I am sure you spent sixe houres or there about in disputation ☞ Vrb. He brought out of his Nezacon a doltish and folish cōputation of yeares without any good groūd it was a very trifling toy and far more fenceles and foolish then an old wiues tale For the Iewes vnderstand no histories nay they be further to seeke and more ignorant in them then childrē He could therfore alleadge nothing that had any face of any thing but shewed him self a very Asse Verely to speake a truth though he be counted a great doctor with the Iewes I found nothing at all in him In deed I saw there in him what a horryble plague it is when God striketh his enemies with blindnes And who so euer are so blinded are in a most darck night and thick and horrible cloud And then easely without help of an interpreter I vnderstode the words of Paul to the Romanes where he wryteth thus of the incredulity and blindnes of the Iewes What then Israell hath not obtayned that he sought but the election hath obtained it and the rest haue been hardened according as it is written God hath geuen them the Spirite of slumber eyes that they should not see and eares that they should not heare vnto this day ¶ Anna. God graunt that their eyes may be opened that with vs they may acknowledge and confes our Lord Christ ☞ Vrb. Amen For I trust that before the last day many Iewes shall be conuerted For this saying of Paul to the Romanes is of some importance Partly obstinacy is come to Israel vntill the fulnes of the Gentils be come in and so all Israell shall be saued as it is written The delyuerer shall come out of Syon and shall turne away the vngodlynes from Iacob And this is my couenāt to them when I shal take away their sinnes ¶ Anna. This prophesy of Danyell sticketh still in my mind And I cannot forget that last yerely weeke For it is in deede that most gladsome and happy time wherin God sent vs his only begotten Sonne into this world But I pray you doth Paul cal this week the fulnes of time ☞ Vrb. Paul doth call it so in deed For this last weeke may rightly and truely be called the fulnes or fulfilling of time which God hath appointed for the gracious visitation of the world into which he sent his onely begotten Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the law or subiect to the law that he might redeem them which were vnder the law that we might receue the adoption of the sonnes or that by adoption we might become children Those seuenty weekes may also be numbred and gathered by the time of the high Priests regiment in Ierusalem vnto the preaching of Christ and the Apostles And we must begin if we account thus at the first yeare of the high Priest Iehoscua when he was disinist of Assuerus and came out of captiuity into the land of Iuda For Gabryell saith in the prophesye of Danyel that after Danyell began to pray the word went out when he prayed for the people in the first yeare of Daryus long hand And from the first yeare of Darius long hand vnder whom Iehoscua the high Priest bare office 20. yeares to the time of the Apostles after the resurrection of Christ when sinne should haue an end and when iniquity should be blotted out are found by computation 70. yearely weekes that is 490. yeares And thus I gather mine account Iehoscua the high Priest after his returne out of captiuity was high Priest 20. yeares His sonne Ioachim was Priest 48. yeares Eliasib 21. Ioiadad 24. Ioathan 24. Iaddua 10. Onias Priscus 27. Symon Priscus 13. Eliazarus 20. Manasses 27. Symō Iustus 28. Onias 39. yeres And after him came Iudas Machabeus and ruled 5. yeares Thē Ionathas his brother 19. Symon 8. Iohn Hircan 26. Aristobulus 1. Iohn Alexander 27. Alexandra his wife 9. Hircane the last 34. yeares And after him raigned Herod by the commaundement auctority of the Senate of Rome This man thruste him selfe into the Iewishe kingdome quite against the Iewes will and he ruled 37. yeares And in the 30. yeare of the raign of this Herod was Christ our Sauyour borne who lyued in this earth 33. yeares and a half Now gather these yeares together and add to them 3. or 4. yeares moe in which the Apostles preached the gospel of Iesus Christ after they had receaued the holy Ghost on whitsonday and then shall you finde these 70. yearely weekes to wit those 490. yeares Of which Daniel speaketh in his 9. chapter But now if you finde seuen or eight yeres ouerplus yet is there no cause why you should doubt For it happeneth oftentimes that in registring the yeres of kings some tyme one yere is taken for two or two for one For we see often that the last yere of one kyng is the first of the next king following And so it cōmeth to passe that in gathering vp of yeres they cal make one yere two ¶ Anna. Now I vnderstand the wordes of S. Peter where he sayth Of which saluation the Prophetes haue inquired and searched which prophesied of the grace that should come vnto you searching when or what tyme the spirite which testified before of Christ which was in them should declare the sufferings that should come vnto Christ and the glory that should follow ☞ Vrb. Peter in deed speaketh especially of Daniel who not onely prophesied of Christ as other prophets did but hath aboue all other perticularly poynted him out because he numbreth the daies and yeres sheweth and setteth downe the very time of his commyng prophesiyng how far he was of or how