such like of no reputation in the world, without learning, without credit, without means (as before) yet by this means conquered the world to the subjecti­on of their master Christ; Psal. 118 22 Act. 4 11. that stone cast aside of the Builders, but now be­come the head-stone of the corner; this the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.

The sincerity of the Evangelists.

NOw for the Evangelists, or wri­ters of the Gospel, that is to say, the registers of his Birth, Life, Doctrine, and Death: It is to be noted, that our Saviour being God, took a different way from the cu­stome of man, in delivering unto us his Laws and Precepts. For that men who have been law-makers unto the world, knew no surer way of publish­ing their Laws, and procuring autho­rity to the same, then to write them with their own hands, and in their [Page 103] life time to establish their promulga­tion So Lycurgus, Solon, and others among the Grecians, Numa to the Romans, Mahomet to the Sarasins. But Jesus (to shew his Divine power in directing the Pen and Stile of the Evangelists, would not leave any thing written by himself, but passed from this world in simplicity and si­lence, without any other shew or o­sten [...]ation of his own doings. Mean­ing notwithstanding afterwards, to his glory, and the edification of his Church here on earth, by four irre­fragable witnesses or remembran­cers (the four Evangelists) every word should be established and re­corded: as may appear by that place where he saith. John 14.25 ‘These things have I spoken unto you being present with you, but the Comforter, which is the holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall bring all things to your remembrance which I have told you.’ Whereupon I infer, that the Evangelists and Apo­stolical writers were all of them gui­ded and directed by one and the same spirit, even the spirit of God, [Page 104] for the registring of all things either said or done by our Saviour, so far forth as seemed best to his Divine will and pleasure, to be registred and recorded for the benefit and edifica­tion of his Church; Joh. 20.30.21.25. ‘For there were many other things which Jesus did (as John the Evangelist testifieth) which are not written:’ that is to say, which the holy Spirit of God thought needless to faith and salvati­on, but saith he, ‘These things are written that ye might believe, that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, and that in believing ye might have life through his name.’ Now for these Evangelists four in number, (which some have resembled to the four Beasts in Ezekiel) the first and last are Apostles, Ezek. 1. that wrote as they had seen; the two middle are Disci­ples, who registred things as they had understood by conference with the Apostles. The first Gospel was writ­ten by an Apostle, Luk. 1.2. to give light to the rest; and the last also by an Apostle, to give authority and confirmation to the former. The first was written in the Hebrew Tongue, for that all [Page 105] those miracles which Jesus wrought were done in that Country; Mat. 15.24 He was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, to the end that either the whole Nation might believe them, or the obstinate impugne them, which yet never any of their Rabbins took in hand to do. The o­ther three were written in the most famous and populous language of all Nations at that time, to wit, the Greek Tongue. They wrote their stories in divers Countries, far distant one from another and yet agreed they all most exactly in one and the same narration (as is to be seen) though diversly related, yet in truth and substance all one: one sometimes supplying what another hath not, ac­cording to the discretion of one and the same spirit, wherewith they were all guided and directed, like those four Beasts in Ezek. 1.12. Every one went streight forward, whither their spirit led them they returned not. They wrote in divers times, one after ano­ther; and yet the latter did neither correct nor reprehend any thing in the former, as Heathen writers use to [Page 106] do. They published their writings when infinite were alive that knew the facts, and of them no small num­ber, who desired by all means to im­pugne them. They set down in most of their narrations, the time the day, the hour, the place, the village, the house, the persons, with all other cir­cumstances, which the mo they are in number, the more easie to be refuted, if they were not true. Neither did they write of things done in far Countries or places remote, but in the same Country where they were born, in Towns and Cities that were publikely known, in Jerusalem it self, in Bethania and Bethsaida, Vilages hard by Jerusalem, in the Suburbs and Hills about the City, in such a street, at such a gate, at such a porch of the Temple, at such a Fish-pool, publike places, familiarly known to every one, Acts 26.26 for these things were not done in a corner, as saith the Apostle. All which circumstances duly consi­dered (never yet impugned) me­thinks (should perswade