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Concerning the Truth of Christian Religion · Philippe de Mornay

Concerning the Truth of Christian Religion, Chapter 30

The xxx. Chapter.

That Iesus the Sonne of Mary came at the tyme promised by the Scriptures, and that the same is Christ.

NOw then, in the time of the first Herod, wherein both the Prophesies of the holy Scriptures and the auncient traditions of the Iewes doe méete, let vsus examine who could hauehave bene the Messias. For at that tyme (as I hauehave declared afore) many pretended themselues to bee he, of whom both the liues, the doctrines and (almost) the names also are now worne out of mynd, notwithstanding that they were vphild by great multitudes of people, and authorized by the chiefe Doctors among them. Neuerthelesse, in the same tyme, and euen in the selfesame yéere that Herod was accepted of the Iewes for their King,Philo in his book of times. Iesus the Sonne of Mary was borne, whose whole life was nothing els but a teaching of Saluation to that people; and whose end was to be crucified by the Synagog; and yet for all that, his doctrine and name continue still through the whole world. He it is whom wee call Christ, and whom wee affirme to be the Anoynted. And therefore let vsus see first how al the prophesies are come to effect in him, and how he hath fully performed the office of the Messias.

Here let vsus call to mynd the circumstances which we hauehave noted hertofore.Esap 9. The Prophets hauehave told vsus that he should be borne of a Uirgin.Ieremy. 34. The Gospell affirmeth Mary his mother to hauehave bin such a one; and yet the Iewes which hauehave come afterward,The Prophesies fulfilled i… Iesus. hauehave written that she was taken in adulterie. Wel, seeing that in al their doings they shewe so greate rage ageinst hir Sonne; forasmuch as they had to deale but ageinst a sily womā that had no stay to stand vntounto, and their Lawe is so expresse and peremptorie ageinst aduontryes: why did they not indyte her of it,Borne of a virgin. which would hauehave quasshed the reputation of hir sonne and of hirself both togither? Or why say they not rather that he was the sonne of Ioseph; but that Ioseph knew and sayd the contrarie? And seeing that Ioseph disclaymed him for his sonne, had they not the more aduauntage to hauehave made him partie and playntif ageinst hir adulterie? But she liued safely by them, both after hir sonnes death, and without sifting in his lyfetyme. And what greater profe of hir chastitie desire we, than to sée so many Pharisies, and so many Iudges inraged ageinst one sily woman,Suidas vponupon the word Iesus. and yet not daring to charge her with any cryme? But the talke of one Theodosius a Iew with a Christen Merchantman named Philip in the time of the Emperour Iustinian, is worthy to be noted in this behalf. In the Temple of Hierusalem (ꝙ the Iew) there were two and twenty ordinary Preestes; and as soone as any of them dyed, the residew chose another in his place. Now it happened that Iesus for his singular Godlynes and doctrine was chosen by them. And to the intent they myght knowe the name of his father and moother, and inregister it according to their custome; they sent for them, & Mary came thither alone, bycause Ioseph was then dead. She being asked the name of the father of Iesus, answered vppon hir othe that she had conceyued him by the Holy Ghoste, and reported to them the woords of the Angell. Moreouer she told them the names of the women that came to hir labour vnlooked for; vppon dew inquisition whereof, when all things were found to fall out true, they registred his name in the Register of the Priestes in these words. IESVS THE SONNE OF THE LIVING GOD AND OF THE VIRGIN MARIE. And this Register (ꝙ Theodosius) was saued at the sacking of Hierusalem, and afterward kept in the Citie Tiberias, where it is preserued in secret, and I hauehave seene it as one of the cheefe among the Iewes, and as one from whom in respect of my degree, nothing was restreyned. And I beleeue therby that it is not ignorance that holdeth me in the Iewish Religion, but the honor which I hauehave among my Countrymen, the lyke whereof I could not hauehave elswhere. Now there is greate lykelyhod that this should be true, considering that Iesus (as we see) did preache in the Temple, and went sometymes vp into the Pulpit, which thing the pryde of the Pharisies would hardly els hauehave indured. And the holy Rabbine R… Haeadoch, in the third Question.also sayeth expresly that the moother of the Messias should be a virgin, and that hir name should be Marie; and he gathereth it after the arte of the Cabalists, out of these wordes in the nineth of Esay, Esay. 9.Lemarbeh hammisrah. And Rabbi Hacanas the Sonne of Nehumia sayeth that this Marie was of Bethleem the Daughter of Iehoiakin Eli, of the lyne of Zorobabel, of the trybe of Iuda, which was the trybe whereof the Messias should come. And of a trueth, we reade not in the Gospell, that Iesus was vpbrayded by his comming of the trybe of Iuda, or of the house of Dauid; but rather that he was the sonne of a Carpenter; for the long continued aduersities of yt house of Dauid, had brought some of his posteritie to lowe degree.The Talmud, the treatise Sanhedrin: Chapt. Nigmar Hadin. And Rabbi Vla sayth that Iesus of Nazareth by name, being of the blud royall (that is to say the sonne of Dauid) was crucified the day afore the Passouer. And seeing the Messias was so precisely promised to be of that race; let vsus not doubt but that the Scribes would willingly hauehave verified the contrarie, if they had could, for then had the Goale bene wonne on their side. To be short, to come backe againe to the virginitie of Mary, she was not a woman of such kindred, alyance, and wealth, as might be bold to hope that her single word would bee beléeued without tryall: neither were the people to whom she spake, besotted with ye opinion of the Heathen, who forged tales of their Gods to make themselues to be the easelyer beléeued: but the thing was so true, that the very trueth thereof imboldened her. And in very déede, that is the very cause why Simon Magus (to the intent he might not seeme any whit inferiour to Iesus) denyed not the same poynt,Clemeus in his Recognitions. but rather graunting it to be true, was desirous to make his Disciples beleeue, that he himself also was the sonne of a Uirgin. The Prophet Micheas Micheas, 5. vers. 2.sayeth, And thou Bethleem Ephrata which art but little to bee counted among the families of Iuda, out of thee shall come to me the partie that shall reigne ouer Israell, and his foorthcommings are from the beginning, and from the daies of eternitie. Here againe we hauehave two births of Christ; the one in tyme, the other euerlastingly afore all tyme. And therevppon rise these farre differing speeches of the people in the Gospell, saying one while; When Christ commeth, wee shall not knowe whence hee commeth; In Berhleem. Iohn. 7. ver. 42.and another while; Is it not written that Christ shall come of the seede of Dauid, and of the towne of Be…hleem where he dwelt? Now, that it was so vnderstoode by the Fathers of old tyme, the Chaldee Paraphrase giueth credit,Ionathan ben vxiel. where it is translated thus: Out of thee shall Christ come which shall hold the souereintie ouer Israell. And Ionathas the author of the sayd Paraphrase, a principall Disciple of Hillels, was yet aliue at the same tyme that Iesus was borne: and the holy Rabbine and Rabbi Selomoh consent therevnto. And that Iesus was borne in Bethleem, euen after such a fashion as was not looked for, I see not that any of them denyeth it. Moreouer, there was to bee seene the Stable wherein Christ was borne, heawen out of a Rocke; which place Origen Origen ageinst Celsus.reporteth to hauehave bin singularly reuerenced of the Infidels in his tyme.