long it should be before he came He also manifestly and clearely describeth what should be the state of the world at that day and who should be head ruler in the world or where the monarchy should remayne to wit that the Grekes and Persians kingdome should then be ended and the kingdome which was the last should begin to florish so that Christ should come in the tyme of the Romains rule euen when they most florished This deuine and plaine prophesie of Christ doth wonderfully confirme our true and catholike faith and maruelously and soundly comforteth our consciēces because we see presently in the world before our eyes those thinges finished which in this prophesie were so plainly clearely and orderly many yeres ago declared ¶ Anna. Are there any more textes in the other prophets which foreshew the humility lowly conuersation and former comming of Christ into the world I pray you if there be recite thē for I long to heare thē ☞ Vrb. There are many testimonies therof both in the Psalmes and Prophetes But seeyng we haue to speake of it in other places as in the article of the death and passion of Christ and els where I will deferre it vntill such tyme as we shall handle those matters ¶ Anna. Go
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
that their kinges should alwayes be of the tribe of Iuda And beside this worldly authoritie or pollitick gouernment the Iewes had an other spirituall authoritie or ecclesiasticall gouernment which was of the tribe of Leui. These were priests in the law and prophets and doctors But as some suppose Sanhedrim those 70. Elders in Israell which Moyses doth chuse in the xi of Numbers The Iewes by these 2. Magistrats were gouerned But this office of kings priestes or elders was not of any longer continuance but till Christ the trew king priest and doctor of the Iewes should come Heare the Patriark Iacob prophesying of the firster cōming of Christ Iesu our Lord sayth Iuda or the people of the Iewes shall haue kinges or gouernours of the tribe of Iuda whiche shall gouerne them and they shall haue doctors till Christ himselfe come their trew king and doctor And so the Iewes had Kinges Iudges or Princes and doctors of the tribe of Iuda almost euen vnto the birth of Christ But when he was borne it must needes folow according to this prophesie that this princely dignitye of the tribe of Iuda and office of the priesthood should end ¶ Anna. Was not this princely dignitie taken from the Iewes long before Christes birth when for 60. yeares long they were prisoners at Babilon vnder a king of the Gentiles for Christ as thē was not come And if I be not deceaued the Iewes in disputations with vs Christians make a iest at this prophesie of Iacob obiecting that captiuitie ☞ Vrb. The Iewes in this place as in many other are deceaued For in all the time of the captiuitie the kinges stock neuerthelesse remained in Iechania who being deliuered from captiuitie was with great power honored as a king after the captiuitie of Babilon all these princes of the tribe of Iuda did raigne rule Zerubabel Ioanna the son of Resa Abner Semei Nagid Artaxat Amos Scyrath Arses Resa Iudas Hercanus Eli Mattathias Agai Hesli Mattathias Siloia Ianus the 2. Hercanus Misciola Iosephus the 1. Asar Maath Massoth Naum Iosephus Minor. After these did raigne but not of any continuance the Afmonites or Machabies Iudas and Ionathas his brother Simon Iohn Hircanus Priscus Aristobulus Iohn Alexander and Alexandra his wife and Hercanus whome Herod slew and by violence vsurped the kingdome This Herod was not a Iewe borne but an Aliant an Edomite sonne to Antipater of the Citie Ascalon Hee obtained at Rome of Octauian Anthony that by the authoritie helpe of the senate he might be king of the Iewes but with much adoe he hardely subdued them and brought them to acknowledge him for their king Thei rebelled diuers times conspired his death that so they might shake of the yoke of a gentle king But when he had sore weried them and greuously oppressed thē about thirty yeares still wrastling with him at last after many bickeringes and conflictes he hardly begā quietly to rule haue ful princely gouerment without any rebellion of the Iewes who by extreme force were compelled to acknowledge him their king At the same time when Herod was kyng and had taken the scepter from the Iewes and when all their power was dawnted then came this Siloh or Christ and was borne at Bethleem as Mathew the Euangelist sayth who alledgeth the testimony of Micheas the prophet Wherfore the true Lord and king now being come the Iewes kingdome had an end But here must we diligently marke what kinde of kingdom Christs should be and how great his power should be which thing the Patriark doth herin set forth when he geueth him so royall holy famous a name calling him Siloh For Siloh doth signifye rich happy fortunate and one which in all thinges he taketh in hand hath good successe and to whome all thinges fall out as he wisheth and desireth ¶ Anna. There is one thing that troubleth me much wherin I cannot resolue my selfe I doubt not at all but that the promise in Genesis 49. was fully performed so that there is not a letter or titell of it left vnfulfilled For whatsoeuer God promiseth that must needes be performed For who can let it But seing that prophesie of Iacob sayth that the princely power should