any man of reason to become a Christian: as A­grippa in that very place acknow­ledgeth [Page 107] to Paul, saying, almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian. They published their writings in their life time. They altered not their writings afterwards as other Authors are wont in their latter editions, nor ever corrected they one jot of that which they had first set down. And (that which never hapned in any other writings in the world besides, nor e­ver Monarch was able to bring to pass for credit of his Edicts) they gave their lives for defence and justi­fying of that which they had writ­ten. Their manner of writing is sin­cere and simple, as becommeth so di­vine a History; without all art or Rethorical amplifications, as Histori­ans use. They flatter none, no not Je­sus himself, whom they most adore, nor in confessing him to be their God, do they conceal his infirmities of flesh, in that he was man: as his hunger and thirst, his being weary, Mat. 21.18. Luk. 19.41. Mat. 14.33. how he wept, his passions of fear, and the like. Nay, these Evangelists were so sincere and religious in their nar­rations, as they noted especially the imperfections of themselves, and of [Page 108] such others, as they principally re­spected. Mat. 10.3. Mar. 14.67. Matthew nameth himself Matthew the Publican. Mark ( Pe­ters Disciple) recordeth how S. Peter thrise denyed his Lord and Master, and so of the rest. These mens wri­tings were published for canonical, and received for undoubted truth by all that lived in the very same age, and were privie to every particular circumstance therein contained. They were copied abroad into infinite mens hands, and so conserved with all care and reverence, as holy and divine Scripture. They were read in Churches throughout all Countries and Nations, expounded, preached, and taught by all Pastors, and Com­mentaries made upon them by holy Fathers from time to time. So that no doubt can be made at all either of the authority of them, as originally and immediately proceeding from the holy Ghost, or of the certainty: but that we have the very same in­corrupt, as the Authors left them, for that it was impossible for any enemy to corrupt so many Copies over the world, without discovery and resi­stance. [Page 109] And thus much for the cre­dit and authority of our Evangelists.

The confession of Martyrs.

NOw for the Martyrs (or witnes­ses) appointed by God for the sealing and delivery of this Doctrine of the Gospel of our Lord and Sa­viour Jesus Christ to all the world, they were first and principally his own Apostles and Disciples; Luk. 24.48 Now ye are witnesses of these things: who both heard his Doctrine, and saw his Miracles: as S. John testifieth, 1 Joh. 1.2. That which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, &c. That I say which we have seen and heard, 2 Pet. 1.16. declare we unto you. And S. Peter, For we followed no deceivable Fables when we opened unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but with our eyes we saw his Majesty. This Do­ctrine (I say) of the glorious Gospel of our Lord and Saviour, Luke 1.2. whereof they were so fully perswaded, they did not only profess it with their mouths, yea even before Kings, Acts 23.12. and [Page 110] were not ashamed, as God saith to Paul, Ch. 27.24. as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome: thou must be brought before Caesar: but in witness thereof they gave up their lives, and by their deaths sealed and delivered to the world the truth of that which in their lives they professed, they have sealed that God is true: These are witnesses worthy to be believed, these are Martyrs. Next to these are all those holy Disciples of theirs, all those holy Confessors of the Primi­tive Church put to death with most exquisite torments, under those cru­el Roman Tyrants, during those ten famous persecutions upon record, called the ten persecutions, Catexo­chen, in respect of the rage, fury and cruelty thereof: and all against poor harmless and innocent Christians, daylie torn in pieces, and butchered by those Wolves, as Sheep appointed for the slaughter: whereof our Sa­viour long before had forewarned his Disciples: Mat. 10.16. Rev. 6.9. Behold I send you as Lambs among Wolves &c. persecuted even to the death, for the Word of [Page 111] God, and for the testimony which they maintained. In which extream and most incredible sufferings of Christi­ans, three points are worthy of great consideration. The first, what in­finite multitudes of all estates, condi­tions, sexes, qualities and age, did suffer daylie for testimony of this truth. The second, what intolerable and unaccustomed torments, not heard of in the world before, were devised by Tyrants for afflicting this kind of people. Thirdly and lastly, What invincible courage, and un­speakable alacrity these Christians shewed in bearing out these afflicti­ons and torments, which the enemies themselves could not attribute but to some Divine power, and superna­tural assistance.

The subjection of Spirits.