The Gospell telleth vsus that Iesus certeine daies after his birth, was caryed to Hierusalem to bee offered to the Lord according to the Lawe, and that there a man named Simoen, Simeon,a man that was rightuous and feared God, being certified by the holy Ghost that he should not dye vntil he had first seene Christ the Lords Anoynted; tooke him in his armes & praysed God, saying; This day hauehave I seene thy saluation, &c. Luke. 1,Here I charge the Iewes before God, to bethinke themselues well of the things which they both write and reade of this Simeon: namely, how that the Disciples of Hillel should neuer fayle til Christ were come: That this Simeon surnamed the Rightuous, and Ionathan the sonne of Vziel were two of the chiefe of those Disciples: That in this Simeon the spirit of the great Synagog did vtterly fayle and ceasse: That God himself did then shewe by all signes, that he abhorred that Synagog and the Sanctuarie, and that all should goe awry, and that all things were full of darknesse there.Talmud. treatyse Pirker auouth. & in the treatise Iomach. Chapt. Tereph Becalpi. Whereof comes this chaunge which they themselues doe marke so aduisedly, but of their contempt of Christ? And whereas they say further, that the Temple opened of it selfe, and that Rabbi Ionathan Ben Zaccai fellow disciple with Simeon being astonished thereat, bethought him of this saying of the Prophet Zacharie, Zachary. 11.Open thy doores thou Libanus, and let the fire cōsume thy Cedars: what is it but the same that Simeon foretold vntounto Mary, saying; Behold, this child is sent to bee the ouerthrow and the raising vp of many, and to be a signe that shalbe spoken against? This Child is named Iesus, Iesus.that is to say Sauiour: and the Gospell adding the cause thereof, sayth; For he shall saue his people from their sinnes. Who ruled and directed his birth, to bee of a Uirgin, in Bethleem, and vnthought of, to make it méete iust with the Prophesies going afore, and to make his name now to agree both with the Circumstances going afore, and with all the whole course of his life? For of so many men that had borne the name of Iesus afore, as well in the tyme of the first Temple as of the second; in which of them shall wee finde all these things to concurre as they do here? Neither is this naming of him so, in vayne. For like as neither Abraham nor Moyses did bring the Israelites into the land of Canaan, but Iesus the sonne of Nun: so neither the lawe of Nature nor the lawe of Moyses, could bring vsus into our true Canaan, that is to wit our spirituall inheritance, but only grace by the true Iesus. And therefore the Saint Rabbi sayth;R. Hacadoch. That because Christ shall saue folke, therefore he shall be called Iesus; and because he shall be both God and Man, therfore he shall be called Emanuell, Esay. 9.[that is to say, God with vsus.] And in another place, The Gentyles (sayth he) shall call him Iesus. Gen. 49.And he draweth this name out of the nine and fortith Chapter of Genesis by a certeyne rule of the Cabale which they terme Notariak, by taking the first letters of the wordes Iabho schilo velo, which make the word Ieschu: Psalm. 72.and likewise of these wordes in the 72. Psalme Ijnnur schemo veijthbarecu: and also of these in the 96. Psalme,Psalm. 96. iagnaloz sadai vecol: all which are texts that are ment expresly of the Messias. Although I force not of these their doings, yet hauehave I alledged them against them selues, because it is their custome to shewe the cunning of the arte of their Cabale. And after the same maner hauehave the Machabies also their name, that is to wit, of the first Letters of the words of this their deuice, Mi camocha baelim Iehouah; that is to say, Which of the Gods is like thee ô Iehouah? That the name Iesus should bee reuealed vntounto them, it is no strange matter, considering that in the third & fourth bookes of Esdras, Iesus Christ the sonne of God is named expresly and diuers tymes, and the tyme of his comming precisely set downe according to Daniels wéekes. For although the Iewes account those bookes for Apocriphase, & the Primatiue Church hath not graunted the like authoritie to them, as to the other Canonicall bookes: yet is it a cléere case, that they were written afore the comming of Iesus Christ, of whome neuerthelesse they speake by name.

Now the Scripture promised also a Foreronner,A Forerunner. that should come afore the manifesting of the Messias to the world. For Malachie Malachy. 3. vers. 1.sayth, Behold, I send my Ambassadour to make way before him, and by and by after shall the Lord whom you seeke, enter into his Temple. And in the next Chapter following, he is called Elias, by reason of the lykenesse of their offices; and this text (as I hauehave shewed afore) is vnderstood by them concerning the Messias.R. Moyses Ben Maimon in his Sentences. Mark. 9. ver. 1…. And soothly we hauehave certeine footestepes thereof in these words of the Gospel, The Scrybes say that Elias must first come. And in another place, Art thou Christ, or Elias, or one of the Prophets? A little afore that Christ disclosed himself, Iohn the Baptist stoode vp in Israell, The Ghronicle of the Princes of Israell vnderunder the second Temple.and was followed by such a multitude of people, that all the greate ones grudged at him: and he is the same man whō by way of prerogatiue, the Chronicle of the Iewes calleth Rabbi Iohanan the greate Preest. Concerning this Iohn the Baptist, forasmuch as they suspect our Gospel, let them beléeue their owne Storywriter.Iosepus. lib. 18 Cap 7. There was (sayeth he) a very good Man that exhorted the Iewes to vertue, and specially to Godlynes and vpryght dealing, inuiting them to a cleannesse both of body and mynd by baptim. But when Herod perceyued that great multitudes of people followed him, which (to his seeming) were at his commaundment; to auoyd insurrections he put him in prison, where anon after, he cut of his head. And therefore it was the common opinion, that when Herods army was afterward ouercome and vtterly put to the swoord, it was through Gods iustiudgement for putting of Iohn Baptist vniustly to death. By this witnesse of Iosephus, we sée what his office was, namely to preache repentance and to Baptize, or (as Malachie sayth) to turne the heartes of the Fathers to their Children, and the heartes of the Children to their Fathers. But the thing which we hauehave chiefly to note here, is that hauing the people at commaundement, yet when Iesus came, he gaue Iesus place, and humbled himselfe to him, and yeelded him the glory: the which thing man beeing led by affection of man would neuer hauehave done. Insomuch that after that Iesus had once shewed himselfe, the Disciples of this greate maister shewed not themselues as his disciples any more; and that was because his trayning and teaching of them was not for himselfe, but for Iesus. And as touching the peculiar act of Baptizing, it seemeth that the Leuites wayted for some speciall thing vponupon it, in that they asked of Iohn, How happeneth it that thou Baptizest, if thou bee neither Christ, nor Elias the Prophet?

But let vsus come now to treate of the lyfe of Iesus, not according to our Gospells, but according to such Histories as the Iewes themselues cannot denie: and what els is it than the verie body of the shadowes of the old testament, and the very pith and substance of the words that were spoken afore concerning the Messias? Let vsus call to rememberance to what end he came, namely to saue Mankind: and the nature of his Kingdome,The kingdom of Iesus is spiritual. how it is holy and spirituall. Whereof are all his Preachings, but of the forgiuenesse of sinnes, and of the Kingdome of Heauen? his Disciples were alwayes importunate vppon him in asking him, Lord when wilt thou set vp the Kingdom of Israel agein? In sted of contenting their fancyes, he answereth them concerning the Kingdome of Heauen. They Imagined some Empyre of Cyrus or Alexander: that their Nation might hauehave bene honored of all other nations of the earth. One of them would néedes hauehave sit on his right hand and another on his left. What answereth he to this? Nay (saith he) whosoeuer will be greatest, let him be the leaft; and if I béeing your Maister be as a Seruant among you, what ought you to bee? Yee shalbe brought before Magistrates: that is farre from reigning. Ye shall be persecuted, imprisoned, tormented, and crucifyed: that is farre of from triumphing. I wil giuegive you to vnderstand how great things ye be to suffer for my names sake: yt is very farre from parting of Countryes. Yet notwithstanding, happy shall you bee when you suffer these things, and he that holdeth out to the end shalbe saued. Who can imagine any temporall thing in this kingdome, whereof the first and last Lesson is, that a man to saue his lyfe must lose it? and to become happy must wed himselfe to wretchednes? The people followe him for the miracles which hee woorketh: and the Iewes deny not but he did very greate ones. But let vsus see wherto they tended. He fed a greate multitude of people in the wildernes, with a feawe Loaues. This miracle was matter enough for him to hauehave hild them with long talke; but he preacheth vntounto them of the heauenly bread which feedeth vntounto euerlasting life. Also hee healeth all sicke and diseased folke that come vntounto him: howbeit, to shewe that that was but an appendant or rather an income to that for the which he came; Thy sinnes (sayth he) be forgiuen thee. To be short, from Abrahams Well, hee directeth the Woman of Samaria to the Fountaine of lyfe. Béeing shewed the goodly buildings of Hierusalem and of the Temple, he foretelleth the ouerthrowe of them both. Beeing required a sittingplace at his right hand or at his left; he answereth of a Cuppe that such a petitioner is to drinke. When men go about to make him King, he steales away from them. And whereas his Apostles looke for some greate triumphe; his accomplishing of it is after the maner that the Prophet Zacharie speakes of, namely by ryding vponupon a shée Asse, euen vponupon the Colt of an Asse. And yet neuerthelesse Herod the King trembleth at him in his throne, the whole Counsell of the Realme are in a perplexitie, and all the people are astonished. And in his doings he maketh it to appeare sufficiently, that he hath the hearts of all men in his hand, and that if he himselfe listed hee should be obeyed both of the greatest persons and in the greatest matters. Surely then wee may well say, that the marke which this Iesus and the marke which the Messias leueleth at, are both one; namely to drawe men from the earth, and to make them to plant their whole hope by his meanes in heauen.

