most happy peace saying How beautifull vppon the mountaines are the feete of him that declareth and publisheth peace that declareth good tidinges and publisheth saluation saying vnto Sion thy God raigneth The Apostles declare the true peace they tell vnto vs out of the Gospell most ioyfull and good tidings to wit that God will be no more angry with vs but will be our mercifull father through his sonne Christ who hath pacified and mitigated his wrath and brought vs peace as Paul sayth It pleased the father by his sonne Christ to reconcile all things to himselfe and to set at peace through the bloud of his crosse both the things in earth the things in heauen This comfort doth God in his gospell giue vs by the apostles and ministers of his church And of this peace the scripture in sundry places maketh mencion as in Esay where it is sayd The encrease of his gouernment and peace shall haue no ende And Christ in Iohn saith vnto his disciples Peace I leaue with you my peace I geue vnto you And because they should not dreame of a carnall peace he by and by addeth Not such peace as the world giueth giue I vnto you In the world you shall haue affliction but be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world It followeth and his dominion shall be from sea to sea Here he describeth how farre the bondes of Christes kingdom should reach what limits it should haue and how great it should be to wit he shall not only be lord and king of the Iewes but also of the Gētiles so of the whole world according to the Psalme The earth is the lordes and all that therein is the rounde world and they that dwel therin And Abdias witnesseth that Christes kingdom extendeth it selfe ouer all that dwell vpon the earth according to the exposition of Thargum which sayth from the waters vnto the ende of the earth In which text by waters we vnderstand Iordan which is a worthy and famous riuer in Canaan It followeth Thou also by the bloud of thy couenant hast deliuered the prisoners out of the pitte wherein is no water The prophet in the former wordes said that the kingdom of Christ should be spirituall vile poore miserable and of no beauty in the eyes of the world and yet for all that the king of this kingdom should iustifie saue his people And his helpe should be so great and auailable that both the Iewes and Gentiles in all the world should feele the sweetnes of his grace and that this king should make them be at peace one with an other nay which is more he saith that for this kings sake they should haue peace with god These be excellent things and such as passe all other But now seyng the kingdom of Christ is spirituall and doth not stand on worldly power vaine glory or any other earthly thing Perhaps some may thinke and aske how by what meanes and way then did he meane to worke such wonderfull things The Prophet answereth this obiectiō saying It shal be wrought by bloud Our redemption shal cost this king much for he shal be constrayned for payment thereof to shed that which is most precious and best beloued vnto him euē his most holy precious bloud by which only he deliuereth cleanseth vs from all our sinnes and so redemed vs. And where he sayth thou hast deliuered thy prisoners by bloud c. He doth allude and hath respect to Moses who after the same sort in the olde testament sacrificed with blood and by the bloud of the old testament brought Israel out of Egypt And it is as much as if he should say thou bringest thy people out of bondage euen as Moses brought the people of Israel which was a figure of the church out of Egypt But thou doest it more mightily royally and maruelously then Moses did For that bloud in the old testament was nothyng but a figure of thy bloud But thou madest a new testament and thou diddest make and confirme a newe graunt of grace not by the bloud of beasts but euen by thine owne blood by which thou didst not deliuer a few or certaine number of men as Moses did but an innumerable people to wit all that beleue in Christ through out the whole world and thou bringest them out of that most darke and dangerous Egypt the tiranny of Sathan and euerlasting damnation which in deed is a place without water that is in which is no recreation no refreshing no comfort no rest For when the sinner beyng in the bondes and chaynes of sinne vnder the law is in state of damnation then feeleth he nothing but feare terror trembling dread horror anxiety abashment of hart desperation and death it selfe gnawing vpon him Neither findeth he any helpe counsell comfort or remedy either in the world or worldly creatures vnlesse he be sprinckled with the bloud of this new testament that is vnlesse he beleue that Christ as the Gospell teacheth hath shed his bloud to pacify Gods anger for his sinnes and wash them away This if the sinner beleue then is he thorow that fayth by which he beleueth that Christ shed his bloud for his sinnes deliuered out of that lake to wit his conscience and he hath comfort and reioyceth in the lord This prophesie doth also plainely tell vs that Christ our king should suffer death because he could by no other meanes but through his bloud deliuer iustifie bring his captiue people into euerlasting lyfe But he could not haue deliuered his seruantes from death if he had continued still in death And therefore it was needfull that he should rise agayne from death and vāquish and ouercome death This knew not these two disciples going to Emaus and therfore they were as you heare offended at Christes death and they supposed that all their hope which they had conceiued of Christ for the deliuerance of Israel had bene quite frustrate Now then you see in this prophesie that Christes conuersation at his former comming should not bee stately or lofty but lowly contemptible humble and modest For there was nothing to be seen in him but gentlenes towards poore sinners with much misery grieuous calamitie great stormes and heauy burdens of persecutions afflictions tribulations yea at the last death it self all which he suffred for our sakes But you shall heare of this Christ more out of the same prophet who sayth u. And the Lord shewed me Iehoschua the high priest standing before the Angell of the Lord Sathan stood at his right hand to resist him and the Lord said vnto Sathan the Lord reproue thee O Sathan Now Iesus or Iehoschua was clothed with filthy garments and stood before the Angell and he answered and spake vnto those that stood before him saying take away the filthy garmēts from him In this prophesie the high priest in the law who was
moueth sedition bloudshed warre strife brauling grudging debate hatred He neuer slepeth he is alwayes watching he daily traueleth laboureth very sedulously and all to this ende that he may hurt man bryng him into some misery destructiō of body soul name goods He stirreth vp most cruel persecutiōs sharp stormes and poisonfull hatred against the godly To be short what euil calamity wickednes abhominations diuelishnes is done in al the earth he is the causer therof and to speake at a word he hindereth as much as in him lieth the gospel kingdom of Christ and laboreth both day night with all his might with hand and foote with tooth nayle that the territories therof be not augmēted enlarged But al his force studies and practises shall be frustrate For we haue on our side with vs the angels the good spirits of god which repugn and resist Satan Yea we haue Christ himself with vs who is a fiery brasen wall about al that faithful that the euil spirits do thē no harme nor iniury but that they may be in safety and with out danger Satan is an horrible enemy in deede so forceable that vnles god by his holy angels hindered and destroied his deuises withstood and resisted his assaults there should be no family in the whole world in which he should not euery day cause worke wickednes slaughter calamity tumultes sorrow debates mourning all kind of mischief nay rather he would disturbe destroy dissolue ouerthrow and make a confusion hauocke of the whole world he is an euerlasting irreconcilible bloudy deadly sworn enemy to al the godly And he maketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bellum continual war without any truce vpon the godly euen to the last day And therfore we must both morning euening euery day giue thanks to God because that of his fatherly mercy towards vs he doth so wondrously so mightily and so gloriously defend and kepe vs from so cruell horrible mischieuous mighty and noisome enemies ¶ Anna. We ought so to do in dede And I wil do it with all my hart with all diligence as my duty is For we are bound to be thankfull to our good father God almighty because he hath in such great dangers so carefully prouided for vs preserued vs from all enemies and euils For we haue often seene how these wicked sprites lay wait for vs and seke by al meanes to endamage vndo and destroy vs But God hath opēly frustrated all their assaults And now I pray you recite expound the prophesies of the mystery of our fayth to wit of the death resurrection and kingdome of Christ which we haue now in hand ☞ Vrb. I wil first begin to recite the testimonies of the Psalmes as I haue done before For of al the prophets Dauid is the floure for he prophesieth much plainly euidently of Christ who should be born of his familie or tribe according to his humanity of all his workes mysteries You haue heard before how the kingdom of Christ was described in the 2. Psal. where God the father did not onely constitute his sonne king ouer the Iewes but also gaue him the Gentils of the whole world for his inheritance Wherupon it followeth that Christ should not abide in death although he died as true mā of the seed of Dauid For it was requisite that accordyng to the decree and statute of God the father he should be king ouer the whole world Which thing could not haue bene in any corporall worldly maner as the Iewes dreamed that Messias should rule haue in this world a great corporall kingdom And therfore it was necessary that the state and condicion of Christes kingdome should be altogether of another sort then the kingdomes of this brickle frail life are Christs kingdom was to be euerlasting he which is in that kingdō shal for euer haue euerlasting righteousnes peace safety life felicity eternal saluation And therfore he endeth the psal with this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conclusiue exclamation Blessed are all they which trust in the lord But he speaketh not of a tēporal blessing here in this world For the king himself and his chief nobles his welbeloued prophets and apostles had no great plenty here of worldly welth and pleasure of this life but were miserably afflicted and always subiect to many grieuous perils calamities In the 3. Psal. Dauid saith I take my rest and sleepe I rise agayne for the lord sustaineth me The old church a thousand yeres ago vnderstood this prophesie of the true death and resurrection of Christ as appeareth by Arnobius And againe Dauid saith O giue saluatiō vnto Israel out of Sion when the lord turneth the captiuitie of his people then Iacob shal reioyce and Israel shal be glad Here Dauid in sprite desireth and godly and feruently prayeth Messias who onely is called in the holy scriptures the true sauiour and redeemer seeing both the Iewes and Gentiles by him are deliuered from all euils and perils that they may through him and in him enioy euerlasting blessednes S. Augustine also taketh these wordes to bee ment of Christ And take this wife for an infallible rule for you in the scripture that in so much as there is but one onely deliuerer giuen of God vnto men by whom they may be iustified and saued that Christ is truely properly certainly ment signified and vnderstood in all those and such places where there is mention made eyther of saluation sauiour redeemer or deliuerer whether it be spoken in figures or playne and manifest wordes For seyng Israel and Iacob that is the catholike church beyng congregated of the Iewes Gentils should be glad reioyce in Christ they must liue in peace and security That cannot be vnles such troubles be taken away the conscience be comforted death abolished These words therfore importe and plainly shew that our redemer out of Sion or as it is in Thargum our redemption saluation which is Christ himself shal take away destroy all those things that trouble afflict that godly to wit an euil conscience tribulation sinne persecution and all kind of vexation death it self c. For of necessity he must lead captiuity captiue that is he must ouercome Satan who hath vs in captiuity and he must deliuer vs from his tiranny Christ in the Psalmes sayth My flesh also doth rest in hope For thou wilt not leaue my soule in hel or in the graue neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruptō Thou wilt shew me the path of life In thy presence is the fulnes of ioy at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore We can haue no surer nor better expounders of the prophets then the Apostles and Euangelistes And Peter and Paul haue expounded this prophesie to be ment of Christ saying that he should
dye and be buried but not corrupt and rotte as our sinfull flesh doth and that his blessed deuine soule should not be cast in hell or graue but be vnited againe to the body that he should rise agayne from death sit at the right hand of God giue vs euerlasting lyfe It was meet that he should be the first fruites of thē which were dead that by his glorious resurrection he might open vs the true gate vnto lyfe and make the way for vs by which we also must go to him But Peter and Iohn the other Apostles before Christs rising againe vnderstood not this although they had heard it oftentymes vntill they saw the lord aliue agayne Wherfore it is no wonder though Cleophas and his companion vnderstood it not Dauid saith O lord my God I cryed vnto thee and thou hast restored me O lord thou hast broght vp my soul out of the graue Thou hast reuiued me from them that go downe into the pitte Arnobius and Augustine vnderstande this prophesie of the death and resurrection of Christ And againe he sayth God shall deliuer my soule from the power of the graue for he will receiue me Selah The church vnderstādeth these wordes also to be ment of the death descending into hell and risyng agayne of Iesus Christ And in another place he sayeth Thou hast shewed me great troubles and aduersities but thou wilt returne reuiue me And wil come again take me vp frō the depth of the earth These wordes also doth Arnobius expound of the death of Christ of his descendyng into hel and of his resurrection And againe in the 86. Psal. Christ saith to God the father Thou hast deliuered my soule from the lowest graue S. Augustine and with him the whole church of Affrica vnderstand this to bee vndoubtedly ment of the descending of Christ into hell of his rising againe The 22. psalm doth more fully and plainly then any other describe the passion resurrectiō and euerlasting kingdom of Christ And there are the very same wordes in which Christ in his great agony his extreme necessitie called vnto his father vpon the crosse And that psalm describeth Christ his passion also setteth forth the fruite of his death resurrection saying My God my God why hast thou forsaken me All they which see me haue me in derision they make a mo nod their hed saying He trusted in the lord let him deliuer him let him saue him seyng he loueth him They perced my handes and my feet I may tel al my bones yet they behold and looke vpon me They part my garments amōg them and cast lottes vpon my vesture Behold how exactly how liuely how truly and how excellently the holy ghost foretold Christes passion vsing the very same wordes which the Iewes vsed when they mocked Christ hanging on the crosse And the Euangelists are witnesses that al these things happened in his passion which were fore told of it And they recite the very same words to the end they may proue that it was the good will both of God the father and the son that Christ suffered seing the holy ghost prophesied many yeres before that all these things should happen vnto Christ Yea the spirite foreshewed also that Christ by this his passion should enter into his glory be lord ouer al things As before ye haue heard in the 8. psalm But in this 22. psal he saith I will declare thy name vnto my brethren and in the middest of the congregation will I praise thee Do you see he shal first suffer his passiō but he shall not bide in his passion and death For euen thē shal he magnify his fathers name and make it famous and wel known through the whole world by this glorious and famous preaching of Gods mercies in that he spared not his owne onely sonne but gaue him for our sakes to the death of the crosse that we might therby obtaine the benefite of euerlasting lyfe For so it followeth in the psalm The poore shal eate and be satisfied they that seeke after the lord shal prayse him their harts shall liue for euer This eating and satisfieng of the poore is a spiritual satisfieng when the poore sinners eate the true bread of heauen that is when they heare the gospel of Christes humanity passion and resurrection and kepe it in their hartes by fayth For then are they fed by it vnto euerlasting life according to that of Iohn I am the liuing bread which came down from heauen if any man eate of this bread hee shall liue for euer Neither can mans cōscience be otherwise satisfied and set at quiet that it be not vexed and troubled by any other thing but onely by Christ apprehended by fayth It followeth All the endes of the world shall remember themselues and turne to the Lord and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee For the kingdome is the lordes and he ruleth among the nations This is when men by the preaching and doctrine of the Gospell are put in mynd of gods great benefites and are constrayned to acknowledge worship confesse glorify and call vpon Christ their lord who is appointed of God the father to be the head of all things and king ouer all nations of the whole world Here haue ye the kingdome of Christ which is the holy catholike church spread ouer the face of the whole earth And now in all things and places where that euill spirit the deuill before ruled by lying hauing seduced all people and led them into all kindes of errors and idolatry that they might be as Paul sayth without Christ without the worde without hope and without God in the world there I say in those partes shall Christ now be heard It followeth their seede shall serue him and the lord shal be preached from age to age But if Christ shal haue seede that is to say spirituall children borne by the gospell as well of the Iewes as Gentiles as you see by this text he must then can he not be ouercome by deth nor abide in the graue For how could he then regenerate and congregate the Gentiles together into the catholike fayth and rule such an empire which should fill the whole world whose dominion should not extende through one piece of the earth onely but thorough the whole circuit of the wide world and so cōtinue for euer world without end For whosoeuer beleueth in Christ shal be partaker of euerlasting lyfe Wheresoeuer therfore the prophets set down the kingdom of Christ saying that it shall haue continual peace health and felicitye there is set downe and in dede declared the deth and resurrection of Christ and all christian men For if Christ shal be a king and set vp and haue an heauenly and euerlasting kingdome it must needes follow that he should leaue this temporall mortall lyfe by death
I will set his hand also in the sea and his right hande in the floudes He shall cry vnto me thou art my father my God and the rocke of my saluation Also I will make him my first borne higher then the kinges of the earth My mercy will I keepe for him for euermore and my couenaunt shall stande fast with him His seed also will I make to endure for euer and hys throne as the dayes of heauen But if his children forsake my law and walke not in my iudgementes If they breake my statutes and keepe not my commaundements then will I visite their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with strokes yet my louing kyndnes wil I not take from hym neither will I falsify my truth My couenant wil I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips I haue sworne once by myne holinesse that I wil not fayle Dauid saying his seed shall endure for euer his throne shall be as the sunne before me he shal be established for euermore as the Moone and as a faythfull witnesse in the heauen Behold how certayne and sure gods grace is to vs in Christ and for Christ Iesus our king Although we sin very often and much yet shal not sin condemne vs if we bide in Christ For what soeuer the Lord hath spoken it is the very truth it selfe and cannot but come to passe and be as he hath sayd For though we be most vnworthy wretches of our selues and haue no merits but sin wickednes to the attayning of so great grace and goodnes of God yet this is our stay and comfort that God hath promised vs these worthy benefites not for our deserts or worthines but onely for hys mercy sake in Christ Wherfore those thinges whiche be here promised are most sure certaine as also the state of our saluation is certayne because it standeth and dependeth on the euerlasting mercy truth of Gods promises of which he can neuer repent him nor vnsay or recant the same In the 111. Psalme he sayeth Hee hath sent redemption to his people he hath commaunded his couenant for euer Here is Christ promised that he shal be our deliuerer or redemer neither is there any other sauiour but Iesus Christ alone This Psalme was song in Iuda for a thanksgiuing on Easterday when they eate the Paschall lambe because God had deliuered them out of the captiuity of Egypt But that temporall or corporall deliuerance and the lambe was nothing els but a figure of the true and euerlasting deliuerance and of our true lambe Iesus Christ by whose bloud we are deliuered and brought out of hell and euerlasting captiuity into our heauenly countrey In the 113. Psalme he prophesieth of the glory honour of Christes kingdome telling what a one how great it shall bee thoroughout all the worlde For he sayth From the rising of the sunne to the goyng down of the same the name of God is glorified Which thing can not otherwise be but by the catholike faith that is that the Gentils should heare the gospell of Christ thereby acknowledge and set forth his grace and goodnes which is the sacrifice of prayses which the Christians offer The wordes of the Psalmes are these Prayse the Lord O ye his seruants prayse the name of the Lord blessed be the name of the Lord from henceforth for euer The name of the Lord is euer praised frō the rising of the sunne to the goyng downe of the same The Lord is high aboue all nations and his glory aboue the heauens Who is lyke vnto the Lord our God that hath his dwellyng on high who abaseth himselfe to behold things in heauen in earth Likewise the 117. Psalme sayth that the whole world both Iewes Gentils shal magnify Christ Iesus honor and acknowledge him for their true God in his kingdom in which is is all felicity mere grace mercy forgiuenes of all sinnes true righteousnes true peace true comfort true ioy euerlasting life The wordes be these All nations praise ye the lord all ye people praise him for his louing kindnes is great towardes vs and the truth of the Lord endureth for euer And the 130. psalme also setteth forth to vs the grace of God in Christ which God hath promised vs in him our true propitiatory reconciler Dauid sayth in that Psal. Let Israel wayte on the Lord for with the lord is mercy and with him is great redemption and he shal redeeme Israel from all his iniquities All this must bee vnderstood of Christ for the new testament is the kirnell the perfect and ful interpretation of the old And the new testament witnesseth in euery place that there is no other deliuerer sauiour or recōciler but Iesus Christ and it teacheth vs that our reconciliation redemption commeth only by Christ who is the alone sacrifice satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole world Wherfore take this for a sure rule in scripture which neuer fayleth that wheresoeuer deliuerance reconciliation redemption remission of sins or the grace of God is promised in the prophets there always though the name of Messias or Christ bee not expressed must we needes vnderstand Christ and hys death and bloudsheding absolute sacrifice For these great things to wit forgiuenes of sinnes reconciliatiō c. are prepared gottē obtained by no other means but only by the sacrifice and death of Iesus Christ And these are almost the chief prophesies which Dauid hath concernyng Christ Anna. Whac hath Esay prophesied of Christ and of his passion resurrection and euerlasting kingdom Vrb. After Dauid is the notable and worthy prophet Esay who hath prophesied both plainly truly of all the mysteries of Christ In his 2. chap. he describeth the spiritual kingdom of Christ that is the catholike church saying that it shal be ample glorious through all the world among the Gentiles by the preaching of the gospell by which men do acknowledge the grace of God in Christ and be conuerted and do willingly and ioyfully serue and worship the lord His words be these It shall be in the last dayes that the mountain of the house of the Lord shal be prepared in the top of the mountaines and shal be exalted aboue the hils and all nations shal flow vnto it and many people shall go and say come let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his wayes and we wil walke in his pathes For the law shall goe forth of Sion and the word of the lord from Ierusalem he shal iudge amongst the nations and reserue many people they shal break their swordes also into mattockes and their speares into sithes nation shal not lift vp a sword against nation neither shall they learne to fight any more O house of Iacob come ye and let vs walke in
the light of the Lord. ¶ Anna. The prophets vse a straunge kinde of speakyng when they prophesie of Christes kingdome for they speake of some temporall or politike kingdom here in this earth For Esay saith that the whole world shall run together to the hill Sion in Ierusalem and there shall all the world heare the worde of God and there shal be no more warre in the earth but true perfect and euerlasting peace amongst all men yet this is impossible and vncredible ☞ Vrbanus The prophets haue their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and peculiar maner of speaking but when they prophesie of the kingdome of Christ thē especially they vse strāge and figuratiue wordes and rare speches which are full of figures and similitudes as if they should speake of corporall kingdoms on earth and of the great mighty potentates of this world But I told you in the beginning of this our talke out of the first of Peter that the Prophets speake of a much more excellent thing then at the first sight their wordes seeme to import vnto men which are not well seene in scriptures to wit they speake of eternall saluation and of Iesus Christ the sonne of God how he should come into the world and be borne of the virgin Mary true man of the stocke of Abraham and Dauid and how he should beare the sinnes of the world and by his death take away our death with all our iniquities and sinnes and how he should rise agayne from death and receiue all power in heauen and on earth and giue vnto all faithful christiās his eternall kingdom with life euerlasting which kingdome of his shall containe such glory as eies haue not sene eares haue not heard neither hath entred into the hart of man as Esay saith In so much that all maiesty might magnificence brightnesse beauty power riches glory dignitye honours worshippes pleasures ioy peace tranquillitie comforte fortitude strength and vigour yea life in this worlde And to be short what pleasure or happinesse so euer this visible and frayle worlde contayneth are not all so much as a shadowe in comparison of the glorye to come in the kingdome of Christ Wherfore seyng the Prophets speake of such great and meruailous thinges promised vs in Christ as farre passe all our vnderstanding and capacitie and are so wonderfull that euen the Angels in heauen are glad and reioyce at them they are constrayned to vse similitudes and comparisons and to speak as if they spake of corporal states and earthly things of worldly kingdomes and of corporall honour peace glory and such other that by the visible temporall known things which are set forth to our eyes and senses they might moue and draw vs to consider and with harty praiers to desire those spirituall inuisible and eternall things for the possession and enioying of which we together with the angels are ordained For we must wander here a tyme as strangers or pilgrimes in this visible world but at the last we shall be made lyke to the angels and be placed in the spiritual and heauenly kingdom of Christ in the fellowship of Angels And here if we well consider the prophesies of the Prophetes we may easily vnderstand and iudge by the circumstances of these writings that they speake of the spirituall and heauenly kingdome For they attribute such great thinges vnto the kingdome of Christ as are not to be found in any earthly kingdome As in that they say that the king of this kingdome shall be poore and contemned in this worlde and shall teache suffer dye and be buried and yet for all that by this meanes become a great and victorious prince ouer sinne death and Sathan and raigne a king for euer But what a happy thing is it that we haue the newe testament the writings of the Apostles and Euangelistes which are the most sure and true interpreters of the Prophetes But now when we heare in the new Testament that the kingdome of Christ is not of this world but spirituall heauenly and eternall we must needes vnderstand the Prophets according to the exposition thereof which if we do we can neuer erre nor be deceyued ¶ Anna. I pray you tell me what Esay meaneth by these his figuratiue wordes what is that of which he speaketh which is that house of God whether run the Gentils ☞ Vrb. I neede not expound it for Paule expoundeth it to the Hebrues where he sayeth You are come to the mount Sion and to the city of the liuing GOD the celestiall Ierusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels and to the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen Here we see that the earthly mount Sion the house of Dauid and the earthly Ierusalem is nothyng els but a figure of the spirituall mount Sion and the heauenly Ierusalem that is of the catholike church of all the elect Into this mount and to this true Ierusalem which is the house of the liuyng God all nations come on heapes The holy ghost was sent from heauen in mās sight manifestly into this earthly Sion and Ierusalem In it also was the gospell preached by Christ and his Apostles There also began the church by the reuelation of the new testament so the doctrine of Christ went out of Sion and taried not only there but was published through all the whole world that the heauenly Ierusalem beyng spred through all nations myght be builded agayn as Christ witnesseth in Luke where he sayth It behoueth Christ to suffer and to rise again from the dead the third day and that repentaunce and remission of sinnes should be preached in his name among all nations This should begin first at Ierusalem whether all nations come on heapes to heare the gospell preached How far and wide did euē Paul himselfe by preaching spred the Gospell how many people leauing the erronious and idolatrous race of their vngodly lyfe run then into the mount of the lord that they might learne his law and gospell For the lord iudged among the nations when by the spirit and gospell he reprehended the world of sinne that they might acknowlege their wickednes and repent and desire the grace of Christ and so be made faithfull christians by faith haue inwarde peace with god Swordes among christians are turned into shares when they enioy through the gospell celestiall peace when their hartes conceiue true perfect peace with God and when they liue peaceably with their neighbors and alway study peace Christes kingdome is thus at peace Mē are humble and submit thēselues one to another they do not braule and striue bitterly enuiously about trifles but are merciful towards their neighbors oppressed with calamity and they shew thē selues gentle pitifull lowly and humble vnto al men and redy to maintaine iustice equity and vpright dealing they know not how to faine or dissemble but are plaine simple and mercifull dealers with all men c. And to be
deadly sicknes of sinne and ouercome the power of darknes thorough the might and power of this signe Christ crucified But it is especially to be marked that the prophet saith All nations shal seke vnto him The 70. translaters haue interpreted these wordes thus Which shall rise again to be the king of the Gentiles that is of all people in the earth in him shal the Gentils trust Like as the patriarke Iacob said according to the exposition of the 70. translaters in these wordes Siloh shall be the hope or expectation of the Gentils Here haue we a plaine euident testimony of the calling of the Gentiles to the grace of the gospell For they shal enquire after Christ or seeke him as their only sauiour put all their hope trust in him What els is this but that they shall acknowledge Christ to bee true GOD and true man of the stocke of Dauid For hope in the first commaundement is the honour due onely and soly vnto the true and liuing god And thus the kingdome of Christ according to this prophesy shall be as wide and large as the whole worlde so that the Iewes shall bee the least and smallest parte of Christes kingdome And euen all the Iewes vnderstande this chapter of Messias who should recouer and restore the kingdome of Israel And where as the Prophet sayth His rest shall be glorious that is his death and buriall shall be glorious for his body is neither corrupt nor rotten He died an innocent whose death brought all vs the childrē of Adam out of eternall death and shame into euerlasting honour and glory For Christ by this his most holy and sacred death entred into his glorious and euerlasting kingdome and so after his death began his raigne in lyfe And when as the Iewes supposed that hee was dead in deede and quite extinguished al those things which he had promised and spoken to be vaine and of none effect as Cleophas also and his companions supposed then beeing risen from death to life came forth and ouercame and quite destroyed and killed death and became glorious and was made kyng both of the Iewes and Gentiles and raigneth for euer throwyng downe his enemies with euerlastyng shame First therfore in these wordes is contained the deth of Christ for the prophet sayth his rest And afterward is noted his glorious victorious resurrection For the prophet saith that his rest shal be glorious but his rest or death could not haue bene glory or glorious or honorable if he had abiden still in death wrought done nothing by it In Exodus it is written that the lord stretched out his hande and by his great miracles declared his power that he might deliuer his captiue afflicted and oppressed people out of Egypt and bring them vnto the promised land of Canaan And here the Prophet doth agayne promise such a deliueraunce but a much more glorious and meruailous deliueraunce then that was when hee drowned Pharao with all his hoste in the red sea and brought his people out of all danger into the land of promise without hurt and harme The deliuerance out of Egypt was but onely a figure of this deliueraunce of which the prophet speaketh here For God wil deliuer the remnant of the Iewes and Gentiles out of the eternall captiuity of Satan by Iesus Christ and gather them all together into the kingdom of heauen where they shall neuer suffer eyther damage detriment or losse And he calleth all nations throughout all the whole worlde For saluation hath extended it selfe to all the world that the dispersed and wandring children of god might be gathered together out of all quarters of the earth as Christ himselfe saith in Iohn And I if I were lift vp from the earth will draw all men vnto me And agayne Christ should dye for the nations not for the nations onely but that he should gather together in one the children of God which were scattred abroade The prophet Esay singeth a notable Psalme of this great and inexplicable benefite of the true and spirituall redemption in Christ wherby we be deliuered from euerlasting damnation And in that Psalme he meruailously setteth forth the goodnes of god in Christ saying Behold God is my saluation I will trust and wil not feare for the lord God is my strength and song he also is become my saluation If Cleophas and his companion had known him to be the sauiour and deliuerer of Israel as well as Esay did they had neuer bene in harte so heauy as they were It followeth in the prophet Esay Therefore with ioye shall ye drawe waters out of the welles of saluation And yee shall say in that daye prayse the Lorde call vppon his name declare his workes among the people make mention of them For hys name is exalted Syng vnto the Lorde for he hath done excellent thinges This is known in all the world Cry out and shoute O inhabitant of Sion for great is the holy one of Israel in the midst of thee Note here how greatly and aboundantly the prophet reioiceth in spirit or the bountiful grace of god offred in Christ our only sauiour and deliuerer When the gospel of God is taught vnto vs then is the holy ghost with all his graces giuen vnto vs to wit remission of sinnes peace of conscience true ioy He is the true fountain spring of the liuing water of which Christ speaketh in Iohn saying The water that I shall giue him shall be in him a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life And againe Christ sayth If any mā thirst let him come to me drinke he that beleueth in me as saith the scripture out of his belly shal flow riuers of water of life He spake this of the spirit which they that beleue in him should receiue For he obtained this holy ghost by his deth for vs and he mightily shewed forth to vs how that by his death the victory of his resurrection he ouercame sinne death and Satan The true Sion that is the catholike church of the faithfull doth in dede and not without good occasion reioice shout for ioy yea she may well and worthily glory For she hath gotten forgiuenes of sinnes righteousnes the holy ghost peace of conscience and euerlasting saluation For Paul sayth to the Corinthiās That God hath giuen vs a glorious victory triumph ouer the law sin death hel through our lord Iesus Christ Esay prophesieth in like maner in his 25. chapter of the victory of Christ saying God Messias will destroy death for euer and the Lord God will wipe away the teares from all faces and the rebuke of his people wil he take away out of all the earth For the lord hath spoken it Now then if Christ hath swallowed vp death then are we surely deliuered from it For death neither hath nor euer had power ouer Christ because he was
pure free frō al sinne All mankind in deed is subiect to it But Christ paied the price of all our sinnes and in his owne person ouercame death and so destroyed it that henceforth it cannot vtterly vndo vs and deuour vs Because all we which beleue in Christ shall rise again by the vertue of Christes resurrectiō This also might haue comforted Cleophas and his companion haue certified them that Christ was a spirituall king which should not restore that corporall kingdome of Israel but redeme the true Israelites to wit the children of promise through the whole world from the kingdome of Satan and bring them into the heauenly and spiritual kingdom of euerlasting lyfe and immortalitie Esay in his 26. chapter hath a notable song of the kingdom of Christ of the church of the faithfull and of the fortitude and security therof where he sayth We haue a strong city saluation shall God set for walles bulwarks That is to say the walles and armour of it are the sauing helth and victory of Christ which are sure and inuincible fortresses Open ye the gates that the righteous nation which kepe the truth may enter in Here are the citizens of this city described to wit the righteous which beleue in Iesus Christ It followeth By assured purpose wilt thou preserue perfect peace because they trusted in thee This is spokē of the king which ruleth this heauenly city because he doth alwayes and in all places giue and maintayne true pleasant and perpetuall peace against Satan the world and the flesh This peace is in consciēce through faith in Iesus Christ A little after Esay doth prophesie of the resurrection of those dead which shal haue beleued in Messias and are citizens of that heauenly Ierusalem saying Thy dead men shall liue euen with my body shall they rise Awake and sing ye that dwell in dust For thy dew is as the dew of herbes and the earth shal cast out the dead Come my people enter thou into my chambers and shut thy dores after thee Hide thy selfe for a very litle while vntill the indignation passe ouer for loe the Lord commeth out of his place to visite the iniquity of the inhabitauntes of the earth vpon them and the earth shall disclose her bloud and shall no more hide her slaine Now if the righteous which yet lye in the earth shall rise in theyr owne bodies then must it needes be that Christ should rise before who is the head kyng by whome they are iustified and deliuered from theyr sinnes and by whom they shall rise agayne The prophet therefore vndoubtedly speaketh here of the resurrection of Christ and christians and calleth the faythfull of Christ the lordes dead that is pertayning vnto the lord or which are the lordes of whome God will take an accompt and whome he will preserue and not leaue them in death but bring them to euerlasting lyfe For if God be theyrs and they Gods then out of all doubt can not they continue in death neither hath death totally swallowed them vp and cōsumed them but it hath for a short tyme separated their body and soule For God is not the God of the dead but of the liuyng The soule is with Christ and the body in the ground But at the last day the lord will purge and purifie theyr bodies and adorne them with infinit and vnspeakable glory Esay teacheth vs what maner of lyfe we shall haue after our death when he sayeth Awake and sing If the godly must sing and vndoubtedly they shall syng that euerlastyng Alleluya that is a thankesgiuyng because death is swalowed vp in the victory of Christ then out of doubt shall our lyfe after this temporall lyfe be a most happy and blessed lyfe and we shall haue continuall ioyes without any tast of payne or sorrowes perpetuall health without sickenesse eternall and true pleasures delightes and comfortes without any wearisomnesse or molestations After that day sicknesses shall trouble our bodies no more neyther shall olde age wither our bodies or decrease our strength but we shal alwayes haue a continual spring euerlasting pleasure and perpetuall beauty Therefore sayth the prophet Thy dewe shall be as the dewe of a greene medowe That is after your resurrection you shall not fade or decay but flourish alwayes and for euer and be as a fayre medow and greene garden which by her sweete dew comfortable buddes and pleasaunt delectation feedeth the eyes of all men But before this most ioyfull day of the resurrection of the faythfull we must suffer much affliction and heauinesse as Christ warneth vs in Iohn saying In the world ye shall haue affliction and bee made conformable vnto hys death This must be suffered paciently and moderately that be suffering we may be made lyke vnto Christ and so according to our portion be partakers of glory And so Paul sayth to the Philippians The thinges which were vauntage to me the same I counted losse for Christes sake that I might winne Christ and that I might knowe hym and the vertue of hys resurrection and the fellowship of his affliction and bee made conformable vnto his death if by any meanes I might attayne vnto the resurrection of the dead In the meane while we sit as it were shut vp vnknowen to the world in our parlor or closset of the holy church beleuing the doctrine of the sacred Gospell and confirmyng our fayth and hartes with the sweete promise of GOD in hys worde euen vnto the last iudgement that the wrath of GOD may passe ouer and that which ought to be iudged receiue iudgement Our afflictions here are not continuall but for a short tyme which compared vnto eternitie is not the twinckling of an eye And this tyme once finished the Lord will come to iudgement and giue vnto euery one accordyng to his workes Then shall the godly and guiltlesse Abel ryse from the dust of the earth and then shall not the earth any longer couer the bodye of the righteous but it shall giue them vp that together with their soules they may be glorified And the Prophet in his 27. chapiter prophesieng of Christes kingdome and the catholike church calleth it a vineyarde saying In that day sing of the vineyarde to wit the church of red wyne I the Lorde do keepe it and will water it euery moment least any assaile it I will keepe it day and night Hereafter Iacob shall take roote Israel shall flourish and growe and the worlde shall bee filled with fruite And in that day also shall the great trumpet be blowen and they shall come which perished in the land of Ashur and they which were chased into the land of Egypt and they shall worship the lord in the holy mount at Ierusalem This vineyarde is the church of the faythfull which is enclosed and hedged about with the worde of God adourned with the holy spirite and moystened and watered with the
Paul calleth this righteousnes the righteousnes of faith which standeth not on our merits but on the merits of christ He therfore that knoweth Christ and beleeueth that he is the true purger of sinnes and the destroyer of death and apprehendeth him in his hart by true faith and taketh him for his only treasure of life that man is iustyfyed and saued But he which doth not beleeue is already condemned for the Lord hath decreed this thing and told it vs by his law prophetes and euangelists that he wil haue mercy on vs for nothing neither in heauen nor earth but by Christ and for Christ for whose cause he wil pardon our sinnes and geue vs euerlasting life if we will beleeue in him Act. 4.13 Rom. 3. Gal. 23. And therefore not without a cause sayth the prophet he shall beare their sinnes seing that there is no other neither in heauē nor earth who can beare or purg our sinnes but euen that Messias It followeth therfore vndoubtedly that no man can be iustified saued and deliuered from his sinnes vnles he beleue in this onely sauiour Iesus Christ Now then you heare that Christ is the seruaunt of God in the worke of our redemption and that hee is therefore worthely called righteous because he onely is iust iustifieth others as S. Steuen calleth him He iustifieth vs in his owne knowledge and vnderstanding that is he iustifieth vs when we heare in the gospell that he onely and none other hath borne our sinnes and when by sure fayth we retayne it and put all our trust in him both in our lyfe and death and saye both with hart mouth Christ onely hath borne our wickednes and died for our sinnes and onely is our righteousnes before God and this righteousnes which we get thus by fayth because it is founded built on Christ stādeth fast and firme agaynst the gats of hell ¶ Anna. As far then as I can heare if I should be asked how it commeth to passe that I being a sinner am become righteous thus I ought to annswere I am not righteous because I haue not sinned or because I haue done many good deedes or for that I haue satisfied for my sinnes but I am righteous because Christ hath borne my sinnes in whome I beleue and in whome I repose all my trust Vrba You aunswere well and soundly and so haue all the patriarks prophets apostles and true Christians from the beginning of the world to this day beleued neither is there any other beliefe auailable before god He that beleueth not as you haue said isdāned neither can there be any waye found to saue him though he were couered with all the cowles of all the monks in the world and had all the good workes merites crosses sufferinges and penants in himselfe alone that is in the whole world For they all cannot auaile him or healpe him but he must needes be a firebrande of hell there to burne for euer if he doe not beleue as you say Well let vs hold one The prophet furthermore speaketh here of the fruit and reward of Christs passion And he sayth it is an eternall triumph or victory ouer sinne death the world and the deuill For Christ hath ouercome these cruell and bloudy enemies and hath deliuered his elected from them and so hath receaued through the whole world generally for his inheritaunce a great and glorious people or a most beutifull church which is his spirituall kingdome And this hath that the ignominious death of Christ don because he bore our sinnes and suffered himselfe to be hanged betwene ij theeues and prayed for transgressours and sinners as Paule sayth to the Hebrues Christ in the dayes of his flesh did offer vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was also heard in that which he feared and though he were the sonne yet learned he obedience by the thinges which he suffered and being consecrate was made the author of eternall saluation vnto all them that obay him and is called of god an highe priest after the order of Melchisidech ¶ Anna. What sayth Esaias of Christ in the 54. chap ☞ Vrb. In that chapter he describeth the kingdome of Christ in fayth that is to say the catholick Church which in this word is vnder the crosse poore miserable helplesse and base to behold But he comforteth it promising to helpe it and enrich it so that it shall become most populous with men of all sortes from ech side presing into it in so much that it shall bring forth an infinite multitude of Children of grace and haue many moe sonnes then the malipert synagoge though she seemed neuer so fruitfull and in deede she seemed fruitfull for she had the law and many good workes and worke mongers or worketeachers with all kind of merites these be the prophets wordes Reioyce thou barren that bearest not burst out and sing thou that trauailest not because the desolate hath more Children then the maryed sayth the Lord. This comfort must also be well obserued least taking offence at the smale number of Christians we be dismayd and fall from the fayth For the dayes will come when the number of the faythfull shal be great and populus Thus was Sara barren but our God so blessed her that she became the mother of many Childrē and a great people To be short Abraham must needes according to Gods promise in Genesis and according to the Etimologie and signification of his name be made a father of many people heyre of the earth For his blessed seede with all his blessinges was also promised to the gentiles The prophet moreouer vseth certayne similies taken of tentes which are set vp and spread in the fieldes so largely that many may dwell in them Whereby he geueth vs to vnderstand that the church should be spread all abroad through the whole world and that the day should come that the Gospell should be preached in all landes and that they should receaue Christ These be his wordes Enlarge the place of thy tents and stretch out thy cords make fast thy stakes for thou shalt increase on the right hand on the left He promiseth moreouer to the church Gentiles for inheritaunce But not so that the Churche should inherite the Gentiles after a worldly manner of inheriting as kinges of the earth inherite and haue their people in subiection For Christes kingdome is not of this world It is a spirituall inheritaunce which the Church by the Gospell getteth and it shall dwell there where before through ignoraūce and incredulitye was a deserte and wilde wildernes as it was at Athēs where before the Gospell came they vnderstod nothing of God aright But S. Paule conuerted many at that place and tought them which came and beleeued the Gospell the right fayth And therefore sayth the prophet thy seed shall possesse the Gentiles and dwell in the desolate cities
been before him and raigned in the seat of Dauid For Ieremy saith that he shall execute iustice and iudgement in the earth through the whol world cōdemne destroy the wicked make them which were vniust and sinful very pure righteous For his kingdome is a kingdome of true iustice and innocency And Iuda Israel that is both those people shall haue help of him not that the x. tribes shold returne out of Assiria into Samaria and there haue a king of their own and set vp a corporall kingdome as Iudah had before time in Ierusalem when they liued vnder Dauid and Salomon with peace and quyetnes but that they shold haue a spiritual help through Christ who should deliuer them from sinne and death that so they might dwel boldly and safely that is that they might haue their consciences quyeted appeased and mery as men which now by faith in Christ haue their sinnes forgeuen are at peace with God through Christ So that they need not dread nor feare death or any other euill because that this wise king the most pure and florishing blossome of righteousnes is made the righteousnes of all Christians that all faithfull beleeuers the spirituall Israell consisting both of the Iewes and Gentils may through faith receiue the holy Ghost which testifyeth in their harts that they are the children of God heyres of God and coheires with Iesus Christ and so with bouldnes of siprite say with Paul We are perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Is not this a famous help and a strong and firme fortresse for the godly that they can say we know that we are translated from death vnto life That is the holy spirite hath taught vs by the word and heauenly vnction that Christ hath freed vs both from sinne and death and that we by him after death shall rise from death and liue for euer This is that hope of Israell which neither Gentil nor Infidel hath Now marke what noble and miraculous works of diuinity which none could doe but very God him selfe the prophet ascrybeth to this sonne of Dauid He sayth He shall execute and set vp iustice and iudgement in the earth And he shall iustify others Ergo he must not only outwardly but also inwardly purge the hart and forgeue sinne And this is only the worke of god For it is he onely that can change a wicked and malicious hart and it is he which can illuminate and regenerate vs and none but he And agayn if he can forgeue sinnes he can also abolish death which is the reward or stipend of sinne and the sting of death If then he could ouercom death and make vs righteous and geue vs euerlasting life he is true God which can only in deed deliuer vs from our sinnes and eternall death and geue and preserue true tranquility and peace If then Iudah and Israell that is the hole church of the godly shall be delyuered from their sinne and death then must it needes follow that they shall liue with Christ for euer Here then in this prophecy if we marke it wel we may see that Christ should dye as the naturall sonne of Dauid but not abide in death but that he should iustify and saue Iudah and Israel that is to say his people the godly and faithful And for this cause should he first rise again from death that he might rayse his Israelites that is his faithful from death and that he might purchase for them and geue them eternal life securitie for euer For if he should haue geuē them peace but for a time he should not truely and in deede haue delyuered them neither were it a true tranquility and peace Wherfore it was necessary that that peace and saluation which he should geue his elect should continue for euer and euer Thus then in this short prophecy haue we this eternall king together with his death resurrection and euerlasting kingdome expresly and soundly descrybed And so doth Ieremy again teach vs in the 33. chapter calling the gospel the voyce of ioy which God speaketh to Israel and Iuda For the law only sheweth Gods wrath and punishment but the gospel that new couenant promyseth meere grace and redemption And then he prophesieth how the helpe and redēption which this king bringeth shal extend it selfe to all people farre and nere The people of God in tyme past soong and spake of the great benefits of god how he brought them forth out of the land of Egipt and deliuered them by many marueilous miracles but when Christ that sonne of Dauid shall come then shall they gloriously triumph and tell of farre greater good gifts of God to wit how Christ hath brought and deliuered vs out of the hellish black Egipt and kingdome of sin death and euerlasting damnation and gathered not onely the Israelites after the flesh but all his elected children in all the world out of all nations into this Church of the godly which thing hath ben done euer since the Apostles time euen to this daye For wee which beleue in Christ haue a more excellent and notable captaine then Moses and Iosua Wee haue Iesus Christ for our captayn who hath deliuered vs out of the bondage and howse of the spirituall Pharao to wit from the captiuitie of Sathan This eternall redemption doth euery day renew in vs the remembraunce of our god so that we say the Lord liueth who hath deliuered vs from sin death and Sathan hath brought vs from all errors to the true knowledge of the Gospell This is a spirituall deliueraunce and bringing out of Egipt and a spirituall kingdome where in wee see Iudaisme should once cease Christianisme by Christ our king be set vp through all the world and therefore it was conuenient that he should rise agayne that he might erect this kingdome vpon earth and conserue it for euer To which sence the prophet speaketh saying Therfore behold the day is come sayth the Lord that they shall no more say the Lord liueth which brought vp the children of Israell out of the land of Egipt but the Lord liueth which brought vp and led the seed of the house of Israell out of the north country and from all countryes where I had scattered them and they shall dwell in their owne land Here we must note that all temporall deliuerances which the Iewes had here vpon earth from the hands of earthly tyrants and the gentiles were but figurs of the true and euerlasting deliuerance which we haue by our Messias Christ of which in this place to speake is not to our purpose The prophets for most part set downe such circumstances in their writings that we may well gather they had a farther respect then
true worshippers which worship and call vpon him in spirit and truth Behold the kingdome of Christ hath not any bond or limits prescribed to it The gates of heauenly Ierusalem are so broad that euery one that will may easely enter in There is no need now that any should be circūsised that is that any should come to Ierusalem to offer vp the bloud of beastes Nether is it necessary that he should be of the stock of Abraham after the flesh onely let him beleue the gospel of the power and grace of Christ and let him cal vpon Christ in al places so maye he haue enteraunce vnto the true Sion This is the most redy compendious and onely way and dore vnto Sion where the true helth and saluation of Gods grace is found This is the notable and large way of deliueraunce not onely of the Israelits according to the flesh but of al men beleuing and calling vpon Christ wheresoeuer they be Thus you read in the acts when the keper of the prison in Philippa asked Paule and Silas what he should do to obtayne saluatiō then Paule aunswered beleue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued thou and thine houshold They commaund him not to goe to the Temple in Ierusalem or Sion For the Spirituall Ierusalem was then begun to be spread abroad among the Gentiles throughout the whol world And wheresoeuer any beleue the gospell and cal vpon Christ the same are saued and are in the spirituall Ierusalē that is in the Church of the faythfull and haue one true God one sauiour one teacher one spirite one fayth and one hope with all the saints in the world Ioell in his 3. chapiter also amongest other thinges prophesieth of the true and spirituall Ierusalem to wit of the Church of the faythful saying thus The Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the Children of Israell So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Sion my holy moūtaine then shall Ierusalem be holy and there shall no strāgers go through her any more And straight way followeth But Iuda shall dwell for euer and Ierusalem from generation to generation For I will clense their bloud that I haue not clensed and the Lord will dwell in Sion Here we see that though the Church of Christ be persecuted with many and bloudy enemies yet shall that continew for euer and that those which hurt the christians but euen lightly shall not escape scotfree but Christ will punish them and him selfe abide in Sion This prophecy to wit that God himselfe will alway dwell in Sion that is the Church of Christ is often times repeated of the prophets and it hath more comfort and consolation in it then hart can thinke Saint Paule alleged this promise as an vnuincible fortresse for a cōfort for himselfe and for the church in al afflictions saying If God be on our side who can be against vs. As if he should say the kingdome of Christ the spirituall Ierusalem is strong enough and sufficiently well fensed it neede not feare any foe for the Lord himselfe dwelleth in it and who then can ouercome it What is this whol world what are all the deuils in hell what are al the tyrants in the earth what are all creatures in the worlde in respect of God surely nothing but weake wormes flyes and gnats ¶ Anna. Now followeth Amos. What doth he prophecie of Christ and his kingdome ☞ Vrb. He prophesyeth of Christ in his 9. chapter and he calleth him the Tabernacle of Dauid Because Christ was born of the stock of Dauid and he calleth him a fallen tabernacle for he speaketh according to the opinion of the Iewes For while the Iewes were now and then captiues and dispersed afflicted and while the promise of Messias which was that he shold come of the stock of Dauid was in their opinion protracted and long delayd they greatly regarded it not but for the most part despysed it as though God wold not performe it Yea after the captiuity of Babylon when Christ his comming drew neare and those seuēty weekes of yeares which Danyell speaketh of drew towardes their end the famely of Dauid fell in decay and was cleane without power and honor So that thē it was neither esteemed nor regarded and al men thought that Messias that great king of Israell could not rise of that stock For the parents of Christ dwelled not in Bethelem in Iuda in the citie of Dauid or at Ierusalem in Sion but in Nazareth a citie of Galiley so that the house of Dauid and Messias who was promysed to come of Dauid seemed vnto the Iewes a ruinous tabernacle quite fallen down When therfore it came to pas that Christ was born in Bethelem the citie of Dauid the tabernacle of Dauid was restored and that kingdome which was promysed should rise of his seed was then perfectly erected and that which before seemed fallen ruinous and destroyed was then at the last repayred and amended and that promise which was made to Dauid to wit that his seed should raign and rule in his throne was then mightely fulfilled And the Thargum saith that Christ his kingdome is promised by this tabernacle of Dauid and doubt ye not but that this exposition of Ionathas is good and true These are his wordes Akin Iath malcuta debeth Dauid that is I will raise vp the kingdome of Dauids house that is the kingdome of Christ But marke this although Dauids kingdome before was mighty so that he ruled not onely ouer the 12. tribes of Israell but also ouer the Idumites Sirians Moabites Philistines and other nations moe yet was all that his gouernmēt but a ripe of the true Dauid Christ Iesus and his euerlasting kingdome nay being compared vnto Christes kingdome all his kingdome was but as decayed broken and shaken ruinous and torne tabernacle But when Christ came then was the horne or kingdome of Saluation erected in the house of Dauid and that kingly throne of Dauid was then geuen to the true king For Christ by the gospell calleth all the tribes of Israell into his spirituall kingdome and he called the gētiles through the whole world by his Appostles that both the Iewes and Gentiles might receaue this sone of Dauid acknowledge him for their kinge and that he be king ouer all men from sea to sea The most mighty Lord in all the world euen the Lord of all creatures And this is the stopping vp and repairing of the falne and rent tabernacle and this is the restoring strengthning of the thinges which were decayed therin Now heare the wordes of the prophecy In that day will I rayse vp the tabernacle of Dauid that is fallen downe and close vp the breaches therof and I will rayse vp his ruines and I wil build it as in the dayes of ould that they may possesse the remnant of Edom and of all the heathen
of Israell should come after the captiuity of Babylon as we haue sayd before out of the 9. chap. of Danyel And that your Iudaisme should then haue an end and that that earthly kingdome of Iuda should be an eternal and heauēly kingdome Goim that is the Gentils should also come out of all the parts of the earth and be partakers with true Israell of all Gods blessings promised in Messias Wherfore Abdias must be vnderstood here to speak of this spirituall possession which is that Messias And the Apostles and true beleeuers shal through the gospel bring all nations vnder the sweet yoke and obedience of the christen faith that they may acknowledge Christ for their only and euerlasting king and confes the Apostles of Christ with all faithfull Christians conuerted by the Apostles to be the Church their spiritual mother and glorious Citie of God to whom they doe readely and willingly yeeld them selues and obay as you haue heard out of Amos. Now I will expound the prophesy and then shall you more easely vnderstand it Mount Siō you know is the Church of Christ it is also a holy hill because the Lord dwelleth in it and Christ the holyest of all holy consecrateth and sanctifieth it by his word and spirite to be his holy habitatiō for euer as Esay sayth when you reade this hebrew word Kodesch it signifieth the holynes For true holines righteousnes is no where but in this holy mount the Church of Christ Many do reade Kodosch and then it signifieth holy as we haue spoke before The house of Iacob is called the scripture the house of Dauid the tribe of Iuda which alwayes taryed with the house of Dauid And when it is called Iudah and the house of Iacob and Ierusalem and the house of Dauid it is for the most part all one And this was a figure of the great kingdome of Christ Iesus And therefore the Archangell Gabryell in Luke calleth Christes kingdome the house of Iacob the trone of Dauid in which Christ shall rule for euer For the spirituall kingdome of Christ begun in Sion the earthly kingdome of Dauid and from thence spred it selfe through out the whole world when the Apostles according to Gods commandement begun to preach the gospel of christ to all creatures and in the name of Christ preached repentaunce and remission of sinns amongest all nations beginning at Ierusalē as Luke witnesseth Note also how God promised the Patriarkes Abraham Isaac and Iacob seed of their owne flesh and bloud in which all the earth should be blessed that is should be freed and deliuered from the euerlasting cursse of sinn from death and from the bondes o Sathan and be made the children of God who should raigne together with the same seede Christ in the kingdome of innocēcy lyfe and saluation for euer and euer This was a great promise and therefore doth the scripture in euery place make mention of these patriarkes For when this seed was promised them and whē god promised that their childrē should be in number as the sand of the sea then was Christ the eternall king and his eternall kingdome promised them and vs And therfore is this kingdome of Christs also called the house of Iacob the seate or trone of Dauid that is the Church of Christ The house of Ioseph in the scriptures is the very same that the other 10. tribes of Israell be which fell away from the house of Dauid and chose vnto themselues a king of their owne This kingdome seperated by it selfe is called Samaria of that head and Metrapolitaine citie It is called also Ephraim because of Ieroboham which was of the tribe of Ephraim and it is also called Ioseph or the house of Ioseph because Ioseph was the father of Ephraim The house of Esau is the kingdome of the Edomits which tooke their beginning of Esau and had their dwelling in mount Seiar ny to the great desart which lyeth from Ierusalem Southwardes The Southrē menare they which dwelt in the tribe of Iuda Those which dwelt in the champion coūtries are Lidda Emaus as Saint Heirome saith Those v. Citties Gaza Ascalon Azotus Accaron and Geth which lye westward be the Phelistians Ephraim is a country of Samaria wherin dwelt the tribe of Ephraim who was the son of Ioseph Beniamin is a peculier and propper tribe of the Iews but it is counted in the kingdome of Iudah Saint Herome sayth that Gallaad is Arabia The citye Zarphad was betwen Tier and Sidon wherof Iosephus speaketh Siphrad was a citye in the land of Babilon This therefore is the meaning of the prophets he prophecied of the captiuitie of his people and how Edome should be layed wast but now he comforteth the Iewes least they should haue ben discouraged as if therehad bin no hope for Siō in the captiuitie of Babilon as if Messias should not haue come And he promiseth also vnto the Iewes deliueraunce that they should come agayne into Sion though they yet layed wasted by the Babilonians and Edomits For he saith the Lord will bring deliuerance helpe and redemption vnto Sion which came so to pas in deed For hard after that the Iewes came from Babilon and that the citie of Ierusalem with the temple and deuine seruice was restored came Messias our true Sauiour and deliuerer into Sion The Lorde had often times before helped the mount Sion and the Citye Ierusalem but they were not the true helpe or sure saluation which Messias in his owne person should bring But when the king of Israell borne of the tribe of Dauid was come into Sion thē came there also with him all felicitye saluation and aboundance of all good thinges For he began by his word and spirite to call back and redeeme his people from that spirituall captiuity which they suffered vnder Sathan and other false teachers He fulfilled the prophets and obtained a true and euerlasting deliuerance vnto his people by his blessed death and glorious resurrection This was that true Pletho that is redemptiō all other deliuerāces were but only figures of this deliueraunce Reade the acts of the Apostles and note how saluation by the gospell begunne in Sion and thus spread forth it selfe through the whole world Peter redeemed and conuerted 3000. men at on sermon and from that time forth the Lorde mightely increased the kingdome of Christ as luke witnesseth saying the Lord added daily to the congregation such as should be saued This saluation was shewed forth with such powre of the holy spirite that the remnant of Israell the Apostles and their fellow laborers being the true house of Iacob and Ioseph were a flame of fier which lyke straw burnt and consumed the house of Esau that is the Edomits who before were mortall enemies to the house of Iacob Ioseph so that many of the Edomits were in deed won to the gospell and the wickednes and hatred of their Father