ANother consideration follow­eth of his Divine power and omnipotency, declared and exercised upon the spirits infernal, which in those days spake in the Oracles, and [Page 112] till that time had possessed and delu­ded all Nations. Hear the complaint of one of them▪ Hei mihi, cogemisci­te, hei mihi, hei mihi, Oraculorum de­fecit me clari [...]as. Wo unto mes la­ment ye with me, wo, wo to me, for that the honour of Oracles hath now forsaken me. Which woful com­plaint is nothing else but a plain con­fession that Jesus was he of whom a Prophet said divers ages before, Zeph. 2.11. He shall consume all the Gods of the earth, and every man shall worship him from his place, even all the Isles of the Hea­then. This confessed also the wicked spirits themselves, when at Christs appearing in Jewry they came and did their homage to him, and be­sought him not to afflict or torment them before the time, nor command them presently to return to hell, but rather to permit them some little time of entertainment in the Sea, or Mountains, or among herds of Swine or the like; which confession they made openly before all men, and de­clared the same afterwards by their deeds. For presently upon Christ his death, and upon the preaching of his [Page 113] Name and Gospel throughout the World, the Oracles in all places cea­sed, whereof the Poets themselves bear witness: Juv. Sat. 6. Cessant Oracula D [...]l­phis. Whereupon Plutarch that lived within an hundred yeers after Christ, Plut. de defectu Oraculor. made a special Treatise to sift out the causes why the Oracles of the Gods (as they deemed them) were ceased in his time. And after much turning and winding many ways, at length resolved upon two principal points, or causes thereof. The first, for that in his time there was more store of wise men then before whose an­swers might stand insteed of Oracles: and the other, for that perhaps the Spirits accustomed to yeild Oracles were by length of time grown old and dead. Both which reasons, in the common sense of all men must needs be false, and by Plutarch him­self cannot stand with probability. For first in his Books which he wrote of the Lives of Famous Men, he confesseth, that in such kind of wis­dom as he most esteemed, they had not their equals among their poste­rity. Secondly in his Treatise of Phy­losophy [Page 114] he passeth it for a ground, that Spirits cannot die, or wax old. And therefore of necessity there must be some other cause yeilded of the ceasing of these Oracles: which cannot be but the presence and com­mandment of some higher Power: according to that saying of S. John, 1 Iohn 3.8 for to this end and purpose appeared the Son of God, to wit, that he might destroy the works of the Divel. Neither did Jesus this alone in his own per­son, but gave also power and autho­rity to his Disciples and Followers to do the like; according to that their Commission in the Gospel. Luke 9.7. Then called he the twelve Disciples together, and gave them power over all Divels, &c. And not only to these twelve did he give this absolute power and authority over unclean Spirits, but to the rest likewise; as may appear in the next chapter following upon the return of their Commission: Luk. 10.17. And the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the Divels are subdued to us through thy Name. And he said unto them, I saw Sathan like light­ning fall down from heaven: and so [Page 115] reneweth their Commission, saying, Behold I give you power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy (that is to say the Divel) Nevertheless (saith he) in this rejoyce not, that the Spirits are subdued unto you, but rather rejoyce because your Names are written in Heaven. And this authority over the Spirits Infernal given by Jesus to his Disciples in the primitive Church, extended it self so far, that not only their words and commandments, Lact. l. 2. Div. Inst. c. 16. but even their very presence did shut the mouths, and drive into fear the miserable Spirits, as both Lactantius and others do witness; whence it proceeded, that in all Sacrifices, Con­jurations, and other Mysteries of the Gentiles, there was brought in that phrase recorded by scoffing Lucian, exeant Christiani, Let Christians de­part, for that while they were pre­sent, nothing could be well accom­plished. And that professed enemy of Christianity, Porphyry, Porph. l. 7. cont. Christ apud Euseb. l. 5. c. 1. de prep. Evan. who of all o­ther most earnestly endeavoured to impugne us Christians, and to hold up the honour of his enfeebled I­dols, [Page 116] yet discoursing of the great plague that reigned most furiously in the City of Messi [...]a in Sicily, where he dwelt, yeildeth this reason, why Aesculapius the god of Physick (much adored in that place) was not able to help them in that extremity. It is no marvel (saith he) if this City so many yeers be vexed with the plague, seeing that both Aesculapi­us, and all other gods be now de­parted from it by the coming of Christians: for since that men have begun to worship this Jesus, we could never obtain any profit by our gods. Thus much confessed this Pa­tron of Paganism concerning the maim that his gods had received by the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: which albeit he spake with a