It followeth that to this office which he did euidently take vppon him, he brought the qualities requisite to the executing thereof, that is to wit, that he was both God and Man: I say, God as the Sonne of God, and ManGod and Man as borne of a woman, without sinne, and such in all poyntes as he was forepromised to be. Of this hope we hauehave some footesteppes in the Gospell. For some say, We hauehave heard say that Christ endureth for euer. Iohn. 12. vers. 34.And Nathaneel himselfe sayth, Sir, Art thou the Sonne of GOD and the King of Israell? That is to say, art thou the Sonne of GOD whom we looke for to be the King of Israell? To the same purpose may wée set his two natures heere one against another. Hee himselfe was hungrie; and yet hee fed many thousands with a feawe Loaues. He suffered thirst; and yet he gaue other men liuing Waters that ouerflowed. He was wéerie, and yet he saide come vntounto mée all yee that are weerie. He payd tribute, but he commaunded the Fish to pay the Tributemony for him. He was dumb as a Lamb, but yet was the very spéech itself. He yéelded vp his spirit and dyed, but he told them hee had power to take it to him againe. To be short, hee was condemned, but he iustifieth: He was slayne, but he saueth: He prayed; but his praying was for vsus, and hee heareth our prayers. For these countermatchings and the lyke doe wee reade of in our Euangelists, in whom wee hauehave the dooings of both natures distinguished, and yet notwithstanding ioyned togither in one persone. But if they will vtterly deny our Gospels; then shall wee in that poynt be more vpright than they: for we will not deny al their writing. Now they agree with vsus that hee was man; and for all their casting vp of their Foame against him in their bookes, yet are they not able to charge him with any vice euen in his priuate lyfe: and therefore the chiefe thing that wee hauehave to stand vppon, is the proofe of his Godhead.

Iesus (sayth our Gospell) wrought miracles.The Miracles of Iesus. Hee healed the sicke, restored Limmes to the lame, gaue sight to the blind, and raised the dead vntounto lyfe: and that not in one or twoo places, but in many: nor in a corner, but in the open sight of the world: and there are many thousands of men which will rather dye vponupon the Racke than deny him, yea or not preach him. I aske them vponupon their consciences, if they will deny that he wrought any miracles. If they deny it: then what a mirac…e is this, that so many people doe followe a poore abiect without miracles, and are contented to dye for his sake, euen when he himselfe is dead? And if these miracles of his (as namely the restoring both of sight and lyfe, & such others) were not very great and farre surmounting all nature of man; yet who would lose his lyfe, but for a better? and how could hee giuegive the better, which could not giuegive the other? And if it bee a miracle to woorke vppon a man by touching him, and much more without touching him, and most of all without seeing him: what a miracle is it to worke in the heartes of whole Nations farre of, without seeing them; and to touche them without comming at them; and to turne them to him without touching them? And if the bones of Elias bee commended for prophesying in his Tumbe; what shall this Iesus bee for ouercomming so many people, and for conquering so many Nations after his death, yea and (which is a greater matter) euen by the death of his seruants, who preached nothing but his death? But the Rabbines saw welly nough that the miracles of Iesus could not be denyed. And truely R. Iohanan sayth in the Talmud, The Talmud of Hierusalem in the treatise Auodazara.that a Neuew of R. Iosua the sonne of Leuy had taken poyson, and that beeing adiured by the name of Iesus, hee was healed out of hand: and this is a verifying of that which Iesus himselfe sayth,Marke. 16. namely that if they drinke any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them: And Rabbi Ioses sayth, that when a Serpent had bitten Eleazar the sonne of Duma, Midrasch Coheleth.Iames the Disciple of Iesus would hauehave healed him, and Rabbi Samuel would not suffer him.Ioseph in his Antiquities. lib. 18. Cap. 4. And Iosephus their owne Storiwriter speaking of the miracles of Iesus, findeth them so wonderfull, that hee cannot tell whether he ought to call him Man or God. And they ought not to thinke it straunge that he should woorke miracles, considering that they beléeue the miracles of Moyses, of Elias, of Eliseus, and diuers others.In the Talmud, treatis… Sanhedrin. chap. Dinei Mammonoth col: lib. 20. Iap. 6. But some of them did attribute his miracles to Magicke, and some to the power of the name of God which they charged him to hauehave vsurped: in the examining of both which poynts, I beseech them to ioyne with mee without affection.

As touching Magicke, they say that their thréescore and tenne Senators whom they call Sanhedrin, were very skilfull in it; and so sayth R. Selomoh also, the better to conuince the Inchaunters. And we reade in Iosephus, that Magicke was neuer more frequented in Iewrie then it was among the Doctors at this tyme. Now if their meaning was to conuict Iesus as an euill doer; why did they not put him to shame? why did they not vse the rigour of the Lawe against him? How happeneth it that in their accusing of him, they charge him not with any Magicke at all? Or if they meant to ouercome him by the arte; why did not some one of them woorke the like things or greater? Why did not their miracles swallowe vp his? Nay contrariwise, whereof commeth it that Iosephus calleth Iesus a worker of miracles, and the other sort Magicians and deceitfull Cowseners? And that his miracles worke still euen after his death, whereas theirs vanished away afore they were dead? But like as in the tyme of Moyses, God suffered great Magicians to be in AEgipt, that hee might make his owne power the more euident in Moyses: so at this tyme there was great store of them in Iewrie, to the intent it might appeare what difference is betwixt that which man can doe by the Diuels abusing of him, and that which the fingar of God himselfe can doe in man. And in good sooth I dare well say, there is not any arte in the worlde, that doth more clearely verifie the miracles of Iesus, than Magicke doth. For by Plinies report, there were neuer mo Magicians, than in the time of Nero, (which was the tyme that Christes Disciples did spread his doctrine abrode) neither was the vanitie of that Arte euer more apparantly knowen (as he witnesseth) than at that time. And euen among the Iewes of our time, that science is more common at this day, thā among al other people. For they make bookes thereof, specially in the Eastpartes of the world. But what are they els than casts of Legierdemayne or Iuggliugtrickes, and toyes for Babes to play withall? And as for the Magicians which the Princes of Christendome mainteine in their Courts, to the shame of vsus all and to their owne confusion; what are the things which they doe, but (to speake fitly) mere illusions that vanishe away out of hand, as which consist in some nimble tricks in playing at Cards and Dyce, or in slipper deuises of slight and vayne things? Of which kind of folkes and dealings, I say not who would willingly dye for them, but who would not be ashamed to liue with them? As for Iesus, wee see it is farre otherwise with him. Hee wrought very great miracles in the world: and although hee was crucified, yet (sayth Iosephus) his Disciples forsooke him not: and therefore euen after hee was gone from them, they wrought miracles still: and what maner of Miracles? Surely euen such as within the space of twentie yeres or thereaboutes, filled all the world full of Christians: and that miracle continueth still vntounto this day. The Empires which had not heard any speaking of Christ, were conuerted to the Kingdome of Christe, and beléeued hym for his doings afore they heard of his name. The Emperours vnderunder whome hee had bene crucified, and his Disciples diuersly persecuted, are glad to doe him honour, and to build Temples vntounto hym. Let the Iewes tell mée what Magician they euer heard of, that wrought such miracles after his death? If they say that Christes Apostles and Disciples also were Magicians; then séeing that no man which is well aduised, doeth any thing but to some end; let them tell mée what gayne the Apostles could get by exercising this Magike, which procured them nothing but hatred, sorrowe, imprisonment, torments, and cruell death? And seeing that Magicians doe hyde themselues and conceale their arte when they be pursued for it: what kind of Magicke is this, which will needes be knowen and exercised, euen in despite of Princes, and of the world, yea and of death; that is to say, euen in despite of the man himselfe (if I may so say) that doth practise it? If it be further replied that some extreme vainglorie led them: how happeneth it that eueryevery of them did not cause himselfe to be worshipped alone? And that they did not their workes in their owne names, but referred all to Iesus, yéelding vntounto him the power, the honour, and the glory of all? If they say (as of force they néedes must) that the power of the crucified Man wrought still in them and by them: Let them say also that the same man liued still euen after his crucifying, yea and a farre other lyfe than all other men (considering that after this lyfe he maketh men to be more than men) that is to wit, a lyfe not onelyonly free from death, but also euerlasting and diuin… in deede; and so is farre of from the punishment appointed by them to Magicians, that is to wit from béeing in Iayle and vnderunder torture, or (as they themselues terme it) in endlesse death. But as soone as they perceyue themselues stopped on that side, by and by they seeke to scape out another away.