Esau was by the fiery heate of charitye so consumed in them that as concerning the inward man they were no more Esaits but came vnto the house of Iacob and Ioseph and were made of one fayth and minde with them to wit spirituall Israelites And thus the gospell went forth into the fower quarters of the world that Iuda beleuing might bring many countries people vnto the true faith of Christ which must be vnderstood by the people a fore named whome he ioyneth together therby to declare that the saluation and kingdome of Messias should not onely be in Sion and earthly Ierusalem but in all partes of the whole world from East to the west and from the north to the south For the people before spoken of dwelt in all the 4. quarters of the earth as Christ prophecieth in Luke of the calling of the Gentiles saying They shall come from the East and from the West and frō the North and from the South and shall sit at table in the kingdome of God. ¶ Anna. We may here also gather by this prophecye that Christ the king of Sion could not abide death seeing he was to bring such plēteous so great a reēdption as should be spread through the whole world and that he which should thus be redeemed by him should liue with him for euer in his kingdome ☞ Vrba You say well ¶ Anna. But who are those Moschim which should come out of Sion truly there is but one only Moschia or Sauiour Iesus Christ ☞ Vrba The Apostles are so called for the Gospels sake which they preached which in deed is the word of life and health by which they conuerted many in Sion and won them to Iesus Christ For Paule sayth that he prouoked the Iewes to emulation that he might saue or deliuer some of thē that he might bring them vnto Iesus Christ their only Sauiour These Moschim or redeemers iudge the mount Esau because the holy ghost by their preaching and doctrine doth before the last day reprehend all sin and these 2. shall in the last day sit vpon 12. thrones and iudge the 12. tribes of Israell ¶ Anna. What shall follow when the gospell hath bin preached in all the whole world ☞ Vrba All the kingdomes of the earth together with the earth it selfe shall then fall and all principalities shall haue an end But the Lord of Siō hath raised vp such a helpe and saluation in Sion as should stand fast for euer wheras the world withall hir pompe and royaltie with all hir kingdomes and Monarches shal fall and all earthly pompe shall haue an end But the kingdome of our king Christ Iesus shall stand for euer and he shall be king alone and his kingdome shall haue no end Other kingdomes haue their termes and yeares of contine vance appointed which being expired they fall The kingdome of Assyria and Babilon continued certaine yeares then the Monarchy came to the Medes and Persians whome king Alexander cōquered and subdued the Romaines subdued him and now hold the last Monarchye which shall be holdē in this world And yet this also shall haue an end For it beginneth all ready mightely to decrease and decaye and yet was there not of all these mighty Monarches any one so great that ruled all the world but the kingdome of our king which is the king of glory shall stād for euer and royally rule ouer all which thing Thargum witnesseth in this place For this is the Caldeans text And the kingdome of the Lord shall be declared or exalted ouer the inhabitance of the whole earth So splendēt and glorious shall the house of Iacob be But what needs many wordes The Angel Gabriell sheweth the naturall sence of this prophesye where he brieflly describeth this our king and his kingdome to the blessed virgin Mary saying He shall be great shall be called the son of the most hie and the Lord shall geue vnto him the throne of his Father Dauid and he shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer of his kingdome shall be none end Here you see what Abdias ment in the end of his prophecy to wit that many kinges shall rule in this earth and their kingdome shall passe from man to man and that one shall destroy and kill another But when the true Saluation and redemption shall begin in Sion after the captiuitie of Babilon then shall a perpetual constant kingdome be builded with which no man shal euen meddle That kingdome is the house of Iacob the congregation the true Israelites consisting of Iewes and Gentiles and that house or kingdome shall be and remaine to Messias alone for euer ¶ Anna. What sayth the prophet Ionas of Christ ☞ Vrba First he declareth in his prophecy that the gretnes of Christes kingdome shall be glorious and the both Iewes and gentills shall haue saluation in Christ and that Christ shall be the king and Sauiour of the whole world For the Lord sēdeth Ionas to Niniue a Citie of the Gentills the chiefe Citty of Assiria where he preached vnto them repentance and not circumsition or other Iewish ceremonies Here you may gather that he which confesseth his sinnes and is penitent and flyeth vnto Gods grace promised in Iesus Christ is iustified saued without the workes of the law you se also that god is the God both of the Iewes and Gentiles and that he will make the gentiles Israelits who shall be partakers of all his promises with his people in Christ Iesus Secondly Ionas is a signe of the death and resurrection of Christ For the in first of Ionas you may see how God ordayned a great fishe to swallow vp Ionas and he was 3. dayes and 3. nights in the belly of the fishe in the Sea. This was a signe or signification that Christ should dye and be 3. dayes in the sepulcher and that the 3. day he should rise agayne as this figure is truly expounded by Christ the truth it selfe in Mathew where he sayth This euill and adulterous generation seeketh a signe but no signe shall be geuen vnto it sauing the singe of Ionas the prophet For as Ionas was 3. dayes and 3. nightes in the whales belly so shall the son of man be 3. dayes and 3. nightes in the hart of the earth ¶ Anna. Doth Micheas prophecy any more thē that which you haue already expounded out of that 5. chapter ☞ Vrba He prophecieth much more but it would be lōg to expound all After that Micheas had vttered that excellent prophecy of the Lord God of Israell Christ Iesus where he sayth that he should go out of Bethelem he straight way prophesieth thus saying Therfore will he geue them vp vntill the time that shee which shall beare shall trauell then the remnant of their bretheren shall returne vnto the children of Israell And he shall stand and feede in the strength of the Lord and in the maiestye
of the name of the Lord his god and these shall dwell still for now shall he be magnified vnto the endes of the world That is to say the captayne and guide of Israel shall not yet come but the Iewes for their Idolatrye shall first be greuously punished and afflicted For they shall abide 70. yeares in their captiuity of Babilō and afterward they shall come into their countrye and loking for that gratious time of the God of Israell And although their plague captiuitie and affliction be great yet will the Lord keepe his promise and wil send the promised Messias Moschell vnto Israell at the time appointed and then at the last shall true felicitie come then shall all thinges fall forth well and prosperously then shall the true Israelites come together euē as it came to passe in the time of Iesus Christ who is the true shepheard and cast out all false ministers pharises scribes and Iewes and feede his sheepe himselfe by the great power of god For he taught thē by the spirite of grace and cōuerted lightned their harts and cast out the euill spirits and raysed the dead to life agayne wrought strange miracles and wonders in the name of his heauenly Father So that the shepe can now no more be demaūded and destroyed of the Volues but may sit safe in his pastures vnder his protections And this Moschel or Lorde prince of Israell shall be magnified and glorified through the whole world in the time of the new testament which was fulfilled when Christ by his passion entered into his glory and rose agayne from the dead the 3. day sitteth at the right hand of God that all power both in heauen and earth might be geuen him and when the holy ghost preached him by the Gospell in all the world and when his horne that is his spirituall kingdome as you haue heard in the psalmes was in the name of god exalted multiplied and dayly increased both by the Iewes and Gentiles as it is yet manger Sathā-and the world his wife And a little after Miche prophecieth how Christiās or the kingdome of Christ should raigne and remaine euē vnder the crosse in the middest of their enemies By which we see that it is a spirituall kingdome seing it is in the wicked world amonest many nations euen as the dew of the Lord or as a drope of water in the grasse For the people of the faythful is a marueilous people They are in the earth but not an earthly kingdome of the earth Their doctrine is the holy ghost which commeth from heauen from God the holy ghost They thē sealues also are from heauē regenerated by water and the holy ghost their lyfe consisteth in fayth they liue in Christe and they are wonderfully preserued vnder the crosse And although in the eyes of the world they may seme weake yet are they inuincible through fayth in Christ haue alwayes the victory yea they breake through the world sin death and the bondes and snares of Sathan and gouerne their inheritance but all these thinges are done spiritually and by a marueilous meanes altogether hidden from the world For this is wrought by the worde and spirite but much more worthely and gloriously then man can imagine These are the wordes of the prophecy And the remnant of Iacob shall be amongst many people as a dew from the Lord and as the showers vpon the grasse that waiteth not for mā nor hopeth in the sons of Adame And the remnant of Iacob shall be among the Gentiles in the middest of many people as the Lyon among the beastes of the forrest and as the Lyons whelpe among the flock of sheepe who when he goeth through treadeth downe and teareth in peeces and none can deliuer Thy hand shall be lift vp vpon thy aduersaries and all their enemies shall be cut of Here you may see the power of the gospell and faythfull christians Those which beleued in Christ taried loking for him were the true remnant of Iacob They trusted not in man but in God and certainely beleued that according to his promise he would deliuer them out of all calamitie although at that time they were captiues and afflicted in the middest of their heauy and deadly enemies But the Lord dwelleth with his seruants he hath promised in Exodus vnto all faythfull christian men that he will be an enemie vnto their enemies and afflict them which afflict the faythfull Christiās Wherfore there is a certaine hope and sure victory promised here vnto the remnant of Iacob and the kingdome of Christ that is to the whole Church which in this world dwelleth here amōg her enemies And thus be the faythfull Christians incouraged fortified and embouldened by the promise of God and fayth in Christ Iesus to walke euen as the Lion in the wood which feareth no other beast and passeth them all in strength And this prophet magnifically describeth Christes kingdome in his 4. chap. much lyke to the 2. of Esay his wordes be these And the same day sayth the Lord will I gather hir that halted and I will gather hir that is cast out and hir that I haue afflicted And I will make hir that halted a remnant and hir that was cast farre of a mighty nation and the Lord shall raigne ouer them in mount Sion frō thence forth euen for euer This is the tyme of the new testament faythful christians are here signified by the halt cast out and afflicted men lyke as they are also vnderstood in 61. of Esay and in euery place of this prophecy because of that crosse which they beare in this world that so they may be made lyke vnto Christ their king You must then vnderstand by the halte cast out afflicted those which are poore in spirite which are troubled in conscience which outwardly in this world suffer persecution and inwardly in their conscience are terrified and tormented with the feeling of their sinnes the feare of death the wrath of god These are the poore vnto whome this good tidinges are brought that they haue a good fauourable and most gentile king who will not cast them of for their weakenes and infirmity but helpeth them and salueth their sores And although in this worlde they be weake forsaken banished abiects and most contemptible yet will the Lord make of them a famous people who shall liue safely vnder him in perpetuall glory in the kingdome of heauen Here agayne you heare that the kingdome of Christ is spirituall for the faythfull Christians in this world are weake and contemptible but by the crosse they are brought to eternall glory For when the whole world with all his pompe and glory shall decay then shall they be crowned with great honor and glory in the euerlasting kingdome of Christ And thus the prophets haue respect vnto the eternitye and saluation ordayned for vs in the kingdome of Christ In the end of
dwelleth to wit in faythfull and humble hartes indewed with the feare of God and not in earthly temples mad with handes Zachary also telleth vs that the kingdome of Christ shall be large and wide and that the gentils shall become Christifidelians and so by fayth in Christ shal also become the people of God. All these thinges are dayly fulfilled that we by experience may know these thinges to be most true which they haue prophecied and thy are sure by great miracles but no man doth earnestly and diligently consider them as in deede they ought to do if they will be accounted true Christians But how shall Iuda be the inheritaunce of God and Ierusalem chosē againe Euē then when the Lord shall cast downe the partitiō wall betwixt the Iewes and Gentiles and by the Gospell make of two peoples one holy nation then I say shall the true Iuda that is the congregation of such as confesse the Lord be made Gods inheritaunce one Ierusalem and one elected citie but this shall not be onely in Canaan but through all the whole world Afterward followeth an exhortation vnto the whole world where he sayth let all flesh be still or silent Here we may learne that he speaketh in this place of spirituall Iuda and Ierusalē which appertaineth to the whole world otherwise he would haue commaunded onely the Iewes alone to haue bin still and silent if the Iewes alone and none els should haue bin his kingdome This therfore is the sence God wil dwell both with the Iewes Gentils in all places through the whole world Wherfore let all the earth be silent let euery man suffer the Lord to worke raygn and haue power in him he will do all thinges well and wisely let no man be wise in his owne conceite let no man brag of his owne holines let no man attribute any thing vnto himfelfe but let all men humble and submit thēselues For here is now wrought a strange thing when the Lord commeth and ruleth men when God commeth let all flesh be silent and acknowledge themselues condemned sinners and then will the Lord deliuer them for how shall sin or miserye haue any abiding there where the Lord is king and gouerner In the 3. Chapiter he sayth Here now O Iehosua the hye priest thou and thy fellowes that sit before thee for they are monsterous persons But behold I will bring forth the branche my seruant for loe the stone that I haue layed before Iehosua vpon one stone shall be 7. eyes behold I wil cut out the grauing therof sayth the Lord of hostes and I will take away the iniquitie of this land in one day in that day sayth the Lord of hostes shall ye call euery man his neighbour vnder the vine and vnder the figge tree The prophet speaketh plainely here of Christ of his passion and of his kingdome First the Lorde talketh with the hye priest Iehosua who was a figure of christ and therefore hath the same name and is called Iehosua or Iesus as the 70. interpretors call him here in their translation And wheras he speaketh onely to the hye priest and his frendes he teacheth vs that the promises of Christ and his kingdome shall not profit all men and that euery man shall not be partaker therof And the cause is onely for that all do not beleue in Christ for that promise belongeth onely to the faythfull Christians who together with Iehosua hath all one fayth and spirite and he calleth them monsterous persons or great marueils For there is no more marueilous thinge in the world then a godly man who will leaue all thinges in this earth and follow Christ looking for forgeuenes of sinnes and euerlasting lyfe onely by him and by nothing els The world wondereth that faythfull Christians can so dispise euen in this life this world with all the plesures thereof for Christes sake who himselfe dispised all the honor of this world and vtterly reiected the pomp and vaine glory therof And for this cause Christians in this world are counted fooles Behold I pray you how euen Cleophas and his companion at the first were offended at Christ although they were his disciples Therefore sayth Paule very well Christ is vnto the Iewes a stumbling block and vnto the Gretians or Gètiles foolishnes Furthermore God doth promise his seruant Christ Christ in the scriptures is often called the seruaunt of god for his seruice which here he hath don in the earth to wit because he taught his flock because he suffered for sinners and because he was obedient vnto his Father in fulfilling his commaundement euen to death the death of the crosse of which his worke and seruice wrought for vs all these other seruauntes of god haue prophecied but none of them all either ought or could do and execute that office But he calleth Christ Zemah that is a braunch because he doth dayly florish and grow hier and hier as a young spire or young braunche Christ is also adorned in their places by the same name as in the 13. of Hieri the 4. of Esay c. For lyke as the bud groweth vntill it commeth vnto the naturall length and greatnes euen so doth Christ increase and grow by the gospell in the hartes of men And looke how much longer and further he is knowen and preached so much more plainly is he knowen and preached The kingdome of Christ waxeth dayly greater and greater and groweth euen vnto the last day that all the elect may be borne called and iustified ¶ Anna. Can the Iewes be perswaded that this text doth prophecye of Christ ☞ Vrba Ionathā in the Caldy bible doth so expoūd this prophecie and by this seruaunt Zemath he vnderstādeth Christ For thus is his translatiō in this place Loe I bring my seruaunt Messiah and he shall be made manifest ¶ Anna. But what are those 7. eyes in one stone ☞ Vrba The prophet had spoken many thinges before of that earthly temple and building but because they were all but figures of Christ and his kingdome the propheteth immediatlye mixe in the prophecies of that spirituall prophesie of the liuely temple of the Church The stone is Christ as Esay and Peter calleth it saying behold I put in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and pretious But the 7. eyes doth betoken the knowledge of Christ because he is seene knowen by the eyes of fayth to be the onely iustifier and sauiour of all beleuers The kingdome of Christ doth stand in the fayth and knowledge of Christ as the prophets and Apostles with one consent do teach He which knoweth Christ hath bright eyes for he is illuminated to see the secrets of God which are hidden vnto the world and ouer which the Angels in heauen reioyce Many do heare the gospell onely with their eares but they neither know nor see Christ with the eyes of their hart They onely acknowledge him which do beleue in him And
nor the holy ghost nor forgeuenes of sinnes but shall die in their sinnes Because without this spiritual Ierusalē there is no forgeuenes of sins And least any man should thinke that the kingdome of Christ should be an earthly kingdome throughout all the world Zach. sayth that in the heauenly Ierusalem of the Church of Christ the feast of tabernacle shall alwayes be celebrated This is the pilgrimage of the godly that in this world they shall be as pilgrims and strangers which loke for their true eternal and heauēly countrey for the Iewes dwelt not alwayes in their tabernacles but onely taryed there 8. dayes and then returned home Seeing that I haue now troubled you long enough and you haue taken very great paynes in explicating the prophets I pray you tell me but euen briefely what Malachy prophecieth of Christ and his kingdome ☞ Vrba He prophecieth in his first chap. of the holy and sacred kingdome of Christ through the world saying that it should come to passe that christ should be acknowledged to be the true Lord and God of the whole earth and that he should be honored openly as God that all men should confesse him to be God by which he signifieth that at the last the kingdome of grace should not onlye be amongest the Iewes but euen through the whol world among the gentiles also Whereby it is vnderstood that the earthly king of the Iewes and their figuratiue priesthood should cease in the time of Messias and that another kingdome and priesthood which is spirtuall should begin And therefore Cleophas and his companion loked in vaine for an earthly deliueraunce at the handes of Messias For Mala. prophecieth of the spirituall kingdome and pristhood saying I will not accept an offering at your hand for from the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe of the same my name is great among the Gentiles in euery place incense shall be offered vnto my name and a pure offring for my name is great among the heathen sayth the Lord of hosts This last prophet Mala. whome Ionathas the Caldean and Rabiaben suppose to be Esra prophecieth that the name of God shall be great to wit that the name of God should be glorified preached praysed through the whole world This was fulfilled when the gospell was published and waxed famous and brought forth fruite through the whole world For by the gospell Messias was made knowen vnto the world and the grace of God which he promised and gaue vs in Christ was openly published vnto all creatures The Lord in times past was knowen in Iuda by his word and his name was great in Israel but when the apostles and their successors had spread abroad the Gospell of Gods grace through the whole world then was song a new song as it is in the Psal. The Lordes name is praysed frō the rising of the sonne vnto the going downe of the same For wher so euer the gospell is apostolically and sincerely taught that is where so euer repentance and forgeuenes of sins is preached in the name of Iesus Christ there men become humble and contrite of hart and confesse their sins and acknowledge and praise the rich mercy of god in Christ And straight way after they seeke to mortify their old man and by fayth geue their bodies vp vnto God a liuely sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto god which is their reasonable seruing of god And they beare tribulatiō patiently for Gods sake and geue thankes to God for all his blessinges in Christ they praye and call vpon the Lord in all necessitie and they liue a pure and innocent life All these to wit a true fayth in Christ a denying of our selues a consecrating of vs totally to the will of God the preaching of the gospell the incomprehensible riches of Christ which he geueth vs a professing and praysing of Iesus Christ a prayer proceeding of fayth and a thankes geuing for the great treasure of the gospell and for the precious death and victorious resurrection of Christ Iesus and for all the other benefits of the Lord which we haue through Christ Iesus these I say are the true sacrifices by which the name of Christ is made glorious and famous amongest the gentiles and thus doth Thargū also vnderstand this prophecye saying My name is sanctified through you and your prayer is as a pure sacrifice before me Yf therfore it was conuenient and must needes be that Christ should be made glorious among the gentiles through the whole world and that he shall be the true Lord of all nations whome they should worship and acknowledge to be the true and onely Lord who should deliuer them from all trouble and so his kingdome be in euery place it was needfull that he should rise againe from the dead and that he should prouide for all nations and that he should illuminate them by his gospell that he should receaue them into his kingdome and that he should defend cherish and preserue them for euer Mala. in his 3. chap. ioyneth the Maister and his seruaunt together to wit christiā Iohn Baptist and christ saying that Iohn should come before Christ and make ready the way that Christ should straightway follow after Iohn his forerunner these be his wordes Behold I will send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whome ye seeke shall speedely come to his temple euen the messenger of the couenaunt whome ye desire Behold he shall come sayth the Lord of hostes but who may abide the daye of his cōming who shall indure when he appeareth For he is lyke a purging fire and lyke fullers sope he shal sit downe to trie fine the siluer he shall euen fine the sonnes of Leui and purifie them as gould and siluer that they may bring offerings vnto the Lord in righteousnes then shall the offering of Iuda and Ierusalem be acceptable vnto the Lord as in ould time and in the yeares a fore This prophecy doth Christ himselfe expound in Mathew where he calleth Iohn Baptist the Messenger and he wonderfully setteth him out and maketh him more worthy then all the prophets For he shewed not Christ a farre of but pointed at him with his finger saying Behold the lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Iohn baptised with the baptisme of repentance in the desert preached vnto the people him which should come after to wit Christ Iesus that they might beleue in him Iohns wordes be these Repent for the kingdome of God or heauē is at hand I baptise you with water to amendemēt of lyfe but he that commeth after me is greater thē I whose showes I am not worthy to beare He will baptise you with the holy ghost and with fire which hath his fan in his hand and will make cleane his flowre and gather his wheate into his garner but will burne vp the chaffe with vnquenchable
the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eschew euill and doe good Recte iudicate qui iudicatis terram Iudge and gouerne well and rightly ye that be magistrats least the Lord remoue your candlestick Hādle not O ye rich men those that falle into your lappes with rigor and extremitye and geue not your selues ye poore men to sinister double dealing Delight not I beseech you ye mē in the multitude of your riches nor ye women in the furniture of your houses watch ye which haue charge in your callinges and keepe your selues cleare from the bloud of your families Let not your wyues children and bodyes so haue their willes and pleasure that your soules which must aunswere for it suffer woe and payne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O laye hould lay hold vpō discipline and put away pride couetousnes lying swearing and cursed dealing from among you And all these shall you quickely and easely doe if you will pray hartely if you will reade the word diligently and if you will apply it wisely Which the Lord Iesus that dyed for you worke in you And the blessed Lord God which hath caused all holy scriptures to be written for our learning graunt that we may all in such wise heare thē read marke learne and inwardly disgest them that sinne and distrust may be remoued from vs and we may in all our extremities be comforted and euer hold fast the blessed hope of euerlasting lyfe which he hath geuē vs in our Sauiour Iesus Christ who euer preserue you and his whole Church Amen Your honors in the Lord W. Hilton Scholemaister at S. Anthonyes ⧠A briefe ingresse to the Christian Reader AMongst all sortes of studies and labors belonging to the lyfe of man as there is none comparable to the searching of holy scriptures so in reading thereof diligent regard ought to be had First with what minde and to what end a man readeth them Secondly in what sence and after what meaning he vnderstandeth them Touching the first as the scriptures and word of God of his nature is holy so is it requisite no man to resort thereunto otherwise then with an holy minde nor to read them but to a blessed purpose That is to profite in a spirituall intelligence to learne the true will and worshippe of God in his word to encrease in fayth and to search out the kingdome of lyfe This done the second consideration is to be had for the true sence and right vnderstāding of the same Some there be and that not a few who entering the studye of the sacred scriptures haue not all peraduēture the right meaning of the holy ghost therein conteined The good Enuch in the Actes of the Apostles was well occupied in his kouche reading the propheticall scriptures yet he vnderstode not what he red before an expositor was sent him Thapostles themselues had the scriptures and red them yet how farre from the meaning thereof were they before their senses were opened So the Iewes and Saracens to this day doe haunt the scriptures but for lacke of trew vnderstanding in what blindenes do they yet remaine They which in reading the misticall scriptures do see nothing els but the literall sence and outward history therof though they thinke to see something yet in very deed see nothing Albeit I denay not but in the externe letter and historye of the ould testament there is a certen veritie of thinges so doon as in the letter is specified yet vnder the same letter and historicall truth lyeth an other more secret and misticall truth which must be opened For as the scriptures of the former testament were written most by the prophets so haue they no doubt a propheticall meaning And as all the scriptures were inspired by the holy spirite of God so carye they a spirituall vnderstanding secretly couered vnder the visible letter As for example the eating of the Apple and casting out of paradise the slaughter of Abell by his brother Caine The floud and Arke of Noah the promised blessing in the seede of Abraham The vnknowen generation of Melchisddech both king and priest The sonne of Abraham geuen and borne by promise with the inheritaunce cast vpon him The whole discourse story of Ioseph The tipicall lambe with his bloud sprinckled and bones vnbroken The passage through the red sea The hard rocke gushing out in water springes Manna The brasen serpent The whole course and lyfe of Moses The land of promise The workes and death of Sampson The victorie of Gedeon The kingdome of Dauid The tabernacle and temple of Salomon with the propitiatory and the Arke The rapting vp of Elias The casting vp of Ionas Yea the geuing also of the lawe it selfe in outward tables vpon the penticoste day that is fifty dayes after the deliueraunce These I say with a number such other thinges moe which from time to time happened amongest that people although in fact and historye they beare a truth in deed yet notwithstanding vnder the same historicall truth as vnder a vaile or curten lyeth hid other matter of higher misteries and greater priuities which if they be well discussed shal rapt a mans minde into more perfect knowledge of spirituall contemplation According as we read to happen to S. Austen by hearing Ambrose expounding the miseries conteined in the oulde testament So that the propheticall Scriptures may well be resembled in a maner to the person of their owne maister that is to Christ himselfe Who being here in earth if a man looke onely vpon his outward shape his humble poore estate in this world his quiet and simple demaynour his paynefull trauailes the manifold afflictions and tentations of his werisome lyfe his sharpe crosse and reprochfull death and looke no further he shall see no great matte in him But draw this curtaine of flesh a little and with a further insight vew well what lyeth within and ther shall appeare an other manner of matter There shalt thou behold the glory of the kingdome of God the admirable wisedome and omnipotent power of the Father the conquest of Sathā hell and the whole world with all the pride thereof and the fulnes of the deitie there corporally dwelling as S. Paul himselfe both did see and testifie In much lyke sort the scriptures writtē and inspired by God if they be sought for no further but for the literall meaning only or outward precepts of lyfe they little auaile to saluation But if the misticall tipes and manifest oracles of the law Psalmes and prophets be thorowly opened what light what lyfe what knowledge geue they without which I see not how the fayth of a Christian man can stand sound and sure And therfore the Lord himselfe whē he would geue fayth to his disciples either opened the scriptures vnto thē or els opened their eyes to vnderstand the scriptures And therefore Doct. Vrbanus Regius thauthor of this treatise is well worthy of thankes and commendation for this his labor in opening to vs such
signifie that long after the captiuitye of Babilon whē there was none of the stock of Dauid to sit on the kings throne that thē Mary Christ out of Mary should spring as out of a dry stock as Ierom saith Now this prophesy must needes haue bene fulfilled therfore must the house of Dauid before the byrth of Christ be depriued of all kingly glory and be contemned and counted as it were an old vnprofitable withered balke which came to passe in those 129. yeares in which after Ianus Hircanus Asmonay that is to say Iudas with his kinsfolke nephews and posteritie executed the office both of the spirituall and secular power In those yeares the house and stock of Dauid came to such pouerty and contēpt that it was thought a thing vnpossible that so great a king should come out of that so dry a roote being now so long withered dead For when the trib of Iesse was most cōtemned then was Siloh Christ borne in the vile and abiect Bethleē the Citie of Dauid And therfore the Iewes whē Antiochus beganne to vex them and when the Machabees tooke vpon them the priestly and kingly dignity might easely haue coniectured and by euident signes haue sene that the tyme was now at hand in which Siloh should come Moreouer there is no cause why that short time of the Machabees raigne should trouble vs neither is it much to the purpose for though they were not at all of the tribe of Iuda yet did they gouerne in the place of the tribe of Iuda and Dauid and prouided for the tribe of Iuda defended and preserued that tribe and Beniamin togither with the priesthode and their religion euen vnto the tyme wherin Siloh came For the tribe of Iuda had neither kinges nor princes neither of them selues nor of their stock and kindred neither yet any of their affinitie that bore rule but it was altogether vnder the subiection of others Iuda and Beniamin returned from Babilon the tribe of Leui was mixed with these tribes as the minister of the lord And after this sort Iuda obteyned and had rule of the politick gouernment ¶ Anna. You haue satisfied and resolued me in that doubt of the Machabees ☞ Vrb. The parentes of Christ being of the stock of Dauid were remoued from the gouernment not long before the byrth of Christ like it was so to be Gods will that before that tyme both those principalities of the Iewes to wit both the spirituall and temporall dignity of the Priests and Princes should come to one tribe or person seing Siloh was at hand who being the annoynted of the Lord should be both a priest and king in Israell and should purchase vs the blessing and him selfe raigne for euer ¶ Anna. Might not the Iewes here say that Siloh nether is nor signifieth that promised Messias and so wrast this promise from vs deride it For they perchaūce wil alledge that there is another kind of prince of passing great prosperitie specified and foretold here in this place so wilfull vnflexible and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is stifnecked be they when the are vrged and conuinced with the vnuincible Scriptures ☞ Vrb. They cannot alledge any thing that hath any shew or face of truth so plaine apparaunt and forsable is this prophesy with the falling out or fulfilling of it neither doth it agree with any other nor can be applied to any other but onely to Christ For Christ began his kingdome after the same forme and manner in all thinges as the prophet foretold yea and euen about that time that the scepter was taken from Iuda And now since that time the Iewes for this 1576. yeres and more haue had nether prince nor prophet and as well that secular as ecclesiastical gouernment hath his end Besides these their owne Maister and Doctor Schlomo whome they cannot gaynsay affirmeth that Siloh in this place is and fignifieth Messias And you knowe that Thargum hath Messias in steade of Siloh What soeuer therfore the Iewes heare obiect it is nothing at all but their foolish hasting doltish obstinacy egregious impudency and malicious peruersnes ¶ Anna. But how can you gather the state and condition of Christes kingdome out of this word Siloh ☞ Vrb. Well and easily if you diligently consider these wordes that follow And the people shall bee gathered to him or to him shall the Gentiles flow in for so is it nerer the Hebrew text For by these wordes we learne that Christes kingdome is a spiritual kingdome For to him shall many nations conuert or come and flow into him and obey him and that not by compultion of sword or armour but willingly and gladly Other of the Iewish kinges haue borne the secular sword and with it haue subdued and bridled men and that both in their owne kingdoms and countries and also oftentimes in their borders adioyning and yet is there not one of them now remaining but in order they haue all ended their dayes But this Siloh ruleth and holdeth the scepter not for a short time as the other kinges of the Iewes did but for euer that is to say he raygneth for euer and his kingdome extendeth and spreadeth it selfe not ouer one onely part of the world not into Iuda onely but ouer all the earth And this he doth not by dint of sword nor with puissaunt armies of souldiers but onely by his word for his kingdome is a maruelous and spirituall kingdome where the subiects come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is with lusty courage willingly chearfully redily of their own accord with great ioy of hart submit themselues to this king Wherfore in subduing them to him he neadeth neither sword nor weapon For as sone as he speaketh but his word which of all thinges is most sweete and pleasaunt straightway they which be his heare his voyce and willingly gladly follow him For he entreateth all that be his courteously and gently and ruleth not imperiously and tyran lyke but offereth himselfe most gently seruisably and redily to helpe ease and deliuer all men And this his spirituall kingdome doth Moses famously with figuratiue speaches paint out as both what the order of it should be and how it shal be gouerned saying He shall binde his asses fole vnto the vine and his asses colt vnto the best vine in wine shall he wash his garment and his cloke in the bloud of grapes his eyes shal be red with wine and his teeth white with milke All these wordes haue a misticall sense and speake of the administration of the word and gospell because our Messias through the holy spirite ruleth his kingdome by his word in which he speaketh such thinges of Gods great loue toward vs which geueth vs his sonne to deliuer vs from all misery and calamity both of body soule as are most acceptable comfortable and pleasant to the eare which as soone as man doth heare he greatly reioyseth and runneth to Christ
For that same word in that holy tonge is vsed also actiuely in this same signification in which the Latine translator doth here vse it calling it a Sauiour or deliuerer And the 70. Translators do nothing differ from our interpreter For they vse in this place this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth sauing The Iewes also before the comming of Messias at Babylon vnderstood this word actiuely For their Thargum hath it thus sakai vporik which is to say innocent a deliuerer or sauior The prophet also calleth him Poore the Hebrue word is Eny which signifieth carefull contrite in hart sory tormented hūbled and one of a lowly humble mind in whom is no hautines no cruelty no pride no swelling But one in whom is all meekenes lowlines humility and myldnes and one whose good will toward others is such that he is much troubled and greued at their hurtes and misfortunes Wherupon S. Mathew alledging this prophesie vseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is meeke And of this his meekenes and humblenes he gaue some testimony when he rode to Ierusalem vpon an asse And yet for all this the highest and chiefest estates of Ierusalem did so tirannically hate him that as enuious bloudsuckers they sought all occasions they could to kil him But Christ nothing moued with their enuy and as it were not regarding his death which he knew certaynly the princes of Ierusalem with the Pharises and Scribes went about did this present daunger of his lyfe not regarded euen from his very hart bewayle both the blindnes of the men and the calamity and destruction of the city yea they were the greatest things that troubled him For his bitter teares sufficiently witnessed both his griefe for them good wil towards them This his heauenly hart which appeared so mild and so pitifull toward his neighbor was farre from all ostentation For he nothing esteemed riches worldly traine pompe and vanitie as appeareth by the whole course of his lyfe which he led here in lowlines pouerty trouble grief danger and grieuous sorow and he himselfe is witnes of this where he saith The Foxes haue dennes but the sonne of man hath not where on to lay his head But this his humble entring into the city all without ostentation doth plainly inough argue his humilitie pouerty Zachary saith not that he rode to Ierusalem like an armed emperour reioicing triumphing in scarlet in purple glistring robes and in cloth of gold vpō a lusty palfrey magnifically sadled princely trapped with a great troupe and gard that he might amase men The prophet sayth not that Christ came so But he saith he sate vpō an asse a beast which is vile poore contemptible and ridiculous And in that his so doing he shewed a very great lowlines humility modesty and meekenes yea such that no man neede be afrayd of him This was fulfilled vpon Palme sonday when Christ sent his disciples to fetch an asse with her colt from Bethfage vnto mount Oliuet and came into the city vpon her as the euangelist Mathew saith witnessing of the fulfilling of this prophesie It foloweth in the prophet And I will cutte of the chariots from Ephraim and the horse from Ierusalem Here the prophet sheweth the nature and condiciō of Christ his kingdome For seyng he had called Christ a kyng which should come vnto his people he must also haue a kingdom But marke what and what maner of one his kingdome is It is not an earthly or a worldly kingdom neither is it ruled or gouerned and mainteined by hostes of men munition or mans power and strength nor by any such means as earthly kingdoms are ruled and gouerned And therfore he saith that he wil take away and destroy their chariots horses bowes Which kind of munition in this world princes vse eyther to establishe their kingdomes or to repulse the force and violence of their enemies which either seeke the vpper hand or els to increase and inlarge the territories of their owne dominions Esay also describeth the kingdom of Christ much after this sort saying The law shall go forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem and he shall iudge among the nations and rebuke many people they shal breake their swordes also into mattocks and their speares into sithes nation shall not lift vp a sword against nation neither shall they learne to fight any more By Ephraim Zachary vnderstandeth the ten tribes of Israel which beyng vnder Roboam fell away from the house of Dauid to Ieroboam set vp a kingdom of their owne Whereby the Prophet meaneth that whē Christ should come these two kingdomes Iuda and Israel should not continue any longer deuided but bee made one vnder the true king Christ Which thing came then to passe when Christ his Apostles preached in Galily and in all those countries euen to Ierusalem when Christ the true prince in Israel gathered together into the vnitie of the Christian fayth all his people by preaching of his Gospel It followeth And he shal speake or he wil teach peace c. That is Christ will not establish or preserue his kingdome with armour because he is called the kyng of peace He shal raign gouerne his kingdom not as the world doth but spiritually by his word in which the very true peace safety tranquillity health and chiefe felicity is preached and deliuered not to the Iewes alone but to all the whole world euen the Gentiles also This peace doth farre and infinitely excell the peace of this world For it is a most perfect peace with God our most mighty lord He which is at peace with God to wit with whom God is well pleased and to whom God is fauourable mercifull and gratious that man may stoutly stand without feare He is out of danger he sayleth in safety he as one sitting on an high rock or a sure and inuincible tower may looke and laugh at his enemies below and he both may ought hartily to reioyce and be mery in the lord And such now be we for we haue peace with God or towards God through Christ our onely mediator and aduocate As Paul witnesseth to the Rom. saying We were reconciled vnto God by the death of his sonne Christ is our peace which hath made of both one and hath broken the stop of the partition wall in abrogating through his flesh the hatred that is the law of commaundementes which standeth in ordinances for to make of twaine one new man in himselfe so making peace And that he might reconcile both vnto God in one body by his crosse and slay hatred therby and came and preached peace to you which were a farre of and to them that were nere for thorough him we both haue an entrance vnto the father by one spirite Esay also hath delectably and pleasauntly prophesied that Christ and his Apostles should be the ioyfull messengers of that
and inuisible things after an vnknown secret sort Danyel prophesyeth that Christ shall be a Prince and haue his peculyar people But he prophesyeth in the same place that the Iewes should deny him kil him Ioel caleth Christ the Rayne or Doctor of righteousnes as one sent for the same purpose to teach vs the true righteousnes of God. Malachy calleth Christ the Angel or Messenger of the testament Or as the seuenty Interpretors translated it the Angel of righteousnes Many such sayings as these are in the Prophets by which nothing els is set forth vnto vs but the redy will of Christ to help saue vs with his lowlynes gentlenes hūblenes mercifulnes in his former cōming And here I could recite all the prophesies which are written of his passion how he humbled himselfe to the death euen to the death of the cros and many other things which the Prophets foretold of the spirituall kingdome of Christ and how he now gouerneth vs But these prophesies will offer themselues more fitly in another place where God willing they shal be expounded ¶ Anna. All the prophesyes of Christes passyon affirme that humble conuersation of Christ in which for our sakes he walked in this earth And therfore let vs proceed and search whē this former cōming of Christ should be ☞ Vrb. First I will speake of that sweet prophesy of Dan. which plainly sheweth the time wherin Christ would come Seuenty weekes are determined vpon thy people and vpon thine holy City to finish the wickednes and to seale vp the sinnes and to reconcile the iniquity and to bring in euerlasting righteousnes and to seale vp the vision and prophesye and to annoint the most holy Know therefore and vnderstand that from the going forth of the cōmandement to bring again the people to build Ierusalē vnto Messiah the Prince shal be 7. weekes and threescore and two weekes and the Streete shal be built agayne and the vale in a troublous time And after threescore and two weekes shall Messiah be slayn and shal haue nothing and the people of the Prince that shall come shall destroy the Citie and the Sanctuary and the end thereof shal be with a floud and vnto the end of the battaile it shall be destroyed by desolations and he shal confirme the couenant with many for one weeke and in the middest of the weeke he shall cause the Sacrifice of the oblation to cease and there shall be in the Temple abhomination and desolation Or on the winges or at the winges shall stand abhomination of desolation and that desolation shall continue vnto the end or consummation of all thinges Or it is decreed that desolation shall contynue vnto the end This Prophesie is something darke and it is vnderstood and expoūded diuersly both of the Iewes and Christians And therfore must we in intreating and expounding of it bestow the more tyme And worthy it is dilygently to be handled For it is one of the chefest and notablest Prophesies that we haue of Christ So great misteryes of our God Christ Iesu doth it open vnto vs I will therefore set downe the same in certayn Articles First of all must be noted that the Prophet Danyell prophesyed this in the captiuitye of Babylon when Nabuchodonizor the king of Babylon had led away the Tribe of Iuda into Chaldaea and the Iewes were captiues seuenty yeares of which Ieremy prophesyed In this captiuity the Iewes were much vexed and troubled For this was their greatest and heauyest crosse that being amongst the wicked Goim the Gentils they were commaunded to lay away the true worship of God which is set down in his word As appeareth in the Psalmes where the Iewes complain and witnes their heauynes saying g. By the Ryuers of Babylon we sate and there we wept when we remembred Syon We hanged our harps vpon the willowes in the middes therof Then they that led vs Captiues required of vs songs and mirth when we had hanged vp our harps saying Sing vs one of the songes of Syon How shal we sing sayd we a song of the Lord in a strange land In these afflictions miseries Daniel began to cōfes his owne sinnes and the sinnes of his people and to pray hartily euery day to God for his captiues that for his mercy sake he would vouchsafe to pardon thē their offences for which they were led away captiues and that he would helpe them that being come into theyr own land they might restore the true worship of god which had bene so lōg neglected Daniel praying thus is heard and the Archangell Gabriel is sent vnto him who shewed the tyme appointed or fulnesse of tyme as Paul calleth it to wit the tyme of Messias in which Christ should come and bring with him all ioy true happines He told also the number of yeares to wit how long it should be to the former comming of Messias in which he should come into the world and happily begin his euerlasting kingdom Secondly here is to be noted that the former comming of Christ was two wayes reuealed vnto Daniel First a farre of and something darkely to wit vnder what Monarchy of the world Christ should come Afterward more nigh and plainely and so perfectly that he might wel know the very yere in which Christ should begin his kingdome For Daniel by the reuelation of the holy ghost expoundeth to the king Nabuchodonizer a wonderfull and maruelous dreame of the foure Monarchies or kingdomes of the world to wit of the golden siluer brasen and iron kingdome But that you may the better vnderstand these things know you that God told Daniel that there should be foure kingdomes or Monarchies in the earth which should continue vnto the ende of the world to wit that all earthly power ouer Kings Princes Dukes Barons and other magistrates should foure tymes be changed and giuen to sundry nations These are those foure Monarchies or kingdoms The first is the Assyrian and Babyloniā Monarch in Assyria and Chaldea The second the Persians and Medes in Persia and Media The third the Grecians or Macedonians in Grecia The fourth and last in which Christ should come the world should haue his end be the Romans These foure Empires or Monarchies are also reueled in the 7. chap. of Daniel by foure beasts of the which the first is a Lion the next a Beare the third a Leopard the fourth a terrible beast without name hauing irō teeth Thus sayth Daniel in his 2. chap. And in the dayes of these kings shal the God of heauē set vp a kingdom which shall neuer be destroyed and this kingdome shall not bee giuen to an other people but it shall breake and destroy all these kingdomes and it shall stand for euer Where as thou sawest that the stone was cut of the mountaine without hands and that it brake in pieces the iron the brasse the clay the siluer and the golde so the great
God hath shewed the king what shall come to passe hereafter In this prophesie is the tyme prefigured in which Messias would come and begin his kingdome by his Gospell and holy spirit First in an humble base habite but afterward at his latter comming in glory and power S. Hierome vpon this text sayth that in the end of these kingdomes a stone that is our lord and sauiour Christ was cut frō the mountaine without hands that is he was borne of the virgin Mary without the seed of man Wherefore it is manifest that Messias in his former comming in great humilitie would not come in the flesh and begin his kingdome before the last Monarchy which is the Romains Empery For Daniel sayth in the dayes of those kingdoms that is whē the three first Monarchies be ended and the fourth last that is the Romaine Monarchy doth florish and rule the roste and when it is tossed and troubled with tumults then shall the kingdome of Christ be erected and begunne and it shall destroy the Romish empire But it is to wit Christes kingdom shal abide for euer All other kingdomes of the world haue their borders limited and their dayes numbred which beyng expired the kingdoms decay and come to naught But that great and mighty kingdome of Christ shall haue no end it shall neuer be dissolued but shall abide for euer and euer neither shall it be in a part or corner of the world as in Europe Affrike or Asia but in the whole world As Daniel witnesseth where he speaketh of the image that Nabuchadonizer saw saying Thou beheldest it till a stone was cutte of the mountayne without handes which smote the Image vpon his feete that were of iron and clay and brake them to pieces Then was the iron the clay the brasse the siluer and the gold broken altogether and became like the chaffe of the sommer flowers and the wynde caried them away that no place was found for them and the stone that smote the Image became a great mountayne and filled the whole earth This stone is Christ to whom is giuen all power as wel in heauen as in earth that he may rule with power in euery place And Daniel saith agayne in the 7. chapiter where the foure Monarchies are vnderstood by foure beasts that Christ should come and beare rule in the tyme of the fourth Monarchy that is when the Romaynes should rule Let vs now gather by the seuenty wekes in the 9. chapter whē the tyme should come and how long they had to looke for Messias and whē he should begin to rule By this reuelation of Daniel the Iewes are plainly and mightely conuinced that Christ according to the Prophets foretelling is alredy come on thousand and fiue hundred yeres ago For first the angel sayth in the 9. chapter out of which I recited the wordes of the prophesie before that there were seuenty wekes determined and appointed for the people of the Iewes and the holy city Ierusalem after which 70. wekes the people and priesthood of the Iewes should cease And the whole state of the kingdō should be destroyed For after that time appointed God determined that al Ierusalem shold be ouerthrown that the Iewes shold be partly blinded and partly destroyed We must also vnderstād that the angel speaketh not here of such wekes as consisteth on seuen dayes For so seuenty wekes woulde scarce make two yere But he speaketh of such wekes as seuen yeare do make but one weke and so seuentie wekes do make foure hundreth and ninety yeres For so the scripture speaketh in other places And the same phrase and maner of speaking is vsed in Leuiticus And so also al men indued with the spirit of prophesiyng haue hitherto continually vnderstood it Note diligently by the wordes of the prophet how great things should happen in the dayes of Messias how wonderful the power of his kingdom should be These are the wordes of the prophet To finish the wickednes and to seale vp the sinnes and to reconcile the iniquity and to bring in euerlasting righteousnes and to seale vp the visiō and prophesie There had bene Moses and many other doctors of the law who had taught commaunded them to do thinges honest godly and forbiddē things that were euill and wicked but none of them all did any thing preuaile For sinne once reueiled by the law became greater and more sinfull For nature without grace though she be neuer so much admonished or instructed vnto honesty and godlines though she be neuer so much moued pricked forward vnto pietie and obedience towards God will yet for all that play her wonted prankes and run her old race followyng her fansie goyng on as she was wont Nay thenceforth after such admonition she becommeth worse and worse more vnhappy wicked more inflamed by heat of lust to offend So then sinne remayned and could not be taken away but as Paule witnesseth to the Galathians our offences afterward became greater heauier and more more without ceasing And therfore was it nedefull that Messias him selfe should come and mend this matter bring helpe with him otherwise our case had bene worse worse and we had fallen into greater and greater euils As Paul preached in the Actes saying Be it knowen vnto you therfore men and brethren that through this man is preached vnto you the forgeuenes of sinnes And from all things from which ye could not be iustified by the law of Moyses by him euery one that beleueth is iustified For Christ was therfore sent from the father made man that he might satisfy for the sinnes of all men obtain for vs the holy ghost and eternall lyfe and so indue vs with perfect righteousnes which before God is auaylable to wit with the christian fayth of which the law and the prophetes foretold many thinges And so it was meete that the visions and prophesies should be fulfilled that is it was conuenient that those things should come to passe which the Sears or Prophetes which were inspyred and illuminated by the holy Ghost had seen and foretold of Messias For all the Prophets and euen the law it self prophesied vntil Iohn And the holyest of holy or most holy shal be annoynted at that tyme This is Christ the Lord and king of all holynes who was sanctyfied by the holy Spirit far aboue his fellowes and was called by God his heauēly father in his baptisme his wel beloued sonne He onely is to be heard as the true Preacher Lord Master of all the Prophets His word is to be imbrased To him only with tooth and nayl must we cleaue And vpon him only must we beleeue Seing then Christ was to be looked for within seuenty weekes that is within 490. yeares at which time he should begin his kingdome We must here search where and when these seuenty weekes should begin and then we may
haue I begotten thee And although all the godly be called in the scriptures sonnes of God yet Christ in this place is the sonne of God after an other sort We are the sonnes of God by grace by the washing of the new birth or the lauer of regeneration but Christ is the true natural sonne of God begotten of the substance of the father before al worlds from eternitie And Paul speaking of this prerogatiue saith Vnto which of the Angels sayd he at any tyme thou art my sonne If he speake not these wordes vnto any Angels much lesse spake he them to any mā God created the Angels he created vs also and by his word and spirit he hath begot vs a new by this new birth we are become the childrē of grace but vnto Christ he saith this day haue I begotten thee Saint Augustine in his commentaries vpon the 2. psal saith that this word this day doth signify declare the euerlasting birth of the sonne And although this day set downe there in the prophesie may be thought to signify the tyme when Christ was borne according to hys manhood yet because this day signifieth a presence for in eternitie nothing is so past as though now it were not neither is any thing to come as though it had not alredy bene For what so euer is frō euerlasting is always it is vnderstood deuinely according to this saying this day haue I begotten thee wherby our true and catholike faith setteth forth vnto vs the euerlasting generation of the power wisdom of God which is the only begotten sonne of god And diuers other godly holy doctors as Arnobius Hillarius Cyrillus Chrysostomus and many mo vnderstand this verse thus S. Paul also to the Hebr. reciteth the wordes which are in the 2. booke of the Kings where God the father sayth thus of Christ I wil be his father he shal be my sonne This cannot be properly spoke of Salomon because God had promised Dauid a sonne or seed which shold spring out of his own loines And the circūstances of the places do plainly proue that this was spokē of Christ But Paul by these wordes goeth about to proue that Christ is a sonne far aboue differing frō other sons that God said this to no angell much lesse to Salomon How then can this otherwise be but that Christ must nedes be the natural sonne of God For the adoption calling of vs children which beleue in Christ is only geuen vs by grace as Iohn saith As many as receiued him that is Christ to them he gaue power to be the sonnes of God to wit to such as beleued in his name And Paule also citeth this verse worship him all you gods or angels out of the psalms These are his wordes And again when he that is his father bringeth in his first begotten sonne into the world he saith let all the angels of God honor him This verse speaketh of the kingdom of Christ which is aboue all things both in heauē and earth which kingdom is prepared by the gospell by which Christ is made known to the world the world is become his inheritance which heritage the father promised to giue him in the 2. psalm And although the cōdition of angels amongst all creatures is of all other most noble yet are they cōmaunded to adore this king Christ But to be adored is that honor which is onely due vnto God not vnto any other For seke the scriptures you shal find that the angels neuer adored any but God alone Paul also to the Hebr. proueth the godhed of Christ out of the 10. psal saying And thou lord in the beginning hast established the earth and the heauens are the workes of thine handes They shal perish but thou doest remaine and they shal waxe old as doth a garment and as a vesture shalt thou change or fold them vp they shal be changed but thou art the same and thy yeares shal not faile The holy ghost teacheth vs here as you may see by his minister Paul that this psalm in this place speketh of Christ as may be gathered both out of the argument and whole tract of the psalm to wit how that king whom the apostles had preached through all the world should be feared of all kings kingdoms of the world and that he is God himself who framed foūded both heauen and earth And although the creatures change and perish yet this God abideth stil in himself and is immutable and eternall but we shall fynde all these things in Christ And therfore vndoubtedly he is that true God which is both preached and feared thorow the whole world The names also of God by which the Scriptures speake of God giue vs if we marke them well a most firme and strong argument to proue the deuinity of Christ S. Hierom vnto Marcella hath noted names by which the scriptures cal god The first is El that is mighty the 2. Elohim the 3. Elohe that is God the 4. Zebaoth which the 70. interpreters translated into Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the learned doctor Rabbi Aquila doth trāslate it of Hostes The scripture vseth alwayes to adde this maiestical name Iehoua Edonai that is lord or god Edonai Zebaoth the lord of hostes 5 Elion that is the most hie 6. Eheieh Escher Eheieh Exodi that is I am that I am the 7. Edonai that is lord 8. Iah 9. Iehouah These two last names do only signify God in his holy eternal vnchangeable essence The x. name is Schaddai that is strong by himself or of himself sufficient able to do al things as s Hierom expoundeth it And God calleth himselfe so in Gen. saying Eni El Schaddai which S. Hierome translated into latin thus I the lord all sufficient But the 70. interpreters vse for Schaddai 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is god And this translation is true thogh Schaddai in dede signifieth almighty not properly god yet seing none is almighty but only god their translation is good Now marke what god saith in Esa. I am sayth he the lord or Iehouah this is my name and my glory I will not giue to another that is I am the true god This name and honor is only due to me this doth belong to me alone to no creature But if now this excellent hie name Iehouah may be proued by the prophets to be giuē properly to Christ then by an infallible argument good consequent is Christ proued to be true god For it is sure manifest that this name Iehouah is the proper essential name of god signifieth nothing but one true God in his holy essence maiesty which none of the other x. names doth but only this name Iehouah and Iah which Iah in my iudgement signifieth the same that Iehouah doth for they spring both out of one roote ¶ Anna.
