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
called Iehoscua or Iesus is set downe apparailed with filthy garments and he is a figure of Christ the true high priest who although he was true God yet did he so humble himself that he vouchsaued to put vpon himself mans flesh that he might beare our sinnes in his body on the crosse he himself beyng free frō al sinne But he hath borne our infirmities and caried our sorowes We are they for whom he so abased deiected and humbled himselfe and for whose sakes he would be counted vile and abiect as Dauid telleth vs saying But I am a worme and not a man a shame of men and the contempt of the people All they that see me haue me in derision they make a mowe and nod their heds c. ¶ Anna. What haue the other prophets writtē of the seruile and humble habite and conuersation of Christ here vpon earth ☞ Vrb. It will be long to speake of all I wil touch some and that the chiefest Ieremy sayth that the Iewes did acknowledge and confesse their faultes for which they were afflicted with all kind of troubles and calamities and amongst other wordes he hath these Lord our rebellions are many we sinned against thee O the hope of Israel the sauiour thereof in the time of trouble Why art thou as a stranger in the land as one that passeth by to tary for a night Why art thou as a man astonied and as a strong man that cannot helpe Yet thou O Lord art in the midst of vs and thy name is called vpon vs forsake vs not In this prophesie the Iewes complaine that they are in great distresse and woful calamity and that they are forsaken of God or els that he semes to be alienated and turned from them and not to regarde them But this onely was their comfort that God was in Sion and Israel and that he had chosen Israel for his peculiar people Because he had defēded them from the hurtes and harmes of their enemies and dwelt amōg them as he had promised them in Leuit saying And I will set my tabernacle among you and my soule shall not lothe you also I will walke among you and I will be your God and you shall be my people But now they were forsaken God did so hādle them as though he disdayned to walke and dwell any longer amongst them and as one all wery of his way which had but turned in vnto them as into an Inne and by and by departed And thus the Iewes vnderstand this text But the olde church a 1000. yeres agoe as S. Hierome sayth vnderstood these things of Christ and beleued that the prophet did foreshew in these wordes the ministery or office of Christ Because he should at the tyme appointed take vpon him the flesh of man and walke in this earth as Paule affirmeth saying Who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to bee equall with god But he made himselfe of no reputation tooke on him the forme of a seruant and was made like vnto men and was found in shape as a man. To wit he did so humble himselfe that he liued in this earth as a stranger or pilgrime neither had he any place where to abyde As Luke witnesseth in his 9. chap. where the Samaritans refused him when one said vnto him I wil folow thee whersoeuer thou goest He answered the foxes haue holes and the birdes of the heauen haue nestes but the sonne of man hath not whereon to lay his head And in Mathew The Gergesenes desired him that he would depart out of their costes Wherfore in this prophesie he is called Ger and Nidham that is a pilgrime and stranger hauing no abiding place nor house or certaine place to dwell in For at his natiuitie an oxe stall was his inne the manger his cradell After his birth he was constrayned to flie into Egypt And when he had begun the office of his ministery he went out of Galile into Iuda and agayne out of Iuda into Galile now goyng from this city vnto that and then from that to another And although he was the lorde and gouernour of the whole earth yet wandered he in this earth frō place to place now hither now thither euen as a pilgrime or stranger or as a wayfaring man that asketh lodging for a night and hath nothing of his owne And although he was mighty as Esay doth call him which could deliuer himselfe and others out of all danger yet in all the tyme of his being here vpon earth he would not shew his might strength and power but became weake and poore as the Iewes flouting him vpon the crosse said in the gospell of Mathew He saued others but he can not saue himselfe if he be the king of Israel let him nowe come downe from the crosse and we will beleue him he trusted in god let him deliuer him now if he wil haue him But harken now what Esay prophecieth of the former comming of Christ foretelling how humbly and lowly he should behaue himselfe here in the earth Behold saith the Lord by Esay my seruant I will stay vpon him mine elect in whom my soule deliteth I haue put my spirit vpon him he shall bring forth iudgement to the Gētiles he shall not cry nor lift vp nor cause his voyce to be heard in the streete a brused reed shall he not breake the smoking flaxe shall he not quench he shal bring forth iudgement in truth he shall not fayle nor be discoraged till he haue set iudgement in earth and the Iles shall waite for his law Here Esay describeth the person of Christ and telleth what his conuersation should be here in this earth all the tyme of his trauaile in his office or ministery how he should take vpon him our sinnes how he should satisfy for our faultes and how he should with all gentlenes and mercy vse vs poore wretches which deserued nothing but payne and punishment and how he should so entierly loue vs that no man need be afrayd of him dread him or tremble at the presēce of him But all men may rightly looke craue and hope for comfort ayde and helpe at his hand But we will waigh euery one of the prophets wordes in order for they are ful of great and infinit comfort First God the father nameth Christ his seruant because it was the will of our heauenly father that his onely begotten sonne mans flesh being taken vpon him should come downe to vs to be our seruāt which thing Christ himselfe witnesseth in Mathew saying The sonne of man came not to be serued but to serue and giue his lyfe for the ransome of many And Paule sayth He tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse Is not this now a wonderful incredible and great submission and humility May we not here conceiue a