Iesus (say they) wrought his miracles by vertue of the vnvtterable name of God, which he mynded. And therevpon they fall to an account, which sheweth (as many other in their Talmud doe) that in Gods matters they wanted not only the spirit of God, but also euen the humane wit and reason: and God knoweth I would be ashamed to rehearse it, but for their owne welfare. Their saying then is, that in Salomons Temple there was a certeine stone of very rare vertue, wherein Salomon by his singular wisedome had ingrauen the very true name of God, which it was lawfull for eueryevery man to reade, but not to cun by hart, nor to write out: And that at the Temple doore were two Lyons tide at two Cheynes, which rored terribly, that the feare of it made him to forget the name that had commited it to memorie, and him to burst asunder in the mids that had put it in writing. But Iesus the sonne of Mary (say they) regarding neither the curse annexed vntounto the prohibition, nor the roring of the Lyons; wrate it out in a bill, and went his way with it with great gladnesse: And least he might be taken with the thing about him, he had a little opened the skinne of his Leg and put it in there, and afterward wrought his miracles by the vertue of that name. Now ye must thinke that if I was ashamed to repeate this géere, I am much more ashamed to stand confuting of it. Neuerthelater, séeing that the sumptuousnes of Salomons Temple is described so dilige…tly vntounto vsus, and yet no mention is made either of that rare stone, or of those Lyons that were so zealous of Gods name: whence I pray them hauehave they this so fayre tale? And how commeth it to passe that Iosephus was ignorant thereof, who had so diligently perused their matters of remembrance; or how come they to the first knowledge thereof, so many hundred yeres after? Ageine, where became those Lyons at such tymes as the AEgiptians and Bahylonians spoyled Hierusalem and defyled the Temple? How found they them ageine in the second Temple? Or if they were immortall, where became they afterward? Nay further, how happeneth it that Salomon that great king who consecrated and ingraued the sayde Stone, wrought not the lyke miracles himselfe, specially sith wée reade not that he wrought any miracle at all? And what godlynes had it bene for him, to hauehave concealed and kept secret that name, which would hauehave cured so many diseases of body and infirmities of mind? whereby folke might hauehave bene turned away from idolatrie, and the whole world might hauehave bene wonne vntounto the lawe of God? But if I must néedes answere fooles further according to their folly; then if Iesus be the seruant of the liuing God, and vse his name to his glory, why doe they not beléeue him? Or if he serued not GOD, how was it possible that the name of God should bee waged by a mortall man, ageinst the glorie of God? And what a blasphemie is it to… vphold, that the power of God is so tyed to his name, that his enemyes may (whether he wil or no) serue their owne turnes, both with his name and with his power, to the ouerthrowe of his kingdome, and to the stablishing of theirs? Nay rather, let vsus say according to their owne teaching, that Iesus did great miracles,In the treatyse Sanhedrin. ch. Helec. both in the name of God and in the power of GOD, and that God gaue power vntounto his name, and not the name vntounto God. Iesus therefore was certeinly the seruant of God, and endewed with such power from God.

Now, whereas some deny that Christ should worke myracles, when as notwithstanding, the Scripture sayth the contrarie, and the Iewes in the Gospel do continually exact signes and myracles at his hand, & their Talmud reporteth that Christ should discerne good from euill by the onelyonly sent or sauour, by the want of which propertie they say that Barcozba was bewrayed not to bee the Messias; and whereas they affirme that the wild beasts should lay away their woodnesse, and that Hierusalem should bée hoyssed vp three leagues into the ayre, and such other like: I confesse in déed… that the chiefe end of Christes comming, was not to worke myracles, accordingly also as we see that his doing of them was but as by workes and vppon occasion; and I esteeme more of those which do heare his word and kéepe it, than of those which remoue Mountaines. Neuerthelesse, Rabbi Hadarsan R. Hadarsan vppon the Psalme. 74.sayth he had learned of Rabbi Natronai, that Christ should come with very great signes and myracles, and that the Pharisies should attribute them to Art Magicke, and to the names of vncleane Spirits, according whervnto we reade in the Gospell, that they sayd thus, He casteth out Deuilles by the name of Beelzebub. And the Commentarie vppon the booke of the Preacher sayth,Midrasch Coheleth. Capt. 1. Talmud. treatyse Baracoth. Chapt. Memathai korin. that all the myracles which went afore, are nothing to the myracles of the Messias. Also the Talmud in a certeine place sayth, That the myracles which shalbe wrought in the tyme of the Messias in the kingdomes of the Gentyles, compared with the myracles that were wrought in AEgipt, shalbe as the substance to the accident.

Unto Myracles is ioyned Prophesying,The Prophesyings of Iesus, as a thing to be numbered among the chiefe myracles. That Christ should bee a Prophet, they will not denye: for they take the text of Deuteronomie Deuter. 8. and 18.where a Prophet is promised them, to be ment of Christ: & therevpon riseth this common demaund in the Gospell, Art thou the Prophet? And wheras they say in their Talmud, that the Messias shall iudge of things by their only smell; it cannot bee soundly vnderstood of any thing els, than of an excellent gift of Prophesying. To let passe a thousand particular Prophesies, and a thousand texts whereby we perceyue that Iesus read things in the hypocritish hearts of the Pharistes, and sawe things in the hearts of his Disciples, which they themselues neither sawe nor perceiued: who will not woonder at these which wee see so peremptorilie come to passe, namely, Ye shalbe brought before the Princes and Magistrates of the earth; men shall thinke they doe seruice vntounto God, when they murder you for my names sake; that the glad tydings of his kingdome should bee preached through the whole world, notwithstanding all impediments; That Hierusalem should bee destroyed; That all things should bee wasted and vnhalowed there; That of the same Temple which they reuerenced so much, one stone should not be left standing vponupon another; And that the tyme wherein these things should bee done was then so neere hand, that euen those which led him to death, had cause to bewayle themselues and their Childrē? For what I pray you could those poore Fishermen thinke, when he spake to them of being led before Kings; and (which more is) when he told them that they should driue Nations like flockes of Shéepe afore them at the hearing of the Gospell? What likelihood was there hereof in his owne person or in theirs, considering the lowlinesse of his life, and the reprochfulnesse of his death? And as touching the destruction of Hierusalem which befell about a fortie yéeres after; sith we reade expresly in their owne Histories, that the Emperour Tytus offered them peace, sought the preseruation of their Temple, graunted them the free vse of their Religion, and during his seege did seeke as it were by intreatance to them being beseeged, that he might saue and preserue them; and yet notwithstanding (as Iosephus reporteth) they would needes perish whether he would or us, and wilfully cast themselues into the same extremities whereof Iesus had forewarned them: who can say that he was ignorant of the vnchaungeable determination of God, notwithstanding that to the sight of Man, the matter was as likely to hauehave fal…e out otherwise as euer any was, specially considering that the enemies themselues, on whom the whole case seemed to depend, laboured by al meanes to turne the destruction away from the beseeged?

Now, albeit that as well Prophesying as Myracles, hauehave eyther of them their peculiar and vncommunicable markes of Gods spirit and finger,The Doctrine of Iesus. whereby to discerne the one from the other: Yet certesse, doctrine is the touchstone of them both.Deut…ron: …. For, if there rise vp a Prophet (sayth the Law) and giuegive thee a signe or myracle, and therevppon he come and counsell thee to turne aside to straunge Gods: thou shalt not hearken vntounto him. Therfore let vsus see what doctrine Iesus matched with his signes and miracles. Let vsus reade the Gospell from the one ende to the other, and wee shall see nothing there but to louelove God with all our heart, and our neighbour as our selfe. Also he came not to abolish the Lawe, but to fulfill it; nor to destroye the Temple, but to purge it. The Pharisies had extended the Lawe but to the outward man; he condemneth their hypocrisie, and bringeth it backe againe to the inward man. They sayd, hate your enemies: but he sayd, if ye louelove none but your friends, what are ye better than the Publicanes? They sayd, Thou shalt not commit adulterie; thou shalt not kill: But he sayd, If thou looke vpō a woman to lust after her, thou hast broken the Lawe: and if thou say to thy brother, Racha; thou hast alreadie killed him. To bee short, a neighbour by their interpretation, was but in Iericho or néere thereabouts: but he told them that a neighbour was in Samaria, in idumea, & in all the corners of the world. Also if a case concerne God, he taught men to forsake Goods, Preferments, Father, Moother, Wife, Children, and all that euer is, for louelove of his seruice. As for Saluation and Welfare, he taught men to hoord vp treasure in Heauen, and to shake off the world in this life, that they may be clothed with glorie in another. What is there in all this, I say not which turneth a man away, but which setteth him not in the right way, and which tendeth not in effect to the glorie of the true God, to the doing of our duetie towards our neighbours, and to eueryevery mans owne saluation and welfare? By the way, this doctrine is not a declaiming, nor an exercise of Philosophers, who (as Seneca affirmeth) pretended slaues by their tytles, and conteyned poyson and venome in their boxes: but it is expressed in his life, and read in his Disciples, whom neither Iewe nor Gentyle hauehave euer blamed, but for their simplicitie and innocencie: Insomuch that Philo Philo concerning the Contemplatiue life.the Iewe made a booke expresly thereof for a woonder. For whereas Celsus the Epicure obiecteth, that Iesus chose Publicanes and men of wicked conuersation to be his Disciples: euen therein peculiarly hath he shewed the effectualnes of his doctrine in the curing of mens soules, as a Phisition doth in healing those that are sorest sicke and furthest past hope of recouerie in a Citie. To be short, at his word the Nations that worshipped Deuilles, Men, Planets, Stockes and Stones, turned to the only true God. The Deuils that had abused them, hid themselues away, and their Oracles lost their voyces, as shalbe sayd hereafter. But as for the lawe of God and the holy Scriptures, (I meane euen those (ye Iewes) which you your selues beléeue & reuerence;) they come to be read, imbraced, and expounded through all ye world and in all Languages. If this doctrine then bee of the Deuill; by what marke shall we know the doctrine of God? And if to giuegive authoritie to the Byble ouer all the world, be the destruction thereof; what shal we call the stablishing thereof? And if Iesus hauehave by his doctrine stablished the seruice of the true God, authorised the Law of Moyses, and rooted vp the seruice of the Deuill by the bottome: how can it be sayd that the Deuill hath eyther inspyred him, or assisted him in his myracles and Prophesyings, both for the kingdome of God, and against the Deuils owne Tyrannie?