things which in his word he hath promised vs For he geueth vs the holy ghost who giueth vs faith confirmeth vs with his word that we may depēd vpō him cōstantly cleaue to him as to a most strong rock so in all aduersities calamities stande stedfast vnmoueable against the assaults iniuries of our enemies so the at the last we may ouercome them vanquish them with the Psalmist reioyce say the lord our God is my strength And with Paul to the Phil. I am able to do al things through the helpe of Christ which strengthneth me The fourth name is Gibbor that is the lord or giant In the former names we are taught what maner and meane Christ vseth and how he handeleth vs when he wil bring vs to his kingdome First of all he handleth vs straightly mortifieth our olde Adam which seemeth vnpleasant to the flesh worketh al things so by contrarieties that our reason is confounded and knoweth not how to vnwynd it selfe Secondly he comforteth vs by his gospel Thirdly he is present with vs in all his might and strength deliuereth vs out of al extremities and perill But this 4. name telleth vs how Christ vseth and handleth his and our enemies Christ is called in the scriptures Gibbor that is lord or giant for his inuincible might and power For seyng he is king and will gouerne his kingdome peaceably he must nedes suppresse and vanquish the enemies of his kingdome that christians may liue safely without feare and hurt but he cannot beat down and breake the force of his enemies without great power seyng Satan with the world and sinne with death are most horrible vgly strong and outrageous enemies Death is stronger then the whole world And Satan as Iob witnesseth is of such might strength that al men in the world are not to be compared to him He is the prince of all the children of pride and disdaine And he is that strong mā armed that kepeth his palace so that all that he possesseth is in peace But Christ is much stronger who ouercommeth the euil spirite and deliuereth vs from all power of darknes wherof Dauid saith He reioiceth like a mighty man or giant to run his course Christ hath ouercome death the deuil now alone the lord of all things is with great triumph rightly honored by these titles He is lord to whō euery knee doth bow and lord ouer the quicke and the dead And Iohn saith Christ the sonne of God appeared that he might loose the workes of the deuil And Paul to the Col. saith He hath spoiled the principalities power hath made a shew of thē openly and hath triumphed ouer thē in the same crosse He is called in Esay Maher schalal that is make hast to pray As if one should say a quicke spoiler Hashbaz that is make hast to spoile or a spedy spoil We were the miserable seruants of the deuill sold vnder sinne and he held vs vnder his tiranny molested vs at his pleasure will. Thē came the mighty giant our lord Christ a lion of the tribe of Iuda fought with that prince of darknes which had rule ouer death got the victory and by his death destroyed the power of the enemy set vs being deliuered out of his tiranny at liberty according to that of Iohn If the sonne shall make you free you shal be free in deed The 5. name is Abiad that is a father for euer or always and euermore a father world without end By this name we feele and perceiue the mercy clemency pity grace of this child toward vs Because he will not be such a king amongst vs his poore people as at whose maiesty the godly shold be amased feare quake trēble but he loueth vs fatherly he embraceth vs louingly he wil norish defēd cherish vs singularly And as a godly louing father is by the instinct of nature wel affected to his welbeloued son as he is careful ouer his child alwais thinking how to prouide for him honestly how to bring him vp vertuously how to instruct frame tech chastē gouern rule defēd him fatherly make him apt fit for his heritage So doth Christ in his kingdom with vs Here is nothing but natural loue fatherly affectiō toward vs nothing but a vehement loue nothing but a care and desire to do vs good nothing but infinite beneuolence towards vs. But in this simile there is great difference betwene a worldly father Christ our father For we haue much greater better and fatherly gifts of Christ thē any beloued sonne hath of his earthly father though he be a most louyng intreater of his children The earthly father which is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in deede loueth his children careth for them fostereth them cherisheth them fedeth them and bringeth them wel vp yet this care regard good will and diligence of earthly parents is temporal and cannot continue abide for euer And it happeneth oftentimes that when the children stande most need of their parents helpe or counsaile then are theyr fathers constrained to leaue them and dye But Christ is always our perpetual euerlasting eternal father for he suffred once for vs his childrē now he suffreth no more And he neither can nor wil leaue vs without helpe he both can wil maintaine feed care for kepe and defend vs here for euer God prepareth vs here for his own inheritance that after this temporall lyfe we may liue with him for euer And hereunto accordeth very well the translation of the 70. interpreters who cal this word Abiad father of the world to come or of the lyfe that shall be to the ende they may thereby signify the mystical resurrection into lyfe euerlasting of all that beleue in Christ At which tyme shal be plainly opened and reueled in what honor and dignity the godly shal be and how derely Christ hath loued them how he hath embraced them and what care he had ouer thē Let therfore euery godly mā kepe this title of Christ in his mynd whē death approcheth he shal find therby a singuler comfort For then he knoweth that Christ is not only here but shal be for euer a most louing father Which thing Paule knew very well and was thereof throughly persuaded yea he had so grounded it in hys hart that euē in death he was of good courage saying Christ is to me life and death is to me aduauntage I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ Why then do we not desire to be dissolued why then are we not desirous to die how happeneth it that we feare death truly because we do not firmly and constantly beleue the scriptures because our faith is weake little And because we let not this heauenly and deuine comfort of Gods
liuely word where Christ is called a father for euer so depely and thorowly sinke into our harts and because we do not meditate so of it do not so wel vnderstand it nor so stedfastly beleue it as Paul did For our harts would not so faile vs as they do if we beleued and certainly knew what a God what a King what a lyfe and what a father Christ is vnto all those that faithfully beleue The name is Sarscholam that is a prince of peace Christ hath a kingdom wherin is peace security safety freedome from death Satan and all other dangers But here is all the labor and trauel to come vnto to attaine to dwel in that euerlasting kingdom If we be once there then are we safe without gunshot then are we sure then are we in a most happy state If sinne pricke vs in our consciences Christ is by by at hand defendeth vs He toke our sinnes vpon him and satisfied for them and became our righteousnes He put out as Paule saith the hand writing of ordinances that was against vs which was contrary to vs he euen tooke it out of the way and fastened it vpon the crosse Of this true heauenly peace the scripture speaketh in many places As to the Rom. where Paule sayth We haue peace toward God through our lord Iesus Christ Sinne had made vs the enemies of God as Paul calleth vs in the same place But Christ himself wiped away our sinnes and reconciled vs vnto God so that now he is not an enemy or iudge vnto vs but a welbeloued father For if when we were his enemies we were reconciled vnto God by the death of his sonne much more being reconciled we shal be saued by his lyfe And not onely so but also reioycing in god through our lord Iesus Christ by whom we haue receiued the atonement And nowe in Christ Iesus we which once were farre of are made neere by the bloud of Christ for he is our peace This therefore is true peace when we haue peace with God through our mediator peacemaker Christ For what would the peace and friendship of all the world and worldly creatures auaile profit vs if God were our enemy and angry with vs but if God who taketh more care for vs and loueth vs better then any father doth hys children fight for vs if we be at one with him if he wish vs wel and if he profit vs what can now hurt vs how can the earth with all the creatures therein euen once touch vs Thus you heare that when we beleue in Christ we haue this peace with God thorough Christ so that we may now say If God be on our side who can be against vs and he that kepeth Israel will neither slumber nor slepe Wherefore although we haue affliction in this world yet haue we perfect peace in Christ our peace-maker 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Sarscholam that is the prince of peace or peacemaker He obtained merited peace for vs with God the father giueth vs his spirite the spirit of peace that we may also haue peace with our neighbour He wisheth vs this peace saying Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue you not as the world giueth it c. He also preserueth vs that we be not hurt of our enemies that we may be safe from all dangers By these epithetons names of Christ many mysteries are to be noted as that he is true God that he shold die because he was borne a mā but that he should not abide in deth because he was to raign eternally Wherby is plainly truly proued that both Christ we shal rise againe For we which beleue in Christ both are his members enheritance and kingdom shal be for euer The sonne hath prayed for vs his praiers are heard The father hath giuen vs his sonne with him shall we dwel for euer Our mansion house our lodging our abiding place is already prepared And Christ saith in Ioh. Father I will that they which thou hast giuen me be with me euen where I am In the wordes following the prophet Esay prophecieth of the euerlasting kyngdome of Christ how it should be great seyng he was to be king not only of the Iewes but euen of the Gentils also dispersed through the whole world how he should daily increase and inlarge his dominion euen to the last day and how he should execute confirme establish and for euer preserue and gouerne the same by iustice and iudgement but of this part of the prophesie I will speake more by Gods grace in the title of the kingdome of Christ You haue heard before where I expoūded the 5. of Micheas and the 2. of Luke where and how the child Christ should be borne Well then Christ was borne at Bethelem Iuda in December in the midst of Winter and was swadled layd in a manger For Ioseph and Mary could not be lodged in any Inne for there was no roume for them The holy prophet foretold this sacred and blessed birth of Christ as you haue heard And the angels from heauen afterward did declare it vnto the shepeheardes in Luke where the angel saith Be not afraid for behold I bring you tidings of great ioy that shal be to all the people that is that vnto you is borne this day a sauiour in the city of Dauid which is Christ the lord And straight way ther was with the Aungell a multitude of heauenly souldiours praysing God and saying glory be to God in the heauens and peace in earth towards men good wil. The shepeherdes which saw this birth of Christ published and shewed it abroade The starre also in the East and the wisemen which came thēce vnto Bethelem were witnesses of the birth of Christ Simeon also Anna in the temple saw this childe who was the promised author of our saluation and they bare witnes that Messias was present And this doth the whole church of Christ beleue confesse preach and declare through all the world and the name of God is preached and praised in euery place And these glad tidings to wit that Iesus Christ our saluation is borne in Bethelem is preached in euery place And Ierusalem that is the catholike church doth reioyce and skippe for ioy for this natiuity bringeth vnto vs all felicity saluation and consolation ⧠Of Christes flying into Egypt ¶ Anna. WHat say the Prophetes of Christes flying into Egypt ☞ Vrb. Mathew saith in his 2. chap. when the wise men of the East returned from India they returned into their own country an other way and went not to Herode After their departure the angel of the lord appeared vnto Ioseph in a dreame saying arise and take the babe his mother flie into Egypt there lie vntil I bring thee word for Herod wil seke
to destroy him So Ioseph rose toke the babe and his mother by night and departed into Egypt was there vnto the death of Herode that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the lord by his prophet saying Out of Egypt haue I called my sonne This prophesie is thus set down in Hosea When Israel was a child then I loued him and called my sonne out of Egypt Here the prophet speaketh of Israel that is the Iewes and of his sonne Iesus Christ He sayth that God loued the Israelites Which thing he sufficiently declared by many and wonderfull benefits He brought thē vp nourished them always cared for them euen as a father careth for his chylde He made them a great mighty famous people And although their vnkindnes deserued farre otherwise yet notwithstanding he faithfully performed alwayes the promises which he had made vnto thē All these things were done for Christes sake that most blessed seed which he had promised vnto Abrahā This Christ this seed according to the flesh was to be borne of the tribe of Iuda And therfore he brought his people Israel by Moses Iosua out of Egipt the house of bondage into the lād of Canaan with a strong hand mightypower For it was his good pleasure that of this people Christ the sauiour of the whole world should be born as he promised before by his prophets But now after that when Christ our sauiour in the fulnes of tyme was borne had for a tyme by flying into Egypt shrouded himself from the wrath of Herode who had commaunded all the infants to be slain God brought him thence againe into the land of Israel Of which Math. sayeth But when Herod was dead behold the angell of the lord appeared in a dream to Ioseph in Egypt saying arise take the babe his mother and go into the land of Israel for thei are dead which soght the babes life Then he arose toke the babe his mother came into the land of Israel But when he heard that Archelaus did raigne in Iuda in stead of his father Herod he was afraid to go thither yet after he was warned of God in a dreame he turned aside into the parties of Galile wēt and dwelled in a city called Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet which was that he should be called a Nazarite ¶ Anna. What speaketh the prophets of the ministery of Christ Of the ministery of Christ how he should be a king a priest a doctor a peacemaker a mediator a shepeheard our redemer and iudge of the world Vrbanus THe prophets witnes that Christ is our king priest teacher maister peacemaker redeemer mediator high iudge God saith by Dauid I wil declare the decree that is the Lord hath said vnto me thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee aske of me and I shall giue thee the heathen for thine inheritance the endes of the earth for thy possession Here god the father saith that he had ordained his sonne Christ to be king in Zion that is in the whole catholike church For Zion was a hill in Ierusalem wheron king Dauids pallace stoode It is also a figure of the whole catholike church through out the world The sonne maketh mention of his preaching doctrine saying that he would preach declare him self to be the son of god vnto the whole world and that he had all power geuen him not onely to be Lord and king ouer the Iewes but also ouer the gentils that is of all the Christians in the world that all they which beleued hys preaching should bee hys peculiar people ouer whom he would raigne for euer And agayn Dauid sayth Geue thy iudgments vnto the king O Lord and thy righteousnes to the kinges sonne yea all kinges shall honor him and all nations shal serue him This Psalme speaketh of the true Solomon Christ that he should be the greatest and most mighty in the earth before whom all other kinges should do homage So Christ also is called a kyng in the 89. Psalme But we will speake more of these in the title of Christs kingdom I wil make him my first borne higher then the kings of the earth Esa. saith The Lord is our iudge the lord is our lawgiuer the lord is our king he wil saue vs. We read the like in Eze. Zach. And Ioel also saith Be glad then ye children of Zion reioyce in the lord our God for he hath giuen you a raigne or teacher of righteousnes This raigne or teacher is Christ Iesus our only maister doctor as it is sayd in Math. One is your doctor to wit Christ and all ye are bretheren He is not such a teacher or such a maister as Moses or we are For he preacheth not the gospel to the outward eare onely but he giueth vs by the holy ghost the true holines in our hartes spiritually which before god is auailable to wit faith in him Which Paul calleth the righteousnes of God. For faith in Christ is the worke and gift of god in vs which is imputed to vs for righteousnes Againe Dauid saith our instructer shall be adorned with many blessings This instructer is Christ who in dede is truely blessed For all that beleue his doctrine by him are deliuered frō the curse are made the childrē of god for euer He washeth vs with the gratious welsprings of his gifts teacheth vs in our harts that we may be taught of god know the father by the sonne in whō consist true blessings and euerlasting life You haue heard before out of the 61. of Esay that Christ was sent by the father to preach the gospel to the poore afflicted As he confesseth in Luke saying that he should preach the kingdome of God to other cities for therfore was he sent Wherfore Esay calleth him the light of the Gentils the gospel the light of the world because he illuminateth vs which sit in the depe darknes of folly ignorāce with true knowledge the holy ghost For naturally of our own strēgth we neither know god nor our selues The womā of Samaria saith in Ioh. I know well that Messias shal come which is called Christ when he is come he wil tel vs al things And therfore Moses calleth him a prophet because he should teach the worde of God vnto his people Christ also saith in Esay He hath made my mouth like a sharpe sword that is I wil execute my ministery by the word which shal be effectual pierce lyke a sharp sword And he saith to Pilate that for this cause he was borne and for this cause he came into this world that he should beare witnes vnto the truth And he addeth euery one that is of the truth heareth my voyce He wil speake peace vnto the heathen To be brief al
is to come hath made al thinges subiect vnder his feet hath appointed him ouer all thinges to be the head to the church which is hys body euen the fulnes of him that filleth al in al things Many mysteries of our faith are contained in this Psalm to wit Christes passion resurrection and dominion which he hath ouer al creatures both in heauen earth and what the fruite of Christes workes to wit of his passiō is For he was by his passion to deserue and giue vs infinite benefits that all which beleue the gospel might be deliuered frō Satans kingdom haue place with God in heauē and be ruled and saued by Christ for euer But yet here in this world by faith vnder the crosse but after this fraile and miserable life opēly in glory The kings of this world do get gouerne kepe establish their kingdomes by the sword force of armes ouercomming vanquishing their enemies but this king after a new strāge proper and cleane contrary maner beginneth gouerneth and fortifieth his kingdom to wit by suffering dying on the crosse For in that he was killed he killeth ouercommeth his enemies This passing and exceeding great submission and lowly humbling of himselfe euen to the death of the crosse doth preuayleth more then the force sufferings strength might of all creatures could haue done For it ouercame Satan it swalowed vp death obtayned worthy honor glory As Paul saith to the Phil. Christ humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto death euen the death of the crosse wherfore God hath also highly exalted him giuen him a name aboue euery name that at the name of Iesus shold euery knee bow both of things in heauen and thinges in earth and things vnder earth and that euery tong should confesse that Iesus Christ is the lord vnto the glory of god the father ¶ Anna. Seyng the scriptures set down so many mysteries of our faith briefly and in one place for now I heare in this 8. Psal. the passion resurrection ascension and kingdom of Christ all in one the selfe same place comprehended and fully touched I would haue you expound and teach the vse of the death and resurrection of Christ what his kingdome is briefly And thus in reciting the prophesies concerning these articles as they offer themselues you shal find an indifferent easy way so that you need not ouer labor and wery yourselfe as of late you haue done ☞ Vrb. The fruit and commoditie of this most precious death and glorious resurrection of Christ is the redemption of mankind from al euils and calamities and mans victory ouer death the deuil damnation So that now by Christes infinite and great merites by his deserts and not by ours we obtayne forgiuenes of our sinnes grace peace with God perfect holines the holy ghost with his giftes and that blessed adoption by which we are the children of god and he our father and that after this short life we looke for the resurrection of our flesh in which we shall receiue both in body and soule and immortal incorruptible inheritance an inheritance that shal not fade euen life euerlastyng and the eternall kingdom of Christ which was promised vs in the law and prophets But al this we receiue onely in Iesus Christ the seede of Abraham and Dauid according to the flesh who purchased and deserued all these things for vs This is daily preached to vs in the gospel and all mē are called vnto this grace none is excluded none refused The Euangelists and Apostles as the true expounders of the Prophets do worthely in all places of the new testament preach and declare out of the prophets this fruit of Christes passion Paul to the Rom. sayth Christ was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen agayne for our iustification And agayne in the same epistle God setteth out his loue toward vs seing that while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs Much more then being now iustified by his bloud we shall bee saued from wrath thorough him For if whē we were his enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne much more being reconciled we shal be saued by his life And to the Cor. he sayth Christ is made of God vnto vs wisdom and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption In these few wordes he openeth and declareth all those things which Moses and the prophets wrote before of the offerings sacrifices oblations which were offred for the peoples sinnes and offences These sacrifices oblations could reconcile none vnto GOD neyther clense any man from sinne but were onely figures of that most precious sacrifice the bloud of Christ It was he that should recōcile his father to vs and by his precious bloud clense vs from all our sinnes Paule to the Corrinthians sayeth Christ dyed for all that they which liue should not henceforth lyue vnto themselues but vnto him which died for them and rose agayn God made hym which knew no sinne to be sinne for vs that we might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him And to the Gallathians he sayth Christ Iesus our Lorde gaue himself for our sinnes that he might deliuer vs from this present euill world according to the will of God euen our father to whom be glory for euer and euer Amen And agayne Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law while he was made a curse for vs for it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on tree And to the Ephesians he sayeth By Christ we haue redemption thorough his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace And agayne he sayth But now in Christ Iesus ye which once were farre of are made nere by the bloud of Christ for he is our peace which reconciled both vnto god in one body by his crosse And agayne Christ hath loued vs and hath giuen himself for vs to be an offring and a sacrifice of a sweete smellyng sauour to God. And to the Collos he sayth God by Christ reconcileth al things to himselfe and setteth at peace through the bloud of his crosse both the thinges in heauen and the things in earth And agayne God raysed Christ from the dead and you which were dead in sinnes and in the vncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickened together with him forgiuing vs all our trespasses and putting out the hand writing of ordinaunces that was against vs which was contrary to vs he euen tooke it out of the way and fastened it vppon the crosse triumphing in himselfe ouer all principalities and powers in the same crosse And to the Thessal he sayth I would not brethren haue you ignorant concernyng them which are a sleepe that ye sorrow not euen as they which haue no hope For if we beleue that Iesus is dead and risen agayne euen so them which
our body here is a natural body and to the fustentation therof we must if we wil liue eate drinke slepe disgest purge And the same body is weried and in the ende corrupteth and fadeth And therfore as sone as that soule departeth frō the body the corps beginneth to smell putrify so that no man can abide the stinke therof This is the dishonor which for sinne is laid vpon the body But in the last day the lord wil trāsfigure our body into such brightnes make it so beautiful that it shal be like the sunne so shal alway abide continue a firm sound immortal body without bodily meat fed of god for euer And therfore saith Paul pointing as it were to his body with his finger this corruptible body wherin I now stād sit walke speake this same body I say must put on incorruption this mortal must put on immortalitie When this corruptible body hath put on incorruption this mortal hath put on immortalitie then shall bee brought to passe the saying that is written Death is swalowed vp into victory ¶ Anna. Now I haue heard the fruit of Christes passion resurrection which I take to be this That what Satan in Adam our nature by sin had corrupted destroyed the Christ by his death resurrection hath recouered restored to wit he hath destroyed sin ouercome death giuen life that we which beleue in Christ may be deliuered from our sins freed from the tiranny of deth the diuel be made heires of euerlasting life Now shew me what maner of kingdom Christs kingdom is which is so magnifically set forth promised vnto vs in the law prophets and euangelists ☞ Vrb. The kingdom of Christ which is promised in the prophets is a spirituall kingdom not of this world it is a kingdom of euerlasting blessednes mercy truth righteousnes peace life wisdom light ioy security liberty euerlasting saluatiō in which Christ the king of glory being taken vp into heauen exalted at the right hand of god doth by the gospel the holy ghost in fayth raigne inuisibly gouern defend al that beleue in him euen in the midst of their cruel deadly enemies to wit the world Satan heretikes persecuters of the church sin death Moreouer he is our intercessor in heauen to god the father he forgiueth vs our sinnes he sēdeth his holy spirit into our hartes he renueth repayreth our corrupted depraued decaied nature and he restoreth in vs the most beutiful image of god which through sinne was blotted out destroyed in vs To be briefe he sanctifieth vs defendeth vs preserueth vs in all dangers euils and so he in this life euen vnto the day of iudgement gathereth vp into his kingdom which is the true catholike church of the godly the children of God dispersed throughout the whole world He ouercōmeth in them sinne death the prince of this world by this means he prepareth maketh thē redy for that great glorious day of our full perfect redemption And although the godly die in the mortal body yet will he raise thē all again at the last day and they shall liue with Christ for euer But vntil the day both the euil and the good the godly the vngodly shal be mixt dwel together and the vngodly wil colourably seeke to beare a face and outward shew of godlines wil also be taken in place for godly nay they will be the chiefe in this earth and sit as magistrates vaunt themselues to be the heads of the church as Annas and Caiphas did in Christes tyme yea they wil root out curse and vehemētly persecute the true godly to the vttermost For in deede the true church is so hidden in this world the some times in great temptations it cannot for a space see it selfe ¶ Anna. What meaneth the miserable people the Anabaptists what madnes moueth them to seeke to cōgregate a church heare in this world which shold be pure vnspotted vndefiled and without all blot and where in they wil haue no sinner seing that euē the godly offend fal in many things the greatest part of those which are called christiās are mere hypocrits very wicked mē ☞ Vrb. These miserable mē vnderstand not the scriptures And therefore they know not what is the true church what maner of church it is or what the state of the true church is in this world Christ only is he which at the last day shal purge the chaffe that is the vngodly frō the good wheat which is the godly christians In the meane time that godly are compelled here to dwel liue among the vngodly And yet shall they not haue any discōmōditie or losse therby if they learne not at thē to liue be vngodly The godly may bear publik offices haue such politike functions as the ciuile magistrate doth ordain so long as they be not cōmaunded compelled to do that that is contrary to the commaundement of God and his holy word yea they both may with a safe conscience also ought as far as belōgeth to the body tēporal goods vse al humane publike ordināces and cōtracts which make for that maintenāce of this life society If so be they may be suffred to kepe retaine the true doctrine of the sauing gospel liue as it cōmādeth ¶ Anna. Seing you haue alredy described the kingdom of Christ I pray you discouer me the kingdō of Satan ☞ Vrb. Sathans kingdom is quite contrary vnto the kingdom of Christ it is a kingdom of euerlasting perdicion of lies of death of sinne of ignorance of blindnes of darkenes of heauines of affliction of sorrowe and of continuall captiuity and damnation And this kingdom of condemnation beginneth in this worlde and hath in it all the vngodly which will not beleue and obey the Gospell in whom the euill spirit worketh and is effectual And therupon is called in Iohn the prince of this world the god of this world This spirit blindeth the mynds of that vnbeleuers so that they see not the most cleare light of the gospel of the clearenes of Iesus Christ which is the image and caracter of God. ¶ Anna. How doth Sathan raigne in this world ☞ Vrb He is the strong man armed in his house of whō Luke speaketh who kepeth the wicked in his hande and hath thē in his power driueth thē whether he will at his pleasure Paul saith he bindeth thē holdeth thē in strōg lies errors darknes bewitcheth their harts and casteth thē hedlong into al wickednes filthines vncleannes and moueth and inflameth thē to all vngodlines Satan is alwais an enemy and an aduersary vnto true christians in all their godly enterprises procedings He stirreth vp fals teachers and draweth many into horrible heresies He alwais maketh
not slide Thine handes shall finde out all thine enemies and thy right hand shall finde out them that hate thee Thou shalt make them like a firy ouē in tyme of thine anger The lord shal destroy them in his wrath and the fire shall deuoure them Here agayne we see that Christ after he had humbled and debased himselfe should be exalted aboue all thinges as the true king of eternall blessednes and felicitie and that the enemies both of Christ and Christians should perish eternally Wherefore it is something strange that those two disciples were so offended at Christes suffring ¶ Anna. It is a strange thing in dede that they vnderstood not their owne prophets For seyng they were Iewes borne they should not haue bene ignoraunt of any of those thinges But peraduenture the carelesnesse and slouthfulnesse of the churchmen or priestes was the cause that the Iewes had so little knowledge of Messias and his kingdom I remember I haue heard you say that when Christ came into the sinagogue the Scribes and Pharises had layd aside the holy Scriptures and taught and vrged the doctrine and traditions of men What meruaile thē if the rude vnlearned people knew not the Scriptures seing they which boasted themselues to be the rulers of the church were blinded and vnderstood them not ☞ Vrban It is as you say for you see in Mathew how at that tyme those blynd guides set aside and despised the commaundements of God and preferred the doctrine and traditions of mē before the word of god Sathan hath alwais his false prophets among the children of God and he soweth spreadeth his errours in all places ¶ Anna. God the father kepe vs and destroy the deuises and assaults of that enemy But now go on and open the prophesies which be in the psalmes ☞ Vrb Dauid prophesieth in the 24. Psalme that Christ should be a most mighty and puissaunt prince in all the world And there he commaundeth that all worldly princes potentates should open the gates dores of glory vnto this most maiestical king and that they should on eche side go out of his way that he might haue a wide large way to walke in For he sayth he is the almighty God that most mighty puissant lord strōg in battail These are the prophets wordes Lift vp your heds you gates and be ye lift vp ye euerlasting doers and the king of glory shall come in Who is the king of glory The lord strong and mighty euen the Lord strong in battail Lift vp your heades ye gates and lift vp your selues ye euerlasting dores and the king of glory shal come in Who is the king of glory The Lord of hostes he is the king of glory Selah And againe he saith The lord doth remayne king for euer The lord shal giue strength vnto his people the lord shall blesse his people with peace This god shal rule for euer Iesus Christ and no other whose kingdom only shal remaine for euer Neither is his kingdō an earthly kingdome wherin Israel accordyng to the flesh raigneth in the lande of Canaan as the Iewes dreamed but it is an heauenly kingdome For Dauid sayth not here that the lord will giue his people cities fieldes grounds medowes vineyardes wealth riches but he sayth he wil giue them strength fortitude and power to wit the power of the holy ghost which is the spirite of strength and fortitude He sayth that he will blesse his children with peace and he blesseth them in deede with that true and eternall peace and enricheth and encreaseth them in all heauenly gifts The 72. Psalme also doth excellently prophesie of this heauenly kingdom of Christ shewyng what kind of kingdome it should be to wit a kingdom of righteousnes a kingdome in which should be perfect true holinesse without hypocrisie a kingdom of true peace wherin nothing is done contrary to law and equitie a kingdom wheras no man hath wrong but al things be wrought and done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by true iustice equalitie equitie and clemency a kingdom where all peace quietnes humanity and iust dealing florishe and a kingdom where the poore afflicted oppressed contemptible and wretched find present helpe comfort and consolation And further he sayth that this kingdom wherin true life dwelleth is so wyde that it extendeth it selfe not ouer Iuda onely but ouer the whole worlde For thus sayth Salomon Giue thy iudgementes to the King O GOD and thy righteousnesse to the kinges sonne Then shall he iudge thy people in righteousnesse and thy power with equitie The mountaynes and the hils shal bring peace to the people By iustice he shall iudge the poore of the people he shall saue the children of the needy and shall subdue the oppressour They shall feare thee as long as the sunne the Moone endureth from generation to generation Hee shall come downe like the rayne vpon the mowen grasse and as the showers that water the earth In his days shall the righteous florishe and aboundaunce of peace shal be so long as the Moone endureth His dominion shal be from sea to sea and from the ryuer vnto the endes of the lande They that dwell in the wildernesse shall kneele before him and hys enemies shal licke the dust The kings of Tharses and of the Iles shall bring presentes The kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring giftes yea all kinges shall worship him all nations shall serue him For he shall deliuer the poore when he cryeth the needy also and hym that hath no helper He shall bee mercifull to the poore and needy and shall preserue the soules of the poore he shall preserue and redeeme the soules from deceite and violence and deare shall their bloud be in his sight yea hee shal lyue and vnto him shal they giue of the gold of Sheba or Arabia they shal also pray for him continually daily blesse him His name shall be for euer His name shal endure as long as the sonne all nations shall blesse hym and be blessed in him It was nedefull that Christ should rise from death that this prophesie might be fulfilled that he might begin enlarge establish preserue this his most ample and wide kingdō for euer and euer And the holy ghost in the 45. Psalm also setteth forth Christ and his kingdom with wonderfull glorious wordes callyng Christ true god Which testimony Paule also citeth to the Hebrues saying O God thy throne is for euer and euer The scepter of thy kyngdome is a scepter of righteousnes thou hast loued righteousnes and hated iniquity Wherfore god euen thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy fellowes Read the whole Psalme for it doth excellently set forth Christ and his spirituall kingdome in which both sinne death and Sathan yea els whatsoeuer afflicteth and troubleth the godly are extinguished destroyed and ouercome in their places is giuen euerlasting lyfe Also in the 47.