continue with the tribe of Iudah euen vntil the tyme that Siloh should come and seeing you a little before sayd that this princely dignity after the death of Ianus Hircanus came to the Machabies afterward to Herod I would know why the scepter did not tary with the posteritie of Nathan vntill Hely Were not the Machabees of the tribe of Leuy and not of the tribe of Iuda How therefore came Schebeth into their hands by what right got they the kingdome and held it ☞ Vrb. Seing we certaynely know and beleeue that this prophesy which the Patriarke vttered by the instinct of the holy Ghost is performed so that no one title therof is left vnfulfilled lyke as both the tyme of Christes natiuitie and also Herods regement doetruly agree and iumpe vpon I trust wee may without daunger reuerently reason of this matter in the fayth and feare of God. It was meete that this prophesy should be so fulfilled that it might agre with this Siloh Christ according to his firster comming into the world that it might not disagre with other prophesies of Christ and of his estate or kingdome But the Prophet Zachary sayth the firster cōming of Christ shal be Eni that is to say poore needy base contemned and despised Now then if Christ had bene borne at such tyme as some of king Dauids stock had yet set on the princes throne and so Ioachim Mary and Ioseph had bene in authoritie come to the kingdome with full sayle of worldly pomp where should that base and beggerly maunger in Bethleem haue bin found where should his flight into Egipt haue bene sene and where should other notes and tokens of Christes humility and of his wretched and miserable state in the time of his ministration wherof the prophets foretold haue appeared Wherfore that short authoritie or gouernment which the Machabees had in the kingdome of the Iewes doth not hinder the performaunce of this prophesie Gods prouidēce perchaūce would haue it so for certayne causes first it was meet cōueniēt that this tribe a few yeares before Christes birth should lese most of his dignitie and that it should become base vile despised as it were faline not esteemed of the world that Christ might be borne as a spirituall king of the tribe of Iuda and stock of Dauid poorely without great sterre and worldly pomp as it is signified in Esay where he sayth There shal come forth a rod of Iesse and a graffe shall grow out of his rotes The Ebrew text vseth the word Gesa which Aquila Symmachus and Theodotio translated into greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a stock a bole a dried tree or a staffe To the intent they might
daughter Ierusalem behold thy king commeth vnto thee he is iust and saued poore ryding vpon an asse and vpon a colt the fole of an asse I wil cut of the chariots frō Ephraim and the horse from Ierusalem the bow of the battaile shal be broken and he shall speake peace vnto the Heathen and his dominion shall be from sea and from the riuer vnto the ende of the lande Thou also shalt be saued through the bloud of the couenant I haue loosed thy prisoners out of the pit where in is no water Note here first and formost that the holy ghost by the prophet in this text sheweth vs an inestimable and infinite ioy to wit that Messias our onely helpe in all our distresse and the saluatiō of our soules which was promised vs so long before should come vnto vs And therfore to the ende to awake vs and that we should shake of our sleepe and attentiuely and diligently consider what and how great a thing he doth here handle how worthy a thing it is which is here foreshewed to come to passe He sayth Reioyce reioyce greatly thou daughter Sion and shoute forth O daughter Ierusalem c. By daughter Sion and Ierusalem he doth vnderstand the people of Ierusalem but seyng that Sion Ierusalem were a figure of the catholike church and seyng that not only the Iewes but euen the Gentiles also should be partakers of this great and infinite ioy I will apply these wordes to the whole church which consist both of Iewes and Gentils He sayth lift vp thy voyce and reioyce Here must needes some passing and wonderfull matter be vnderstood in that that holy ghost prouoketh vs so earnestly to shoute out and reioyce Behold that is to say awake awake take heed ye sleep not or play the slouthfull sluggardes Looke you leese not or despise not this opportunity offred you Awake take good heed what I tel you giue eare giue eare the state of your soule and saluation is here in hande giue eare Thy king commeth to thee This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the cause of this great ioy Our king cōmeth to vs seking his lost people which were led captiue by the wicked spirit and horrible tirant into the kingdom of hel and euerlasting darkenes to perish for euer In which deadly daunger grieuous perill and great calamitie man was so blynded so farre past vnderstanding and so ignorant that he would not acknowledge his misery and wretched state neither see the present daunger of euerlasting death nor yet desire helpe counsayle or remedy But would such was his madnes securitie blindnes haue taried bondslaue in the tiranny of Satan and died captiue to the deuil if this our king being moued with mercy towardes his people standing in such danger had not presently helped vs He saw that we could not deliuer our selues out of this kingdome of sinne neither