Our Lords Family, Part 1
The family of Ieſus Chriſt after the flesh: who is God bleſsed for euer.
After that Koheleth or Eccleſiaſtes had ſhewed all thinges vnderunder the ſun to be vain, that men might look how the ſoule immortal might ſtand in judgement, & find the ioy of the Kingdome promiſed to Dauid, I opened Ieremies Lamentationes, how therin the Iewes hope of happines in this world was buryed with the deſtruction of temple, city, Kindome. And the ſame yere that Ieremy firſt wrote his Lamentationes, the noble Daniel ſo beloved of God was captiued, to Babylon, to rule his captiuers, as Ioſeph to rule Egypt; who thence deriueth the Kingdomes that vexed the holy Iewes religiō: how Chriſt had all theyr actiones as opened in a book before his judgement throne, & made a riddance of them by the day that he was to com into the world. And joyneth vntounto theyr vtter conſumption, his coming in the cloudes of heauen: & aſcention vntounto the Everlaſting throne promiſed vntounto Dauid. There the Romanes begin theyr dealinges; & vvill rule over the King of heauen, till they crucified the God of glory: Wherfor they are pictured after the tenour of all Daniels fower in one; The Lion, the beare, the fourheaded Leopard, & the fourth the ten-horned, giuegive them armes, to make one of them fower, a beaſte ten-horned, colored like a Leopard, footed, as a bear, and mouthed like a Lion Theyr tribute or taxe over the world fell out euen vvith the time that Chriſt the God of heauen came from the father into this vvorld. And Da…el taught vponupon Babels fall vvhen God vvold by his ovvne blood open an Eternall Kingdome to them that beleued in him: and vvhen God in Chriſt wold enter into the vvorke of the tabernacle, euen begining 30 yeres in the fleſh. So the faithfull ſavv vvhen the ſon wold dvvell in our taberna…le; of Abrahams ſede; whoſe familie, knovven rightly of fevv, & perverted by …evves, vvith many queſtiones depending heron, I open to all Chriſtianes; & firſt ſhevv at the Entrance the reaſon of ſeverall beginnige… in the holy men that ſpell or ſpeak vntounto vsus of God come in the fleſh.
Of S. Mathews beginning from Abraham.
The full purpoſe of S. Mathew concerning the Kingdome of the Iewes, I will handle at large in due place: Now the reaſons of Abraham made the beginnig may be touched only; 1. Abraham vvas the firſt man to whom Chriſt was promiſed in plain termes; that in his ſede all the families of the earth ſhould be bleſſed, So a beginning from him is fit for Iewes and heathen.
2. In that Eue had a promeſſ that Chriſt ſhould deſtroy the workes of Satan, who deſtroyed the vorld, & Kild Adam, to be dead in ſin, & to leaue this world; our Lord his juſtice and death, & reſurrection & aſcenſion & reſtoring Adams ſoule to juſtice, & the new world wherein juſtices dwelleth, all theſe poinctes are cloſly taught; But contemned by the blinded of Satan, who delite to be vnwittj, & vvill not ſo much ſtrain theyr care, as to vnderſtand vvhat God ſpeaketh. Novv to Abraham matters vvere ſhevved playner, that the deſtroyer of Satans workes; ſhould come of him; & after death ſhould be reuiued; & figured by Melchiſedek; & as Abraham & Sara dead from ſtrength of generation yet by faith vvere quickened: and iuſtified by faith; So they ſhould be, vvho beleued in God that raiſeth Chriſt from the dead. For theſe cauſes the beginng of the Nevv T. is fitly taken from Abraham.
Of S. Marc.