Psalme the holy ghost very sweetly and comfortably setteth forth Christes ascension glorification and ample kingdome saying thus All people clap your handes sing loud vnto God with a ioyful voice for the lord is high and terrible a great king ouer all the earth God is gone vp with triumph euen the Lord with the soundes of the trumpet Sing prayses to God sing praises sing praises to our king sing praises For god is the king of all the earth Sing prayses euery one that hath vnderstāding God raigneth ouer the heathen God sitteth vpō his holy throne In this Psalme all nations are stirred vp to laud and prayse the Lord who in Christ raigneth now ouer all the world If then all these thinges ought to be accomplished through the whole earth it could not be that Christ should continue in death especially seing it was prophesied that Christ should deliuer the world out of the bandes of death himself be exalted placed in the highest type of honor glory The prophet Dauid also speaketh of the battail victory of Christ in the 68. psal telling how he ouercame death and Satan and by his mighty deuine power deliuered al thē from Satans tiranny which were his captiues ascended into heauen And this psal Paul citeth to the Ephes saying He ascended vp on high he led captiuity captiue S. Augustine here vnderstandeth by captiuity captiue euen death it selfe which held al the children of Adam as sinners in captiuity and mightily ruled ouer them yea euen ouer good christiās which lay bound and captiue vnder the yoke and captiuity of Satan but by Christs death and resurrection are deliuered and redemed Dauid saith The lord raigneth and is clothed with maiesty the lord is clothed and girded with power The world also shal be established that it cānot be moued Thy throne is established of old thou art from euerlasting the floudes haue lifted vp O lord the flouds haue lifted vp their voice the floods haue lifted vp their waues The waues of the sea are maruelous through the noise of many waters yet the lord on hie is more mighty Thy testimonies are very sure holines becommeth thy house O lord for euer Here God the holy ghost prophecieth of the kingdome of Christ to wit how Christ the king of all glory so wonderfully kepeth surely establisheth strōgly fortifieth his kingdom that it cannot fall and be ouerthrown although the sea of this world by violence and huge stormes inuade it set vpon it and seke cleane to subuert it The Iewes did all they could vpō good Friday quite to extinguish this king And now that he is risen again from the dead both Iewes Gentiles Turkes heretikes and false christians with the world and Satan al their power resist him and his kingdom They forge most impudēt and shameful lies against him they lay snares by subtleties to intrap him they fill all places with slaughter of him they assay euery way to hurt him and they doe the worst they can both by force and cunning agaynst him But though they try euery thing they shall preuayle nothing Al their deuises shal be frustrate al their trauaile shal not preuaile yea all their power shall not profite them for he died once and henceforth dieth no more Now he sitteth at the right hand of God aboue the heauens and is the euerlasting and eternall God himselfe whose throne is builded and standeth on so sure a foundation and ground worke that it cannot be moued or ouerthrown Yea the very gates of hell cannot preuail against the poore church in as much it only dependeth vpon this head Christ that glorious kyng of heauen that most sure and vnmouable rocke He which falleth on this stone shal be broken but on whomsoeuer it shall fall it will grind him to pouder Seing then the habitatiō of this king shal endure for euer it must nedes follow that he shal both liue for euer and also giue euerlasting lyfe vnto vs. Againe Dauid saith The lord raigneth let the people tremble he sitteth betwene the Cherubins let the earth be moued The Lord is great in Sion and he is high aboue all people They shall prayse thy great and fearefull name for it is holy and the kings power that loueth iudgement for thou hast prepared equitie thou hast executed iudgement and iustice in Iacob exalt the lord our God and fall downe before his footestoole for he is holy This king is Christ who ruleth the church which is the spirituall Sion thorough the whole world He hath placed his throne in a high place euen in the very heauens and all the earth is his footestoole and he ruleth for euer But Sathan and the world beyng set on euill cannot abide this And when they are not able to throwe downe Christ from the seat of his maiesty they fret and fume agaynst the godly and cruelly persecute them But for all that they cannot take away their saluation although they indeuour it neuer so much For where this king is there shall all those be also which beleue in him Therefore the vngodly cannot hurt the righteous so as may truely bee called hurting For when they kill them and take their lyues from them which to the world seemeth the greatest hurt that can be then do they most profite them For death is vnto them the gate and redy way to lyfe but the enemies of Christ and his church shal in the end be thrown vnder foote troden downe and be more vile and filthy then any rubbish dirt or dung And agayne Dauid sayth Thou wilt arise and haue mercy vpon Sion for the tyme to haue mercy theron for the appoynted tyme is come For thy seruantes delight in the stones therof and haue pity on the dust thereof Then the heathen shall feare the name of the Lord and all the kinges of the earth thy glory when the Lord shall builde vp Sion and shall appeare in his glory and shall turne vnto the prayer of the desolate and not despise their prayer This shall be written for the generation to come and the people which shal be created shall prayse the Lord for he hath looked downe from the height of his sanctuary out of the heauen did the lord behold the earth that he might heare the mourning of the prisoner and deliuer the children of death In this Psalme we see how earnestly the godly Christians which were before Christes natiuitie did in feruency of prayers looke for his kingdome wherin onely or els not sinnes are pardoned and death is vanquished These true Christians desire and praye that Zion that is the church may be builded euery where and the glory of Christ seene and propagated through all the world as did Dauid Samuel and the rest of the Prophetes who with spirituall eyes saw long before that Messias should first be debased but afterward exalted and glorified through the whole world Neither were they offended at
briefe they are true Israelites in whō there is no deceit or fraude because Christ their king blesseth and gouerneth them by his holy spirite and renueth regenerateth them maketh them which were bloud-thirsty and enuious very myld men and patient sufferers of all harmes that happen so that beyng hurt they hurt not agayne nay they wish well vnto their enemies they blesse them that curse them and doe good to them that hurt them Forasmuch then as appertayneth vnto themselues they neede no swords but only for the infidels and wicked which must be ruled restrayned by the sword and by force least that the godly and good liuers be oppressed hurt by them As Esay sayth of the kingdom of Christ They shall do no hurt neither do any iniury in my holy hill because the earth shal be filled with the knowledge of God euen as the sea with flowing waters And Micheas prophecieth of the peace which shall be in the kingdom of Christ saying But they shall sit euery man vnder his vine and vnder his fig tree and none shall make them afrayde And Hose sayth I will make a couenaunt for them in that day that is when Messias shall rule with the wild beastes and with the foules of the heauen and with that that creepeth vpon the earth and I will breake the bow and the sword and the battail out of the earth and will make thē to sleep safely And Zachary saith I will cut of the chariots from Ephraim and the horse from Ierusalem the bowe of the battail shall be broken and he shall speake peace vnto the heathen These things are not to be vnderstood corporally and grosly as the blinded Iewes and Chiliastes did dreame but spiritually of the heauenly peace in the spirituall kingdom of Christ If therfore the Gentiles through all the world according to this prophesie ought to run vnto the Lord into the church or christian religion and receiue the doctrine therof and be partakers of that true peace it was needefull that Christ should rise agayne that he might erect restore and establish that great kingdom which consisteth of the Iewes and Gentils For as yet the Gentils when he dyed knew not who he was Nay the very Iewes themselues could not abide this their king wherupon the prophet warneth euen the Iewes in the ende of his prophesie saying O house of Iacob come ye and let vs walke in the light of the lord that is in his gospell in the fayth of Christ And Esay comforteth the people of the Iewes prophesieng vnto them that although the Iewes should suffer a great destruction and haue a miserable fall yet many of the Israelites should escape all those euils obtaine that euerlasting ioy and incomparable comfort which God promised saying In that day shall the bud of the Lord be beautifull and glorious and the fruite of the earth shall be excellent and pleasaunt for them that are escaped of Israel Then he that shal be lost in Sion and he that shall remayne in Ierusalem shal be called holy and euery one shall be written among the liuyng in Ierusalem when the Lord shall wash the filthines of the daughter of Sion and purge the bloud of Ierusalem out of the midst therof by the spirit of burning In these wordes the prophet foretelleth how glorious and honorable this kingdome of Messias should be And he speaketh properly of the tymes of the new Testament wherein Christ adourned hys kyngdome his Church with beauty aboue measure and with all the giftes of the holy ghost For he washeth cleanseth and sanctifieth his daughter Sion that is the church with holy baptisme by his bloude Hee mortifieth the olde Adam by the spirite of iudgement and of fire And seeing that the churche her selfe must fight here in the fleshe against most wicked and vile enemies and seing that she is here on earth in great daunger Christ her almighty king doth promise her comfort defence ayde and helpe in all aduersities and calamities that she may bee safe vnder the protection of the most high For hee shall be a cloude for his church in the day tyme and a fire lightnyng it in the night as hee visibly deliuered his people out of the house of bondage as we read in Exodus where it is sayd And the Lord went before them by day in a piller of a cloude to leade them the way and by night in a piller of fire to geue them light that they might goe both by day and by night hee tooke not away the piller of the cloud by day nor the piller of fire by night frō before the people Note here that the prophet calleth our Lord Christ the budde or blossom of God and the fruit of the earth because Christ is the sonne of God naturally and also the true sonne of man to wit of the perpetuall and pure Virgin Mary of the tribe of Dauid He is called the fruite of the earth because he tooke his holy humanitie of the daughter of Adam which Adam was made of earth This prophesie the Iewes vnderstood both in Babilon and afterward also of Christ For Thargum Ionathan sayth At this tyme the Messias of the lord shal be our ioy and glory ¶ Anna. Cleophas and his companion by this prophesie might easily haue vnderstood that Israel should not quite perish because Christ died For if it was meet that he should bee the fruite of the earth that is to say naturall man what meruaile is it then if he died But in that he was the budde of the Lord it was not possible that he should abide in death For then should God himselfe haue remayned in death which thing is vnpossible Wherfore he was able both to raise vp and deliuer hymself and other from death Moreouer seyng that not all which were in Ierusalem and in Sion but the remnant only should be holy and numbred amongest the elect it must needes be that there were some wicked men in Ierusalem and so consequently enemies to Christ For holines and wickednes cannot agree What maruayle was it then that these prophayne and wicked bishops and princes deliuered Christ to death But yet for all that he was able to deliuer Israell yea death it selfe was the way and meane whereby God had determined to saue Israel as the Prophetes haue sayde and yet not by force armour and the sworde as the Iewes dreamed but euen by his holinesse as it seemed good vnto the Lorde But it appeareth in Luke that those good disciples as then neither knew nor vnderstood the person and ministery of Messias to wit that he both could and should by death destroy death ☞ Vrbanus You say well and therfore doth Christ call them fooles and slow of hart to beleue and vnderstand all thinges which the prophet spake of Messias But marke what Esay sayth of Christ First he giueth Christ this worthy warriours name calling him Maher
vs what Christ is and what he doth for vs and howe much he profiteth vs He geueth vs also vnderstāding that we may be able to iudge what a holy lyfe is and what is vngodly and wicked and what is consonant and agreing to true religion and what is repugnant therunto He also helpeth vs by hys good redy and holsome counsayle that the godly may know how they ought to behaue themselues vnder the cros and suffer al things patiently valiantly yea he ministreth consolation to the sorrowful and afflicted he geueth vs also strength in tribulation and affliction that we may haue stedfast hartes and that we may valiantly ouercome all euils and aduersities hee geueth vnto euery one knowledge wisdome that the godly man in the kingdome of God may know how to vse hym self towards euery man whether he be strong or weak in fayth He geueth vs also the feare of God which is the beginning of true wisedom And by that we see that our god raigneth and gouerneth his people far otherwise then earthly kinges do For earthly emperours cannot see the inward parts of the hart and in the innerchamber of the brest those things whiche lye hid within whereby it commeth oftentimes to pas that they iudge some man good and honest by the eye and eare whiche is a very wicked man in hart But Christ our king beyng one which searcheth all mēs harts iudgeth truly as the history of the gospell witnesseth in Mathew where he hath to do with the pharisies and in that and diuers other places seeth their secret thoughts regardeth not that their false visor and shew of godlines But reproueth that fals shew of holines fained integrity And according to their deserts calleth them hypocrites But what kind of subiects I pray you hath this king and who be his people Verely their title cognisance which Christ himself did also beare in the 9. of Zacharye is here vpon earth pouerty affliction and misery Here you see a spirituall kingdom if it had ben a worldly kingdom thē should not the king haue ben a poore miserable wretched king but a rich honorable pompous magnificent and cherefull king his subiects also should haue ben mighty honorable and flowing in delights and commodities in this world but in thys kingdome all things are spirituall yet shall they not always be poore miserable and afflicted it is but for a tyme that they shal be here thus crossed followe their maister Christ in suffering affliction For as a kyng after hys trouble and persecution becommeth great and ascendeth to the highest step of honour so shall all the godly after theyr crosses here at the last day become glorious as the children of God. But in the meane tyme as Saint Paul saith we must dye vnto the world we must be afflicted persecuted and contemned in the worlde for our true lyfe is hid with Christ in god When Iesus Christ which is our lyfe shall appeare euen then we also shall appeare wyth him in glory In the meane tyme our ould and crooked Adam must here be chastned and kept vnder by the crosse of affliction For the flesh and ould Adam shall not inherite the kingdome of Christ Contrarily there must be erected in vs true holynes that is fayth in Christ seeing that God euen for Christes sake pardoneth our sinns and by grace in Christ iustifieth vs and taketh vs for righteous Neither is the rod or scepter of this our king earthly but heauenly namely his holy and saluing worde and holy ghost and with this rod before the last iudgement he smiteth the earth that is our ould Adam which is from the earth earthly He rebuketh smiteth and punisheth our wickednes that we being accused by the word of Christ may hate and flye sin and turne to better lyfe and afterward lyue godly and vertuously all the dayes of their lyfe He doth by his word also hurle downe all earthly and erronious opinions by which men are seduced He smiteth consumeth and killeth as Paule sayth Antechrist With the spirite of his mouth For as Gods kingdome here is not of this world euenso also his armor is not worldly but spirituall to wit righteousnes fayth and truth For we fight agaynst the power of hell and sathanicall army by fayth in Christ which is our righteousnes by prayer proceeding of fayth which God heareth as he hath promised But where the prophet speaketh of wolues lambs that is a figuratiue and darke speach For the prophet regardeth not these brute beastes but he geueth vs to vnderstand that the church should be congregated of sundry sortes of men and that those which before had bene at deadly fead and enmity amongst themselues should by the gospell become so great frendes meeke and secure that they should not one meane harme to an other This is the fruit of the preaching of the gospell to wit the wyld rude and sauage Gentiles with the cruell and swelling Pharises and the mighty potentates of this world are by the gospell mollified tamed humbled conuerted and brought into the church of Christ It followeth in the same chapter of Esay And in that day the roote of Ishai which shal stand vp for a signe vnto the people the nations shal seke vnto it and his rest shal be glorious And in the same day shal the lord stretch out his hand agayne the second time to possesse the remnaunt of his people which shal be left of Ashur and of Egypt and of Pathros and of Ethiopia of Elam and of Chimer of Hamath of the Iles of the sea And he shall set vp a signe to the nations assemble the dispersed of Israel gather the scattred of Iuda from the 4. corners of the world c. Here the prophet foretelleth how ample and large the kingdom of Christ shal be he sheweth vs what shall be the state of the tyme of the new Testament to wit that although the roote of Eshay which is Iesus Christ the sonne of Dauid be despised and refused of his own people yet should he be so glorious so mighty and so famous a king that all the people throughout the whole world should worship honor him For he shold be set vp for a signe or banner vpon which all men in battail fasten set their eyes This is a most comfortable ensigne which maketh the hart ioyful constant and bold and it is a signe of victory This signe is our king Iesus Christ lifted vp exalted vpon the crosse by which crosse Sathan is ouercome and our soules deliuered And as the Iewes in the desert did run vnto the brasen serpent which Moses set vp when they were deadly wounded of the serpēts euen so Christ is set vp before vs and vnto vs that all men may flie to him and with faith loke vpon him and stedfastly behold him and so be healed of that
precious bloude of Christ Although many hurtfull beastes inuirone it and goe about by craft to burst into it and vtterly to destroy it yet shall it growe and be fruitfull because the lord him selfe keepeth it and is a watchman and keper thereof which keepeth it with all care and diligence And the new testament in Mathew speaketh of the church after the same sort Although this vineyard abide great tempests violent assaults and grieuous stormes yet is it not torne in pieces broken downe lesned or cutte shorter and made straighter but euery day becommeth more flourishing greater and greener For the church encreaseth and is dilated and spred into the foure quarters of the whole world The Apostles which were to spring of the seede of Iacob and Israel according to the flesh propagated and spread the Gospell abroade through all the world And the Lord by their planting and wateryng gaue such encrease that throughout the whole world there sprong vp of the Gentils spirituall Iacobites and Israelites which haue the fayth of their heauenly father Iacob and by their lyfe professe and witnes that they are endued with the fayth of the Patriarkes and are their children by fayth And thus the true Iacob or Israel that is the true church spreadeth it selfe through the whole world which before was onely in Iudea For many shall come from the East and West and shall sitte downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen And it was conuenient that the trumpe of the gospel should at the same tyme of grace be blown through the whole worlde that the grace of Christ myght appeare and be opened and offered to all men And that both the Iewes and Gentiles might be gathered out of the whole earth into one church and worship the lord Iesus Christ in hys holy hyll Ierusalem to wit the catholike church which is the hill of the Lord and the heauenly Ierusalem For the earthly Ierusalem hath now hys ende and lyeth wasted and destroyed and was but onely a type of the heauenly Ierusalem And now that the truth it selfe and the thyng figured is come and is present there needeth not any more figures In vayne therfore and frustrate is the expectation and hope of the Iewes which vnderstande these prophesies of the earthly Ierusalem which shal neuer be restored to his former state and dignity as Daniel prophesieth in his 9. chapter ¶ Anna. If this vineyard or catholike church that is christian religion should flourish thorough the whole world If also the Gentils should worship Christ and if they should become true Israelites and by the helpe and ayde of Christ flourish and waxe greene then surely was it conuenient that Christ should rise from the dead to plant and kepe the great and ample vineyarde and so saue and deliuer not only Israel according to the flesh but euen vs Gentiles which be the spirituall Israelites But these two disciples considered not this ☞ Vrb. If these prophesies be well and diligently waied and considered we may plainely see and gather out of euery one of them the resurrection of Christ true christians This is the true deliueraunce of Israel not only from the king of Assiria or Babilon but from that great and horrible tirant of hel Satan and euerlasting death Esay prophesieth in other places also of that gracious tyme of the new testament wherin Christ came and the holy ghost was sent into the Apostles by whō the chiefe and true quietnes and peace of consciēce was giuen in the kingdom of Christ And thus he prophesieth in the 32. The pallace shal be forsaken c. vntill the spirit be powred vpon vs from aboue and the wildernesse become a fruitfull field and the plenteous field bee counted as a forest And iudgement shall dwel in the desert iustice shal remaine in the fruitful fields And the worke of iustice shall be peace euen the worke of iustice and quietnes and assuraunce for euer And my people shall dwell in the tabernacle of peace and in sure dwellings and in safe resting places Esay had tolde the Iewes that both their city and kingdome should bee destroyed as it came to passe afterwarde by the Chaldes And so it ought to bee before the commyng of Messias who should ende all calamities and before the holy spirit of Christ should be poured vpon thē from heauen which was fulfilled in Ierusalem on Whitsonday whē Christ sent his spirit visibly vnto his Apostles Then at the last was the true Ierusalem builded by the Apostles on Christ the head corner stone Then the desert that is the remnant of the Iewes and Gentiles shall be as a field well tilled and they shall bring forth aboundance of fruite in the fayth of Christ And the fielde which before flourished to wit the Sinagoge shall be made a forrest and wildernes Then shall true righteousnes dwell in this kingdome of Christ to wit fayth in Christ which bringeth forth most pleasaunt and delectable fruites namely peace euen true peace in the lord peace of conscience with true and euerlasting security He calleth the church of Christ also the habitation of peace the tabernacle of trust or most sure habitation because we can fynde peace and safety from the tiranny of the wicked spirite from sinne and from death in no other place but onely in the churche of Christ For he which kepeth and defendeth the church is the Lord of hostes himselfe which hath ouercome Sathan and established Sion that is the churche on a strong and sure foundation and in all places strongly defendeth it from all euils that hang ouer it He onely deserued and made our reconciliation The church is his heauenly body the church is his temple the church is his kyngdome wherein he dwelleth And therefore there can bee no true peace at all any where but onely in the church in which we haue true peace with GOD thorough our mediator and reconciler Iesus Christ Without this dwelling place of God is very whote indignation wrath and wretchednesse For in hym which beleeueth not in Christ dwelleth the wrath of God therefore he must needes perish But the true peace and securitie which we haue here but in fayth by the holy ghost the earnest peny of our inheritaunce shall then in deede at the last in the lyfe to come haue his beginnyng when our last enemy death shal be vtterly abolished There is also in the 35. of Esay a comfortable prophesie of Christ and of the kingdome of hys church of the doctrine of his Gospell of the miracles and signes of Christ and of our true deliuerance through Christ and of the eternall ioy of faythfull Christians The wordes are these The deserte and the wildernesse shall reioyce and the waste grounde shall bee glad and flourish as the rose it shall flourish aboundantly and shall greatly reioyce also and ioy The glory of Libanus shall be geuen vnto it the beauty of
he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquityes the chastisment of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes are we healed all we lyke sheepe haue gone astray we haue turned euery one to his owne way and the Lord hath layd vpon him the iniquities of vs all He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet did he not opē his mouth he is brought as a sheepe to the slaughter and as a sheepe before her sherer is dumme so he openeth not his mouth he was taken out of prison and from iudgement And who shall declare his age for he was cut out of the land of the liuing for the transgressions of my people was he plagued and he made his graue with the wicked and with the rich in his death though he had done no wickednes neither was any deceit in his his mouth Yet the Lord would breake him and make him subiect to infirmities when he shall make his soule an offering for sinne he shall see his seede and shall prolong his dayes and the will of the Lord shall prosper in his handes He shall see of the trauaile of his soule and shal be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many for he shall beare their iniquities Therfore will I geue him a portion with the great and he shall deuide the spoil with the strong because he hath powred out his soul vnto death and he was counted with the transgressors and he bare the sinne of many and prayed for the trespassors ¶ Anna. Euery one may see if they waye thease wordes well that this prophecy speaketh of none but of Iesus of Nazareth so playnely and manifestly doth it set forth the passion of Christ not differing at al from the historye of the Euangelistes Vrb. You say true the Iewes see it but being bewitched of sathā they see not that which they do see now they seeke absurd and diuers and marueilous strange and coacted expositions and starting holes to creepe out at least they be forced to graūt that this text speaketh only of Christ and so be found giltye of manslaughter which they cōmitted in their Messias 1576. yeares agoe They complayne in deed and thinke that their sinnes are more heinous and greuous then the sinnes of their forefathers because they haue bene captiues now more then .1500 yeares For their fathers were but .70 yeares captiues in Babilon for committing Idolatrie But when they see that this their captiuity continueth now so long they can conceaue no comfort by the law and prophets neither haue they any certayne hope that euer their bondage shall end that they may returne agayne into the lande of Canaan as at other tymes they did when they were restored and delyuered out of captiuitye And thys doth Rabbye Sammuell himselfe confesse Yea they are so obstinate and so cleane without repentaunce that when they euē see and perceiue by the prophets that Iesus of Nazareth by all mens accounts is the true Messias yet they passe it ouer with silence and conceale it will speake nothing of it in the sinagogue before the youth simple people and so hold them stil in their blindnes error Koheleth of Prage in the disputations at Ausburge which Doctour Phillip Melanctō Doctour Brentius and I had with him wold gladly haue expounded this chapiter of those Iewes which at this day are disparsed afflicted and contemned in all the worlde but he brought in so ill fauored vaine folishe and vnsauery stuffe and reasoned so baldly that he shamed him selfe and blushed before vs all The Iewes before they fell into this blindenes and reprobate sence for killing of Christ that is before the natiuitye of Christ while as yet they had the prophetes vnderstode this text of Messias as appeareth by Ionathas his Thargum which beginneth to expoūd this chapiter thus Haizlach Abdi Meschiho that is behold my seruaunt Messias shal be made fortunate The old Hebrues also expounded this chapiter thus Messias shal be more exalted then Abraham and set aboue Moses and none shal be lyke him in greatnes and glory he shall excell all the angells of god in honour and dignitye Anna. This is a horible blindnes of the Iewes of our time that reding these things in their bokes they will not se the truth For as S. Paul saith euē vnto this day the vale of Moyses couereth their hartes that euen when they reade of Messias yet they vnderstand not what they reade But when they shal be conuerted vnto the Lord then the vale shal be taken away and as soone as they shall beleue the gospel they shall plainely vnderstād all the prophesies cōcerning Christ so that they may very easily knowe them although now they vnderstand no title therof is not this a darke and deepe blindenes that they dreame Messias should in this earth haue an earthly corporall kingdome but that he should purge all mens sinnes and deliuer all mankind from death Of this they are vtterly ignoraunt and of this they cannot abide to heare because they vnderstand noe prophesies but euery day are more more wrapped in blindnes vntill it shall please God to take mercy vpō thē A yet no blindnes seemeth to me more grosse then the blindnes of that euill and doting man Rabbi in hannapher who in the Sinagoge euē before your face did not let to say that he neuer sought nor looked for forgiuenes of his sinnes or righteousnes by Messias O horrible execrable and lamentable blindenes Vrba Yt was my hap to heare the same filthy and abhominable error of the Iewes at Brūsuige in their Sinagog Paule to the Thes pronounceth a very heauye and fearefull saying and sentence agaynst them to wit that the wrath of God is come on them to the vtmost verily they neither know nor vnderstand the person or ministerye of Christ But let vs leaue these blinded bussardes and come agayne to the wordes of the prophet It is sufficient for vs which beleue in Christ that the Euangelists and Apostles do euery where playnely and vndoubtedly expounde this 53 chapter of Esai to be mēt of Iesus Christ as appeareth in Math. 8. Mar. 15. Lu. 22 Ioh. 12. Acts. 8. Rom. 10.4 and 15.1 Peter 2. But first we must note that this Chap. almost in euery verse witnesseth that the kingdome of christ is not of this world but heauēly because he neither hath nor braggeth of any of this worldly beuty glorye or magnificensy nay he which is the king head of this kingdome is mocked scoffed scorned contemned killed of this world and therfore it was a great blind ignoraunce and doltishnes that sum euen of the beleuing Iewes did dreame that he should erect and restore agayne the earthly kingdome of Israell or that he should be an earthly or worldly king of the Iewes in the land of Canaan and deliuer them from the tyranny of the Gentiles He came for greater yea I say for far greater
The prophet also confirmeth that cōfortable promise of Christ signifying that although to the carnall eye the Church seemeth very small and litle and as though God had forsaken it and that it were as a forlorn perished thing yet it should be great For god shal be her spouse Feare not for thou shalt not be ashamed neither shalt thou be cōfoūded for thou shalt not be put to shame yea thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth and shalt not remember the reproch of thy widdowhead any more for he that made thee is thine husband whose name is the Lord of hostes and thy redeemer the holy one of Israell shall be called the God of the whole world this is a spirituall mariage and we may haue great comfort in it S. Paule doth famously paint out and amplify this comfort in the epistle to the Ephesians And he calleth it a great mistery that God him selfe would in mans nature bespouse vs to him selfe and ioyne vs with him in the bond of mariage wherby now we learne that whatsoeuer is Gods is ours and what is ours the same doth God take away and lay them all vpon him selfe as they were his owne We haue sinnes and death with the euerlasting curse and damnatiō Christ hath righteousnes lyfe and saluation So then those euill hurtfull deadly thinges of ours doth he ouercome destroy and take from vs in stead thereof he freely geueth vs all these other good treasures of his Is not this I pray you an amiable and sweete mariage So then as an honest wife doth promise her selfe all happines of her husbands head whome she hath euer found faythfull and loyall and as of the other side the good husband entirely loueth cherisheth and delighteth in such a wife so standeth the case betweene God and vs. We may therfore be of good courage and reioyce alwayes in the Lord and not be dismaide in any extremitye either when sinne troubleth our consciences or when death terrifieth vs For we shall not be confounded we shall not be ashamed For he that defendeth vs both can and will redeeme vs from all euils And note in this place that he sayth our redeemer to wit Christe shall be called the God of the whole world or God in all the earth Heare we see the diuinitie of Christ and that men should acknowledge and worship Christ through the whole world as true and onely God. And note this also that the Church looketh lyke a forsaken and mourning woman whereupon we gather that her exceeding great ioy is here in hope but after this life her glory shall be made manifest If then she must be sorowful heare in the earth Christes kingdome is not a corporall or earthly kingdome for he sayth But for all this the Lord hath called thee being as a woman forsaken afflicted in spirit as a yong wife when thou wast refused sayth thy God. But for all this there is no daūger she shall not be vtterly forsakē The world counteth the church a forsaken and miserable people but God sayth in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a litle seasō but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassiō on thee sayth the Lord thy redeemer Note how frendly and fayre the Lord speaketh to the Church comforting her and promising that her crosse and sorrow should not continue alwayes but her ioy and fame shall neuer haue end And so doth Paule comfort vs to the Romaines and Corinthians Esay addeth also a similitude wherin he sayth that God would shew his mercy vpon vs and how he would doe it As he promised grace vnto Noe saying that he would neuer after drowne the world with water and he gaue him the rainebow for a signe So also will he firmely constantly performe to vs his promised grace these be the prophets wordes For it is vnto me as the waters of Noe for as I haue sworn that the waters of Noe should no more goe ouer the earth so haue I sworne that I would not be angry with thee nor rebuke thee for the mountaines shall remoue and the hills shall fall downe but my mercy shall not depart from thee neither shall the couenaunt of my peace fall away sayth the Lord that hath compassion on thee Which is thus much to say Although thy aduersaries be strong yet shall they not be able to hurt or destroy thee They shall feare fall and vanish away but my grace and health shall not be remoued but remain for euer For I haue made a couenaunt of grace with thee O this is a comfortable worde that the Lord saith he will not be our Iudge but our mercifull Father And yet the afflictions of the church shall not onely be short but they shall serue to this end to increase and multiply the faythful The more the church is afflicted the more fruitfully it increaseth For the Lord doth with it as the quarriers or rough masons doe with the rough stones of bricke which they chop and hewe with their mallet now on this side thē of that striking of the knobbs that they may make them square and fit for the building so doth the crosse hew and cut the old man with his lusts and concupiscence and this is the cause that god suffereth his Church to be afflicted crossed persecuted to make it by crossing it a goodly fayre kingdome all of precious stones to wit Christians which are taught of God. For the Christian mans art and science is the gospell which reason hath not found nay it cannot conceaue it For the Gospel is not naturally ingrafted in our reason it is not borne with vs as the lawe is but the holy ghost by whome it is sent from heauen vnto the earth must teach vs by the preaching or ministery of the word In this kingdome shall be true peace with God through fayth in Christ that the Church in all kindes of afflictions may haue wherein to comforte her selfe and to pacify her conscience seeing God him selfe is her forgeuer And true godly workes of righteousnes in deede follow this peace as the wordes following doe import O thou afflicted tossed with tempests that hast no comfort behold I will lay thy stones with the carbunckle and lay thy foundations with Safires I will make thy windows of Emerauds and thy gates shining stones and all thy borders of pleasaūt stones and all thy Childrē shall be tought of the Lord and much peace shall be to thy Children In righteousnes shalt thou be established and be far from oppression For thou shalt not feare it and from feare for it shall not come neare thee Behold the enemy shall gather him selfe but without me whosoeuer shal gather him selfe in thee agaynst thee shall fall All these thinges are spiritually wrought in the harts and consciences of the godly and shall at last be fulfilled in the day of redemption The Iewes looke for a Ierusalem that should be builded
the blinded Iewes and foolish Cheliasts the prophet saith in the words following that this corporall and visible sun shal not make the gates and walles of this Citie visibly to be seen with bodely eyes in the brightnes and light of the sonne There must be a much cleerer light for the beholding of this Citie God himselfe shal shine in this citie as the visible sun and shall lighten our harts with the gospel And by this light may we see all those great things and excellent benefits which God hath promysed to his church Hereby also know we that the catholick church and the kingdome of Christ is not a visible kingdome For these worldly kingdomes dominions or politik powers may be beholden in all their regal pomp with corporall eyes But the church and the beuty thereof cannot be seene but with spirituall eyes for an other kind of sun must shine in it then doth in this world But now mark what excellent and comfortable promyses we haue in Christ The sun of Christes kingdome shal not goe down This visible sun on the day time hauing runne his course doth euery day goe down and bydes himself til the next morning But our sun and our moone tary with vs for euer For Christ the sun of righteousnes ryseth and shineth to vs by his gospel and shall neuer goe down from his elected For though neuer so great a cloud of temtation darken this sun yet shall it not vtterly goe from vs but at the last day of redemption it shal apeare and shine vnto vs most cleere where neither cloud of affliction ignorance or incredulity can couer hinder or blemish his brightnes Then at the last shall be seen the fulfulling of the great promises of the peace helth and ioy of the church Whē Christ our euerlasting light shal be made many fest then shall we see him face to face then shall our afflictions end and then shall the day of eternall glory appeare to the children of God. Note also here that in the church or kingdome of Christ there shall be none but iust men Here in the world godly vngodly dwel and are mixt together but in the true church the congregation of Christians in the spirit is such that there is not one vngodly person For in the last day the vngodly faithles shall be euen corporally seperated for euer from the godly The fantasticall and mad rable of Anabaptists suppose that they can gather together all the godly into some one erthly city and that they should so corporally fulfil this promise But their conate shall be frustrate they shall labour in vaine it cannot be so in this earth while this life lasteth At the last day the Tares shall be seperated from the Wheate But here in this church the vngodly as theeues and robbers in a kingdome which abuse all Creatures and with violence and iniurye possesse and cease all things into their hands are mixed with the godly vntil the last day But the godly shall raign with Christ in heauen and earth God shall excellently and brauely burnish the earth and visible creature and shall geue it a new shape and marueilously beutefy it that the childrē of God may inioy it And thus shall the godly inherite and posses a new heauen and a new earth in which righteousnes shal dwell as Peter saith But how shall they come to so great a glory And why shal they haue it Euen therfore shal they haue it as Esay sayth because they are the bud or bowes or young plant which the lord himself hath planted with his own hand because he hath renued in vs the Image of God by his word and his spirite and hath made vs new men and a new creature in Christ In the end of this chap. Esay promyseth it shall come to passe that though the church be small and rare yet shall it so increase that an innumerable and infinite number of people shall receaue the faith of Christ And least when we see the true godly persecuted and slayn on heapes and the world swarme with a great multitude of vngodly and worldlings and the church in comparyson of the world but litle and straight wee should something doubt how this should come to pas In his conclusion he saith that it is not mannes deed thus gloryously to exalt the kingdome of Christ but God himself shal doe it in his due time For to see the gospel taught men beleue such hidden misteries beleeuers of Gods promyses to relinquish and contemne this world and valyantly by death to confes Christ passeth al mannes reson wisdome and worldly power These must nedes be the works of the mighty God which by his power and spirit doth work them preserue them and increase them in vs. Agayn you may gather out of this prophecy that the kingdome of Christ is spirituall and eternall and that it behoued him to rise again from death if he shold be the sonne and euerlasting light of the godly that we also shal rise again that we may in the life to come receue and for euer enioy al these great promises made in the prophets Whosoeuer beleeueth this sorroweth not as did Cleophas his cōpanion For he knoweth that Christ shal come to delyuer Israel and aduaunce it to glory But this glory is not seen in this frail life it is here but in hope but after this life we shall see and haue it in eternall and perfect possession Now shall you heare what Esay prophesyeth of the church of vs christians and of Christ the Sauyour of the church how that he shall come in Syon and iustify the gentils How euen the very gentils shall receiue Messias how he shal geue this church faithful bishops and pastors and how he shall gloriously beutefy it and diligently cōserue it as his only beloued spouse Wherby all men may plainly see that though the church be here crossed to the end it may be made like her Lord king yet is she not forsaken of God. And thus he sayth in the 62. chapiter For Sions sake I will not hold my tongue and for Hierusalems sake I will not rest vntill the righteousnes thereof breake forth as the light and the saluation therof as a burning lampe And the gentiles shall see thy righteousnes and all kinges thy glory and thou shalt be cald by a new name which the mouth of the Lord shall name Thou shalt also be a croun of glory in the hand of the Lord and a roiall diadē in the hand of thy god It shall no more be sayd vnto thee forsaken neither shall it be sayd any more to thy land desolat But thou shalt be called Hephzibah That is to say my delight in her and thy land Beulah That is to say inhabited For the Lord delighteth in thee and thy land shall haue a husband For as a young man marieth a virgine so shall thy sons mary thee and as a bridgrome is
which are the elect in Christ the children of promise the children of the new testament without respect For here the carnall natiuitie ganealogie kindred or seed and ofspring of Abraham Isaac and Iacob is not regarded at all but the spiritual natiuitie and inward circūcision of the hart Of such Iewes and true Israelites Iohn Baptist speaketh in Luke saying Say not with your selues we haue Abraham to our father for God is able of these stones to rayse vp childrē vnto Abraham And Paul to the Romanes saith wel and bouldly All they are not Israelites which are of Israell neither are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham but in Isaac shall the seede be called saith the Lord. That is they which are the children of the flesh are not the children of God but the children of the promise accounted for the seed Do you not heare see that God at the first chose his ministers and children out of Iudaisme when the gentils were without Christ and were alienate from the common wealth of Israell and were strangers from the couenants of promise and had no hope and were without God in the world But God alwayes reueiled in the prophets the mistery of our communion in Christ to wit how the Gentiles also should be coheires with Israell of the heauenly kingdome to come and be partakers of one body and promise in Christ Iesus But marke I pray you wherefore the scripture setteth forth the chief patriarchs as Abraham and Iacob so gloriously It doth not commend and set forth vnto vs Abraham only born of flesh and bloud but Abraham beleeuing in Christ Iesus regenerated by faith and born a new and made a new man as Paul plainly teacheth saying They which are of faith the same are children of Abraham For the Scripture foreseeing that God by faith would iustifie the Gentils preached before the gospel vnto Abraham saying In thee shall all the gentils be blessed So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham who is the father vnto all them which beleeue in Christ whether they be Iewes or Gentils And in lyke sort doth the scripture set forth vnto vs Iacob not simple Iacob but that Iacob which wrastled with the Lord and ouercommed by fayth in Christ and thereupon obtained he the glorious name to be called Israell that is a man of great might with God who by the Christian fayth in God is with God and through god the Lord of all thinges And these are the patriarkes vnto whom as vnto good Christifidelians the spirituall promises were made and not for their corporall circumsition or for the law for the law of Moyses was geuen long after that promise Note here what the true Israell is what is the true Iuda and who be the right children of the patriarkes and then the promises that were made vnto Israell shall be more plain and easy to be vnderstood and you shall better perceaue who they are which shall enioye the kingdome of heauen For Esay sayth For though thy people O Israell be as the sand of the Sea yet shall the remnant of them returne Here you see that the promises are not vnderstode of all the Iewes or Israelites in Israell according to the flesh but that a certain onely in the house of Iacob shall be deliuered by Messias from death to wit those which haue beleued the promises which Abraham Iacob did beleue so are become the true children of Abraham and Israell through fayth But least any for this great defect and incredulitye of the most part in Iudaisme should thinke that the eternall couenaunt of grace made with Israell is broken the prophets do wonderfully agaynst this doubt cōfort the people And they looke as Hosye doth here with spirituall eyes into this great wide world the spirituall Ierusalem which consisteth of the Iewes and gentiles for by and by after those wordes that I recited he sayth Yet the number of the Children of Israell shall be as the sand of the Sea which can not be measured nor tould and in the place where it was sayd vnto thē you are not my people it shall be sayd vnto them ye are the sonnes of the liuing god then shall the children of Iuda and the children of Israell be gathered together and appoint them selues one head Thou must vnderstand the prophet thus God in deed made a couenant with Abraham his seed wherin he promiseth that he will be their god and multiply them as the sād of the sea and not reiect them And he did well and magnifically performe this in the beginning amongest the Iewes whom the Lord by wōderfull miracles multiplied and preserued neuer vtterly leauing them vntill Iesus Christ the true seed of Abraham came into this earth in whome all nations were blessed For when Christ came and was preached by the gospel through the hole world then was the couenant of Gods grace which he had made with Abraham and his seede first published and it began truly to be fulfilled when an innumerable multitude of Abrams children not onely of the Iewes but euen of the Gentiles through out all the world sprong vp by the gospell by which Abraham also himselfe was made the child of God. This therefore is the prophets meaning Although the Lord cast of the outward Israell neuer minding to bring him agayne into the land of Canaan yet neuerthelesse the great worthy promises of the Lord made vnto Israell shall be fulfilled and the children of Israell shall neuer the later be in number as the sand of the sea and Messias shall build and erect a great famous and princely kingdome but this shall so be performed that he will not raise vp children to Abraham of the Iewes onely but euen of the Gentiles through out the whole world and they shall be the true children of Abraham and Israell which through fayth receaue that blessed seede of Abraham Iesus Christ the true and euerlasting king of Israell This is the notable and worthy multiplying of Abrahams seede and the children of Israell which thing is wrought by the gospell in fayth through the whole world and shall be in working till the last day vntill all be come into the kingdome of Christ which shall come and are elected thereunto This also is to be marked that the kingdome of Israell before the natiuitye of Christ was deuided and 2. tribes onely Iuda and Beniamin taryed with the house of Dauid the other tribes chose for thēselues a king and the greatest part of thē became Idolaters but it shall not be so sayth Hoseas in the dayes of Iesus Christ the true king of Israell For Iuda Israell that is the children of promise shall be gathered together in one fayth and spirite both out of all these tribes and out of all nations vnder the true king Iesus Christ And there shall dayly more and more christians spring out of all nations for the kingdome of
worthy sentence of the gospell of Christ as a forceable and waighty testimony of the righteousnes of fayth saying that it is not any otherwise to be gotten retained but by fayth And therfore Christ reproueth Cleophas and his cōpanyon for that they beleued not the prophets speaking of Messias and so became pensiue and doutfull In lyke manner doth Abacuk also He bouldly and vehemētly threatneth the Iewes captiuitie yet neuerthelesse he sayth that the comming of the promised Messias should not thereby be hindered at all but he should in deede deliuer them according vnto the prophets And he sayth that they which will be partakers of this deliuerance must lay sure hould by fayth vpon the holy promises of Christ of his passion of his resurrection of his ascention But they which wil not beleue shal not be partakers of Christes merites but remaine captiues in their sinnes and dye for euer ☞ Anna. What and when did Zephane prophecy of Christ and his kingdome ¶ Vrba He prophecied in the 19. yeare of that vertuous prince Iosias king of Iuda and he sayth thus in his 3. chapiter Therefore waight ye vpon me sayth the Lord vntill the day that I rise vp to the pray For I am determined to gather the natiōs and I wil assemble the kingdomes to poure vpon them my indignation euen all my fearce wrath for all the earth shall be deuoured with the fire of my ielosy Suerly then will I turne to the people pure language that they may all call vpon the name of the Lord to serue him with one consent from beyond the riuers of Ethiopia the daughter of my disparsed praying vnto me shal bring me an offring In that day shalt not thou be ashamed for all thy workes wherein thou hast transgressed against me For then I will take away out of the middest of thee them that reioyce of thy pride and thou shalt no more be proud of mine holy mountaine Then I will leaue in the middest of thee an humble and poore people and they shall trust in the name of the lord The remnant of Israell shall do no iniquitie nor speake lyes neither shall a deceitfull tongue be found in their mouth For they shall be fed and ly downe and none shall make them affrayd Reioyce O daughter Sion be ye ioyfull O Israell be glad and reioyce withall thine hart O daughter Ierusalem The Lord hath taken away thy iudgementes he hath cast out their enimies the king of Israell euen the Lord is in the middest of thee thou shalt see no more euill In that day shall be sayd to Ierusalem feare thou not O Sion let not thine handes be faint The Lord thy God in the middest of thee is mighty he will saue he will reioyce ouer thee with ioye he wil quiet him selfe in his loue he wil reioyce ouer thee with ioy After a certayne time will I gather the afflicted that were of thee and them that bare the reproch for it Behold at that time I will bruse all that afflict thee and I will saue her that halteth and gather her that was cast out and I will get them prayse and fame in all the landes of their shame At that time will I bring you agayne and then will I gather you for I will geue you a name and a prayse among all people of the earth whē I turn back your captiuitie before your eyes sayth the Lord. Zephany prophecieth vnto the people what punishment should come vpō them for their sin as Ierusalē and Iuda should be destroyed and the people be lead captiues out of their countrye But seeing the prophets were the ministers of Iesus Christ sent for the true Israels sake their manner is alway after threatning and denuntiations to the people of their deserued punishment to comfort the elect by sweet and plentifull promises of their true deliuerer Christ and of his kingdom to the end the godly should not dispayre in their captiuity as though the Lord would for euer be angry and reuoke hys worde of the promised helpe in Messias Seing I say the chief end of the prophets be the promises of Christ which are the true very Gospell it self they alwayes preach Christ And so doth Zachary here in the end cōfort the Iewes least in the captiuitie of Babilon they should faint and doubt of Gods worde And he prophecieth that the Lord will gather them together againe in a mightie hand and that he will send Christ and spread his kingdome through the whole world and exalt his people vnto the highest stage of honor This is the meaning of this prophesye Ye must needes be captiues whether ye will or no but ye must not therefore dispaire waight onely for the Lordes leasure For when time shall be I will not faile you but helpe you I will rise vp and declare my power to the whole world sayth the Lord. First of all he stirred vp the king of Babilon to seaze vpon the countrey and miserably to destroy all thinges that were in it But the Babilonian king was well fauordly and deuly punished plunged and destroyed againe himselfe of the Meades and Persians Thus the Iewes the people of god were spread all abroad throughout the whole world by those wordes the great prayse honor glory of gods name was better knowē to all men so that euery one might euen with his handes feele and much rather know the God of the Hebrewes to be the true and onely God euen vntill the time of grace it selfe came when the father by his son Iesus Christ was euery where truely knowen and glorified in his Gospell This pure language or those pleasant and sweete lips be the preachers of the Gospell which preach vnto vs mere grace in Christ and offer vs and geue vs true deliueraunce in Messias For by these the fayth of Christ entereth into mens hartes that they maye receaue the holy ghost so together with one hart publickly and openly praye vnto Christ and confesse him to be their onely Sauiour and deliuerer For they all haue one doctrine one spirite one fayth and one hope and they beleue in their hartes that God hath raised Christ from death and they cōfesse with their mouthes that God hath made this Iesus Lord of all thinges and annoynted him to be his Christ and by this fayth are they saued and Iustified He prophecieth also of the greatnes and widenes of Christ his kingdome and he speaketh of that mighty kingdome of Ethiopia lying beyond that great and famous floud Nilus to wit that it also shal be brought to the fayth of Christ and shall haue true worshippers who shall call vpō God through Christ their only mediator and shall by the Gospell be brought as a presēt to our God into Sion his holy temple as we read in the Actes of the Ethiopian chamberlin of the Queene of Cande who came to Ierusalē to worship the true god
will reioyce ouer thee in great gladnes that is he will poure forth all his faythfulnes vpon thee and his fatherly good will towards thee that at the last the world may be compelled to see and palpably feele but especially the children of God shall know that the Lord loueth thee aboundantly as Paul writeth to Titus And he promiseth Christian liberty because he will take away these toyes to wit the lyfe and tradition of men we knowe the pharasies taught the law naughtely and went a horing with the doctrine of men teaching that men should do the workes of the law to the end that they should be iustified and haue remission of sinnes by the workes of the law and not by the mere grace of God and Christ alone And he promiseth the Church such a helpe as by which her enemies should be destroyed but she continew still Wherfore though hereticks lye and deceaue neuer so much though tyrantes murder and kill neuer so many though false Christians berwaye and betray all they can and though Sathan rage and rore neuer so much Yet in the end shall the Church the kingdome of Christ ouercome and the enemies of christ yea death the last enemy of Christ Christians shall be destroyed The Church as Sophony sayth hath a mighty Sauiour which can mightely saue and deliuer her And as Math. sayth a rock whereon it is builded against which euen the gates of hell can not preuaile And although gods children are a miserable afflicted and calamitous poore people though they be crippells and outcasts and though they be outwardly in body persecuted inwardly in the soule shakē and tormented with the terrors of death and with feare of damnation yet will Messias helpe them and ayde them and bring them to honor and gather them into his kingdome as Luke sayth in the 11. chapiter where Christ calleth the halt and lame to his supper Is it not a marueilous great honor and glory that he pronounceth of the Iewes that saluation shall come of them and of the Church that it is the Citie of God which the Lord himselfe hath foūded and builded and that there is no other true ioye peace safety righteousnes fortitude riches honor lyfe or saluation but onely that which is in the catholicke Church in the time of grace and Messias I will bring you that is I will by the Gospell call you on all sides from amōgest the wicked vnto Christes kingdome and I will gather the disparsed children of the Lord and I will exault them to honor when I shall haue turned away their captiuitie Man speaketh not these thinges but God himselfe whose will or purpose no man can let or hinder He sayth that he will gather his seruaunts into the kingdome of Christ and therein make them honorable in deede For as it is the vildest shame and greatest ignominy that can be to be a sinner and bondslaue of Sathan so on the other side it is the greatest glory laud and honor that can be to be deliuered from sin and Sathan and to be made the childe of God by the gospell To conclude in that we be made by grace children by adoption so that now we may lyue and raigne with Christ for euer who can either speake or thinke of this glorious glory gloriously enough ¶ Anna. Hath Aggeus any promises of Christ ☞ Vrba Yea forsooth For he prophecied after the captiuitie of Babilon and he moueth the people earnestly to build vp the temple agayine that the worship of God might be restored For this second temple should become very honorable because the true God of Israell himselfe should personally come into it as Mallachy prophecieth And afterward he promiseth Christ and sayth that the time of his comming draweth nye his wordes be these Thus sayth the Lord of hostes yet a little while and I will shake the heauē and the earth and the sea and the dry land and I will moue all nations and the desire of all nations shall come and I will fill this house with glory sayth the Lord of hostes The glory of this last house shall be greater then the first sayth the Lord of hostes and in this place will I geue peace sayth the Lord of hostes This prophecy forespeaketh of the former comming of Messias into the world how he should come to Ierusalem into the temple and how there should be a great change both in heauen and earth For the Lord hath sent the Angell of the great counsell euen his son in the flesh that by Christ he might summarily restore all thinges in heauen and earth wherefore it was of necessitie to follow that Iudaisme should be abrogated and that the Iewes should reuolt and that the gētiles should be made the people of God and that great wōders should be don at which euen the Angels should maruell for euer And he sayth that Christ is the hope of all nations For all men are borne sinners and sinn dayly but he which sinneth doth the worke of the deuill and is the seruaunt of Sathan and child of death From the which kingdome of sin death and damnation no man can otherwise be deliuered but by Messias who onely was sent of God to take away the workes of the deuill and destroy the kingdome of Sathan to wit sin and death and to geue vs true life And therefore he is the hope of the whole world neither is there any comfort helpe forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes peace safety ioy lyfe or health any where els to be found but onely in Christ Therefore all the elect euen from the beginning haue very carefully and earnestly desired Christ because no man either could or ought to helpe the wretched world or deliuer it from euerlasting misery and calamity and bring it to euerlasting ioy but only Iesus Christ Whē Christ in the last week of Daniel came into this world then came our true preacher our onely reconciler and mediator who made and confirmed the euerlasting couenāt of peace betwen God and vs And the prophet repeateth this word the Lord of Zebooth 5. times that the faint harted Iewes ready to fall to desperation should in no wise be discouraged but finish the worke which they had begun and stedfastly waight for the comming of Messias seeing the almighty God who is the truth it selfe had so often and so earnestly made promise of him And so we haue Christ the comfort of all nations of all sinners the true peace of the whole world and that in the temple that is in the Churche of Christ who him selfe is our peace as Paule sayth And seeing Christ is the comfort of all nations it followeth that both they ought to beleue trust in him and that his kingdome also should be among all nations both Iewes gentiles through the whole world And therefore shal they hope to haue also surely receaue of him forgeuenes of their sinnes righteousnes reconciliation