malicious mind, to bring Chri­stians in hatred yet is the confession notable, and confirmeth that story, which Plutarch in his forenamed Book doth report, That in the lat­ter yeers of the reigne of the Em­perour Tiberius, a strange voice, and exceeding horrible clamour, with hideous cries, screetches, and howl­ings [Page 117] were heard by many in the Grecian Sea complaining, That the great God Pan was now departed. And this affirmeth Plutarch (that was a Gentile) to have been alledged and approved before the Emperour Ti­berius, who marvelled greatly there­at, and could not by all his Diviners and Soothsayers, whom he called to that consultation, gather out any reasonable meaning of this wonder­ful accident. But we Christians com­paring the time wherein it hapned, unto the time of Christ his death and passion and finding the same fully to agree, we may more then probably perswade our selves, that by the death of their great god Pan (which signifieth all) was imported the ut­ter overthrow of all wicked Spirits, and Idols upon earth; according to that Vision of our Lord and Saviour before mentioned, I saw Sathan like lightning fall down from heaven, Joh. 12.31. 2 Cor. 4.4. Eph. 2.2. &c. and again in another place, Now is the judgement of this world, now shall the Prince of this world be cast out, even this great god Pan, who in ano­ther place is called the god of this [Page 119] world, the Prince that ruleth in the Ayr, and therefore may well be said by our Saviour to fall down from heaven, being before time worshipped in those Idols Oracles, and heathenish Prophanations, as a God in all the world and exalted (as it were) into the highest heavens. But behold as Dagon, that Idol of the Philistims, 1 Sam. 5.2. fell flat on his face (and that twice) his head and hands dis­membred before the Ark of God in Ashdod; so did Sathan this great god Pan, the god of this world, the Prince of the Ayr, &c. (let me give the Divel his due, yea rather more then his due, as doth the holy Scri­pture) so did Sathan (I say) immedi­ately upon the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ into this world, and preaching of his Gospel (the Ark of his everlasting Cove­nant) fall flat on his face to the ground, his head and hands dismem­bred: according to that first pro­mise and covenant to our first pa­rents, which was this: that he (to wit the Messiah) should break the Serpents head, Gen. 3.15. &c. which he had [Page 118] done not only in his own person, by subduing Sathan with all his whole legions of Divels and Powers infer­nal, trampling them under his feet, but also in his members, to whom he gave like authority; as before, he gave them power and authority over all Divels; yea over all the power of the enemy: which argueth again the power and omnipotency of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who not only in his own person here on earth but also in his servants, disciples, and followers, was able to conquer and subdue even the Divels themselves, as they themselves acknowledge; Je­sus I acknowledge, and Paul I know, Acts 19.15 &c. And thus much of the subjection of Spirits.

The punishment of Enemies.

NOw resteth this his Divine Power and Omnipotency yet further to be manifested, by another consideration of his Justice and se­verity shewed from heaven upon di­vers his greatest enemies here on [Page 120] earth, after his departure out of this world: Jos. Ant. l. 17. c. 10. as we may read in Josephus of Herod the first, who persecuted Christ even in his cradle, and slew all those Infants in and about Bethle­hem: and that other Herod, Tetrarch of Galilee, who put John Baptist to death, Luk. 23.12. and scorned Jesus before his passion: himself scorned afterwards by the Emperour, and disgracefully sent into exile: lib. 18. c. 9. first to Lions in France, and after that to the most desert and inhabitable places in Spain, where he with Heredias wan­dred up and down in extream cala­mity all their life time, and finally ended their days, as forlorn and a­bandoned of all men. In which mise­ry also it is recorded, Niceph. l. 1. cap. 10. that the dan­cing daughter of Herodias, who de­manded John Baptists head, being on a time to pass over a frozen River, suddenly the Ice brake, and she in her fall had her head cut off by the same Ice, without hurting the rest of her body. So likewise it is recorded in the Acts of Herod Agrippa, Acts 12.1. Who stretched forth his hand to vex certain of the Church, killed James the brother [Page 121] of John with the sword, and imprison­ed Peter, how immediately thereup­on (as it is in that chapter) going down to Cesarea, he was there in a solemn assembly striken from heaven with a most horrible disease, Jos. Ant. l. 19. c. 7. where­by his body putrified, and was eaten of worms: as also Josephus maketh mention. Eutr. Hist lib. 7. Pilate that gave sentence of death against our Lord and Savi­our, we read that after great dis­grace received in Jurie, he was sent home into Italy, and there slew him­self with his own hands. And of the very Emperors themselves who lived from Tiberius (under whom Jesus suffered) unto Constantine the great, under whom Christian Religion took Dominion over the world (which contained the space of some three hundred years or thereabouts) very few