S. Marc dravveth his entrance from the laſt prophet vv… Iohn Babtiſt is foreſhevved: & from Eſays comfort vponupon ſpech of the fall of Babel. vvhichwhich matter vvas plainly expounded fo… time, vvhen Cyrus deſtroyed Babel. & Marc his Goſpell is of half a ſeauen; to shevv Chriſt his teaching of the covenant for many. And as God vvold hauehave S. Mark to fortify the Angels Chronicle for the time: So he vvould hauehave the other thre Euangeliſtes to haſten to the ſame. As S. Mathevv doth, vvhen he told that our Lord dvvelt in Narazet; as in the volume of the prophetes Eſ. xj he is called Nazer; & in the Babylon Thalmud in Chelek; Nazor is the name of the ſon of Dauid; Preſently after Thalmadique handling of that his name, he cometh to the Angel Gabrieis half ſeauen; & ſo doth S. Luke, & S. Iohn haſten to the preaching of Malachj the ſonne of Zacharj. Wherby any might marveile hovv the Ievves could miſſe to receaue the King of glory coming to his ovvne hovvſ. And thus all the four evangeliſtes shevved care to fottifie that part. And God vvold hauehave it famous, turning it into a proverbe; for afflictiones conformable to the afflictiones of Chriſt; by all…ſio… to that time; That the afflictiones for Chriſt should be called the afflictiones of dayes 1260. or, of a time tvvo times & half a time; & monethes forty tvvo. So by alluſiones our Gracious Lord teacheth vsus to mark the four evangeliſtes, for the half ſeauen of our Lordes preaching; & ſpecially S. Mark; & to go back with him to Daniel. And our Lords ovvne tongue doth call vsus to marke the time: in the Parable of the fig tree fruteles, hindering the Earth. Which ſpech may be gathered to be ſix monthes, before the curſed fig tree vvithered. As Bucholkerus maketh a goodly compariſon, of that Parable, & of our Lordes half ſeauen. So our Lord calleth vsus from Elias Baptiſt vntounto Elias the Thisbite: hovv in his time heauen vvas shut three yeres & ſix monethes; vvarning that ſynce the heauens vvere opened at his baptiſme, vntil his ſoule should returne from the croſſ to heauen, yeres should be three & ſix monethes. Novv the gathering of Elias times in the firſt of the Kinges vvold require long labour; But vve may be ſure it vvas vvell knovven amonge the Thalmudignes; as S. Iames ſpeaking to the Thalmudique maner, ſayth, that Elias pray… ſtayd raine three yeres & ſix monethes. Thus the time of our Lords preaching is ſvvetely compared vvith other Scriptures. & vve may be ſure that our Lord ſpake the truth; & ſeing ou… Lord told, in Daniel ch. 7. & 12. That Antiochus should cro… the lavves & offring▪ a time tvvo …imes & an half; He vvold hauehave his time for ſanctifying the temple to be as vvell Knovven; & as vvell meaſured; ſeing the alluſion Ap. 12. of a time, tvvo times, & half a time, is taken from his preaching.
In what monethmonth S. Marke beginneth his ſtory: & the reſt, the opening of the heauens by the ſecond Elias.
Becauſe our Lord was baptized, even beginnig thirty, & to open the Kingdome, by teaching the covenant to many, three yeres & ſix monethmonth: Seing his ſoules paſſage from the croſſe to the fathes is certen in the fiftenth of Niſan; So his birth & Baptiſme ſhould be in the ſeauenth monethmonth, Aethanim. Which vvas the firſt monethmonth, after the creation of the world.
Of the monethmonth Ethanim or September.
It may ſomwhat help to mark old ſtory of Aethanim from 1. Kinges. …. 2. All Iſrael aſſembled to the King Salomon, in the monethmonth Aethanim, in the feaſt, that is the ſeauenth monethmonth; And the ſacrificers brought the Ark of the covenant of the Eternal, vntounto his place; vntounto the Dabyr; vntounto the holy of holy; & the Cherubim ſpred theyr vvinges over the place o… the ark. This ſo Solemne ſhould hauehave antitypon awnſwearable in high matter. And what thing els can be, but that the moſt holy was manifeſt in his temple; & the army of Angels ſpred… theyr winges; to hauehave him honored at his coming then into the world.
The explication & ſtory, of the monethmonth Aethanim.