Yea (say you) but he professed himselfe to be the Sonne of God.An obiection. So much the rather (say I) ought you to imbrace him, seeing that by the record of your auncetors, the Messias ought so to be. And in reporting himselfe to be so, if you reade your owne Doctors well, ye shal finde that he turneth you not away to diuers Gods, nor yet to straunge Gods.Looke the 6. Chapter heretofore. For according to your owne Scriptures and Traditions, these three, namely the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost, are but one God. I would knowe but this one thing of you; whether you take him for a true Prophet, or for a false Prophet; for the seruant of God, or for the seruant of the Deuill. You hauehave sayd heretofore that he vsed the power of the name of God in his myracles, whereby ye hauehave graunted me very much: and I also hauehave proued vntounto you, that such particuler and speciall Prophesies as these, cannot procéede but from God himselfe. But what a seruant is he to the Deuill, which ouerthroweth his maister? How is hee not an ouerthrower of him, which saueth vsus? How is he a false accuser of vsus, which iustifieth vsus? How is he a deadly enemie, which setteth vsus againe in life? For what els hath the doctrine of Iesus done throughout the whole world, but destroyed the Altars of the Deuils, beaten downe their Temples, broken their Images in peeces, abolished their gamings, their feastes, their Sacrifices; and moreouer withdrawne the rest of men from Murder, Whoredome, Theft, & all other abhominations wherein they were plunged, and from the vaine seruices whereabouts they occupied them selues, and wherewith they deceyued their owne Consciences? If ye say he was the seruant of GOD; the very Turkes confesse as much. Therefore procéede yet further, and graunt that sith he is the Prophet and seruant of God, he is to be beléeued. For God the Creator being altogether good and wise, would not lende him his spirit to deceiue vsus. And if we ought to beléeue him, we ought also to heare him: and if wee heare him, he telleth vsus that he is Christ the Anoynted, that he is the trueth, that he is the way, that he came from God his father, and that the father and he are but one. And in déede, one while to shewe that he was sent of his father, he prayeth vntounto him: and anotherwhile to shewe that he is equall with him, he commaundeth absolutely and of himselfe. Surely therfore we may well say, that this Prophet Iesus being assisted by Gods spirit, both in his Prophesyings, and in his Myracles, and in his Doctrine; and beeing borne of a Uirgin, in Bethleem, and at the tyme appoynted afore hand by the Prophets; is Christ the Lords anoynted, GOD and Man, euen such as he was declared and behighted vsus in the holy Scriptures, as I hauehave shewed alreadie.

But lo here the stumblingblock of the Pharisies and the Iewes.The stumbling blocke of the Iewes. What likelyhood is there (say they) that our Christ by whom wee looke that Israell should be so renowmed, should be so bace and abiect a person? Nay moreouer, if he be both God and Man (as you Christians say he is) what can bee imagined more against all reason, than that he should bee buffeted, whipped, crucified, accounted among théeues, and in the end reprochfully killed, as your Iesus was? Soothly, to folke that hauehave imagined and reckoned vppon a Monarchie of the whole world, and behighted themselues places among the chiefe in the same; it must néedes bee a great corsie and greefe to bee defeated of that hope. But had they well chewed and digested this text of Zacharie: Zacharie. 9. & 12.Behold, thy King commeth vntounto thee, rightuous, Sauiourlike, and lowlie, ryding vponupon an Asse, euen the Colt of an Asse: which text their Rabbines expound of the Messias, and wee reade it to hauehave bene fulfilled in Iesus at his comming into Hierusalem: they would not thinke it so straunge that in the same person also should be performed this saying of the same Prophet in another place, I will powre out the spirit of grace and merciemercy vponupon the house of Dauid, and vponupon the inhabiters of Hierusalem; and they shall looke vppon me whom they hauehave pearced: which text likewise the Rabbines expound of the Messias, as well as the other. Now I hauehave shewed heretofore, that the Messias should reconcile vsus vntounto God, by the satisfaction and amends which he should make vntounto him for vsus: and also how agreeable the sayd amends was both to Gods Iustice and merciemercy, which cannot bee contrarie one to another, and also to the order of dealing that is among men. For in asmuch as man would néedes through his pride become equal with God, and by his disobedience bee as God: it was méete that his Suretie should be abaced euen beneath man, and yéeld perfect obedience, euen to the most reprochfull death that could bee. Againe, to turne man againe and to restreyne him from sinne, nothing could bee more effectuall, than to make him knowe the horriblenesse of his sinne, by the greatnesse of the penaltie and satisfaction thereof: neither could any thing bee more forcible to allure him to the louelove of God and of his neighbor, than to see God redéeme him from wretched thraldome by ye death of his owne Sonne God and Man; and the same his own Sonne crucified and dying for the raunsome, not of his brethren, but of his enemies whom he voutsafeth to admit to be his brethren. But forasmuch as the Iewes beléeue the Scriptures, they will not refuse them in this poynt, and therefore let vsus examine them here together.