shake of that cruell tiranny of sathan and that the deuill through his great might strength would haue ouercommed vs and so haue possessed his palace in peace because that in man there was no such strength no such force no such subtletie neyther any such deuise that he could wynd himselfe out of the misery wherin he was wrapped Wherfore Christ seyng this taking compassion of this our miserable state came downe to vs that he might deliuer vs out of this bondage and thraldome and set vs at liberty We neuer desired nor required him neither did our deserts moue him What say I did we moue or desire him to come nay our hartes could not once thinke of him nor desire his helpe or comfort such was the blindnes wherin we were drowned We came not we fled not for helpe to him of our selues for nothing was so farre past our reach We could do nothing lesse it was not in our abilitie such was the corruption of our nature such so darke and so dimme cloudes of deprauation possessed our myndes No no this our king came to vs for we neither could nor would go to him The cause why he came and what he doth with vs what profite he brought vs and how nedefull it was that he should come to vs the Prophet addeth saying He cōmeth to the iust and saued or he commeth vnto the iust and a sauiour This is that great ioy this is the cause of our reioycing and triumphing We were through our sinnes wicked and guilty of all iniquity and defiled with all kinde of vice wickednes and impiety and ordayned to euerlasting death and adiudged to eternall damnation and yet could we not helpe or quite our selues from it But Christ our king commeth to vs he bringeth vs saluation and he iustifieth and deliuereth vs from all dangers This our king was not only iust innocent and free from all offence and spot for and concerning himselfe onely but he giueth also his righteousnes and innocency to vs In so much that through him we are coūted righteous before God if we beleue in him as Paul sayth he onely is iust and iustifieth others This word iust must not here be vnderstoode to be that exact and perfect iustice by which God iudgeth the wicked and punisheth the hard harted For this seuere iustice doth sore afray vs poore sinners and offenders against god Yea it bringeth heuines vexatiō of hart driueth vs to desperatiō neither doth it any thing lesse thē worke ioy gladnes and reioycing in vs But the Scripture vseth for comforte sake to call Christ iust or righteous as well in the olde as new testament For he only among all the sonnes of men is iust and righteous and so iust and righteous that thorough him alone we are counted before God iust innocent and righteous God the father calleth Christ by this name and saith in Esay My seruant is righteous And so saith Zachary Steuen and Iohn And S. Paul sayth the same to the Rom. in these wordes For as by the disobedience of one man that was Adam many were made sinners euē so by the obedience of one shall many also be made righteous We could not of our selues or by our works iustify or redeme our selues but we are made righteous by the only grace of Christ and fayth in him which in holy scripture is called the righteousnes of God that is by which we are accounted righteous before God. Which righteousnes he himselfe doth worke in vs when by his holy spirit he doth make vs righteous and without blame The prophet also calleth Christ our sauiour and that rightly for first he iustifieth vs and whom he iustifieth he both saueth and giueth thē euerlasting lyfe And this is the maner of his worke in vs By his gospell he calleth vs iustifieth vs and then saueth vs The Iewes do here in this prophesie obiect the Hebrew word Noscha which our translator calleth a Sauiour and they say it signifieth saued or deliuered passiuely But this neede not trouble the godly
a peny Titus burned the Temple and sacked the City and layd it euen with the ground Thus were the Iewes driuen out of their country and scattered abroad in the world in which as vagabounds they haue wandred vp and down these 1576. yeares hardened in hart and stroken with blindnes a most miserable people hauing neither kingdome nor priesthood And all because they neglected and vtterly despised the time of grace wherin Christ visited thē Wherfore now they looke in vain for the former comming of Christ since the which comming there is alredy past a thousand and fiue hundred yeares and mo as it was promysed to our fathers from the beginning of the world their Temple also and sacrifice were vtterly abolyshed and taken away because Messias himself is come in his own person and al the figures are fulfilled Chrisostome saith in his second oratiō against the Iewes that they went about to reedefy the Temple and to doe sacrifice as before First vnder Hadryan then vnder Constantine who cut of their eares and last of all vnder Iulian the Apostata which reprobate in despite of the Christian Religion nourished and helped the Iewes gaue them great store of mony that they might after the fatal destruction of the Temple build it again and procured for them workmen and mony But when the workmen digged to lay the foundation great flames of fire burst forth amongst the laborers as they were a digging which destroyed them and made them leaue of their work For the word of God must nedes continue inuiolable and true God foretold that both