The moſt Lerned Chaldy paraphaſt Ionathā ſpeaketh thus: of Aethanim. It is the monethmonth of the ancient, & they called it the firſt monethmonth, of feſtiuity. But now it is the ſeauen monethmonth. Thus Dauid Kimchj doth expound him. Aethanim or ſtrength is the month wherin they gathered the fructs & encreaſe of the earth, to theyr houſes. For that cauſe it is called the feaſt of gathering frutes. So Aethanim meaneth ſtrength: & fructes & entreaſe of the earth be the life of a man. And ſome of our doctoures expound Aethanim, the monethmonth in which the fathers were borne. The ſtay (Aethanim) of the world; as the ſpech, Mich. 7. 2. Heare ye mounta…ies; & ye ſtrong foundationes of the earth. Others call it Aetha…im from the ſtrength of the lawes that are geuen for this monethmonth …th feaſtes, & lawes. So Ralbag ſayth. I think it called the monethmonth Athanim, for the feastes: the ſtrong, & teaching iuſtice: which …re in this monethmonth. This for Ralbag. The firſt day had the trumpets; the tenth, expiation; the fiftenth the feaſt of tabernacles for eight dayes. And Ionathans wordes cited of me afore, be thus expounded of Camchj. Before the time that Iſrael came from Aegypt, Tiſri or Aethanim was the firſt monethmonth. For in Tiſri the world was made. And by reaſon that the Children of Iſrael came from Aegypt in Niſan, it became the head of monethes, & Tiſri became the ſeauenth. For ſo the bleſsed God ſayd vntounto them. This monethmonth shalbe vntounto you the firſt of monethes. To you, by reaſon that to the reſt of the world it is not first: For Tiſri is the firſt. And this much for the monethmonth. So Iohn Baptiſt well might begin the firſt day; & aſſemble vntounto him much People fourtene dayes: And our I ord come to him the fiftenth day; when they had lerned of the ſtronger then the Baptiſt, who wold baptize with the holy Ghoſt, & with fyer. So the four Evangeliſt…s Celebrating the Baptiſme celebrat the birth which was the ſame day 29. full yeres. So as the firſt Adam & the other to Noah came to the world that monethmonth, Chriſt ſhould come; & that time was fitteſt for Caeſar to bid men reſort to theyr cities; & moſt likely that shepheardes wold yet be abroad with theyr ship; & fitteſt for men to go into a riuer naked to be Baptized. And by Daniels half ſeauen Iohn brought in Baptiſme; for heathen; as Dauid & Salomon only Baptized proſelytes; Maimony in Aſure Bia, tract. 12 & 13. And yf his warrant had not bene ſure, & plain, from Daniel, none might hauehave com to him for Baptiſme. So our Lord begining a new yere of his age then, shewed the ſame time of monethmonth to hauehave geven vsus his coming into the world. And the Rabbines in Middras Rabba conclude that Meſſias ſhalbe borne in Aethanim or Tiſrj; full of feaſtes to teach of him. And God appointed no feaſtes for the winter; becauſe of the vnſeaſonablenes of the weather. Chryſoſtome miſtaking Iohns fathers ſtory, thinking that he miniſtred not in june but in September, began to diſgrace the ſtate of the Goſpell. Hence Turk & Iew ſcoph: that we place the byrth where the conception ſhould be; and can yeld no reaſon of our Goſpels narrationes which we make moſt vnlikely to be true. And Arias Montanus helpes Chryſoſtom; that Zacharie ſhould be high ſacrificer, Wheras all Iewes know that the Candelſtick, Table & altar of incenſe were without & dayly gone to by the ordinarie ſacrificers. Elias, four times made the begining of Daniels half ſeauen, might hauehave taught the Iewes a ſure note, what Elias Malachj ſpake off. Now the end of all the Evangeliſtes is in the firſt monethmonth, towardes leauing the Aegypt of this world at the Paſcha. And at Pentecoſt, after, the law vvas giuen to Moſes; when the fyerj lavv of the ſpirit vvas by Ieſus geuen. So the conception of Iohn, vvher men placed his birth; falleth to Midſomer; & birth to the ſpring Aequinoctial, and likevviſe the conception of Mary fell moſt fitly to mydvvinter, & our Lordes coming into the vvorld, to the firſt monethmonth after the creation, & his redemption, to the firſt monethmonth for redemption from Egypt; Theſe matters agree vvith Scripture & plain reaſon. But novv the altering of the date vvold to much troble the vvorld. It may paſſ amongeſt vsus; as fit for conſidering a time vvhen vvinter feaſtes, & leaſure to heare the lavv read hindereth none vvorkes; & according to the conception; very many Lerned men hauehave cleared the truth, of late; & all are to blame that will folow an old errour here, that diſturbeth law & Goſpell. Iewes & Turkes look on: & the iuſt iudge, who hath eyes pure, that they cannot behold euell, will kepe from his heauenly city all that practiſe lying.