or none escaped the manifest scourges of Gods dreadful justice, shewed upon them at the knitting up of their days. Whereas since the time of Constantine (whiles Empe­rors have been Christians, as one hath observed) few or no such ex­amples can be shewed, Evag. Schol. l. 3. hist. c. 41 except upon [Page 122] Julian the Apostata, Valens the Ar­rian heretick, or some other of like detestable and notorious wickedness. And thus much of particular men chastised by Jesus. But if we desire to have a full example of his justice upon a whole Nation together, let us consider what befel Jerusalem, and the people of that place, for their barbarous cruelty practised upon him in his death and Passion. And if we believe Josephus and Phylo, the Jewish Historiograpers, who lived in those times, it can hardly be expres­sed by the tongue or pen of man, what insufferable calamities and mi­series were inflicted upon that peo­ple presently after his ascension, first of all by Pilate their Governour un­der Tibarius▪ and then again by Pe­tronius under Caligula, after that by Cumanus under Claudius, and lastly by Festus and Albious under Nero; through whose cruelties that Nation was enforced at last to rebel, and take arms against the Roman Em­pire: which was the cause of their utter ruine and extirpation by Titus and Vespasian. At what time, besides [Page 123] the overthrow of their City burning of their Temple, and other infinite distresses (which Josephus an eye witness, protesteth, that no speech or discourse humane can declare) the same Author likewise recordeth ele­ven hundred thousand persons to have been slain, and fourscore and seventeen thousand taken alive: who were either put to death afterward in publike Tryumphs, or sold open­ly for Bond-slaves, into all the parts of the world: And in this univer­sal calamity of the Jewish Nation, being the most notorious and grie­vous that ever hapned to any people or Nation either before or after them (for the Romans never practi­sed the like upon others) it is singu­larly to be observed, that in the same time and place in which they put Je­sus to death before; that is, in the time of P [...]scha when their whole Nation was assembles at Jerusalem, from all Parts, Provinces and Coun­tries, they received th [...] their most pitiful subversion and overthrow, and that by the bands of the Roman Casar, to whom by publike cry [Page 124] they had appealed from Jesus not long before: We have no King but Caesar, Joh. 19.15. &c. Yea further it is observed, that as they apprehended Jesus, and made the entrance to his passion up­on Mount Olivet, where he used much to pray and meditate: So Ti­tus (as Josephus writeth) upon the same Mount planted his first siege for their final destruction. And as they led Jesus from Caiphas to Pilate, afflicting him in their presence; so now were they themselves led up and down from John to Simon (two seditious Captains within the City) and were scourged and tormented before the Tribunal seats. Again, as they had caused Jesus to be scoffed, beaten, and vilanously entreated by the Souldiers in Pilates palace: so were now their own principal Ru­lers (as Josephus writeth) most scorn­fully abused, beaten, and crucified, and that by the Souldiers: Which latter point of crucifying or vilanous putting to death upon the Cross, was begun to be practised by the Ro­mans upon the Jewish Gentry, im­mediately after Christ his death, and [Page 125] not before. And now at this time of the war, Josephus affirmeth, that in some one day, five hundred of his Nation were taken, and put to this opprobrious kind of punishment: insomuch that for the great multi­tude, he saith, Lib. 5. c. 28 Nec locus sufficeret Crucibus, nec Cruces corporibus. This dreadful and unspeakable misery fell upon the Jews about forty yeers af­ter Christs ascension, when they had shewed themselves most obstinate, and obdurate against his Doctrine delivered unto them, not only by himself, but also by his Disciples; of which they had now slain S. Steven and S. James, and driven into banish­ment both Peter and Paul, and o­thers that had preached unto them. This then was the providence of God for the punishment of the Jews at that time. And ever after their estate declined from worse to worse, and their miseries daylie multiplied throughout the world. Whereof he that will see a very lamentable Nar­ration, let him but read the last book of Josephus, De Bello, Judaico, where­in it is reported, besides other things, [Page 126] That after the War was ended, and all the publike slaughter ceased, Ti­tus sent threescore thousand Jews as a present to his Father to Rome there to be put to death in divers and sundry manners. Others he applyed to be spectacles for pastime to the Romans that were present with him. Whereof Josephus saith, that he saw with his own eyes two thousand and five hundred murdered and consu­med in one day, Jos. de Bell. l. 7. c. 20, 21. by fight and com­bate among themselves and with wild Beasts, at the Emperours ap­pointment. Others were assigned in Antioch, and other great Cities, to serve for Faggots, in their famous Bonfires at times of Tryumph. O­thers were sold to be Bondslaves. O­thers condemned to dig and hew stones for ever. And this was the end of that war and desolation.