As touching Christs Lowelynesse in abacing himself, I hauehave treated thereof heretofore, and all the whole scripture teacheth it vsus sufficiently. At one word, in the place where it is sayd. The Scepter shalnot bee taken from Iuda; it is added byandby, Tying his Assecolt to the vyne, and the foale of his sheeasse to the hedge. Uppon which text Rabbi Hadarsan sayeth thus;Gen. 49. when Chryst commeth to Hierusalem, R. Moyses Hadarsan vppon the xl…x. of Genesis.he shal gird his Asse with a girt, and enter into the citie very poorely and lowelely, euen after the same maner that is spoken of in the nynth of Zachary. But to auoyd often repetitions, let vsus beare in mynd what hath bin sayd afore, that it may leade vsus the more gently to the passion of Christ, which is our only welfare and their vtter stumbling blocke. Wée hauehave in the Lawe a great nomber of Sacraments and Sacrifices,The passion of Iesus foretold in the Scriptures. as well solemne at set feasts as continewall and ordinarie, and among them, the Easterlambe, the Sacrifice of the red Hekfar, the sending of the Scapegote into the Wildernesse, and such other lyke: of all the which it is sayd, that their blud wassheth and clenseth away the sinne of the congregation, and that the sprinkling thereof turneth away the Angell of destruction from their houses. Now forasmuch as this was done with so greate solemnitie, expresly commaunded to be obserued, and conueyed ouer from age to age and from father to sonne: I aske them vponupon their consciences, whether they bee signes and figures of a sacrifice too come which should clense away sinne; or whether those sacrifices themselues had that vertue. If they say the Sacrifices had that force in themselues: what vertue is there in the blud of a Lamb or of a Hekfar, ageinst Sinne? And wherefore sayeth God so often vntounto vsus, I wil none of your sacrifices, I will none of the blud of your Bulles and Goates, al such things are but smoke and lothlynes in my sight? And at such tyme as they were prisoners at Babylon, or scattered abroade in the world, where they might not by their lawe offer any Sacrifice; was there then no forgiuenesse of their sinnes? Yes surely: and therefore they were signes and figures of Christ as then to come, who was to dye sor our sinnes: which signes do now cease and hauehave ceassed now these many hundred yeres through the whole world, euersince the comming of him that was betokened by them, namely of the Lamb of whome it is said in Esay: Esay. 53.He was led to the slaughter as a Lamb and he hild his peace without opening his mouth, as a sheepe before the Shearer: which text the Rabbines also do interpret to be ment of the Messias. And as concerning the red Heckefar, the Cabalists do make a Cace of it, & aske why in the booke of Nombers,Nomb. 19. the death of Marie is ioyned immediatly to the Lawe of the red Cow: and thereout of they will needs drawe the death of Christ to come. And in very deede Iesus the true Easterlambe was crucified on the very day of the Passouer, as witnesseth Rabbi Vla in the Talmud. In the treatyse Sanhedrin, Chap. Nigma… Hadin.Also as Esay had said of the Lamb Christ, He is slayne for the sinne of the People: so Iohn Baptist saieth of Iesus, Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sinnes of the world. Agein, as they were forbidden to breake any boane of the Easterlambe; so were Christs leggs left vnbroken, when the leggs of the théeues that were crusified with him were broken. To be short, as the red Cow accompanyed with all the people, was conueyed out of the Hoste and burne… without the Campe; so also was Iesus led out of the Citie accompanyed by the people, and crucified without the Citie.Esay. 53. But let vsus reade the Historie of the lyfe and death of Iesus whole togither out of Esay. There was neither fauor (sayth he) nor beawty in him, neither sawe we any fayrenesse in him that was to bee desired. He was despysed and thrust out from among men, a man full of infirmities & inured to sorrow by reason whereof we accounted him so vile, that we hid our faces from him. Yet in very deede he bare our infirmities, and was loden with our sorrowes: but we thought him to be wounded and stryken of God, whereas he was wounded for our misdeedes, and smitten for our sinnes. The punishment of our peace was layd vppon him, and by his strypes are we healed. Al of vsus went astray lyke sheepe, and turned aside eueryevery man after his owne way: and the Lord hath cast vppon him the iniquities of vsus all. Being misintreated and smitten, hee opened not his mouth. As a Lamb was he led to be slayne, & yet hild his peace as a Sheepe before the shearer. He was lifted vp from prison and iudgement, and yet who is he that can recken vp his generation? He was plucked vp from the liuing vppon the earth, and couered with woundes for the sinne of my people. His graue was giuen him with the wicked, & with the Riche in his death, Although hee neuer committed vnryghtuousenes, nor any gwile was found in his mouth; yet was it the Lords will to breake him with sorrow; that when he had giuen his lyfe in sacrifice for sinne, he myght see a longlasting seede. Which deuyce of the Lord shall prosper in his hand, and with the labour and trauel of his Soule shall he get greate Riches. My ryghtuous seruant (sayeth the Lord) shall with the knowledge of him make many men ryghtuous, and take their sinnes vppon himself. I will giuegive him a portion among the greate ones, and he shal deuide the spoyle with the mighty ones; bycause he yelded his Soule vntounto death, and did muster himself among the transgressers, and tooke vppon him the sinnes of many, and prayed for the offenders. Who seeth not in this text, both the apprehension and the sorrowes and the wounds, and the death of Iesus? Yea and his meekenesse, Lowelynes, and innocencie? His apprehension, turning to our deliuerance; his sorrowes, to our ioye; his wounds, too our health; his death, to our lyfe; his ryghtuousenes to our inrightuousing; and his punishment, to our obteynement of grace? And when we reade, He was abhorred of men, and we made none account of him; do we not see men spitting in his face? Also when we reade these words, We tooke him to be woūded of God; do we not here the Iewes saying to him, If thou be Christ the chosen of God, saue thy self? Ageine when he is outrageously delt withall and yet he openeth not his mouth; do we not note his innocent holding of his peace? Finally, whereas he was nombered among the transgressors, and yet prayed for them, notwithstanding that he bare the sinnes of other men: what is it els but the crucifying of Iesus betwéene the two théeues, and the very spéech of the repentant théefe which sayd, As for vsus, wee receiue worthely according to our deedes; but as for this man, what euill hath he done? Yea & the very prayer which Iesus made vponupon the Crosse, saying, Lord forgiue them, for they knowe not what they do? Now, that the sayd text was vnderstood of Christ by the old Rabbines; the Iewes cannot denye. For Ionathas the Chaldee Paraphrast the Sonne of Vziel, who liued about that tyme,R. Moyses Hadarsan. expoundeth it of Christ by name.Gen. 24. And whereas it is sayd, In very deede hee bare our infirmities, Ionathas translateth it, He shalbe heard at Gods hand for our faults, and for the louelove of him our sinnes shalbe forgiuen. And vppon these words, Wee hid our faces away from him: He sayth thus; as though the countenance of the Godhead had bin withdrawen from him, because he seemed so to our sight, and wee considered not what hee was in deede. Wherevppon Rabbi Vla sayth thus in the Talmud: Treatise Sanhedrin. Chap. Helec.Let him come, but let not me see him: and his so saying was for the extreme paynes which hee knewe that Christ should indure.Midrasch. Ruth. And therefore they feyne that he sits bynding vp of his sores at Romegate. Rabbi Ioses in the booke Siphrei.Also in a certeyne place where they inquire of the name of Christ, they say hee shall bee called Whight, as one couered with sores of Leprosie; and they ad, according to this saying of Esay: In very deede he bare our infirmities and tooke our sinnes vponupon him. R. Iacob & R… Hamina. Cha. Helec.And we tooke him as a Leaper, and as one wounded and cast downe of God. Neuerthelesse, that the Iewes (notwithstanding the euidentnesse of this Prophesie) should not for all that beléeue; the Prophet himselfe doth prophesie in the same Chapter. For afore he enter into the matter of Christes passion and death, he maketh this preface, saying:Esay. 53. Who hath beleeued at the hearing of vsus? or to whom hath the Lords arme bene discouered? And on the contrary part hee sayth to the Gentyles: Many men shall woonder for the louelove of him, Esay. 52.and Kings shall shut their mouthes before him, They that hauehave not bene tolde of him shall see him, and they that hauehave not heard of him shall thinke aduisedly on him. Uppon this so cléere a text, let vsus heare the inuentions of persons that hauehave imbatteled themselues against their own Saluation. To turne this text from Iesus, Rabbi Selomoh and Dauid Kimhi (afore whom the sayde wilfulnesse of opinion was not among the Iewes The fond shiftes of the Iewes,) hauehave turned away frō al the writers of former tyme, whom (notwithstanding) they confesse to hauehave vnderstood it of Christ; and they passe not what they say, so they may stand vponupon denyall. This text (say they) is not meant of Christ, but of the Iewish people afflicted by the Chaldees & the Romaines. And this serueth well to shewe what oddes is betwéene the iudgemēt of Reason and of Affection. For I presume so much vppon their vnderstanding, that if they had bene borne in the tyme of Ionathas the sonne of Vziel, or at leastwise at any tyme afore the comming of Iesus, they would hauehave bene vtterly of another mynd. Then if the Prophet speake of the afflicted children of Israell when he saith, He was despised of men, and we hid our faces from him: Of whom I beseech them is that sayd which followeth without change of person, namely; In very deede he bare our infirmities, and wee tooke him to hauehave bene wounded of God? That he was despised, is ment (say they) of the people of Israell. Then, that he bare our infirmities, must néedes (say I) be ment of the people of Israell too. And what can bee more fond, than to say that the people of Israell bare the infirmities of the people of Israell? specially sith it is sayd immediatly, And by his stripes are we healed: which saying putteth and apparant difference betwéene the Phisition and the Patient, betwéene the Sufferer and him that is eased by his suffering? Againe, what People or what Nation was euer benefited by the sufferings of the Israelites? To what purpose serueth this out…ry of the Prophet, Who hath beleeued our word, if he hauehave no further meaning than that the Children of Israell bare their owne paynes? All of vsus (sayth the Prophet foorthwith) hauehave gone astray like Sheepe. Who …ee these Shéepe that hauehave gone astray, but the Israelites, and among them the Prophet himselfe? And vponupon him (saith he) hath the Lord cast the sinnes of vsus all. If hee cast them vppon Israell, what cause of woonder is there in not beléeuing it? For who doubteth but that eueryevery man is woorthie to beare the blame of his owne fault? But will any man gaynsay the Prophet himself, who expoundeth his owne meaning so plainly afterward? He was plucked vp out of the land of the liuing (saith he) and couered with wounds for the sinnes of my people. For who seeth not here a manifest countermatching betwéene the people that are healed, and the partie that suffereth for the healing of them? betwéene Israell whose sores are brought to a scarre, and the partie that beareth away his sores? The Prophet addeth, There was no vnrightuousnesse in him, neither was any guyle found in his mouth. Surely there is pride in men, yea and euen in these men; and yet I can hardly beléeue, but that they would be ashamed to chalenge the verifying of this text vponupon them selues. And as for the people of Israell that were afflicted by the Chaldees; the Rabbines affirme that their first Temple was destroyed for their Idolatrie, Superfluitie, and sheading of giltlesse blud. And concerning the second Temple which was destroyed by the Romaines, they say the cause thereof was the peoples couetousnesse, their hating of their neighbours without cause, and their selling of the rightuous person. And whereas they reply, That the people of Israel suffered so much affliction at one season, as suffised to discharge their successors that liued afterward in another season: surely besides that it is contrary both to the Iustice and to ye merciemercy of God; that glose cannot be verified of any one lyne of the sayd text: but it appeareth by experience, that the afflictions which the people of Israell indured at the hands of the Chaldees, did not discharge them of Antiochus; nor the afflictions layd vppon them by Antiochus… defend the Iewish Church against the Romaines; nor the extreme outrages of the Romaines so satisfie for the sinnes of that people, but that they bee more scattered, and more brought in bondage, as well of moe sorts of maisters as of moe sorts of slauerie at this day, than euer they were afore. Loe how one false and fond proposition procureth many fonder solutions.