with God true peace securitye euerlasting ioy true life and eternall saluatiō For if the sin of the Gentiles should not be taken away then in deede should neither death nor Sathans tyranny and kingdome be taken away neither could they haue any cōfort or hope But seing that Christ is their hope and comfort and that no vaine comfort for God himselfe speaketh it then surely must all heuines calamities and misery be taken away from the gentiles also which is nothing els but sin euill conscience death and euerlasting damnation And therfore must they also of necessitie rise from death and liue for euer with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen You see by the Epistle of S. Peter that the prophets haue respect vnto the health of the soules and therfore their whole indeuor is to preach true comfort seing the prophecie of Christ who brought vs from sin to righteousnes and innocencye and from death to life euerlasting as we finde he doth in deed Moreouer he hath deserued for vs the comforter the holy Ghost by whome he helpeth and comforteth vs vnder the crosse vntill we be called out of this fraile and miserable life and receaue the promised crowne of glory which in deede we posses in this earth though it be but yet in fayth and hope ¶ Anna. You alwayes haue sayd that Zachary is a prophet full of notable comforts Let vs therfore here what comfort he geueth vs by his promises ☞ Vrba He is in deede a comfortable prophet and the dayes wherein he liued required the same For he prophecied when the Iewes were euen at the point of returning out of the captiuitie of Babilon and when the Citie with the temple should be builded agayne The people at that time were yet faint harted fearefull and doubted that they should not be safe from their enemies and therfore he comforteth them and setteth Christ before their eyes as a louing Sauiour that so they might be of good cheare saying that Christ should spedely come and helpe his seruantes and spread his kingdome through the whole world and therfore was it needefull that Iuda and Ierusalem should be builded againe to the end they might receaue their owne king And the prophet speaketh as followeth Ierusalem shall be inhabited without the walles for the multitude of men and cattell therein For I sayth the Lord will be vnto her a wall of fire round about and will be the glory in the midest of her Here he prophesieth of the spirituall Ierusalem to wit the church of Christ for the earthly Ierusalem had hir boundes and walles but the heauenly Ierusalem shal be so wide and large that it can not be compassed with any walles yea it shall be as wide as the world For it is the kingdome of Christ which by little and little without ceasing shall be increased vnto the last day and the true children of Abraham are as the God of Abraham promised euen as the sand of the sea and the starre in the firmament and the promised blessing shall come vpon all nations through the whole world that Christ maye be knowen and worshipped euery where for the true Lord god By the cattell vnderstand weakelinges and such as are ignoraunt in the knowledge of the scriptures and fayth these are led and fed in the pastures of Christ by those which are more strong and firme in fayth But he is a merueilous wall which is all fiery truly the Church of Christ in this place hath so great and comfortable a promise of Gods helpe as you shall scarsely finde in any other place of the scriptures For I wil be saith the Lord a wall of fire round about hir the Church of Christ You see that he speaketh here of the heauenly Citye wherein God himselfe will be the watchman keper wall defēder if their God be thus present with vs we haue iust cause to reioyce in the Lord seeing that wheresoeuer God himselfe watcheth defendeth and fighteth for vs there are we safe out of daunger of this world and Sathan and neede not feare them To be breefe the great humilititie of Christ Iesus in that he vouchsafed to become man being the true son of God and the sending of the holy ghost the true teacher of holsome doctrine in the Church of God whereby the church is still houlden and preserued in truth that it may stedfastly cleaue to God where as otherwise the whole world is blinded with errors caried away with lyes and miserably deceaueth it selfe these I say do sufficiētly declare how gloriously the Lord hath shewted himselfe in this spirituall Ierusalem Sathan the world and heretickes do not cease nor sleepe but bend themselues in all they may yea they striue with hand and foote to destroy Christ his church But although according to the flesh it be weake yet neuerthelesse it standeth and getteth the victory ouer all hir enemies So plentifully doth the Lord declare his glory in his spirituall citye the Church In the wordes following he setteth forth the helpe and comfort which we shall haue in Christ his kingdome saying He which toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye How I pray you could a most louing and tender father speak more louingly or sweetely euen to his darling and derely beloued son if the Lord looke carefully to vs as men vse to looke to the apple of their eyes then surely can no hurt happen vnto vs in the kingdome of Christe neither neede we to feare any daunger A little after Zachary comforteth such Christiās as are vnder the crosse and by reason of the weakenes of the flesh are in feare and trouble euen as the Iewes were at that time saying Reioyce and be glad O daughter Sion for I come and will dwell in the middest of thee sayth the Lord and many nations shall be ioyned to the Lord in that day and shall be my people and I will dwell in the middest of thee and thou shalt know the Lord of hostes hath sent me vnto the. And the Lord shall inherit Iuda his portiō in the holy land and shall chuse Ierusalem agayne Let all flesh be still before the Lord for he is raised vp out of his holy place That is to say O Sion although thou be afflicted here in the earth yet be of good chere because thou shalt cōtinew For I my selfe do come and abide with thee Was not this fulfilled when god became man and at this day wheresoeuer Gods word is receaued there doth God dwell and that is the true Sion as Christ sayth in Iohn He that loueth mee keepeth my commaundementes and my Father will loue him and we will come vnto him and will dwell with him Surely this is the spirituall kingdome wherein god dwelleth with vs by the gospel and by fayth which the holy ghost worketh in vs as S. Paul sayth to the Ephe Christ dwelleth in our hartes by fayth And Esay telleth vs where God
Christ and being sent vnto thē on whitsōday taught thē put them in remembrance of all thinges which were written of Christ which Christ before his death with his own tongue had taught them And looke what soeuer the Holy Ghost taught them it tended only to this end That they might know Christ and by Christ know the Father and through this knowledge be iustifyed and saued ¶ Anna. It is possible then as far as I perceiue to know what that Sermon was which Christ made to those two Discyples as they went to Emaus wherewith he made their harts so burne within them But if I also might come to the hearing of that Sermon Oh I would desire nothing in comparyson of it nay I had rather heare that sweet Sermon then haue all the pleasures in the earth and ioyes of the world ☞ Vrb. You may easily coniecture what that Sermon was seeing he expounded all the Prophets beginning at Moyses Doth not Luke I pray you eloquently and plainly testifie that he expounded to thē all that is writen of him in the wholl Scripture It was the Prophesies therfore which are writen in the Scripture of Christ which he interpreted vnto them which is nothing els but euen the very Gospel it self which he commaunded his Discyples to preach and spread euen to the worlds end For this Gospel is the doctrine of Christ the Sonne of God which telleth why he was made man and declareth to vs the eternall counsell of God the Father and his great good wil to vs in promising so redely that he wil be our Father and in imbrasing vs with more then a Fatherly affection and in vouchsafeing to knowledge vs for his deere Sonnes but onlye through his onlye begotten Sonne Christ This Gospel teacheth vs also that the Father so ordained that when the fulnes of time was come Christ should be born true man of the seed of Dauid and that he should dye on the Crosse and rise againe from the dead to the end he might purge mannes sinnes pay the raunsom for them destroy and take away death bring vs to euerlasting life reconcile his Father to vs and ascend into heauen and sitting there at the right hand of his Father begin his true and euerlasting kingdome where we shal raign and reioyce with him for euer Into this glory would his father haue him to enter by his own payn passion and opprobrious death of the Crosse That by this meanes he might deserue the same glory for vs This was done at Ierusalem vnder Herod Pontius Pilat and Caiphas when Tiberius Caesar was Emperor and so were the Prophesies fulfilled which are written of him Now he sitteth at the right hand of Gods Maiesty and being Lord of all he defendeth and gouerneth his Church that is to say all godly and truely beleeuing men by the holy Ghost and in the last day he shall come in his Maiesty to iudge the quick and the dead and shall geue euerlasting Life to those that beleeue But he shall throw hedlong down into hel amongst the multitude of Deuils all those that at that day shall not haue beleeued the Gospell And he doth by his Ministers dayly declare vnto vs these his Merits Works precious Passion Resurrection and Ascention into Heauen That those which beleeue of Christ the sonne of God as the scriptures do speake of him might be deliuered from the burthen of their sinnes be reconcyled to God the Father and liue with him for euer in the glory of Christ And for this cause especially doth the gospel moue vs and cal vs to repentaunce to the end that we may be hartely sory for our sinnes that we may abhor and detest our sinnes and with al our indeuour fly al things that might moue vs to sinne seeing our sinnes could be taken away by no other Sacrifice but only by the most precious bloud of Christ which he shed for vs that he might cleanse vs and delyuer vs from sinne death and hel And furthermore the Gospel promiseth remission of sinnes and euerlasting life to all that beleeue in Christ and refuse not this Gospel but with all their hart faithfully receiue the same vsing it reuerently and holyly And thus of meere grace without all our deserts only for the works and merits of Christ if we beleeue in him are we washed from our sinne beutefyed with the holy Ghost and are iustifyed sanctifyed saued and made heyres with God and coheyres with Christ in his kingdome and liue for euer We also heare the Gospell with a godly deuotion we trust in Christ and we beleeue him to be the only Sauyour of the world And then also are we angry with our sinnes and detest and abhor them we repent vs and are sory that through our sinnes we haue offended God we begin better to frame our liues and we loue God with all our harts which hath bestowed his great and wonderful mercy and his vnspeakable and infinite goodnes in Christ Iesu his Sonne vpon vs we loue also our neighbours euen as Christ loued vs and we doe our diligence that we may as becometh holy children lead a chast holy modest sober and innocent life after Christes example and so for the loue of righteousnes and godlynes we doe all good works sauing that while we are in this flesh we haue not the full feeling of our frailtye and sinne and that our faith and knowledge of Christ that is of the great and incomprehensible mercy loue care grace and benefits which in Christ and for Christ are freely geuen and bestowed vpon vs is not full perfect and pure in this life but while we liue doth stil grow and increase And we must also fight and striue continually while we liue with the flesh and mortefie renue and reforme our old Adam vntil the Image of God be renued again in vs and vntil we shall haue put on that most beutiful and holy Image of Christ like as before our receiuing of faith and regeneration we did beare that euil fauoured and horrible Image of the old Adam Now you haue heard what Christ taught his two Disciples And without doubt the Apostls afterward taught the same things which Christ did teach and confirmed the doctrine of Christ after the same sort by the Prophets wrytings For the holy Ghost had sufficyently instructed them therto as plainly appeareth in the Actes of the Apostles ¶ Anna. As far then as I perceiue Christ preached nothing to those two Discyples out of the prophesies but the very pure doctrine of the Gospel wherby they might learn what Christ was for what cause he was sent into this world what he did what he suffered what he meryted by his suffering and how we might haue benefit by his Merits and what was to be hoped and looked for of him This then no doubt was it that comforted them so made their harts so glad ☞ Vrb. And haue not these thinges I pray you sufficient matter inough to make
was fixed on Christ which was to come for whome they wayted and whom they beleeued should be their onely sauiour and redeemer who should come to deliuer them out of all calamities and daunger both of lyfe death And therefore were they as good Christians as we sauing onely that we do not now looke for that promised seede but perfectly knowe that he is come and hath already broken the serpents heade And this victorye which Christ hath of the serpent to wit the promise of life by the Gospell is now openly preached in the world to the iustification and saluation of all that beleue his Gospell This promise of the seede of the woman after many yeares was renued to Abraham where is playnely declared what commodity this seede should bring vnto the world You may reade this promise in Genesis and it was made also to Isaack and Iacob The wordes of the promise he these By my selfe haue I sworne sayth the Lord in thy seede shall all the families of the earth be blessed Here agayne is Christ promised And this is that famous worthy and excellent promise which both the Prophets and Apostles haue continually geuen out honorably commended and largely amplifyed as the cleere Sonne and very voyce it self of the Gospel and true testimony of Christ and which they haue declared and esteemed to be as a most precious pearle whatsoeuer the Prophets doe prophesie of Christ it floweth out of this promise as out of a Fountain For the especiall duty and trauel of all Prophets is both by figuratiue speech and plain promises to foreshew that Christ should come and to extol and diligently beat into mans eares his eternall kingdome of grace righteousnes innocency life and euerlasting saluation and to inflame and stir vp al men to wait watchfully for his comming And this must be wel and diligently obserued Paul to the Romanes saith that the Gospell of God concerning Christ was long before promised by the Prophets in the holy Scriptures And Peter saith in the Actes Al the Prophets from Samuel and thenceforth as many as haue spoken haue likewise foretold of these dayes That is to say they told of that most desired and holesome time of the new and euerlasting Testament and of the eternal and vnfallible mercy of God promised to Dauid Esay also doth prophesy that Christ should come to deliuer vs from all our miseries and calamities And he telleth by what meanes and way he should delyuer vs out of those trobles The Prophets also accuse the people and vrge the law and threaten the punishment and wrath of God against the hard harted and vnpenitent They haue also prophesied many things which properly belong to the comming of Christ with all they mixe earthly kingdomes and gouernments But yet the end of all their prophesies reprouings and thretnings haue only respect and relatiō vnto Christ For they did but study and indeuour by those meanes to keep the people in obedience and to make them feare God and keep order and sought to prepare them and make them redy for the comming of Christ and to bring them to akknowledge their sinnes and to terrifie their consciences that by the confession of their sinnes and feeling of Gods wrath their harts might be prepared to receiue and embrace Christ as the true and only Sauiour of the world And the wholl old Testament is nothing els but a certain forerunner as I may tearm it and such a preparatiue or readynes for the new Testamēt that the way to Christ might be made straight and plain against his comming and that the entring to him might be readyer For as a Scholemaster with sharp admonitions great threatnings hard beating and rough correction doth reform and frame his masters Sonne with whom he is put in trust and whom he hath to teach that in the end he may become an honest housholder and a profitable member of the common weal so doth the old Testament make vs ready to receaue Christ and bring vs to Christ And after this sort doth Paul speake of the law to the Galathians saying The law was our Scholemaster to bring vs to Christ And to the Hebrues he saith The law hath a shadow of good things to come and not the very Image of the things And in the seuenth chapter he saith The commaundement that went before is disanulled because of the weaknes therof and vnprofitablenes for the law made nothing perfect but was the bringing in of a better hope made perfect wherby we draw neare vnto God Christ therfore our chief treasure and that our most precious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Iewel must be sought for of vs in the Prophets as we read in the Acts that he was sought for at Thessalonica For without all doubt there is nothing in the Prophets which doth not represent Christ and his Church and agreeth with him As Christ himself doth witnes in Luke saying These be the words which I spake vnto you while I was yet with you that all must be fulfilled which are written of me in the law of Moyses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes And in Peter it is plainly declared that the Prophets did not looke for the temporall kingdome of Israel and for the mortall ruinous and empty pauilion of this life and state of this world but that they chiefly respected the euerlasting kingdom of Christ and the heauenly life Peters words be these Of the saluation of soules the Prophets haue inquired and searched which prophesied of the grace that should come vnto you searching when or at what time the Spirite that testified before of Christ which was in them should declare the sufferings that should come vnto Christ and the glory which should follow Vnto whom it was reuealed that not vnto themselues but vnto vs they should minister the things which are now shewed vnto you by them which haue preached vnto you the Gospel by the holy Ghost sent down from heauen the which things the Angels desire to behold c. Thus far speaketh Peter And to this end also Ignatius not only in title but in deed a true and famous Bishop wrote a thousand and four hundreth yeares agoe to the Magnesians The Prophets saith he were Christes seruants who foreseing him in Spirite both wayted for him as their master and in hope looked for him as their Lord and Sauyour saying he shal come and saue vs And Tertullian a thousand three hundreth yeares agoe interpreting that sentence sayth Christ is the seal of all the prophesies fulfilling all things which the Prophets in old time did foretell of him ¶ Anna. I pray you tell me the meaning of the promise which God made to Abraham ☞ Vrb. In that promise if it be inwardly and thorowly searched and pondered the summe of the holy Gospel with the pith effect and all the misteries of Christ are comprehended For first you shall
other like Of this strange vnctiō of his which is proper to himselfe the Prophet Esay and Christ himselfe in Luke sayth thus in these wordes The spirit of the Lord is vpon me therfore he hath annointed me Here he speaketh not of a corporall vnction or of baulm where with all they accustomably annointed themselues on their heads hands iointes in their mirth and bankets and wherwith they consecrated their kinges and priestes Christ would not haue vs thinke that he was annointed with such a corporal vnction For he sayth The spirit of the Lord is vpon me He speaketh therefore of the vnction of the holy ghost with which he was anointed to be an holy and euerlasting priest and kyng which the 45. Psalm noteth in these wordes Thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy fellowes That is God hath consecrated and annoynted thee a priest and king not with earthly baulme for thy kingdome is not of this world but with the spirituall oyle of gladnesse that is with the holy ghost by which likewyse all men beleuing in Christ are consecrated and ordered for spiritual kings and priests and are made partakers of this oyle of gladnesse but yet mesurably As for Christ he was annointed without measure more aboūdantly plētifully liberally infinitely then all Christians in the world For we receiue the spirite but after a measure one beyng beautified with one gift and another with another euery one enioying his owne particularly and no man all vniuersally But the spirite of God was giuen to Iesus without measure He is ful of grace and truth and of his fulnesse haue all we receyued And here it appeareth that Iesus is not a common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 annointed But that chiefe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ or Messias which was promised in the scriptures should come into the world and all to bewater and replenishe it with his grace As the Prophete Daniel prophesied Seuenty weekes are determined vpon thy people and vpō thy holy citie to finish the wickednes and to seale vp the sinnes and to reconcile the iniquitie and to bring in euerlasting righteousnes to seale vp the vision and prophesie and to annoint the most holy And a little after he calleth Christ by his proper name saying After 62. wekes Christ shall be slayne c. But of this prophesie God willing I will speake more at large in another place Thus also may you read in the Gospell where whē Iohn Baptist had shewed Christ to Andrew the Apostle and had said Behold the lamb of God Andrew sayd to his brother Simon We haue found the Messias And by by Phillip in the same place sayth to Nathaniel We haue found him of whom Moses did write in the law and the Prophets And Nathaniel sayd vnto Christ Rabby thou art the sonne of God thou art the king of Israel This Messias did all Israel carefully watchfully and hartily desire and waite for For they had heard so much of Messias in the scriptures that they had conceiued a good and certayn hope and doubted not but that at his commyng they should be deliuered from those perils calamities discommodities and violences which they suffred and from all other iniuries and euils which either publikely or priuately vexed them And they hoped also that al things should after the comming of Messias goe well with them so that they all theirs should haue a most happy and prosperous state euen a world of wealth and a flowing sea of all felicitie As it may euidently be gathered of the womans wordes of Samaria in the gospel of Iohn which sayd to Christ I know Messias shal come which is called Christ When he is come he will tell vs all things Iesus sayd vnto her I that speake vnto thee am he Consider now here with your selfe how great true pure and precious comfort we may take of these two names of Christ Iesus signifieth saluation or a sauior or els importeth the same that the worde God doth And Christ or Messias is as much to say as annoynted For there is vnderstood in this name the vnction of grace and mercy which God promised vnto vs in his sonne And now what would we more what can we wish more or what need we more nay what is there that we haue not if we be once annointed with this oyntment For if we constantly beleue and be thorowly perswaded that God hath giuen vs Christ to be our priest and our king to the ende he may be our saluation consolation iustification and redemption then vndoubtedly it must be as we beleue Because he hath firmly promised that he will do it if we beleue it He cannot lye or deceyue vs because he is the very truth it self Wherfore if we wil stedfastly and faithfully beleue those things which he hath promised by that faith shal we be iustified and saued ¶ Anna. O good God what exceding comfort do we conceyue and what great ioy and pleasure haue we in hearing these words God our gracious father vouchsafe to giue vs a true and constant faith least we reape no fruit of this his infinite offred grace and fauour ☞ Vrb. Amen ¶ Anna. I pray you take paynes to recite the other names which are giuē to Christ in the scriptures For I feele my hart refreshed and filled with a maruelous and vncredible kynd of comfort sweetenes and pleasure which riseth of these two names and my fayth is wel increased and confirmed with a good knowledge which I haue here gotten of Christ ☞ Vrb. It were a tedious thing to explicate them all one by one and agayne they offer themselues to be opened in their due places in the prophesies which are of Christ yet will I not sticke briefly to recite thē here without further exposition of them Christ is called A king in Zachary 9.9 An euerlasting Priest Psal 110.4 A propitiatory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3. A reconciliation Hebr. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reconciliation for the sinnes of the world 1. Iohn 2.28 A deliuerer and redemer Esay 48.20 and 60. 16. Mat. 20.28.1 Cor. 1.30 A redemption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 1.68 Our mediator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Tim. 2.5 Our aduocate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Iohn 2.1 A sacrifice and offering for sin both in committing omitting any thing against Gods commandement Esay 53.10 An offring and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour to God for vs Eph. 5.2 The lamb of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Iohn 1.36 Our righteousnes knowledge sanctification and redemption 1. Cor. 1.30 The light of the world Iohn 12.46 Our maister Iohn 13.13 The seruaunt of God that is obedient to the commaundement of God for vs Esay 42.1 The way truth and our life Iohn 14.6 Our resurrection Iohn 11.25 The beginning the first borne of the dead Col. 1.18 The first begotten amongest many brethren
most plentifull and perfite comfort and singular hope seyng the true and naturall sonne of God nothing neding our helpe would so humble and debase himselfe that beyng our lorde he did vouchsafe to become our seruant and tooke vpon him and bare our heauy lode and burden of sinne and put himselfe in our place and suffred death for vs and payd our dets which we our selues should haue payd If at this his comming he had shewed himself lordlyke and had come in the mighty power and greatnes of his godhead and had vsed and shewed his might maiesty where should we poore wretches miserable sinners haue appeared whither should we haue fled or with what face could we now approch come so often into his sight seyng we so oftentymes offended him and know so much euill by our selues but now seing he commeth in such humility like a seruant and sheweth such humblenes modesty and gentlenes in his person may not we hope to receue of him grace and forgiuenes of our sinnes yea although we were drowned in a most deepe whirle poole of sinne and though we were guilty of neuer so much wickednesse Truly this seruice of Christ is to God a most delectable acceptable and precious seruice which he greatly estemeth and deliteth most to haue offred vnto him And this order Paul kepeth in preaching Christ De doth not first extoll magnify and set forth the great wonderful power and maiesty of Christ but he first preacheth that crucified Christ and telleth vs that of his owne free will he became weake for vs and humbled himselfe most lowly for vs and was despised and abased for vs And when he hath well beaten these things into his auditors eares then he sheweth into what power deuine dignity he was exalted through his humility As we may reade for example in the 2. chap to the Philip. It followeth I will stay vpon him The Hebrue word Asmech doth signify to put vnder to vnder proppe to lay ones hand on a thing to leane to or stay on a thing so that the substance and stay of the humaine nature in Christ may very well be here vnderstood to wit that his humanity is vnited to his deuinity in vnity of person according to S. Paules saying to the Col. In him dwelleth all the fulnes of the godhead bodily Let him therfore which seketh God seke him in no other place but in this chosen seruant nay rather in our only lord Iesus Christ and in him he shall not seeke God in vayne but shall finde him most fruitfully In him only shall he feele the fatherly loue of God toward vs. It followeth My elected Christ is the true elected and dearely beloued sonne of God whom God so tenderly dearly and ardently loueth that for this his beloued elected and only begotten sonnes sake He hath through Christ Iesus beloued chosen and predestinated vs that he might adopt vs to be his children which were worthy nothing els but heauy wrath and sharpe punishment It followeth In whom I am well pleased The father frō heauen spake these very same wordes in Mathew and can we then doubt any thing hereafter of the grace of God in Christ If God the father be well pleased in Christ surely he will be well pleased in all them which are his sonnes which do beleue in his sonne Christ as the gospell euery where teacheth vs. I haue put my spirit vpon him and so it is sayd in Iohn The Lord hath not giuē him his spirit by measure For he was annoynted with the oyle of gladnes aboue his fellowes And Iohn sayth The spirit discended from heauen like a doue and it abode vpon him And Esay sayth The spirit of the Lord God is vpon me therefore hath the Lord annoynted me c. He shall bring forth iudgement vnto the Gentils Here Esay setteth forth the person of Christ in very pleasant and louing wordes saying He commeth vnto vs not as a prince swelling in pride or hautines of hart bragging himselfe of his regal power and desiring and neding the prayse and helpe of men but he commeth as a gentle milde and courteous teacher who deliteth to instruct vs and to bestowe and poure foorth vppon vs all his dignities benefits and gracious goodnesse And here he speaketh of Christes doctrine that is of the gospell saying that it should not onely be preached amongst the Iewes but through the whole world euen amongst the Gentils also And he calleth the gospel or the doctrine of Christ his iudgement because the holy ghost by the Gospell rebuketh the sinnes of the world reiecteth condemneth the righteousnes of the whole world and al the strength merites of this our sinfull and corrupted nature and teacheth vs that they are all folish and of none effect to the deseruing of the grace of God euerlasting life and that they deserue not the name of that righteousnesse which is allowed before God and which may be set against his seuere iudgemēt And in this gospel he setteth forth offreth vnto vs the righteousnes of Christ which is the alone onely most true perfit righteousnes which is able to coūteruail the wrath of god And he biddeth vs trust in Christ which thing alone doth iustify make vs acceptable before god There be many sayings testimonies like to these cōcerning the calling of the Gentils to the gospell plentifully set forth in the scriptures in euery place as Psal. 17.18.21.45 56.64.66.71.85.45.101.106 116. Esai 2.9.11.27.42.49.51.54.55.60.65.66 Iere. 3. 16. Hosea 1.2 Mich. 4.5 Zeph. 2.3 Zach. 2.8.9 Math. 2.21 28. Luk. 2.23 Ioh. 10. Acts. 2.10.11.13.14.15.18.22.26.28 Rom. 3.4.9.10.11.15 Eph. 2.3 Col. 1. 1. Thes 2. 1. Pet. 2. It followeth in the Prophet He shall not cry nor lift vp his voyce That is Christ shall not come after the maner of a mighty Prince swelling in pride neyther lyke a tyrant vaunting of his power and might which maketh all men feare and dread him but he shall come like a most louing and comfortable teacher and as one which wil rule and gouerne his kingdome with all humility facilitie curtesie and gentlenesse And therfore his voyce shall not be fearefull fierce rough seuere or cruel but sweete louing comfortable pleasant ioyfull and amiable He shall haue none of that stately high mynded disdainful and hauty behauiour which the princes of this worlde shew and vse Who if they go a progresse or trauaile any where are mightily garded and haue about them great troupes of horsemen footemen timbrels trumpets shawmes hornes and cornets so that euery man must needes quake and be afraid to heare and see such a stirre there shall no such a doe and hurly burly be sene in or about Christ he shall not cry he shall not turne any man away with bitter hawry and cruell wordes neyther shall he disdaine terrifie and driue men away with his hye proud and great lookes but he
true fortitude sure safety great security sound stability and all comfort that God hath promised that he himselfe wil be our father that he hath made vs his children But now least we should dispaire lest we should be driuen to doubt of this so great grace and least we should sometyme stagger about this his so fatherly dealing and ready good will towards vs He hath giuen vs for a gage and pledge his onely begotten sonne and with him hath he established and confirmed the league of his promised grace With what greater and more precious pledge I praye you or with what more vndissoluable league could he ratifie vnto vs his promise of graunted grace Christ the onely sonne of GOD and himselfe true GOD is come vnto vs and is made our attonement All the promises of GOD in him are yea and are in him Amen To be the light of the Gentiles This also the holye Ghost speaketh by the mouth of Simeon saying Myne eyes haue seene thy saluation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people A light to bee reuealed to the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel Also Iohn sayeth That was the true light which lighteneth euery mā that commeth into the world And Christ sayeth I am come a light into the worlde that who so euer beleeueth in mee should not abide in darkenesse Note therfore here that where Christ is not there is nothing but horrible and deepe darkenesse and terrible blindnes and which is worse whote enmitie against God. That thou shouldest open the eyes of the blind c. This did Christ performe both bodily and spiritually For to them that lacke theyr eyes he gaue bodily sight and to all vs which are blynde that is to say which neyther knowe God nor our selues by reason of our corruption and blyndenesse taken of Adams fall he doth giue spirituall eyes and doth spiritually lighten vs with the true knowledge both of God and our selues Hee deliuereth vs also from the captiuitie of Sathan which were captiues and bondeslaues of the lawe sinne death and the deuill And hee deliuereth vs from all these cruell enemies by hys truth if we beleeue his worde when we heare it preached An other prophesie also lyke to this haue we in Esay where he prophesieth likewyse of the kingdom of Christ saying that he should be no carnall lord or prince of this worlde but a spirituall King and doctour of his Church The wordes of the prophesie be these Heare ye me O Iles and hearken ye people from farre The Lorde hath called mee from the wombe and made mention of my name from my mothers belly and hee hath made my mouth lyke a sharpe sworde vnder the shadowe of his hande hath he hidde me and made me a chosen shafte and hidde me in his quiuer and sayd vnto me thou art my seruaunt Israell For I will bee glorious in thee And I sayd I haue laboured in vayne I haue spente my strength in vayne and for nothyng but my iudgement is with the Lorde and my worke with my god And nowe sayth the Lorde that formed me from the wombe to be his seruaunt that I may bring Iacob agayne to him though Israel bee not gathered yet shall I bee glorious in the eyes of the Lorde and my GOD shall be my strength And he sayde it is a small thing that thou shouldest be my seruaunt to rayse vp the tribes of Iacob and to restore the desolations of Israel I will also giue thee for a light of the Gentiles that thou mayest be my saluation vnto the ende of the world Here do we see that Christ beyng sent from his father as a doctor calleth vnto him not onely the Iewes but also al the nations of the earth And lest any should be offended at his base and homely countenance which he should beare amongst men he maketh mention of his calling saying that God hath called him euen frō his mothers womb to be a doctor of his church Wherfore he saith his mouth is a sharpe sword that is he is a teacher whose doctrine is forceable and mighty in operation which can moue drawe stirre renue and change men and further a doctrine which searcheth the inward secrets of the hart pierceth the hidden partes of the brest according to that of Paul. The word of God is liuely and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mighty in operation and sharper then any two edged sword and entreth through euen to the deuiding asonder of the soule the spirit of the ioyntes the mary and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the hart neither is there any creature which is not manifest in his sight Well therfore and truly is his mouth or doctrine called a sword For it cutteth to the quicke and it searcheth examineth and trieth most diligently and exactly all things it roteth out all the euil affections of the mynd it openeth the filthy sores of sinne launceth the festered impostumes of our foule affections renueth and changeth the mary and bones of man to wit whole man And with the same his sword that is to say his mighty worde he subuerteth sacketh Sathans kingdome and destroyeth his whole army to wit sinne the law and hell His doctrine also is true firme inuincible constant stable and mighty For as an arrow which in his flight cannot be holden or stayed and which leueled neuer misseth but hitteth the very marke euen so his worde once vttered cannot be called backe His doctrine also is sure strōg and mighty and chaseth the aduersaries away and breaketh and seuereth all thinges as it were with a sharpe shot arrow so that no mā is able to stand or speake against it Were not the Pharises and Saduces put to silence at the mighty and deuine doctrine of Christ In so much that none was able to answer any thing neither durst any from that tyme forward aske him further question For he was not such a teacher as was Moyses the priestes of the old law and testament which were his ministers He taught not as they did but as the lord himself who is mighty in authority and maiesty both of person and doctrine and who excelleth his aduersaries and can very easily so ouercome beate downe breake and pierce their hartes that either with their mouthes stopped they should be confounded or els with admiration amased they should be astonied As we read in Iohn where the seruants of the Pharises high priests beyng demaunded wherfore they tooke not Christ aunswered Neuer man spake like this man. They were sent to haue layd hands on Iesus and to take him but when they heard him speake they were so ouercome with the maiesty and power of his words that they could neither touch him nor hurt him Herod thought to haue murdered Christ in the cradle and the Iewes daily went about nothing els but to kill hym but the hower was not
saue and deliuer thee For to this end God the father sent hym Beleue in him for his sake all thy sinnes shal be forgiuen thee For he tooke thy sinnes vpon him he suffred and satisfied for them When thou hast thus done then is thy conscience mery pacified and quieted Because it hath thorow fayth taken holde of Christ who hath taken away the hand writing of an euill conscience which was altogether against vs miserably tormented vs greuously vexed vs daily disturbed our peace and hath blotted it out nayled it to his crosse so that there is no cause why the man that beleueth in Christ should quake tremble or feare for his sinnes or should flie from God as a seuere iudge For God is now become fauourable vnto him and hath forgiuen him all his sinnes for Christ his sake in whom he beleueth And this faith in Christ bringeth present helpe and consolation to the penitent hart it comforteth and strengtheneth the man that before was dismayed so that now he may plainly know that God for Christs sake wil not herafter be a seuere fearful iudge vnto him but a louing mercyful and tender Father And this is the true and perfect binding vp and healing and curing of sick wounded and feeble harts For the hart neuer findeth true and sound comfort grace and life but in Christ Iesu It followeth That I should preach to the bond liberty By disobedience we were made seruants and bondslaues of Sathan and so should haue remayned for euer if Christ had not delyuered vs But he became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the price of our redemptiō he by his death deliuered vs from that captiuity of Sathan as Dauid sayeth He went vp on high and led captiuity captiue And hath spoyled the principalities and powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath tryumphed ouer them in the same crosse That is Christ ouercame those Princes powers of darcknes which had thrown down man into the kingdome of sinne death and damnation and by his own power he hath spoyled them of their pray as Saint Luke sayth The stronger ouercame the strong man being armed and keeping his palace and toke away all his armore That is Christ delyuered mankind and tooke his seruants out of the power of darcknes and brought them into his kingdome of light as you haue heard before out of Zachary and Esay This pardon redemption or remission hath Christ himself geuen forth and preached in his gospel and he hath commaunded his Apostles and all the Preachers of the gospel to teach the same euen vnto the end of the world For what els is the Gospel but such a Sermon of Christ as telleth vs that he did fight a combate hand to hand with Sathan and hath in the same open combate not fraudulently and deceitfully but valiantly and with a deuine force subdued ouercome and cōquered the deuill by that victory hath so deliuered iustified for euer saued vs which were once his captiues bound vnder sinne and death that we may now haue peace with God and being deliuered from that tyrant be brought to heauē and raygne with God our heauēly father as blessed Children for euer It followeth To the captiues freedome By the word of God it is playne that we are sinners and that we are as it were cast into a prison or iaile from whence nether by the force of nature nor by all the good workes in the world we can deliuer and saue our selues We ought in deede to leade pure and vnspotted lyues and still to be doing good and flye from euill and the law requireth the same at our hands but our sinful nature is slow to good and farre from fulfilling the law and maketh vs liue according to our carnall desires and concupiscens which euen from our youth vp is al wayes bent and ready to euell Whereupon it commeth that the law is more vrgent vpon vs and still enforceth compelleth commaundeth vs to doe good and threateneth death and destructiō to them that doe euill and so it happeneth to vs as Paule sayd to the Galathians Before fayth came we were kept vnder the law and shut vp vnto the fayth which should afterward be reuealed When we looke into our hartes and diligently consider how disobedient stubborne and repugnaunt we are by nature to the law of God then we playnely see that the sacred law is nothing els to all vs which are vnder the law and as yet not iustified by fayth but a prison in which for all our striuing and wrastling wil we nil we we are imprisoned shut vp For how soeuer we professe and make a shewe of holines and grauitye in our selues with sober discrete manners in the eyes of men euen as though we kept the law yet in deede and from the hart we doe nothing so playnely so obediently and so cherefully as we ought but we as men enforced and constrayned do hipocritically all that we doe with vncleane and filthy hartes For the law by threats restrayneth vs from open crimes offences and it vrgeth bindeth and restraineth vs very extremely so that we doe not steale commit adulterye murther slaunder blaspheme nor curse any body but yet in the hart where the well spring and cheefe roote of all our workes are doth fleshly concupiscens boyle fome wrastle striue to burst out into il deedes and the more we bridle it and wrastle agaynst it the more it rageth and boyleth and becōmeth more violēt strong heddy rash vnruly and stubborne And as it happeneth in great fluds whose force and course we see by stopping and staying with rāpires waxe greater and more vehement so that they will not suffer thē selues to be stayd or stopt but at the last with great force and violence breake vp the rayles rampires and water work and flowe forth a mayne so it happeneth here For whē the law bindeth keepeth in the lusts fleshly desires of the hart with feare of punishmēt that they dare not discouer or shewe themselues then fretteth the flesh inwardly abhorreth the law as it were a prison desiring to be set free and at libertie from it When therfore the law of God hath done his office in man then seeth he in what danger he stādeth This misery and wickednes of mans nature in as much as it is not only not able to keepe the law of god but also doth vtterly euen abhorre it can not well according to the greatnes thereof be ether spokē in word or conceiued in minde Wel then the confession of such our wickednes malice and blindnes breedeth in vs humilitie whē we see our selues in great dāger whē we see our selues to be no body whē we see that we are not able to keep gods holy law whē we see such filthy vncleane works spring frō that pestilēt filthy stincking podle to wit the hart which is a rebel
wāteth the fayth feare of god Wherefore the workes of the flesh can not truly be called good workes neither doe they satisfye the law of god For the law is spiritual And therfore it must be spiritually fulfilled with the hart spirite When we haue thus confessed our miserye then craue we the mercye of God and then doe wee earnestly desire to be delyuered from the curse of the law to be made righteous And the more truely thorowly that we acknowledge and feel our misery calamity so much more earnestly and zealously doe we craue and desire Gods help But in al these euils we finde nether help nor comfort any where els but in Iesus Christ He is the fulfilling and end of the law to all that beleeue If Christ doe not help vs in this case then doe we still abide and remayne captiues vnder the law in this tormēt pricke of conscience But the Father sent him for this cause as Esay heare witnesseth that he might preach and bring deliueraūce to those that be thus captiue vnder the law Which thing he then performed when he became accursed for vs vpon the crosse that thereby he might delyuer vs from the eternall curse of the law And when he him selfe preached the Gospell saying Come vnto me all you that are wery and ladē and I will ease you And God so loued the world that he hath geuē his only begottē Son that who so euer beleueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life For God sent not his Son into the world that he should condemne the world but that the worlde through him might be saued And who so beleueth in him is not condemned It followeth The acceptable yeare of the Lord. Christ sayth in Luke that Hee was sent to preach the Gospell to the poore that is to comfort the world with glad tidinges Esay prophesied the same in this place saying that Christ should preach that ioyfull or acceptable yeare to wit that after those dolefull dayes the happy yeare should come the tyme of Gods grace the new testament whiche Christ him selfe preached vnto vs in which we shall heare nothing but meere grace and forgeuenes of our sinnes This is that most happy yeare of Iubilie in which is published by the gospell full perfect euerlasting and continuall lybertie and freedome from all our sinnes Which thing Zachary song thus in Luke God hath raysed vp a horn of saluation vnto vs in the house of his seruant Dauid That is the kingdome of saluation as he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which were since the world began saying That he would geue vs deliuerāce from our enemies from the hands of all that hate vs. That by Christ we might receiue forgeuenes of all our sinnes This is euen so fulfilled for Christ hath both preached and dayly doth preach and also by his Euangelists and Ministers shal preach the same vnto the end of the world as he speaketh of that yeare by Paul who sayth We therefore as workers together beseech you that you receaue not the Grace of God in vayne For hee sayeth In an acceptable tyme I haue heard thee and in the day of saluation I haue succoured thee Behold now is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the acceptable tyme behold now is the day of saluation Is not this a sweet and pleasaunt doctrine to a troubled and terryfied conscience Here you see not one word that saith that Christ should be a terryble Iudge or one of whom we should be afrayd But euery word declareth him to be a most mercyfull and sweet preacher of glad tydings But now it followeth The day of reuenge of our God. This is fearful and yet it nothing toucheth them that beleeue in Christ For this is not spoken against the beleeuers in Christ but against the aduersaryes of Christ which will not beleeue in Christ Who because they contemne this Iubilie and yeare of grace and because they refuse the blessings offered in Christ shall suffer the curse and be abiects from God as men that shall neuer either feel or enioy any houre or moment of that acceptable yeare and blessed time And seeing they would neither heare nor see the sweet Sauyour Christ they shal both perceiue and feele the foule and horrible Deuil Sathan whose tiranny they shal neuer shake of That I might comfort all that mourn This is the fruite of this preaching of Christ that all that mourne and are sad in hart which were oppressed with contynuall and exceeding anguish lying Captiues vnder the Law Sinne and death may now receaue comfort and be refreshed in as much as they see that now they be released from their sinnes Wherefore their mourning and sorrow vanisheth and in place therof commeth comfort and consolation And as they were in vnbeleef before they receiued the gospel wild crooked vnprofitable and barrain trees of vnrighteousnes and as Ieremy saith Wild brambles heth in the wildernes or bushes in the desert the vnfruitfull ground of this world So by faith of the Gospel and this consolation they shal be most pleasant and fruitful trees planted by the water side which take such deep roote in this moysture that though euen the greatest heate of tempation should assail them yet doe they not feare fade or fall away but their leaues florish stil and are green and wyther not in the dangerous drought or scorching heat of sōmer but in their due time bring forth their fruit For as they beleue in hart so doe they cōfes with mouth Such as is the inward faith such is the outward confession and so doe they preach forth without ceasing the goodnes of the Lord. It would be long to rehearse all that this Prophet onely hath prophesied of the ministery and humility of Christ in his former cōming there be many things also spoken of this matter in other places and titles of Christ But in good sooth how say you is not this an exceeding humility and lowlynes of Christ that he would vouchsafe to become such a king whose kingdome should lye on his own shoulders that is to say who had all vs wretched sinners and our sinnes layd vpon his shoulders He bare vs in his crosse and offered him self a sacrifice for our offences and after this sort louingly sought his lost sheepe and brought it into the way And this is the cause that they paynt the child Christ with a crosse on his shoulders Worldly Princes in their kingdomes are brauely painted adorned and set forth in their colours and in sundry rich attyres with their armes blazed and heades gloriously crowned holding a Scepter in the right hand and a round apple in the left And wel so for they are Lords of the world and therefore they vaunt themselues gloriouslye in worldly magnificence and corporall things But Christ ouercommeth in his Crosse ruleth his kingdome by his word and spirit in hidden
shout 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and with the voyce of the Archangell and with the trumpe of god And againe He shal be reueled frō heauen with his mighty angels in a flamyng fire rendring vengeāce vnto them that do not know god which obey not vnto the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ And in Mathew it is sayd He shal sit vpō the throne of his glory before him shal be gathered all nations he shal seperate them one from another as the shepeherd seperateth the shepe from the goates and he shall set the shepe vpon hys right hand and the gotes on his left then shal the king say to them on his right hand come ye blessed of my father inherite ye the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations of the world but then shall he say vnto them on his left hand depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuil and his angels And agayn Dauid sayth Geue thy iudgment to thy king O god thy righteousnes to the kings son then shal he iudg thy people in righteousnes and thy power with equitie This kings son is Christ he iudgeth the that world here by the word and the spirit he punisheth the wicked and defendeth the godly But in the last day he will execute that iust iudgment and punish them euerlastingly which refused the gospel and would not acknowledge hym to be their king and agayn Dauid sayth The Lord raigneth let the earth reioyce let the multitude of the Iles be glad cloudes and darcknes are round about him righteousnes and iudgment are the foundations of hys throne there shall go a fire before hym and burne vp hys enemies rounde about his lightninges gaue light vnto the world the earth saw it and was afrayd the mountains melted like waxe at the presence of the lord at the presence of the lord of the whole earth And agayne he sayth The Lord commeth to iudge the earth he wil iudge the world with righteousnes and the people in his truth Esa. saith Behold the Lorde will come with fire and his chariots lyke a whirlewynd that he may recompence his anger with wrath and his indignatiō with the flame of fire For the lord wil iudge with fire with his sword all flesh And Zach. saith The lord shal go forth fight against those nations as whē he fought in the day of battel his feet shall stād in this day vpon the mount of Oliues which is before Ierusalem on the East side And the mount of Oliues shall cleaue in the midst therof toward the East toward the West there shal be a very great valley halfe of the mountain shal remoue toward the North and half of the mountain toward the South And ye shal flie vnto the valley of the mountains For the valley of the mountains shal reach vnto Azal yea ye shal flie like as ye fled from the earthquake in the daies of Vzzia king of Iudah and the lord my God shal come and all the saintes with them Here Zachary prophesieth of the second comming of Christ at the last day howe that hee shall come as a captayne or Emperour to assayle and destroy hys enemies and that his last comming shall be so fearful that euery one if they could would be glad to flye It will be fearful in deed vnto the wicked vnbeleuing who thē shall be no longer able to withstand Christ Then shal their rage and insolency agaynst the Godly with their tyranny and sauage bitternes and cruelty which they haue vsed agaynst the members of Christ haue an end For there is ordayned for them an euerlasting prison euen continual torment in hel fire for their wickednes Then all theyr might all their force all their pride all their crueltie all their contumacy all their threates shall cease neyther shall they afterward be able to persecute or in any wise hurt Christ or his seruants as before that last day they had done They shall then sodēly vnwares be cast down from the face of God and the glory of hys fortitude into euerlasting destruction For that is the day of redemptiō in which Christ as Paule sayth shal be glorified in his saintes be made maruelous in all thē that beleue The scripture vseth such similitudes as these in discribing Christes cōming to iudgement as in Paule to the Thes For when Christ shall come to iudgment our enemies shall be slayn and put to flight The wicked world and Sathan shall in the turning of a hand euen in one moment become very firebrands of hell so continue for euer Then shall death be swallowed vp in victory then shall all the Godly be taken vp in clouds to meete the Lord God in the ayre and so shall we euer be with the Lord. ¶ Anna. We may easely perceiue and gather by these prophesies of the euerlasting kingdom and priesthood of Christ that he should be both a mediator to pacify God turne away his wrath from vs and a shepeherd and redemer which alwais in al places might feed vs and saue vs at the end iustly iudge the world Moreouer there was no doubt but Israel was truly redemed seyng Christ had suffered For in as much as God in Christ had promised such a blessyng to the world it was not possible that Christ should abide in death but then truely in deed lyue for euer But these two disciples vnderstode not those things which the prophets had written of Christ as Christ obiecteth vnto them and therfore they were not sad without cause But now I pray you let me heare what the prophetes haue written of Christes miracles ¶ Of Christes miracles Vrbanus THe prophet Esay prophesieth thus of Christ God commeth with vengeance euen god with a recōpence he wil come saue you then shal the eies of the blind be lightned the eares of the deafe be opened then shal the lame man leape as an hart the dumme mans tong shall sing This prophesie was fulfilled 1576. yeres ago whē Iesus Christ true God man went about healyng all diseases griefes of the people in the country of Galile And Christ himselfe saith in Math. vnto Iohns disciples Goe shew Iohn what things you haue heard and sene the blind receiue sight the halt go the leprous are clensed the deafe heare the dead are raised vp and the poore receiue the gospel You see also in the history of the gospel how this prophesie is fulfilled in the 8. of Mat. Christ clensed the leprous he healeth the Centuriās seruant restoreth the sick of the palsie He deliuered Peters wiues mother being sicke of a feuer In the 9. He healed an other sicke of the palsie Hee restored the dead to life again he healed the woman of the bloudy issue he gaue sight vnto the two blind men And in the 12.