Ierusalem and the temple should be destroyed and that the sacrifice should cease and that euer after all things there should be a desart and wildernes Al which euery man may see is come to passe And yet for al this the blind Iewes cannot abide to see and acknowledge their error ¶ Anna. But whether wil you refer the last week of the yeares ☞ Vrb. That last week or those last seuen yeares is that time which followeth after those 69. weekes in which as I sayd before Christ should be slain And it came so to passe The Angel saith he shal confirme the couenant with many for one week The gospel of Christ was preached boldly and freely with great succes all those 7 yeares And Christ him self preached the gospel with great power and wrought miracles vnto the 4. yeare And so also after him did the Apostles by the power of the holy Ghost preach the same Gospel and taught that euerlasting couenant of Gods grace the new couenant and promise which God made to wit that for Christs sake he would be merciful and fatherly vnto vs loue vs and acknowledge vs for his deere children and quite blot out al our sinnes out of his remembrance and in the midst of the last weeke which was the fourth yeare after Christes baptisme he was cut of or slain For the Iewes had denyed and clean forsaken him saying vnto Pylate we haue no king but Cesar When therefore that true sacrifice that true oblation Christ of whom Moyses and the Prophets had spoken before whom also the figures of the Law did point out was now come him self and had once by one Sacrifice wyped away the sinnes of the wholl world and puryfied vs from al our sinnes by his own precious bloud as Paul saith to the Hebrues then was it meet that that figuratiue and shadowlike oblation of the Iewes together with the corporal worship of God in Iuda should haue an end seeing that he him self was come of whom all those had been but figures ¶ Anna. What meaneth Danyel where he sayth the abhominations of desolation shal stand at the wings ☞ Vrb. Al Interpretors doe not yet expound these words alike and yet so that the prophesy is not hurt strayned or dammaged Some by the wings vnderstand the Cherubin in the Church where the Images should stand othersome take it to be the cheefe or honorablest place and top of the church and they say that Pylat set the Eagle which is the Ensigne or Banner of the Emperors of Rome vpon the pinnacle of the Church But the Iewes abhorred that Ensigne of the Romaines who they called prophane Gentils and they very opprobriously called it an abhomination Now abhomination is such a thing as we detest and abhorre as a dead putrified and foul stinking carrion ¶ Anna. Is it that which they call Gilul Schikutz Scheketz ☞ Vrb. It is it in deed For as often as the Iewes see an Image they spit at it saying Scheketz ¶ Anna. The pore wretches might spit at themselues for they are abhominably deceiued They are called Iewes that is Confessors and yet they will not confes the truth For they might fall to consydering with them selues and think what should be the cause that they haue wandred in banishment now more then a thousand fiue hundred yeares and that God hath clean depryued them of his word For though they read neuer so much yet vnderstand they nothing because the vaile is ouer their harts as Paul saith ☞ Vrb. This prophesy in deed proueth that the Iewes are marueilously blinded and indurated For they might by this prophesy haue learned the tyme of Christ his first cōming The Angel here plainly sheweth that Messias should come between the captiuity of Babylon and the last destruction of Ierusalem For he reckneth plainly how long Ierusalem and the temple should from that time forth contynue and stand And he sayth that 490. yeares were determyned and he telleth vs in expres words that then almost in the end of those yeares after 62. weekes to wit in the middest of that yearly weeke Messias should come in his own person and be cut of and killed and that the Sacrifice should then cease and desolation come and abide for euer vpon them Now the Iewes plainly know that the captiuity of Babylon was to be ended before two thousand yeares were past and they also know that both the Temple and the Citie of Ierusalem was wasted and destroyed by Titus the Romane Emperor and that they could neuer since yet be restored and repayred They must therfore confes wil they nil they seeing that these 70. weekes are fully past and seeing they may with their eyes vew and behold the desolation and destruction of their City which now hath contynued aboue fifteen hundred yeares sacked and desolate that Messias is already come Neither can they alledge any thing that hath any face of truth of any other man that was killed or slayn in that last yearely weeke but only of Iesus of Nazareth the true Messias our only Lord and god And therfore they haue nothing at all but their obstinate peruerse blindnes malice and hardnes of hart to alleadge whereupon they may say they ought yet to looke for the former comming of Christ ¶ Anna. I pray you what answere made Isaac Leuy vnto you at Rentzburgh concerning this prophesy of Danyel with whom
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
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
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
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