Of S. Lukes begining.
S. Luke joyneth the end of the old teſtament to the begining of the New. A moſt heauenly worke. And here note the very names. Zacharj & Malachj end the ſpech of God in the old Teſtament; & Zacharj & Malachj are in the firſt ſpech of the Angel Gabriel in the New. The Angel Gabriel; who did tell of Antiochus Epiphanes, for dayes 2300. & Generally of Gods hand vponupon the Graecianes: he, tels of the ſecond Elias; or Malachj, vntounto Zacharj; an holy man: & of the birth of Chriſt, whom he him ſelf named Chriſt; Daniel 9. & here the time muſt be conſidered. Euen when the Grecianes were rooted out from vnderunder the cope of heauen: & had not the governement of one city in the world; but at Romanes taxe, in Daniel were vtterly conſumed; as the former all, the Graecianes before they vvere parted: & the Medes with Perſianes, & the Chaldeanes; when the laſt of all theſe were conſumed, then the Angel Gabriel cometh twiſe to tell the joy of the Kingdome of heauen; for Iohn Elias: & for Chriſt the moſt holy. Thus ſo heuenly a ioyning of the old Teſtament to the New ſhould be celebrated of all that will kepe the commaundement of praiſing God with vnderſtanding. And all teachers be wicked that wilbe ſpending time to theyr hearers, & them ſelues, in matters of this world, wher the hearers be ſo wiſe aſ they, and not ſtudy firſt the truth of theſe matters, ſo gracious & full of ſalvation, & after, teach them vntounto the world. Biſhops that wold teach with dexteritie to make all in the the Kingdomes able yf they wold to teach all the world, ſhould never be envyed for theyr 200000 lib. per annum; But they ſhould be counted moſt reverend & right reverend fathers; & ſuch Papae as Athanaſuis, & the like in Grecia. But ours muſt alter much before all the lerned nobility vvill think them ſo referend & ſo learned, as ſome nobles be, & lower gentry, that never came in Pulpit.
Of S. Iohn begining the Goſpel.
S. Iohn the laſt beginneth frō before the begining: from the Eternall, called the word of Thalmudiques infinitely through Moyſes, as Onkelos nere S. Iohn foloweth them: ſayng for, Iehova ſayd, the word of Iehova ſayd. S. Paul ſayth they tempted Chriſt; vvher they tempted Iehovah. This vvas the main combat vvith the Thalmudiques: & Cerinthianes, & other heretiques. And matter required that myndes longe occupied in eaſier matter, ſhould at the laſt be called to conſyder the Eternity, of the heyre of all, vvhichwhich made the vvorld. And S. Luke ſone after mention of Elias Iohn baptiſt, handleth the humanitie of Ieſus Coriſt, vp to Adam: vvhom Satan overraught to bring darkenes vponupon him ſelf, before the ſun euer left him in darkenes; & then ioyneth a nevv combat to the old ſerpent; thence vvill I ſhevv the familie of our Lord: & cmment vponupon it; & S. Mathevv ſhall folovv, touching ſucceſſion to the Kingdom, & other dependantes, all for inſtruction of Ievves, & ſuch as vvold not lay a trap to Ievves, & theyr ovvne deſtruction.