the humility passion of Christ which of his owne free will he would suffer because they vnderstood the purpose of Gods workes to wit that he would make Christ the Lord and head of the church and that he would with great admiratiō build vp Sion the holy church through all the world They desired to see such a king and his great kingdome reuealed vnto them by the spirite yea to see hym euen with theyr corporal eyes as Christ witnesseth in Luke where he sayth Blessed are those eyes which see that ye see For I tell you that many Prophets and Kinges haue desired to see those thinges which ye see and haue not sene thē and to heare those things which ye heare and haue not heard them And agayne Dauid sayth The Lorde sayde vnto my Lord sitte thou at my right hande vntill I make thine enemies thy footestoole The Lorde shall sende the rod of thy power out of Sion thou ruler in the midst of thine enemies He shall drinke of the brooke in the way therfore shall he lift vp his head In this Psalme is a most comfortable prophesie of Christ howe hee must be placed at Gods right hande that is that he shall be exalted vnto most high glory honor dignity power But yet so that before he must drinke of that brooke that is of the cup of his passiō so by it passe into his glory Wife looke you haue this psalme in great price loue it derely for it setteth forth vnto vs two special things wherin true and sound consolation al our saluation doth consist to wit the euerlasting kingdom deuine power of Iesus Christ He sitteth at the right hande of God that is he hath all power he is most mighty all things are in his handes he is and that euen according to his blessed glorified humanity lord king of all things both in heauen and earth all things are in his subiection Therfore it well followeth that he is able to deliuer vs from all necessities calamities both temporal and eternall neither can any creature do vs harme if we bee in the kingdome of Christ by true faith Moreouer God the father assuredly promised by an othe that he would giue vs Christ to be an eternall priest Here is Christ vpon Gods othe appointed to be our priest and he is touched with the feling of our calamities no lesse then if they were his own He hath purged and taken away our sins by his owne sacrifice vpon the crosse and hath reconciled vs vnto the father yea he doth still make intercession for vs with his father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without ceasing and he teacheth geueth vs by his worde and holy spirit all things which are necessary for the obtaining of euerlasting helth and saluation Wherfore although Christ according to his humanity was the sonne of Dauid that is his sonne by flesh bloud yet neuerthelesse Dauid saith that Christ is his lord not only according to his deuine nature as he is the creator and lord of al things but also as saint Augustine sayth according to that his humaine nature glorified in which he sitteth at the right hand of god For he is the euerlasting king of Israel which truly erected and for euer established and confirmed the kingdome of Dauid Moreouer he is a true priest the true Melchisedech who only could and ought to giue that euerlasting blessing for that he is that blessed seed of Abraham in which onely we are blessed that is we are deliuered from sinne death and are iustified saued Christ in Math. putteth forth this questiō to the Pharises which were puft vp with an opiniō of their own learning saying Why did Dauid call Christ his Lord who was his sonne that is to say of his stock But althogh they semed learned vnto themselues although they swelled with the pride of their owne knowledge yet they were ignorant of this which they ought especially to haue known Again Dauid saith The lord hath prepared his throne in heauen and his kingdom ruleth ouer all And again Thy lord shal raigne for euer O Sion Thy God endureth from generation to generation Hee saith Thy lord O Sion shal rule for euer He speaketh not here of any earthly kingdom in earthly Sion but of that euerlasting Ierusalem And in the 103. Psalme he witnesseth the same where he sayth thus The lord hath prepared his throne not in Canaan but in heauen And againe All thy workes prayse thee O Lord thy saintes blesse thee they shew the glory of thy kingdom speake of thy power to cause his power to be known to the sons of mē the glorious renoume of his kingdom Thy kingdom is an euerlasting kingdom thy dominion endureth throughout all ages All these things are spokē of Christ his kingdom In the 89. Psal. the kingdom of Christ is called an heauēly kingdom where the prophet speaketh of the promise made by God vnto king Dauid in the 2. of the kinges where God promiseth that he will giue a sonne to Dauid which shal be a peculiar notable worthy excellent king a king of all kings whose kingdom shal neuer decay and wherin is forgiuenesse of sins euerlasting mercy and therfore both lyfe and helth For where sins are forgiuen there is the tiranny of death quite abolished destroied And here we haue true helth promised for this kings sake borne of the seed of Dauid according to the flesh in whom that eternall couenant of grace is made established The words of the Psalm be these I wil sing the mercies of the Lorde for euer with my mouth wil I declare thy truth from generation to generation For I sayd thy mercy shall be set vp for euer thy truth shalt thou establish in the very heauens I haue made a couenant with my chosen I haue sworne to Dauid my seruant Thy seede wil I establish for euer set vp thy throne from generation to generation Selah Righteousnesse and equity are the stablishment of thy throne mercy truth goeth before thy face blessed are the people that can reioyce in thee they shall walk in the light of thy countenance O Lord they shall reioyce continually in thy name and in thy righteousnes shall they exalt them selues for thou art the glory of their strength and by thy fauour our hornes shal be exalted For our shield appertaineth to the Lorde and our King to the holy one of Israell I haue found Dauid my seruaunt with my holy oyle haue I annointed him Therefore my hand shall be established with him and my arme shall strengthen him The enemy shall not oppresse him neither shall the wicked hurt him But I will destroy his foes before his face and plage them that hate him My truth also and my mercy shall bee with him and in my name shall his horne be exalted
way my paths shal be exalted Behold these shall come from far And loe these from the North and from the West And these from the Lord of Sinim Reioyce O Heauens and be ioyfull O Earth burst forth vnto prayse O Mountaynes for God hath comforted his people and will haue mercy vpon his afflicted But Sion saith the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me Can a woman forget her child and not haue compassiō on the sonne of her wombe Though they should forget yet wil I not forget thee Behold I haue grauen thee vpon the palmes of my hands Thy walles are euer in my sight thy builders make hast thy destroyers and they that made thee wast are departed from thee Lift vp thine eyes round about and behold all these gather them selues together and come to thee As I liue saith the Lord thou shalt surely put them all vpon thee as a garment and gird thy selfe with them like a bride For thy desolation and thy wast places and thy land destroyed shall surely be more narrow for them that shall dwell in it And they that did deuour thee shall be far away The children of thy Barons shall say againe in thine eares The place is straite for me geue place to me that I may dwell Then shalt thou say in thine hart who hath begotten me these seeing I am barrain and desolate a captiue and a wanderer to and fro and who hath nourished them Behold I was left alone Whence are these Thus saith the Lord god Behold I will lift vp my hands to the Gentils and set vp my standard to the people and they shall bring thy sonnes in their armes and thy daughters shall be caryed vpon their shoulders And kings shall be thy nursing fathers and Queenes shall be thy nurses They shall worship thee with their faces towards the earth and lick vp the dust of thy feet And thou shalt know that I am the Lord for they shall not be ashamed that wayt for me Shall the pray be taken from the mighty Or the iust captiuity deliuered But thus saith the lord Euen the captiuity of the mighty shall be taken away and the pray of the tirant shall be delyuered For I will contend with him that contendeth with thee and I will saue thy children and will feed them that spoyl thee with their own flesh and they shal be dronken with their own bloud as with sweet wine And all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Sauiour Redeemer the mighty one of Iacob This prophecy comforteth true Israell to wit the church the spiritual kingdome of Christ congregated of the Iewes and Gentils and it teacheth vs what is the state of Christes kingdome in this world to wit that nothing in this world is more contemptible and vile then the true Israelites or the right beleeuers in Christ Iesus For the king him self in this earth shewed all humility and submission and was so far frō al pride cruelty ostentation and worldly pompe that the world vtterly despised and contemned him euen as if all that euer he had done had been nothing For when he had continued almost 34. yeares in very humble and low state euen as a pilgrim or stranger here on earth at last they put him to a most shamefull and ignominious death And those as S. Paul witnesseth that beleue in Christ must be like vnto their head Christ that is in this world they must be contemned persecuted afflicted and subiect to all calamities Tertullian in his Apologie against the Gentiles saith that in his time Christians of all other were counted vnprofitable persons and men good for nothing And Ciprian against Demetrian sayth that in his dayes what euil so euer happened in the earth either dearth of victuall or other euil or misfortune it was alway imputed to the Christians And Paul to the Rom. saith out of the 44. psalme that Christians in this world are accounted as sheepe for the slaughter For who so euer they be that be enemies to Christ the same also goe about to kill or destroy those that truely beleeue in Christ and they that kill them thinke they doe God seruice Wherefore it is specially to be required that the godly here arme them selues and strengthen their harts with true consolations against all assaults least they be discouraged and faint vnder the cros ¶ Anna. What comfort then doth the holy Ghost geue them in these great calamities ☞ Vrb. First he calleth the remnant of his people that is the faithfull Christians poore and contemptible soules which the world abhorreth and which are constrained to be sheep ordained for the tirants slaughter But on the other side he promiseth that there shal be in those enemies great change to wit that they shal be so clean altered and haue their disposition maners and nature so changed and become such that they will imbrace and honour the godly for Gods sake whom they shall by the preaching of the gospell know and professe And this was fulfilled when the Romaine Emperors who before time had bitterly vexed and persecuted the kingdom of Christ continually destroying his faithful christians at last were content in their own persons to professe the name of Christ and did highly honour the christians and decrely and hartely imbrace and reuerence them as the only beloued people of god Of this sort was Constantine the great Theodosius and Charles the great and many other Emperors wherby they which beleeue in Christ haue euen in this world much pleasure and ioy But the true comfort conteyned in the words following shall at last appeare The prophet saith I haue heard them in an acceptable time c. This acceptable time or time of mercy is that time of grace of the new testament in which the Lord the most plentiful welspring of mercy opened the treasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most precious gifts of his grace and commaunded the euerlasting couenant of his mercy to be published abroad preached throughout al the world as Paul expoundeth this prophecy to the Cor. For the Lord sent Christ and Christ performed al things which made for mans deliuerance for with his sacrifice he pacified God for sinne blotted out sinne and swallowed vp death and fulfilled the law and conquered Sathan All which great benefits and rich treasures together with his royal victory and life God cōmaunded shold be offered and geuen to the world by his gospell Indeed this day of the Lord is a most acceptable ioyfull and comfortable day This is the day of perfect health help The Lord also hath geuen his seruants to wit the true beleeuers in Christ for a league of his people euen as Christ is a league betwixt God and man For the word of God and the holy sacraments by which the church doth bring other also into the league of grace that they likewise may be partakers of Gods promises are found and remain in
were more cruel and deadly enemies to god then the Iewes were and therfore vnworthy to trouble and vex the children of God at their pleasure But now for the second The Lord by his prophet saith you are yet miserably afflicted and trobled For they which rule ouer my people to wit the pharisies and saduces and such like make them by tormenting and excruciating their consciences so to houle lament and mourn that the corporall captiuity was much more easy then this spirituall bondage of their soules And therfore I wil make an end of this butcherly tirannye which they exercised in their conscience and I will call and congregate my people to my self that they may know my name because that I only am their iustifier and redeemer But when shal this be he answereth in that day that is at the former comming of Christ He goeth on therfore saying Loe I my self wil speak Here God promyseth again his humanity For whē the sonne of god was made man and liued here on this earth it was in a strange maner and such as before was not heard of to wit he was here as true man and did speak himself and he who before had spoken and talked with man by his angels and prophets is now euen in his own person present a true teacher who alone is to be heard of vs euen as the father hath commaunded in Mathew saying heare him And what this teacher speaketh he perfourmeth in deede ¶ Anna. What be hys words What speaketh he He is a notable personage or messēger therfore out of doubt hys wordes must needes be notable excellent ¶ Vrb. He came to preach as Paul faith to the Ephesians peace vnto vs and to tell vs that God for hys sake doth forgeue vs our sins and will neuer herafter be angry with vs but still continue our mercifull father this eternall peace which he speaketh of is surely that ioyful gladsome desired message and most true gospel it selfe And therefore he sayth O how beautifull amiable are the feet of those that preach the gospel or that bring that good and ioyfull message of eternall peace from heauen Christ hym self as the minister of circumcision preached to the Iewes his fathers mercy which is freely geuen vs And he commaunded hys Apostles to preach this ioyfull message or Gospell of eternall peace and saluation yea he preacheth it yet by his ministers which he endueth with the holy ghost that so they may vnderstād the scriptures and instruct others in thē Here you see that the spirituall kingdome is not erected and stablished by corporal armour but by the Gospell for the preachers do nothing els in the pulpet but declare the grace of God and eternal saluation in Christ Iesus saying in times past Sathan came mightely raigning in this world but now O Sion commeth a stronger euē thy God which is a king Christ Iesus who hath ouercome both Sathā and the world He is the mightiest of al he ruleth ouer all and therfore no creatures can hurt thee to wit vs the church so long as we abide vnder the protectiō and defence of this omnipotent prince for this king is God him selfe The Apostles were Watchmen or seers which so exalted their voyce that the whole world was filled with their wordes They also receaued great comfort and reioysed that Christ our sauiour himselfe was come to saue vs and deliuer vs and it was also visibly seene and known that this king did conuert Sion and yet he vsed no violence or tyranny in his gouernment in Syon For sometime he went vp to Ierusalem and sometime he came down from Ierusalem and all as a pilgrime or straunger But he so conuerted Sion to wit his people by the Gospel so that they cast away all their errors and left their sinnes and led righteous and godly lyues yea the spirit and word of Christ wrought all miracles and that so mightely that he atchieued and did that with a word that the whole world could not do with all their strength and riches Hys kingdom is amiable and wonderful he biddeth Ierusalem that is his people reioyce and with one consent gloriously set forth and boast of that so great and wonderful mercies of their god And he calleth Ierusalem a desart or desolate place because the people of God was then small and of no countenance But now the chiefest cause of their ioy is this that their comfort is now presēt with them for that Lord himself cōforteth hys people redemeth them out of extreme horrible and euerlasting calamities He hath sent his onely begottē sonne whome he calleth the arme of God that is his power strength fortitude And it was his pleasure to make him perfectly knowne to all nations by the Gospell that all nations of the earth might see the saluation of our God that is Iesus Christ who was nothing knowne before amongst the Gentiles For the Iewes onely were the people that looked for him none els ¶ Anna. What sayth Esay of Christ in the 53. Chapter which you alway call the golden chapiter and commend so greatly that you would haue all men to haue it at their fingers ends and in their memories ☞ Vrba Hetherto you haue heard of the spirituall kingdome of Christ vnder the crosse and therwithall the notable and worthy comfort which the Church receiueth to wit that all beleuers in Christ shall in him haue full deliueraunce and after the end of these troubles receaue euerlasting ioye But Esay in this Chapiter telleth vs by what meanes our king Christ hath obtayned for vs and geuen vs such wonderfull thinges to wit full deliueraunce from all euill an euerlasting kingdome continuall peace heauenly ioye and eternall saluation and he prophesieth very playnly of the passion resurrection and glory of Christ wherunto he should enter through his passion the wordes of the prophesie are these Behold my seruaūt shall prosper he shal be exalted and extolled and be very high As many were astonied at thee his visage was so deformed of men and his forme of the sonnes of men so shall he sprinckle many nations The kinges shall shut their mouthes at him for that which had not bene told them shall they see and that which they had not heard shall they vnderstand Who will beleue our report and to whome is the arme of the Lord reuealed but he shall growe vp before him as a braunche and as a roote out of a dry ground he hath neither forme nor beautye whē we shall see him there shal be no forme that we should desire him he is despised and reiected of men he is a man full of sorrowes and hath experience of infirmities we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we estemed him not Surely he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrowes yet we did iudge him as plaged and smitten of God and humbled But
causes then all the kingdomes empires powers honors wealthes and riches of this world to wit to destroy the workes of Sathan with the kingdome of sinne and death and to establish his kingdome of righteousnes and euerlasting life But carnall men do carnally expound the promises of the Lord vntill they receaue the holy ghost the true Doctour and teacher of the truth It is the spirite of God which at the last doth trulye open the eyes of the hart that the truth of God may be seene perceaued and vnderstode The Euangelists vse so to speake of the person of Christs as though we may take thē some tyme to speak of the Godhead and glory of Christ and sometyme of his humilitye submission affliction miserye and contemptible state in the eyes of the world euen as occasion and place serue You haue heard before how Esay prophesied that the onely begotten sonne of God Iesus Christ who was spoken of before by the prophets should come into this world euen in his own person But Esay now in this 35. chap. telleth what he should doe and performe at his cōming in the fleshe to wit that he should be our seruaunt And the Father calleth him his seruaunt in respect of his office because he is to helpe vs obediēt to his Father euen vnto the death the death of the crosse and because he humbleth himselfe beneath all men and is a very abiect and lowlye seruant to all men that thereby he may exalt all men The Prophet also sheweth that Christ after this his humilitye should be exalted vnto the most highest state of honor and glorye ¶ Anna. I pray you then tell me how shall Christ obay and how shall he rule ☞ Vrba Very wisely For he will so rule and gouerne the misterye which his Father committed vnto him that no man can euer sufficiently commende him For though it may seeme absurde and foolish vnto reason that Christ should promise to deliuer other mē from death whē he himselfe dyed and to bring all that beleeue into eternall glorye when he himselfe came to eternall shame and ignominye yet this was the best and fastest way to worke such a notable worke For how can the euerlasting wisedome of the Father doe anye thing that should not in euery respect be most excellently done And Iaskaet may be thus translated He will geue wisedome and vnderstanding or he will make men wise and skilfull For Christian beleuers teach true and perfect wisedome in the schoole of Christ which wisdome no worldling can vnderstād The children of this world by the wisedome of the flesh can search after and get nothing but the fraile and transitory goodes of this world But faythfull Christians are much wiser they vse this world and the treasures thereof as the stranger vseth his inery they after the true eternall treasures of their heuenly cuntrye But we must note that this seruice of Christ was not of long continuaunce and that after it should follow true and perfect glory with euerlasting honor And therfore sayth Esay he shal be exalted extolled hiely estemed And this thing shal be so that many may wonder and be offended at his great and extreame humilitie which thing hapned in the Iewes who abhorre and thinke it detestable great wickednes to say that Messias which is promised in the prophets should be constrained to suffer a most vile and ignominious death whereupon they call Christ Thalui that is hanged vp blaspheming him most horribly wickdly and detestably The cause why they are offended at the crosse of Christ is because they seeke in Messias the corporall goodes and temporall honors and dignities of this world They thinke it wickedly and impiously spoken to say that so great a king of Israell should hang among theues as though he himselfe had bene a most hainous and wicked offender But if so be that the sight of him should be so miserable so vncomely so vile so foule that he should not seeme in the eyes of the world to be the man that could deliuer others and bring them vnto honor and glory and this is the cause that he is the stone of offence how could his kingdome be worldly Worldly princes must so set forth their brauerye dignitye and maiestye that men may euen be amased to looke on them A worldly kingdome cannot stand vnlesse there be in it both power and reuerence where the prince is poore and dispised and oppressed by the violence or tyrannye of the enimies and doth neither in power nor riches excell his aduersaryes there must needes the kingdome come to ruine But this our king wil doe more by his humility then all the princes and kings in this earth can doe with all their pompe power and riches What will he then doe The prophet saith He wil sprinkle many nations This is an Hebrue phrase This word Iaseh doth properly signify to disparce abroad hether and thether euen as drops of water are sprinkled here and there This sprinkling therfore of the Gentils betokeneth nothing els in this place but to teach and preach gods word amongst them and this was fulfilled when the Apostles by the holy ghost instructed the gentils through the holy word opened vnto them this welspring of Gods grace in christ Iesus and dispersed the same euen as the fertil rayn which falleth in May that therby the fruit of Gods knowledge might grow and increase in al places they preuailed so much through the preaching of Gods word that euen mighty Emperors and Princes did worship adore and feare Christ Iesus and held their tongues and were astonyed And among the gentils and other places where before the scriptures were not known and the gospell not heard of there did they so teach the great misteries of the gospel that they were vnderstood Seeing then in Christ such great maruels and wonders are wrought to wit that God becommeth man humbleth him self very lowly and in his blessed and most innocent humanity I cal his humanity that humain nature which he tooke vpon him suffereth so great shame greef and calamity and that of his own people whom he had blessed with so great and infinite benefits both of body and soule and seeing he must by this his ignominious death be exalted vnto honor and so begin his spirituall kingdome but must first as the king therof labour vnder his crosse and suffer all kind of calamity and shame and yet by the self same crosse be in deed exalted to honor and crowned with eternall glory seeing I say these wonderful things which are contrary to mans reason are done in Christ and his kingdome the world wil not beleeue them when it shal heare them And this thing the prophet saw in spirite when he sayd who wil beleue our saying that is our preching or doctrine They are so great incredible that reason cannot be perswaded that such wonders either are or could be done How did
and condemned to the death of the cros but that heuy and vnspekable payn that the Lord of all things and iudge both of the liuing and dead suffered himself to be iudged and condemned by sinful men was not to continue longer then three dayes After which torments he should at the last being rysen agayn raigne with great glory ouer Israell He dyed once and dyeth no more Death henceforth hath no more power ouer him but he is ruler ouer it for euer Whereupon sayth the prophet who shal declare his age or generation or tel of the time of his raign When the Iewes supposed he had bin dead and quite destroyed then at the last he passed from time which perysheth into eternity which neuer shall haue end and he rose from death into the glory of the euerlasting ioy and immortality This is that infinite merite of Christes passion by which he deserued for vs forgeuenes of all our sinnes and euerlasting life He was cut of and taken away by his passiō out of the land of the liuing which liue here in this transitory life Our life verely is miserable and short and alwayes caryeth death about with it and is euery moment in danger of death and hath death following it euen as the shadow doth follow the body But Christ then in his passion passed from death to euerlasting life where he doth now raign our Lord and king for euer and euer ¶ Anna. Why saith Esay the Lord made his sepulchre with the wicked or suffered him to be buryed as the wicked ☞ Vrb. The prophet speaketh of the outward passion of Christ Paul to the Gala. calleth him a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is cursed or maledcition and there he sayth that for our sakes he became accursed as though he should say although Christ as touching his own person was innocent and that blessed seed of Abraham againste whom neither sinne nor death had any power yet of his own free wil he became in his outward man contemned and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accursed and suffered himself to be slain vpō the cros for vs poore miserable sinners this kind of deth is due only to those who for their offēces and wicked life are condemned He suffered this most shameful death became for our cause the curse that we through him might obtayn blessednes Thus then suffered he on the cros for great offences wherewithall the blinded Iewes did most vniustly charg him They accused him of blasphemy and sedition saying that he trespassed against God Cesar so rightly deserued that cruel death wheras in deed he suffered willingly for our sakes that vile ignominye false accusation which they falsly forged against him For he him self neuer sinned neither could offend but so was the wil of our heauenly father He spared not his deerely beloued Sonne that we poore sinners might by that his most shameful and contemptuous death but vnto vs sure saluation be delyuered from all our sinnes Esay teacheth in the words following what commodity we haue by this miserable and ignominious death of Christ and he sayth The figures or types of the sacrifices in Moyses law are fulfilled by this onely Sacrifice of Christ These be his words when he shall spend his life for our sinne when he shall make his soule an offering for sinne or when he shall geue his life a sacrifice for sinne then shal he haue seede his age shall be prolonged that is when he shal haue offered himselfe vp in Sacrifice vpon the cros to his heauenly father for our sinnes then shall he haue seed or children that is faithfull beleeuers in him And his yeares shall be so long that the life of him and all faithfull christians shal be without end It is otherwise with erthly kings for they when they dye depart from their kingdomes their Successors possesseth thē But this our king of glory Christ dyed another holesome and liuely kinde of death by which he entereth into true life and most mightely beginneth the administration of his eternall kingdome And here again is the resurrection of Christ and faithful Christians foretold For this is the right and true ruling gouerning erection and establishing of a kingdome whē the king erecteth such a kingdome as wil neuer decay in which the subiectes alwayes haue continuall and perfect safety protection peace surety felicity and all good things aboundantly and this can no earthly king doe For all earthly kings dye their kingdomes perish and decay with them as we see all dominions princely power and kingdomes continue in this world but a while and not for euer but within a few ages to come vtterly to ruine Wherupon Esay saith that the wil of the Lord is in his own hand or his determination or purpose by the hand of Messias shal haue prosperous succes For what thing soeuer the father commaunded Christ to doe for vs all that hath he fully finished with perfection yea with faithfulnes and to our great commodity and he plainly declareth that this was done by Christes merite where he saith his soul was in payn that is he suffered much vexatiō greef sorrow misery for our sake but shall haue a great reward or worthy hire For after so many tribulatiōs he shal see those things which wil make him ioyfull that is the catholick church or the true godly who through sincere faith doe openly honor Christ glorify Christ preach Christ and confes the Lord Christ and so highly esteem these his labors miseryes and greefes that they doubt nothing but that by the same they shal attain euerlasting saluation peace rest and consolation And therfore they wil not be afraid to suffer temporall death for the glory of Christ For they know that true righteousnes euerlasting life eternall saluation and aboundant treasures of all goodnes and felicity are to be found in Christ Iesu Now haue you heard how Christ bare our sinnes and satisfyed for them In the words following Esay teacheth vs how we may be iustifyed and made partakers of that most holsome passion and merits of christ And he sayth his knowledge or the vnderstanding of Christ is the mean wherby we receaue attain that great treasure Wherfore wife if you beleue this prophecye to wit that Iesus Christ the true sonne of God God man tooke away from you your sinnes satisfyed for them and offered him self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sacrifice for you and that he became your sauiour hath by his myserable and innocent death reconcyled you to God These I say if you beleue by this faith shal you receue forgeuenes of your sinnes and be reputed before God both iust and holy as the Euangelists and Apostles and especially S. Peter Paul and Iohn in euery place witnes This is the righteousnes of Christians to acknoledge and beleeue that Christ is our onely Mediator Sauyour and Redeemer whom God sent to take our sinnes vpon him and satisfy for them
of perles Iemms and pretious stones and they expound this promise carnally of an earthly building but Esay speaketh in this place of a spiritual building and spirituall stones When we heare and belieue the Gospell then are we by the word and faith builded vpon that our precious corner stone rock Christ that we may be the holy Citie of God which he him selfe doth build and in in which he doth dwell He that is a stone and Citizen of this Citie he is in safety sin death and Sathan can not hurt him for God himselfe is there the ouerseer and maister mason Esay in many chapiters hath plainely set downe what Christ is and what his ministery is and sayth that Christs Church or kingdome is not an earthlye kingdome but a congregatiō of the faythfull in spirite which beleue the Gospell and hold and depend in this life of the word of God and not of the visible thinges of this world For ther is an other world and an other earth prepared for the Childrē of God wherin nothing dwelleth but righteousnes it selfe They seeke a city to come because in this world they haue no place of cōtinuaūce And least they should be offēded at the crose or faint in so great afflictiō and least in the heat of persecution and in the tossing tempests of temtation they should say with them selues we shall perish and be vndon he comforteth them with most sweete and fatherly promises saying that he will be with them in all their daungers and readely helpe them in all their miseries Seing then the kingdome of Christ is a hiddē kingdome of fayth vnder the crosse it is needfull that we lay good handfast hold of the word of God and with And therefore Esay doth counsayle and exhorte the Church of Christe that it should diligētly heare and in hart lay vp the worde of God in which great and infinite treasures to wit euerlasting righteousnes peace ioy health and lyfe are offered and freely geuen vs without our desert And these be his wordes O euery one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and ye that haue no siluer come bye and eate come I say bye wine milke without monye and siluer wherfore doe you lay out siluer and not for bread and yet labor without being satisfied Loe heare how sweetely God allureth and draweth vs to his word and heauenly treasures He calleth his word water euen water of that euerlasting and liuely fountaine of which Iohn speaking sayth that it quencheth eternall thirst and that it refresheth recreateth vs in all our drought and heate of persecution and affliction which is the true water of comfort and lyfe wherwith we repare and refresh our selues in all distresse both of body and soule He calleth it wine and also milke for that it giueth cōfort consolation as well to the old as to the yong to the weake as to the strong because it quickneth and refresheth the troubled conscience and because it nourisheth vs to euerlasting life and feedeth vs with liuely food Here he excludeth no man he sayth Whosoeuer hungreth and thirsteth for true righteousnes onely let him come as for mony and mony worth he hath no neede onely let him come This water this wine and this milke are most pleasaunt to all the poore in spirite as Christ sayth in Mathew The pharises and Iusticiaries sell righteousnes workes and spirituall comfort very deere But here in the word of God they are all geuen gratis Whosoeuer seeketh peace of conscience righteousnes other were then in the gospell they lay out their monye where there is no bread because gods promise is the bread by which we liue before god It followeth in the prophet Harken diligently vnto me and eate that which is good and let your soule delight in fatnes Encline your eares and come vnto me Here and your soule shall lyue and I will make an euerlasting couenaunt with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid Behold I gaue him for a witnes to the people for a prince and a Maister vnto the people Behold thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not and a nation that knew not thee shall run vnto thee because of the Lord thy God and the holy one of Israell For he hath glorified thee In these wordes Esayas doth teach what great and infinite fruite we reape of the word of God to wit euen lyfe it selfe In the word of God is contayned the pleasaunt consolation meate and drinke of the soule he that beleueth it hath lyfe and doth not tast of the eternall death It is the word of grace and truth whatsoeuer it promiseth is firme certaine and sure must needes come to pas And that he may better stirre vp our mindes and strengthen vs with greater comfort he calleth it the promise of grace in Christ and couenaunt with Dauid wherof you haue heard in the Psalmes This is that new testament the couenaunt of grace betwene God and all the faythfull which in true fayth apprehend and take hold of Christ the true Dauid frō which God shall neuer turne his face and mercye And although yea euen the true godly them selues be heare weake not altogether perfect yet for Christes sake into whome they are ingrafted in fayth there is no dānation to them If this couenaunt depended vpon our good workes so that onely we should thinke God to be attone with vs so long as we are iust and without sin before him then in deed the whole state of our saluation were vncertaine For no man at all in this flesh doth liue without sinn But our saluation hath a more sound and firme foundation euen the grace and truth of god Heare he promiseth forgeuenes of sinns of his meere grace and what of his grace he promiseth in faythfulnes he performeth Wherfore Paule hath a noble saying Righteousnes is by fayth that it might come by grace and the promise might be sure to all the seede not to that only which is of the law but also to that which is of the fayth of Abraham who is the Father of vs all It followeth in the prophet that he hath geuen the true Dauid euen Christ the sonne of Dauid for a witnes For he teacheth and preacheth the Gospell The prophet also sayth that God gaue him to be a Captayne Maister Emperor or law geuer to the gentiles which is is as much to say as Christ should be the Doctor and king of the gentiles which gentiles as the Gospell witnesseth shall see how obstinate rebellious and vnbeleuing a kinde of people the Iewes be which obstinatly refused their owne flesh bloud Iesus Christ the true Messias and vtterly and contemptiously reiected him whome aboue all men they ought to haue receaued and honored Paule sayth to the blinded Iewes It was necessary that the word of god should first haue bene spoken vnto you but seing ye put it
glad of the bride so shall thy God reioyce ouer thee Here the prophet sayth a great part of men regard neither God nor Christ and yet shall the elect seeke for the spirituall and true Sion and waight for Christ their onely Sauiour But seing the Church lyeth open to Sathans persecutions and of him is afflicted and wasted it hath great neede to be comforted Therefore he sayth I will not keepe silence but I will teach Christ cōtinually vntill he come For Christ as Paule witnesseth is the onely righteousnes of Sion or of the spirituall Hierusalem And he is the onely saluation of the Church as the Euangelists and Apostls teach in euery place Esay therfore teacheth of none but Christ Iesus whome God sent vs to be our Sauiour that both Iewes and Gentiles might enioy and be partakers of this his benefite as it hath ben fulfilled in all places euer since thapostles tyme And this new name here spokē of is nothing els but that Gos people is now called the Church of the sonne of God and the true and heauenly Hierusalem which is the mother of all the elected saintes And heare behold how precious and deare a darling the Church is to God our good and faithfull father For the prophet calleth it a crowne of glory the worlde counted the godly as vngodly as fooles as doultes as outcasts and as of scouringes of all thinges euery man did scoffe mocke scorne and iniury thē at their pleasure But the Church hath here an other manner of name for it is called a beloued precious glorious crowne my delight is in her and a people that hath a god that will not forget them These be most cōfortable promises when we be vnder the crosse But they must be stedfastly beleued or els they little auailed For it is most certaine although in this world we be contemned and afflicted that God yet loueth vs so derely and wel that al the creatures of the world are compelled to serue helpe vs euen then when the world supposeth they must torment vs Yea the Angels in heauen care for cherish and defend vs and God himselfe beareth vs in his armes as doth the louing Father his onely beloued childe But now consider this great worke of the loue of God I meane the passion of Christ and that God became man for vs All these thinges he did for the Church to the end that hauing deliuered them by this meanes from all euills he might bring them to health lyfe euerlasting How could he declare and shew a more fatherly loue and good will to his Church thē he hath done in deliuering his onely begotten sonne vp vnto death for it that he might deliuer it when as yet it was his enemy Though this infirmitie sore temptation and cros of ours in this world appeare outwardly horrible and detestable yet in deede thy are nothing els but a Fatherly rod wherewith he correcteth amendeth and reformeth his derely beloued children As for the glory which in the day of redemption shall be reuealed vnto vs I wil now say nothing of it but thē it shal appeare how dearely God loueth his church And then shall it be seene that this temporall trouble which we Christians haue heare is a certaine signe of Gods great good will and true fatherly loue towardes vs Esay his wordes seeme to sound as though he spak of that earthly Ierusalem in the land of Canaā And the prophet beholding the Church with spirituall eyes is cōpelled to speake as if he spake of these earthly thinges because they were figures of the true and heauēly Ierusalem and land of righteousnes As Peter and Paul doe sufficiently witnesse prescribing vs a sure rule how to vnderstād the prophets aright when they speake of Christ and his kingdome the church Note also that Esay calleth the church such a crowne as is in the hand of the Lord or which is caried in the Lordes hand Whiche is as much to say as the Church is a spirituall kingdome which God himselfe doth gouerne and rule It is also a crowne of glory or a glorious crowne in the hand of the Lord because it doth not appeare glorious in the eyes of the world And wheras the prophet taketh his similitude of a mariage and of fayth geuen betwene man wife that is very comfortable For hereby we learne how dearely tenderly and inwardly God loueth vs what infinite treasures we shall receaue of him For we know that the bridgrome makes his bride partaker of all he hath It followeth I haue set watch men vpon thy walles O Ierusalem which all the day and all the night continually shall not cease Ye that are mindful of the Lord keep ye silēce geue him no rest till he repare and set vp Hierusalem the prayse of the world The watchmen are the faythfull preachers of Gods word which watch and take paines in the Church in prayer doctrine least Sathan that deadly enemy by his false prophets should deceaue ouercome thē And these prechers alwayes preach true repentaunce and the grace of God in Christ and they diligently by their exhortations and sermons teach vs the knowledge of god and our selues and to geue God thankes for all his vnspeakeable benefits It followeth The Lord hath sworne by his right hand and by his strong arme surely I will no more geue thy corne to be meate to thine enemies and surely the sonnes of the strangers shall not drinke thy wine for the which thou hast labored But they that haue gathered it shall eate it and prayse the Lord and the gatherers therof shal drinke it in the courtes of my sanctuary This is spoken and ment of the spirituall corne and wine And this is the meaning therof It cannot be but the worde which these preachers teach should take place after it shall follow and rise the fruite of fayth which appeareth not at all in the vngodly These courtes that he speaketh of is the congregatiō or Church of Christiās or the godly amongest whome the gospell is purely taught where mens consciences were pacified quieted mery and pleasaunt in the Lord when the inward man feeleth peace tranquilitie quietnes securitye felicity perfect pleasure in the worde of god None of the vngodly either feele or haue taste of this pleasure And least we should any thing doubt of this promise he bindeth it with an oth that we shall haue those things which he promiseth It foloweth in the text Go through go through the gates prepare you the way for the people Cast vp cast vp the way and gather out the stones and set vp a standerd for the people Behold the Lord hath proclaimed vnto the endes of the world Tell the daughter Sion Behold thy Sauiour commeth Behold his wagis is with him and his worke is before him and they shall call them the holy people the redeemer of the Lord And thou shalt
be named a Citye sought out and nōt forsaken In these wordes the prophet commaundeth that the word of the Gospell should be diligently painefully and continually tought in all places where men be to heare it The gates of the Church doe stand alway open all thinges are now ready there lacketh nothing but that you diligently vrge and beleue the doctrine of the word and that ye remoue take vp and sweepe away all thinges whatsoeuer hinder the crosse and increase of the Gospell that it may haue better successe Preach you Christ crucified and he shall by his spirite gather and draw all men vnto him To be short the Gospell ought to be published and preached through all the world Tell the daughter Sion that is you must declare to all the electe both Iewes and Gentiles that their Sauiour Christ Iesus is at hand and whatsoeuer he promiseth or enterpriseth for the sauing of his people that is to say the spiritual Sion the same he mightely performeth For the captiuitye wherein he was and the passion which he suffered is our redemption and saluation and his death is our lyfe And though Sion that is the Church be counted but base and vile in the eyes of the world yet shall it be glorious famous of great dignity before God and it shall haue this worthy name and title to be called the holy people of God whom God himself in mannes nature which hee tooke vpon him hath redeemed And although the world supposeth that God hath reiected and forsaken the church and that God himself is sore displeased with it because they see it in misery calamity and vnder the cros yet neuertheles shall it both be called and in deed be found that perfect citye of God which God in no case can forsake And here you see the articles of the creed I beleeue the holy Catholick church the communyon of saints For he that beleeueth in Christ is a citizen in this Citie and a saint in Christ which forgeueth our sinnes and sanctyfieth the church by his word and holy spirit Now then if you wil not haue this work of Christ our Sauiour to be fruitles it is necessary that the gospel should be preached in all the world and that there should be in all places faithful beleeuers in Christ and that the same beleeuers be delyuered from death to the end the church may be made this beutifull citie fayre dwelling or house of god which he cānot forsake Here also it is euydent that it behoued Christ to rise again from death to the end this citie might be builded in all the world and that the faithfull in Christ may be delyuered from all their calamities sinne death and damnation This did not Cleophas and his companion while they were on their way to Emaus vnderstād and that was the cause that they were so sad But let vs now goe to the 63. chapter of Esay in which the magnificall and glorious tryumph of Christ is descrybed to wit how by his cros bloudsheding he marueilously ouercame his and the churches enemies namely sinne death Sathan and the sinagogue of the vnbeleeuing Iewes and valiantly vanquished them by his own strength and vertue Esay in this chapter also vseth after his maner a figuratiue speech saying Who is this that commeth from Edom with red garments from Bosrah He is glorious in his apparrell and walketh in his great strength Here the prophet wondering at the passion of christ vseth an interrogatiue speech Edom signifyeth red ruddy or redly colored Bosrah signifyeth a vine branch from whence the clusters of grapes be gathered which are troaden and prest in the wine pres He calleth the Sinagogue of the Iewes Edom or red because they all bestayned and defyled them selues with the bloud of the prophets and Christ when they sayd his bloud be vpon vs and our children The prophet therfore saw in the spirite how that bloudy Sinagogue tormented afflicted Christ all be slubbered and berayd him in blod as we see the grape treders are besprinkled bestaind with the wine in the vintage He saw also in the same place by the spirit what Christ by his blodsheding hath wrought and done to wit how he hath by his own strength and vertue without the help and ayd of any other ouercome and vanquyshed his enemyes admirably tryumphed as a most fortunat and worthy warryar in his triumphes conquest and signes of victory worthy to be beholden of all men For when the Iewes thought verely he had been dispatched and deead in deed then rose he again from death and began his kingdome and declared him selfe to be a valyaunt vanquisher of sinne death and all the kingdome of darcknes and punished with the horrible plague of captiuity hardnes of hart and apostacy the Iewes in all the world whersoeuer they be for this horrible and cruel fact of sheding of innocent bloud Vnto this interrogatiō of the prophet doth the Messias answere saying I speake in righteousnes and am mighty to saue That is to say why marueilest thou what I am I am he whom God hath sent to teache righteousnes nay euen to help that is to say iustifye and saue of mine own hability But by and by the prophet addeth another interrogation If thou be the true Sauyour which shalt help and geue life in deede wherfore then is thy apparrell red and thy garmentes like his that treadeth in the wine pres How doth this agree and stand with thy promyses wherin thou takest vpon thee to help and saue vs To this Christ answereth I haue troaden the wine pres alone and of all people there was none with me for I will tread them in mine anger and tread them vnder foot in my wrath and their bloud shal be sprinkled vpon my garments and I wil stayn all my rayment For the day of vengeance is in my hart and the yeare of my redeemed is come and I looked and there was none to help and I wondered that there was none to vphold Therefore mine own harme helped me and my wrath it self sustayned me Therfore I wil tread down the people in my wrath and make them dronken in mine indignation and will bring down their strength to the earth In this answere of Christ we see how he would by his passion enter into his glory and thorowly delyuer vs for euer He sayth thou shalt not maruail to see my rayment red For this is the true and redyest way and meanes to saue the world God hath so ordayned it I haue troadē the wine pres alone that is to say I alone haue born the sinnes of the world vpon the crosse No man els was able to satisfy God for the sinnes of the world but I alone It was my bloud only that both could and ought to doe it and nothing els There was no other meanes nor way to saue you from your sins And in that my infirmity I shewed great strength and I
flesh they should liue at lyberty peace pleasure plenty and security But it is to be vnderstood that their delyueraunce should be spirituall so that many of them should neuertheles by the gospel in Christ be iustifyed and saued though a great part of them were to fall away from Christ and to repugne set thē sclues against Christ and his church as at this day wee see they doe ☞ Vrb. It is in deede as you say For they did not vnderstand the prophets nay when Christ cam vnto the Sinagoge it was so stufft and ouerwhelmed with mans traditions that their very doctors them selues vnderstoode not the scriptures as they were with vs in the tyme of popery Now if the doctors were so ignoraunt alas what could the rude people know The prophets out of doubt are plaine and manifest inough they euidently declare that at the comming of Messias Goim that is to say the Gentiles shall in deede be leue receaue and acknowledge Messias to be their Lord and that the most part of the Iewes should rebelliously reuoult from him and but onely a remnaunt of them be conuerted to him to whome the Gentiles should be gathered and ioyned and of thē both should be made one spirituall Israell And to this end were those comfortable promises of the kingdome of Christ made both to the Gentiles and the remnaunt of the Iewes As Esaias sayth in the wordes that follow Therefore thus sayth the lord Behold my seruants shall eate and ye shall be hungrye Behold my seruauntes shall reioyce and ye shall be ashamed Behold my seruants shall sing for ioye of hart and ye shall crye for sorrow of hart and shall houle for vexation of minde and ye shall leaue your name as a cursse vnto my chosen for the Lord God shall slay you and call his seruaunts by an other name He that shal blesse in the earth shall blesse himselfe in the true God and he that sweareth in the earth shall sweare by the true god For the former troubles are forgottē and shall surely hide them selues from mine eyes ¶ Anna. Doth the prophet here speake of corporall meate and drinke as that miserable blinded rable of the circumsised Iewes do Iudge ☞ Vrb. Paule sayth in the first of Timo. that those that beleue in Christ haue the promise made them both of this lyfe and of the lyfe to come And therfore is it most true that those christians which beleue in Christ shal enioy euen such thinges as are necessary for this life But without all doubt the prophet saw here a greater and more excellent thing and hee meaneth rather a spirituall sustinaunce then a corporall As for the meat and drinke which nourisheth the bodye the prophets greatly regard it not about such thinges they greatly trouble not thē selues it is the health of the soule that they chiefly regard that is their chiefe care that especially did they thinke themselues bound to teach that so they might search out and promise euerlasting health with ioyfull lyfe and immortality to the beleeuers in Christ For their promises contayne the very true Gospell of Christ Iesu And the Gospell is the promise of true righteousnes lyfe it selfe eternall saluatiō and the spirituall and euerlasting kingdome of Christ And this is the cause that the prophets vse by temporal blessings as their wordes import to prophecye of true heuēly happines And to this end doth al the doctrine of the gospel tend to this it draweth vs as witnesseth Christ in the sixt of Ioh. saying labor not for the meat that perisheth but for meat that ēdureth vnto euerlasting life I am the liuing the bread which came down from heauen if anye man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer And in Luke he sayth Therefore I appoint vnto you a kingdome as my Father hath appointed vnto me that you may eate and drinke at my table in my kingdom Such promises made hee to his disciples which continued with him in his afflictions at what time he had neither kingdome countenace glory nor estimation in this world And Paul to the Romaines sayth The kingdome of God is not meate nor drinke but righteousnes and peace and ioy in the holy ghost This true ioy and continuall gladnes shall the faythfull in Christ enioy but the heritage of the vngodly shall be wrath indignation punishment vexation and anguish of soule The Ioy of the Christian beleuers in the midst of their afflictions beginneth here in earth in fayth and hope when God the holy Ghost doth witnes within vs that we are the children and heires of God and already saued but as yet onely in hope But in the great day of the Lord we shall then at the last beginn to enioy for euer that greate gladnes pleasures delights of lyfe euerlasting ¶ Anna. What name is it by which Gods children fweare Vrb. Esay sayth it shall come to passe that the name of a Iew by reasō of their apostacye and for that they denyed Christ shall be odious and contemptible in all landes So that when men will wish ill to one or curse one they shall wish the same to fall vpon him whiche fell vpon the Iewes But gods seruauntes that is to say the true Iewes spirituall Israelites which beleue in Christ shall be called by an other name to wit Christians of Christ the Lord their God. And we see it is so come now to pas in deede and all those blessinges in which the Iewes before did excell be now at this day translated to vs gentiles the faithfull christians For we onely now haue the true and sound vnderstanding of the scriptures the true Messias and true fayth which geueth lyfe we haue the true righteousnes true workes true sacrifice and true oblation and the right high priest the right alter and the right propitiatory temple and seruice of God. And this name Christian shall be so honorable and famous that the valiant godlyest Martirs of Christ shall not be ashamed for the professing of Christe to suffer most greuous punishment Who as Eusebius witnesseth constantly and corragiously professing their Lord haue sayd euen to the most bloudy tyrants teeth I am a Christian yea though they certainelye knew they should presētly both be terribly tormented and hazard their lyues for it We also blesse our selues in the name of Iesus christ the true God neither is there any other God but Christ Iesus There is but one God onely and he being true god in the persō of the sonne was made true man of the seede of Dauid This is fulfilled For seing christiā beleuers know that all Gods graces helpe helth cōfort lyfe and liberty are onely in Christ and through Christ they flye in all perill and trouble to this name Iesu for helpe and as soone as they doe it and once name it straightway it ministreth strength comfort and cōsolation to the heauy hart ¶ Anna. Why doth