After this again under Trajan the Emperour there was so infinite num­bers of Jews slain and made away by [Page 127] Marcus Turbo in Affrica, and Lucius Quintus in the East, as was wonder­ful And in the eighteenth year of Adrian the Emperour one Julius Severus being sent to extinguish all the remnant of the Jewish generati­on, destroyed in a very short time ninety and eight Towns and Vilages within that Country, and slew five hundred and fourscore thousand of them in one day. At which time also he beat down the City of Jeru­salem in such sort, as he left not one stone standing upon another of their ancient Buildings, but caused some part thereof to be re-edified, and in­habited only by Gentiles. He chang­ed the name of the City, and called it Aelia, after the Emperors name. Aelius Adrianus. He drove out all the Progeny and Off-spring of the Jews forth of all those Countries, with a perpetual Law confirmed by the Emperour, That they should never return, no nor so much as look back from any high or eminent place to that Coun­try again. And this was done to the Jewish Nation by the Roman Em­perors, for accomplishing that de­mand [Page 128] which their principal Elders had made not long before to Pilate the Roman Magistrate (after he had washed his hands before the multi­tude to clear himself, at least wise in outward shew, from the blood of Jesus, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just man, look you to it:) Then answered all the people and said, His blood be upon us, Mat. 27.24 and upon our children: and so it came to pass ac­cordingly, even in that very age. Then the which what greater argu­ment of the Deity and Omnipoten­cy of our Lord and Saviour, who from heaven was able in so short a time, and that in so full measure, to revenge himself upon his enemies here on earth. Yea, a whole Nation together brought to final desolati­on. And so much for the punishment of enemies.

The fulfilling of Prophesies.

THe last consideration followeth, and so an end; which is, The fulfilling of Prophesies, all those [Page 129] Prophesies uttered by our Lord and Saviour, while he was here upon earth: Especially this one of the destruction and desolation of the Jewish Nation already declared, might suffice for all, which over and over while he was conversant among them, he denounced against them: and foretold should shortly be ac­complished upon them, in most fear­ful manner, as namely at one time, after a long and vehement commi­nation made to the Scribes and Pha­risees (in which he repeateth eight several times that dreadful threat, Wo) he concludeth, That all the Righteous blood injuriously shed from the first Martyr Abel, Mat. 23.35 and so suc­cessively, should very shortly be re­venged upon that generation: Veri­ly I say unto you, all these things shall come upon this generation: and in the next words threatneth that popu­lous City Jerusalem, that it should be made utterly desolate. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, How often would I have gather­ed thy children together, as the Hen ga­thereth [Page 130] her Chickens under her wings, and ye would not. Behold, your Ha­bitation shall be left unto you desolate. And at another time, even that so­lemn time of his Entry and Riding into Jerusalem before his Passion, it is said in the Gospel, That when he was come neer, Luk. 19.41. he beheld the City, and wept over it, saying, O if thou hadst even known at the least in this thy day, those things which belong unto thy place, but now are they hid from thine eyes; then denounceth that fearful desolation following, That not one stone should be left upon another, but all thrown down even to the ground: Executed upon them, and made good by Titus the son of Ves­patian, and finally, accomplished by Julius Severus, who in the days of Adrian (as before is rehearsed) ut­terly defaced the very ruines of that City in such sort, as he left not one stone standing upon another of all their ancient Buildings, but laid them even with the ground. Again at ano­ther time, as some spake of the Tem­ple, how it was garnished with good­ly stones, and consecrate things, he [Page 131] said, Luk. 21.6. Are these the things you look upon? The days will come wherein a stone shall not be left upon a stone, that shall not be thrown down And yet more particularly in the same chap­ter he foretelleth the signs whereby his Disciples should perceive when the time was come: When ye shall see Jerusalem besieged with Souldiers, Luk. 21.20. then know ye that her desolation is at hand. This foretold Jesus of the mise­ry that was to fall upon Jerusalem, and upon that people (by the Ro­mans) when the Jews seemed to be in most security, and greatest amity with the Romans, when they could away with no other government but that: We have no King but Caesar; Joh. 19.15 vers. 12. He that maketh himself a King speak­eth against Caesar: and consequently at that time they might seem in all humane reason to have less cause then ever to misdoubt such calami­ties. And yet how certain and assu­red fore-knowledge, and as it were most sensible feeling Jesus had of these miseries, he declared by those pitiful tears he shed upon sight and consideration of Jerusalem (as be­fore [Page 132] is mentioned) when he wept o­ver it; as also by that tender speech he used to the women of that City who wept for him as he was led to be crucified, Luk. 23.28. perswading them to weep rather for themselves, and for their children (in respect of the mi­series to follow) then for him. All which Prophesies and Predictions of Jesus, with sundry other his speech­es, foreshewing so particularly the imminent calamities of that