The reasons of the Christian religion the first part, of godliness, proving by natural…

His Birth was celebrated by Prophesies, and Apparitions, and applause of Angels, and other Wonders: A Star appearing over the place, led some Astronomers out of the East to worship him in the Cradle: Which Herod the King being informed of, and that they called him the King of the Jews, he caused all the Infants in that country to be killed, that he might not scape: But by the warning of an Angel, Jesus was carried into Egypt, where he remained till the death of Herod. At twelve years old he disputed with the Doctors in the Temple: In this time rose a Prophet called John, who told them, that the Kingdom of the Messiah was at hand, and called the people to Repentance, that they might be prepared for him, and baptized all that professed Repentance into the present expectation of the Saviour: About the ⟨p. 214⟩thirtieth year of his age,¹ Jesus resolved to enter upon the solemn performance of his undertaken work: And, first, He went to John to be baptized by him, (the Captains being to wear the same Colours with the Soldiers.) When John had baptized him, he declared him to be the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world: and when he was baptized and prayed, the Heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily shape like a Dove upon him, and a voice came from Heaven which said, Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased: The first thing that Jesus did after his Baptism, was, when he had fasted forty days and nights, to expose himself to the utmost of Satan's temptations, who thereupon did divers ways assault him;² But Jesus perfectly overcame the Tempter, who had overcome the first Man Adam; Thenceforth he preached the glad tidings of Salvation; and called men to repentance, and choosing Twelve to be more constantly with him than the rest, and to be witnesses of his works and doctrine, he revealed the mysteries of the Kingdom of God: He went up and down with them teaching the people, and working miracles to confirm his doctrine: He told them, that he was sent from God, to reveal his will to lost mankind for their recovery, and to bring them to a fuller knowledge of the unseen world, and the way thereto; and to be a Mediator and Reconciler between God and Man, and to lay down his life as a Sacrifice for sin; and that he would rise again from the dead the third day;