the prophet say that their former troubles are forgott put out of sight and hide from them seing that in the kingdome of Christ that as in the Church there is neuertheles outwardly nothing but affliction vexation and tribulatiō in this lyfe insomuch that euen the most holy men many tymes fall into such trouble of mind that they need the comfort of other men ☞ Vrb. You must acquaint your selfe with the prophets phrase of speach The prophets speake of the kingdome of Christ as if we were now already deliuered out of these troubles and as if the glory of his kingdome which is yet to come had now already apeared nay as if the euerlasting lyfe which is yet to come were already begun where as yet it is but only in fayth And so it behoued thē to speake of it For if they should paint forth the kingdome of Christ in his proper colors and set it forth aright as it ought to be they must not looke vpon that base and homely outward appearaunce in which here vpon earth it lyeth couertly hid vnder the crosse but they must behold the glory also in which it shall florish in the day of our perfect regeneration when all kindes of euills incommodities stombling blockes shal be remoued out of the kingdome of Christe and when we shall be free from all kind of crosses and calamities In as much as we being iustified be fayth in Christ are freed and deliuered from our sinnes and in as much as we beare Christ by fayth in our hartes and are now made the sons of God and haue our lyfe hid and preserued with Christ in God and haue the holy spirite the earnest penye of our inheritance and so spiritually are risen agayne frō the death of sin and haue nothing els to looke for but that this mortall bodye should dye and rise agayne the prophets I say because of these so excellent thinges because we are saued in hope vsed sometimes in that they knew what fayth in Christ could doe and should doe to speake of the kingdome of Christ as if now already we were translated out of this fraile and corruptible lyfe and out of these troubles cares calamities and afflictious into that lyfe that continueth for euer And this certainely is our sure plentifull comfort consolatiō nay it is our spirituall blessing wherwith we now are already blessed And these first fruites of the spirite are such heauenly treasures that no tongue can vtter the excellency and dignitie therof And this is the cause that when we be indued with these heauēly treasures we beare the heuy crosse of persecution trouble more patiētly Before this we were in the kingdome of the deuill the kingdome of the euerlasting curse but now we are in the kingdome of eternall blessing in which onely and els not at all we finde and enioy the grace of God righteousnes helth and euerlasting lyfe It followeth in the prophet For loe I will create new heauens and a new earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into minde But the Lord sayth bee you glad and reioyce for euer in the thing that I shall create For behold I will create Ierusalem as a reioycing and her people as a ioy And I will reioyce in Ierusalem and ioy in my people and the voyce of weeping shall be no more heard in her nor the voyce of crying Behold here how exceeding glorious the kingdome of Christ shall be after this lyfe God for his childrens sake his faythful which be heyres of all things in Christ will wake a new heauen and a new earth And then all thinges shall reioyce with the Children of God all affliction and trouble which we suffered here in this earth shall then be forgot For heauines hath then his end and eternall Ioy beginneth Now it is called the earth and so it is in deed euen a vale of misery and a sea of sorrow For which way soeuer a man turneth his eye there is nothing here to be seene but daunger and affliction The water drowneth vs the fire burneth vs and the ayre with tempest stormes thunder lightning haile molesteth vs In the earth we see our graues and the burying places of the dead dens of theeues and here the tortor and there the racke to torment vs To be short there is no place but that of misery and mischiefe it is a place For as yet Sathan with this his world swelleth rageth turneth tosseth euery thing vpside downe and bringeth in all kinde of calamity and mischiefe vpon vs but when he with his incredulous and wicked world shall be hurled hedlong downe to hell when our God shall renew the earth when the true Christians shall only appeare in all places and nothing but true iustice inhabite the land then shall the memory of that former earth the vale of misery in which was nothing but present perill sicknes sorrow affliction and death be vtterly extinguished and forgot then at the last shall the true heauenly Ierusalem be builded where shall be nothing but sure pure and vnspekable ioy and there we shal reioyce in the Lord for euer and euer and God shall be to vs all in all And wheras the Iewes and Chelieasts draw and wrast this text to the lande of Iuda they are foolishly and doultishly deceaued For all Iudaisme with their tempell Ierusalem priesthoode and principalitye had their limites and time appointed and ought to continue but onely till Iesus Christ should come and fulfill the scriptures who together with his Church was by the law priest sacrifice temple and Ierusalem prefigured and signified For Esay a little after in the 66. chapiter prophesyeth of the Iewes ceremonies that they shall haue an end that after for euer in the Church of the faythfull in Christ there shall be month after month and Saboth after Saboth that is to say in this church shall be a perpetuall and continuall Saboth Saboth after Saboth still one vpon one wheras the Saboths of the Iewes were numbred and knowne In this last of Esay also we haue a notable worthy prophesy of the kingdom of Christ or of the church of the faythfull The wordes of it be these Reioyce ye with Ierusalem and be glad with her all ye that loue her reioyce for ioy with her all ye that morne for her that you may suck and be satisfied with the brestes of her consolation and that ye may milke out and be delighted with the brightnes of her glory For thus sayth the Lord Behold I will extend peace ouer her lyke a floud and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing streame then shall ye suck ye shall be born vpon her sides and be ioyful vpon her knees As one whom his mother comforteth so will I comfort you and ye shall be comforted in Ierusalem And when ye see this your hartes shall reioyce and your bones shall florishe like an
herbe and the hand of the Lord shall be knowne among his seruauntes and his indignation against his enimies You heare in this prophesy that Ierusalem grones vnder her crosse because she is so miserably and hotly persecuted and troubled here in the earth But God promiseth that there shall be such plentifull comfort in the heauenly Ierusalem that the faythfull beleeuers shall not remember their former griefes He vseth a figuratiue speach saying lyke as a hungry sucking infant greedely draweth his mothers brestes with pleasure and thinketh nothing sweeter then his mothers milke so shall there be brests of all comfort in the church by which the faythfull shall take most pleasaunt repast and pleasure For the Church in this lyfe hath the most pleasaunt and hony sweete milke of Gods promises which the children of God suck and with which they are nourished and battned in fayth and by which they are vnspeakeably and vncredibly comforted in the spirite which doth inwardly illuminate and teach them the misteries of the gospell And though the Churche here vpon earth be afflicted tormented and tossed with troubles and hath no resting place yet doth god promise it great plenteous and eternall peace which as a flowing riuer whose course is neuer stayed shall neuer be dried For the kingdome of Christ is a kingdome of eternall peace whiche wee haue with God through Christ And as the tender mothers nourishe and beare their young infantes in their laps armes so do the pastors in the kingdome of Christ beare the faythfull Christians and they faythfully minister and truely breake to them the pure and sound foode of the word of God and geue to euery one as well weake as strong according to their neede Neither was there euer yet vpon this earth any parents though they were most pampering and fond of their children that could so sweetly intreate so delicatly nursse or so derely loue so faythfully carefully watchfully looke to their childrē as God doth to vs And therfore though the Church of the faythfull lye opē to euery crosse calamity after her christs exāple yet is the force of these heauēly promises such in the middest of these troubles that doubtedly all the ioyes pleasures cōsolatiōs of this world are nothing in respect of them For as Paule witnesseth to the Cor. As the sufferinges of Christ abound in vs so our consolation aboūdeth through Christ In the psalmes also it is written in the multitude of my thoughtes in my hart thy comforts haue reioysed my soule and Christ tould his desciples vs before hand that they should wepe and morne in this world but the world should laugh and reioyce But immediatly after he greatly comforteth them and vs with a comfortable promise of eternall ioy saying your sorrowe shall be turned into ioy which no man shall be able to take from you for euer Hath not a godly man passing surmounting ioy here vpon earth when hee remembreth this heauenly Ierusalem and beholdeth with spirituall eyes this glorious city of God and when he remembreth that all Gods deere childrē in all the wide world which are innumerable shall haue one father one king one teacher one fayth one minde one hope and one euerlasting inheritaunce together with them that are allready departed in the Lord and which we shall see at the last day in a gloryfied body with these eyes O what an exceeding ioy will it be to behold that Christ the head of all Saints and holy Mary the blessed mother of God with all the Patriarches prophets Apostles virgins martyrs infāts angels in heauē Verely mans hart in this mortall flesh can not thinke or with sence conceaue any part or parcell of this so great excessiue euerlasting treasures and ioyes For it far very far passeth our capacitie as Paule witnesseth out of Esay saying Eye hath not seen neither eare hath hard neither came into mans hart the thinges which god hath prepared in his heauenly Ierusalem for them that loue him Besides this our bones shall florish and bud This is not to be vnderstood onely of the recreation refection and ioy that we haue here by the word of God but as the Church hath hetherto euer expounded it of that glorious resurrection of our bodies in the laste day when our dry bones be they neuer so ill fauored broken and parched wheresoeuer they be either by water or by lande shall bud and florish that is shall be restored and repared at the sound of the archangell and the bodye it selfe shall be indewed with eternall helth and prosperitye by this meanes our bones may bud for euer seing our bodyes though now they be weake feble and fraile shall contrary to Porpherye lyue also for euer For the Lord hath said it Thus then in that heauenly Ierusalem after domes day shal be no sicknes no old age no death but continuall health of body and alwayes a fresh mery flowrishing and liuely youth To be short as Saint Augustine sayth There shal be an euerlasting perpetuity of a most happy blessed merye and ioyfull life The children of God here in their lyfe tyme be but weake feeble dispised and subiect to the mockes and persecutions of the vngodly who kyll them and butcher them euen as Sheepe prepared for the shambles Contrarylye the world florisheth in power honor pleasure and prosperity and florisheth so in all dayntye delicates that there seemes to be no such calamities and miserable man as the true godly beleuer in Christ but at the last day when this heauenly Ierusalem shall be builded for altogether then shall Gods hand or power be knowen with which he will deliuer his seruants the true godly those that beleue in Christ Then shall they not be either weake feble miserable or contemptuous but they shall be strong bewtifull and sit on christes right hand in gloryfied bodyes lyke to Christ and being in hye and infinite glorye and adorned with inestimable ornaments and deliuered frō death and all misery They shall for ioy sing and triumph thē shal they sit in their maiesty and mock and point with the finger at death and Sathan saying death where is now thy sting hell where is now thy victory death is for euer swallowed vp in the victory of Christ And though the children of this world whiche would not beleue the gospell for a tyme here vpon earth haue had some wealth and wallowed in pleasure as if god had most fauored and loued them yet at the last day they shall well finde that they were Gods enemies and thē shall they to their smart feele how hote heuy and horrible the wrath of God is against them that be now agaynst Christ For then shall God without mercy and pitye throw them with Sathan and all his ministers hedlong downe to hell there to be damned for euer Esay in the end of his prophecy foretelleth of the calling of the Gentils to the gospel
through al the world how the Apostles should gather together by the preaching of the gospel all such of the gentils as be elect and should bring them into heauenly Ierusalem the catholicke church as a sacrifice and oblation vnto the lord These be his words For it shal come that I wil gather all nations and tongues and they shall come and see my glory and I will set a signe among them and will send those that escape of thē vnto the nations of Tarshish Pul and Lud and to them that draw the bow To Tuball and Iauan Iles a far of that haue not heard my fame netther haue seene my glory and they shall declare my glory among the gentils and they shall bring all your bretheren for an offering vnto the Lord out of all nations vpon horses and in charyots in horselitters and vpon mules and swift beastes to Ierusalem my holy mountaine saith the Lord as the children of Israell offer in a clean vessell in the house of the Lord. Doe you heare God by the preaching of the gospel wil iudge all the works both of the Iewes and the gentils and will gather them together that they may see the glory of God how that all our hability and strength is nothing but that only his grace obtayned by Christ is al in al. This Christ only forgeueth our sins iustifyeth vs saueth vs and he only destroyeth and ouercommeth death and the deuil and delyuereth all his out of all misery and calamity And this deliuerāce doth he declare by the preaching of the gospell in all parts of the world and he calleth certayn parts of the earth which lye East and West North and South which lye to the foure parts of the world And that rēnant of Iewes which he speaketh of here which escape and are delyuered out of blindnes are the Apostles them doth he send to all the world Wherefore you may well see that there he doth not speake of a worldely kingdome Iesus Christ crucyfied is the signe he is preached to be the only sauyour of the world and the true glory of God which glory that is to say truth mercy power which God hath geuen vs in Christ shall be preached and shewed to the Gentils and by that preaching shal the Gentils be brought to God as it were a gift or oblation purifyed and made acceptable by the gospell as Paul witnesseth to the Rom. saying I put you in remembrance through the grace that is geuen me of God that I should be the minister of Iesus Christ towards the Gentils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is ministring the gospel of god that the offering vp of the gentils might be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an oblation acceptable being sanctified by the holy ghost You see then that the Iewes sacrifice should haue an end and that liuely men not bruit beastes must be offered vnto the Lord in all lands The true delyueranee of Israell by Messias is this that he saueth all his that be in the world as wel Iewes as Gentils which are conuerted and illuminated by the word and his holy spirite and maketh thē partakers of eternall life And these thus delyuered and saued by Christ are that heauenly Ierusalem the holy mountaine and the congregation of the faithfull in Christ into the which there is euery day some brought out of all places and offered vnto the Lord as a pure oblation By these horses chariots horslitters and such other that the prophet here speaketh of must be vnderstoode that sweet faire gentle milde and pleasant preaching of the gospel in which the consciences of men be caryed very easely And by these things as S. Augustine saith may be vnderstood all the help we haue either by God himself or by his angels or men wherby the bretheren of the elected Israelits be drawen into the church as bretheren into the catholick faith And thus do you heare how that the spiritual kingdome of Christ the church consisteth both of the Iewes and gentils and how that in all parts of the world she is gouerned by the preaching of the gospel and is subiect in this life to the cros that she may be made lyke to Christ her king and yet notwithstanding she hath passing fayr great and comfortable promises in which she reposeth her hope and hath her comfort and consolation til such time as Christ the king of glory appeare from heauen in his maiesty with the angels of his power that he may be glorifyed in his saints and praysed in all his faithfull Thē at that day shall it wel appeare how great excellent and infinite the glory of the eternall king and of his kingdome and the holy church is whereof the prophets haue spoken euen from the beginning ¶ Anna. What prophesyeth Ieremy of Christ and his church ☞ Vrb. Ieremy in his 11. chap. prophesyeth of the willing redynes of Christ in suffering his passion he sayth thus The Lord hath taught me and I know it euen then thou shewedst me their practises but I was like a lambe or a bullock that is brought to the slaughter and I knew not that they had deuysed this against me saying let vs destroy the tree with the fruit therof and cut him out of the land of the liuing that his name may be no more in memory But O Lord of hostes that iudgest righteously and tryest the raynes and the hart let me see thy vēgeance on them for vnto thee haue I opened my cause Here in this prophecy Ieremy is a figure of Christ and the church hath 1000. yeares and moe so expounded this text to wit that God the father doth here reuele to his sonne Christ the wicked counsels hatred despite and bitternes of the Iewes and how that they would kil him as a sheep and lambe By the which name Esay also calleth Christ For it was very requisite that he should be that lambe without spot which by his only sacrifice should purge the sinnes of the wholl world euen as the figures in Moyses law fore shewed ¶ Anna. Why doth Christ here say that he perceiued not or knew not their wicked and malicious pretences seeing he him self told his disciples lōg before his passion that he must suffer at Ierusalem and knew euery thing the Iewes ment and deuised against him ☞ Vrb. S. Hierō taketh the meaning of this text thus that Christ saw in him self no sinn or knew him self to be gilty of no sin as Esay saith But although this may be so read and vnderstood yet do I take it to be meant of Ieremy him self against whom the Iewes at Anathoth toke such diuelish deadly and priuy counsell as he had not vnderstoode of if God had not reuealed it to him It is sufficiēt that Ieremy be a figure of Christ in the chief point that is to say in his passion for it is not needful that he should in euery word beare the figure of Christ
set my sanctuary among them for euer more Thy tabernacle also shall be with them yea I will be their God and they shall be my people Thus the heathen shall know that I the lord doo sanctify Israell when my sanctuary shall be among them for euermore This prophecy was corporally fulfilled after they had ben captiues 70. years when the Iews returned into their countrye and assēbled themselues together and multiplied vntill the comming of Christ which was to come .490 yeares after that captiuitye then in deede had they one king But this prophesye was truely fulfilled in the last weeke spoken of by Daniell at the former comming of Christ when both he and his disciples conuerted thē in the land of Chanaan and els where where they were dispersed and gathered them by the gospell into that onely spirituall shepfold the Church of Christ before times Iudah Beniamin had a king of their owne and the ten tribes which fell from the house of Dauid vnder Roboham had another king of their owne but when Christ the true Dauid came all the Iewes were made one people vnder one true king Christ In this kingdome shall not the question be curiously asked whether you are of the tribe of Ruben Leuy Isachar Zebulon Dan Gad or Ashur c but it shall be asked art thou a Christian doest thou acknowledge and confesse Iesus of Nazareth to be the true Messias whom the patriarkes prophets and all the tribes of Israel did loke for They euen vnto this time carefully looked for Christ But when Christ himselfe came the true sheppard and king of Israell then was that euerlasting couenaunt of grace betwixt God and man ratified and then that true throne of grace wherein all fulnes of the Godhed corporally dwelleth that is Iesus Christ true God and true man was conuersant here himselfe in earth amongst men That ould Caporeth and their materiall temple and Leuiticall priesthood was then no more to be regarded for all tipes and figures then ceased the truth it selfe appered Christly fidelians who layd hould of Christ in their hartes by true fayth were then made the liuely temple and sanctuary of God. As Paule well and learnedly expoundeth such figures saying Know ye not sayth he that you are the temple of God and that the spirite of God dwelleth in you for the temple of God is holy which ye are And to the Corrinthians he teacheth what is true holynes and the fulfilling of al figures to wit Christ himselfe Who sayth he was geuen vs of the Father to be our wisedome holynes righteousnes sanctificatiō and redēption And as the Lord himselfe sayth a little after in Ezech. My righteousnes that is my sanctuarye or habitation shall be for euer among them This is the circumstaunce and prophets drift in the prophesye afore sayd to perswade and proue this congregation of the Israelites to be an euerlasting and spiritual kingdome vnder their owne king christ For the land of Canaan Ierusalem and the temple were brittle and but for a tyme euen as this visible world is Therefore that habitation could not continew for euer wherefore the prophet speaketh here of spiritual and eternal things which cannot by continuaunce of time decay dy but must stand for euer These things which are earthly and of this world vanish decay but the king Messias his habitation the house of Iacob and his kingdome abideth for euer Wherefore they are not earthly nor carnall but euerlasting and spirituall ¶ Anna. Yf according to this prophesye the house of Iacob or the kingdome of Messias should be the sanctuary of God for euer and this spirituall Dauid be the king of the faythfull Christians or Israelites for euer then must it needes follow that he should rise agayne and gather the disparsed Israelites or children of god together that he might erect an euerlasting kingdome and rayse his people from death and geue them lyfe and saluation in euerlasting peace This is that true holynes and full deliueraunce of Israell from all all euilles temporall and eternall If Cleophas and his companion had vnderstode and beleued this prophesy they would neuer haue said We thought that it had beene he that should haue redeemed Israell but they would haue sayd we hope and beleue that it is he that hath and shall redeeme Israell although he hath now suffred death For the promise of the Lord is sure and certaine and can neuer deceaue vs Farthermore in as much as Messias is called Dauid because he was born of Dauids stock and in as much as he is true man what maruaile is it if he be subiect to death and dyed But in that he should keepe and gouerne Israell for euer he could not abide in death but must needes rise agayne thereby to fulfill this and other prophesies concerning his euerlasting kingdome But there is one thing in this prophesye which moueth a doubt you sayd yesterday that Ezechiell in this chap. did prophesye of that generall and vniuersall resurrectiō which should be at the last day Wherefore then doth the prophet say that these dry bones were the house of Israell which was in captiuitie at Babilon how can you here by proue the vniuersall resurrection of the dead Vrba I confesse in deede that Ezechiel in this chap. doth speake of the deliueraunce and restitution of Israell and that he prophesieth also of their returne and as it were by law recouer their land lost in their absence But iudge you seing God by this similitude would comfort his people that they should not doubt of their deliuerance whether our resurrection maye not heare be gathered of this place as a certayne and vndoubted truth or no. For if our resurrection were vncertayne and doubtfull he could not by it haue proued or ministred vnto them any sownd and sure cōfort For then they would haue sayd loke how slender and small hope there is that these bones should liue agayne euen so small hope is there that we should be redeemed out of the captiuitie of Babilon But here the prophet bringeth in and alleageth the resurrection of their bones as a thing most sure of which no good nor godly man may doubt euen as if he had sayde looke how certayne and sure it is that these bodies shall rise and liue againe by the power of God euen so sure also it is that you shall be deliuered out of the captiuitie of Babilon and restored to your owne countrye agayne Moreouer wee know that the catholicke Church both in the east and west hath hetherto without all cōtrouersie by the instinct light of thy holy ghost expounded this prophesy of the resurrection of the fleshe Of which thing the holy Byshops and Doctors are plentifull witnesses as Ireneus Turtulian Ciprian Hillary Ambrose Gregory Nazianzenus and Gregory the great in his booke agaynst Valent. Turtulian in hys treatise of the resurrection of the flesh Cyprian in his third book to
Quirinus Hilary vpon the 52. Psalme Ambros in hys book of fayth and resurrection and in hys third book of the holy ghost Gregory Nazianzene in his funeral sermō of Basill Gregory the great in hys xx homely vpon Ezechell And the Prophet Ezechel chapiter 40. discribeth a wonderful merueilous city and temple of Ierusalē But all these things are to be vnderstood spiritually of the heauenly Ierusalem the eternall Citie of God. But let vs see nowe what Daniell sayth of Christ And as for those things which I opened a little while a goe out of the 2. and 9. thap it shall not bee needfull now to repeat them agayne But in his 7 chapter he prophesieth most sweetly of the kingdome of Christ of his saynts to wit how his kingdome should be euerlasting propagated and spread abroad throughout all the world he sayth As I beheld in visions by night behold one lyke the sonn of man cam in the cloudes of heauen and approched vnto the aūciēt of dayes and they brought him before him And he gaue him dominiō honor and a kingdome that all people nations and language should serue him His dominion is an euerlasting dominion which shall neuer be taken away and hys kingdome shall neuer be destroyed And a little after he addeth and they shal take the kingdome of the Saints of the most high and possesse the kingdome for euer euen for euer and euer You know this to be a generall rule and necessary for the vnderstāding of the prophets wheras any thing is spoken in the Prophets of the eternall kingdome of Christ of Christifidelians and of euerlasting lyfe that there we both may and ought to groūd the resurrectiō of Christ faythfull Christians For if they shall lyue and raigne for euer then must they needs rise againe which thing Daniell prophecieth in his 12. chapiter as plainely and euidently as if some of the Euangelists had written it This prophecy is to be referred vnto the last day wherein this world shall haue an end And these be the wordes of the prophet And at that time thy people shall be deliuered euery one shall be found written in the booke And many of them that slepe in the dust of the earth shal awake some to euerlasting lyfe and some to shame perpetuall cōtempt they that be wise shal shine as the brightnes of the firmamēt and they that turne many to righteousnes shall shine as the stares for euer and euer Doe you not here see the indowted resurrection of all men as wel good as euil But you maye see also here that there shall be great difference amongest them which shall rise For they which are the people of God to wit christifidelians which are written in the booke of lyfe shal be deliuered from the wrath of God which shall come vpon the vnbeleuing and wicked world that is they shall be deliuered from the euerlasting punishment of hell and be brought into euerlasting lyfe But the wicked which haue not in their lyfe time beleued the gospell shall not be saued but the wrath of God shall abide on thē for euer for they haue denied to receue the tru life Christ Iesus and therfore shal they be confounded and perish for euer Dani. also here describeth the glory which Gods childrē shal haue after the resurrectiō saying that they shal be as bright as the sun stars of the firmament for euer world without end And this out of doubt is the true and last deliueraunce of Israell that is of the children of god which we do with firme fayth and hope looke for For as verely as all other thinges which in the prophets are promised are perfitly finished as the birth of Christ with his passiō resurrectiō ascētion calling of the gentills so also at the last day shall this be fulfilled to wit the resurrection of dead with the true deliueraunce of all faythfull Christians These and such lyke promises are our gospell and the ground worke and foundation of our fayth ¶ Anna. What sayth Hose concerning Christ ☞ Vrb. Hose is one of the small prophets but yet he hath many noble prophesies of the misteries of the gospel as of the calling of the gentils vnto the gospel And though the Iewes should haue a greeuous fall yet he promyseth vnto them the grace of God and that at the length they shall beleue and reeeaue Christ and acknowledge him to be their Lord and king whō before they had reiected He prophesyeth also of the great and glorious kingdome of Christ that is of the catholick church of faithfull christians and of that spirituall maryage betweene Christ and all Christifidelians and of the victory of Christ how he should ouercome and abolish sin and death and of the resurrection of Christ and of our rysing agayn He reproueth also the ten trybes of Israell for their Idolatry threatning them euerlasting captiuity vnder the Assirians but he promyseth grace and help to Iuda that is to those two trybes Iuda and Beniamin which fel not away from the house of Dauid In the first chapter he threatneth Samaria with the captiuity of Asiria saying I wil no more haue pity vpon the house of Israell but I will vtterly take them away Yet I will haue mercy vpon the house of Iuda and wil saue thē by the Lord their god And will not saue thē by the bow nor sword nor by battayle by horses nor by horsemen Cleophas and his companyon might here haue learned that the kingdome of Christ is not an earthly kingdome seeing that Hoseas threatned vnto the gretest part of the Iewes such captiuity that they should neuer return to their wonted state or dignity of kingdom as when they had a king of their own in Samaria or Israell If therfore the 12. tribes of Israel shold vnder Messias haue had such a kingdome wherin they might corporally haue ruled ouer the gentils and haue abounded in all pleasures and worldly felicity which carnall opinion all the Iewes had of Messias then consequently had it been necessary that they should all haue been delyuered and redeemed out of Assiria But here you heare how it should come to pas that the very remembrance of Israel should be blotted out Which thing is signifyed by Lorichamoh the prophets daughter Which name by interpretation signifyeth without mercy But seeing the delyuerance of Israell was neuertheles promysed by all the prophets it must needes of necessity be true For the word of God cannot lye or deceaue vs. Seeing therfore their delyueraunce by which they should be delyuered from the Assirian king and be restored into that land whence they were remoued shold not be corporall nor earthly it must needes follow that it should be spirituall For there is no meane nor other way by which they could be delyuered Which thing the words following proue where he promysed such help vnto the trybe of Iuda as cold not be
commaundements and word of God. Is not this promise full of comfort where he sayth I will heale Israells backsliding that is he will pardon all their offences and neuer be angry with them any more for their sinns In which promise Christ the throne of grace is included and comprehended For these determinations of God is that he will forgeue sin to no man that he wil loue no man and that he wil receaue none vnto grace by any other meanes but by his deerely beloued sonn who is become our onely redeemer mediator recōciler bishop priest propiciatory or throne of grace as Paule affirmeth saying We are accepted in his beloued by whome we haue redemption through his bloud euen the forgeuenes of sinns according to his rich grace It is manifest therfore by the firme foūdation of the apostles doctrine that Hoseas here speaketh of Christ although he name him not seing that there is no other reconciler which can turne the wrath of God from vs but onely Iesus Christ Wherefore I haue often sayd that where the Lord promiseth his grace redemption forgeuenes of sinns righteousnes lyfe and health that there is Iesus Christ promised by whose death and pretious bloud we are reconciled to God the father and receaue forgeuenes remission of our sinns true righteousnes and lyfe euerlasting There followeth in the text more promises but expressed in figuratiue wordes For he taketh a similitude of the dew of roses of Libanō and of the oliue tree which wordes import nothing els but the great felicitie of Israell or christifidelians after that they beleue and are receaued in the grace of God and obtaine forgeuenes of their sinns Is it not an exceeding great felicitie to obtaine forgeuenes of our sinns to be counted righteous before God and to receaue the holy ghost with all his gifts and by the same to be healed vp in fayth Which is the receauing of that great pretious and heauenly earnest peny that is the spirite of God the father and the son which doth assure vs that we be the children of God and so his heyres and coheyres with Iesus Christ what I pray you can he want which hath the Lorde for his inheritance This prophesy chefely taketh place in the tyme of Christ when the gospell brought forth fruite throughout the whole world and christs heauēly kingdome was builded in euery place that Christ the king of glory be imbrased for our God and sauiour through fayth by which we are made the children of God and shall prayse him for euer together with his holy angells to whome we shall be like in the world to come in the resurrectiō of the dead the glory whereof exceedeth all that the hartes of earthly creatures can conceaue but it is now hid For we are as yet but blessed in hope but when our king the prince of glory shall come in his maiestye to iudgement then shall our felicitie be made manifest To be short the Lord shall be the defence bulwark comfort helpe solace and sound felicitye of Israel But the Prophet speaketh of a greater defence comfort helpe and benefit thē this world hath or can vnderstand The kingdome therfore of Christ is a kingdome of blessing wherin we inioy aboūdance of all goodnes The prophets prophesied that this deliueraunce helpe comfort and kingdome should be a continuall and spirituall not a tēporall kingdome which aboundeth in fraile vayne and transitory welth of this world as the carnall Iewes dreame and imagine ¶ Anna. What I pray you doth Iohell the prophet prophecy of Christ ☞ Vrba Ioell in his 2. chapiter prophesieth that the kingdome of Christ shall be illuminated and beutified with the rich knowledge of God and that it shall receaue the holy ghost with all his gifts and that espetially in the mount Sion to wit in the catholicke church where shall be true deliueraunce helpe and redemption from sinn and death and that afterwarde there shall be no more respect of persons betwene the Iewes and Gentiles but whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord Messias shall be freely deliuered from all his sins These are the wordes of the prophesye Ye shall also know that I am in the middest of Israell and that I am the Lord your God and none other and my people shall neuer be ashamed And afterward as Peter cited this prophecy on whitsonday in his sermon at Ierusalem In those dayes that is in the tyme of Messias I will powre out my spirit vpon all flesh And your sons and daughters shall prophesy your ould men shall dreame dreames and your young men shall see visiōs and also vpon the seruants and vpon the maydens in those dayes will I power my spirite and I will shew wonders in the heauens and in the earth bloud and fier and pillers of smoke The sun shal be turned into darknes and the moon into bloud before the great and terrible day of the Lorde come But who so euer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued For in mount Sion and in Ierusalem shall be deliueraunce as the Lord hath sayd and in the remnant whome the Lord shall call This prophesy tooke place in Christs time for Israell had then experience in deed that god was with thē in mans flesh And the holy ghost was then much more gloriously royally and aboundātly geuē them thē before the natiuitie passiō resurrectiō of Messias For before they were but few which had the spirit of prophesying but when Iesus Christ was ascended vnto the right hand of his father then the holy ghost withall his giftes was wonderfully and richly geuē vnto many as the hebrew word Eschpoch declareth which signifieth to poure out The holy ghost was visibly poured vpon faythfull Christians when they were baptised and the Church in all places had his teachers who had the spirite of prophesying And the knowledge of Christ is now spread abroad and dispersed throughout the whole world But where the prophet speaketh of Sion and Ierusalem it must be vnderstood of the church of faythfull Christians wherein Christ hath his habitation as in his owne kingdome Who so euer will be saued from sinne death and tyranny of Sathan he must beleue in Christ call vpon Christ and be brought into the church of christ for without that Church is neither health nor forgeuenes of sins Neither is there any cause why any sinner should respect this or the citie aboue other as the Iewes did earthly Sion Ierusalem seeing Ioell sayth that the Lord would poure out his spirite vpō all flesh not only vpon the Iewes in Ierusalem or in the land of Canaan but euery where through the whole worlde where the Gospel is beleued It followeth therfore that whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of god shall be safe and not the Iewes onely which serued and called vpō God at Ierusalem for then was that time come of which Christ sayth in Iohn that the heauenly father requireth
because my name is called vpon them sayth the Lord that doth this Behold the daye is come sayth the Lord that the plowman shall touch the mower and the treader of grapes him that soweth seede and the mountaines shall drop sweete wine and all the hills shall melt And I will bring agayne the captiuitie of my people of Israell and they shall build the wast Cities and inhabite thē and they shall plant vineyardes and drinke the wine therof they shall also make gardens and eate the fruites of them And I will plant them vpon their land and they shall no more be pulled vp againe out of their land which I haue geuen them sayth the Lord thy God. Saint Iames alledged this prophecy in the first counsell of the Apostles holden at Ierusalem to establish and proue the Christian libertye and the calling of the Gentiles how they were not to be loden with Moyses law but that to preache the name of Christe and beleue therein both emongest the Iewes and Gentiles is sufficient saluation and that both Iewes and Gentiles as are now saued not by the works of the law but by the grace of our god in Christ and that circumsiciō with other workes of the law are not needfull vnto Iustification This is the Christian libertye which we haue through Messias the true Dauid which in the new testament is openly preached through the whole world this is that time of grace that most acceptable time of which Amos prophesieth This is the day of Saluation Afterward he prophesieth in figures that the kingdome of Christ shall be a blessed kingdome and he vseth such wordes as if he should speak of some corporal or earthly blessing wherin aboundeth wine fruites corne and stately and costly building pleasaunt gardens with all other thinges necessary for a pleasaunt lyfe But you know my generall and common rule of these and such lyke prophesies to wit that they must be vnderstood of Christ and his spirituall kingdome that we set not our will of corporall thinges as do the blinded Iewes For the kingdome of Christ hath an other far greater kinde of riches pleasures meates drinkes and treasures to wit spirituall and eternall in Christ Iesus the spirituall and eternall king of glory But we must speake and thinke of Christes kingdome as Christ himselfe and the Apostles describe it in the Gospel You must therfore vnderstand by these corporall treasures and blessings the spirituall blessings of which Paul speaketh to the Ephesians saying That God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ hath blessed vs with all perpetuall blessings in heauenly things in Christ And he calleth this blessing promysed in Christ the vnsearchable riches of Christ which for the greatnes and excellency therof cannot be searched out But the holy Ghost in the scriptures vseth to speak vnto vs of spiritual things by outward similitudes and thinges which are manyfest vnto our eyes as fathers vse to forme their tonges and talke to the capacitie and vnderstanding of their children For so long as we are in this flesh we are too too blind nothing capable of heauenly things And it may appeare by the circumstances that the prophet prophesyeth not here of earthly thinges for the Lord promyseth that he will turne the captiuitie of his people that is that he will deliuer his people from al their enemies This is that glorious and famous deliueraunce which the people of God that is the faithful christians haue in Christ Iesu He promiseth to preserue them in their land They had before the land of Canaan but God will geue them and their heires a far better land wherin shall be aboundance of all blessings and all felicity This out of doubt is that new land wherin dwelleth righteousnes and that true countrey which the patriarches true godly beleuers in Christ Iesu sought with all diligence to inherite to wit the heauenly Countrey All these things the Lord himself promised who in no wise can deceiue vs It was therfore needfull that Christ should be born of the house of Dauid that he should dye that he should rise agayn and that he shold erect and for euer establish and preserue his blessed kingdom in which is no malediction but true blessednes and plentifull aboundance of all felicitye For all promises are established and perfourmed in Christ and in him they are all yea and Amen ¶ Anna. Abdias is a very short Prophet Doth he prophecy any thing of Christ I think he may well be called Obaydiath which signifyeth the seruaunt of the Lord ☞ Vrb. In the end of his prophecy he speaketh of the kingdome of Christ and of the catholick church vnder the name of Sion and the house of Iacob And he sayth that it should be spred abroad throughout all the world His words be these But vpon mount Sion shall be deliuerance and it shal be holy and the house of Iacob shall posses their possessions And the house of Iacob shal be a fire and the house of Ioseph a flame and the house of Esau a stubble and they shall kindle in them and deuoure them and there shall be no remnant of the house of Esau for the Lord hath spoken it And they shal posses the south fide of the mount of Esau and the playn of the Philistians and they shall posses the fieldes of Ephraim and the fieldes of Samaria And Beniamin shall haue Gilead And the captiuitie of this host of the children of Israell which were among the Cananites shall posses vnto Zarephath and the captiuity of Ierusalē which is in Sepharad shall posses the Cities of the South And they that shall saue shall come vp to mount Sion to iudge the mount of Esau the kingdome shall be the Lords ¶ Anna. This prophecy is somewhat darck What meaneth the house of Iacob the house of Ioseph the house of Esau the plain fields the countrey of Ephraim and of Samaria and the mountain Gilead Zarphad and Seraphad Of what possession doth Abdias here speak meaneth he of these earthly places as that the Iewes should conquere all these countreis and be Lords ouer them what is the true naturall sence and vnderstanding of these words ☞ Vrb. The vnbeleeuing Iewes vnderstand this text and others like it to be meant of earthly thinges in deed and they feed her vaine hope looke for a day but in vain that all those natiōs whose captiues they had been to wit the Assirians Caldeans Persians Macedonians Romanes Sirians Philistians Egiptians and other more should be in subiection vnto thē and that the people of Israell should dwell safely and neuer afterward come in captiuity This exposition is erroneous and false for the lord made no such promise with them as they dreame But he promyseth that it should come to passe that Iuda should be redeemed out of Babylon that they might build vp their citie and Temple again and that Messias the true prince captayne
the 7. chapiter he doth wonderfully and aboue measure land and extoll the great and inestimable riches of Gods mercies which were promised vnto vs in Christ and which were promised vnto Abraham Isaac and Iacob of whose stock Christ the king of glory should come according to his humanitye These are the wordes of the prophecie Who is a god like vnto thee that taketh away iniquitie and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage He retaineth not his wrath for euer because mercy pleaseth him he will turne againe and haue compassion vpon vs he will subdue our iniquities and cast al their sins in the bottom of the sea Thou wilt performe thy truth to Iacob and mercy to Abrahā as thou hast sworne vnto our Fathers in ould time This was a very necessary comfort in the captiuitie of Babilon vnto the Iewes least they should haue fallen into dispaire and doubt of the mercy of God as if the Lord would altogether haue forsakē his people and reuoke his promises of grace in Messias for the sinnes of the people For it is as if he should haue sayd go to we shall be led into captiuitie but it is the iudgement of the Lord and his will. We haue in deede aboundantly deserued all kinde of calamities yet must we not therfore doubt of the mercy of god For his grace in Christ Iesus is very great deepe and a bottomlesse sea wherein all our sins may be drowned and swallowed vp The Lord hath made a couenāt of grace with our fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob that in their seede Messias all nations of the earth should be blessed that is receaue forgeuenes of their sins be deliuered from death and be saued from euerlasting damnation and receaue the free gift of innocensie and euerlasting life This promise will neuer deceaue vs For the Lord sware vnto vs by a holy and faythfull oth that so the rather he might confirme vs in fayth and make vs the lesse doubt that all those thinges should come to passe which he had promised and that for Messias his sake he would helpe vs be gratious vnto vs and deliuer vs from all our calamities This grace and truth can not be called backe but as sure as god is good so sure is it that we shall be partakers of his grace if we beleue his promises Wherfore let vs be of good chere Our sins shall not nor cannot hinder nor make frustrate those thinges which God promised to our forefathers He hath promised Christ therfore out of doubt he will send Christ for our deliueraunce And this was the hope of Israell to wit of all faythfull Christians from the beginning of the worlde euen vnto this day And this in deed is the true Gospell which Messias by his death and bloudshedding confirmed namely that the sonne of God should be made man and borne of Abrahams seede that he might geue vs the heauenly benediction that is righteousnes life and health that we might by him be freed from our sinnes and deliuered frō death and be raysed vnto euerlasting life and raigne with him for euer in euerlasting glory And this is the chiefe summe of all the prophets touching Christ and his kingdome according as God after the captiuitie of Babilon fulfilled them and sent Iesus Christ our true king and deliuerer vnto the world ¶ Anna. What sayth that comforter Nahum of Christ For he may well be called Nahum that is cōforter ☞ Vrba He agreeth with the 52. of Esay vpon the gospell saying Behold vpon the mountaine the feete of him that declareth and publisheth peace O Iuda keepe thy solemn feastes performe thy vowes for the wicked shal no more passe through thee he is vtterly cut of That you may more easly vnderstand what Nahū prophecieth note first he prophesieth against the Monarchy or kingdome of Assiria especially against Niniue the great citie of Assiria which the prophet Ionas conuerted afore that. These thinges therfore was their comfort namely the the enemies of Iuda to wit Sanherib his kingdome who before had proudly and cruelly triumphed ouer Israell and conceaued an opinion of them selues that they could deuour Iuda should be wasted destroyed as Esay in 36.37 comforteth Ierusalem and the king Hischia by the commaundement of God in his 36. and 37. chapiter saying And he will cast vnto it that which shall be escaped of the house of Iuda and that which shall remaine to plant and he will make it to take roote downward and beare fruite vpward For out of Ierusalem shall a remnaunt go and they that escape out of mount Sion the zeale of the Lord of hostes shall doe this Therefore thus sayth the Lord concerning the king of Ashur He shall not enter into this citie nor shoote an arrow there nor come before it with shield nor cast a moūt agaynst it By the same way that he came he shall returne and not come into this citie sayth the lord For I will defend this Citie to saue it for mine owne sake and for my seruaunt Dauids sake Then the Angel of the Lord went out smote in the campe of Asshur an hūdreth foure score and fiue thousand So whē they arose early in the morning behold they were all dead corpses So Sanherib king of Asshur departed and went away and returned and dwelt at Niniueh And as he was in the temple worshipping of Nisroch his god Adramelech and Sharezer his sonnes slew him with the sworde and they escaped into the land of Ararat and Esarhaddon his sonne raigned in his stead You haue heard the history note therefore this also that Nahum comforteth Gods people in this his prophesy bydding them be of good cheare and dispayre not For although the king Asshur will besiege and afflict Ierusalem yet shall there be no danger For God will helpe them they shall heare ioyfull tidings to wit that the enemy shall not hurt their citye but dye miserably that they may yet againe celebrate their feastes merely reioyce in quiet peace And this was fulfilled as you heard of late out of Esay But you must know that this temporall deliueraunce in which earthly Ierusalē was deliuered was onely a figure of the true and euerlasting deliueraunce which we haue in Christ The Angel of the great counsell which was sent to prostrate and destroy the enimies of the spiritual Ierusalem that is of the catholick church and to ouerthrow and abolish that wicked spirite or Sanherib that very Belliall with all his hellish hoste and to deliuer vs from him which thing he performed and by his owne power ouercame those enemies The euangelists and the preachers of the new testament bringe vnto vs this ioyfull and gratious tidings to wit that Sathan is conquered and we beleuers truely deliuered These preach in all congregations perpetuall and euerlasting peace and saluatiō by Christ Iesus And this is the meaning of this prophecye and of Christ and his
Then Ierusalem at that time to wit in the time of Christ when the gospell shall be preached through the whole world thou shalt not be confounded or ashamed any more For thy sins through the Gospell shall then be wiped away and thou shalt plentifully receaue the holy spirite of Messias that thou mayest not be defiled againe with so great Idolatrye as thou wast before The proud hauty and swelling pharises with their accōplises and other of such like stampe which are puffed vp with a perswatiō of their owne holines and trust to their owne righteousnes fastings sacrifice circumsitiō almes deeds the workes of the lawe the temple vpon this presumption haue erected a humain holines of their own reiected the deuine grace of god in Christ these pharisaicall fellowes I say can not abide to acknowledge the true righteousnes of God to wit Iesus Christ as sufficient to saluation whome God himselfe hath geuen vs for our righteousnes and who alone and no other is the fulfilling and end of the Law for righteousnes vnto euery one that beleeueth in him But the Lord hath taken away from the true Ierusalem these proud puft vp Iusticiaries which will be saued by their owne workes and looke not for saluation by the meere and free grace of God that the true Christians may know thē to be seducers and take heede of them Now note that the kingdome of Christ is not an earthly but a spirituall kingdome and that the true christifidelians are not proudly prickt vp in the pomp of worldly vanitie neither doth the world greatly regard them and yet are they in great price and highly glorified with God. He calleth faythfull Christians a miserable and pore people They are not in deed in multitude so many as the wicked be and for the most part the world despiseth and reiecteth them in this earth but with God they are in great honor and highly esteemed For by fayth in Christ they are the childrē and heyres of god whose names are written in the heauens The time is not yet come wherein their glory doth appeare now is the time of trouble with them euen vntill the last day that they may by afflictions crosses and persecutions be made lyke their Maister Christ But at the last day Christes kingdome shal be manifested in glory In the meane time they hould them selues contented with Gods word they trust him who hath promised them true and euerlasting lyfe with sure parfite and eternall treasures He calleth faythfull Christians as other prophets do reliques or remnantes for the smalest cōpany of people come vnto Christ euen as the Lord sayth many are called but few are chosen He calleth thē in Luke his little flocke in whome the Lord is so well pleased that he will geue them his kingdome And where he sayth that the chosen remnant will worke no wickednes it is spoken of the Godlines innocencie integritie and simplicitie of the faythfull because they are honest and simple dealers For they haue that true fayth which worketh by loue And although they are not altogether perfect neyther can in all pointes fulfill the law but haue many infirmities so that they must dayly praye our Father which art in heauen forgeue vs our trespasses and so haue their sinnes also by fayth dayly forgeuen them yet by fayth they are in the gratious kingdom of Christ wherein is perpetuall remission of sinnes and a perpetuall exercise vnto repentaunce and Godlines and the remnant of their sinnes which lurke in their flesh are not imputed vnto them to condemnatiō for Christ the king of glory his sake on whome they beleue and continually call It followeth therefore that the remnant of Israell the faythfull Christians shall liue safely and without daunger For the kingdome of Christ is a kingdome of true peace and securitie in which they are so louing as by fayth in their hartes they lay handes on Christ their Lord who hath ouercome the world and Sathā and both can and will dayly helpe all that be his in all their calamities and dangers What then neede they feare haue they not I pray you in him and of him a true shepheard comforter sauiour deliuerer and a full horne of all happines Now he exhorteth Sion to wit the faythfull Christiās to be hartely merry And he prophecieth very cōfortably of the saluation which Christians haue in Christ the Lord of Sion to wit that Christ saueth christians from punishmēt and turneth their enemies frō them but wheras he deliuereth the earthly Ierusalē driueth away their enemies it is a figure but where as he deliuereth the spirituall Ierusalem to wit the faythfull and taketh away the punishment which their sinnes had deserued and satisfieth for their transgretion and ouercommeth the world death and the deuil and turneth away those enemies from vs this is that true deliueraunce and helpe which Sophonias and other Prophets spiritually had respect vnto What can be spoken more comfortably then that God himselfe is the king of Israell and is ready with vs to helpe vs. For God himselfe is made man and dwelleth with vs We are his tabernacle his possession his darling and his people and he him selfe will alwayes continue with vs there is therfore no cause why we should feare any euill or danger Who can hurt them which haue God the Father and which haue God the son with them as their king reconciler deliuerer and the life it selfe and which haue God the holy ghost as their comforter and earnest peny of their euerlasting inheritaunce and saluation For the prophet vseth that great name Iehoua that is God himselfe 3. persons and one god Is not this kingdome of Christ a glorious and princely kingdome are not these treasures which our faythfull God promiseth by his Prophets in Christ great vnspeakeable and infinite treasures He which hath the Lord God the Father the son and the holy Ghost that summum bonum that onely alone and the chief goodnes to be his defender what can he desire more Wherfore Sophoni sayth furthermore at that time that is in the day of saluation when Christ shall come then shall a ioyfull Message be brought vnto Ierusalē the church as the Angell sayd vnto the sheapherds be not affraid let not thy handfast hold goe that is dispaire not beleue still that God will help thee all things shall hap well your case shall be better thē you can either desire or wishe seeing that thy onely God and mighty Sauior is in the middest of thee And that thou mayest the better looke for helpe and all happines of him be assured of this that thou art so derely beloued vnto him that he doth reioyce in thee euen as the tender father doth in his deerely beloued son when he loueth and cherisheth him The prophet cannot sufficiently declare the ioy which god taketh in the congregation of the faythful Christians saying he will saue thee and he