Nation, and that at such time when in human reason there could be no probability thereof; when a certain Heathen Chronicler named Phlegon (about a hundred yeers after Christs depar­ture) had diligently considered, ha­ving seen the same also in his days most exactly fulfilled (for he was ser­vant to Adrian the Emperor, by whose command the final subversi­on of that Jewish Nation was brought to pass) This Phlegon (I say) though a Pagan, yet upon considera­tion of these events, and others that he saw (as the extream persecution of Christians foretold by Christ, and the like, he pronounced, That never [Page 133] any man foretold things so certainly to come, or that so precisely were accomplished, as were the predicti­ons and prophesies of Jesus. And now albeit these predictions and pro­phesies concerning the punishment and reprobation of the Jews, fulfilled so evidently in the sight of all the world, might be a sufficient demon­stration of his divine prescience and foreknowledge in things to come; yet were there also many other things besides fore-shewed by him, which fel out as exactly as these did, which by no humane reason or learning could possibly be foreseen; as for example, The foretelling of his own Death, Resurrection, and Ascension, with all their several cir­cumstances; the manner time, place, and all other particularities, as pre­cisely as if they had been already ac­complished: and that not only to his own Disciples, but even to the Scribes and Pharisees, who came of purpose to tempt him; as he that shall but examine the quotations following, which for brevity sake I have but only cyphered, and (as it [Page 134] were) pointed at in figures) may ea­sily perceive. First to his Disciples, Matth. 16.21. chap. 17.9.22. chap. 20 17. chap. 26.1.11.31.45. Joh. 13.33. chap. 16.16. and 13.3. and 18.4. and 14.2.28. Then to the Scribes and Pharisees, Matth. 12.38. chap. 21.38. Luke 13.31. John 2.18. chap 3.12. chap. 7.33. chap. 8.21.28. chap. 12.31. Also how his Disciples should be scattered and forsake him: John 16.32. Of Peters denyal. Matth. 26 34. And by what manner of death he should glorifie God, John 21.18. How Judas one or his own Disciples should betray him, John 6.64.70. chap 13.10.26. chap. 17.12. Matth. 26 21.49. Of the sending of the holy Ghost▪ John 7.38. chap. 14.16.26. chap. 15.26. chap. 16.7. Luke 24 49. Of his his Disciples Miracles which they should work in his name, Mark 16.17. Luke 10.18. John 14 12. The cruel persecution that should arise to the Professors of his Name in all places, Matth 10.16. chap. 24.9. John 16.1. The building of his [Page 135] Church notwithstanding (in despite of the Divel, and all oppositions) upon a rock, with this sure word of promise never to fail, That the gates of hell shall not overcome it, Matth. 16.18. And again, I am with you alwaies, even to the end of the world, Matth. 28.20. The signs and to­kens that should go before the end of the world; as first, the false Christs, and false Prophets that should arise here and there with the Church, yea and in the Church: that abomination of desolation spo­ken of by Daniel the Prophet, to be set in the holy place; Matth. 24.5. 11.15.23. Meaning (and so I think would the holy Ghost have all men to understand it, when he addeth this parenthesis; Let him that read­eth consider it) even that arch Anti­christ, now sitting in that holy place, or church (for so it was in times past whose Faith was one so famous in all the world, Rom. 1.8. Wars, and rumors of wars, Pestilence, Famine, and Earthquakes, Matth. 24.6. Per­secution, as before; Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall [Page 136] kill you, and ye shall be hated of all Na­tions for my Names sake. Matth. 24.9. So were Christians in the Primitive Church under the Roman Emperors those cruel Caesars; and so have been of latter times also, under the Tyrannie of this arch Antichristian Caesar, that abomination of Desolation, now sitting in the self same place, drunken with the blood of the Saints, Rev. 17.6. and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus, whose destruction sleepeth not, Come I will shew thee the dam­nation of the great Whore▪ &c. Finally, the preaching of the Gospel to all Nations, Matth. 24.14. and the u­niting and gathering together both of Jew and Gentile into one Fold, under one Shepherd even that great Shepherd of our souls, that there may be one Sheepfold, and one Shepherd John 10.16. This is one of the last signes foretold by our Saviour, and but in part remaineth to be accom­plished: and what hindreth? Even that abomination of Desolation before spoken of, which hath been a stum­bling block to all Nations hitherto, both Turks and Jews, for coming to [Page 137] Christianity; which the Lord in due time will remove▪ For Babylon shall fall (as it is in the Revelation) It is fallen, it is fallen, Rev. 18.2. Babylon that great City: In part it is fallen al­ready, and what hindreth but that daylie and hourly we may expect the final desolation thereof? Daylie and hourly I say, for with such cele­rity and violence (when it shall please God to put in their hearts whom it may concern, to fulfil his Will, Rev. 17.17.) shall this sen­tence be executed, chap. 18.8. In one day shal her plagues come upon her, death, and sor­row, and famine; and she shall be burnt with fire, &c. In one hour she shall be made desolate. Rev. 18.1 [...]. Rejoyce over her thou heaven, and ye holy Apostles and Prophets; for God hath given your judgement on her. And a mighty Angel took up a stone, like a great Milstone, and cast it into the Sea, say­ing: with such violence shall that great City Babylon be thrown down.