But let vsus here further, how this text is expounded by other of the Prophetes. Seuentie weekes (sayth Daniell Daniel. 9. vers. 14. and 16.) are set downe for the ending of disobedience, & for the Sealing vp of sinne, and for the cleansing away of iniquitie and the bringing of rightuousnes for euer. As how? For vntounto the anoynted Prince (saith he) shalbe seauen weekes and threescore & two weekes; after which tyme the Anoynted shalbe slayne, and nothing shalbe left vntounto him, and the Prince of a People to come shall destroy the Citie. &c. Here ye see how Christ must dye, & namely for sinne, according to this saying of Esay, He hath giuen his lyfe for sinne. And (as I hauehave shewed already) Iesus was put to death euen the very same tyme. As touching the Circumstances of his death,Psalm. 22. vers. 17. They perced my feete and my hands (sayth Dauid) and parted my garments among them, and cast lots for my coate. We reade not that Dauid was serued so, but rather Iesus who was crucified (howbeit that that king of punishment was not vsed among the Iewes, but among the Romaines) and lottes were cast for his Coate: and the Euangelistes alledged this Text to the same purpose, as who would say, it was so vnderstood in their tyme. And whereas in stead of Caru, that is to say, they pearced, the Iewes will néedes reade Caari, that is to say, As a Lyon: their Mass…reths, (who hauehave made a Register of all the Letters of the Scriptures) doe witnesse that in all good Copies it is written Caru they pearced. Also the therescore and twelue Interpreters hauehave translated into Greeke, foreign, &c. they pearced my handes, &c. And the old Chaldee translater, hath ioyned both those readings in one, thus They hauehave pearced and thruft throgh my feete and my hands as a Lyon. They that vnderstand the Traditions of the Indians & Etihopians, doo witnesse the like: accordingly also as the Iewes themselues do know by their owne readings, and are warned by their Mazaroths, that that sence is vnperfect. For as for the Chaldee Paraphrase of R. Ioseph the blind, because he was about a three hundred and fortie yeres after Iesus, we admit him not for a Iudge: and besides that, he is dubble blinded with a blind moode which he bewrayeth euerywhere against vsus.

Also the Prophet Zacharie Zachary. 12.sayth, I will powre out the spirit of grace and mercy vponupon the house of Dauid & vponupon the Inhabiters of Hierusalem, and they shall looke vntounto me whome they perced. Bereschith Rabba vponupon. Gen. cap. 42. The booke Succa: chapt. Hahechil.He that powreth out this spirit is God; Hee that is perced is man; and both the one and the other togither is Christ God and Man. And they themselues expound this text in the same sence concerning the Messias, that our Euangelists alledge it of Iesus that was striken into the side with a Speare; which surely had bene a fondnesse in them,Iohn. 19. vers. 37. (considering how feawe texts they alledge (if they had not bene commonly vnderstoode to concerne the Messias.The treat: Sanchedrin. Gap. Helec. And it is all one with this which some of the Rabbines do say in ye Talmud, namely That Christ should be distressed as a woman that laboureth of Child, according as Ieremy Ieremy. 30.sayth, that hee had great anguishes to suffer, but that he should indure them willingly too deliuer men from sinne. And Rabbi Hadarsan Rabbi Hadarsan vpō Ge. 1. Echa rabeth. Chap. 3. Midrasch Ruth Cap. 2. vers. 14.saith that Satan should be an aduerfarie to him and his Disciples; and therefore he applyeth vntounto him a part of the thirde chapter of the lamentations of Ieremie. Also in the booke of Ruth, where it is written, Eate thy bread and temper it with vineger: This bread (sayth the Commentarie) is the bread of the Anointed King or Messias, who shalbe broken for mens sinnes, and indure great torments as it is written in Esay. And the Saint Rabbi saith, that Christ should deliuer mens Soules from hell by his death. Howbeit yet further, whereas it is sayd in Esay, Esay. 51.we bee healed by his death: the auncient Cabalistes Cabalistes.vnderstand it of Christ, and say that the Angels (who were the teachers of our forefathers, as Raziel of Adam, Metatron of Moyses & so forth) had taught them that the cleansing away of sinne should be doone vponupon wood. And Rabbi Simeon Ben Iohai R. Simeon ben Iohai Mirandulan in his Conclusions.the first among them, writeth thus; Wo woorth the Murtherers of Israell, for they shall kill Christ. God will send his sonne clothed in mans flesh to wash them, and they will kill him. Also Rabbi Iuda R. Iuda in his book of Hope.sayth, That after a long breathing tyme, God will deliuer his name of twelue letters to Ieremie in writing after this maner, Iehouah …lohim emeth, that is to say, The euerlasting God is trueth; and that hee will wype out the first Letter of the last worde, so as there shall remayne Iehouah elohim meth, that is to say, The euerlasting God is dead. And peraduenture it is therevpon, that Rabbi Iosua the sonne of Leuy sayde,Midrach T…hilim. That Israell was not heard in the world, for want of knowing this name; that is to say, for want of praying vntounto God by ye Mediator Christ who died for vsus. To be short, Philo the Iewe, Philo the Iew in his booke of the banished. Looke afore in the 6. Chapt…a very renowmed Author, handling this question, namely when the banished Israelites and Iewes should returne home; saith it should be at the death of a Highpriest. Howbeit finding himselfe graueled at this, that some liue longer than othersome; Surely I beleeue (sayth he) that this Highpriest shall not be a Man, but the Word (the which hee prayseth in infinite places) exempt from al sinne both willing and vnwilling, who to his father hath God; and to his moother, the wisedom that is without beginning and without end. Whereby it appéereth that he had heard of Christ a Highpréest, whom it behoued to be God the Sonne of God, that he might sanctifie, and likewise man that he might dye.

As touching the startinghole which the newe Rabbines séeke, in that (contrarie to the whole course,Obiection. both of their owne auncient writers and of the Scripture) in sted of one Christ God and Man, they make two Christes, the one the Sonne of Dauid, the other the Sonne of Ioseph, saying that this latter (to whome they apply all the foresayd Texts) shalbe slayne in battell, and afterward raysed duplicate page duplicate page againe by the Prayers of other: Surely let vsus tell them as R. Moyses R. Moyses vpō the Iudges.doth, That none other than only the sonne of Dauid, shall come with authoritie of Christ; howbeit that there are two commings of Christ, the one in lowlynes as Zacharie Zachary. 9. ver. 4.sayth. Poore, Lowely, and Sauiourlyke; and the other in maiestie out of the Clowdes of the ayre, as is described in Daniel: the one to Redéeme, the other to iudge, as they thēselues say vponupon these words of Ecclesiastes, Daniel. 7. Midrasch Coheleth Cap. 1. vers. 9.What it is that hath bene? The same that shalbe: wherevpon they inferre, The last Redeemer is reuealed, and he that is hidden shall come yet once againe. To be short, here yée sée, how in the end the stumbling blocke is turned into glorie. For as Christ dyed innocently,Talmud, treatyse Sanhedrin Cap. Helec. so shall he also ryse agayne and reygne for euer. Yea he shall ryse againe: for it is written in the Psalme, Psal. 16.Thou wilt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption, which saying cānot be ment of Dauid; for he is dead and rotten in his graue, yea and he shalbe raysed againe within the third day, for it is written,Ose the. 6. He will quicken vsus after two dayes, and in the third day will he rayse vsus vp ageine. Also he shall go vp into Heauen, to sit at the right hand of God;Psalm. 110. for it is written, The Lord hath sayd to my Lord, sit thou on my right hand. The booke Mechiltha.And all these Texts are so expounded by Rabbi Moyses Hadarsan, R. Moyses Hadarsan, vppon Genesis. Cap 22. and 40.by R. Hacadoseh, by R. Ionathan the Sonne of Vziell and others:R Isaac vppon Genesis. and they be all accomplished in Iesus. For their owne writer Iosephus Iosephus in his Antiquitie Lib. 18. cap. 4.sayth, In the tyme of Tyberius there was one Iesus, a wise man (at leastwise if he was to be called a man) who was a worker of great miracles, and a teacher of such as louelove the trueth, and had a greate trayne as well of Iewes as of Gentyles. The booke of Collections.Neuerthelesse, being accused vntounto Pilate by the cheefe of the Iewes, he was crucified. But yet for all that, those which had loued him from the beginning, ceassed not to continue still. For he shewed himself alyue vntounto thē a three dayes after his death, as the Prophetes had foretold of him both this and diuers other things. And euen vntounto this day doe those continue still which after his name are called Christians. Certesse then let vsus conclude as this Iewe doth in the selfesame place, and in his owne words, This Iesus was in very deede the Christ. For as for the goodly tale, That Christes Disciples stole him out of his Graue, and that for feare they did cast hym downe in a Gardyne where he was found afterward: the fondnesse and fabulousenesse thereof appéereth in this, that whereas because hee had sayd in his lyfetyme. Destroy this Temple, and in three dayes I will rayse it vp ageine; And also, There shall none other signe be giuen vntounto you but the signe of the Prophet Ionas, and so foorth; therevpon the Iewes caused Pylate to set a sure gard about the Sepulchre: Yet notwithstanding, Pylate writing afterward to the Emperour Claudius, aduertised him of the resurrection of Iesus, so as the greater and surer the gard was that Pylate did set, the mo and the stronger were the witnesses to proue the Iewes lyars in that behalf. Also the high Priestes béeing so inraged against Iesus as they were, would not hauehave sticked to hauehave hanged vp the sayd found Carkesse openly in the Marketplace, whereby they might hauehave abolished all the reputation of Iesus out of hand. Ageine on the other side, the Apostles were men so afrayd of death, so weakeharted, so féeble in faith, and so vtterly without credit; that there is not any lykelihod that they durst take the matter in hand. Nay (which more is) what benefite could they hauehave had by his dead Carkesse? what should it hauehave booted them to hauehave forgone their Children, their Wyues, yea and themselues too for such a one? Should they not rather hauehave had cause to hauehave bene offended at his cowsmage, and therevpon bene the readier to hauehave condemned the remembraunce of him them selues, and to hauehave turned all men away from him? Contrariwise, they preach nothing but his resurrection; for that are they contented to dye; for that doe they teache other men to dye; alonly by that doe they hope too liue and dye most blessedly; and of all the whole nōber of them, there was not so much as one that could be brought to say otherwise: nay rather which could bee made to conceale it, and not to speake of it, though they were let alone, yea or for any promise or threatning that the greatest personages in the worlde could make vntounto them. Surely therefore, if euer any deede were true, we must needes say that this is it.