and take away vngodlines wickednes sinfull deeds and that he might teach instill aduance and commend godlines and vertue in all men to make thē flie the euill and do the good It followeth The Iles shall waite for his law That is to say his doctrine shal be further spread be published in moe regions thē the law of Moses was which only was kept within the borders of Iury. This doctors doctrine shal be further spread For euen the Gentils which he here meaneth by the Iles shall and do looke for that doctrine that is it shall go through the whole world The Hebrue worde Thorah which the Translator interpreteth law signifieth also doctrine may well be so translated Now thē this Thorah or doctrine of Christ is that sauing doctrine of the gospell which ministreth vnto vs true ioy comfort and geueth a present helpe and salue for euery sore and sickenes that happeneth vnto vs Mathew alleageth this prophesie afterward sayth In his name shall the gentils trust according to the Greeke translation of the 70. interpreters who haue rightly expoūded this prophesie For in the Gospel the name of Christ is published preached and sayd to be our most redy and alone help ayde sauegard and saluation in all miseries and necessities As Peter saith to Cornelius the Ethnike shewing him the right way of saluation the words be these All the Prophets giue witnes to Christ that through his name all that beleue in him shal receiue remissiō of sinnes Neither by any other name but by the name of Christ be sins forgiuē through his merites onely not any of ours haue we forgiuenes of our sins by his merites only be we sinners forgiuen Christ alone none but Christ is our righteousnes But let vs go forward with the prophesie out of the same chap. Thus saith God the Lord He that created the heauens and spread them abroade he that stretcheth forth the earth the buddes therof he that giueth breth vnto the people vpō it and spirit to them that walke therin I the lord haue called thee in righteousnes will hold thy hand and I wil kepe thee and giue thee for a couenant of the people and for a light of the Gentils that thou maist open the eyes of the blind and bring out the prisoners frō the prison and them that sit in darkenes out of the prison house Behold here and see how plainly sweetly and graciously God the father setteth forth his sonne Christ yea how excellently he describeth his person and his office He doth not say he should be an angry and imperious Moses or some fearefull or proud prince who with his hie lookes should amase mē he doth not say his sonne at his comming should be such an one but he sayth that he should be a mild and officious doctor and teacher which should study and seeke for nothyng els but to bring his bywanderers into the right way to teach and instruct the ignorant and rude and to bring them that are in errour vnto the truth which may saue their soules and to comfort erect fortify and to encourage the faint harted sad sorowfull astonied and men driuen to desperation and to certifie them of gods free mercy and great grace and to deliuer them from al dāgers and calamities both of body and soule And least any man should doubt of these so great excellent and infinite benefites which here he promiseth by Christ he speaketh first and formost of his great and vncredible omnipotency saying that he is the Lord which maketh all things which fostereth all things which cherisheth refresheth gouerneth guideth all things But if he can do these things as certainly he can then can he also performe this that he promiseth As if he should say thus as surely as I haue made heauen earth so surely and truly will I call or send Christ into the earth I the Lord haue called thee in righteousnes We were all vnrighteous and so voyde of all righteousnes that of necessitie one must nedes be sent of such righteousnes that he might in our behalfe satisfy gods iustice teach vs true righteousnes and print it in our hartes This one is Christ the sonne of God in whose mouth is found no deceit he is the autor liuely paterne of al righteousnes nay he is perfect and very righteousnes it selfe he by that his most perfit righteousnes hath redemed vs most righteously from Sathans tirannicall power al other maladies God called him that he might teach vs not teach vs only but also endue vs with true righteousnes for without him there is no righteousnes I will hold thy hand and I will keepe thee Although Christ be the stone of offence and signe which is spoken against for we see Sathan and the world with all their power wisdom and hypocritical holines set thēselues ioyntly against him yea and that with such strength diligence force and violence that oftentimes the outward face of the true church appeareth miserable and semeth not able to stand and saue it self from such strōg enemies which are so forsable cunning subtill and deceitfull so that it is not much vnlike but the Gospell should be troden downe and be destroyed though I say Christ be thus spoken against yet notwithstāding shall Christ his worde with all that beleue his word persist and gloriously florish Where as the aduersaries of Christ and christians with all their subtill deuises shal be brought to extreme calamity be destroied vtterly fal horribly die miserably and perish eternally And yet doth not mans strength and power here fight against men for then the victory should be vncertayne and our state vnstable and weak but the mighty hand of God the father which createth and preserueth all things doth kepe and vphold Christ and therefore he cannot be ouercome mooued or destroyed For who shall take him out of the handes of him that made all things which is almighty and liueth for euer And this is a great comfort For the church being in this world of men so contemned with perils so indangered with rauening wolues so inuironed and with the wiles deceits subtilties crafty inuentions of the aduersary so compassed assailed And although this king lord of the catholike church came into this world as a mild doctor without any such pōpe as worldly princes vse so that the world supposeth that there is no strength power ayde or helpe for vs in him yet haue we on our side a most mighty and inuincible strength with certaine and present ayde and succor euen the right hand of the Lord which taketh vp defendeth sustaineth strengtheneth and kepeth Christ and all that beleue in Christ And I haue giuen thee for a couenaunt of my people Though Christ and his church be very contemptible and haue no beauty at all in the sight of the world yet in this haue we
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.
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.
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
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
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
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