And here I might cast up together in like manner (making but one to­tal sum of all) the Prophesies of all those holy Apostles, and Disciples of [Page 138] our Lord and Saviour; both as touching divers particulars whereof they prophesied in those times, ful­filled most exactly▪ as also touching the general state of the Church suc­cessively in all ages, even to the end of the world and of the end of the world it self. First for the particulars, I will but point at them, as before. One of those holy Prophets prophe­sied of a general dearth to fall out in those times: which hapned accord­ingly under Claudius Caesar, Act. 11.27. Also of Pauls Imprisonment, Acts 21.10. Paul in his sayling to­wards Rome, foretelleth the Centu­rion and the rest, of the tempestuous weather to ensue, Acts 27.10. Of their shipwrack; but yet with safety of their lives, vers. 22. and precisely the place where they should be cast ashore; to wit, upon a certain Island, vers. 26. In one of his Epistles he prophesieth of his own death, 2 Tim. 4.6. So doth also Peter. 2 Pet. 1.14. Secondly, for the future state of the Church in these last days, with the coming of Antichrist into the world, and all his damned crew, those hellish [Page 139] Furies: See how precisely these holy Apostles and Prophets foretel of these times, these perillous times, and how lively they set him out in his co­lours, with all his additions (as well becometh such an infernal King) the Angel of the bottomless pit, Rev. 9.11. whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, in Greek Apollyon: That Antichrist, that man of sin the son perdition, that wicked one, &c. with all other adjuncts, and circumstances so lively described, as if he had been then already come; for even in these days (as the Apo­stle speaketh did this mysterie of ini­quity begin to work. See then I say, 2 Thes. 2. 1 Tim. 3. 2 Tim. 4. 2 Pet. 2. 1 Joh. 2.18. chap. 4.1. 2 Joh. v. 7. yea the whole Revelation is nothing else but a continued prophesie of all such things as should happen to the Church militant, even from the A­postles times to the end of the world. All which prophesies we see accom­plished▪ except before excepted, the final destruction of Babylon, and the calling of the Jews, whereof both our Saviour himself, as also Paul hath prophesied, Rom. 11. both which [Page 140] we daylie expect: and then (as it is in the Revelation) Come Lord Jesus. Rev. 22.20. Of which second coming, or general doom, with the manner of it, and all other circumstances, we have also sundry prophesies both of Christ and his Apostles, which here I will joyn in one as proceeding all from one and the same Spirit; for here all prophesies must come to a full peri­od, nil ultra. I will only quote them as formerly, Matth. 16.27. chap. 19.28. chap. 20.1. chap. 24. chap. 25. chap. 26.64. John 5.25. &c. 1 Cor. 85. 1 Thes. 4.14. chap. 5.1. Jam. 5.8. 1 Pet. 4.7. 2 Pet. 3. Jude v. 6. & 14: Rev. 21. where you shall see a new heaven, and a new earth &c. New Je­rusalem descending from God out of heaven, prepared as a Bride trimmed for her Husband.

Thus have I brought you at length (as after a long and tedious passage by Sea) to see land, and as it were the Sea-mark whereunto after so many variable winds, and so often tacking to and again, we have direct­ed our course, even from the first Prophesie made to Adam in Para­dise, [Page 141] Gen. 3.15. to the very last peri­od of all Prophesies in the Revelati­on, shut up in the second Adam, Jesus Christ; who is the first and the last, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending; in whom all Prophe­sies kiss each other, and have their consummation. Luk. 14.44 These are the words (saith he) which I spake unto you while I was yet with you: That all must be fulfilled which are written of me in the Law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, &c. Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer▪ and to rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations, begin­ning at Jerusalem. I say from this Jerusalem, which now lyeth deso­late, I have brought you to the New Jerusalem, coming down from heaven, as a Bride adorned for her Husband: from an earthly, to a heavenly Para­dise, and there I leave you.