Finally Daniell Daniel. 9.sayth; After that the Anoynted is slaine, The Prince of a people to come, Math. 24. vers. 15.(that is to say, the Emperour of Rome) shall destroye the Citie and the Sanctuarie, and his end shalbe in destruction, and vntounto the end of the warre be desolations ordeyned. The destruction of Hierusalem.But he shall stablish his couenant with many in one weeke, and in halfe a weeke shall he cause the Sacrificing and Offering to ceasse. And to the same effect Iesus himselfe sayth, Weepe for your selues and for your Children, and let them which are in Iewrie flee into the Mountaines. Abhomination shall abide in the holy place, and of the Temple one stone shall not be left vponupon another. And yet neuerthelesse, this Gospell (sayth he) shall be preached ouer all the world for a witnesse to al Nations. Who can say that this was not accomplished within a while after the death of Iesus? And who seeth not yet still the remnants of this desolation vponupon Hierusalem, and vppon all that people? Yea and moreouer, that this their vtter ruine and ouerthrowe, is not to bee fathered vponupon any other thing, than vponupon their putting of Iesus to death? Iesus was apprehended in Mount Oliuet;Iosephus in his Antiq lib. 20. Cap. 6. 8. and from Mount Oliuet was Hierusalem beseeged. He was crucified on the day of the Passouer; and on that day was the Citie entered into. Hee was whipped in the Romaine Emperours Pauilion by Pylat; In the Iewish Warres. lib. 5. Cap. 8. and lib. 6. Cap. 25. 27. 28. 47.and in the Emperours Pauilion were the Iewes whipped by the Romaines for their pleasure. He was deliuered by them into the hands of the Gentyles; and they themselues were scattered abroade into the whole world, to bée a skorning stocke to all Nations. Of these things and many other like doe the Rabbines complaine in their Histories, and the more they speake of them, the more doe they confesse Gods Iudgement vponupon themselues. For what els are all these things, but the execution of this their owne sentence giuen vponupon themselues, his blud be vponupon vsus & vponupon our Children? Philo ageinst Flaccus.Insomuch that (as Iosephus reporteth) when Tytus sawe the sayd extremities, he lifted vp his eyes to heauen and sayd,The Talmud concerning the destruction of Hierusalem. Lord thou knowest that my hands are cleere from all this blud that is shed. And afterward when vponupon the taking of the Citie, he had considered the force and strength of the place and the people; he sayd, In very deede God hath fought on our side in the taking of this Citie, for otherwise what power could euer hauehave wōne it? Also the Tēple was burnt doune, though he did what he could to hauehave saued it, because (sayth Iosephus) the vneschewable day of the destruction thereof was come. Likewise the Citie was rased, cast vp vppon heapes, and made leuell with the ground,Iosephus, in the Warres of the Iewes lib. 7. cap 9. 12. 14. 16. as if neuer man had dwelt there; and ten hundred thousand men were put to the sword within it; which thing wee reade not to hauehave bene done to any ot…er Citie taken by the Romaines. To bee short, the signes that went afore, and the voyce that gaue warning from heauen, & the opening of the Temple of it own accord, seemed to be forefeelings of Gods wrath that was to light vponupon them. Again, the Fountayne of Silo which was dryed vp afore, swelled vp to giuegive water to the Romaine Hoste. Insomuch that their owne Historywriter, beholding so many records of Gods wrath, was in maner cōstreyned to come somewhat nye the cause thereof, which he affirmeth to be, that the Highpriest Ananus had vniustly and hastily caused Iames the brother of Iesus to be stoned to death, and certeine others with him, to the great griefe of good men, and of such as loned the Lawe. To the which purpose also may this saying of the notablest of their Rabbines be applyed, That the second Temple was destroyed for their selling of the Rightuous, and for hating him without cause; Iohn. 16.according to this saying of Iesus concerning them, They hauehave hated me without cause.

And whereas some Iewes at this day doe say, that they bee punished because some of them receiued this Iesus for the Christ: there is no likelyhood of trueth in it. For considering that Gods maner is, to saue a whole Citie for some ten good mens sakes, if they be found in it: he would much rather hauehave saued his own people for so many mens sakes, being the chiefe and representing the state of the Realme of Iewrie, which did put their hands to the accusing of Iesus; and for so great a multitudes sake, which cryed out, Away with him, away with him, crucifie him. And if God confirmed the Priesthood vntounto Phinees, for his zealousnesse in punishing a simple Israelite: what thinke you your selues to hauehave deserued, for crucifying (as you beare your selues on hand) an enemie of God, one that named himselfe Christ the Lords Anoynted, yea and which sayd he was very God himselfe? Yet notwithstanding in the middes of all these calamities, the Citie and Temple of this Iesus were builded vp, first in Iewrie it selfe, and afterward in the whole world; and according to Daniels Prophesie, the Couenant of Saluation was stablished among all Nations by the preaching of his Apostles; and the Sacrifices of the Iewes were then put downe, and neuer anywhere reuyued againe since that tyme. And within a while after, the very ydolatries of the Gentyles, which had possessed the whole world, were likewise dasshed also, as wée shall see hereafter. Whereof Rabbi Hadarsan R. Hadarsan vponupon Daniel.writing vponupon Daniell seemeth to hauehave giuen some incling, in that he sayth, Halfe a weeke, that is to say, three yeeres and a half, shall make an end of Sacrificing. And so doth R. Iohanan in that he sayth, Three yeeres and a half hath the presence of the Lord cryed out vppon Mount Oliuet, saying, seeke God while he may be found, and call vpō him while he is nere hand. And vponupon the Psalmes it is sayd,Midrasch Thehilim. That by the space of three yeeres and a halfe, GOD would teache his Church in his owne persone. Now it is manifestly knowen, that Iesus preached betwéene thrée and fower yeres about Hierusalem, and that his preaching was pursewed and continued afterward by his Apostles.

Sothen, we hauehave in the Prophets a Christ the sonne of God, which was to be borne of a Uirgin, in the end of the thréescore and and ten wéekes mention in Daniel, at Bethleem in Iewrie; whom being foregone by an Elias, it behoued to preache the kingdome of God, to dye a reprocheful death to mans Saluation, and to ryse agayne with glorie; shortly wherevpon should follow the destruction of Hierusalem and of the Temple. And at the very selfesame tyme, we hauehave in our Gospels & in the stories of the Iewes themselues, one Iesus the sonne of God, borne of the Uirgin Marie, at Bethleem in Iewrie, who beeing foregone by Iohn the Baptist, preached the kingdome of Heauen both in woord and déede, was crucified at Hierusalem, beléeued on by the Gentiles, and reuēged by the ouerthrowe and destruction of the Temple. And all these circumstances and markes are so peculiar vntounto him, that they can by no meanes agrée to any other. Wherefore let vsus conclude, that this Iesus is the very same Christ that was promised from time to time in the Scriptures, and exhibited in his dew time according to our Gospell. For that is the thing which wee had to proue in these last two Chapters.