temple of the Lorde builded by the gospell through the whole world and consecrated by the holy spirite This tēple shall stand for euer against the gates of hell The priest of this temple is an euerlasting priest and therefore the temple must needes be euerlasting This priest hath those true ornamentes prayses and honor which were signified by Arons ornamēts And this priest raigneth stil in his throne and hath both the functions to wit the euerlasting priesthood and the eternal kingdome But note that he sayth vpon his seate by which wordes he signifieth that this priest is the true priest king that all other tipicall priests and kinges were but seruauntes or ministers to this priest and that they in ther ministerie did but onely seruice vnto this true king and priest But Christ the true blossome of Dauid is the true king and priest and the true and naturall Lord of the throne and eternall kingdome He only shall beare rule in this throne This eternall throne is onely his seate and shall so cōtinue for euer Neither shall there euer hereafter be any contention or dissentiō betwene these two kingdomes to wit the spirituall priesthood and kingdome as before times there hath ben betwene the externall priesthoode and terrestriall kingdome For these two functions are both now turned to one person which both can make intercession for vs in heauen before the father as our priest and defend and gouerne vs here in earth as an omnipotent king Ionathan the Caldean confirmeth this exposition who hath translated this text of Zach. thus in the caldean tongue Behold for here is the man whose name is Moschiah which shall come to be made manifest famous and glorious And he himselfe shall build the temple of the lord But you may not heare vnderstand an earthly temple For like as the priest is spiriturall so doth he build vnto the Lord a spirituall temple wherein he himselfe alone doth execute the function both of the priest and king Zach in his 8. chap. prophecieth that the kingdome of Christ shall be very ample and glorious in all the world And that not the Iewes alone should reape profite by Messias but that the Gentiles also shall be ioyned vnto the Iewes and acknowledge and call vppon Christ their Lord his wordes be these Thus sayth the Lord of hostes that there shall yet come people and inhabitantes of great cities and they that dwell in one citie shall go vnto an other saying vp let vs go and pray before the Lord and seeke the Lord of hostes I will goe also yea great people and mighty nations shall come to seeke the Lord of hostes in Ierusalem and to pray before the lord Thus sayth the Lord of hostes in those dayes shall ten men take hould out of all languages of the nations euen take hould of the skirt of him that is a Iew and say we will goe with you for we haue heard that God is with you Although this prophecy was also fulfilled in earthly Ierusalem after the captiuity of Babylō in so much that the city became famous and the name of the temple which was more gloriously and princely builded then the other hefore became so notable in all places that many famous men came thether to worship and many of the Iewes which had been disparsed drew by this occasion many nations to their religiō brought them with them to worship God at Ierusalem Yet this was more gloriously fulfilled in the Apostles dayes at what time many gentils followed one Apostle that they might know the Lord Christ and beleeue in him and so come vnto the spirituall Ierusalem the church of God the true and liuely temple to honour the lyuing God. And in his 11. chap. Zache prophesyeth how Christ should be sold for 30. pence saying And I sayd vnto thē if you think it good geue me my wages and if no leaue of so they wayed for my wages 30. peeces of siluer And the Lord sayd vnto me cast it vnto the potter a goodly price that I was valued at of them And I toke the 30. peeces of siluer and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord. This prophecy was fulfilled when the traytor Iudas sold Christ for 30. pence with which the Iewes bought the potters field This was the potter to whom 30. pence were geuen for Iudas Iscarioth cast them down in the temple and then they caryed them to the potter For the high priest said it is not lawful to put them into the treasury because it is the price of bloud And so when they had cast their heads together they bought with them the potters field to be a burying place for strangers The prophet prophesyeth in his 12. chap. how true Israell the kingdome of Christ should be vnder the cros here in this earth for the profession of the gospell saying The burden of the word of the Lord vpon Israell saith the Lord which spread the heauens and layd the foūdation of the earth and formed the spirite of man within him Behold I will make Ierusalem a cup of poyson vnto all the people round about and also with Iuda I will be in the seege against Ierusalem And in that day will I make Ierusalem an heauy stone for all people all that lift it vp shall be torne though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it In that day saith the Lord I will smite euery horse with stonishment and his ryder with madnes and I wil open my eyes vpon the house of Iuda and will smite euery horse of the people with blindnes And the princes of Iuda shall say in their hartes the inhabitants of Ierusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hostes their god In that day will I make the princes of Iuda like coales of fire among the wood and like a firebrād in the sheaf and they shall deuour all the people round about on the right hand and on the left and Ierusalē shall be inhabited again in her own place euen in Ierusalem The Lord also shall preserue the tents of Iuda as aforetime Therfore the glory of the house of Dauid shall not boast nor the glory of the inhabitants of Ierusalem against Iuda In that day shal the Lord defend the inhabitants of Ierusalem and he that is feeble among them in that day shal be as Dauid and the house of Dauid shall be as Gods house and as the angel of the Lord before them And in that day will I seek to destroy all the nations that come against Ierusalem And I wil poure vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirite of grace and of cōpassion And they shall looke vpon me whom they haue pearced and they shall lament for him as one that mourneth for his only sonne and be sory for him as one is sory for his first borne This prophecy is a consolation for the apostles and christians that they
dispaire not and fly and fall away in persecution He reproued the corporall Israell the Iewes before in the 11. chap. somewhat sharply where he sayd I wil not feed you But vnto some that is vnto the remnant he made promise to keep them saying The poore of the sheep that wayted vpon me knew that it was the word of the Lord. These remnantes and afflicted sheepe are now that true Israel vnto whome the Lordes promises of comfort are auaileable These are they which in this world are tossed with many and strange afflictions and yet are not ouercome or ouerwhelmed of euil but are deliuered from all their misery and are made euen stronger in persecution vnder the crosse That burden doth signify a prophesie which prophecieth of some greuous burdenous and heauy thing as is the crosse and persecution comming vpon the godly which to the weake flesh is burdensome and heauy And the prophet to the end he may better and liuelyer comfort them sendes his auditors vnto the first article of fayth to wit creation geuing vnto the Lord a notable and worthy title to the end the godly may in their trouble be strengthened in fayth and thinke thus truely the Lord in whose hands the hole world is who is most mighty in all necessitie and a deliuerer out of all dangers is with vs. He hath created all thinges and he feedeth and cherisheth all thinges Wherefore no creature can do any more vnto vs then that omnipotēt Lord and creator of all thinges geueth them leaue He calleth Ierusalem the cup of poyson Meaning the Apostles and primatiue church gathered together by the Apostles These were of no account so that the Iewes and Gentiles which were their enemies thought that they might easely destroy such a pore companye and thought that they were scarse an euening draught But what doth the Lord he putteth that small company into a cup which maketh these their persecutors stumble and when they thinke that they can drinke thē vp at one draught they are made so mad and foolish that they stumble fall lyke drunken men This thing was fulfilled when the Iewes and gentiles set themselues so ragingly agaynst the Apostles and their scollers that at the last they perished fell whereof some were conuerted by the gospell and of enemies became frendes fell to their saluation but some fell vtterly to their euerlasting destruction for their hatred and malice conceaued against the godly By and by after He calleth Ierusalem the heauy stone vnto all people For Ierusalem that is the Apostles and faythfull Christiās shall not be suppressed but their persecutors shall fall from me in grace that they also may become faythful Christiās and some in indignation that they may remaine obdurat work their owne destruction For how soeuer they afflict or destroy the Church of God casting it wittingly and willingly aside as an vnprofitable stone out of this world yet can they not take that cleane away but kill and destroy themselues while they go about to remoue that stone And these wordes following do witnes that he speaketh of afflictiō All the people of the earth shall be gathered together agaynst it Christ himselfe told this to his disciples before in Iohn saying The world hateth you if they haue persecuted me they will persecute you also And agayne Whosoeuer killeth you will thinke that he doth God seruice You shall weepe and lament and the world shall reioyce and in the world ye shall haue affliction But the Lord hath promised your deliueraunce saying Be of good cheare I haue ouercome the world In me ye shall haue peace and yoer sorrow shall be turned into ioy And in Iohn it is sayd My sheepe shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hand my Father which gaue thē me is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my fathers handes I and my Father are one The same thing also doth Zach. here promise In that day sayth the Lord I will smite euery horse with stunishmēt that is all strength and power which riseth agaynst the Church of Christ shall be able to do nothing but they shall be confounded The world is still in armour agaynst the Church and they do all they can agaynst it and they haue bent all their force against it but all in vaine For where are now Nero and Domitian those mighty outragious enemies of the Church those gentiles which haue persecuted so many of the godly you see that which Zac. sayth here is and shall be daly fulfilled And note that the prophet here describeth the kingdome of Christ to be a kingdome which lyeth in this worlde vnder the crosse It is not therefore a worldly kingdome for then should it in the world be magnified and haue great wealth pompe power and maiestie and defend it selfe with strength of arme and armour as others do but the lord only is her fortitude tower fortresse and bulwarkes as it followeth I will open or set my eyes vpon Ierusalem that is I will keepe the Apostles and faythfull Christiās which shall be after them euen as a father still in my sight will I keepe them and I will be with them in all necessities I wil blind fatuate their persecutors so that all their coūsels agaynst the godly shall be quite frustrate The world shall shew all hir suttilty and power against the poore church of Christ but faythful Christians shal not take vp to thē corporal armour against their enemies but the Apostles and doctors shall cōfort thēselues and others vnder the crosse with the word of God and sweete promises of Christ Iesus our lord For Christ sake they shall both willingly and cherefully beare the crosse and they shall be content with it For the comforter the holy ghost doth conserue and comfort them by his word And this consolation of the Princes of Iuda that is of the doctors and teachers shall be of such effect that euen lyke vnto fier they shall with the wood burne and deuoure many which be about them and they shall conuert many persecutors and gentiles and bring them to the kingdome of Christ And although all nations set themselues against Ierusalem yet shall that heauenly Ierusalem the Church still abide where it is become most populous but he sayth in his place to signifie therby that he speaketh not of the corporall Ierusalem but of the Church which shall abide there where it is or wheresoeuer els it shall be in the whole world ¶ Anna. Wherefore doth Zach. make a difference in the wordes following betwixt Iudah and the house of Dauid and Ierusalem seeing they are the onely people of God to wit faythfull Christians ☞ Vrba He will there by teach vs that there is no difference nor respect of persons in the church but that all the faythfull Christians are all one in Christ Iesus as
Paul teacheth to the Gala. In former times the house of Dauid had a great prerogatiue for it was more famous and noble then the citye of Sion For it was the kinges stocke and tribe and the citizens of Ierusalem were then more noble then the rest of the Iewes but it shall now be otherwise For all shall be alike For there shall be one spirituall freedome or redemption wherein none shall more arrogantly or gloriously vaunt him selfe then an other but all shall reioyce in the lord In the wordes following where he speaketh of Dauid God promiseth that the faythfull Christians shall be strong in the Lord of which strēgth Paul speaketh to the Phil. I am able to do all thinges through the helpe of Christ which strengthneth me All the godly receaue the spirite of Christ by fayth and haue Christ in their harts by faith Wherfore whosoeuer trauaile vnder the crosse are weak in that appertaineth to the flesh yet in the Lord are they very strong They haue all one fayth one spirite and one Lord and therefore shall they all ouercome sin death and the world Which thing otherwise the whole world with all his might power and pollecye could not euer bring to passe Neuerthelesse this their force or fortitude is not of themselues but of god Therfore sayth Zach. In that day to wit the day of this tribulation shall the Lord defend the inhabitantes of Ierusalem that is all the godly or those that faythfully trust in the lord Wherefore though some of them fall and offend yet shall they be as Dauid Who according to his outward parson was not of any great or portly stature but the strength of God was wonderfully seene in him so that he could and did ouercome that huge monsterous and dreadfull Goliah It is a common thing euen for the righteous and most godly in this life to sin stumble offend and fall But they haue in this place the promise of the lord that he wil not by by reiect them for their fall and sin For though they be weak yet shal they alwaies be most victorious Dauids Surely it is to be required that there be greatstrength and power in him who being but one man alone fighteth against the whol world sathan sin and death and so that he getteth the victory And surely thus to doe is a Dauidlike deed Moreouer these strong men and house of Dauid shal be as the house of God and as the angel of the Lord before or amongst them That is all these inuincible christians such as Dauid was who doe obtayn victory euen in this weaknes of flesh they shal be in the church the true house of the Lord and like vnto the angels of the Lord that is in whom the Lord dwelleth And they which doe instruct others to true godlines shall be so glorified that they shall be most famous amongst christians euen like the angels and messengers of Christ Now he promiseth moreouer that it shall come to pas that the enemies of Christ and the church shall be quite destroyed For he which hurteth the godly hurteth the apple of Gods eye Here you heare agayne what kind of kingdome Christes kingdom is to wit a kingdome which is forced to stand vpon watch and be ready in armure For it hath against it most mighty enemies it must therfore be of some power strength nay of very great strēgth if it shal conquere so great enemies But that can not be by any corporall or worldly meanes but spiritually by faith as the prophets words doe plainly import and signifie But such and so great is the obstinate blindnes of the Iewes that they dreame that the prophets speak of an earthly kingdome of Christ here in this world which shal vse corporall armour and strength and haue worldly pompe and glory Although therfore the godly be sore troubled with very many enemies yet for all that shall they be and remayne without danger but through patience so that they suffer and take al things wel and patiently which come vpon them The prophet also describeth the spirituall weapons wherewithall Christ armeth and defendeth the godly in his kingdome saying I will poure saith he my spirite of grace and prayer or compassion vpon the house of Dauid That is I will geue my holy spirite vnto my seruants that it may lighten them with the true knowledge of the gospel that they may know that I am mercifull vnto them for Christ his sake and that I doe pardon their offences wherupon they may haue quiet and appeased consciences Besides this when the stormes of afflictions doe come vpon them and sore and vehemently vexe their flesh then shal the holy ghost teach them rightly to pray in the name of Iesus Christ who himselfe doth pray for the godly with sighes which are not able to be expressed And these are the weapons wherewithall the congregation of the godly doe ouercome when the cros is at hand and tribulation hangeth ouer their heads The godly straight way fly to the name of the Lord and call vpon it and receaue help in due time but our Iewes and Anabaptists when persecution commeth resist their enemies with force and armes and yet notwithstanding will they boast themselues to be the people of God which is the cause that they are alwayes so miserably confounded Now the prophet telleth what it was that purchased the holy ghost for the godly to wit the passion and death of Christ They shall see and looke vpon me sayth the Lord whom they haue pearced Here God speaketh in his own person who before spake in the prophets person and confesseth that he is pearced that is nayled vpon the cros and wounded And it is here proued by this text that Christ is true God and man who should suffer and die for vs And it followeth also that Christ with all Christifidelians shall rise again For he had promysed before that he wold geue his holy spirite vnto the godly that he wold destroy the enemies of the godly and that he would preserue and defend the godly If therfore he must keepe and preserue his elect for euer and duely punish all the gentils and their enemies it must needes follow that he must rise from death and rayse vp his seruants and gouern thē for euer And here obserue this that God and man Christ is one persō for he saith they shal loke vpon me whom they haue pearced Christ was pearced according to his manhode and not according to his Godhed alone He speaketh plainly of one person alone He saith me and deuideth not his Godhead from his manhode For he him selfe the euerlasting sonne of God was pearced but according to his humanity not according to his great and infinite deity as Paul sayth to Cor. The Iewes crucified the Lord of glory That is the God of Zeboth Psal. 25. And thus Christ by the gospel is preached and seen how
he was crucified But at the last day shall his true humain nature wherin he was crucified and woūded in deed be seen He kept the print of his wounds in his body after his resurrection Moreouer Christes frēds and Christifidelians mourned and lamēted for Christ But especially and properly the godly mourn when by faith they apprehend and deeply ponder the passiō and death of Christ when they imitate Christ in suffering and when euery one beareth his own cros and suffreth with Christ to the mortification of the old man. And Zachery in chap. 13. prophesyeth of the fruites of Christes passion of the forgeuenes of sinnes of the holy ghost of baptisme in the house of Dauid and of the church which should be saying in that day there shall be a fountayn opened to the house of Dauid and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and for vncleannes Messias shall make this fountaine to flow in his kingdome of which Iohn speaketh If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke He that beleeueth in me as the scripture saith out of his belly shall flow riuers of water of life He spake this of the spirite which true beleeuers in him should receaue This holy ghost is plentifully poured vpon vs in baptisme by the washing of the new birth And this holy fountain standeth alway open in the house of Dauid that all men may come drinke For the church receaueth both Iewes and gentils into the kingdome of Christ by baptisme which purgeth away the vncleannes and filth of originall sin by which the holy nature of man in his first natiuity is stayned and spotted euen as with poyson It taketh away also that sinne which we our selues commit that is to say al sinnes are by baptisme pardoned in the house of Dauid the new Ierusalem the kingdome of Christ There were in the old testament many washings and cleansings but none could be deliuered by them from sinne but this spring of the new testament hallowed by the precious bloud of Iesus Christ floweth alwayes full of meer grace and this welspring cleanseth and drowneth all the filthynes and vncleanlynes of all sinnes And all these things rise and come to vs vpon this that Christ was crucified and pearced blod and water flowed out of his side and out of doubt it was for the washing away of all our sinnes And Zachary prophesyeth again a litle after of the passion of Iesus Christ our true shepheard saying Arise O sword vpon my shepheard and the man that is my felsaith the Lord of hostes smite the shepheard and the sheep shal be scattered and I will turne my hand vpon the litle ones And in all the land saith the Lord two parts therein shall be cut of and dye but the third part shall be left therin And I will bring that third part through the fire and wil fine them as the siluer is fined and wil try them as gold is tryed They shall call on my name and I wil heare them I will say it is my people and they shall say the Lord is my God. This sword at that time was the power of darcknes For Pilate and the hard harted Iewes bare the sword and authority at that time in the earth but notwithstanding they could not haue hurt Christ vnlesse God had suffered them and ordayned the same before as Christ saith Pilat had his power from aboue This shepheard is Christ the sheep are the Apostles which fled when Christ was taken and suffered Christ himselfe alleadgeth this prophecy in Mat. 26. Furthermore the Lord calleth Christ the man that is his fellow For Christ is the true and onely shepheard in the church and is also with the father for euer as Iohn saith The sonne is in the bosome of his father Marke also how the kingdome of this world hath no beauty but appeareth oftentimes miserable and therefore can it in no wise be earthly and of this world The shepheard him selfe was smitten by the earthly magistrates and his sheep were terrified and disparsed and the disciples them selues were offended in Christ as you haue heard in Cleophas and his companiō They supposed that he would haue smitten others and that he would haue deliuered the Iewes from all tiranny of the gentils neither did they yet see how that they should in Messias haue a spirituall deliuerance from their sinnes and death But those litle ones vnto whō Christ turned him selfe are the afflicted and poore christians which are dispysed in this world but deerely beloued children before God. ¶ Anna. What are these three parts of which the third part only remayneth ☞ Vrb. Two parts is that great multitude of the vngodly in the earth which are offended in Christ of which one part cannot abide the cros and tribulation but turneth back vnto the world and stifly cleaueth vnto it Another part suffereth them selues to be seduced frō the way of truth by false teachers to perish in their errors But the third part are the true godly which stedfastly stand to the gospel and become like vnto gold finely tryed and purifyed in the fire of temptation and persecution These are those true Christians who only doe obtain saluation because they abyde in the true fayth euen vnto the end and suffer not them selues by any meanes to be called or drawne from Christ Their fayth is tryed in tribulation by which they cal vpon the name of god in spirit and truth without hipocrisy and alwaies glorifie God and are hard of god God acknowledgeth them for his dearly beloued sōnes and they also confes god to be their most louing father Seeing then that the Prophets haue so often in time past prophesied that Christ and hys people should be persecuted and afflicted but yet that all crosses and tribulation should not either let or hinder Christ nor his church to attain vnto the ioy promised those two disciples ought not to haue been so offended at the death of Christ And he prophesyeth again of Christes kingdome saying The Lord shall be king ouer all the earth And here agayn Christ is called true god In that day shall there be one God and his name shall be one This is spoken of the vnity of the Christian fayth Before that time there were many fayned Gods but in the day of Messias shall the only true God alone be called vpon in Christ And who so will not come vp of all the families of the earth vnto Ierusalem to worship the king the Lord of hostes euen vpon them shal come no raine That is those which come not into the church of Christ and doe not with one consent together with all the faithfull adore Christ and acknowledge him to be the king of glory they shall be a cursed people vpon whom no rayne of the spirituall benediction shall fall For they which are not in the church of Christ haue neither the word of god nor faith nor mercy
lord Paul when he conuerted the gentiles vnto the fayth of Christ calleth that his labor the oblation of the Gentiles made acceptable and sanctified by the holy ghost Here we plainely see that the kingdome of Christ is a spirituall kingdome and that it is had vnder the cros For all they which are in that kingdome are priestes and offer vp sacrifice and therefore it is a priestly kingdome which is here in the world proued by affliction You haue not here any word or mention of an earthly dominion maiesty or pomp but you heare mention made of a kingdome which consisteth in spirite and fayth Iudah and Ierusalem to wit the Church of Christ offer vp in the tyme of Messias an excellent sacrifice vnto the Lord such as were the sacrifices of Abell Abraham Isaak and Iacob which were offered vp long before that Messias had receaued the law and ceremonies and brought to the Iewes ¶ Anna. What made the sacrifices in times past acceptable vnto the Lord ¶ Vrba Faith in Christ made them acceptable for the patriarks by fayth looked steadfastly for the promised blessings and grace of God in Messias And they offered vp yerely sacrifice honored God and gaue hym thanks with lowly and Christian harts for hys grace promised by this faith as Paul witnesseth to the Hebr. Because it is vnpossible to please God without fayth And Paul in that chapter reckneth vp also those holy Patriarch and fathers and sayth that their works pleased the Lord by faith And he speaketh of the faith in Christ which is a certaine and vndowted perswasion trust of gods grace towards vs in Christ The Lord vouchsafeth not to receaue any to grace but for Christ and in Christ Wherfore there is no other fayth that is true fayth but the fayth that is in Christ And the elect which were before the natiuity of Christ had this fayth as well as we haue it now and they were as good Christians as the Apostles and we are For there is but one gospel and one faith which saueth There is none saued vnles he be a Christifidelian that is vnles be beleue in Christ Mala. prophesieth in his 4. chap. of the ltater comming of christ vnto iudgmēt what should be the state of things in the last day and what shall be the portiō and end both of the godly and vngodly saying For behold the day commeth that shall burne as an ouen and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shal be stouble and the day that commeth shal burn them vp sayth the Lord of hostes and shal leaue thē neyther root nor branch but vnto you that heare my name shall the sonne of righteousnes arise and health shal be vnder his wings and ye shall go forth and grow as fat calues and ye shall tread down the wicked for they shal be dust vnder the soole of your feet in that day that I shall do this sayth the Lord of hosts Remember the law of Moyses my seruaunt which I commaunded vnto hym in Horeb for all Israell with the statute and iudgments Behold I will send you Eliah the prophet before the comming of the great and fearfull day of the Lord and he shall turn the harts of the fathers vnto the children and the hartes of children to their fathers least I come and smite the earth with cursinges The day wherof Mala. speaketh here is that great day of our Lord Iesus Christ as Paul calleth it at which day Christ shall come in his maiestie with all the celestiall army to iudge the quick the dead as Peter sayth He shall come with fier and iudge the world Then the vngodly which haue not beleued the gospel but still continued in their sinnes shall be lyke strawe and the fier after the iudgement of condemnation shall compasse the wicked about and carry then away with it from the face of the earth out of Gods sight into hel into euerlasting fier which is ordayned for Sathā and his angels and the vnbeleuers as the psalme sayth Fier shall go before the Lord and Christ shall burne his enemies round about And this shall as surely come to passe as those thinges haue done which are written of Christ to wit that is borne dead risen agayne and sitteth at right hand of God and hath gathered together the Iewes and Gentiles vnto his sheepfould And then he saith The Lord of hosts the God omnipotent hath sayd it he surely can not deceaue or lye And although the wicked in this earth despise the Lord and his people are so puffed vp with pride and disdaine that they thinke the godly not onely not worthy to be spoken to but also vex and greatly iniury thē and so standing on their pantophles as if all the world were their own liue as they would for euer inioy these worldly pleasures and heare alwayes make mery yet shall they in the day of the Lord be confounded and so they and all theirs vanish away that they shall haue nothing at all left them All their temporall wealth pleasures ioy and euen their lyues also shal be taken from them And they shal neuer see those eternal treasures which they neglected and despised here vpon earth To be short they shal be rooted out from of this earth and cast into euerlasting torment And this doth Mala. signifie vnto vs where he saith the Lord God will leaue thē neither root nor brāch That is he will condemne them both body and soule and cast them for euer into euerlasting darcknes so that they shall neuer enioy nor look for either temporal or eternall life at the Lords hands for they shall be dealt with as Trees when we will vtterly destroy and root them out for then we do not only pull away a few bowes and lop it vnto the bole but we dig him vp by the root that it neuer spring any more But the state of the godly which shal haue feared the name of the Lord and beleued that after this temporall life they shal haue a better life and that Christ will at the last day surely iudge and geue vnto euery one according to that hee hath done shall be much better And therfore doe they in this life feare God as a iust iudge who will take accompt of euery idle word in the last day of iudgmēt and they loue him as a good father of whom they hope and assure them selues to receaue all good things euen as naturall Childrē seeing they haue here by patience in well doing sought that euerlasting life which the Lord hath promised them in Christ And therefore shall they receaue glory honor and immortality Whiche thing Mala. meaneth when he saith vnto them that feare the Lord shal the son of righteousnes arise That son is Iesus Christ he lightneth vs with true knowledge both of God and of our selues he onely by the beames of of fayth iustifieth vs for he
heritical members and yet hath alwayes scaped and in the end obtained victory and triumphed ouer them all For the word of the Lord abideth for euer ¶ Anna. This Easter Sermon is more plenteous and of greater authoritie with me then all the pompe and wealth of the whole world Nay what are a hundred thousand worldes with the vanitie of all their wealth power and pompe in comparisō of such great promises of God as we haue in Iesus Christ Euen nothing at all I hartely thanke God our heauenly father that he hath vouchsafed me to liue vnto that happy daye that I might heare such an apostolicall Sermon And I hope that I shall euer hereafter be better for it while I liue And I trust I haue receaued such comfort here by that that I shall euer hereafter celebrate that ioyfull feast of Easter with spiritual comfort in Christ For this gospell which was promised in the prophets so many ages agoe is now preached openly throughout this world in these latter dayes doth not exclude me For euery one which beleueth in Christ and calleth vpon his name shall be safe Here is no merite of mine spoken of as necessarye to lyfe and saluation but onely the infinit merit of Iesus Christ which is preached of all the prophets and Euangelists The mercifull and euerlasting God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ our Father be praysed for euer and euer for the holsome misteries of the holy Gospell of Christ Iesus which he hath so mercifully opened and so richly geuen vnto vs vnworthy sinners ☞ Vrba Now you know what S. Paul meaneth where he sayth that Iesus Christ is our wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption geuen vs of God and you see what is the true hope helpe and comfort of Israell ¶ Anna. I see it and I beleue it The Lord increase my fayth And I beseech thee O most merciful Father for Iesus Christes sake our onely reconciler that thou wilt also vouchsafe to reueale the comfortable gospell of thy vnspeakable grace promised geuen in thy only begotten son Iesus Christ by thy holy spirite vnto our beloued children which thou hast geuen vs to the inlarging of the kingdome of Christ and to the glory of thy most blessed name that they by the inward instruction of thy spirite may vnderstand and beleue this Sermon of thy son and through thy holy spirite continew vnto the end in that fayth of Christ and hope of the Gospell and true Israell All the riches of this world are nothing to this christian fayth I wish vnto my deere children no other felicitye no other dowries no other riches nor no other inheritaunce but that they may truely and constantly bebeleue this sermon which if they doe then are they rich enough in this world and in the world to come though they should neuer so poorely here begge their bread all the dayes of their lyfe For by fayth in Christ we haue God the father God the son and God the holy ghost one true God by the inestimable benefits and merite of Christ who for our sakes became man that we might be made the children of God and that God might be our louing Father And now what can we want seeing we haue thee O Lord the onely true and louing god to be our Father through Iesus Christ our Lord who is our owne proper righteousnes lyfe and and saluation ☞ Vrba God keepe you and me and our Children in this fayth and then are we fafe then shall we be passing well then shall we haue perfect ioy of spirite and then shall we dayly and hourely with ioy celebrate the ioyfull feast of Easter till we with our beloued childrē passe out of this fraile and trāsitory lyfe into the heauēly kingdome of Iesus Christ our Lord and true God which hath ben prepared for vs from the beginning of the world of which thing I am assured The Lord cōfirme our fayth and hope vnto the eternall glory of his holy name ¶ Anna. Amen ☞ Vrba But you must euery day wife when you haue geuen God thankes and made your prayers thorowely ponder with your selfe these thinges of the gospell of Christ which I haue ben now a good long time in speaking and you must kepe them in your hart as a most rich treasure and pretious iuell ¶ Anna I will doe it by Gods grace and God blesse me and all good Christians ☞ Vrba Amen ¶ Anna. Amen FINIS The Lordes name be praysed And O Lord I beseech thee geue plentifull fruite of these my Labors Amen Amen * ⎠* Luke 9.26 Iohn 8.51 1. Ione 5.1 Reuel 12.12 1. Pet. 5.8 Luk. 22.31 Ephe. 2.12 Acts. 23. Luke 24.16 Rom. 6.23 Gen. 25.33 Reuel 12.12 Iohn 5.25 and August l. 4. de trinitate c. 3. Reuel 12.4 1. Pet. 1.7 Deut. 8.3 Rom. 15.4 Math. 4.4 Emaus signifieth the bright morning Cleophas signifieth all glory Gene. 10.9 Luke 24.13 Acts. 8.23 Math. 13.44 and 45. Iesus signifieth a Sauior Iohn 20.25 Math. 21.22 Ieremy 5.9 Rom. 15.4 Ephe. 2.3 Ezechi 3.18 Genesis Psalmes Prouer. Esay Ieremy Ezechias Daniell Micheas Zephany Aggias Zachary Abdias Mathew Iohn A Iesus Sy. 30.23 B Phll. 2 18. A 2. Cor. 7 10. A holy greyfe Christ the way to god A Ioh. 14. v. 6. Esay 66.14 C Mat. 11.27 B Col. 2.9 D Esay 53 11. How needfull it is to know Christ E Cor. 2.1 F Iohn 17.3 G 1. Cor 1.23 Lukc 24. A Col. 3.16 Pray before we read or heare the word B 1 Cor. 2. ¶ A praier A Luke 10. A Iohn 4 46. The first promise of grace B Gen. 3 C. Rom. 1 Gal. 3. The misteries of the promise in the seede of the woman T' at is the Caldey bible Only by Christ not by our selus or workes are we sauid e. Rom. 5.15 f. Gen. 3.15 Feare not though the deuill fishe he cannot bite g. Rom. 6.14 h. Ebr. 2. The promise which was made to Adam was the Gospell The promise renued to Abraham i. Gen. 12.3 and 18.28 and 21. and 18. k. Gen. 26.4 l. Gen. 28.14 M Rom. 1.1 N Act. 3.24 O Esay 53 10. The end of threats in preaching p. Gal. 3.24 q. Heb. 10.1 r. Heb. 7.18 s. Act. 17.1 t. Luk. 24.44 what the Prophets looked for v. 1. Pet. 1.10 a. Luke 24.47 Repentance the first step to grace b. Psal. 51.5 c. Rom. 5.12 What we are by nature The naturall man. D Gen. 8.21 E 1. Cor 15 22. F Ephe. 2.3 H Ephe. 2.1 K 1. Thes 4.5 L Psal. 116.11 M Ier. 17.9 N 1. Cor. 2.14 O Gen. 3 19. P Gen. 2.17 Q Rom. 6.23 The law r. Deut. 27.26 ſ. Psal. 119.21 t. Mat. 19.17 u Gal. 5.19 The frutes of our flesh naturally x. Gal. 3.22 Where then be papistical merites The cause why we are threatned with the law To whom Christ was sent Y Ro. 3.20 Z Gal. 3.24 Z Gal. 3.21 The end why the law was geuen Fayth saueth a. Gen
Christ 22 Carpenters of the Church 134 Cattell who be 203 Christ how when and why promised 7. 10 11. 16. 63. prophesied of in scripture two wayes 8. why promised before the law 15. his natiuitie 3. 7. 16. 31 84. 96. his acceptable yeare 60. his manhood 18. 20. 31. 33. 41. 49. 50. 71. the sonne of Abraham and Dauid 27. 28. how Dauids sonne and Lord. 112 the sonne of the pure virgine Mary 28. 33. a stone cut of a mountaine without hand 35. 63. why the seede of the woman and not of man. 7. the necessitie and benefite of his natiuitie 24. 64. 84. the time of his natiuitie 16. 63. of the Citie where he was borne 29. his flight into Egipt 90. his parents why remoued from the kingdome of Israel 18. 20. to whom he was sent 14. 57. why sēt 64. his names 29. 36. 39. 81. why called Siloh 20. 18. why called Christ 38. an Angell 8. an Angell of the great coūsayle 87. Messias 39. Israell 54. a stone 61. the lord of Zeboth 76. Amon. 71. Moschell 30. Melchisedech 21. 112. his person discribed 49. 50. his Image painted 85 How he is knowen and how necessary to be knowen 2. 4. his cōuersation on earth described 47. Why he eate with publicans 50. his humilitie and pouertie 18. 43 44. 47. 50 59. no cause of our fall 118. our Iewell 11. the end of the Iewes kingdome 18. 44. 66. his teares for Ierusalem 43. his seruice toward vs. 4. 6. how he handleth his frends enemies 87. his cōfort against our ingratitude 54 his comfort for an heuy consciēce 85. he hath followers according to his humanity 74. at enmitie with the the serpent 8. 9. afflicted 47. why painted with a crosse on his shoulders 62. how long he liued 69. Christ his kingdome what a one it is 17. 20. 41. 44. 53. 64. 85. 105 110. 119. what maner of king he is 19. 57. 63. 91. how he ruleth his kingdome 20. 99. by what armour it is sustained 44. how far it reacheth 45. his scepter 17. 61. 74. 120 his poore royaltye 49. his power 44. 88. how he is a Gyant 87. his peace 49. 89 Christ his priesthood and ministrye 21. 47. 51. 91. 53. 6. how annointed 55. 74. 38. aparaled with filthye garmentes 46. the true Melchisebech 112. 21. the high priest 93. our shepheard 92. 94. 85. Gods seruaunt 92. signified by the brasen serpent 21. by Aarons priesthood ibidem by the mercy seate 20. 22. by the pascall lambe 114. 22. he and Moyses cōpared 45. 59. the seale of the Prophets 12. 43. his doctrine gospell 4. 6. 44. 53. the wisdome of his word 34. his maner of teaching 57. 91. his mouth called a sword 53. his Sermon going to Emaus 27. 35. 97. called a prophet 91. a preacher 57. his preaching to what end 91. sanctified of God to be our teacher 55. he counsayleth contrary to the world 86. his care ouer his Church 4. our mediator 93. the onely way to God. 29. 128. our onely sauiour 37. 93. 9. 16. 39. 60 43. 99. 100. 63. 2. 3. our righteousnes 43. 108. 79. 87. 89 our redētion 46. 107. 9. 11. 94. 59. 78. the only forgeuenes of sinnes 46. 99. 100. our reconciliation 23. 39. 100. 45. our propitiation 79. 93. a gage that God is with vs. 52. his exceeding grace loue and mercy to man. 35. 42. 50. 16. 88. 58. 35. his mercifull nature described 50. 57. how he calleth and iustifieth vs. 43. the fulfilling of the law 43. 12. richer in grace then we in sinne 9 Christ his Godhead proued 84. 72. 76. 31. 35. 77. 81. 74. a necessarye point of religiō 83. he is God and not the Father 71. no God but him 21. the bud of the Lord and fruite of the earth 119. his vnion of both natures 18. 82. 48. 49. 3. his name Iehoua 76. how he sitteth on Gods right hand 112. how he is with vs. 36. his miracles 78. 85. 97. his omnipotencye 51 Christ his death and passion 7. 16. 25 32. 10. 85. 107. 98. of what force it was 99. he suffered wholy 82. why he required helpe vpon the crosse 98. his buriall and resurrectiō 121 10. 7. 102. it is made oures 102. the cōmodity of his death resurrection 99. 103. his victorye ouer sin death Sathā 9. 10. 52. 59. 88. 94. 99. 122. our banner in battaile 12. his iudgement 49. 95. 96. Christ killers their punishment 158 Christianitie or Christiās lyfe 5. 116 170. their cognisance 120. why so named 16. 160. what people they are 186. their ioye 1. 6. 128. 27. 42. 58. 133. 136. 163. 153. 122. 161. their state in the world to come 123. 103 163. 178. 153. why afflicted 120. their comfort in affliction 52. how they ought to iudge 50. the temple of God. 176. their foode and bread 160. their thirst and hunger how restored 132. without mony 149. their wisdome 139. why and how they shal be glorified 153. their prayer for the Church 112. their arte 148. they onely saued 93 builded vpon the corner stone 148 false Christians described 55 Christmas caroll at Geneua 84 Church Gods vineyard 124. no peace without it 125. afflicted but not vāquished 91. 112. 105. 103. 151 156. how nourished and comforted 162. 152. 155. how Christ purgeth it 117. why called a crowne 155. deare to God. 154. called a sect of the Iewes heresy of papists 118. the largenes of it 147. defended by Christ 204. 153. 155. her weakenes how comforted 133. 130 136. 147. her mariage 147. the beuty of it 148. her victory 196. her builders 134. the gates thereof are alwayes open 156. False Church described 199 Circumsition and ceremonies of no force 171 Citie of the world most honorable which 30 Cleophas sad in his iorney to Emaus 1. 27. cōforted agayne 3. 5. 27. the Sermon he hard 4. 5. Comforts in persecutiō 131. in tēptation 132. 134. 135. 136. agaynst sinne 58 Confession of sinnes onely hath the benefite of the Gospell 58. it is such as the fayth is 61 Conscience laden with sinne onely pacified by fayth in Christ 107. 58. 78. true councell whence it is fetched 87 Creatiō of man how pure it was 13. Creede the principall article of it 83 Crosse why to be suffered patiently 16. D Daniell his prophecye and prayer in captiuitie 62. his dreame of the foure Monarchies 63. his prayer for the comming of Messias 65 Dauid a figure of Christ 91. strong of hand 184. his ruinous tabernacle restored by Christ 188 Daughter of Hose the prophet what it meaneth 179 Dead where they be till the last day 123 Death comforts against it 87. it is but a sleepe to the Godly 79 Deuill vanquished by his owne hissing 10. his wife 186. he is figured by Pharao 168 Deliueraunce of ours how strong it is 85 Disciples how they vnderstood the Scriptures 4 E Earth a vale of misery 161 Easter daye 1 Eating spiritually 107 Edome what it signifieth 157 Egipt a figure
199 Poore in spirite who be 195 Preaching the end thereof 120. it ought to be vsed continually 156 lyke to horselitters and Chariots 164. high priest crowned with 2. crownes 207 Prophets called seers 197. for whose sake they were sent 199. a rule to vnderstand them 177. 189. their end 11. 12. their hope 93. the summe of their doctrine 196. they speake straungely of Christes kingdome 114 Prophets false who be 166 Promises of god nedful to be knowē 148. they are of 2. sortes 180 R Reading of scripture requireth prayer and beliefe 6 Reason to be abādoned in scriptures 73 Redemption wherein it consisteth 46 how it is wrought 16. redeemed who be 128 Reedes brused who be 50 Regenerate their condition 198. they are the true Iacobites 129. signes of their regeneration 173 Remission of sinnes how purchased 5 Repentaunce the effect therof 5. the first stepe to grace 12. it onely hath the fruites of the Gospell 58 Resurrection of man twofould 101 it is in Christ 123. 102. our state after it 103. 123. the condition of it 178. 175. 163. S Sacrifices of the Iewes why and when abrogated 67. 108. how many of them in the ould law 24 Sadnes of 2. sortes 1. 58. sometimes in the godly 128 Saluation the causes thereof 100. 83 in Christ onely 93 Sathā his head brused what it meaneth 8. he tempteth but ouercommeth not 91. 112. his kingdome rule in this world 104. his army 53. vanquished by his owne malice 9. how he slaundereth the Gospell 56 principally impugneth Christ Godhead 83. his kingdome 152 Schollers for the Gospell who be 58 Scriptures their comfort 45. 32. 86 how full of knowledge 32. where they be had 41. called an Apothecaryes shop 86. their end 15. why it vrgeth the law vpon vs. 14. may not be hard or read without prayer or beliefe 6. 77 Seede of the woman promised 8. to whome sent 14. Serpent stingeth the hele of Christ 8 Sinne how not to be feared 21. 58. how redeemed 46. 79. 58. 128. the force of it inwardly 60. it is our filthy apparell and hath no rest 46. what dishonor it bringeth 103. only forgeuen by Christ 100. 8. a tyrant ouer vs. 135. hath no dominion ouer vs. 10 Sinners none refused of Christ not the greatest 50. 120 Sion a figure of the spirituall Sion 115. a figure of the Church 91. 190 Spirite of Messias the finger of god clenseth vs. 170. the fruites of him 161. his sword what it is 129 Sprinckeling of the Iewes what it is 140 Sweete lipps who so called 199 T Temple of God who be 176 Temple of the Iewes whē and how destroyed 66 Temptations of the Godly 133. 149. the cause of them 148. remedye agaynst them 78 Testament ould and new how they differ 11. the bloud of them differ 44. the new is the kernell of the ould 114 Threates why denounced in preaching 11 Thyrst of men how refreshed 132 without mony 149 Traditions of men must not trouble vs. 136 Troubles how they are forgot 161 Try our selues how we ought 50 Tidinges ioyfull 58 Time acceptable when it was 60. 132. fulnes thereof when 69 Tytles geuen to Christ 9. 37. 39 V Virgines how trayned vp among the Iewes 34 Vnction of Christ 38. 52 Vineyard of God the Church 124 W Water of lyfe bought without mony 149 Way to God what it is 127 Weakelinges in fayth called cattel 203 Wedding garment 136 Weekes of yeares in Daniell 62. 65. 69 Wolues dwell with lambes 120 Word of God of what force 53. 87. contemners thereof punished 26. 61 66. 96. it is no creature 72. necessary to be knowen 148 Workes of a Christian 5. 117. of no force to saluation 9. 14. 129. 142. 146. of the flesh can not be good 60 World and vnpleasant prison to the penitent 14. how it doth iudge 56. Wisedome thereof differeth from christes wisedome 134. 139. the deuils wife 186 Woundes how they are truely bound vp 59 Will to keepe Gods law a signe of election 170 Wyne presse trodē onely by Christ 157 Y Yeare of the Lord acceptable 60. 132 Yeare of Christes first comming accounted 65 FINIS Faultes escaped in this booke Page 9. b. the note fish read hisse 28. b. 27. his hir 30. b. 27. sorth vs as a prince forth vs a prince 64. a. 34. consisteth consist 73. 3. matters we matters in worldly matters we 79. 2. righteousnes but of righteousnes of 79. 27. so proper so pure 114. b. 4. false prophesye ▪ Esay his prophesye 115. 18. speake of some speake of it as if they speake of 119. b. 20. an such inuētiō can such munition 120. b. 25. which gdo which god 121. 12. Esha Ishai 126.27 doysome noysome 133. in the note lust Luke 133.14 sit in the. sit at table in the. 131. 11. Barons Barrēnes 154. b. 31. Gos. Gods. 155. 10. must most 160. 16. liuing the bread liuing bread 166. b. 4. God the Iewes God amongest the Iewes 166. b. 5. places amongest substitute places substitute 169. in the note called Christ called Dauid 170.40 many Mary 156. 28. crosse course 159. b. 2. as they were as it was 172. 21. in the Hebrewes In the Epistle to the Hebrewes 175 b. 29. or men are men 176. b. 6. Christ before tymes Iudah Christ Before times Iudah 185. b. 17. heare heale Math. 19.28.193 in the note Math 28.19.191.27 bondes O Sathan bondes of Sathan 192. 40. abide death abide in death 184. 5. demaund deuoure 198. to destroy thē beleue them and. in the note to destrust them Beleue them and 299. 27. Zachary Zephany 200. b. 29. louing long 201. 36. thee all thee and all 201. b. 14. lyfe lyes 201. b. 29. Christ yea Christ shall be ouerthrowen yea 204. 2. defender if their god defender If therfore God. 204. 16. shewted shewed 204. b. 21. mad made 210. b. 17. wood worde 213. a. 2. fel. fellow 214. a. 27. king kingdome 215. 13. christian Christ and. 216. b. 21. b. 21. his this 217. a 12. had hid 217. a. 24. Messias Moyses 220. a. 30. former forerunner 220. a. 39. was were 220. a. 41. beames because 220. b. 3. Messas Messias 220. b. 18. Iacob Malachy therefore Iacob Malachy therefore 221. a. 23. louing long 221. a. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 221. a. 37. louing long 221. b. 11. great greatest 221. b. 28. hereby that that hereby that 221. b. 40. euer for euer fot 222. a. 36. lyfe and and saluation lyfe and saluation 198. 17. marry But. fol. 173. b. for mery read newe in the not FINIS AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Daye dwelling ouer Aldersgate and are to be sould at his shop vnder the gate An. 1578.
Christ must from hence forth increase and grow greater and greater vntill the worldes end whereas all earthly empires shall decrease fall and be destroyed And Hose prophesieth againe in the end of the 2. chapiter of the euerlasting couenaunt of grace betwen God and vs in a pleasaunt sweete and comfortable similitude saying And in that day will I make couenants for them with the wilde beastes and with the fowle of heauen and with that that creepeth vppon the earth And I will breake the bow and the sword and the battell out of the earth and will make them to sleepe safely And I will mary thee vnto me for euer yea I will marry thee vnto me in righteousnes and in iudgement and in mercy And in compassiō I will euen marry thee vnto me in faythfullnes and thou shalt know the Lord. He speaketh not here of earthly thinges but of the heauenly peace of conscience with God through fayth in Christ which neither tyrants in the earth nor wicked spirits in the ayre can ouerthrow or take away How can any thing hurt the faythfull christians seing they be by fayth dedicated and as it were maried vnto Christ the Lord of zeboth and are by this spirituall mariages made one flesh by which vnion and coniunction we receaue al these excellent promises which by the commaundement of god the prophets and Euangelists make vnto the Church ¶ Anna. How I pray you commeth this to passe ☞ Vrba Those thinges which are the husbandes are the wiues and so one the other side those that are the wiues are the husbandes Those that be maried together haue all thinges common betwen them We vpon our part haue sinn death and damnation but Iesus Christ our husband is full of grace life and health If therfore we trust in Christ and acknowledge him for our onely husband redeemer and Sauiour then doth that fayth vnite knit vs so to Christ that he becommeth our husband and head and we his mēbers Thus Christ taketh vpon him our euills and calamities geueth vs his graces and felicitie thus are we made righteous and thus are we quickened and saued where before we were sinners dead and damned These are the vnsearchable riches of Gods grace geuē vs in Iesus Christ of which Paule to the Ephesians doth so gloriously bost saying that they exceed all humaine senses passe the capacity of al creatures Consider then what he is able to do and what kinde of parson Christ is to wit an infinite parson God man which can not sinn dy or be dampned because his righteousnes life saluation are inuincible euerlasting and almighty Seing therefore that his innocency lyfe and saluation wrastled and fought vppon the crosse with our sinnes death and dampnation which were not able to ouercome him it must needes follow that in him our sinns death and damnation are swallowed vp and taken away Seeing then that we are ingrafted in christ by faith in him we are also by his mere grace and loue both deliuered from all our sinnes and freed from Sathans tyranny and haue the euerlasting righteousnes lyfe and health of our husband Christ geuen vs Thus doth Christ adorne and decke his welbeloued spouse the Church that she may be glorious without spot or wrinkell and yet purified by the lauer of water in the word of life that is by the fayth of the word of lyfe righteousnes and saluatiō Now ye see how the Lord ioyneth true Israell in mariage to him selfe as his wife in fayth in righteousnes and iudgement Here also must be marked that this mariage shall continue for euer as the prophet sayth Wherby it followeth that Christ must needes rise againe from death and raise his bride to lyfe that she might liue with him for euer This is that euerlasting kingdome of Christ the kingdome of grace out of which all sin death and wickednes is cast and banished and in which meere grace righteousnes innocency lyfe and saluation doe fully dwell for euer as the prophet sayth Thou shalt know the Lord. But to know him is eternall life And in that day I will heare sayth the Lord I will euen heare the heauens and they shall heare the earth and the earth shall heare thee come and the wine and the oyle and they shall heare Israell and I will sow her vnto me in the earth and I will haue mercy vppon her that was not pitied and I will say to them which were not my people thou art my people and they shall say thou art my God. He speaketh here of that most wished and ioyfull time of the new testamēt For whē the gospel is taught and Christ by fayth receued then will not God suffer his Church to want but will prouide for her and cherish her and though in the meane time she gloriously wrastle and grone vnder the crosse yet shall she be so prouided for that she shall not want thinges needfull for her For the true Israell shall by Messias be increased and multiplied The Church shall become true Israell that is the seede of the Lord that it may increase and continue for euer so mercifull is the Lord vnto the rest of the Iewes and Gentills The Iewes or Israelites were before without mercy But in the time of Christ the Lord tooke compassion vpon them The Gentills were not the people of God but in the tyme of Messias being called through the gospel they are made his people which acknowledge calle vpon and honor God in true fayth by our onely sauiour and mediator Christ ¶ Anna. Haue not the Iewes or the Israelites according vnto the flesh son hope in the scriptures that they shall be deliuered from that obstinacy and hardnes of hart wherein they now are Shall no Iewes but onely the Gentills hereafter be partakers of the spirituall kingdome ☞ Vrba Yes they haue some hope that they shall be deliuered And I would to God they could vnderstād the scriptures would learn thereby what grace yet the Lord hath left in store for them For Hose saith The children of Israell shall remayn many dayes without a king and without a prince and without an offring and without an Image and without an Ephod and without Teraphim Afterward shall the children of Israell conuert and seeke the Lord their God and Dauid their king and shal fear the Lord and his goodnes in the latter dayes You haue heard before that Paul would not haue the Iewes despised For they haue a promise of their conuersion before the last day when they shall become christians that is when the Israelites according to the spirit to wit the elect number of the children of God among the gentils shal be accomplished Thē shall the Iewes haue their eyes opened be gathered vnto the true Messias Iesus Christ and embrace the gospel Paul vnderstood this wel out of Hose who maketh here a comfortable promise vnto the Iewes that at