be it, that which was wanting in their number, fhould be fupplyed by strangers: Alfo that the Meffias fhould be a downfal to the Hebrews and this Stone which the Builders refufed, fhould be put in the chief place for the joining together of the work.

SECT. XXI.

Answer to the Objection, that many Gods are worshipped by the Chriftians.

TH

HERE remain yet two accufations to be answered, which the Jews bring both against our Chriftian Doctrine and Worship. The firft is, in that they fay, we Chriftians do worship many Gods.

But we answer, that this is nothing but a wrested explication of another's opinion, out of hatred. For, why fhould this be more objected against us Chriftians, than against Philo the Jew, who oftentimes makes three to be in God; and calls the reafon or the word of God; the name of God, the maker of the World; neither unbegotten, as is God the Father of all, nor fo begotten as Men are? Whom both Philo, and Mofes the Son of Nachman, call alfo the Angel or Ambassador, who takes care of the Universe: Or against the Cabalifts, who distinguish God into three lights, which fome of them call by the fame names that Chriftians do; to wit, of the Father, of the Son or the Word, and of the Holy Ghoft. And let me not omit what is agreed upon by all the Hebrews, that the Spirit wherewith the Prophets

were moved and infpired, is not any created thing, and yet it is diftinguished from the fender thereof: as also that which they commonly call Schechina. Now many of the Hebrews have taught, that that divine Power which they term mifdom, fhall dwell in the Meffias; whence by the Chaldee Paraphraft, the Meffias is called the Word of God: as by David, Efaias, and others, He is honoured with that august Name, of GOD and LORD.

SECT. XXII.

And that a humane Nature is worshipped.

WITH like facility may we answer the

other Objection, which they alledge a

gainst us, faying, that we exhibit unto the crea ture that worship and honour, which is due unto God the Creator. For we fay, that no other honour or worship is given by us unto the Meffias, than is required by the fecond, and the hundred and tenth Pfalms. The former whereof, after a fort, was fulfilled in David, but after a more excellent manner belongs unto the Meffias, as David Kimchi himself, a great adverfary of Chriftians, doth acknowledge. And the latter can be expounded of no other, but of the Meffias. For that which fome later Jems have devised of Abraham, David, and Hezekiah, is but vain and frivolous. The faid Pfalm is David's as the Hebrew Infcription doth fhew: That then, which David faith, was faid unto his Lord, can neither be applyed to David himself, nor to Hezekiah; who amongst David's Posterity did excel David

165 in nothing. And Abraham had no fingular Prief, hood, but was blessed of Melchifedeck, as the lefs, of the greater. Likewife that which follows concerning the Scepter, that should go out of Sion, and come to the uttermost Coasts, doth plainly appertain unto the Meffias, as is manifeft by other like places, which doubtless are meant of the Meffias; Nor did the more anci ent Hebrews and Paraphrafts otherwife underftand it. Now I may as well believe upon the bare credit of his Difciples, because of their most eminent integrity and honesty, that it is Jefus of Nazareth, in whom properly thefe things are fulfilled; as the Jews believe Mofes in those matters, which without any other witness, himfelf affirmed, were delivered to him of God. But befides this, there are many and most forcible arguments of that moft excellent power, which we fay Jefus hath obtained; As namely, in that he was feen of many, after he was rifen from the dead: And many beheld him when he was taken up into Heaven: Devils alfo were caft out, and diseases were cured only by his name: The gifts. of Tongues were given to his Difciples; which Jefus himself promifed fhould be figns of his Kingdom.

Add unto thefe, that his Scepter, that is, the Word of the Gofpel being gone out of Sion, is run through the World (and that not by hu mane help, but by the Divine Power alone) to the utmost parts of the Earth: whofe people and their Kings He hath fubdued to himself, just as the Pfalms did plainly foretel. The Jewish Caba lifts place a certain Son of Enoch in the middle, between God and Men; without any indication of fuch a power; with how much better reafon

do we give Him that dignity, who hath fo evidently demonftrated that it belongs to Him?

Neither doth this tend, in the leaft, to the diminution or leffening of the glory of God the Father: from whom this power of Jefus doth proceed; to whom it must return; and to whofe honour alfo it ministers and serves.

SECT. XXIII.

The Conclufion of this part, with Prayer for the fews.

Bu

UT it is not our purpose in this Work, to make any further curious inquiry into these matters: neither had we spoken hereof, but only to fhew, that there is no wicked or abfurd point in our Chriftian Doctrine, which any one can pretend, why he fhould not embrace a Religion, which is beautified and confirmed with fo many wonders; commands fuch honeft things; and promifes fuch excellent rewards. For he that hath once received and embraced the fame, must for further inftruction in fpecial and particular quefti ons, confult thofe Books, wherein, as we have formerly declared, the points of Chriftian Religion are contained; which that it may come to pass, we beseech the Almighty to illuminate the hearts. and minds of the Jews with the brightness of his truth, and to make thofe prayers effectual which Chrift himself uttered for them, even while he was hanging upon the Crofs.

The SIXTH BOOK

OF THE

TRUTH

OF

Christian Religion.

SECT. I.

A confutation of Mahometanifm: the beginning of it.

T

HE Sixth Book, which is oppofed to the Mahometans, inftead of a Preface deduces the Judgments of GOD against Christians, unto the very be

ginning and rife of Mahometanifm: fhewing, that is, how that fincere and fimple piety (which flourished among Christians, even when they were most greviously vexed and oppreffed) began by little and little to wax cold; from the time that by the favour of Conftantine, and the following Emperors, that profeffion was become not only fafe, but alfo honourable: the World being, as it were, thrust into the Church.

M 3

For